Yet another gimpified (using mainly the Cartoon filter) picture making use of some of the arhitectural details in the homes here in Sun Village
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Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Be thankful for yellow roses too.
Alternative Title: "Black Friday" Rose!
This rose is just across the little pond which fronts my condo unit.
It a straight photo, with just a wee bit of "gimping" to sharpen it.
This rose is just across the little pond which fronts my condo unit.
It a straight photo, with just a wee bit of "gimping" to sharpen it.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
A Peripatetic Pochard (gimpified)
The third red-crested pochard spotted on "Surprise Lake".
This one appears to have "gone native" with his Indian head band, he doesn't appear to require the additional feather sticking up out of the headband though.
My title for this one, represents my own humble suggestion to the good folks at Ubuntu as a code name for Ubuntu version 12.04. The Ubuntu colors are already in place, and like Ubuntu the pochards can show up in the most unexpected places.
This one appears to have "gone native" with his Indian head band, he doesn't appear to require the additional feather sticking up out of the headband though.
My title for this one, represents my own humble suggestion to the good folks at Ubuntu as a code name for Ubuntu version 12.04. The Ubuntu colors are already in place, and like Ubuntu the pochards can show up in the most unexpected places.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
RED-CRESTED POCHARD !!!
I've "discovered" who these avian visitors are. They are Red-Crested Pochards (Netta Rufina), who are native to Southern Europe who have gone dramatically astray or, more likely they are escapees from one of our local zoos.
I might have over reacted a bit to my "discovery", to the extent of actually trying to telephone the local Audubon Society to report my finding. But, eventually, I found similar shots of these guys on Flickr.com from Arizona locations, so that I now suspect that they aren't visitors from southern Europe, but were probably born somewhere in the Southwest US.
I might have over reacted a bit to my "discovery", to the extent of actually trying to telephone the local Audubon Society to report my finding. But, eventually, I found similar shots of these guys on Flickr.com from Arizona locations, so that I now suspect that they aren't visitors from southern Europe, but were probably born somewhere in the Southwest US.
Monday, November 23, 2009
I'm some kind of ducky (gimpified)
This morning I took a photo jaunt/library vist, and this guy with a couple of his buddies were breakfasting on the goodies at the bottom of our little lake. I haven't been able to identify the variety of duck as yet, but I did manage to make it look as much like a duck stamp as I could.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Canadian Goose (gimpified)
This is a head shot of one of the Canadian geese who hang around the Village. The patterns here almost suggest that the shot really belongs with my Auto Art series of a couple of weeks ago. There's even what appears to be a bit of pin-striping in the white portion of the head.
At any rate, I'm glad I've finally gotten around to attempting (in my small way) to make this guy famous, something I promised him I'd do if he would just sit still for a moment, which probably accounts for the somewhat skeptical look on his beak.
At any rate, I'm glad I've finally gotten around to attempting (in my small way) to make this guy famous, something I promised him I'd do if he would just sit still for a moment, which probably accounts for the somewhat skeptical look on his beak.
Friday, November 20, 2009
"Where's Miss Porkulus? I need a new paint job!"
Probably the most famous rock in Arizona, but it seems to need a new paint job.
So, where the hell is Miss Porkulus when you need her--there's a job to be saved somewhere on the outskirts of Congress, Arizona.
Inquiring minds want to know!
So, where the hell is Miss Porkulus when you need her--there's a job to be saved somewhere on the outskirts of Congress, Arizona.
Inquiring minds want to know!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Watson Lake Cartoon (gimpified)
I'm still mucking about in some of my old material. In this case, it's a view from Watson Lake Park northeast of Prescott, AZ from a trip we took to the lakes around Prescott about a year and a half ago. Again, I've used the new toys found in the G'MIC toolkit for The Gimp.
It's turned out pretty well, I think. I just wish I could have come up with a more clever title for it.
It's turned out pretty well, I think. I just wish I could have come up with a more clever title for it.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Surprised by the Paparazzi in Surprise!
This picture was taken over a year ago during one of my combination photo jaunts/library trips. This female grackle, along with several members of her flock were carousing on the beach of the small man-made lake to the East of the Northwest Branch of the Maricopa County Library here in Surprise.
This is another use of the G'MIC Cartoon filter in The Gimp. It seems to give a more "painterly" look than the usual Gimp filter.
This is another use of the G'MIC Cartoon filter in The Gimp. It seems to give a more "painterly" look than the usual Gimp filter.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sun Village 'scape (gimpified)
This might just turn out to be my personal all-time favorite of all the landscapes I've attempted on my numerous photo jaunts around Sun Village. The sign is relatively new and adorns the main (public) entrance to the Village. It's also part of the 13th hole of the par-3 golf course which works its way through Sun Village.
