Art

So I was in the mood for a blog post today, but not up for processing the remaining photos from my Cades Cove trip last weekend. So I started with pulling together these actual art pieces made at the office last year. And yes, my job paid to bring someone in for us to make this art in early 2009. It was fun. And happy workers do better work, right? So why not.

This first piece is actually my least favorite of the three I made, but for whatever this is the one that the art guy chose to frame and that still hangs in the Nashville office.

This piece is one I really and would have been the one that I would have chosen to frame and post in the office if it was my choice.

And this piece is actually my favorite, but I can see where it can be viewed as not right for the office.

So after pulling those together, I wanted something new and original for this post, so I decided to make a digital art piece.  I used three Apophysis randomly generated fractals and then played with them in Photoshop.

Here it is on a mousepad on Zazzle.

Heart Vortex by DigitialCreations
Make a custom mouse pad at zazzle.

I think it works particularly well on the mousepad.

I hope you all have a good Sunday.  I'm off to take the mom to satisfy a Kingdom Heirs craving.  Unlike church, Dollywood has a wheelchair rental available so she won't have to walk.  Just as a reminder, any and all prayers appreciated for her this Wednesday when we go to the hospital so they can figure out what to do about her blocked artery.

Cades Cove Part 2: A Deer

So it's taken me a few days to get the photos ready in a way that I liked and wanted to present them.  But I am really happy with the final results.  All of these photos are of the same deer.  She was happily eating her late lunch the whole time I and many others watched and took pictures.

Click on image to view full size

Click on image to view full size.

 If you look at the full size image of the collage above, you will notice something on her eye.  It seems to be some kind of strings that are stuck on her eyelashes.  That's actually the reason I went with the collage instead of just the bottom left photo.  The strings look like something wrong with the photo, but it was just something on the deer.  But I ended up really liking the collage of three photos.

Click on image to view full size.

So the last part of this Cades Coves series post will have a bear (assuming I can get one of the photos to a satisfactory state) and butterflies.

Cades Cove Part 1

So I decided to break my visit to Cades Cove on Sunday up into multiple posts. Since it took me a few hours to fix up just two of the photos, I realized if I waited until I had them all ready then it would be next Sunday before I posted any.

One of the fun things about the drive to and in Cades Cove was that the butterflies were out in force. I saw a bunch of Swallowtail butterflies while driving. Unfortunately while stopped with my camera, there never seemed to be any around. So the first two pictures were actually when I stopped after a black bear had run across the road in front of me. I was hoping he would still be sight-able in the woods, but, all I saw were some deer. And the photos of them did not turn out well enough to do anything with.

However on the way back to the car, I saw these flowers.

Remember to click on images to view full size.

I then took a second picture of part of the same bunch of flowers from a different angle. When I looked at it on the view finder, I didn't really think it turned out. But I usually don't delete anything until I get onto the computer and look at it full size. When I zoomed in one this one, I was quite pleased with what I found.

Remember to click on images to view full size

 I truly was surprised when I viewed the photo at 100% and saw the butterfly. I was hoping to get a nice crop with just one flower, but was more than pleased with the final view I found.

Well there will be more to come...up next some nice deer photos...

Happy Birthday Dad!

A Short Vacation

So I was able to take a couple of days of vacation. On Wednesday evening we went into the Smokies with my cousin and her family. It was drizzling as we were driving up. When we got to the first overlook of the Gatlinburg bypass we were greeted by the sight of this beautiful rainbow.

It faded rather quickly and this was my last shot where it is at all visible. It was a beautiful view even though it was short.

We also went on a short hike on one of the trails. I have no idea who this couple is, but I loved the shot of them sitting on the rocks just enjoying the river on a summer day.


On Friday, I went to Dollywod to enjoy the free refills of popcorn and soda with my 25th anniversary mugs. I also wanted to play with taking some photographs of the planter people they have scattered throughout the park for Kid's Fest. This was also my first attempt at making a collage of multiple photos. It took me all Saturday night, but I was happy with the end result.


I also took pictures of a number of flowers while wandering about the park between shows.

It was a hot couple of days. But I enjoyed them nonetheless, and I hope you enjoy the photos. It was a short staycation, but I think one of the most refreshing vacations I've had.

