Fall color or Make your own color

 

We wore shorts and short sleeves 75% of the time while in Italy. In just a few weeks, autumn weather is here at home. I was hoping to catch the last glimpse of remaining flower blooms in my yard, but they had way passed the prime.  I guess I can always shoot something from what's left, but I cannot bear to observe the desolate look. Winter will be long, but I absolutely want the best of them in my photo library.

We are blessed with a mild summer. Sunshine is still pouring lavishly in September and even in this October morning. I have seen red maple leaves spattered on the ground in the neighborhood, but it is not quite the same at local parks. It has something to do with the elevation.

I was looking for some colors, but Fall has not put on her wardrobe here. I was happy when these two people walking into the scene and heartily greeted me like I am their old friend.
 

Enjoyment is to walk the golden path with a good friend in good rhythms and hand in hand. Thankfully and unexpectedly became my subject. One wears red and the other blue like they know exactly what I want.

My personal preference is to have my trees and plants neatly trimmed and organized. Trailing flowers are charming sometimes if they are 'groomed' and not overly intrusive.

This flower plant grows on the long and stringy stems which are very coarse and intertwined. Erecting upright from the ground, they still look like weeds to me. I don't dislike them, but I think they need a make over.

This morning I snapped a monochrome shot and thought I like it much better than its original colors (purple flowers and green stems). Better yet, I added slight texture and pour some red wine on it.  Suddenly I saw rhinestones sparkling on a dual tone velvet robe. So I dreamed it along...

 

Married to someone who does not complain has taught me to turn the claim and complaint to improvements and inspirations. If I am not pleased with what I have or what I see, I work out a way to ease and please myself particularly now camera is my loyal friend to help me in the process.

 

I attended a worldwide Photowalk last Saturday. The event is aimed to support Kenya Orphanage. On that note, I was gladly to get up 5:30am in order to meet up with the group in Lake Oswego according to the schedule. Nothing is more fulfilling to hang out with the group of people with common interest and passion.  We started our walk at Farmers Market, a very nice one which is surrounded by park, nice restaurants and shops.  

It rained before our arrival. Outside seating was still covered with large water puddles and drops.

I was taking reflection pictures, but I did not like the building reflections. When the image was downloaded and brought in close, I saw 'etched glass'.  Sunny side color is lighter and shady side darker. Taupe and Mauve, not natural fall colors, but why not? To take it to the next notch, I threw in some fall colors that I just took along the road pretending that I saw fall colors through the reflections.

 

Art has no rules.  Colors, impressions, inspirations are all in our mind. As long as you open your mind, you would begin to see things. I don't want to play your mind either. I am just writing what's come to my mind.

Two week's indulgence in farm fresh Italian food,  my eyes were on organic vegetables and fruits. I cannot stop thinking about the juicy tomatoes and crunchy pears we had there. I am dragging to buy hothouse tomatoes or the fruits that were harvested way before the maturity and have been refrigerated before they hit the marketplace. 

People in this market want volume and therefore, the merchants figured out the means to expedite the fast and mass production. We consumers either have to deal with chemicals or 'organic' prices. The good news is, farmers market is becoming more trendy and popular.

Brussels sprouts is not necessarily the popular vegetable because of its bitter taste. But if the cooking is done right, the taste will actually grow in you.  At least that is my experience. Avocado is not an Asian vegetable and I have never tried it till just about ten years ago and now I love it.

Just about done with the last segment of the Walk, I discovered this Anemone. It is one of my most favorite flowers for macro shots. Unfortunately I lost my two plants in the last snow storm. Below is a quick snap without a tripod. I amplified the background and painted a little.  Temperature seems to be quite a bit lower today. The cool tones seem to illustrate the mood by itself without me even thinking about it.