I bet Ark will get the title reference! Wonder if anyone else will? Think 70’s music, for a hint.
Murtagh’s Meadow, a blogger very VERY local to me, has been sharing pictures from the lovely frosty mornings we have had the last week. I’ve been struggling to get out the door on time for work (the car has to be defrosted, then the dog pukes all over the floor and is too much of a princess to clean it up herself like a normal dog would, then the kitten decides to leave a massive stink bomb in the litter box and OMGWTFBBQ it has to be cleaned right then and there or the house will reek of kitten-death-poo) so I’ve been missing all the beauty in my frosted garden.
We took Friday off, our last paid holiday day for both of us left in 2016 (Christmas holidays not included). Mostly just because, partly to prep for our odd version of Irish-American Thanksgiving, which we did Saturday.
Turkey last night, after 4+ hours being smoked on the Weber charcoal grill. Sorry, my vegetarian friends! Obligatory turkey pic, it’s an American thing! I also made cheddar garlic biscuits (scones), and barley stuffing or dressing. He made some mashed potatoes from the goodly (and free) haul I dug out of the garden last month. Since I let our jack-o-lanterns rot in the driveway, I made a sweet potato pie instead of pumpkin. All was lovely, and we can’t wait for leftovers tonight. And, of course, I had pie for breakfast, as you do.
Back to the original subject. I do tend to ramble when in the mood.
Saturday morning hubby was awfully slow to get out of bed, and as the morning grew late I lost patience. I went upstairs and leapt onto the bed and bounced around like Tigger or the boxer in this year’s John Lewis advert. After he got done giggling at me acting 40 years younger than I really am, I said, “Let’s go take frost photos!” So we loaded up the ‘good cameras’ and headed to his uncle’s garden.
I have a bunch of pictures, but thought I would start with these from my ‘phone. Same photo – one iPhone, one iPhone using my favourite Hipstamatic setup.
I only took one picture, remember. But the app saves it normal (this one).
Along with what I saw, and wanted – this, in black & white.
I find it quite odd to see a colour photo when my brain isn’t expecting it at all (Hipstamatic did not previously save a ‘straight’ version). What do you think? Which one do you like better? I will admit I like the black and white version best.
heretherebespiders 
Never been one for black and white. The wife loves them… She says they bring a presence… I always think something has been lost.
The world isn’t black and white. It has colours. Lots of colours.
And that turkey looks good! B-)
It was good! And will be again tonight š
I can see that – but also taking away the colour makes you focus on other things – the texture, the light and shadow. For me, the ice crystals really pop out at me in the B&W version.
Maybe it’s because I’m colour-blind but I don’t see the same thing as others do?
And I tend to find my eyes pulled to the darker parts of images. Strange, I know.
Ah, one of the things I do when I bother to edit an image is bring the black more black!
lol!
Yes I like B&W one too. Sounds like you had lovely thanksgiving feast! Oh and thanks for plug ! I have another collection from yesterday’s even more amazing frost!
I have a LOT! But I’m taking a page from your book and posting all at once. One I’m really happy with! Can’t wait to see yours. Gotten so warm today, hasn’t it?
Bit of a change alright! Looking forward to seeing more frosty photos!
I’m in for the color one! Your turkey looks delish! I think an American/Irish dinner would be a hoot!
Linda
At least he didn’t make me eat cabbage! Hehehe
A true Irish dish!
Yuck š
I love this post. For the fact you bounced around “acting 40 years younger than I really am”! That is grand, wonderful. I love the photos. It sounds like you are having a wonderful time. Hugs
If you can’t act like a child sometimes, what the hell is the point of living? Fart loudly and giggle afterward, jump on the bed, ride the shopping cart like a big skateboard!
Oh I love it.. I agree. After all why should cats and dogs be the only ones to fart? š My motto has been that life is an adventure, let’s treat it like one. I wish you the very best. Hugs
Oh hell, little beauty Lumi squeaked one out on my lap earlier – he even farts cutely!
My dad used to let rip SO LOUD (and to be fair, he never had smelly ones, just LOUD) and say, ‘heeeey, did you see that elephant that ran under my chair? Musta lifted me up three feet!’
