“Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty they take the crayons away and replace them with dry, uninspiring books on algebra, history, etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the ‘creative bug’ is just a wee voice telling you, ‘I’d like my crayons back, please.”
~Hugh MacLeod

 

 

 

I have been enjoying the photography challenge,  The August Break, the creation of Susannah Conway.  And today brings another 10 days of words, and my interpretations.  This creative challenge continues to tickle my creative muscles as I play with ideas, composition and perspective.  Again I am including a few collages of pictures as they make for interesting photos too.

 

 

The first picture above is actually Day 11-Edge.  I was looking at this vase that was sitting on the windowsill of our back windows that angle out.  And I saw how it was peeking out from the edge of the wall.  I thought it was an interesting shot.

 

 

 

Part of the same vase contained Queen Anne’s Lace which I just love to photograph.  And it is especially stunning in up close pictures emphasizing the Edges!

 

 

 

Day 12-Yellow  There is so much yellow outside in the garden, so I was searching inside for something yellow I wanted to showcase.  I spied our yellow hummingbird teapot that we bought in Santa Fe, NM.  It was perfect next to the same vase of declining sunflowers (also yellow).

 

 

 

Day 13-Last Year  When I searched through the photos from last year, one special event that I just loved was the twin fawns that visited nearly every day.  Surprisingly, we have not seen any fawns so far this year.

 

 

 

Day 14-Favorite Smell  At this time of year, my favorite smell is fresh picked tomatoes sitting here on the kitchen counter.  They are a favorite treat as well.

 

 

 

Day 15-Art  This word was a challenge until I looked out at the garden in the morning light, and saw this hardy hibiscus glowing.  The incredible details of the huge flower petals are truly a work of art.  I thought I would make the inset picture into an actual painting, and then compare them in this collage.  I can barely tell the difference between the two….both Nature’s art.

 

Speaking of Nature’s art, I have a picture of a monarch, at the end of the post, that has been visiting my garden for several days.  I consider monarch’s and their beautiful wings, with the stripes and spots, artwork!

 

 

 

Day 16-Fire  The early morning light coming into the garden creates so much magic.  And as it touched the red and orange sunflowers recently, it looked like the flames of a fire.

 

 

 

I absolutely love these sunflowers because of their color, and they have about 50 flowers on a 7 foot tall multiple branched sunflower.  And this sunflower is a volunteer from last year’s plant.  .

 

 

 

Day 17-Reading  I have so many bookshelves filled to overflowing with books.  But my absolute favorite is this Stickley glass-fronted bookcase.  I keep very special books in this bookcase with special artwork.  The tile and the pottery are both from NM.

 

 

 

Day 18-Look Up  The days have been hot lately, and the sun around midday washing out all the color.  As I sat on the patio step and looked up, I shot a bunch of pictures.  And to my surprise, I caught some interesting spider webs being constructed in the Sanguisorba officinalis.  It is always good to look up!

 

 

 

Day 19-Sweet Delight  What better sweet treat on a hot day than a popsicle.

 

 

 

I left it out in 85 degree heat and photographed it melting from many different views.

 

 

 

Day 20-Two  I was not sure what I was going to do for this word as I already had a few pictures with 2 items in this post.  Then Tuesday, we had severe thunderstorms that snapped many of my beloved sunflowers in two.  Those same beloved sunflowers above set ablaze by the sun.

 

 

 

Now they are in a vase a bit bedraggled, and dropping petals….these two petals were my inspiration!  It seems sunflowers have been an ongoing inspiration for me during August.

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed these photos from days 11-20 of  The August Break challenge.  I am linking in with the I Heart Macro meme hosted by Laura@Shine The Divine that happens every Saturday, with Judith@Lavender Cottage who hosts Mosaic Monday, and with Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) photo linkup party at image-in-ing.