This Challenge is.....The Christmas Season! It can be anything representing Christmas. A Santa photo, a church, a nativity scene, you can make your own Christmas card, a Christmas scene, you can do a collage. It can be ANYTHING, just no moving photos or slideshow.
If you don't celebrate Christmas, you may post something that represents your holiday. Our Challenge starts today & all photos must be posted between now & Thursday Dec. 4th at 9 PM EST.
Click here to visit The Challenge Blog for all entries!

Blogger Community Photo Challenge "Giving Thanks For...."

Our next challenge, "Give Thanks For...." starts November 14 & ends on the Thursday, Nov. 20th @ 9 PM EST. You may show it in one photo, a composite, or collage. You may be creative in your collage. If you add a few photos, we will only count the top photo. We will NOT consider any slideshows or moving images.

I am grateful for many things, but the most important is my family.
Family is the heart of our life. Our family's love & support keeps us whole.
Thanks to all of you who have made this challenge a success, especially.....Ü....
Vicki, Rob, Gina, Martha & Kat, thanks for all your help!

“Gratitude is when memory
is stored in the heart
and not in the mind.”
~Lionel Hampton

Sunday Afternoon Ride through Pleasantville & Bedford.

Walkway in Pleasantville, with the last remnants of autumn.



An Old Oak Tree in Bedford

Blogger's Community Photo Challenge-Autumn

Show us your autumn shot. Go back to the Challenge Blog & leave a link to your blog.
It started Friday Oct 31 & all entries need to be posted by Thursday Nov. 6, @9 PM EST to be considered in our POLL which will be posted on Friday, Nov.7

Hope everyone joins in this time! It an easy challenge this month, so if you can't get out, find one you took recently & post it.

Early HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Did the Pumpkin tonight & just lit it.
It was a lot of work cleaning it out, I
don't remember it being such a struggle.

Blogger's Community Photo Challenge•Spooky!

Martha suggested our next Blogger's Community Photo Challenge be Spooky!
Could be something to do with Halloween, or something dramatic, haunting, mysterious, mysteriously strange, or eerie.

The above image is an oldie, but it was good for this Challenge.
The image below fits Halloween "SPOOKY" It was my son, about 3 years ago.

Round Robin Challenge-Hometown

My hometown is NY, living here, in Westchester, we are close to everything...the country , the ocean, & the city, Manhattan. I grew up Westchester & lived on western LI for 19 years where I started a family. I moved back to Westchester after my divorce. For the past 3o+ years I have spent many summers & weekends out on LI on the east end, where my family has a summer place. My photos are mostly of my home state & surrounding area.

Click here for more ROUND ROBIN CHALLENGES

One of many Long Island Beaches

Sailing on Shinnecock Bay, LI

Pocantico Hills, Rockefeller State Park
This park is near us about 10 minutes away, it has beautiful hiking trails.

Kent Falls, Connecticut is a short ride upstate near NYS line.

Kent Falls State Park Covered Bridge
More photos @ My Gallery
or
http://www.pbase.com/mariesimages/kent_ct

Kent Falls

I went to Kent Falls last Thursday to photograph the only waterfall in this area, that I am aware of. It was about a 1 1/2 hour ride. The area had 3 covered bridges, which we also wanted to photograph. Kent was quaint & a perfect area to visit in Autumn. More photos will be posted on my Pbase gallery. I also have my new computer & CS3 up & running, so my time has been focused on that...Ü

Monday Photo Shoot: Fences And What's Behind Them

Old Bethpage Village, LI, NY
All images were from Bethpage Village

I also love photographing fences & here are just a few images I have from Autumn 2007

Blogger's Community Photo Challenge-CHANGE!

Our first challenge on our new blog is CHANGE, it was suggested by Rob.
Vicki & I thought it was perfect for our move here.
Rob wrote: CHANGE, could signify everything from the change of seasons
to political change to the change in your pocket - an open-ended theme
which could hopefully inspire some creativity.

On Friday 10/10 we will post our first poll here, so don't forget to come back to vote!
Come Join in the Challenge at Blogger's Community Photo Challenge!

I ventured out into my archives of images for a photo of a fence for Carly's Monday Photo Shoot & found this image...actually I found many fences for the challenge & thought I would use this one for my CHANGE....of the seasons.


"Your current safe boundries were once unknown frontiers."
~Unknown

"Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."
~John F. Kennedy

“The key to change... is to let go of fear.”
~Rosanne Cash quotes

To Add a SUBSCRIBE widget to your BLOG.

Using Feedblitz, you must sign up for an account with FEEDBLITZ first, it's free.
Once you signed up....if you are not logged on
do it.....Ü

Go to Accounts/DASHBOARD
Scroll down to NEWSLETTER if you are new to Feedblitz, then you need to create a NEWSLETTER
& click on SET UP A NEW NEWSLETTER follow instructions, you will need your URL to your blog.....(choose RSS, I think) continue to the end.

