Photo Challenges

My Genetic Beginning

/ Janna Hill / 12 Comments
Cotton, peas, your friends, your seat, your nose… There are a lot of things you can pick. Family isn’t one of them.

Photographs of family and friends are scattered throughout this blog so instead of taking a new photograph for this challenge I thought it would be fun to share a few old ones.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
When I realized I’d rather be behind the camera.
It was a merry Christmas
My paternal grandmother.
Four generations of women.

Windows & Portals to the World’s Stories

/ Janna Hill / 10 Comments

Regarding this week’s photo challenge Cheri’ said, “They are portals into the world’s stories.” I thought how true and instantly recalled a reader’s question about writing scary characters. “Do they scare you when you’re writing them?” she asked. To that I replied, “Yes, sometimes they do.” So what does that have to do with windows and stories?

Well throughout writing one particular story I studied the views from both sides of the window near my desk. I would imagine the male protagonist lurking outside as I typed into the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes I would creep across the lawn and peer in, imagining how he (Max) saw things – where he might hide outside that window as he studied Abigail. I have to admit it felt pretty creepy. Max wasn’t really a bad guy (okay maybe that is debatable) but there were times I had to turn on the security lights, make sure the windows were locked and the Glock was loaded.

I’m not just kidding.

The relationship between me and that window will never be the same but there will be other windows. As a matter of fact here are a few recent views that might inspire a [not so creepy] story.

Looking in at an adorable puppy.
Looking out at an abandoned winter playground.
Looking in at a lonely table.
Looking out at the shepherd.

The Start of Something Wonderful

/ Janna Hill / 7 Comments

A wintry daybreak, a delightful fruitcake and a fire I made for myself…

I know starting a fire [intentionally] is not really a big deal unless you’re me and not everyone loves fruitcakes unless they’re family. By the way why are we expected to love the crazies we just so happen to be related to? I don’t know but I honestly do adore a real fruitcake. Fruitcakes need love too.

I have never pawned a loved one off, hid them out of sight or used them for a doorstop like some individuals will ashamedly do. You know I’m still talking about the cake right? As far as kinfolks…

I left a cousin in front of a Las Vegas liquor store in 1988. He worked there as a doorstop until he got too old to squat now he works part time at the newsstand as a paperweight. No, really! It’s a wonderful job – it just doesn’t pay anything. I think he is beginning to realize that. At least he can start a fire.

It seems even the dumbest sexiest men are mini MacGyver’s.  My husband (who is smart and handsome) can ignite a blaze using only his thumbnail and a gnawed wet toothpick.  I on the other hand need sixty-eight ounces of starter fluid, the Sunday paper, two wax logs and a large box of kitchen matches. Accidents and burning bridges does not count. Well that’s how it use to be. As you can see I’m better now. “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

I didn’t coin that phrase, heck I didn’t even invent fire but upon seeing the beautiful purple sky I knew a change in weather was occurring. A cold front that could challenge my lady MacGyver skills and I am happy to tell you I fared well under such pressure.  With a bundle of twigs and a mere twitch of the nose the fireplace was aglow. Okay, the bic and gasoline might have spurred the small conflagration but still it was the start of something wonderful.

Prompted by a cake sent from India (thank you Joseph), a cold front and this weeks photo challenge: Beginning

A Few of My Favorite Things

/ Janna Hill / 5 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Joy

When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things and then I don’t feel so bad.

I am the smile behind the lens 🙂

Have a HaPpY One

/ Janna Hill / 8 Comments

Red Gold & Green My digital card

The shot I used for our Christmas card happens to fit nicely with this weeks photo challenge. It’s also an excellent chance to wish all of you at WordPress a Merry Christmas. If you can’t be merry at least have a happy one. 😉

Flocks, Herds & Fleets

/ Janna Hill / 4 Comments

Flocks, Herds & Fleets

I had a hard time deciding on the above title or Turkeys, Trucks, Cows & Churches. Sometimes less is more… or better… or more better. Anyway this is more better. 😉

In response to this week’s photo challenge I snapped a few shots on my way home. It’s a short drive (less than ten miles) of rural countryside but I was amazed at the various communes within my own community. The whole thing made me think deeply about worlds inside worlds… circles inside circles…

Thank goodness the wild turkeys came into view and kept me from thinking myself to death.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected

/ Janna Hill / 13 Comments

Cheri said “IN A NEW POST CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO THAT MEANS UNEXPECTED TO YOU.”

Well Cheri I wake up in a new world every morning so just about anything that happens after the first cup of coffee comes as a surprise.

Unexpected things are happening around us every day, 24/7 but we are usually too preoccupied to appreciate them. Small astonishing things like this dried leaf wafting on a breeze.

Or the tiny sweet bloom of an Elaeagnus

elaeagnus bloom

Some things we totally expect. If the weatherman tells us a storm is coming we anticipate a change in atmosphere accompanied by a little wind and rain. If we see lightning we generally expect to hear thunder.

We can even guesstimate the distance of a storm by counting the  seconds between the lighting strike and the boom of thunder then divide that number by two. But occasionally they come so close together you barely purse your lips to say one and WHAM!!

The unexpected happens.

 

That’s why I refuse to live in tree. 😉

Too Numerous To Mention

/ Janna Hill / 12 Comments

This weeks photo challenge is titled Habit. I have far too many to mention and fewer still I am willing to confess but isn’t that a lovely sky? Maybe I am a habitual optimist – always looking up.