Nature | Love, Laughter, and Life

January 22, 2016
by Angie 4 Comments

Adding Text to Images

grapes Haiku

I’ve been playing this morning.

For quite awhile, I’ve been trying to figure out how to add text to my images, as I’ve seen so many other talented photographers and writers do. Using my computer programs has given me a total of zero successful moments.

But thanks to Sue Vincent and her post “Looking good -10 simple tips for adding images,” I have now found an online program that helps me add text to my images. Thank you, Sue!

I chose an image I took in the Napa Valley. Of course, these grapes could have been growing in my own Yakima Valley, as our vineyards are abundantly heavy with weighty vines each fall. But the Napa picture was right on the computer, waiting for some attention.

I used pixlr.com/express/ as my first foray into visual + words experiment. This program is quite simple to use and the options are wide and varied. Best of all? FREE.

Oh, I do believe this is just the beginning of playtime for moi.

December 29, 2015
by Angie Leave a comment

I Support Trees, But I Can’t Plant them in December

I adore trees. I love trees. I want to have my own personal Hundred Acre Wood.

Our first summer in our new home, we planted 6 new trees. We’ve since added 2 more very large trees.

Our tree selection and planting usually occurs in early spring or late fall.

It has NEVER taken place in December. When there is several feet of snow on the ground. And said ground is frozen. Shoveled drifts stand all along the perimeter of our yard.

There. Is. No. Access. To. Dirt.

So tell me Tree Experts, aka Arbor Day Foundation, why would you ship my new baby trees to me (in Washington state, in winter, in December, in a very snowy year) right now?

Sure, I would love to plant them. I would have fun heeling them in to grow for a few years before transplanting them to their new location in the yard.

But that is not going to happen right now. In fact, it won’t happen for several months. I’m pretty sure the snow will not melt within the 2-3 days of approved wait time to plant. I’m actually confident that even if the snow melts in January, the ground will still stay cold enough to be undiggable. That is also true about February as well.

So here we go. What to do with my lovely little sad baby trees. And such nice varieties, too.

I am fortunate that I never got around to putting away a large clay pot. Dirt is a different matter. Come on honey, bring me those dead poinsettias so I can steal the dirt.

We are all going to be cozy baby trees and snuggle up in the same pot until the ground is actually ready for planting. What, maybe 3-4-5 months?

I hope they like each other.