Calendula's coming and going in Sun Village.
This is the G'MIC toolkit (in The Gimp) at work again.
I like the compositional elements of this (triangles within triangles, etc.) more than the colors.
I like the compositional elements of this (triangles within triangles, etc.) more than the colors.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Beep! Beep! (gimpified)
I've lived in Arizona now for two and a half years, taken hundreds of photos, and this is the first one I've managed to take of a roadrunner.
Of course, I know that this one isn't a REAL roadrunner--really I do--but since he's the best I've been able to come up with so far I'll send it out into cyberspace with the hope, that the people out there in cyberspace will like it, and even more, I hope some real roadrunners will be attracted to it and start running around Sun Village when I happen to be out and about with my camera.
A techie note: this was the first time I've played around with the "coffee spill" trick, found in The Gimp under Filters>Decor. Any possible connection between coffee spills and roadrunners is purely speculation on my part of course.
Of course, I know that this one isn't a REAL roadrunner--really I do--but since he's the best I've been able to come up with so far I'll send it out into cyberspace with the hope, that the people out there in cyberspace will like it, and even more, I hope some real roadrunners will be attracted to it and start running around Sun Village when I happen to be out and about with my camera.
A techie note: this was the first time I've played around with the "coffee spill" trick, found in The Gimp under Filters>Decor. Any possible connection between coffee spills and roadrunners is purely speculation on my part of course.
Dwight is seeing brown again! (gimpified)
Another little composition featuring one of the house decorations from down the street here in Sun Village. It's mainly the composition and not the textures that I like about this one.
I seem to have reverted to my "brown period" again. I wonder what would have happened if I'd carried a can of paint around with me on my little photo jaunt yesterday?
I seem to have reverted to my "brown period" again. I wonder what would have happened if I'd carried a can of paint around with me on my little photo jaunt yesterday?
Friday, November 13, 2009
Little Dorrit meets Granny Nan at the Circumlocution Office!
Am I the only one whose noticed some of the startling resemblances between Charles Dicken's novel Little Dorrit and the Pelosi "healthcare reform" bill?
First, of course, there's the creation of a new debtor's prison scenario for those who choose not to buy insurance.
Second, there is the new Byzantine bureaucratic structure (Circumlocution Office?), which will probably still be under construction 100 years from now if this thing gets through the Senate.
And thirdly, there's more than a trace of the arrogance and pride displayed by William Dorrit (post-inheritance) in the behavior of the Pelosicrats in the House of Representatives since 2006.
There are even a number of contemporary characters, who seem to have made their first appearance in the novel.
Mr. Merdle--Bernie Madoff
Edmund Sparkler--Barney Frank
Flora Finching--Hillary Clinton
Jeremiah Flintwich--Charles Schumer
Tattycoram--Barack Obama
If indeed, this is a case of art imitating life, there is good news for all of us in this. In the novel, the good guys do win in the end!
First, of course, there's the creation of a new debtor's prison scenario for those who choose not to buy insurance.
Second, there is the new Byzantine bureaucratic structure (Circumlocution Office?), which will probably still be under construction 100 years from now if this thing gets through the Senate.
And thirdly, there's more than a trace of the arrogance and pride displayed by William Dorrit (post-inheritance) in the behavior of the Pelosicrats in the House of Representatives since 2006.
There are even a number of contemporary characters, who seem to have made their first appearance in the novel.
Mr. Merdle--Bernie Madoff
Edmund Sparkler--Barney Frank
Flora Finching--Hillary Clinton
Jeremiah Flintwich--Charles Schumer
Tattycoram--Barack Obama
If indeed, this is a case of art imitating life, there is good news for all of us in this. In the novel, the good guys do win in the end!
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Yellowness (gimpified)
One of approximately 1,000,000 cowpen daisy's (that's Verbesina encelioides to you Latin speakers out there) to be found in and around Sun Village
Just a wee bit of gimping added plus a frame.
Just keeping it simple!
Just a wee bit of gimping added plus a frame.
Just keeping it simple!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
My Periwinkle is Crying!
This sad little beauty was found bordering the pond fronting the condo units here in Sun Village. We call the pond Apache Lake during the late fall and winter months because this is when our "Snowbirds" from Minnesota come back to roost temporarily.
This is the same variety of flower, by the way, sometimes called Vinca and sometimes called Periwinkle, which managed to get me banned from a pro-Obama Flickr group last November, therefore, I probably need to be careful what I say here. So, I'll just ask a single question. Why is this Periwinkle crying?
