Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The Lazy Mist & Posts of the Week

I've been hearing a few concerns about how long it's taking for my photos to load lately. I apologize for that. I have recently begun to save them in a larger format. Too large, evidently. The problem is, spending a lot of time away from home, I've set up about a dozen blog posts in advance when I was at home last, and these will play out over the course of this month and into January. Any posts after that will be with new images (since November) and when working on them, I'll be sure to save them at my previously smaller resolution. If you keep my page open and surf on another tab, I'm hoping my photos will have loaded by the time you peek back. If not, I understand your frustration and hope you remember to try back when my images are back to normal resolution. 


"So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world."
~ John Clare


How long has it been since you've accompanied me on a walk? Well, yes, that's true.. we walk together all the time. Let me rephrase that. How long has it been since I've offered you a spiked coffee or tea before heading out the door, into the cold autumn air? Aha! I thought that would perk you up. Name your drink and I'll make it quite palatable for you. Grab one on your way out, put on your gloves and come walk with me on this hazy morning.


tree in fog black and white
Sometimes the fog just needs to be seen in black and white.




foggy morning
Other times, it needs a splash of colour to remind us that it's there.




spindle berries after the rain
The fog brings water droplets with it. They sparkle and shine despite the lack of sunlight and turn even the dying plant life into magic.




web through fence2
A complex string of pearls created by the morning dew. This web was shot through a chain link fence. You can see the criss-cross of the links in the foreground, though through the magic of photography they appear to be background.




foggy day elm
One of the few trees still holding onto its flamboyant foliage at least it was in late November.




fungus on birch2
Up close and personal with tiny fungus on a birch tree.




fungus on birch
An even closer look at this miniature, intricate world.


I hope you enjoyed your walk and your beverage. You're welcome to a refill before you go. But if you're driving, you'd best give me your keys and stay for a meal.

All photos were taken in November. More to come in a few days.

And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a POTW.



 

CUTENESS

Apres le Déluge
by Daryl
at Out & About in New York City



A GOOD READ

A Short Poem
by Sage
at Musings



PHOTOGRAPHY

On Thanksgiving Eve Morning
by Barbara
at Confessions of a Photography Addict

Skywatch Friday
by Sue
at Photowannabe

Going Home
by Scott
at Just Used Pixels

Short on Sunlight
by Daniel
at The Pixel Collective

Jay

by Bob
at Birds and Nature in the Forest of Dean
 



A FUN POST

My Homage to Carnac the Magnificent!
by Michael
at Michael Manning.tv
 


In Sync
by Gail
at Louisiana Belle
 


INSPIRING

The Pink Scarf Project
by Yaya
at Whispering Pines


FUNNY

Open Letter to My Cats
by Dianne
at Forks Off the Moment


READERS' CHOICE 

Recommended by: Laura

Overheard
by Friko
at Friko's World

 


Please drop by their blogs for a visit and leave a kind comment if you have the time. Also, please feel free to add your own choices (for any blog except this one) for a specific blog post in the comments section below, where others can see them.

Thank you

55 comments:

Nadezda said...

Hilary, wonderful pictures through the fog! I love the one of spider web, is beautiful! I tried to take the same photo and know how difficult it is.

TexWisGirl said...

thanks for the walk and for another great set of POTW!!!

Rosaria Williams said...

What an inspiring post, Hilary!

Kerri Farley said...

Oh my .... the web and the fungus .... just breathtaking! You know there's a special place in my heart for macro :)
Perfection!

Brian Miller said...

oh wow...that fungus up close is amazing..the little structures....very cool!!!!

Unknown said...

Hilary: I think every blogger would be thrilled to take a walk with you and watch you work your magic with the camera, while enjoying spiked cider or coffee. Enjoy your time away from home safely, and thank you for your mention of my kooky humor in POTW. This is an honor and I appreciate it very much! :)

stephen Hayes said...

There's just something so evocative and classy about black and white photography, maybe a timeless quality that appeals to me.

Ruth Hiebert said...

I so enjoy a walk with you because we see so much detail and beauty. Thanks.

Hilary said...

Love all your photos....today they appeared so big on my Mac, that I could barely see them "in toto"....had to scroll down to see them all.

Barbara said...

These are all gorgeous, Hilary. I'm ready for another drink and another walk! Thank you so much for the POTW!!

Out on the prairie said...

fun shots, I pllayed with a heavy fog for a few daze

Tabor said...

You make a great Irish coffee, thanks. Love that close-up. A not common macro. But you are a creative soul! I have to tweak everything and I would have removed the hardware that is barely visible in the first photo. But I am a little bit of a cheat. See you next for a walk and am hoping that this cough I have is not catching!

Cloudia said...

I see a couple of my POTW picks in there!

You are a mistress of images. We so enjoy the whole "place" you create, Hil.



Friendly Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral

~ > < } } ( ° >

> < 3 3 3 ( ' >



Phyllis E said...

Love the spider web, Cuzzie. And I'm always a sucker for a pretty fungus or two! :-))

Along These Lines ... said...

These all loaded super fast. Nice collection.

yaya said...

Thanks for the "Post of the Week" honor! We're getting more scarves and this will help spread the word! Thanks! Your pics are so cool! I love the fungus ones...My daughter-in-law's brother-in-law (still with me here?)has a doctorate in fungus..or I should say "lichen". Strange but true...anyway I love the misty shots too!

