Foggy Morning

The light was wonderful this morning. First foggy, then the sun bursting through, then fog again, clouds passing by in the sunrise. Just amazing.

Sadly, I watched most of it from my classroom window, whimpering. I had time to stop in Keats on the way to work to take a few shots of one of my favorite trees.

If my job didn't pay so well, I would have had lots of neat shots to share this evening, but the mortgage won again!

Gorgeous Spring Day

I don't have a whole lot to say except that today is a gorgeous day, and I'm happy about it. Yay spring.

As Seen On - roadside scholar!

Gigi of roadside scholar put together a wonderful set of questions for what I think turned out to be an interesting blog feature/interview. If you're in the mood, I do quite a bit of rambling on this one.

Go check it out!

Magnets!

Introducing photo magnets! Available for a super low introductory price of $3 for a set of four. I just love them.

It's Almost Full-Blown Spring

This was taken *almost* a year ago, in late March. I am so impatiently waiting for everything to bloom. As previously announced, the crocus are back, and we noticed some green in the lawn this morning.

It's getting there.

As Seen On - Indie Retailer of the Day

Lucky me. I'm Indie Retailer of the Day! Well, technically Indie Retailer of Yesterday, but it was a cool coincidence that it was one of wonderful boys' birthday.

Anyhow, thanks Brandy!

Renewal

Each year, many of the farmers and ranchers in this area burn some or all of their fields. My understanding is that it returns nutrients to the soil and results in better production from the land. Prairies used to be burned periodically by vast wildfires caused by lightning, but now we fight those off, so for the land to be what it was, it needs burning.

That's my amateur understanding of it, anyhow.

In any event, it's gorgeous. The parts that have already burned smoke and smoke and smoke. There's an uneven line of fire that creeps ever so slowly across the field, but somehow when you look back at a spot, it's moved more than you think it should have. The smell alone is wonderful, bringing back childhood campfires.

With any luck, here in the next few weeks, I'll find myself near a field with camera in hand.

As Seen On - Dharma Designs

Wendy of Dharma Designs was kind enough to write up a nice piece about my work. Her blog features the work of many talented Etsy shop owners - I'm lucky enough to be right after beer soap. How do you beat that?

Thanks Wendy!

The Crocus are Back

First things first, this photograph is from last spring, since I can't convince my camera to upload the photographs that I took this afternoon.

Nonetheless, the news remains the same: the crocus are back. I don't care if it snows tomorrow, it's now spring in Kansas, and I'm a happy guy.

Yay crocus

What Corn Looks Like in February

And in the early part of March, for that matter.

I love the red tones, so easy to miss just driving down the highway.

As Seen On - Smiles and Sunshine!

I am pleased to announce that my work and my ramblings have been featured over on Smiles and Sunshine. If you have a moment, go take a look.

Spring is on the Way

Right now, the front yard is brown with light brown grass on top (plus a bunch of little sticks still left over from the ice storm), but *soon* everything will begin to bloom and grow. It's going to rain, and plants will sprout leaves and flowers.

Best of all, by April, we will have dandelions again. I love dandelions.

Icy Outhouse

Now that the days are getting longer and warmer, I'm finally ready to take a look at some of my photographs from December's crazy ice storm.

This is a photograph of the outhouse next door. I'm told there used to be a house on the lot, but it was lost to a fire years ago. The outhouse is no longer in use, to my knowledge, but it's an interesting little building.

The ice storm, if you weren't around for it, covered *everything* with a layer of ice. We lost power for a few days. It was a hassle, but it was certainly gorgeous.