A Seat In The Shade

Sounds like a plan!!!! And thanks for the lovely note!!

Oh, Pat!!! Truly it would!!!

Joanne, me too!!!! It was such a beautiful morning … warm and sunny … just perfect!!!!

Thanks, sweetie!!! Come join us … we’ve decided to have a party, lol!!!

Hiii Dottie!!! Thank you so much, sweetie!!! It was such a pretty place!!!

LOL!!! Thank you, Michael!!!! What a lovely thing to say!!

Hiii Lynn!!! Thank you!!!

Thank you, sweetie!!!

Hiiii Renee!!!! Thank you, dearie!!!

Oh, Clive, thank you so much!!!!

LOL!!! Wouldn’t we have fun?????

Thank you sooooo much, Andrei!!!!

Barbara, I am kind of partial to bright, strong color!!! You NOTICED!!! LOL!!!! Seriously, thanks so much for your lovely note, sweetie!!! Hugzz!!!

OOO Kathy!!!! Yes, coffee’s on its way!!!!! And there’s a lovely old fashioned doughnut shop right around the corner, shall I run go get us a dozen or so????

Oh, Thanks, Wendi!!!!! I agree, the hdr really improved this particular shot!!!!! Hugzz!!!

Hiiii sweetie!!!! Glad you liked this one!!! Yes, the trial version is free .. you should give it a try … it can be hard to get an image right (at least for me) but when it works, it’s not half bad!!

Hiiii hon!!!! Come pull up a chair … I have some nice fresh lemonade waiting for you!!!!

Oh, Bela, I’m so glad you like it!!!

Oh, John!!! Yes do join us … so far we’re drinking port and regular coffee and cappuccino and tea and fresh lemonade!!! I’ve just ordered a great cuppa java just for YOU!!!

Hi Hon!!! Thank you!!! And yes it is!!! Come join us!!!!

Hi Lynnie!!! This is what I imagine your wonderful town must be like!!

Hi Pauline!!!! Thank you, hon!!!!!

Hi Jacqui!!!! Thank you so much!!!

Hi Jesika!!! Thank you … it really is so lovely here!!

Hi Lorraine!!!!! Thank you!!!! Yes, the colors are bright, lol, you know meeeeeeeee!!!!

Thank you so much, Trudi!!!

Awwww Maggie!!!! Thank you, sweetie!!!

Hiiii Bevie!!!! Thank you, hon!!! We’re having a party!!!! So glad you stopped by to join us!!!

Hiiii Elaine!!!!! OH YAY!!! You came by to visit with us … we’re having a party, lol!!!!! Thanks for your lovely note!!!! Hugzzz!!!

Hiii Patricia!!!! Thank you … I’m thrilled that you think I’m getting the hang of the hdr … I’ve had my tongue out over hdr images for sooo long … I’m so honored that you think I’m getting the hang of it!!! YAY!!

thank you so, so much for the Feature and for your kind comment as well!!!!!! I’m am so excited that you enjoyed this little shot!!!

Oh, Pat!!! Thank you, sweetie!!!! How kind of you!!!!! Hugzz!!!!

Hi Noel!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!

LOL!!!! cheers, Sweetie!!!!!

Thank you soooo much!!!! I’m so excited!!!!

Thank you so very much Cheri!!!!! It’s such an honor to be Featured in your wonderful group!!!!!!! WHEEEEE!!!!

thank you so, so much!!!! What a wonderful compliment!!!!!! I’m honored!!!

Hiiii sweetie!!!!! Yes, come join us … we’re having a tea / port / coffee / espresso / lemonade party!!!!!! We’ll have our spring yet!!! I’m sure of it, lol!!!! hugzzz!!!

lemon cheesecake bars!!! EEEEK!!! You reminded me … I’m supposed to be making them right now for Rich’s birthday!!!!! LOL!!!!! Thanks for the congratz, hon!!!!! And you’re welcome about the other!!!! Hey … who’s got yer back??? HUGZZZ!!!

Hiiii sweetie!!!!!! Come and sit … we’re having a party here!!!!!!! AHHHHH!!! Feeeeel that lovely warm breeze!!!!! OOOOO!!!

... laughing … THANK you sooo much!!!!! I love hdr, when it works … but if I toted up the hours I’ve wasted fooling with it on images that turned out poorly, I’d probably faint!!!!! I’m so honored that you approve of this one!!!!!!! Thanks again!!!!!

Thank you so much, Rod!!! We’d taken Richie’s car over to get worked on at the shop he’d worked at the summer before and had time to just nose around a bit. We hadn’t been here in a few years and I can’t tell you how much fun I had!!! It was a glorious morning and I was so glad I’d brought the camera along!!!

thank you so much, Kimberly!!!! It really is the most charming little town!!!!

Hi Steve … thank you so much for your kind note and comparison to such a lovely work!! Other than what I’ve included above, which is post processing in Photomatix hdr … and being VERY careful about the settings and VERY picky about the results (can’t tell you how many I work on and never post!) ... I usually use “More Vivid” in the “Optimize Image” option in “Shooting Menu” in my little Nikon D40x. Also, I keep the exposure to -0.33 almost always … and I usually shoot in either manual or shutter priority … and step the shutter speed up a bit until I’m happy with what I see on the lcd screen. Of course, I’m sure it’s different for every camera, but I find that an image with strong color and sharp detail catches my eye best, so that’s what I try to reproduce. In these particular images I was not using my cp filter, but have been using it regularly since this past fall.

Hiii Paul!!!! thank you, thank you!!!! And you’re right … A perfect spot for a nice tea!!! I have to confess, I’ve never tried cream tea!!! You’ll have to give me directions on how to do it (I got the in the pot part, lol!!) Cottage style, eh??? HMM!!! I’ll send it over and see if they like it!!! Great idea!!!! Thanks again for visiting!!!

