Have you ever seen a baby...

...giode?

Thanks to www.cvpro.tv for the rock!

Yet another, for shell lovers...

...from Sanibel Island, again, yet this one seems almost petrified. The crackling is most peculiar, but the colors are quite true.

Probably, most likely...

...this is the subject of my next large painting.

It is also a 'for-show' photo, which I have cropped differently, because I have been working diligently to get a show of my mature digital work.

The Extreme Beauty of the Abalone

I may have shown this before, my abalone shell on one of my very apropos abstract backgrounds. Actually, it was my mother's abalone shell, which she acquired in the mid-1950s.

I guess now, it is considered an 'antique'.

I've kept it clean and photographed it a number of times, but never shot the outside until the other day.

What do you think? (Click to enlarge)

The colors inspire me to paint (but it's still too HOT here in Chicago to do it the way I do, as Leonardo did, with layers and layers of glazes, each less than a hair's breadth), so I thought I would give you ALL this benefit, instead of trying to sell it to just one person.

Nature, with all of her vagaries, continues to have no match in Man!

And didn't the Creator really do some marvelous beauty...unlike Man's idea, loaded with pancake make-up, mica glitter and the FALSEST of false eyelashes?

D-Day...not forgotten, never to be forgotten!

I did not forget about the thousands who gave their lives for our freedom on June 6, 1944. Computer 'gremlins' prevented me from posting.

These soldiers sacrificed the ultimate gift to Man--their lives--while our current President failed to even make mention of that fact. He cannot, you see, because he is NOT an American, not at all, in his heart (or lack thereof).

My Dad was not in the war 'over there'. He was here, in the States, in Milwaukee, being a police patrolman, and in 1953, he became a Detective. He, too, died...16 years ago yesterday, June 7th.

My Dad's Patrolman Badge

This time of the year is always sad, but for a President to make things worse by disregarding those who gallantly fought so that some 'COLD FISH' like him could end up in that office?

Unconscionable! And unforgivable!

Before I stop this day...

...I'll leave you with some small photos to look at and ponder the wonderfulness of the Creator of this magnificent Universe!

This shell fragment is about two inches across. Now you understand why I am very happy with my Nikon P-80!

And, because I feel my day is done, I will watch this:

It is the best way for me to retrieve some part of what can only be considered LOST.

Bill Morton: Are you hitting here at Another Thousand Words, again?

It's all in the glass!

After more than a year, I am very pleased with my Nikon P-80!

Below are some glass rocks which I partially gilded with variegated gold leaf. They're small, less than 2" life size, but they did come out quite well, don't you think?

These are available in 8.5" x 11" borderless prints. If you're interested, e-mail me at:

RPFreeSpeech@gmail.com

Elements on Velvet

Forget politics for a moment...or two...

...and savor the beauty of the Bosc!

(now that I've shot them, I can eat them!

Mmm, good!)