Fart jokes are the best.
Sadly my Odis is a SBD farter. HE makes it really worth his while. š Hugs
Usually that is a dog’s job!
I like the colour better. The fuzzy frost crystals have better contrast with the yellow of the petals, I love the pop of dark red at the top, and the curve of the pot edge with that orangey dried grass thingy. Oh hell, guess I’m just a total colour person. I do love black & white portraits, though, I think those can strip back extraneous stuff and show you the real person.
That is interesting! I very rarely do it for people, but the best one I have taken was of someone who has a physical ‘deformity’ and hates having pictures taken. I think I did it perfectly and they liked it a lot! I am better with plants than people, however.
Thanks for the input! My others are all in colour, with the ‘good camera’.
I love that greeny-yellow in the color photo. And the fact that you’ve got so much detail!
Ps- which good cameras do you use? I’m in the market for one!!
I have a Nikon D3100, himself has Fuji X100. His is tiny, mine is hyoooge
Yay, more toys to investigate! I have been looking at tiny cameras as well- Sony A6000 -any thoughts?
PS- we were really missing the Toy Show last night lol!
I’m not the expert – this from himself: A Cyber Monday deal? With Sony cameras I always need to hold them & actually use their OS before I buy. They’re a mixed bag as apparently this is. It’s an almost 3yr old camera but she’d really need to actually try it out. Here’s a review from dp: (BTW, I hated the NEX (that’s what a friend uses. Awful things) https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-alpha-a6000
He’s the best! I tried out the A6000 on Black Friday, but I have *nothing* to compare it to but for my iPhone. I’ve read the Olympus OM-D E-M10 is far better, as is the Fuji XT10, but I don’t even know what I want, except for wireless sharing and something me-proof. š Thanks for the advice! Will keep looking!!
From himself: I bought the XT10 for work! it’s a great camera, has it’s quirks, but I really like the way Fuji are heading at the moment (personally I’ve an X100). You won’t go wrong with Fuji nor Olympus. It’s all about the glass (lenses) though as these are interchangeables & I think Fuji have the edge. Re Sony, you’d want to be spending huge money for their better models to consider them. I know 2 pro locals who’ve ditched their Pro Nikon’s for Fuji & they couldn’t be happier. Our DSLR is Nikon but paid for but eventually I’d swap it out for the Fuji system.
Done! We will be testing out the Fuji and Olympus models when we have a moment (Cyber Monday deals aren’t worth shit for good cameras so no rush on our side). Thanks for the advice!!
Oh, the late late toy show is this Friday!
WHAT?! We thought we’d missed it! Any chance we can patch into your TV lol
Ha! I’ll see if he can get a link like last year š
LOL. Ireland seriously needs to export this stuff. It’s bananas!
yayyyyyy!
The BW definitley has more depth and the flower doesn’t have to battle for attention with the background diffused. (Yes, smoked turkey and sweet potato pie – that’s Thanksgiving. You done gud. Sorry to be so late reading. Been rushing to get Christmas up while I had time – daughter just had baby last weekend)
Congratulations, gramma! Hope daughter and babe are both healthy and happy.
Yes, I do still have a bit of that southern upbringing. No black eyed peas on New Year’s Eve, though š
Oh have such bad news. It is a horrible case of siblings teaching each other. Our younger bigger feline is a skilled SBD farter. He has now taught our older smaller feline the skill. I went to pick up the older one and pet him and he let one go. Now in his defence I did pick him up compressing his tummy, yet what he let go was award winning, it brought tears to my eyes. Oh what have we done. Hugs
Wonder if they make Beano or Gas-X for cats? Hehehe!
Lumi now jumps into my arms (yay!), but this means his heiney is six inches from my face when he looks over my shoulder. He got me GOOD on Monday morning! At least I could take him and walk away from the near-visible green cloud he let out…
š š wow. Hugs
That turkey looks amazing!
It was soooo yummy. We might try brining it first next year, too – I hear that does wonderful things to bland turkey flavour.