Killing a bunch of birds with one stone.

Bird #1

My puppy Oliver is almost 5 months old now and has turned into the most timid thing that you've ever seen. He's never been particularly brave but since he was an orphan at one week old and the runt of the litter I've cut him a little slack on that. When he first moved in here back in May at only six or so weeks old he was not the least bit afraid of the big dogs or the cats or much of anything else. But as time has gone by he's losing his edge. Out in the yard if he hears a dog barking down the street he runs to the door. If someone comes over that he doesn't know he hides behind my legs. And when it's time to go to the vet I have to drag him kicking and screaming (well not screaming but definitely resisting) from the house to the car. And in the car it's not much better, he freaks out and tries to sit in my lap. Oh what a mess. So starting this evening he and I are going for a walk every night. No other dogs for him to hide behind, he's front and center. Tonight we walked for 30 minutes and he started out by trying to get back in the yard and keeping his tail tucked between his legs. He got a little better about half way and let his tail go back to normal a little bit but still was jumping at every noise. Though he did seem to enjoy all of the smells that he got to smell. And he met a very friendly Airedale behind a fence that he actually sniffed noses with. So there's hope!

Bird #2

I also took lots and lots of photos with my Droid using the Vignette app whilst Oliver and I were walking. My friend Laura has an i-phone and is doing  a series of shots  from missions out of the book The Art of iPhoneography: A Guide to Mobile Creativity.  

I don't have an i-phone but I do have a Droid and I have the Vignette app which is similar to an i-phone and even though I can't follow along with the missions for the i-phone right now (though they look like alot of fun and I will do them soon)  I have come up with my own little challenge.  Each night on my walk with Oliver I will be taking taking photos of things in the alley using a different Vignette effect each night. For tonight's photos I used Vintage Faded with an Instant Square frame. Tomorrow...who knows.

Bird #3

It's been a long time since I've been shooting on alley walks. Three years to be exact. Three years!!! Where does the time go? But anyway, I'm back to alley walking and photo documenting and it's about time too.

Bird #4

Exercise! I need to exercise and I need to lose weight and this is a good place to start. Walking is good for the soul too :) I have a plan for my life that I'm not quite ready to share yet but it's going to simplify alot of things and make me so much happier. Being healthy and outside is just the start. Big things to come...

So in one thirty minute walk I sure managed to accomplish a lot. I can't wait to see what tomorrow evening holds. And what we see on our walk, Oliver and I.

 One benefit of Hurricane Irene is that alot of people now have alot of firewood for the winter ahead.

 Even the most mundane things seem more interesting when given a retro effect.

 I think that these are trumpet flower vines but I've never seen them with those crazy big seed pods.

  There were little clay pots atop the fence post and random poles in this yard. Not sure why they were there but I found them amusing.

 There's still alot of storm damage in my 'hood. Many, many trees came crashing down.

 Sometimes you see the funniest most random things.

 I've never quite understood the whole bottle tree fad but it is very colorful.

 Another tree down. This one was huge.

 I really, really want a cute little shed in my backyard. And a picket fence.

 Holy crap, there's a car stuck under that tree!

 End of summer flowers.

 I love the yards where people have taken time to even spruce up their garages.

 I adore big old trees. This one weathered the storm a-OK.

 This house is divided up into apartments. I bet it was amazing when it was a single family home.

 I didn't see any black cats tonight but I did spot an orange one.

 Couldn't be any stranger than the one that I was walking that acted like he was being punished.

 Rose of Sharon clippings in the trash. The colors seemed even prettier as they were fading away.

 Fall is right around the corner and the dogwoods are starting to spot a red leaf here and there.

 I don't know what these are, they looked like raspberries on steroids.

And finally, little Mr. Oliver, looking none too happy about his walk around the neighborhood. Hopefully it won't take him long to break out of his shell. 'Cause we'll be doing this each night!