While vacationing in Colorado I saw these men having the time of their lives playing with toy airplanes. What a wonderful hobby to have in the mountains! So, be it, for my sequence action shots.
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 actually ..behind! shots from the past. I too will try to get out tomarrow to shot new signs..if you've already seen them, just skip on by...but if you haven't, then check a couple out.
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 if you made it this far, thanks

I've tried to do the theme and this is the best that I can do

While Gathering up these Items I thought if they have any meaning to my life now. I mean are they a Metaphor for my life.

I always wanted these as a Kid and I don't know why but I used to watch it for hours and then my Mom finally bought it for me for Christmas one year. Clacking Balls So is this my Metaphor? Balls a little tarnished, Wood dull and dusty, Strings frayed and worn. But still Moving

I also was born without a Sports Gene but I did love playing Football in the field behind my House. Is this it? Is this my Metaphor? Worn out, Deflated, Not much good for it's intended use anymore.

My first Camera was a Box Pinhole Camera that you had to send back to the factory for them to open and develop the film. But one time it never made it back from the factory, So this is my other First Camera a Polaroid Swinger Black and White in 60 seconds. So is this it? Am I just a White Swinger with a Red Tip that takes Photos?
Here is a Photo from that camera of my Brother's Barracuda

As long as I can Remember, on the breakfast table every morning was this Jelly Jar Filled with Grape Jelly (Welch's) I lost track of it for years but I found it two years ago when going through my sisters stuff.It my favorite thing.
So is this my Metaphor? Classic, Cute, filled with the sweetest stuff on earth.

I just don't know.

This has nothing to do with anything but I thought it was cool while doing the Shoot this morningBread and Butter

Snarfling through the old "junk" I came across these Delicious Candies. They must be 50 years old and are hard enought to break the teeth off of a Tyranosaurus Rex. Banana was and still is my favorite flavor, and man what I wouldn't give to have a bar of Bonomo's Turkish Taffy. The thing that puzzles me is that the B.B. Bat has a UPC printed on it. Did they have those back then?

This is certainly a challange for me. The category was easy, but choosing the shot was tough as I have several favorites. One thing that made me lean to this shot is that it was done in our garden and the butterfly is not an everyday find. The thumbnail was my second choice.

American Copper Butterfly

I apologize for the fact that these look washed out...I'm not sure what is happening with my PC, but they don't look like this before upload.

Anyway---
What would a child see on our Christmas tree?
an angel
taz
a train
 a snowman
this cute trio
even a moose

How nice the tree and presents look before my nephew  digs in.
We can't forget my niece. She loves her bear!

The thumbnail is of my father-in-law opening up a rare 45 of Joanne Campbell.

Happy Holidays!
Happy and Safe New Year!

In our town, Santa's house is brought to the town square every Christmas season. This is the same Santa's house that my dad took me to more than 50 years ago. Santa's House

As I looked in the window I thought, that boy could be me long ago, telling Santa of the train that I wanted, and got.  Boy With Santa

One change that has been made since that long agot time is this sign, which might just be appropriate :o) Loading Zone

Some of these are okay.  Others I question---
They looked one way on my monitor. After I uploaded the images, they looked different.  So, in my opinion or in my eyes, the befores look better than the after!  Enjoy just the same!

nephew before
after
lantern before
lantern after
niece before
niece after
winter before
witner after
trees before
trees after

One random shot from the summer. I was trying to teach myself PS.  After many attempts and some hair pulling out, this is the result.

PhotoShop Before
PhotoShop After
(The colors in the after shot are more vivid on my monitor at home..weird)

This little tree is in the parking lot of our condo.  I have always called it a wild plum tree, but I really don't know what kind of tree it is.  These berries looked so cheery and bright in the cool snow that day.  This was the originalwild plum 1 and this  is the after wild plum 1a.   This is another shot but I did not post the before because I really didn't like it - too many berries out of focus - wild plum 4a and this is another one which I thought was not too bad, but I think I want to work on it a bit more.Wild Plum .   The thumbnail is a warm weather picture.

There was a day last week when I came home from school, and decided to do some shooting in the snow.  I shared the ice pictures from that day, and said that I would share more later.  It took me awhile to find time to work on these pictures but here is what I did.

Before:snowy plant 1 After: snowy plant 1a

Before: snowy plants 4 After: snowy plants 4a

I have a ways to go, but I'm still in there plugging....

Before after1 after2
before after

My BIG TIME THANKS go to Kerry and Moose for coaching me on the focus setting on my camera!!  These are the results (no manipulation, other than changing to b/w) 1 2 3

This is from this morning; not very colorful, but I sure was glad to see it!

Hope y'all enjoy!  ("After" explanations in comments.)

So here are some my picks for those that inpsire me.  All of these pictures are nature related.  And quite honestly, I have never taken the time to really appreciate what is right in front of me.  So thanks to the following who remind me to take a pause and appreciate the wonders of each day.
Also-I've learned to take pleasure in the simplist of things.

