C’mon… open your eyes!

jacoby baby 104152015_0000Mom sent me this childhood photo:  Cute, but his eyes are closed.

jacoby baby 204152015_0000Another cute pic with his eyes open:  Hmmm, missing the chubby little hands on the swing rope.

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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…

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 Go, take on the world! 

 

Fleeting Moments

Fleeting Moments…

Easter2015-33blendmayanwebBlend of beach at the Tulum ruins near Playa Del Carmen, woman at the Chichen Itza archeological site  and a wall mural located in Playa Del Carmen. 

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.

 

 

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.

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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.

2015Easter-8hdrcrwebAlways plenty of “selfies” with the GoPro as you access the menu and settings with the lens facing you. Oops!

2015Easter-6rHDRwebWith no playback or viewfinder, you never know what you have until you download the images.

2015EasterHDRcrwebI had a little too much fun with the HDR process on Photoshop CC 2014. It’s always fun to play and experiment.

2015Easter-9HDRcrwebTook 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…

We are not alone…

Blended image by Joyce Meyer
Blended image by Joyce Meyer

 

 

From there to here in just one year…

I love to think that the day you’re born,
you’re given the world as a birthday present.

Leo Buscaglia 1924 – 1998Des10x30NB_1web

Just give me cake…

5x10_OneyrcakewebAn extra-special one year old and his cake. Doesn’t get much better than this.

My blanky and me…

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Security objects are used by toddlers to relieve stress and anxiety. As adults we also look for security items in our own lives.  It may be the comfort of a certain easy chair, pillow, or comfort foods that make us feel full and content.

What provides security and comfort in my life?  I ponder a moment and material things just don’t seem to answer this question. I need more.

During this Lenten season I am reminded of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us with his death on the cross so that we may experience the comfort and security of heaven. It doesn’t get better that that.

Psalm 46:1  ~ God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Yes, it’s all going to be O.K…

 

Floating through life

Same… but different.

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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)

 

Struggle past and present

The run-down streets portray struggle, while the earth can feel the pulse of a proud ancestry.

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Blended image by Joyce Meyer

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.

 

 

…washing the dust of daily life off our souls. ~ Picasso