Ever make a Haiku?

Wow, making a Haiku is hard especially when limited in syllables.

Yeah that has the syllables but makes about as perfect sense as most Haikus ever written.

I actually sat down and tried to make one up.

First I tried an automated generator form on the internet and the result said "Not safe content". I'm not sure why words like winter, cold, wind, white, and snow could be construed as adult content so I did this the old fashioned way.

Paper and pencil with coffee and curse words. Basically, I couldn't think of anything clever. I looked up Haikus on winter and nothing fit either. So I was left to create something myself.

Snow Drifts

Now I need to think of one regarding trees. I don't know why I decided to go to the world of poetry and Haikus at 5 in the morning, but I did. 

I guess it is a good brain exercise after the past two days of events.

One more just so I won't bore anyone.

Apple Tree

I'm going to stop here
my brain hurts
and my coffee
is cold

Stuck indoors

The winds were absolutely wicked and the snow is like concrete in places. I shot these turkeys out through the front door in the wide open summer pasture.

I was bored inside. I wanted to go hiking but Rich said he was feeling a bit off, so I stuck myself to inside the house.

I just purchased a Infrared converted digital camera that is a pocket camera. Look forward to some wildly creative shots after I get it!

Meanwhile I got out my Olympus which is on it's last legs and fitted the IR lens filter I had for it.
Now IR is really meant for warm sunny days, not cold winter days.

But I don't believe in rules...so I started to play.

Infrared shot of the sky out the back door...the green on the pines do reflect white..

Edit to black and white from the Infrared filtered shot.
The pine needs are white as well as the bark which reflects the heat.
Cool huh?

And then I decided to play around with Rich's old torn up gloves and a wrench thingy I found in the shed.

I like the white one better and I used a 'paint effect' on it too. PSP's Painter Essentials 6. A pretty easy program. I let the program paint the photo and then saved it. There can be a bit more to it, but I didn't work super hard on it.

Pink Whisperly Dreams.
I shot this with the infrared filter on too. Just experimenting with colors and different stuff.

Lastly the Nisse that was hand made for me with a mini bottle of wild grapvine curls.

The raw winds continued to blow outside on Monday and it just felt bitter. I kept busy indoors. Vacuum, dust, and balancing the books. I think for sure that balancing the books is the worst job ever.

Yesterday was appointments day. PT at the VA and other appointments which led to more appointments.

Well that is the way it goes sometimes right?
We came home to a slew of messages on the answering machine. One was from
the VA Fiduciary Field Examiner, she wanted to set up a meeting.

Well.
Now let me be clear. I am glad that the VA does protect its veterans that are incapable of handling their finances by their system. There is a potential for abuse. But it is a bit intimidating too.
I don't know anyone who has done this, but I am reading up on it.

I've been keeping spreadsheets on our expenses and handling our accounts for quite a while ... so ... well. I'm nervous.
Time to go do some more reading.

Of this and that

When the weather is frightfully cold and we need to let the temps come up to a reasonable reading ... like -5 or maybe even 0 before we feel like starting chores...
I get sidetracked with a cup of coffee and some fractal programs.

The first picture of orange colors is from JWildfire.  I've talked about this program a lot and the newest version allows your to pick your own back round to place your newest flame or flames on.

The second shot was a photo of the frost on the window this morning that I edited with Topaz Glow.  It is all the rage right now and I do like the program although I think it can be used more subtly than most are doing with it.
The above example is the far-out end of the spectrum.

Below, I used it to assist in a 'illustrated' type look for the book I'm ... hopefully finishing soon called The Big Journey.
[At the moment, I've hit a bit of writer's block....]

Turning to the weather aspect.  What else is there to say but that it is typical winter weather.  Harsh winds, blowing snow, and cold temps.  I took this shot through the windshield on my way home from town yesterday with my pocket camera.

Yesterday's snow fall is now whipping around like crazy the sun is shining brightly.
The sun should not deceive us though.  The ambient temp is still below zero.

Hurrah for the over the glasses goggles [nearly typed google!] and face masks that make our lives a bit easier.

After chores are muddled through, I am hoping to take a walk to the ridge to capture some of the wonderful lines or formations that the blowing snow creates.

If it proves to be a bit too brutal I'll come back and work either on the book or some graphic art composites.

I have a few edits I'd like to make on some shots I took the other night for Ariel and our My Little Pony escapades.

I also have some skulls that need another layer of paint and perhaps I can take some artistic photos of them for still life.