Red Flowers in the Jordaan

Bright red flowers adorn this bridge over a canal in the Jordaan district of Amsterdam. I love the way each bridge and each canal are so unique and photogenic.
Texture: 136 ttv by Nasos3

On Golden Pond

We noticed this little duckling at a pond in Scottsdale. He seemed to be as curious about us as we were about him. A texture by rinoshea adds extra sparkle to the water.

London Lamp Post

This photo was taken on the evening of my first day in London. Although I liked the mostly silhouetted shapes of the lamp post and buildings, I always felt it was rather plain. Here I've added free textures by les brumes and joes sistah which I found on the Flickr Textures4Layers group site.

Pale Butterfly

Just a little experiment, this was one of those five-minute creations that I think turned out better than many of the hour-long projects I've done.

Textures by les brumes and Shadowhouse Creations result in a somewhat mystical effect on this photo of a butterfly.

Avignon Chairs

I took this photo very early in the morning before the cafe proprietor had a chance to set up his chairs and tables for the day. The cafe was directly across from the Palace of the Popes, a UNESCO world heritage site dating from the early 1300s.

North Facade of Westminster Abbey

A visit to Westminster Abbey is a humbling experience and the next best thing to a time machine. I spent a couple of hours wandering inside this UNESCO World Heritage site, amazed at the number of famous writers, scientists, musicians and royals buried within its thick stone walls.

Textures added: GR06 by boccacino and painterly effect 1 from Shadowhouse Creations.

Golden Leaf

Closeup of a leaf on the Mexican bird of paradise plant in my back yard.

Texture by NanceeArt.

On the Bank of the Thames

I spied these romantic pigeons enjoying a beautiful spring afternoon on the south bank of the Thames in London.

Textures by brenda starr and Shadowhouse Creations.

Zebra Wing

This zebra wing butterfly was one of hundreds we saw in the butterfly house at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix. It is not uncommon for them to alight on your clothing or hair while in the house and you have to be careful about dislodging them before walking outside. 
Textures added: gold square by borealnz and Square 174 from Shadowhouse Creations.

Making a Run for It

Paradise Valley shopping center has an indoor carrousel that is popular with both kids and their parents who want a break from shopping. The carrousel animals range from the usual horses to a tiger, an ostrich and a frog. I imagine this horse making a break for freedom.

Textures from Shadowhouse Creations and Bitt Box.

Boboli Gardens

The first time I visited Florence, I followed the crowds and visited many of the famous, must-see sights. On my second visit, I spent the better part of a day in the Boboli Gardens, relishing the peace and quiet of these 16th century gardens built for the wife of Cosimo de Medici. There are plenty of private corners and wonderful views overlooking Florence and its distinctive Duomo.

The Towers of St. Augustine

While in Tucson, I walked past the St. Augustine Cathedral in the downtown area. This Spanish style mission church is similar in style to San Xavier del Bac and others in the area. The white of the towers was dazzling against the brilliant blue sky. I've added a stucco texture to accentuate the contrast.

Window in Venice

One of many picturesque windows I discovered while strolling the narrow alleyways far from the crowds around San Marco.

Textures added: Expressions by NanceeArt and Paper with Vignette by borealnz.

Maui Hilltop

Last fall when travel partner and I were visiting Maui, we decided to check out every beach on the South shore. At one such stop, I noticed some very steep stairs leading to the top of a hill opposite the beach.

Texture by Shadowhouse Creations

Tucson Bright

This image started with a photo of the colorful stucco walls at La Placita Village in downtown Tucson, Arizona. I then added a texture by Distressed Jewel which enhanced the roughness of the stucco and added cracks to the pot.

Riomaggiore

Last May, Travel Partner and I visited the Cinque Terre as part of a 10-day Mediterranean cruise. From the port in Genoa, we took a bus to Manarola and from there we walked along the Via d'Amore seaside path to Riomaggiore, where we boarded a boat to Vernazza then on to Monterosso al Mare. As you can imagine, this day was very rushed and we had far too little time in most of the towns. I did manage to get a few photos of the colorful terraced buildings on Riomaggiore. I've added free textures by Distressed Jewel and Shaefer.

Wildflowers

Another image of wildflowers, this is based on a photo taken in our neighborhood last year when the wildflowers were especially plentiful and filled entire yards. This was my first attempt at using bokeh textures.

The Warmth of Spring

Spring is here! Not officially, according to the calendar, but it's warm and sunny and the wildflowers are blooming, so it must be spring. This is my favorite season in Arizona and it doesn't last long. Before May is over, the heat will become oppressive once more.

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I photographed this building while walking along the canals of Amsterdam. I liked the way he flower pots were all lined up in front, along with the ubiquitous Dutch bicycle, of course.

Ethelfleda's Mound

This image began with a photo of  the Warwick Castle motte, the raised earthen mound popularly employed in the 11th and 12th century for effective castle protection. The lush spring landscaping created a romantic, fairy tale setting.

Textures by Shadowhouse Creations.

Graceful Dancer

Another composite image of a dancer photographed at the Japanese Matsuri (festival) in Phoenix. The colorful banner was from another photo I took at the festival. The background was created using a starburst brush over the texture Doriath by Max F. Williams.

Japanese Matsuri Dancers

This is another composite image using a different Maui beach photo. I've added the figures of two dancers, photographed during the recent Japanese festival in downtown Phoenix.

The added texture is called magic veil by alice popkorn.

Foggy Canal

This photo was taken near the Bacino Orseolo in Venice. It was located just steps away from the Residence Corte Grimani, where Travel Partner and I stayed for several days. This particular morning, I woke early to explore and photograph the quiet deserted alleys . The light morning fog gradually gave way to a warm, sunny day.

Textures used: freeze fantasia by adamned art and antique bokeh by pareeerica.

Cholla Buds

This photo was taken in the mountain park near our home. These cholla cactus buds caught my eye as they were just ready to bloom. Several varieties of cholla, like the teddy bear cholla, look fuzzy rather than prickly. But you definitely don't want to touch them or let your pets get too close to them!

Textures by jinterwas and Shadowhouse Creations.

Everglades Caterpillars

This photo was taken during a visit to Everglades National Park in Florida. Walking along the raised walkway, carefully scanning the swamp for alligators and water snakes, egrets and rare wood storks, I spied these two caterpillars crawling along a wooden rail. An added texture gives them a golden glow.

Alkmaar Canal

This photo of a canal was taken in Alkmaar, a lovely, easy-to-walk town in the north of Holland. Travel partner and I were in Amsterdam for a few days and I wanted to get out of the big city, so I took the train to Alkmaar and wandered a bit. The windmill in an earlier post was located along this same canal, a short distance away.

The texture I've added is called writing on parchment2 by Shadowhouse Creations.