Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Watercolors, Wildflowers and Wildlife

Hello!  How is your week going?  We're doing well here in our little corner of the world.  My blog friend Janine from Crafty Tokyo Mama blog suggested I transform the Goldfinch photo that my DIL Kristi took into a watercolor using the app "Waterlogue".  So, I did and also used it on a few other photos - I thought you might enjoy seeing them.  I am constantly amazed at what this app does to a photo!  As a watercolorist I can see how authentically it makes it look like a hand made watercolor painting!  This one is my new Dahlia.


And here is the Goldfinch image - isn't it neat?


You can download that app on your iPhone or iPad and then open it, you then open to your photo file and you can transform your favorite photos into a watercolor - there is a heart icon that you click to save the image, and you can also post on Facebook, Instagram, email or text it, etc.  This is another Goldfinch image.


I think my Japanese Iris came out lovely, also.


I mentioned to Kristi that I would like to trim some of the dead fern fronds off our Sword ferns in the yard - next thing I know she is out there trimming them for me!  How nice!  This is the "after" photo.  They look so much better now!


This Rhododendron is now blooming.  We have one more to go.  It's a pretty one, but it's just budding.  The Rhodies are funny how they take turns blooming.



I had a meeting to attend at Multnomah Falls Lodge yesterday and on the way I spotted some Indian Paintbrush in bloom.. so driving home I pulled over and walked down the Historic Columbia River Highway to snap some photos of this pretty orange/red wildflower.


Do you have this wildflower near you?  Have you heard of them?


I also spotted some wild Columbine in bloom.. screech.. pull over.. walking down the side of the road.. snap snap...



I tried to snap an image of the bottom without holding it in my hand, but this came out the best.. isn't the underside of this flower amazing?



Although I would have liked an unsullied image, I also like how you can see the filaments of the Cottonwood tree "cotton" that blows around in the gorge on the flower.


Home again, I spy from the kitchen garden window the orange Honeysuckle vine I planted under the window is doing just what I'd hoped.. blooming outside the window.  Oh pretty.  My African Violet continues to bloom beautifully, it loves that spot.  And my Orchid is also amazing to me that it re-bloomed.  And the little Jade plant is growing.. my little survivor.  



Pretty Honeysuckle.


Last evening Kristi exclaimed from the dining room.. "THERE'S A COYOTE UP ON THE HILL!"  So, I grabbed my camera and went to look.. it's a fuzzy photo but look at that critter!  Now do you see why we have to have our chickens protected inside an enclosure like Fort Knox?  No free roaming hens for us.  Or we wouldn't have any left.  He's up there looking for mice after Dayle mowed the field.



What wildlife do you have visit your back yard?  :-)  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

17 comments:

  1. Well First off I love waterlogue and the app can make some photos look amazing. Yours turned out well.
    My columbine are about to bloom. Someone told me they are the flower of the HOLY SPIRIT.
    My irises are a small variety that a neighbor transplanted for me.....this year I think will be their best showing yet. They are about to open.
    We have a raccoon hanging around the area and the alley. We get anything from opossum, raccoon, skunk and even an occasional, very occasional river turtle.

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  2. I am so impressed with the waterlogue app, they made the photos look amazing. We have the occasional fox and deer roam.

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  3. I wish android would have this app. I may have to switch to an iphone next time.

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  4. I am very impressed with the way those beautiful pictures turned out! They are lovely aren't they. It is so nice to see what is blooming and growing in your part of the world, one of things I enjoy about blogging is seeing what is going on elsewhere! xx

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  5. How thrilling to see a coyote. I'm reading Barbara Kingsolver's "Prodigal Summer" at the moment, and they are part of the story, so it's been especially nice to see one. Nothing so exciting here. There are foxes around, although I don't think they can get into our garden. And badgers and the occasional muntjac down at the allotment apparently. Your kitchen windowsill and the view are absolutely lovely. A good place to stand and do the washing up I think. I love the little jade plant. Enjoy the rest of the week Teresa. CJ xx

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  6. Gosh Girlfriend, your garden is beautiful . . . flowers blooming everywhere. You must be a good month ahead of us. I love what you are doing with your photos and waterlogue. You should make your own greeting cards, so that you can share your lovely garden with friends and family:)
    We have an occasional coyote around here . . . enough that we made an outdoor pen for Butchy to use when he needs to go outside at night. Little dogs can look mighty yummy to a hungry coyote.
    Here's wishing you a lovely weekend . . . I have a feeling that whether you stay home or take one of your adventure . . . no matter . . .you will make it fun:)

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  7. You have such pretty flowers Teresa. I haven't seen the paintbrush flowers around here but that doesn't meant they aren't around.
    I think your pictures are beautiful. That's such a cool app. Golly that coyote is close up and personal to your house isn't he? A bit scary but I like to hear them howl at night at the lake.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  8. That watercolour app is fascinating. How does it handle pictures of people? I love that picture of the underside of the flower - to me its prettier than the upper-side. You always get interesting shots. xox

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  9. Your flowers are lovely and I really like that watercolour effect. We sometimes see a fox walking in the fields next to us. Hoping he doesn't come near the hens!

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  10. I've yet to try the watercolor app myself but I always enjoy when you share photos made with it. They look really pretty. Loved seeing your flowers and wildlife too. We have coyotes here too and the first time I saw one, I think I was just in disbelief. It HAD to be a weird, shaggy dog. I couldn't be convinced until I saw more of them later on!

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  11. I love the effects of the watercolour app....just like real watercolour paintings!! The colours are so bright and fresh. Loved your real flowers too. It is always interesting to see the wild life and plants in your part of the world, and I do love your colourful birdies, they are so pretty!
    Happy weekend, dear Teresa!
    Helen xox

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  12. Love that watercolor effect! The dahlia is especially gorgeous... I use a photo program called ACDSee that came with a Fuji camera and I love all the effects you can get using it... and it is on my computer and don't need an iphone (which I don't have!). Here in central Oregon, we only see deer, quail, squirrels. We don't even hear coyotes howling.. but up in Washougal where I lived a few years ago, there were tons of coyotes... I even saw one chasing our poor doggie down the driveway to our neighbors house! Thankfully our dog survived! We also saw an occasional bear and wolf, and the raccoons were plentiful! One time, we hear the scream of a cougar! We also had to keep our chickens locked up tight, with a netting overhead and into the ground, or the coyotes would somehow climb up the fencing and get in and all that was left were a few feathers!

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  13. Remember when the coyote chased the baby deer right through my screen and into my pool? I am not in love with them that is for sure and the sounds they make are so haunting. Love your beautiful flowers.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  14. I saw a coyote out this week as well. Yikes!

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  15. Teresa, those watercolors are all so bright and pretty. I really like the pencil detail on the dahlia and the second goldfinch painting turned out even better than the first. Thank you for converting them and sharing with all of us.
    As for wildlife, here in downtown Kyoto all I get are bugs and cats (though I saw a rat once), but when we move closer to the hills I will have to protect my garden from monkeys and might glimpse an Asian golden mink or tanuki raccoon dog. I often glimpsed colorful pheasants and golden minks when I lived on Awaji Island, not to mention lots of herons.

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  16. I thought you had been painting Teresa, an amazing app. Enjoy your holiday weekend x

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  17. I wish android would come up with a similar app--it sure makes for pretty pictures:) How exciting to see a coyote on your land! Hoping he stays far away from your animals. Here, we've had deer, skunks, raccoons, squirrels, herons, ducks and probably others that I am not aware of.
    Blessings, Aimee

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