Dolly Homecoming Parade 2010

One of the many things I like about living in Sevier County is that it's like a small town and yet still is very obviously a tourist. Also it's close enough to Knoxville for any of the larger city things one might want, but that is off point.

The parade showed some examples of the odd mix between tourist town and small town.

First example of small town... the local boy scouts carried the parade banner at the beginning of the parade.


First example of tourist town...this was followed by Dolly Parton's elaborate float. See the previous post for the video of Dolly on her float.

The short video shows a couple more examples...


I just thought these tractors driving in the parade were just funny. I just really felt like this was one of the proofs that they would let ANYTHING into this parade. (I actually lost count of how many cheer/baton squads we saw.)



And yes, this was in May... with Santa in the parade. I mean what else would a year-round Christmas store put in a parade, even if it 93 degrees outside this day.

I just liked how this horse and carriage looked. It was actually there for the Wells Fargo Bank.

And yes, if you look closely at the right hand side of the image, those are pooper scooper men following the carriage. What I thought was a trip... there was actually little tractors following which had seats attached so they sit. And the seats were actually labeled "Pooper Scoopers".

Anyway so that is all the pictures that I took. I did enjoy the parade, although I don't feel I really need to see it for another 5 years or so. It was just really on the long side.

Dolly

I will post more pictures from this weekend later. But for now, a video...




Well, okay one more thing. I missed this show while it was away. I really think it is the best show at Dollywood. I love the songs. The dancing/tumbling is just fun. In short, I just love this show.

Sha-Kon-O-Hey!

A few random photos

I just haven't felt much like blogging lately. But thought I'd get out here and at least post a few of the photos that I finally downloaded. These photos go all the way back to February when there was still snow coming down.

This was from a very pretty snow shower near the end of February.


This photo doesn't do justice to how pretty this frozen waterfall was.


These are 3 of 7 of the Kingdom Heirs at Dollywood. The 4th singer was out sick on this day.


This was just a few weeks ago, early spring. The bottom of the mountains had bloomed but the top was still brown. I really like the contrast in the colors.


And saving the best for last. This is our new puppy Max. His tounge sticks out like this every time he relaxes.

He is a very sweet and fun dog. I probably won't post much with them as he runs every time he hears the camera click. But other than that, he's great.

Tribute to Prince

This is Prince.

The dog that we are desperately missing this morning. He would often sleep on or next to us.





I just happened to click this one when he was licking the snow off his nose.


I think Lady will miss him too.


He often seemed to be cold and would sit in front of the heater. This time I had just turned it off, and he looked at me and at the heater a couple of times. It was really like he was saying "Come on, turn it back on."


And well, this was just a costume on sale at Walmart one night. His name was Prince...so well, it just seemed fun. He would let me do whatever I wanted to him.


I miss him greatly. While he was often obnoxious, as you never had to wonder when he wanted attention, he was also just very sweet. I'll miss the morning licks and nuzzles. I'll miss the occasional nightly toe, foot or calf licking after he'd crawled under covers. I'll miss him sleeping with me. I'll miss the smile he put on my mom's face. I'll just miss him in many ways. So here's to Prince, my nuzzling, licking dog.

Just feel like blogging tonight

I'm not sure why but after reading some others' posts tonight, I just feel like putting in an entry tonight. I am watching Biggest Loser tonight. Sometimes I wish I could go on the show, but I don't think in this economy and the way things are that I could take the time from work. And heck, who knows if I could get even get on. I lost a bunch of weight years ago, and was down to 150 pounds. Then, well, life happened. I regained memories of traumatic events in my childhood, and I ate for comfort. I still eat for comfort. But also, weight loss requires money. Eating healthy is not cheap. Any kind of work out that I am interested in costs money, and well we don't have it. At some point, I think I will make an effort again to lose it, but well that time isn't now. For now, I am mostly just trying to get out a little more. Stay active enough to not end up entirely out of shape. And maybe sometime soon, I can get that Wii and at least get a little bit of daily exercise in.

And now, I just thought I would post a few of my favorite pics from trips I have made in the past.

This is from my 2007 birthday trip to NYC. It was a really great trip. I saw 5 broadway shows, and took in alot of the sites. This photo was taken at the top of Empire State Building. That is Central Park behind me. I would not have gone there. It was last morning and I had a ticket to a taping of Good Morning America. But all the hosts had flown out for a shooting, and only Sam the weather guy was going to be there. So I went to the Empire State Building instead. I was quite happy, if quite cold, with the choice. It was really just a great and fun trip.

