I had an hour of ...

quiet time on Monday. 

Charlie and I headed to the woods with an idea in mind. Well, Charlie wanted to do dog stuff, like pee on all the trees.

I had discovered one of the Jason Christoble sculptures had been named Father Tree. While I was doing chores in the morning I thought.

Hmmm. Father Tree ----- >>>>>and I heard the chainsaws going in the distance and it hit me.

Princess Sara gets summoned to the Big Deep Forest by Father Tree. She has been busy gathering her fighting force to go rescue the Magical Dragon Egg from the nefarious Rock Monsters and other Evil Forces, but this sounded quite urgent.

The ride starts out through the lush green forest and...

they find themselves in an area that has been devastated...

[note...this is what occurs when Charlie helps. I didn't mind. He heard a large tree crash to the ground far off and decided that he needed to be next to me... Photo Bomb!]

The Princess and Joan of Knight meet with Father Tree....

Father Tree explains that he was neutral on the plight of the Dragons and the Mythical Egg until the Rock Monsters started killing his trees and causing cataclysmic damage to his forest.

His eyes glowed with displeasure. He was going to gather his Tree People to help Princess Sara and all of the Little Forest People.

[Well why not?]

So that is how my imagination works. I get stuck, I know where I want to go with a story. But I get distracted with other things.

Then something comes along that makes sense and adds to this never ending saga.

Princess Sara has heard of yet one more warrior she can get to help her in her Quest. He is said to have power over wild beasts. After meeting with Father Tree, she decides to seek him out.

[Thank you Aurora for the surprise once more in my mailbox!]

Ding Dong Doggy

Charlie loves loves loves his toy that he got from Rich's daughter! It is the first toy he has not destroyed in 7 years. It has lasted more than 3 days which is a record!

He loves it so much, he lays it down on the carpet next to his master and rolls on it. What a goof! We laugh so hard when he does this. Oh yeah, the oxygen tubing? You should have heard my hubby get excited when Charlie got caught in the tubing and dragged it away. 

Ouch. Says Rich. That hurts my ear!

But really, can you get angry at this funny pooch? I think not.

I think I'm getting close to go back to the Princess Sara stories. I have so many things I want to do and enjoy the process of a story. I often go off in tangents to other places. But still, the story should be about Princess Sara and her quest to save the world.

Don't we all need heroes or heroines these days?

The Twin Sister warriors converse 
with the Jungle Dragon.
They hear about Princess Sara's
Quest
and decide to join her and
offer their assistance against 
the rock monsters.

No worries if you don't get what's going on either. Sometimes I don't even know.

But it is getting close to spring and that is when I believe things will start happening again with Princess Sara.

In every fantasy tale there is always a quest isn't there? 

I have to check in soon with the Princess and see what she has been up to!

With so much weighing heavily on my mind, I do need these beautiful distractions. This weekend will be busy both Ariel and Dennis will be coming on different days to spend the weekend.

I wonder if the kids will be impressed by the desk in my spare 'toy' room.

I took the whole day and washed walls, dusted, and organized the spare room. It was in desperate need of picking things up. Good that the kids both decided to visit so I could get this job [I've been putting off] done. 

There is a Futon Bed in this room for surprise visits. It folds up to make a nice little couch when not in use. But it isn't for the faint hearted to sleep on as it lays right on the floor.

However in years past it has made an awesome bed for company and kids.

Time for some imagination...

Her is Valda. She now appears as a key player in the Princess Sara Quest.

How is she going to fit in? 
I love making stuff up.

I may have mentioned this before but there was a time when my kids were little that we 'made up' bed time stories once in a while.

I usually started it with something like: Once upon a time there was a little boy who became a Prince and he lived in a castle. But he didn't know he was a Prince, he thought he was just a common person. 

So the story would go on for a bit and then the next night I would ask one of the boys to add to the story.

My older son would add wonderful bits and pieces to the story and expand on the characters and scenery. It was great fun.

And...then sometimes my youngest would  add great ideas to the story....OR...
do something diabolical. "...the young Prince then gathered monsters together and beheaded everyone in the castle. Theeee End." Of course he'd smile sweetly and pull his blanket up. 

Theee End.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So Valda, who are you? At first I couldn't decide who she was or how she fit into the Princess Sara Quest. 
Who is Valda?
Valda is from a Germanic name meaning: Renowned Ruler, Power, Authority.
I admit, she looks pretty tough.

Valda is one of the Wild Ones. Obviously, she has no fear and rides a dragon and at other times rides a Thestral.

I googled for a name meaning 'powerful leader' and got Valda as a choice.

Someone over on Flickr....AC...suggested that Valda was .. um.. me? You know, maybe he was right? Valda is a Wild One, a Warrior, and she gets things done. I can see that! [the name Val-da...who would've thunk it???]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back to the Princess Sara journey...

