Photos, videos and docs of Janet Brien, with the keywords: "pip"

253/366: Roscoe's Children Coming Out of Egg Sac

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 03:06:08 +0000

One day in September of 2012, I found a baby orb weaver spider on my front porch. Over the next year, I watched this baby get her first meal, survive a freezing winter, grow to adulthood, find a mate, make an egg sac, and finally, I saw her crawl slowly away under a bush to die. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with this beautiful Cat-Faced Orb-Weaver, and I cried my eyes out when she died. Maybe just a spider to most, she was my little friend, and I missed her terribly in the months that followed. In fact, revisiting her pictures now pulls hard on my heart strings. I feel like I should be embarrassed that I feel sad as I look at all the pictures I took. How can a person become attached to a spider? I did though, and I feel pretty darn lucky that I got to know a spider well enough to cry over its death.

This is a picture of Roscoe's children, hatching out of the egg sac she made and protected until she was too weak to do so. Seeing all of these kids brings a tear to my eye. I wished that some of them would have stayed around, but they all left after a few days. What a great experience it was to know my friend Roscoe. :)

If you'd like to see Rocoe's story in pictures and tales, please visit her album here My Friend Roscoe

248/366: Lovely Virginia Stock (+2 in notes)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 04:04:11 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+2 in notes above)

This pretty little flower is an easy-to-grow annual that will reseed itself if the conditions aren't too bad. When I was watering my garden from spring through fall, I'd get new Stock blossoms the next spring without planting them. But if I didn't water my garden at all, I wouldn't see any the next spring. These pretty little blossoms appear in colors ranging from white through a deep magenta and all shades in-between. They are wonderful! :) (roll your mouse over the upper left corner to see two more pictures of Virginia Stock flowers.)

245/366: Perfectly Beautiful Hosta (+1 in a note)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 03:13:45 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+1 in a note above)

Wonderful, wonderful Hosta, this gorgeous ornamental plant is grown primarily for its large and beautiful foliage. This type, with green leaves and white edging, is more common, but these plants are found in a number of lovely colors and combinations, including solid green in different shades, yellow, green and yellow, and all shades of green and white or green and cream.

I took this picture at my friend Elaine Sweet's garden. I got another image as well, and if you would like to see it, just roll your mouse over the upper left corner of this image.

115/366: Braveheart Spectacular

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 27 Apr 2016 04:17:35 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

This gorgeous young stallion is a rare breed called a Drum Horse, which is a blend of Clydesdale, Shire, and spotted cob. They were originally bred in Britain to be used in the royal parades, where they carried the massive drums in the procession. About 20 years ago, a spotlight began to shine on these gorgeous horses were made an official breed. With the explosion in popularity, it is now possible to find Drum Horses all over the world. In fact, within 3 miles of my home!

Aptly named, BH Spectacular knows his name to be Toby, and I drive past his pasture almost every day. I've watched him grow from a young colt into the still-growing stallion of today, and he is more impressive with each passing season. I'm friends with his owner, Teresa Byersdorf, and it's been fun keeping up to date with how he's doing! He's four years old now and if you'd like to see what he looks like, Teresa has a Facebook page here: Bravehart Drum Horses and Weimaraner Dogs

This picture was taken a couple of years ago at a horse show for Drum Horses and Gypsy Cobs. Toby did very well in his class, I believe he got 2nd place! :)

85/366: Poppy with Droplets (+1 in a note)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 04:48:25 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

I posted another version of this picture for my 365 project, but I had this crop too which I also liked, so I'm posting it now. You can see the original version by rolling your mouse over the top left part of this image. They are very different looking in mood--this crop is darker and makes me feel a little bit sad. The other version is bright and happier. I like the closer view of this one and the crisp droplets in the front with the shallow dof drifting off into bokeh. The other version has a shallow dof as well but also has the leading line of the stem. Both versions are interesting in my opinion though I think maybe I like the other version a bit more. Do you have an opinion? :)

50/366: Ripening White Oak Acorn (+1 in a note)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 04:34:25 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(1 more picture above in a note)

Until I moved to southern Oregon, it never occurred to me that acorns look different depending on the species of tree they come from. Our home is surrounded by mostly White Oaks with a few Black Oaks here and there. Once I saw each kind, it was totally obvious! This is a White Oak Acorn, and if you roll your mouse over the picture, you'll see what a Black Oak Acorn looks like (fully ripe and on the ground). I think both of them are really interesting with super textures to appreciate! I found this one in September 2013 while walking around on our property. :)

46/366: Golden Echinacea (+5 more in notes)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 02:28:40 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

(+5 more pictures above in notes)

In July of 2013, Steve and I went on a bike ride that took us out into the lovely Applegate Valley. Along the way, we found an amazing garden that framed the gate to a nature and educational center called Pacifica Gardens. We'd never seen it before, and I was completely stunned by the number and variety of echinacea flowers growing there. We spent about 20 minutes taking pictures, and when I got home, I processed a few of them, but other than five lucky images, the folder has sat there, just gathering dust.

