52Frames Red Photo Challenge

Since gas supplies were at a premium last week we decided to stay close to the neighborhood. So that meant I needed to capture images for the weekly 52Frames photo challenge somewhere close by. I needed something “red.” The first opportunity was my husband returning home from the dentist after a tooth implant. He looked great against the red sidewalk in a shot I took from above on our balcony. The begonias in the window baskets also looked nice. Then we took a morning walk through the park and found some graffiti, a large earring, some really interesting bits of red on the wooden benches, fire hydrant, car light, and some grass clippings on a painted ladybug on a “sculpture” in front of the local library. What was interesting was a photo of my camera roll that showed all of these pictures together. That way I wouldn’t have to make a decision, but probably wouldn’t meet the “rules” of submitting only one photo. Then we were able to find gasoline later in the week so we filled the tank and took a ride to Old Town Alexandria. There were some wonderful very old crooked red doors and shutters, fire hoses, and bricks. We also just bought some flat bread from the Persian bakery that had a great red wrapping. When it got time to finally post my favorite photo before the deadline last night, I decided on the ladybug with the purple background and snippets of cut grass. I liked the contrasting colors and the sun hit the scene just right. My husband preferred the old red doors. The wooden benches also looked artistic and the fire engine red hoses looked like snake skin. My husband and I have not once agreed on which image to use. I keep thinking it should be more than just a photograph and lean to the artistic side. I also post the photos on Instagram to see which one gets the most attention. It seems that no matter how I approach it I rarely get any comments. I suppose the idea is to be occupied with the pursuit of the challenge. But once in a while it’s nice to get a little attention! 

Red Leaves and Red Color

It was a red color kind of day. We took our usual morning walk in the neighborhood park. It’s one of the few things we can still do since March. The other big activity is driving to pick up groceries curbside just to have an excuse to get out of the house. The leaves are turning a bit more and more each time we venture out there, but it doesn’t quite feel as though we have seen the best of it. Having expected temperatures in the eighties this week probably makes a difference too. I remember when it snowed on Halloween when we lived in the Midwest. If it wasn’t for the cold and ice we might be living there now. So as we meandered through the now familiar park in northern Virginia I was on the look out for red - and I found a few things in between the primarily green surrounding us. A few red leaves here and there popped out, then a berry or two, and to my delight my absolute favorite cardinal bird appeared. I can usually hear them, but don’t often see them. He almost looked as though he was posing for us. As we made our way home I was thinking how much things have changed this year. The seasons certainly didn’t stop changing. Wonder what next fall will feel like?

The Cardinal and All Things Red

My favorite bird is the cardinal. I hear them all the time when we walk through the park, but don’t get to see them much - until this week. There was what must have been a youngster sitting on the path in front of us. Then he flew to a low lying branch nearby and just sat there - waiting to be photographed. I could also hear the chirps of his companion as they always hang around in pairs. It was so lovely to get a closer up view of this fine feathered friend. Then I wondered what else have we seen in the color “red” lately and randomly scrolled through my camera roll for the last nine photos with that color in them. There was a beautiful sunset, Jane Austen’s brick house, furniture in our old condo, leaves in the US Botanic garden, berries in the park, bridesmaid dresses/pants at a colleague’s wedding, red pepper flakes and tomato can, a bandanna I painted on the last custom portrait, and a spray bottle for water. It was an interesting exercise and something to write about. Wonder what the next subject will be? 

Capitol Hill Doors and Entryways

The row houses and townhouses on Capitol Hill are not exactly the most convenient architectural styles to navigate through. The buildings are more vertical than horizontal and are a risk for anyone with a stair phobia. But they are absolutely gorgeous. And for those owners who want to make a mark, one of the easiest ways to do it is by using a paint color in the entryway that makes it stand apart from the neighbors. Sometimes that can be hard to do when the neighbor's front door is literally right next to yours. Most of these elegant entryways have iron works surrounding them in some way, shape, and form. Some have an added vestibule that serves as cover in foul weather, but also lends more style to the home. As the seasons change, various floral and interesting arrangements are added to the steps and doorways. Just about any color of the rainbow can be seen, and it is almost unusual to find one in a neutral palette. You could say Milwaukee was a lot more conservative in this regard, particularly in the suburbs. But here, just about anything goes, and it is unique to the neighborhood where we live.