The Frog finally caught up to Princess Sara and delivered her more news regarding her Quest.

A true Princess always accepts things that happen to her with grace and Sara has done this time and time again.

Princess Sara seeks out the Little People of the Forest to hear about the Dragon's Plight and the Stolen Egg. In her pure heart, knows that this is part of her quest.

The Little People of the Forest travel to seek help from the Wild Ones. They meet Valda and explain the  situation. 

Valda agrees to help. After all she would never turn down an offer enter into a conflagration. She is an avid lover of the Dragons and would do anything to help them.

Her Dragons wait behind her patiently.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now~~~

Just for fun I thought that my Wild Ones and Forest People needed something other than Lego bricks to be their homes. It all started with a couple of pieces of broken birch branches and cardboard. 

This project is not my first stick build. I've done it before and had great fun creating something out of items that I had on hand.

With the help of a glue gun and some moss, I was able to create modular pieces to use in different ways.

Cardboard, sticks, glue, and moss. Easy, free, fun.

It is easier and less expensive than trying to buy bricks to make 'scenes'. If I break a stick I can replace it easily. I made the pieces in sections so I can build and rebuild in different ways.

Other adults do wonderful crafts and hobbies for entertainment. I go for the Adult Play.

Adult play boosts creativity, helps with a sense of humor, and is a major player in reducing stress. When my mind is on creating a make believe story through 'toys', my mind is not consumed by my Caregiving duties.

I can do both things at the same time. I can create play while in the house giving care. It is a welcome relief to drop into a world of imagination for just a bit.

Princess Sara, the Dragon Quest

I'm thoroughly enjoying the process of following my toys and conjuring up a quest for Princess Sara. 

The greatest part is the absence of rules, allowing me to invent as I proceed. Do you recall the freedom of play as a child? We would take our toys and spontaneously craft stories without needing a structured plot.

I remember the trolls my sister and I cherished in our youth. We'd bring them outdoors, where they might be found constructing sandcastles one day or aboard my grandmother's boat the next, leaping from one escapade to another without a final destination.

The narratives didn't need to be logical; we were immersed in the play of the moment.

Adults always want a definitive beginning and a logical outline for a story. But the child's play is more inventive and creative with no bounds.

I find this holds true for Princess Sara's Quest. The Quest can veer in any direction, entwining countless subplots. I certainly didn't intend for it to be that way. But I follow where inspiration and imagination takes me without constraints.

The concept is to not dwell on the little details, but to relish the journey.

Below, the Rock Monsters have absconded with the Magical Dragon Egg and are concealing it.

Emerald, the Forest Dragon, confers with a clan member, stressing the imperative to retrieve the Dragon Egg at all costs. The egg is believed to contain a dragon destined to bring peace to their kind and ensure their survival. However, not all clan members are persuaded.

Emerald is aware of the Rock Monsters' formidable magic and their merciless leader. Rumors suggest that the Little People hold the key to vanquishing the Rock Monsters.

Yet, trust in the Little People is scarce among Dragons, who have been hunted by them for ages.

Despite this, Emerald is certain of the legend's authenticity and thus seeks counsel from the wise ancient Dragon sage, Sago. [LOL, think Yoda??]

Sago summons the Wise Old Frog.

Together they will find the Little People and speak to them.

And so the Quest goes....

why not?

Of Dragons and Princesses. Just for fun.

So ever since I found those cute little 3D printed dragons while shopping with my Granddaughter, I've been caught up in my love for dragons.

I did imagine the dragons needing help in some way from other dragons. I did imagine that there needed to be villains and a heroes.

But dragons can look so fearless and ferocious. 

Or they can be cute and charming.

What if. Princess Sara's Quest and Destiny is part of a bigger picture? What if her destiny as Lego Princess is to save a Dragon from Lego Monsters?  How would she find out?

The Frog told her months ago that she just needed to keep wandering and her Quest would become evident. [That was me thinking...I don't know where the h-ll this story is going, but I'll keep having fun]

Surely if the Rock Monsters steal the precious legendary dragon egg, you'd think that the dragons would do anything to get it back.

But rarely are fantasy stories ever that direct. There's always mystical magical stuff going on. Always a Quest or a Good Deed to be done. 

There is Good and Evil, and Finding Your Way through Self Exploration. The main character must be tested and tested again.

And what on Earth does a Magical Frog have to do with all of it other than he set her on her course.

[Actually, with the original post, it was all about making a build from a video that Four Bricks Tall had made about mirrors and extending backgrounds. I named it  Princess Sara and the Frog's Quest in March of this year.] 

