This painting caught my eye at the Shelburne Museum (Shelburne, Vermont) during a visit in 2019. I was struck by the tenderness captured between mother and child. As a former nursing mother, it brought back sweet memories.
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #126: An Alphabet Challenge — Subjects That Begin with the Letter A
We invite you share images that feature a subject that starts with the letter A. You can also include signs and graffiti with the letter A. For an added challenge, capture an image that illustrates a concept with the letter A, such as alone, abstract, or afraid.
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A is not just for Apple (as I was taught in school). So, for this challenge I ventured away from that delicious example.
I’ll start with Ablaze.
During a recent walk through my favorite (and only) refuge in the woods, I waited until the sun dropped low in the sky. This doesn’t take long during a late November afternoon, as daylight hours shorten. The wait was well worth it. One of these days I’ll figure out how to avoid the sun spots when I take these shots, but for now I let it be.
The field lit up as if on fire…lasting maybe a minute. When the sun Appears low on the horizon, it demands one’s Attention and prompt Action to capture a photo before it’s too late…
Next up is Angles…
During a visit to an Art museum last year, I captured this shot of a wall visible from the cafe. Geometry was never even close to being my favorite subject in school, but I know an Angle when I see one. The sun…once more…doing its Amazing work…
Last…but not least…is Ass.
Yes, I know that sounds crude and perhaps inappropriate, but let’s remember…besides defining a body part or a human worthy of scorn, it names a member of Nature’s kingdom. Also known as a donkey.
When I visited the Shelburne Museum in Vermont last year, one exhibit consisted of a turn of the (last) century schoolroom. The room was full of Antique desks, a wood stove, blackboard and such. But what drew my attention were tablets hung on the wall – alphabet (and perhaps syllable) learning tools for young students of the day.
Apple was not used as an example for the letter A. The teacher at the time chose Ass.
All these years later, I learned some new interesting facts about this long maligned animal…
It also made me wonder when and why teachers Abandoned “A is for Ass” for “A is for Apple.”
During a visit to the Shelburne Museum in Vermont last year, I noticed an odd sign posted in the grass next to the walking path: Please Stay on the Grass.
It was then that I realized I was looking at an art installation. Who knew? I love smooth stones, which I usually only see at the beach. This was something entirely different.
Inspired by Lens-Artists Challenge #87: Reflections
…we invite you to be creative to find any reflective surfaces to show us your reflection photographs.
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My most recent favorite reflection happened in January during a walk on the beach. The tide was lower than I’d ever seen before. The afternoon light caught the clouds above while the beach transformed into a mirror.
Magical.
I had driven to this beach with an overwhelming need to clear my head. Walking along the ocean…listening to the waves hit the shore…the blue sky meeting the water in a far off horizon.
It never fails me.
Hampton Beach 2020
A few years ago I caught this moment during a walk close to sunset.
Hampton Beach 2016
Last summer, reflections appeared on a pond at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont.
Shelburne, Vermont 2019
This past week has been quite difficult on a personal level…which drove me to the beach again yesterday. No reflections this time…but these photos brought it all back.
The peace. The calm. The comfort.
Gotta love the power of the images we capture – as they transport us back to a healing moment in time.
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(I resisted inserting the Supremes rendition of Reflections, as it kept going through my mind while writing this post…it’s funny how songs just pop up at the most unexpected times)
Cases of stemmed glassware caught my eye at the Shelburne Museum last summer.
They were on display at the museum’s “General Store” which contained artifacts from the early 1900s.
Inspired by Frank at Dutch goes the Photo: Transport
…Your challenge is to share some of your favorite modes of transport, some of which I hope will be a bit unusual…
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…chicks and ducks and geese better scurry…
As a huge fan of Broadway musicals, “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” immediately started up in my head when I noticed this actual surrey at the Shelburne Museum this past summer.
The surrey in Oklahoma! is a bit different from this one…which was actually used for transport.
…Share with us photos you’ve captured through windows.
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As I have mentioned before in several posts, I enjoyed a photographer’s paradise last summer when visiting the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. Twice actually…as there was so much to see I had to return! Not just to photograph, but to experience.
Why couldn’t history lessons be this fascinating back in high school?
For this challenge, I will include two images.
The first was taken while walking across a double-lane wooden covered bridge. It was built in 1845…a weathered sign warns bridge crossers riding horses or automobiles not to exceed 10 miles per hour.
I discovered a window about halfway across the bridge…offering a glimpse across the pond beneath.
The second window was in one of the 39 buildings situated throughout 45 acres of museum grounds.
Showcasing a small sample of the vibrant, colorful flowers blooming in one of the 22 gardens on the property.