hydrangea

Wow. It's been a while since I've posted regularly. Last summer, I focused primarily on doing so. This summer, my focus has been on getting our kitchen functional again. That includes carefully snaking the extension cords around her lovely hydrangeas. The joys of home ownership!
(ISO 100, f/4.0, 1/80s)

borrowed glass

Last weekend, a friend of mine handed me his Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and said, "I thought you might like to play round with this. It's a little soft, but you should have some fun with it as long as it's not wide open." Fighting my allergies, I took it out for a walk around the neighborhood.
(ISO 800, f/2.8, 1/100s)

springtime

Crocuses are supposed to be the first flowers to bloom, often poking their heads up through a late-season snowfall. Since we didn't get any snow this winter worth shoveling, these guys were early to the dance and seem to be staying past closing. I'm okay with that this year.
(ISO 200, f/11.0, 1/30s)

year-round farmers

I love that my farmers' market is open year-round. Sure, there's a few less vendors, but the ones that come every week still see a loyal customer base. I'm quite addicted to Asian pears from one orchard and the cider from Toigo. How many months until I can get a fresh tomato again?
(ISO 100, f/1.8, 1/2000s)

hangin' on

Some of the leaves refuse to loosen their grip on any remaining chlorophyll. Upon reflection of the background, other deciduous brethren provide a colorful argument against that course of (in)action.

(ISO 100, f/1.8, 1/200s)

somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high...
(ISO 200, f/9.0, 1/125s)

bass thumping

The night before the show, the bass player got karate chopped by her brother. She fell and broke her wrist. She was still able to pound on the strings & belt out the tunes. Tough fifth grader!
(ISO 1600, f/1.8, 1/20s)

roadside beauty

At the beginning of June, these tiny flowers appeared in the median on my way to work. I'd never have noticed them were it not for the interminably long light. I wandered over with my prime and screw-in macro filters.
(ISO 100, f/8.0, 1/400s)

an overcast weather vane

"Think the Christian Science Reading Room people would mind if I climbed on their wall to take a picture of their weather vane?" I asked.

"Yes," she replied. Thank goodness for a zoom lens. This wasn't converted to black and white, by the way. These are actual colors. If you look closely, you can see a little bit of rust on the roof.
(ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/640s)

wouldn't you like to be a pepper too?

I should make this into a puzzle.
(ISO 800, f/22, 1/80s)

smörgåsbord of delicious

Falls Church Farmers Market is open Saturdays pretty much year-round. The choices were too numerous. My money was too limited. The flavors were amazing. Dinner Saturday night was grilled skirt steak (grass-fed and organic, of course), roasted corn-on-the-cob, fried green tomatoes, and garlic home fries.
(ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/125s)

two of my favorites

I will always buy fresh zucchini and yellow squash. Sautéed with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and olive oil, it's almost a meal in itself!
(ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/50s)