Off and on all summer I've tried to figure out exactly what her Quest should be. I knew IF I wandered aimlessly and let my creative mind echo in my brain that eventually I'd figure out something.

I didn't mean for it to become a story in my head or in photos. But it just seems to happen.

I suppose it is a form of play and a form of learning to relax the brain.

----

I think I'm finding my way. Or should I say, the story is playing itself out bit by bit. I just have to follow it.

The Forest Dragon, Emerald has heard of a Legendary Warrior Princess who welds great powers who could save all of the dragons from extinction. Perhaps it is her destiny also to save The Egg that has been stolen by the Rock Monsters. 

That Egg has been said to hold a Mythological Dragon that can also unite all dragons and people. Cracks had formed in the Egg which meant the Dragon was to be born soon.

He spots Princess Sara in the woods and notices her incredible and strong aura of strength and perseverance.

How could he approach such a magnificent warrior woman without being slain? He knows that all almost all Princesses, Kings, and Knights regularly slay dragons! 

He must, must find a way...

Princess Sara and Joan of Knight are still trudging along and wandering the deep forest, searching for an answer to her quest.

And deeper in the woods. Emerald contacts Yoga [yes, a pun on Yoda from Star Wars]. 

Yoga promises to contact the Mystical Frog to relay the dragon's plight.

---------------------------------------------------------

With this play, my mind stays active and my love for photography gets challenged by having to create a 'scene' and the photos are like a story board.

What better way to keep exploring my inner sense of kid and relaxation at the same time.

Hmmm, or is it my subconscious trying to figure out a way to deal with being a Caregiver that has to stay close to home and cannot go on all the travels she had planned to do after she retired?

Stay tuned to meet a new character in the Princess Saga.

 

Monday Monday Stuff

Above are the morning views I get when I go out at dawn to check on things. This Monday morning, it was cold. Well sort of cold. I put on a jacket over my sweats while walking over to the Meadow.

This is Wisconsin on a typical old fashioned morning. Heavy dew, cool mornings, and warm afternoons in August.

I spent Sunday taking down fencing and old rotten wooden posts in an area where the Tree Cutting Dudes will be making brush piles some time later this month. I like to do things ahead of time. 

I also got my bicycle back from the shop! I was so tickled to have it tuned up. The new chain is sparkly clean and rust free as well as the new cable they put in. It sports a nifty little bike rack in back so I'm now on the hunt for a 'trunk'. 

I told hubby yesterday that Bliss will live in the house now. He was like *who the heck is Bliss?* 

I showed him the name on the bike when I parked it just inside the back door. He rolled his eyes and said he thought the shed was just fine for a bicycle. 

I gave him the price of repairing rusted through gears and cables and then he conceded that perhaps it would be prudent to let Bliss in the house. 

After all, she doesn't need potty training nor does she eat much. My son gave me a helpful hint for winter storage in our tiny basement. Hooks from the beams! Thanks!

Last year, I was all about getting a kayak as I'd discovered how fun it was. I had a reality check in the cost of getting one, getting a way to carry it, and then .... well, how often would I get a chance to go kayaking for hours? In reality? Those chances are pretty nil considering I have to get someone for back up at home each time. 

So I decided to stick with my bicycle for an alternative sport to hiking. I used to bike with a buddy of mine, but he has since abandoned his bike as no matter how many times he repaired it, it still was giving him fits. 

It makes sense. I've had the bike, I enjoy it. So I need to use it. It is also a handy way to get from point A to B with camera gear. 

And in an unrelated matter. Remember the 3D printed dragons I picked up? I had to paint eyes on them. They won't do for extreme close ups, but I do like them. They are fun.

...and as I was messing around with the one above this morning, I finally realized what Princess Sara's Unknown Quest was all about....

I'm sure it must be dragons? Right?

I mean...wow, I haven't been updated on Princess Sara's Quest since well...since this spring!

Last I saw her and and Joan of Knight, they were attempting to cross the Swamp of Sorrow [a nod to The Never Ending Story].

I really need to see if they are okay and where they are in their quest.

Enjoy your Monday. 

In the Zone

Right now the fun is never ending. I keep ignoring my Nature photos at the moment as Nature is teasing us with all sorts of wild weather.

I had a really nice compliment on a photo I did of Princess Sara in an email from a Lego Ambassador last week. I used a tutorial by FourBricksTall and tagged her in my write up on Flickr. I read that and felt inspired and had an AH HAH... moment.

I won't be a pro toy photographer ever or be hired by Lego any time ever. But I felt like my efforts of creativity and explorations were somewhat vindicated. 

Any...way...more about getting into the Zone. After that my head burst with all sorts of ideas. You know, the stuff that bangs around in that empty space of a brain. That echo chamber. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I first got this Lego minifig last Spring. I had her in my pocket in May while I was hunting fungi and other things as they came up from the forest floor. I decided her name would be Sara the Brave and she would be a Princess when I first set her on a mossy stump.

