One Leaf in Actions

Took a walk today and found many interesting shots, but when I opened a few of them up in Photoshop, I decided instead to play with just this one image:

Above would be pretty typical processing for me...kind of pop-ish, saturated, and bright.

My other favorite action to use is A2D's Lomo. I love how it intensifies the greens and the edge burn it applies.

This one is called Indie Jane's Grunge, which was created and shared over at the Two Peas Photography Board by a generous member.

This one is called "Draganizer." I like the grungy feel it has.

This one is "Bright Punch." Appropriately enough.

This one is Midnight Sepia. I like the gauzy feel to this one.

This one is "Acidic,"

and this one is "Photograin." All beautiful in their own ways.

Hot Cat-on-Cat Action

Meet Tom.

Meet Beckers.

Theirs is a special kind of love.

Sure, they're both males. They're also littermates. Don't judge them.

If two cats love each other, they should be able to show it. Who am I to stand in the way?

And they shouldn't have to be ashamed.

Woolly Bear

Meet Isia Isabella, or the Woolly Bear caterpillar.

In the spring, this guy (or gal) will become a Tiger Isabella moth. But for now, he's still a Woolly Bear. There's an old wive's tale that the width of the black stripes on either end helps predict the winter weather. Wide areas of black are supposed to indicate a severe winter, while narrow areas of black supposedly foretell a mild winter. This guy's stripes look pretty narrow to me. In any case, one can hope, and I'll take a mild winter any way I can get it.

We found this at Letchworth State Park in New York. More photos of that later, but for today, I wanted to share something a little more full of mystery.

Also, a note: Thanks to all of you for your kind comments on yesterday's post. I appreciate them so much.

Fall(ing)

It seems that every sporadic blog post I make these days begins with an explanation as to why I haven't updated in so long. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I guess I'll attempt to explain why I've been neglecting photography (a true passion) and posting here.

Many of you know that I was laid off in July. This came completely unexpectedly, and after 10 years of what anyone would consider faithful service to the company I worked for. It wasn't the best place to work, but I counted myself lucky to have a job, and I used to joke with a friend that I was a "lifer." Truly, I probably would never have left unless an opportunity too good to be true had fallen in my lap. I wasn't looking for anything else.

Since that Friday afternoon, I have alternated between feeling scared, angry, bitter, hopeless, paralyzed, and scared again. I don't get enough on unemployment to cover the rent and all the bills, and there's nothing left over for any extras. The help wanted section of the paper is no help. I've put in some applications and sent out a few resumes, but haven't heard anything back. I'm exhausted and feeling pretty pessimistic these days.

I know that attitude needs to change before anything else can happen, and I'm trying. I have many blessings left to count, and more support from the ones I love than a lot of people get when they're in a similar situation. It's just that right now, I feel kind of like this caterpillar, balled up around myself as a defense against what might happen next.

Presque Isle on a Stormy Evening

A couple of weeks back, I stopped by the beach at sunset.

It was windy and spitting rain off and on.

The sky was intense and full of fast-moving clouds.
And the wind was whipping the water into the kind of waves we don't often see on the lake.

Leaving A Mark

A few weeks back, we stopped at the Stone Tower in Allegany State Park. I've been visiting this place since I was a kid, and it seemed a lot taller back in the day.

It's up on a hill, and you can see for quite a way even though it's not very tall.

One thing I've always liked about this place is all the graffiti people carve and write on the walls.

Mostly you see declarations of love, or statements that so-and-so was here.

But some of the marks are a little more original.
Since we didn't have a Sharpie on hand, Dave tried to leave our mark the old fashioned way. (Shh, don't tell!)

The person who wrote this must have had a few minutes of uninterrupted time to complete it.

And isn't this what we all want?

The Katydid, and a Secret Shame

Let me start by saying that when you have to be shamed into updating your blog by someone like dmack, things are pretty bad. I'm not even employed right now, for the love of God, and I can't seem to be bothered.

So, by popular demand (from dmack anyway), here's a cool bug I saw yesterday.

I'm pretty sure it's a katydid, but if I'm wrong, please let me know. Loads of people out there have way more entomology skills than I do.

Dude was just chilling on the stem of a dead flower.
And he's missing one of his antennae....hope he can still find his way around, or sniff things out, or whatever he uses those things for.

Jesus with a Sense of Humor

At St. Bonaventure Cemetery, I managed to find a few statues and headstones that made me giggle.

This one doesn't seem funny at first glance, but when you look more closely....

Why does it look like Mary's left breast is exposed??

Also, why does Jesus have the body of a baby, but the head of a man? And what the heck is going on under his gown?

Nearby, I found a crypt with some busts on top.

Very realistic...

And very creepy. This one reminds me of the old preacher man from Poltergeist 2: "You're all gonna die in there!!"

And finally....I know it's not intended to be funny, but check out Jesus as Lt. Dan from Forrest Gump.

The Twelfth Station

The Twelfth Station of the Cross (Jesus Dies on the Cross) at St. Bonaventure Cemetery is built into a huge grotto.

The grotto itself is beautiful and detailed...

but at the stop is a fantastic life-sized sculpture of the Crucifixion.

The Stations of the Cross

As we were driving home from Watkins Glen, we travelled through Olean, NY, home of St. Bonaventure University. I've driven through before but didn't have time to stop to take pictures at the enormous cemetery there. Luckily, Dave was game, so we took a break so I could take some photos.

St. Bonaventure Cemetery is home to a stunning collection of the Stations of the Cross.
The Stations of the Cross tell the story of the Passion of Christ in 14 steps. It's a common Lenten practice for Catholics to follow the Stations as a reflection of Christ's sacrifice. I'm a lapsed Catholic myself, so my interest in these was purely from an artistic standpoint. They are incredible.

The Stations at St. Bonaventure were constructed in 1926, and they are showing their age beautifully. I processed all of these in my beloved Lomo (A2D, link in sidebar).

Station I: Jesus is Condemned to Death

Station II: Jesus Receives the Cross

Station III: The First Fall

Station IV: Jesus Meets His Mother

Station V: Simon of Cyrene Carries the Cross

Station VI: Veronica Wipes Jesus' Face with Her Veil

Station VII: The Second Fall

Station VIII: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

Station IX: The Third Fall
Station X: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

Station XI: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

Station XII: Jesus Dies on the Cross

(Note: The Twelfth Station is built into a beautiful grotto with a statue of The Crucifixion on top. More on this tomorrow.)

Station XIII: Jesus' Body is Removed from the Cross

Station XIV: Jesus' Body is Laid in the Tomb