Mother & Child
Category Archives: digital photography
The Gift of Dandelions
Dandelions, like all things in nature are beautiful when you take the time to pay attention to them.
― June Stoyer
Dandelions… What? You call this beautiful aromatic flowering beauty a weed?
Children say it best as they run up to you with a fistful of freshly picked dandelions and say, “For you, Teacher!” Meanwhile the rest of the afternoon may be spent itching the eyes and wiping a runny nose, but how can you refuse a gift.
While many people think of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as a pesky weed, it’s chock full of vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, and teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make wines.
In the past, dandelion roots and leaves were used to treat liver problems. Native Americans also boiled dandelion in water and took it to treat kidney disease, swelling, skin problems, heartburn, and upset stomach. In traditional Chinese medicine, dandelion has been used to treat stomach problems, appendicitis, and breast problems, such as inflammation or lack of milk flow. In Europe, it was used in remedies for fever, boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea.
Source: Dandelion | University of Maryland Medical Center
Dandelion wine, believed to be of Celtic origin, is regarded as one of the fine country wines of Europe. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was not proper for ladies to drink alcohol; however, dandelion flower wine was considered so therapeutic to the kidneys and digestive system that it was deemed medicinal even for the ladies. Source and wine recipe: Commonsensehome.com
Image by Joyce Meyer
Even the fluffy seed heads have a majestic, symmetrical pattern as they sway in the breeze, waiting to let loose the next generation. The result? A never ending supply of dandelion wine…
That may not be all bad…
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C’mon… open your eyes!
Mom sent me this childhood photo: Cute, but his eyes are closed.
Another cute pic with his eyes open: Hmmm, missing the chubby little hands on the swing rope.
Photoshop to the rescue. Took his right eye and put it on the closed eye photo. Copied that eye, flipped it, put it on his left eye and adjusted to look natural. Toned down some of the skin glare, adjusted color balance and here we go. A cute little guy with his eyes ready to see what the world has to offer.
Eighteen years later and here he is again… Open eyes, ready to see what the world has to offer…
Go, take on the world!
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Fleeting Moments
Fleeting Moments…
The history and legacy of the Mayan people also appear to be fleeting as tourism and beaches are the key to survival. It is well worth the time to tour the historic sites of Tulum and Chichen Itza with a knowledgeable guide to learn more about their interesting past. The history of the Mayan people is kept alive through archeological sites such as these.
Click on image for a larger viewing window.
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GoPro, HDR and the Easter shark… why not?
A frugal nature has come to fruition with the annual appearance of “The Easter Shark.” No bunny costume? No problem. Just dig out an old Halloween costume purchased for $1 on clearance at least 15 years ago and you are set. Apparently, we don’t believe in sheltering our grandchildren from the scary elements of the world, either. Things usually are not as scary as they seem… lesson learned.
Perfect time to try out a Hero 2 GoPro camera purchased used on Ebay. My first idea was to attach it to our one-year-old grandson’s head as he crawls towards his prize eggs, but we did not come up with a good method of attachment. Duct tape was one suggestion, but I don’t think removal would be pleasant. Plan B involved the hubby holding it on the stick attachment and using various angles.
Always plenty of “selfies” with the GoPro as you access the menu and settings with the lens facing you. Oops!
With no playback or viewfinder, you never know what you have until you download the images.
I had a little too much fun with the HDR process on Photoshop CC 2014. It’s always fun to play and experiment.
Took the GoPro inside to see what it would do. Some were blurred and this one is a little soft. I think I’ll reserve this little toy exclusively for outdoor images.
Upon viewing these results my husbands assessment of the experience with the GoPro Hero 2 was… “Well, it takes pictures.” Yep, it does.
Goal for 2015 includes duct taping this GoPro Hero 2 camera to a turtle participating in the Gary, SD July 3rd turtle races.
Hmmm… who’s going to let me use their turtle?
Stay tuned…
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We are not alone…
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Floating through life
We each walk our own paths in life with a mixture of purpose, pleasure and pain. It seems as though we all “float” along in our journey with each step a temporary moment in time. Both images were captured on the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. The two hikers are passing through while the floating image is farm woman in Galicia. As I write this, I’m thinking I should reverse these images. Hmmm…?
(Click on image for a larger viewing window)
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Struggle past and present
The run-down streets portray struggle, while the earth can feel the pulse of a proud ancestry.
HDR image of a neighborhood street in Playa del Carmen, Mexico blended with an image of a costumed Mayan gentleman taken at the Chichen Itza archeological site. Blended image layer transformed to appear to be part of the earth. Click on image for a larger viewing window.
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All you need is love…
~ The Beatles
The couple captured in this image appear so passionate for one another and oblivious to the world around them. Photo was taken in Salamanca, Spain with a little point and shoot camera. Nothing fancy. Blended in Photoshop CS5 with prairie grasses captured against the summer sun.
Yep… all you need is love.
RJMeyerArts 