I really liked her but couldn't for the life of me figure out her 'Story'. Well, that is until I set up the photo I did a while ago. I plucked her off the shelf where she spent nearly a whole year and made her a central character in an adventure. 

Truly, I don't know where that adventure will take me, but I am glad to have Sara out and about. She makes an interesting character that wields a stick horse and a sword.

I walk around in the forest looking for cool things. The minifigs bounce around in their containers in my backpack. Some days I hike and never take them out. And then some days, things just click and I know that I found yet another clue in Sara's journey.

Of course she will find exotic looking plants and...

well...

it looks like those other forest critters may be watching her!
That looks like Big Foot is spying on them!

Will she meet some of those other fierce warrior women?
How about Ariel who also wears the blue knight armor just like Joan of Knight? 

She is an exceptional warrior who loves to fish.

Sometimes she even gets them to jump right out of the water!

 [Trick photography! I hot glued floral wire around the fish tail and pushed it into the stream bottom. I took the shot with the wire in the photo and took a shot without the fish there.👇]

I set the camera up to take 5 photos in a row while I threw rocks into the stream for splashes. 

The magic happens when you stack the two photos on top of each other and simply erase the wire. The photo in the second layer is just a shot of the Lego figure by itself. This was a trick I learned by watching a video by a Toy Photographer who goes by SirDork. 

While I was at it, I found another spot where Hannah the Hunter was. It seems she is looking for something in the forest also. 

Will all of these characters eventually find each other? I don't know. 

For now? Anything can happen.

One other note. Spring will be emerging all over the forest. I see the signs of Spring Beauty leaves poking up out of the leaves. I saw bluebells emerging too. It feels like this next snow/sleet/rain event is just telling us to be patient.

Suddenly Spring will emerge like a racehorse out of the gate.

But for now, I'm in the Zone... 

the play Zone.

The Quest continues...

I am pretty lucky to live in a very remote area with a large tract of wild woods that surround us. I thought I'd take advantage of the overcast skies to take a hike and try out some more things I learned from doing a bit more research about Lego photography.

Below is my backpack that is a Kurgo backpack made specifically to carry a small dog. My dog said no. I put a camera bag insert into the 'pet area' years ago and this became my go to backpack.

I can carry water bottles, snacks, and all sort of other goodies in the other section of the backpack.

Old plastic sandwich meat containers are perfect for carrying Lego minifigs or pieces.

 

When I got to the creek, I set my pack down. Did I mention that it is made to sit up straight and that it has a rubber bottom on it? Perfect for setting down in damp places.

I wanted to test out an idea I'd seen a Lego Photographer use when trying to photograph Lego's in a puddle or stream. If you have ever tried it, the boats sink or tip over, the kayaks and canoes don't really float. I've stacked rocks up against Legos in the stream to keep them in place only to back off and get the shot ready...

and the Lego minfig tips over and floats away.

One person suggested hot gluing a piece of metal to the bottom of a Lego minifig stand. I tried that method and it worked well for a while. After bumping around in my backpack and being repositioned several times, the metal washer came off. But it was a fantastic solution and an easy thing to do.

I also took a flat 6 X 6 plate and stood a horse on it. The stream still wanted to pull on the horse, so I put some rocks on the plate to hold it in place. It worked like a charm.

Anyone who has ever ridden horses [or mules] knows that sometimes horses don't like streams or even shy away from puddles.

I imagine that Princess Sara's faithful steed, Ice, wouldn't want to cross the stream. Princess Sara had a tough time convincing Ice that it was OK to go in the water. She even waded into the stream to show him.

Apparently he had none of it until Joan of Knight rode her workhorse into the stream to show Ice that it wouldn't hurt him.

At this point, I was not using a tripod, but was standing in about 8 inches of water in a little pool in the creek. I had to squat down and get the camera close to the water. I felt something cold on my rear end and realized I'd squatted right into the creek.

[Yeah for CrossFit squats!]

Phew!

Princess Sara and Joan got across safely and continued on their Quest. The frog had said that they just needed to go into the forest and the Quest would make itself known to them.

The camera settings were pretty basic. I use an f stop so I could get both figures in focus. But I also set them in the same focal plane.

Getting low was the key. Very low. My hands were resting on top of the water and since I was wearing knee high waterproof muck boots my feet didn't get wet. But my rear end did!

The sky was cloudy so I was able to shoot without worrying too much about highlights on the minifigs.

Processing the shots were fairly straightforward, I have presets that I've developed for certain kinds of looks.

Stay tuned. The Princess and the Knight continued their Quest.

I am just following along.