Once you created a newsletter, go back to the Feedblitz DASHBOARD
Scroll down to CHOOSE YOUR NEWSLETTER, on right side & click on small arrow on drop down menu, you should see your BLOG name, go down to it.
This will bring you to your BLOG setting page at Feedblitz. Here you can make changes to your delivery service....whatever.
You want to click on Get signup forms, chicklets, links and widgets
CLICK ON Get your HTML sign-up form code
Copy code

Then go back to your BLOG/ to DASHBOARD
Click on LAYOUT
Click on Add a Gadget
There's plenty of cool gadgets you can use....but for this one we need to scroll down to-HTML/JavaScript Add
Add third-party functionality or other code to your blog.
By Blogger

In the content area you will have to paste the code from Feedblitz.
You can also name it in the title area. Hit SAVE & that should do it. you can drag the gadgets on the side in order that you would like them.

Feedblitz site is not user friendly. It's kinda confusing.
I hope this helps.

Still Life Photography: Fruit

Still Life Photography: Fruit

Grapes & Wine




Another version of the same image down on old paper background. This was posted on AOL, & I am not transferring many images. I doubt I will transfer anything.

Carly's Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot

#5: Still Life Photography: Fruit

AOL Community Photo Challenge-September

AOL Community Photo Challenge-September

To me September is the start of Autumn, Here in NY,
we harvest pumpkins, gourds, apples....we also start to see some leaves
change color. We really don't see to much color change, so I am joining
in & submitting this for 2 challenges, Ours, which is "September" and the
other challenge is for "Autumn", Carly's Monday Photo Shoot.
We plan on doing our own Autumn Challenge towards the end of
October. By then we should have so great color through out NY.

"Autumn begins with a subtle change in the light, with skies a deeper blue, and nights that become suddenly clear and
chilled. The season comes full with the first frost, the disappearance of migrant birds, and the harvesting of the season's last crops."
Glenn Wolff and Jerry Dennis

"The definition of a Harvest Moon is: the full moon closest to the fall equinox. The Harvest Moon was thus named because it rises within a half-hour of when the sun sets. In early days, when farmers had no tractors, it was essential that they work by the light of the moon to bring in the harvest. This moon is the fullest moon of the year. When you gaze at it, it looks very large and gives a lot of light throughout the entire night. No other lunar spectacle is as awesome as the Harvest Moon."
Harvest Moon Lore-

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.
--Stanley Horowitz

Montauk Lighthouse

This Lighthouse was taken in 2007 at Montauk Point, Long Island in October.

Round Robin Challenge: It's Not Easy Being Green

Round Robin Challenge: It's Not Easy Being Green

What inspires me is the great outdoors, so here are a few of my GREEN images. I posted on both AOL Journal & here. My collage on AOL of green are of the same images here....no need to visit both. So here are my pics for green!
Check out all challengers....@ http://roundrobinphoto.blogspot.com/

Ducks of GREEN pond in Irvington, NY

Green Pond

Bridge at Old Westbury Gardens

AOL Community Photo Challenge-September

AOL Community Photo Challenge for this week is........September!
Remember to follow guidelines & leave permalink on Our Community Photo Challenge Journal.
All entries need to be in by Thursday Sept 25th @ 9PM EST to be included for the selection that will be posted on Friday the 26th for the community voting.

If you haven't joined in yet....now is the time!!! Ü

Second Generation Collage

2007

The Barn Door

Round Robin- Wooden

Wooden door at the Old Bethpage Village on LI, take in 2007
My original entry is on my AOL blog for RR Challenge.

A Glimpse of Italy

Paestum, Italy 2008

One of three Greek Temples from a colony dating around 600BC in Paestum, it was known as Poseidonia but later named Paestum when it became a Roman colony in 273BC. It was later rediscovered around 1750. More photos of Italy can be found on my pbase gallery.

The Old Mill

I needed to post something here. I haven't been on much, concentrating most of my time on my AOL Community Photo Challenge. If anyone reads this, & wants to play along, stop by & check it out. Read the Guidelines & enter a photo. All are welcome.

I am planning a trip to Italy in 2 weeks....very nervous, but excited. I am hoping for beautiful weather, so I can photograph everything. I am praying to come back alive..Ü I don't fly very well, this is my first trip out of the country, yep....got my passport for the very first time. I guess it's time after 51 years....Ü

Come visit us @ AOL Community Photo Challenge & join in. We have bi-weekly challenges, but I may include an addition challenge between our main challenges. We're keeping it creative. I will post on Friday....Ü

So stop by & say hi~

Converting a Color Image into B & W

RR Challenge: Black and White Landscape

Photo was taken on Long Island at the Horton Lighthouse, overlooking the Long Island Sound. The North Shore of Long Island in New York.

