Foto Friday . . .

I interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you . . . yes more seaweed.

And it looks like this seaweed isn't going anywhere, anytime soon.

(She says with a sheepish grin)

The news said it's the worst in great abundance and that Galveston hasn't seen this much

seaweed in a decade and partly because we have been having really strong south winds.

When I was there last week I thought there was a lot, but I went back (because I had too much

fun just days before) even I was shocked by the amounts I saw and it went on and on for as far

as my eyes could see.

But before we headed to the beach we took in the sunrise. . .

and a little starburst to go with it.

And then we headed to Galveston to the beach . . . and there wasn't a soul there but us and the birds!

Oh, and the seaweed - lots and lots of seaweed!

The birds were in smorgasbord heaven and so was I, practicing shooting (with my camera only of course) birds in flight. These little fellows are fast.

This time there was so much of it and it went so much further out into the water that I just couldn't get to it to find more critters . . .

 . . . and well, after seeing this seagull grab this out of the seaweed I wasn't sure I wanted to anyway! (And to think I was knee deep in this last week) I'm not going to rush to any rash judgements here, but just sayin' I'm not sure pipefish grow that long?

And as I ventured along I came across this female blue crab, noted by her lipstick stained claws - she was a little out of sorts, blowing bubbles which is never a good sign. But she soon got a second wind and was headed off to find the water.

This is some of the seaweed that has been on shore and has started to dry up. Those little berry looking things are actually filled with a gas and are what keeps the sargassum afloat. It comes from the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic and when it breaks free and catches the gulf stream it ends up in the Gulf of Mexico benefiting the beaches by replenishing and preventing erosion.

We decided to head down the street a bit further west to a spot where they were pushing the seaweed back off the shore.

Where I found even more birds . . .

[ Photograph life - one color collage ]

. . . and they were working the beach!

And these Sanderlings, which are not babies, usually will not let you get close but they were so all consumed

by lunch to even care.

[ Shoot, edit, submit ]

And then how perfect, the theme over at Photo Art Friday this week if you chose it was to make a piece of photo art with a horizon. This is the view walking back down the ramp from the beach. And this is kind of monumentous( monumental and momentous, it's a kimism) for me in that I still haven't quite learned my elements yet and found that picmonkey allows you to upload your own texture. Imagine my excitement, and especially because I was able to use not one, but two of Bonnie's textures [from Pixel Dust Photo Art] that I won. Whoo Hoo!

I used two images that I superimposed, one of the scene and the other of the pelicans. I used Northern Lights overlay in subtract at 44%, and then Splendor in the Grass in hardlight at 25%, ta da!!

I love how the textures really enhanced the clouds, thanks again Bonnie!

[ Photo Art Friday ]

And strangely last but not least and only because it doesn't fit the beach theme, is my interpretation of still life for project 52. And check it out, no spray bottle this time, lol!

And oh sigh, boy do I love Ranunculus......

[ P52 project  -  Flower Art Friday ]

Kim Klassen's texture Warm sun, hardlight 81% 

The winds are suppose to die down giving a small reprieve of seaweed this weekend, but we are expecting storms, shucks! I'm on a quest to find a pipefish and flatworm...wish me luck!! ; )

Have a wonderful weekend and a very Happy Mother's Day to you, early!

Love, Kim

XO