This is the first of my unearthed treasures, a glowing golden blossom that took my breath away! I am happy to report that I've processed five other pictures so far, and I have plans to finish up at least half a dozen more. Such incredible flowers, they make my heart go boom!! :D

Explored on February 20, 2016. Highest placement, #79.

30/366: Garage Toad (+ 2 insets!)

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 02:50:48 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

[2 more pictures above in notes]

In July 2013, I was in the middle of my 365 Project and on this particular day, I discovered a toad in our garage. Before releasing it, however, I could not resist taking lots of pictures! I ended up getting several very nice ones, and in the end, this one was never posted. Until today!! :)

I copied the text I wrote from that day in case you would like to read about my toad discovery and rescue. :D
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 1, 2013:
My, how plans for my 365 image can change! This morning when I went out to water the garden, the light was just beautiful and the newly blooming chicory blossoms were positively glowing. I ran inside for my camera and proceeded to take bunches of pictures. In fact, I looked through them on my computer and had my picks of the day chosen.

Before I began working on the images, I decided to go down to our garage to hop on the orbital trainer and watch a bit of Lonesome Dove. However, in the quiet parts, I kept hearing small noises... scratching? Bumping? I stopped the video and listened again. *Scratch, rustle, bump* What the heck could it be? I angled my head up and wondered if one of our dogs was scratching at their bedding. *Screech... scratch*...no, that sound was down here...but...where? I got off the orbital trainer and began looking around, listening for the noises. I thought that maybe a mouse was digging a hole somewhere since we have had them in the garage before. *Scratchhhh* AH HAH!! It must be the box by the refrigerator! Moving quietly, I leaned down to look inside the box. Imagine my surprise when I discovered not a mouse, not a rat, but a juvenile TOAD trying to climb out of the box that it somehow managed to jump into!!!! I could hardly believe my eyes!! The next thing that hit me was the fact that if I hadn't heard this toad scratching on the side of the box, it would have died without question because it couldn't get out. That would have broken our hearts...I was overcome by relief and joy that I found this guy before he was too exhausted to make any noise!! WHEW!!!!!

Cooing softly at the frightened and exhausted toad, "Little fella, that's no place for you!" I gently picked it up out of the box and noticed that it was positively COVERED with dog hair, YUCK! Poor guy! So I brought it inside and held it under the sink while I removed all the hairs and assorted lint stuck all over. As I cleaned my adorable little buddy up, it began trilling at me! I giggled in surprise at the cute noises it was making! Finally, the toad was clean and ready to be released...but not before I got a couple of pictures!! :D Once I took a few images, I brought the toad out to Angel's Pond and placed him on the rocky beach area to recuperate. There's a ramp to climb out if he can't hop out. I checked a couple of times today and he's hanging out in the water under the ramp where it's cool on this very hot day. I expect he'll hop out when it gets dark, as these toads are nocturnal. (By the way, this is a smaller toad than the one I've taken pictures of, it was actually in the other wading pool that I call "Lucky's Pond"! :) I thought it was really funny that there's now a toad in each pond! :D

When Steve got home from his trip into town, I told him what happened and we were both so happy that I'd found this beautiful toad in time to save it!! HOORAY FOR HAPPY ENDINGS!!! :) :) :)

1-10 Project: 8 Legs = Spider!

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 20:09:03 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

I'd forgotten all about this picture until I was looking through my images to see what I could use for my 1-10 Project.

This beauty is a Cat-Faced Orbweaver, just like Roscoe Frank McCrawlerson, the spider that stayed in our porch doorway. This one I found on our back porch one evening, crawling on a piece of plastic.

There are five others doing this project with me! Make sure to check out their streams and see what they've been doing with their 1-10 Project!

1-10 Project Buddies
Chrissy
Valfal (Valerie)
Jenny McIntyre
Rachel
Lynne

Explored on September 15, 2014. Highest placement, #3.

357/365: "As long as the world continues to be strange and interesting, I still want to take pictures of it." ~ Moby

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 04:36:07 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

2 more pictures above in notes! :)

It was raining off and on today, so when it stopped, I immediately took the opportunity to go out and find my Picture of the Day. I returned to the same area of our upper forest as yesterday because I realized there is a lushness there which promises endless wonderful discoveries! I only went about 200 feet from the house, and there I found all kinds of mossy stumps and Oak saplings which begged closer inspection.