Hello Robins

Time for a new challenge to enjoy. :) Marie(THATS ME!), author of the blog, "Photographs and Memories Too"(THATS HERE & THERE) submitted the challenge topic, "Black and White Landscape" during our recent challenge topic round-up, and I thought it sounded like a nifty idea. With the weather changing to rain and snow throughout the country, what better way to see the beauty in those cold days, then to get out with the camera and let the creative juices flow? You might even see a beautiful, picturesque scene out a window, and capture it, so don't feel like you have to go out into the rain and snow if you don't want to. :) Perhaps you took a lovely landscape photo last summer, that works as well, although a brand new photo taken by you is always enjoyable to see.

I posted a group layout on my AOL Journal.

When I convert a color image into a black & white, I use that Channel Mixer in Photoshop.
I go to Image/Adjustments/Channel Mixer. I then Click on Monochrome & adjust the sliders.
This is the best way to convert. I like making sure there is enough contrast so it doesn't look flat.

A Christmas Poem


Twas the month before Christmas When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying Nor taking a stand.
Why the Politically Correct Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a "Holiday".

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzer
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded.
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!
~Unknown

Autumn in Infrared

Nov. 2007

Another shot from Rockefeller State Park Preservation.

Autumn in NY

Autumn in B & W

I've search for autumn color for weeks so I can just make it into B & W.
I try to get an infrared look & it works best with yellow trees & dark blue skies.
In this case the sky was cloudy so it really didn't come out exactly the way I wanted it to.

Happy Thanksgiving

This was created for a special person.(Only he knows) I was not going to post it but decided to. It represents some of the little gifts that God has giving me.

I also want to thank all the special people I have met through AOL, with all it's problems, if it wasn't for the AOL Journals I would have never been so connected with so many wonderful people.

Wishing everyone a Happy & Blessed Thanksgiving!
~Marie

Autumn 2007

Tarrytown, NY

RR Challenge: "Offer Three and Shoot One"

Round Robin Challenge

Click on image to see it larger on my AOL BLOG.

Montauk Point Lighthouse
Nov.11, 2007

RR Challenge: "Offer Three and Shoot One"

Greetings Robins! Time for your next photo challenge. Put on your creative caps as it's an open challenge. Post three future challenge topics with your entry and then pick one of your topics to photograph for your challenge entry. "Offer three and shoot one," your choice!

1. Anything in 3's, must be the same theme & presented in 3 images.

2. Photograph of your hometown, home state, country. Something beautiful that you love about where you live.

3. B & W landscape, you can use different techniques, use Photoshop filters....anything you want but has to be in B & W

My e-MALE Blog Favorites

On AOL, we've had some entries for blogplugs, so here are mine. This time guys only. These are my favorite male blogs that I enjoy reading. It's too bad we don't have the best alerts system on here because Blogspot has come a long way since many of us switched over from AOL. I admit I still use AOL Blogs, but Blogspot really has some cool features. Soooooo, You will see more posts, here, for now on.

Here are the blogs that I picked(in no particular order):

Paul, aka Waterboy & he can be found @ http://singlemanwriting.blogspot.com/

Paul drives me crazy, b/c you can't leave a comment on this blog, I hate when a guy has the last word! Ü He is talented in both writing & photography.

Jimmy, aka Stupidsheetguy @http://stupidsheet.blogspot.com/

Well, we all know Jimmy, what can I say, he knows EVERYTHING!!!....far from stupid~ (but then, he is a guy) Ü
I just want to add this, just in case you don't know Jimmy, he has a heart of gold, he is a people pleaser & always ready to lend a hand.

Marc, Grains of Sand @http://journals.aol.com/grofsand/GrainsOfSand/
He's our AOL's nostalgic, romantic dreamer. He's a very sweet guy who can make you melt with just a few words. Every comment he leaves is more like poetry.....He just has a beautiful way with words~

Greg, Photo Trek @http://journals.aol.com/radar446/PhotoTrek/
Amazing photos & very knowledgeable in photography, gives advice & photo tips.
He is an expert on capturing beautiful waterfalls!

Horton's Lighthouse

Horton's Lighthouse Sept. 2007
North Fork
Long Island, NY
Click here for My Photo Gallery
or on the title or image

Old Bethpage Village Restoration

Old Bethpage October 21, 2007
Long Island, NY

Click on the title of the top 3 photos & it will bring you to pbase galleries of each place I have posted.

Sunnyside

Sunnyside October 2007

These last few posts are my visits to local Landmarks, parks & Villages. I have posted more photos of my visits on my pbase site.

Lyndhurst Rose Garden

Lyndhurst Oct. 28, 2007
Tarrytown, NY