Augustbreak

 

This past August I joined Susannah Conway's Augustbreak again, and this was the first time that I posted photos for each prompt. Usually there are some prompts that I just skip, but this time I tried to find something to post every day. 

I did feel like August was just flying by - if I didn't have these pictures, I might think it didn't even happen. I didn't use the prompts for taking photos, but often going through my archive, which is always fun since I'm stumbling over photos I had completely forgotten about. 

You see the prompts above and my take on them below.

There are a few faces here - especially little Kibeau's right on top - so I link to Nicole's Friday Face Off.

Sorry for the extremely short post today - I feel like time is running away from me! September already - really! Have a delightful weekend, everyone!

August Break

 

During the month of August I participated in Susannah Conway's August Break on Instagram. She gave us prompts for each day to show our photography. I played most days and I want to show you a few of the photos I posted.

The "challenge" started with the prompt "window". I took the photo above in Germany when I was still using film. The image didn't turn out completely sharp, so I processed it in Photoshop and gave it a "painterly" effect. I quite like it this way.

The prompy for day 7 was "glass". I love the stunning art of Andy Cao and Xavier Perrot, especially their "Red Lantern" that I saw several years ago at Cornerstone Gardens. I wrote about it in 2014 here and perhaps some of you remember the White Cloud, by the same artists. 

"Lavender" was for day 10 - I have so many photos of lavender that I could hardly decide which one, but finally I chose the lavender and olive trees at Matanzas Creek Winery. This is still my favorite "corner" in the lavender garden.

What to show for "wooden" (day 19)? What about some old driftwood that my friend Jo gave me before she moved to Portland? It used to be in her garden, now it is in mine. Just recently I moved it in front of the birdbath when I started to work on my current big garden project.

Day 21, "monochrome". That's not always easy because I don't really take many monochrome pictures. Of course I could post-process them and give them a monochrome colorway, but I wasn't happy with that. Then I remembered the pottery in Egypt. These pots were piled on a street corner in Luxor, and while they're not exactly monochrome, they aren't "multichrome" either.

Of course it had to be a cairn for "stone" (day 27) - you know how much I love them. This one is still my favorite of all the cairns I ever photographed, found on a very foggy morning on Ruby Beach in Washington State.

"Adventure" was the prompt for day 28. I see all our trips and travels as adventure. Especially hiking in rough terrain is something I truly like, even though it sometimes brings me to my limits. The award is always priceless and so worth it. Here you can see my booted feet above the Fire Wave in Nevada's Valley of Fire.

The prompt for day 20 was my favorite one - "I love". No explanation needed.

August Break #31 and Last: The Lake in the Evening

This is the way the lake where the owls lived looked like one evening. I didn't change anything in the color. This is what we saw, and I thought it was fascinating.

This is my last photo for the August Break. I posted a photo (sometimes more) every day in August and I enjoyed this very much. Thank you to all of you who stopped by and left comments.

But don't worry - there will be more photos to see on my blog, even without an August Break.

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August Break #30 - Cairo

A lamp in a mosque in Cairo.

I just loved these - I loved the mosques, the calm mood, an oasis of silence right in the middle of the incredible noise of this huge lively city.

I played with one of Bonnie's textures a little bit...

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Made in Germany 23 - August Break #29 - Bavarian Cheese

This wonderful dish is "Obatzter" (no translation available).

It's a traditional Bavarian meal that you eat for a "Brotzeit" (snack between breakfast and lunch). It consists of very ripe Camembert mixed with butter and seasoned with all kinds of spices. Put some radishes in, top with red onion, serve with tomatoes and lettuce - and enjoy with hearty rye bread.

I could kill for one right now!

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August Break #28 - Evening Water

Wishing all of you a restful Sunday.

August Break #27 - Canoes

I saw these canoes when I was walking with my friend Jo around the lake yesterday morning. They immediately caught my eye, and how lucky was I that the cormorant was sitting there.

Jo thought that the red and green were pretty cool - and suggested that this might be a great Christmas card :-) !

I'm linking this to Weekend Reflections.

August Break #26 - Dandelion

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August Break #25 - Talking to Ducks

Kaefer having a conversation with a duck while she was sketching him.

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August Break # 24 - Mama Owl

Do you still remember the owls?

I miss those guys.

I'm glad that there's an owl in the neighborhood that I hear sometimes.

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August Break #23 - Reflections

The sun shining through my wine glass and the reflection of it on my (dirty) place mat.

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Made in Germany 22 - August Break #22 - Summer in the City

Cities, town and villages in Germany "dress up" for the summer - with lots and lots of flowers. Decorating the streets, squares and bridges with colorful flowers is a summer tradition in which we take some pride. There are even competitions between villages, which one is the most beautifully decorated one.

This is a little lane along a creek in Tübingen. It still belongs to the town center, but many call this part the "Unterstadt" (lower town). Here you can find old, funky pubs, little boutiques and small businesses, and it is also the location for the popular gourmet market on Saturday morning. Kaefer's toddler group that she went to every afternoon is just around the corner. I lovet his part of Tübingen.

August Break #21 - Gone Fishing

Gone fishing!

(well, not quite...)

Have a great Sunday!!

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August Break #20 - A Little Boat

I saw this boat in La Plush, WA, close to First Beach.

To those of you who read "Twilight", this location might sound familiar.

However, I was totally clueless, never having read "Twilight".

We went through Forks - clueless, as I said - and I was wondering why every store in that little town had the term "twilight" in their name. Until it 'dawned' on me...

I did read the book by now, out of mere curiosity. Well, I actually can't say, I read it, because I stopped on page 178. I simply couldn't stand it anymore - so poorly written, not a single character I liked, I was bored beyond reason... please, don't tell me that it starts getting really really good on page 179...

Anyway, without any "Twilight" thoughts on my mind I just enjoyed La Plush. We saw bald eagles and lots of brown pelicans. In the parking lot, the seagulls and crows were fighting over a dead salmon. Flying fish were jumping out of the water and diving in again with a low "blub". A Quileute fisherman came out in his boat and dropped the nets in the water. We sat on some driftwood and took everything in.

This boat reminds me of that day - restful and peaceful.

I wish all of you an entire weekend like that.

August Break #19 - Oregon Sky

I'm still thinking of Oregon...

Linking to Skywatch Friday.

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August Break #18 - Ice Cream Cones

It's the season for ice cream (well, isn't it always...)

and the cones it's put into.

Do you like ice cream in a cone or do you prefer a bowl?

I love the big fat waffle cones, like the ones in the middle of this picture.

And chocolate ice cream.

It's been my favorite since I was a child.

What is your favorite ice cream?

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August Break #17 - Lollipops

Don't these lollipops look super yummy?

When I saw them in the shop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory I couldn't resist these colors and took a picture - they just make me happy.

What makes you happy today?

August Break #16 - Lizard

I found this little guy soaking up the sun in one of our State Parks during a hike with my friend J. He wasn't shy at all and kept perfectly still so I could take his picture. He didn't even blink and wouldn't move after I was done. I think he was so happy about the sun that he just didn't care about these weird two-legged creatures who called him funny names like "cutie" and "sweetie". Humans!

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Made in Germany 21 - August Break #15 - Covered Bridge

A covered footbridge crossing the Donau (Danube) in Southwestern Germany. The Donau runs through a rather narrow valley in this area with sheer cliffs climbing up, covered with trees. A very beautiful and rather quiet place. I sometimes went there on a Saturday, visited the monastery of Beuron and just enjoyed the beauty of nature.

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August Break #14 - Blue

Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone.

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