Canned Pickled Beets: 5 Photos, 5 Stories: Day 2

In October, I canned some pickled beets. This was my fourth canning project after tomato sauce, roasted pickled peppers, and apple butter. The pickling liquid included allspice, clove and cinnamon, which gives the beets such a delicious and warm spicy flavor. I hadn’t tried canning before this past fall, so it was nice to finally achieve my goal. I’m planning to do more canning this year!

This post comes as part of the Five Photos, Five Stories challenge sent to me by Nonny Moose. I thought my theme for the next five days would be food, since I haven’t written much about that lately. A theme is not necessary, but for me this is motivation to get caught up on some posts I have been drafting in my mind.

The challenge rules are:

1. Post a photo each day for five consecutive days.
2. Attach a story to the photo. It can be real, fiction, a poem, a quote or short paragraph – that is entirely up to you.
3. At the end of each day, nominate one other blogger to take part.

Today I nominate lrod of lrod’s blog. lrod, are you up for the challenge? There’s no pressure, it’s just for fun 🙂

Udon Stir Fry: 5 Photos, 5 Stories: Day 1

Shrimp, udon, carrots, broccoli, greens, onion, roasted sesame seeds = fast and yummy

I have been on a stir fry kick lately. Maybe it’s the spring-ish weather that’s making me want a break from the roasting and wintery meals that I have been enjoying for the past few months. Maybe I ignored stir frying for too long and now it’s back with a vengeance. I just love the ease of quick-cooking veggies, adding some udon or soba noodles (both only take a few minutes to boil), and popping a few shrimp in at the end.

My technique is to throw together whatever I have on hand–add a little of this or that–but Andrea at Cooking With A Wallflower has a lovely recipe laid out. You know, with measurements and guidelines and stuff 🙂 You should give it a try!

This post comes as part of the Five Photos, Five Stories challenge sent to me by Nonny Moose. I thought my theme for the next five days would be food, since I haven’t written much about that lately. A theme is not necessary, but for me this is motivation to get caught up on some posts I have been drafting in my mind.

The challenge rules are:

1. Post a photo each day for five consecutive days.
2. Attach a story to the photo. It can be real, fiction, a poem, a quote or short paragraph – that is entirely up to you.
3. At the end of each day, nominate one other blogger to take part.

Today I nominate Sarah of Chilly Bella Photo Art. Sarah, are you up for the challenge? There’s no pressure, it’s just for fun 🙂

Black and White Challenge, Day 5 of 5

Here’s my final image for the 5-day challenge. I noticed that my first couple of black and white images had an industrial, structural kind of feel with a lot of metal elements. To wrap up the challenge I’ll continue the theme with this birds-eye view of the city…..OK, it’s actually a model train set at a children’s museum.

The challenge was interesting to me because I hadn’t done much with black and white prior to this. I’m learning that certain subjects and lighting work better in monochrome than others.

So thanks, Sarah at Chilly Bella Photo Art, for challenging me! It’s been fun.

Today I nominate Cam of ArtByCarmelBehan. Cam, if you accept, the goal is to post one B&W photo each day for five days, and to nominate a fellow blogger each day to join in.

There is no pressure to accept this challenge. It’s just for fun! 🙂

Colorful Pansies

I need some color!

Between the Black and White 5-Day Challenge and the drab state of affairs outside due to this long winter, my blog and I are in need of some color.

I had hoped for more flowers when I visited the gardening section of the hardware store, but I think it’s still too cold to keep all those plants outside. For now it’s just a few pansies and fruit trees.

Tinier Hands

My maple tree is doing well, and a pair of tinier hands opened up yesterday.

This is what the first set of tiny hands looks like now. Bigger, and with another set of leaves starting to open.

These were part of my Photo101 post for Scale. I compared them to the size of a quarter.

Black and White Challenge, Day 4 of 5

Here is some sort of industrial structure next to a parking lot.

I was challenged by Sarah at Chilly Bella Photo Art to take up the Black and White 5-Day Challenge. This is the first time I have done such a challenge. Photo 101 is over and this seems like fun, too. Part of the fun is to nominate another blogger, one on each day.

Today, I nominate The Pickled Pastor. Pickled Pastor, if you accept, the goal is to post one B&W photo each day for five days, and to nominate a fellow blogger each day to join in.

There is no pressure to accept this challenge. It’s just for fun! 🙂

Now that Photo 101 is over, here’s a new project 🙂

Black and White Challenge, Day 3 of 5

I like the rust and peeling paint

Here is a rusty old mailbox.

I was challenged by Sarah at Chilly Bella Photo Art to take up the Black and White 5-Day Challenge. This is the first time I have done such a challenge. Photo 101 is over and this seems like fun, too. Part of the fun is to nominate another blogger, one on each day.

Today, I nominate Nonny Moose. I liked her work in Photo 101. Nonny, if you accept, the goal is to post one B&W photo each day for five days, and to nominate a fellow blogger each day to join in.

There is no pressure to accept this challenge. It’s just for fun! 🙂

Black and White Challenge, Day 2 of 5

Here are some afternoon shadows in the hallway of a storage unit building.

I was challenged by Sarah at Chilly Bella Photo Art to take up the Black and White 5-Day Challenge. This is the first time I have done such a challenge. Photo 101 is over and this seems like fun, too. Part of the fun is to nominate another blogger, one on each day.

Today, I nominate Merry Hearts Medicine. If you accept, the goal is to post one B&W photo each day for five days, and to nominate a fellow blogger each day to join in.

There is no pressure to accept this challenge. It’s just for fun! 🙂

Photo101: Triumph

Push, push! You can do it!

I love the strength and patience of nature. To me, this image represents the triumph of spring over a long winter.

Except we’re expecting a chance of snow showers tomorrow, haha. I wish I were joking.

I found a similar example of plant power in my post for Edge, which shows a tree that is in the process of rearranging a couple headstones in an old cemetery.

So I have heard that this is the final assignment for Photo101. I have really enjoyed this course and feel like I have learned a lot. I enjoyed discovering new blogs and seeing how others interpret the themes. Thanks to everyone for checking out my posts and for your feedback! 🙂

I think I will do the A to Z Challenge next month and hopefully will not get too behind with the posts.

Photo101: Solitude

Alone each of us enters death;
In solitude, while the living world hums.
Our bones in grateful company kept
Under stone and mournful blurb
Until forever comes
Or someone dare the tomb disturb.

***

Once again, an image from the Revolutionary War cemetery also seen in Edge and Pop of Color. I’m finally caught up with assignments, except for the two latest optional weekend ones. Photo101 has been fun, but it’s just about over. I’m considering doing the A to Z Challenge next month, which would incorporate more writing. We’ll see how it shakes out.