Dianne said...

siren and isadora are thrilled to be part of a POTW!!
thanks

I love foggy days so these shots are wonderful
and spiked coffee is always a goodie

Dan said...

Thank you for the POTW.

Your fog and mist shots are beautiful as are the macro shots of the fungui. The latter remind me of stalactites seen in caves.

Here's an image of a friend while cave diving.
http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/302895_10152295706155694_366494582_n.jpg

DJan said...

Another wonderful walk through your universe. I see the same micro world but it always appears perfect when I see your pictures, not mine. Still working on those... and thank you for more POTWs, just in case I need more wonders! :-)

Lynne with an e said...

Absolutely stunning shots, and I'm almost positive that it has nothing to do with the beverage you served me.

messymimi said...

So the size of your pics is why Ol' Bessy has been pitching fits and totally shutting down every time i try to come here!

It's okay, i will pry the other computer away from the kids each day long enough to look in anyway, it's always worth it.

Leah J. Utas said...

Gorgeous fog work. Love the mood evoked by the first pic.

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

If your photos take awhile to load, they're worth the wait. That first one is wonderful. And the string of pearls...gorgeous!

Red said...

I always enjoy your walks as you take time to look at things that the rest of us would never see.

sage said...

Nice walk. Yes, there are times when I have a hard time loading, especially when not on a fast network. I'm humbled by your POTW honor. Thanks!

ADRIAN said...

The first image is perfect.

Unspoken said...

I like all these details we usually don't take time to observe!

Vagabonde said...

Loved your picture. I have not been that personal with a fungus before – quite interesting. I went and read several of your Blog of the Week – they were good.

Anonymous said...

Those misty shots are wonderful. I don't have any trouble with them loading and I love the big format.

Congrats to all the POTW winners.

Pierre BOYER said...

Marvelous pictures...
So poetics...

Pierre

Ricardo Miñana said...

Las imagenes son muy bonitas, gracias por compartir.
Ya ha llegado el mes mas entrañable del año, cargado de alegrías para unos y lleno de nostalgias para otros por los seres mas queridos que ya no están, al mismo tiempo con la tristeza de todas aquellas personas sin hogar, de todo corazón deseo que la paz y la felicidad visiten tu casa y disfrutes de estas fiestas con tus familiares.
un abrazo.

Liz Mays said...

Normally I find that kind of weather depressing, but thank you for helping me find a little beauty inside.

Frank Baron said...

The first two shots are particularly fine. Very nice. :)

Kerry said...

Fog looks great in either b&w or color, you're so right. Beautiful. I really love the fungus shots too! Makes me want to grab a camera and go out.

Maggie May said...

Love the spiders web.
Maggie x

Nuts in May

Reb said...

Lovely macros and fog and potw. I don't find your photos slow to load btw.

Deepak Kripal said...

great pics.. i esp. loved the first one..

Joanna Jenkins said...

Your first photo-- the black and white one of the fog and the tree-- gorgeous. Its the kind of photo that could spark a cool Brian Miller poem :-)

xo jj

Laura said...

so beautiful Hilary!

Anvilcloud said...

Great work overall. The first is a real winner.

Anvilcloud said...

I know that you don't need my help, but just to compare notes, I send to Blogger at 72dpi, 80% quality, and 800px (long side). That seems to be more than good enough for Blogger. That's not how I would send to Flickr, however.

Dawning Inspiration said...

Someday it would be wonderful to take a walk with you and enjoy camera time together.... in your neck of the woods. I think you live in such a beautiful place!

Suldog said...

OK, I've officially run out of superlatives to describe your photography.

It is very good.

(*sigh*)

photowannabe said...

I just got back from my mini vacation and saw you had given me a great honor.
Thank you so much Hilary for my photo award.

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

I'm glad I grabbed that cup of Irish Coffee before heading out the door. It was a bit damp on our walk (and in my virtual world, no one was limping or clomping in a Frankenboot) but the splashes of color and light were magnificent.
That first look at the picture of the fungus on a birch tree (before I scrolled down to see it in total) reminded me of a shark's teeth!

SandyCarlson said...

The moss shots are my favorites. I love the way you use fog as a filter. The colors are intense yet subtle.

Indrani said...

Lovely captures all. I like the focus on fungi, fantastic fotos.

Bill O'Reillystein said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
CiCi said...

The Lazy Mist. Great title.

I always enjoy your recommendations. Will go read them now.

Hope things are going well for you and that your house hunting has been successful.

Daryl said...

thank you .. belatedly but heartfelt ... just back from a getaway and got some shots that your's in this post are still way better than ...

Zuzana said...

Dear Hilary, lovely late autumn images, to me depicting a fall melancholy...
Long gone from our perception, as we have had our first heavy snow and feel winter is taking over.;)
Have a great week ahead,
xoxo

lime said...

the tree in fog is so ethereal and just creates such a good mood for me.

the spiderweb is great! i never even would have noticed the fence, i was too stuck in the web. ;)

Leave It To Davis said...

Great job! Love the fog and spider web! Just fyi...I had no trouble having your photos come up. They loaded just fine on my computer!

Gail Dixon said...

Hilary, thank you so much for the POTW! I am truly honored. Sorry, I have been away from my computer for over a week, trying to soak in every moment of my daughter's visit. You are such a generous blogger and I so appreciate being recognized this way! Congrats to the other winners as well!!!

Gail Dixon said...

Oh! I clicked publish too fast! Your fog shots are incredibly beautiful. Love that yellow tree as well. You do fine work! Yes, you do.