To Rockadee for his simplicity.To Rockadee

Anymoosehero for his wondrous landscapes
To Anymoosehero

Jimmyneutron for his amazing macros
To Jimmy

Onebigswede for his spot coloring & introducing me to Picasa.
To Onebigswede

Thanks guys!  :)

Too All My Photographica Friends, Thank You Everyone For Letting Me Be A Part Of This Wonderful Family With All The Awesome Members. I Truly Enjoy Seeing Each And Every Post. Every Day I Look Forward Too Seeing All The Great Photos And Stories. Thank You, For All The Beauty And Laughter That You Have Given To Me. Seeing All Your Wonderful Photos Sure Does Brighten Up Each Day. I Salute Each One Of You. Keep Up The Great Work, Keep Shooting And Posting!

Thank You Everyone!

Highest Regards Always!!
Rockey

My best ROCKADEE , your photos inspire me to look for nature everywhere I go...Thanks Rockadee!

This is a Chef inspired shot..I think the best way to honor Chef is to do something different that forces a smile, even on a bad day. Thanks Chef!

ExtraRoscoe2
I do hope to do more inspired photos....but still wanna say thanks to everyone for this community. THANK YOU!

Yes, I truly was born in a house my father built near Thorp, Wisconsin. It wasn't much of a house. In fact, one of my older sisters still calls it a tarpaper shack. And I guess it was, but what do you expect a poor farmer to have built during the early years of the depression? He built the house with love and the help of his horse. Dad cut the logs and the horse dragged the logs. But this was some years before I was born.

I was born on a cold January 26th morning, way back in the twentieth century, the fourth child of six to  Gladys , originally from Council Bluffs, Iowa and Clarence originally from Ava, Illinois.  Here I am with my mom. Mom and me You can see one of dad's projects in the background. The way the children are spaced in our family, I like to say that our parents raised kids as long as Moses was in the wilderness - 40 years.

I share January 26th, with some notables and share something in common with each of them.
1.) General Douglas MacArthur We were both in the U.S. Army and had a 5 in our ranks. He was a 5-star General, I was a Spec. 5.
2.) Paul Newman He has done some acting, I have done some acting. Here I am as a senior in high school in Time Out for Ginger which I believe was the first play about equal rights for women. (One other thing....my mother's maiden name was Newman....Hm-m-m-m Do you suppose? Naw!)
3.) Bob Uecker Bob is the radio voice of the Milwaukee Brewers and was dubbed "Mr. Baseball" by Johnny Carson. Neither Bob nor I could hit a curve ball.
4.) Ellen DeGeneres The commonality? Well, duh. Ellen and I both prefer female companions.

Family on front stoop From the left front row: Cousin, sister, sister, sister, cousin, mom and me, Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt, Uncle
I'm still on the farm at about one and a half years old
Me and PawPaw my Grandpa

Between my birth and my first birthday World War II had started. Dad went to welding school, and we moved from the farm to Milwaukee, Wisconsin when I was about a year and a half old. One of the things in Milwaukee that I remember was that we had an ice box, not a refrigerator. Every day my mom would put a sign in the window to tell the iceman how many pounds of ice we needed. The sign looked like  this on one side and likethis on the other. The top number signifies the pounds of ice. We had milk delivered to the house by a horse drawn wagon and rubbish picked up by a horse drawn wagon. Laundry was picked up and delivered to the door. Bakery was delivered to the door. Life was different then.

Sometimes I frowned.
Sometimes I smiled.
Like all boys at the time,  I should have been a cowboy.
In fact, a a gun slinging cowboy.

During the years of about 1949 to 1951, dad built another house. Dad and I are on the porch. (Notice it is not tar paper this time, so the big bad wolf can't blow it over.)

During my senior year in high school, Don met Karen. My first job after high school was installing carpets for $1.00 per hour. The recession came along , I was laid off, and I enlisted in the Army where I went through "telephone installation and repair" training. I spent a year in Korea , after which Karen and I were married. (That was 45 years ago, in 1960.) Karen and I had an all expense paid year and a half honeymoon at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona courtesy of  Uncle Sam, after which we moved back to Milwaukee. Cool honeymoon, huh?

After my stint in the Army, I worked for Western Electric as a telephone equipment installer in telephone offices and a PBX installer in businesses. We were blessed with a son, Jeff, in 1962 and a daughter, Pam, in 1964. Jeff, who married in 2003, currently lives and works in the Seattle area. Pam works right here in Grafton. Five years ago, they arranged a surprise 40th wedding anniversary party for us. Here's our family.

In addition to Western Electric, I have worked at Badger Meter as a wireman and at Kamp & Associates progressing there from wireman through many steps to become purchasing manager.

I am a member of the American Legion and the Grafton Volunteer Fire Department. With the fire department I have been a firefighter wearing a black helmet, a lieutenant wearing a red helmet and a safety officer wearing an orange helmet. After 30 years on the department, I have now relegated myself to being the department photographer.

My interests are: Photography, Singing and playing guitar (since I was six years old), Hunting and Outdoors in general. I also collect fire department shoulder patches.(Oops. Sorry about that one.)

I currently have my own business and have been "Providing Creative Marketing Solutions Since the Twentieth Century".

Oh, one other thing. I love neckties!!

Ha! And you thought Jeffrey was verbose.

I though it might be a little fun to do a series with my dear friend Preston.  

The thing is, Preston happens to be a gas station lighter that looks like a pig.  So, while out for drinks one night, Preston came along and had a grand 'ol time with me and the gang.

Take a look at his adventure, I'm sure there are more to come!

Take the Adventure

Tata for now - the Dancefloor