Pick a number between one and ten . . .

. . . was it 7?

Ha ha, well not that it would make much difference now, but I was having a really hard time

deciding what to share with you today.

But before I get to that, I just want to say thank you to all of you who shared your thoughts on my 

Photo-heart connection on Tuesday, from the bottom of my heart!! It would seem that I am not alone.

I was having trouble deciding because I've taken a truck load of photos lately. I just can't help it I love the light this time of year, and the sunrises seem to be extra incredible, but I did go somewhere I haven't been with my camera earlier in the week. A park with trails, but I never made it to the trails once I found a small boardwalk overlooking a small protected wetland area. As I started walking I immediately spied several birds hunting in the water, and so I had to go into my stealth mode. You know the one where you pretend not to see them, while taking baby steps sideways...inching your way closer and closer, just praying you don't scare them away. And since I don't have"birding" lenses I was super excited that I had made it to the middle of this boardwalk with no one flying away.

I really could spend all day just watching these magnificent birds,

and their fishing prowess . . . 

and was definitely soaking in of all the incredible reflections! They kinda make my knees weak, you know what I mean?

It almost looks like I squished this photo (is there such a thing?), but he sure did spy something in the water and got lower and lower turning  his head almost level with the water.

And, I might have started singing . . . fly me to the moon . . . for real, and this guy seemed pretty interested and started walking closer . . .and closer . . .  

until apparently I hit a bad note......it ruffled his feathers a bit. Don't blame him, I'm not very musical,

that's my daughter's gift. But isn't he the cutest?

And before I was ready to leave, it started to sprinkle, and then it started to sprinkle a little harder.

If I had only had my umbrella in the car...if I had only known it was going to rain. I was quite enjoying the sprinkle, but the camera not so much. Santa forgot the camera raincoat last year, maybe now he'll bring it?

And even though our photo art Friday won't return until the first of the year, I couldn't resist.  I used one of Bonnie's textures but very lightly over a photo where I was experimenting with slow shutter speed to get a painterly effect. And there is a fine line between too much and not enough speed to get this right, but I'm practicing and having fun with it, because right now I'm all about breaking the rules! And I'll share more about this later.

"I take photographs with love, so I try to make them art objects. But I make them for myself

first and foremost - that is important."  - Jaques-Henri Lartique

Have a great weekend and until next time,

Love, Kim

XO

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