This is from a November 2007 work trip to NYC. I love it when I get to travel for work. I took this inside Central Park. I just liked how it turned out with the tree framing the right side of the photo and the building peeking in at the background. I used this as a desktop background for quite awhile.

This is from my birthday trip in 2008. I went to Disney World for my 33rd birthday. This was when my mom and I swam in their aquarium. It was an expensive but totally awesome experience. You stay on the top of the water with scuba equipment for breathing so you can just look in the water the whole time. There are tons of fish, some non-lethal sharks, and turtles. Right before the end of our time, I had a huge turtle swim right under me. I think it was less than two feet from me. I think it was coolest experience I have ever had.


For my 34th birthday, money was a little tight, so we just came here to the Smokies from Nashville. While here, I went on horseback ride. These are my favorite two pictures from that trip. I love riding a horse. If I had a way, I would go every day. I took a horsemanship class in college. It was one of the best classes I took while in college. I really just plain love horses. But it too is just one of those things that cost money, so my opportunity to enjoy them is very limited. We also went to Dixie Stampede for my birthday. A fun show that has a lot of horses. The food is also very good. It is probably my favorite show in Pigeon Forge, which is saying alot considering how many options there are for a show here.





















These three photos are from my work trip to Phoenix, AZ in July of 2009. (Yeah, not the best time of year to visit Phoenix, AZ.) I spent my own money to rent a car and take an afternoon and evening to drive out to the Grand Canyon. It was a totally awesome trip. My pictures do not even come close to capturing the beauty that I saw and felt on that trip. I love living here in the Smokies. But if I had to pick another place I would like to live, it might be Flagstaff. It's too hot in Phoenix for me, but Flagstaff was like 10 or 15 degrees cooler. And there is just a magnificent beauty all around it. A different beauty than here in the Smokies, but just as beautiful nonetheless.

So I have satisfied my urge to blog. I hope you have enjoyed the reading and the pictures.

Quiet Walkway #2 on Cades Cove Road - Part 2

So here is part two of the quiet walkway that I went on Saturday morning. When I left you on the last post, I had crossed to about the center of the creek to the largest rock. I stopped there to take a few photos.

And yes, I made it across the river. I didn't get wet at all. I actually had no problems getting across. I did almost slip on the way back, but still didn't get wet even then.








A little ways down the trail there was a fallen tree that had not been cleared. This was entirely possible to climb over though. For me, I basically throw one leg over and then...












Well, of course, I stop and take a picture. Actually I stopped and took several pictures. I just didn't like how the others turned out. So this is the only one you get to see. But eventually, the other leg is thrown over, and I continue on down the trail.







I just liked the look of this fallen tree. I don't know why but I just thought it was interesting looking how the tree had broken when it fell. I think this tree fell longer ago than the recent storms. The parts of it that were on the ground were more broken down. They had the broken down by nature look, not the taken apart by man with a saw look.





Right about here is where you could start to see a very old stone wall. That is actually what the tree had fallen and broken on.


Here is a shot of the stone wall where it was still standing. It was actually on both sides of the path, but was more intact on the left than the right. It was really kind of neat to walk along the path. It just seemed like this path with the stone wall had been there for a long time. It made me wonder what it might lead to. Would there be the remains of an old turn of the century house? So I kept walking along it and looking around for where this might lead to.


What I first saw was this metal on the ground. It kind of look like it might have been a tub at one point. I wondered if it once been a still from back in the prohibition days.


As I looked around more, I thought more of a still that had exploded. There were metal parts just all about. I tried to think what else it could have been, but couldn't think of anything else. Do you know of anything else that all these metal parts could have been from?
This was actually where I decided that the trail petered out. At least I could not see a discernible trail after this point. So I turned around and started making my way back.

I was actually hurting quite a bit by the time I was done with this trail. This is a shot of the car at the first point I could see it again. See that little red bit at the center of the photo? At this point I was thinking, "Dang that car is still too far away." But what can you do, you just have to keep walking.

I hope to take you on more of these little walks in the future. Let me know if you like them.

Oh, and Happy MLK Day!