First I found some Pixie lichen, but they weren't quite right. Then I found a lovely little mushroom under the lip of a log, and got some nice images. Then, I was carefully sweeping away leaves when I saw the leaf in the picture above! WOOT!! Look at those tiny wasp galls!! I did some looking on the internet but wasn't able to find out what kind these are, but they're a brand new discovery for me! So interesting to look at, like something from another planet. If you don't know, a wasp gall has the egg of a wasp inside, which will grow as the gall grows larger, and eventually the adult wasp will emerge from the gall! You can see the escape hole in the inset image above! Totally fascinating!! :D

Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), known by his stage name Moby, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, DJ and photographer. He is well known for his electronic music, vegan lifestyle, and support of animal rights. Moby has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Allmusic considers him "one of the most important dance music figures of the early '90s, helping bring the music to a mainstream audience both in the UK and in America". Wikipedia: Moby

Explored on December 24, 2013. Highest placement, page 6.

354/365: "Anything becomes interesting if you look at it long enough." ~ Gustave Flaubert

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 03:14:15 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

2 pictures above in notes! :)

I was so busy today that the day flew by, and I suddenly looked up in shock to see that the sun was nearly down! Eeek!! I dashed outside and knew I needed to get my Picture of the Day right away if I intended on an outside image, as darkness was quickly closing in and the thick clouds above were heavy with impending rain.

For me, finding a nice subject usually requires me to "become one" with my surroundings. I need to slow down to feel the world around me, and I need to relax in order to see the natural beauty that reveals itself as I slip into the moment. When this happens, my senses become keener and I notice things I wouldn't normally. This "zone" is very special and makes me feel like I'm part of the natural world, as opposed to being just an observer. However, being in a hurry doesn't work, and the problem today was that I was really racing against time, so it was a challenge to keep myself from rushing. My solution was to race down to an area in the lower forest where I thought I might find something special, and then I stopped and just looked around, moving forward slowly and keeping my eyes open as I began to sense the forest.

I made my way towards the little footpath that the dogs and I walk on and then I saw a stump ahead, which made me smile because I remembered there was something special on it. Walking up to it, I found several polypore bracket fungi adhered to the old Oak stump, and I was again fascinated by them. If you look at these from any distance, or from above, all you see is a beige, boring lump. But if you crouch down and get really, really close, you will see that there are coral-like pores all over the underside! (see the inset image for a close-up) This particular fungus is especially interesting because the right side that looks like wood is actually old, dead fungus! I don't know if it died from something or if it's the previous fungus and this fungus is growing on top of it. Really cool to find and a neat Picture of the Day! I took several pictures and as I stood up, it began to rain. I made my way back to the house as it got dark and stepped inside just as it began to pour! What timing!

Gustave Flaubert (French: [ɡystav flobɛʁ]; December 12, 1821 – May 8, 1880) was an influential French writer widely considered one of the greatest novelists in Western literature. He is known especially for his first published novel, Madame Bovary (1857), for his Correspondence, and for his scrupulous devotion to his style and aesthetics. The celebrated short story writer Maupassant was a protégé of Flaubert. Wikipedia: Gustave Flaubert

355/365: It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things. But in photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary.

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 05:20:27 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

2 pictures above in notes! (One of them is a close up of the fungus I photographed yesterday and completely forgot to upload the inset!)

Although it was supposed to rain today, it was still dry when I bounced out of the house, eager to step through "Alice's looking glass" and explore the tiny world.

I didn't have to go far. Just over to an Oak tree about 50 feet from the house, in fact. First I found the acorn cap in the second picture I'm sharing today, and when I was done getting various angles, I looked up to find the cap above, balanced between two twigs! (No, I didn't place it there!) It was one of those things where I thought, "Oh, that's neat!" but then I realized how special it was, and knew it would end up being my Picture of the Day! :)

David Royston Bailey, CBE (born 2 January 1938) is an English photographer, regarded as one of the nation's best. He became a photographic assistant at the John French studio, then photographer for John Cole's Studio Five before being contracted as a fashion photographer for British Vogue magazine in 1960. Along with Terence Donovan and Brian Duffy, he captured and helped create the 'Swinging London' of the 1960s. In 2012, the BBC made a film of the story of his 1962 New York photoshoot with Jean Shrimpton. Wikipedia: David Bailey

Acorn Cap Nestled in Moss

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 05:20:15 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

I walked about 50 feet from the house to an Oak tree that has moss growing all over its lower branches. I've seen some beautiful things here before, and I was delighted to find this lovely acorn cap nestled in the moss. I originally planned to make this my Picture of the Day, until I looked up and saw the acorn cap balanced between two twigs! :)

348/365: "Art will never be able to exist without nature." ~ Pierre Bonnard

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 05:07:04 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

1 picture in a note above ! :)

Steve and I went to Medford today to do our weekly shopping, but we had so much to do that I decided not to bring my camera, and instead waited until I got home to go out and find my Picture of the Day.

