Occasional Threads – Ellen Guerrant

It is unseasonably cold in Charlotte, following a week of delightful warmth.  But the knock-out roses, black and blue salvia, angelonia and Becky daisies are still blooming their hearts out.  The gardenias planted last spring are just now beginning to bloom.  Some years, we have roses until December.

This photo above was an experimental shot with my new camera.

The late afternoon light cast interesting shadows on these ghost pumpkins.

We are so fortunate to have a farmer’s market at the bottom of our street – just seven houses away.  Open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday (daily in October), the market gives us easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables, glorious bouquets, plants, baked goods and even fresh shrimp and grass-fed beef.  Fall is one of my favorite times there, as that’s when the pumpkins arrive!

We and the kids walked down Tuesday with their sweet baby Leven for her first visit to a pumpkin patch.  It was fun to watch her propped up for a photo shoot.

My Original Photo

PhotoShopped by Bill Guerrant, my DH

We have morning glories growing all along the fence next to our garden, purposefully planted to act as a “screen.”  They are in lovely shades of blues, pinks and violets.   I shot several one recent morning, but was then disappointed at what I saw on the computer monitor.  No longer was the blue the vibrant color I’d seen just moments before.  My efforts at PhotoShop did not suit me.  The colors were still washed out.  Whine!

DH, who has been a very good, award-winning  photographer most of his life, learned  tricks in the darkroom he applies to Photoshop.  Things such as “adjusting” and “burning.”  I know how to adjust the brightness, etc., but nothing as sophisticated as DH can do.

The photos above illustrate what a little (or a lot) of skill can accomplish.  I think the difference is outstanding.

I’m a photographer wanna be – living with a guy with a lifetime of experience but not enough patience to teach a novice.  Our son and daughter-in-law have degrees in photography so I learn a lot by following them around and really looking at their shots. Check their site here: http://mattandsuzie.com/

Additionally, our DIL is a PhotoShop Guru, having won the national award a few years ago.  Want that staircase removed from your photo?  She can do that for ya.

If you’re into trains, check my son’s site:  http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=28734 I think he has some awesome shots.

Angelonia – a garden favorite.

Hello, all.  My long absence has been caused by the series of “tune-ups” I’ve been undergoing.  So here is my “organ recital.”

My first cataract was removed just before Memorial Day.  Absolutely painless, except for feeling as if a piece of ash was in my eye -  after the numbing drops wore off.  I’m still in the semi-blurry stage necessitating the purchase of at least five different pair(s) of ‘readers’ from the dollar store.  My opthalmologist said it can take four to five weeks for my vision to  become really sharp.  I’ll have the second eye done sometime in July.

I had carpal tunnel surgery last Monday.  Once again, absolutely no pain.  The biggest aggravations in having to do things one-handed are trying to deal with intimate apparrell and styling my hair!  The stitches come out Friday.  I’m sure it will take some time before I’m able to fully use my left hand.

My right hand will be much more complicated, involving serious thumb issues.  Fall travel plans will delay that surgery until probably late October.

But I’m still out here!  Hope you’re all doing creative things and enjoying good weather.

The beautiful flower about which I posted 4/20 has finally been identified!  Our dear friend Ann Marsh researched and found this information:  Leucojum aestivum or Snowflake, is an heirloom bulb found in old Southern gardens.  Just google “snowflake heirloom bulbs” to learn more.

Snowflakes are very similar to Snowdrops, but Snowdrop petals are different and lack the distinctive tiny green dots.  Their botanical name is: galanthus nivalus.

Thank you Ann,  I definitely plan to plant Snowflakes this fall!

Photo credit:  Bill Guerrant