This is the same variety of flower, by the way, sometimes called Vinca and sometimes called Periwinkle, which managed to get me banned from a pro-Obama Flickr group last November, therefore, I probably need to be careful what I say here. So, I'll just ask a single question. Why is this Periwinkle crying?
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Communiversity @ Surprise AZ-Cartoon (gimpified)
This shot is of the newly completed Communiversity campus, which is located in the Surprise Civic Center complex, just south of Sun Village. For info see:
http://www.riosalado.edu/communiversity/Pages/default.aspx
The post production on this uses the cartoon filter contained in my newly installed G'MIC toolkit. I've probably said this before, but I'll say it again (with apologies to Rush)--I'm having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have with this new tool bag.
Hope you like it!
http://www.riosalado.edu/communiversity/Pages/default.aspx
The post production on this uses the cartoon filter contained in my newly installed G'MIC toolkit. I've probably said this before, but I'll say it again (with apologies to Rush)--I'm having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have with this new tool bag.
Hope you like it!
Veteran's Day (2)-2009 (gimpified)
A jaunt down to the local branch of the Maricopa County Library to return a few books last Friday, turned into a bit of a photo jaunt.
This particular shot is a detail from a memorial plaque dedicated to the members of the US Army Corps who served in World War II.
It is of course heavily gimped.
This particular shot is a detail from a memorial plaque dedicated to the members of the US Army Corps who served in World War II.
It is of course heavily gimped.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Quoth the Grackle, "The Stimulus is Coming, The Stimulus is Coming"
Quoth the Grackle, "The Stimulus is Coming, The Stimulus is Coming"
Originally uploaded by h_dwight_beers
My second thought was that since this lamp is part of the City of Surprise's recent upsurge in construction of public facilities the bird could be serving as one of those "Your tax dollars at work" signs. However, evidently Mr. Obama is hard at work getting signs printed up which say, "My Stimulus Money at Work" in order to claim the credit for all such new lighting fixtures. This being the case, the poor grackle will be out of a job before he's actually been employed. And, since it will probably take a half dozen people to paint the lamp green and add lettering, Mr. Obama will probably count this as five jobs saved?
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Veterans Day 2009
Another rose, selected from Sun Village's Memorial Garden.
I'm a little ahead of the actual holiday, but in view of the recent tragedy in Texas--we could probably use an extra Memorial day this year.
I'm a little ahead of the actual holiday, but in view of the recent tragedy in Texas--we could probably use an extra Memorial day this year.
Monday, November 2, 2009
The Six Stooges
The mere mention of Rosa DeLauro in my Halloween blog, suggested to me that I might try my hand at a real cartoon using The Gimp.
And, I've had a sneaking hunch that Ms DeLauro, was some kind of reincarnation of Moe ever since the first time I saw her on C-SPAN. But, that Curley had invented that Maxine Waters glare many years ago I have only discovered fairly recently.
The classic studio shot of the original Stooges suggests that Larry may have undergone years of ear abuse. Although, I'm not suggesting that Ms Pelosi has suffered similar abuse--it might go a long way towards explaining some of her bizarre behavior.
And, I've had a sneaking hunch that Ms DeLauro, was some kind of reincarnation of Moe ever since the first time I saw her on C-SPAN. But, that Curley had invented that Maxine Waters glare many years ago I have only discovered fairly recently.
The classic studio shot of the original Stooges suggests that Larry may have undergone years of ear abuse. Although, I'm not suggesting that Ms Pelosi has suffered similar abuse--it might go a long way towards explaining some of her bizarre behavior.
Auto Art 11-Red Ford (gimpified)
Probably the last of the series.
I've not much to say about it.
However, on a completely, unrelated subject, having nothing whatsoever to do with classic cars, photography, or Glendale Arizona, I'll send out the following thought for the day:
I can now add the name of Shalrie Joseph to the list of Black People who I could have voted for to be President of the United States, last November. Although, Shalrie would be the only one on the list not legally qualified (he was actually born in Grenada), when it comes to leadership qualities--he'd be at or near the top of the list. Whereas, the Incumbent in the office can't even lead his pooch to the pooping station.
I've not much to say about it.
However, on a completely, unrelated subject, having nothing whatsoever to do with classic cars, photography, or Glendale Arizona, I'll send out the following thought for the day:
I can now add the name of Shalrie Joseph to the list of Black People who I could have voted for to be President of the United States, last November. Although, Shalrie would be the only one on the list not legally qualified (he was actually born in Grenada), when it comes to leadership qualities--he'd be at or near the top of the list. Whereas, the Incumbent in the office can't even lead his pooch to the pooping station.
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