It's been such a dry autumn that our seasonal pond has only a tiny bit of water in it, but there was plenty for a pretty image, so I took Zoe and Moosie with me (not a chance, Molly the Muck Monster!) and since it was almost dark, I made a beeline for our miniscule pond.

It's been warming up and most of the snow has melted. The frozen pond is largely thawed out, but still has a rind of ice a layer of snow and a coating of frost. Just what I was hoping for! On the surface were lots of leaves, and with the combination of melting snow and sparkly frost, it was lots of fun getting a nice selection of images. However, when I got back to the house and looked them over, my very favorite one is this one, which was the very first image I captured! :)

Pierre Bonnard (3 October 1867 – 23 January 1947) was a French painter and printmaker, as well as a founding member of Les Nabis.Wikipedia: Pierre Bonnard

347/365: "Nature's own masterpieces will never go away. If I'm able to cast just a few of them in favorable light & convince you to look at them again with greater appreciation & a fresh perspective, I have succeeded as an artist.

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 06:26:20 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

1 picture and a note above ! :)

Holy cow, it was over 30 degrees outside today! Finally, the snow is melting and the icicles are dripping away. The sound of snow and ice falling from the roof sometimes has us all horrified by the violent crashing!

This afternoon I went out with my camera, totally unimpressed by the messy landscape. Slushy snow, sloppy mud, dead grass...what ever could I find for a picture? So I told myself, "You know, there are a million amazing pictures right here in front of you. All you have to do is take the time to see them." Sighing deeply and very uninspired by the dismal scene, I had to admit that this advice was solid. After all, so many of you pros would find an amazing picture instantly!

I stopped and looked around me, trying to find something interesting. Ah ha! Some cool lichen encrusting a rock! And then more! But I didn't know if those pictures would be good enough to please a wide audience. But now that I'd found some success, the world opened up once again and the air twinkled with magic. I saw a flash of color and looked down as I passed a leaf laying in a puddle of melted snow, one edge lit up by the sun's rays. I nearly kept walking, but then I remembered that there was a huge potential for a lovely bokeh image if I could find it.

I studied the leaf and loved the texture of the veins, glowing warmly like panes of stained glass, and took a couple of pictures. Reviewing the images, I changed my angle and got lower, and lower still. THERE...the light hitting the water and snow, with the green moss in bokeh behind... that was exactly what I knew was there, and I just needed to look for it! :)

Idaho artist Scott Christensen is one of the most well-respected landscape painters in the country, and his understanding of light, ability to achieve pure color, and reverence for nature also make him a highly sought-after instructor. www.artistdaily.com/blogs/pleinair/archive/2009/04/09/en-plein-air-a-conversation-with-scott-christensen.aspx

346/365: "All my life through, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child." ~ Marie Curie

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 04:20:25 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

2 more pictures in notes above ! :)

Looking outside this morning, I saw our meadow Oak tree cloaked in frosty mist, and I just had to get out there and take a picture! And since I was out there, I took my time and looked around for some other pretty frost pictures. This leaf is a tree that was planted next to the house, though I'm not sure what kind it is. The leaves are very pretty though, and I had a nice time trying to get a nice image of the frost covering them like a coating of sugar!

Today I have two other pictures, our meadow Oak tree in the mist with snow on the branches, and some wild grass with fancy, frosty hair! :D ENJOY! (Sorry for the short posts and lack of comments, I'm buried in a project!)

Marie Skłodowska-Curie (7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934) was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist, famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the only woman to win in two fields, and the only person to win in multiple sciences. She was also the first female professor at the University of Paris, and in 1995 became the first woman to be entombed on her own merits in the Panthéon in Paris. Wikipedia: Marie Curie

345/365: "We find the Works of Nature still more pleasant, the more they resemble those of art." ~ Joseph Addison

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 04:14:23 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

2 more pictures in notes above ! :)

Yesterday when I braved the cold to look around and take pictures, I discovered some really cool icicles adorning our shop's eaves. They are an interesting shape, being very broad and thick. Though I took pictures yesterday, I came back today so I could make this my Picture of the Day! :)

Today I have two other pictures, one shows blackberry thorns with frost crystals, and the other shows icicles dripping down blackberry leaves! :D ENJOY! (Sorry for the short posts and lack of comments, I'm buried in a project!)

