Wordless Wednesday - Patina

Patina

 

Ruby Tuesday Too

Recently I spent the evening doing one of my favorite things, attending a minor league baseball game. The Springfield Cardinals were in town to play the local Northwest Arkansas Naturals. I had purchased a new lens for my camera and was excited about trying it out, even if it meant shooting through the protective netting.

I like shooting sports because of the action and the chance to get an exciting image. Here, the runner is almost picked off of first.

 The shortstop bobbles the ball and the runner is going to be called safe. The home team had trouble handling the ball all night long and it showed on the scoreboard as they lost 7-3.

The home team brought in a relief pitcher with a side-arm delivery, but it was to no avail. The visitors were just too good on this night.

By the 7th inning the crowd had thinned out enough that I didn't feel guilty about moving into the premium seats behind home plate in order to get a few good photos. I still had to shoot through the netting, but I think it adds a little atmosphere to the photo.
I have to say, I like the new lens. I just have to get familiar with what it is capable of doing and dial in the correct settings. Hopefully I'll be ready for football season in a couple of weeks. The first high school home game is September 15.

Aww...some Mondays - Frisbee fetch

The past few weeks I have photographed Lucy fetching a ball and her "camo-duck". Most recently she is working on fetching a soft frisbee. She doesn't have a clue that she could catch it in flight, she just chases it until the frisbee hits the ground, then fetches it back to me. The toy has a hole in the center like a doughnut...

so there are times when this happens and it limits her visibility. She won't drop her toy and pick it up correctly. She just carries on as though nothing is wrong.

Then...there is that moment when everything comes together and all is right with the world. Have an Awesome Monday.

Wordless Wednesday

Hot Springs, Arkansas 2017

Aww...some Monday

No, Lucy is not in "Time-out". Our next door neighbor has a Yorkie named Molly. From time to time Molly comes over to play with Lucy. They have a great time, but Lucy is bigger, stronger, faster, and has more endurance, so she wears Molly out. When we let Lucy out in the back yard she will go to the fence just to see if Molly is outside too.

And if she sees Molly through the fence they spend a few minutes exchanging greetings. There are a couple of places at the base of the fence where they can actually get nose to nose.

Wordless Wednesday

 We have had a mild, wet summer here in Northwest Arkansas. The temperature has not hit the 100 degree mark, and that is extremely unusual for August. This past week-end we got some very gentle rain and the potted plants loved the shower.

Still, it is August and summer is drawing to a close, so these blooms won't brighten the patio much longer. Actually, I am looking forward to the blaze of color that is Autumn in the Ozarks. How about where you live?

Ruby Tuesday Too

In my ongoing search for art around Bentonville, AR. I came a cross this fellow. It's actually a combination of mural and sculpture. The face and stars are painted on the side of a metal building. The first layer of "shooting notes" are set a couple of feet in front of the building. The hands and handlebars is a separate piece of painted metal. Finally, a large tire is set in front of the handlebars. It is truly a unique piece of work.

I like the action comic book feel of this piece. There are several murals around town that have a similar vibe although completely different subject matter. This is actually located in the parking lot of a small office building directly across from the main entrance. I believe a couple of the offices have a view of this work as well.

Aww...some Monday

Lucy has a new toy.

 

She love to play fetch and she loves her tennis balls.

 

 

But this new camo duck or duck-bill platypus is her new favorite.

 

She drags it all over the house and when we take it outside to play fetch, it is "game on". It is by far the largest toy she has but she loves playing with camo-duck.

 

 

 



Wordless Wednesday

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Recently we took a short family vacation to Hot Springs. It's about a four and a half hour drive from Bentonville, regardless of the route you drive. Hot Springs quite a history, including a chapter filled with gambling and gangsters. The most famous, or infamous attraction in town is "Bathouse Row". Eight bath houses, built around the early 1900's offered spa type services featuring mineral water from naturally occurring hot springs. Over the years they were home to gambling, gangsters, and all sorts of illicit activities. All of the bathouses are now on the National Register of historic buildings and owned by the National Park service. I believe only one is still operating purely as a bathouse. 

The Superior Bath House might be my favorite. The brick work and details are just beautiful. It is currently a micro brewery and features products made with those same hot mineral waters that were thought to cure what ails you back in the day. 

The Fordyce Bathouse is the most ornate of the structures. The brick pattern is amazing and the cast stone window details are stunning.

Hot Springs sits adjacent to Lake Hamilton and is about 45 miles southeast of Little Rock. There are a multitude of condos for rent on the lake as well as hotels in the historic district. It is a tourist town and always has been, so there are a lot of things to do. Sitting next to a lake means you can rent boats or bring your own with all of your water toys. There are a lot of good restaurants along with all of the usual fast food chains. It's easy to see why Hot Springs has been a popular vacation destination for over one hundred years.

Ruby Tuesday Too

When your ride is just as colorful as the landscape.

A simple change in focus changes the subject of the image.

Wordless Wednesday - Chihully Day 3

The works of Dale Chihuly currently on display and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR. Magical glass.

Ruby Tuesday - Chihuly Day 2

Yesterday I posted this image and said it was a fireworks display in glass.  Just add lighting.

BOOM!!!

Here is my official Ruby Tuesday image for this week. "A Rockets Red Glare".

 "Bombs Bursting in Air"

 This display is a part of the Chihuly exhibit currently at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkandsas. More images tomorrow. See you then.