Playing with Picasa

Okay. I admit it. I don't usually alter my photos, except to maybe crop them. I'm a "purist". I don't have Photoshop on my laptop. I don't even know how to use it. I do have Picasa, but I only use it to crop photos. I haven't experimented with any of its settings. But, tonight, however, I experimented with its black & white setting...

What do you think? Eh? Nah?

This is an agave bloom which I found up in the mountains, on my way to visit my horses at the ranch where I board them. The agaves are blooming now and I LOVE to stop and see them! They are so beautiful in color...do you like them in black and white?

Please let me know. I did use the "sharpen" feature on the top photo and just the black and white feature on the middle one. The bottom one is my original photo, uncropped.

Thank you for your comments!

Garden Gates 050811 ~ SOOC Sunday

I drove around town this morning trying to get photos of doors for the Sunday stills Challenge this week. However, many homes here in the desert have gates and I couldn't even see their house doors! But, aren't these beautiful? I just HAD to share them (BIG SMILE)...My own gate is hideous and I'm NOT posting a photo of it...I'm so embarassed. Oh, well...it's functional and it keeps strangers out (along with our 3 big dogs!). Anyway, enjoy the tour. I'll go out again and try to get more garden gate photos later. Straight Out of the Camera Sunday for May 8, 2011. To see other participants in SOOC, please go to: http://www.murrieta365.com

My garden flowers~Sunday stills Challenge~April 24, 2011

I actually took these photos last weekend, before we left for our trip to the Sierras. Now, it is covered with the little red flowers and more California poppies. I'll have to go out this afternoon and take some photos! All of these flowers were from a wildflower packet that I picked up at Lowe's last fall. I raked a sunny area between our driveway and our neighbor's fence, scattered the seeds, watered them, and now am enjoying their beauty! I think they were about $4.00 for a whole packet of seeds. I think I'll do this again next year! Sunday Stills Challenge for April 24, 2011.

Desert Lupine~Sunday Stills Challenge~032711

I have one desert lupine in my front yard and I'm enjoying watching it grow and open buds of the flowers. I took this photo yesterday. Isn't it beautiful? I'm really enjoying learning how to take macro photos! :0-)

My African Daisies~Today's Flowers, 032611

These are my African daisies, which I planted out front by the street. They spill over into the street, and they get full sunlight all day. I'm guessing they only have a couple of weeks left before I'll have to pull them out and mow them down. But, I'm collecting the dried seeds so I'll have them for next fall! Today's Flowers for March 26, 2011.

Purple snail vine

One of the blossoms on my snail vine. These vines grow quickly here in our desert. One year I had one growing out front, up one of our posts, onto the patio roof. I enjoyed watching them hang down and provide filtered light for the porch. Unfortunately, our STUPID DOGS dug it up and I just haven't replanted anything in its spot (I'm STILL fuming at them!)...:-( I haven't noticed any fragrance on these, but they are such prolific growers and do so well here in the desert that I don't mind if they don't smell.

Sunflower~Today's Flowers~032011

One of my sunflowers! HOWEVER, I think that's either a small green WORM on it, or part of an acacia leaf, so I'm heading back out to take a closer look! Something has been eating the leaves on my sunflowers and if it's one of these little guys, he can go find another plant to chew on! Today's Flowers for March 20, 2011.