Golden Darkness

submitted to Photo Friday - Theme: Darkness

Rootbeer Float

Today's theme for Illustration Friday is "Float".
My first thought was floating on a river or in a swimming pool, but being the ice cream fiend that I am, when I stumbled upon one of my rubber stamps with a rootbeer float on it, I decided to copy that idea.
This is one of my 1st drawings done exclusively in photoshop.

Front page of the Tribune

If you've been following my posts, you know that Ginger is in Galveston, Texas helping with hurricane relief efforts with the Red Cross. We just received a copy of this article from our family in San Louis Obispo regarding her deployment on the 23rd. I've included the full article on our family website here.

hubble bubble

Just felt like posting a fun, colorful photo day. Bubbles make me happy.

Ginger

This is one of my beautiful sister-in-laws (I'm blessed with many). Ginger is currently in Galveston, Texas volunteering with the Red Cross helping with Hurricane relief. I just wanted to send a shout out to her. She's awesome.

Ted

Just a little photo in memory of Ted, who was a part of our family for 14 years.
We have more pics of him on our family website here.
I hadn't intended on posting pictures of Ted on this blog, I planned on keeping them on Retzlaff.com only, but Photo Tuesday's theme is "Memorial" and it seems that many people have created memorial websites for their furried friends. So here's my submission.
I miss my kitty.

Action

Shipwreck Beach
Poipu, Kauai
submitted to Pxite - Theme: Action

Youthful

Obviously, he's the son of a football coach.
Such concentration for a 2 1/2 year old!
Submitted to Moody Monday - theme: Youthful

It's Fall!

The Chancey's came up to the cabin this weekend and we went to Cover's Apple Ranch to ride on the train and visit the farm animals. We were pleasantly surprised to see the ranch decorated for fall. The leaves haven't started to change yet, but the temperature was in the 40's at night and there's a definite crispness in the air.

Geometric

Point Cabrillo Light Station, Mendocino.
I did a little more post processing on this image than I normally do. I created focal black and white, adjusted the levels and sharpened it a little. I'm not entirely confident in my results...its ok but something's not quite precise enough for me but I'm not sure what that is.
I have more pictures of Mendocino here.
Submitted to Lens Day - Theme: Geometric

Thunder and Lightning Very Very Frightening

Not at all actually. We love thunder and lightning. It just stopped raining so I had to rush outside to see if there were any good photo ops. I'm pleased with the few pics I took. The rain smells great, too! Traffic tonight will be problem, though.

Jack

Can't wait to see Corpse Bride...love Tim Butron movies. In the meantime, check these Jack characters an artist made out of gourds. He was selling them at the San Jose Tapestry Festival a few weeks ago.

Divine

Zen
Submitted to Photo Friday - Theme: Divine

Are you ready for some football?

Watched Claremont beat the other team on Saturday. Well...I mostly watched and played with my nephews, but since their dad is Claremont's football coach, I really should say I watched the game, too.

Foreboding

Go towards the light....
submitted to Photo Tuesday - Theme: Foreboding

Tulip Reflections

Who would have ever thought that mud could be so beautiful?
Submitted to Moody Monday Challenge - Theme: Reflection

Love that Entangles Our Hearts

Created by Tor Archer for the "Hearts in San Francisco" display.
"My heart, entitled ‘Entangled Heart’, is a representation of the web of love that entangles all of our hearts. It is meant to be a contemplative piece as one’s eye traces the lines surrounding the heart." - Tor Archer
Submitted to Pixite - Theme: Love

Photo Friday - Massive

Massive Calfing on the John Hopkins Glacier in Glacier Bay, Alaska
submitted to PhotoFriday

Dahlia Bee

Dahlia

Dahlia

Overcrowding

Sunrise on New Melones

Jimmy and I were up and at the lake by 6am on Friday so we could watch the sunrise at 6:32. There was only 1 other boat launched and another one was launching just as we were leaving the dock so essentially we had the whole lake to ourselves.

Mating Dragonflies

We were just hanging out on the boat when this loud buzzing sound went by our heads. We looked around and saw this strange unidentifiable bug flying around that finally landed on our motor. Turned out it was 2 bugs doing their reproductive duties. There were hundreds of dragonflies flying around so it must have been the season of lovin'. We were thrilled that this amorous couple landed within a foot of us so we could...eh hem...be dragonfly voyeurs. Very cool seeing nature like this.

Reflection

Still water at New Melones

Orange Dragonfly

This dragonfly was a lot more photo friendly than most of the other dragons we saw this morning (aside from the mating ones). This one sat and posed for me for as long as I wanted. I figured after about 20 pictures, I had enough. ;)

Blue Heron

also on New Melones

Roots

My dad came to California from a small Pacific island in 1924, alone but with a lot of hope to plant new roots in this wonderful state. Forty-one years later, my mother would arrive in California, coming from the same small Pacific island, also with the hope to plant new roots. The following year, they'd met, the year after that they'd marry, a year after that, I would be born. Their roots were planted in California and they were here to stay.
submitted to Illustration Friday: Roots

2 or more p-e-r-s-o-n-s

This had to have been one of the strangest things we've seen on the freeway and that's saying a lot because we live in California and there are a lot of strange things happening on our freeways. But to see a woolly mammoth speeding along in the carpool lane on the San Diego Freeway somewhere in Orange County just about made me bust my gut from laughing so hard. That's just not something you see everyday.
Pardon all of the bug splats on the windshield. We just spent 6 hours on the freeway driving down from the Bay Area.
submitted to: Pxite: Strange

Kasuga Lantern

Finding peace and tranquility
Hakone Gardens, Saratoga
submitted to Thursday Challenge: My Favorite

Buzzzy Bee

Use Brilliance Ink pads as the 'resist', sponge, then stamp on top with a dye based ink pad. A friend shared this technique with me.