Devon Horse Show

Thursday marked the opening day for The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair. The day started out cool and in the 60's and quickly progressed to hot and humid high 80's. In the afternoon a strong storm blew over  making for some dramatic photos. 

You can see more on my Flickr site. 

Once again Elizabeth from Caracol Jewelry has asked me to display my artwork in her booth at Devon. 

This year I chose 5 photographs to show. I thought they worked well with the space and beautiful jewelry. 

Thank you Elizabeth for taking the following 3 photos, I left in the middle of a storm and didn't get the chance!

The Devon Horse Show IS my happy place. I will probably never get to show a horse there so I am very grateful to get to show my horse art. It is a dream come true!

Blue Orchids

Yes, I know they're dyed but these blue orchids had me spell bound yesterday at the greenhouse. 

And because I don't go anywhere without my camera, here are a few other shots from a local greenhouse.

After all that color your eyes probably need a rest!

Goat Flower Farm

Lots of new kids at Goat Flower Farm. 

The one just below was born this morning!

More photos on my Goat Flower Farm Flickr set. 

Mama love... 

From the Shadows

Some of my favorite photos of the week...

Check out Flickriver to see my newest photographs.

February Moon Magic

Last night after dinner I thought I would take a drive to find the moon.

I went down my street for a few miles and turned right. 

Then I saw it, a beautiful magenta moon coming up over the local country market. 

I quickly pulled over in an Amish farm driveway and started snapping. Within minutes it had gone from red to orange to golden. You can even see in the middle photos as it's making the transition, rising above the atmospheric particles that give it the red color to our eyes. 

Here's what it looks like when a car passes, kind of neat.

And two shots of the moon a few days earlier before it was full. 

You can find more of my photography on Flickr!

found

 beauty in the breakdown

This weekend I photographed a series of shells I found at the beach last summer and fall. 

I find that over the winter I am constantly thinking about the shore and dreaming of lounging in the sun and sand and jumping waves. I think I could live at the beach. 

I miss the smell of salt water and suntan lotion. 

These help. 

I think I may offer a few as prints someday. They would look nice hanging as a group.

You can see all of them on the flickr set -  found

 treasured

scalloped

urchin 

(okay, didn't find this one at the beach but it is pretty amazing)

vacant

lodged

battered and broken

taken in

Photography

Lately it seems that all I can think about is taking photos. When I'm not thinking about taking them, I'm thinking about editing them. I have thousands on my computer so this pretty much takes up all my free time. I am consumed with thoughts of photography. I lay in bed and night unable to sleep because I'm thinking about what I can photograph and how; where I can go and when. Driving in the car I see all sorts of things I want to stop and shoot but it would take hours to get anywhere if I did this. It's starting to worry my husband. Things aren't getting done that need to get done. Unfortunately it's not something that pays the bills (yet... I'm hopeful).

So earlier this month I was on the moon when I received word that I won a first and a third in The Horse of Delaware Valley's annual photocon. If you live in the PA, MD, DE and love horses you are probably quite familiar with this publication, it's been around for years. When I was a child I would cut out all the free horse and pony ads in the back and tape them to the fridge. I poured over that paper and cut out every pretty picture. I started entering their contest nearly 20 years ago. A few times I was a finalist and in 2008 I came in third in the action division. I never won a first... until this year. I think I'll use my winning to buy a ticket to Nevada to see my grandmother this summer (and maybe find some wild horses to photograph when I'm out there).

My photo of Pumpkin Pie chasing a squirrel was in the latest issue, chosen as a finalist .

My third place photo pf a hose jumping a Halloween/autumn themed obstacle at Fair Hill Three-Day.

 This photo I took at Devon in 2008 received a third place award in the action category. 

I still can't believe how intense that sunset was!

Another finalist photo from waaay back in 2000. The bay horse was my thoroughbred, Pewter's Bill. 

So I don't know where this is all going. I have no training, I just do what feels right. 

I have an okay camera but definitely not professional equipment. 

Perhaps its given me a little bit of encouragement to keep on clicking!

 To see more photos, visit my Flickr page or watch this You Tube video I put together today.