Joseph Addison (1 May 1672 – 17 June 1719) was an English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. He was the eldest son of The Reverend Lancelot Addison. His name is usually remembered alongside that of his long-standing friend, Richard Steele, with whom he founded The Spectator magazine Wikipedia: Joseph Addison

Explored on December 12, 2013. Highest placement, page 4.

344/365: "Talk about it only enough to do it. Dream about it only enough to feel it. Think about it only enough to understand it. Contemplate it only enough to be it." ~ Jean Toomer

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 04:55:56 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

2 more pictures in notes above ! :)

First of all, thank you EVERYONE for all of your wonderful comments!! You don't know how wonderful it feels to read the nice things you have to say! :) Also, I have to giggle because I knew you guys would be teasing me about the temperature and I absolutely love it! I don't know how those of you who've mentioned can LIVE in sub-zero climates, HOLY COW!! You're all crazy! :D *big hugs* Also, I wanted to say that I'm in the middle of a project right now and haven't been able to comment, which is making me nuts, but I'm hoping to get some time soon so I can come and visit each of you. :)

As for me, I decided to take pictures inside today!! It was actually warm and balmy at 17 to 25 degrees today, but I saw my pink double-walled water cup on the counter with tiny bubbles sticking to the sides and thought, PICTURE OF THE DAY!! I had a great time taking pictures...sometimes there's nothing more enjoyable than a good abstract! After playing with the plastic cup, I saw a glass vase nearby with tiny bubbles too, and had more fun with that one. (Later I did go out and I got a bunch of very cool frost pictures but I didn't want to process them today. Something for another day! :)

Jean Toomer (December 26, 1894 – March 30, 1967) was an American poet and novelist and an important figure of the Harlem Renaissance. His first book Cane, published in 1923, is considered by many his most significant. Wikipedia: Jean Toomer

343/365: "I'm looking for the unexpected. I'm looking for things I've never seen before." ~ Robert Mapplethorpe

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 05:25:03 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

2 more pictures in notes above ! :)

Today marks the coldest day that I've ever experienced in a place where I live: 7°F degrees!!! That is so incredibly cold it's hard for me to understand...so I went outside because I needed to fill the bird feeders and in so doing, I had to lift the feeder off the metal pole...and I held the pole for just about 5 seconds. After about two seconds it felt like I was touching a hot iron!! WOW!! We have two bird feeders, so I used one hand for each pole, and then I shook my tail back into the house, yike-yiking all the way to the hot water to warm my freezing hands! :D :D HOLY COW THAT'S COLD!!!

Always the glutton for punishment, I noticed that the frost formations were just AMAZING, so...once my fingers warmed up, I got my camera, put on my boots again, and out I went to capture frost crystals! :D

This one is my favorite because it was a mistake. I was taking a picture of a different area and the flash illuminated this frost flake beautifully, showing how it grew out of the vinyl cover we have on our spa. I didn't realize they can form this way, isn't it fascinating?! (By the way, this is the same surface as the next picture...instead of being medium brown, it's burgundy, which I pushed closer to black to help pop the "frost-flake" out :)

Robert Mapplethorpe (November 4, 1946 New York City;– March 9, 1989 Boston, Massachusetts) was an American photographer, known for his large-scale, highly stylized black and white photography. His work featured an array of subjects, including celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, and stills of flowers. His most controversial work is that of the underground BDSM scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s of New York. The homoeroticism of this work fuelled a national debate over the public funding of controversial artworks. Wikipedia: Robert Mapplethorpe

342/365: "There are two kinds of light - the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures." ~ James Thurber

nobody@ipernity.com (Janet Brien) — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 05:17:52 +0000

Janet Brien has posted:

2 more pictures in notes above ! :)

Today's surprise was waiting for me when I looked out our bedroom back door, which opens up onto our tiny upstairs deck. The eves were bristling with icicles and they were brilliant with the sun shining on them! I was so excited I ran in to tell Steve so he could see too. Both of us had a lot of fun taking pictures!

James Grover Thurber (December 8, 1894 – November 2, 1961) was an American author, journalist, cartoonist, and celebrated wit. Thurber was best known for his cartoons and short stories, published mainly in The New Yorker magazine and collected in his numerous books. One of the most popular humorists of his time, Thurber celebrated the comic frustrations and eccentricities of ordinary people. Wikipedia: James Thurber