Hi Scott!!!! Thank you, thank you!!!

Thank you so very much … I’m so honored!!!!

Hi Kathy!!! Thank you!!

Hiiii Val, hon!!!! Thank you!!!!

Thank you Sylvia!!!

Hi Tibby!! Thank you!!! Come, let’s go, then!!!! Cream and sugar??

thank you very much!!!!!

LOL!! Rosy, you are such a dear!!! Yes, I’m happy dancing!!!

Awww .. you darling!!! Thank you, thank you!!!! Every once in awhile I hit it right I guess, lol!!! Hugzzz!!!

Sweetie, I am so honored!!! You know how much I admire your extraordinary talents … you’ve absolutely made my day with your wonderful and kind comments!!!!!

Hello my dear friend!!!!! What a joy to have you visit!!!! Yes, let’s just set here awhile and drink our coffee and tea and enjoy the beautiful day together!!!!! Thank you sooo much for your lovely note!!!! hugzzz!!!

DONUTS!!!! OOOOOOO!!!!! Me likee donuts!!!! I especially like the raised kind, not the cake kind … with the honey glaze AND the rich thick chocolate icing … ooooo ahhhhhhhh!!! And a nice rich cup of Colombian coffee … cream and sugar please … ooooo … THAT, my dear, is my idea of heaven!!! LOL!!! Silly? No, that’s not silly … that is the stuff of The Good Life!!!! Must remember to get donuts and coffee and do a new photo shoot … hmmm … thinking … thinking …. And as to Norman Rockwell … oh … holy cow … WOWZER!!!! Now THERE’s a compliment I can take to heart for sure!!!! WOOOO … made my day, ya did!!!!!!!! Hugzzzz!!!!!!!!!

Hi Tommy!!!!! Thank you very much!!!

Malcolm, you darling … thank you, thank you!!!!!!! What a lovely thing to say!!!! I’m so glad you like it!!!!!!! Hugzzz!!!!

LOL!!! I’ve done the same daggone thing!!!!! Not a clue why that happens!!!

Thank you, Kathie!! It is a charming little town!!

Thank you so much, Rosina!!

Dearest Anthony!!! Yes, I remember commenting VERY well!!!! You were my inspiration … and I was determined to figure out how to work this technique. If I hadn’t fallen so deeply in love with your images, I’d have given up. It was VERY difficult at first!!! Thank you, thank you sooo much for visiting and for your kind note!!! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it!!!!! Hugzzz!!!

It does look sooooo restful, doesn’t it?? If you read up, it seems like everyone has the same idea … from good books to coffee and tea and fine wines … wouldn’t it be so cool if we could all come together here????

Darling Malcolm … I’ll bring the glasses … just let me know when!!!!!

I couldn’t agree more!!!! Nothing better in the world!!!

Marie, thank ou soooo much!!!!! This is soooo exciting, sweetie!!!! WHEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Hiii Mary … thank you so much sweetie!!! Yes, it would make a good painting!!

Rosalie, I am too!!! Thank you so much!!

Oh, Sally!!!! Thank you, sweetie!!!!

Hello Gwenda, dear!!!! Thank you!!

Thank you … so glad you like it!!

Hi Colin!!! Thank you!!!!! It was tons of fun to do this one!!!!

Thank you, Eugenio!!!!! Oh, I’m so glad you liked this one!!!!

Thank you, Roy!!!!

Thank you, Bettina!!!!! It’s such a picturesque little town … filled with colorful nooks like this one!! So glad you enjoyed my shot!!!

Hiii sweetie!!!! Thank you!!! It was such a beautiful morning … everything was blooming and fresh that day!!! Did you mean to say “Cottage Style”?? Someone else had mentioned that this image might be good for your group, but I just wasn’t sure … but if you think it fits .. I’m happy to add it!!! YAY!!!!!

Don’t fret .. you’d never guess … I submitted one of my clock shots to the Fractal group that Vickie and Tenia host this morning. HUH??? LOLOL!!!!!!!!! When I realized what I’d done I sent them a note of apology .. I’m totally losing it!!!

Hiiii Sweetie!!!! Thank you!!! I’m so glad you found this one!!!! Hugzzz!!!

Oh, YAY!! That’s exactly the kind of response I hope it creates!!! Thank you!!!

OMG!!!!!! ~ THUD ~ You are SUCH a HOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ROFL ROFL!!! Yes, let’s do exactly that!!! Might be a tad cold, today, but what the heck??? Yes, I think you have wished me Happy Birthday … and I appreciate each and every one!!

ps … I wrote the above the other day … and put it in the wrong box!!! What a mess I am!!! ROFL!!!

no I did NOT miss it … I just put it in the “add reply” box like the screwup I am, rofl!!!!

OOOO YAY!!!! Thank you, thank you, Linda!!!!! WHEEEE!!!!

thank you so much, Pamela!!! So happy that you enjoyed it!!!

WHEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Thank you, thank you dear Annie!!!!!!!!

You are SUCH a sweetheart!!!!!!!! Hugzzzz!!!

Oh, Carol, thank you so much, hon!!! For me (maybe not for everyone) ... HDR is a pretty iffy proposition. Some shots come out really nicely … but I can’t tell you how many I do then never post. I’m glad you liked this one … it’s one of the “keepers” lol!!!! HUGZ!!

Carol … don’t give up on it … when it works, it reeeeeealy works!!!!

Thank you so much!!!

Barbara … thank you so so much!!! Goodness .. how on earth did you find out???