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2013-03-11 16:59:34 (22 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Old Car City

I've been talking to +Gene Bowker about a trip to Old Car City which is about an hour north of ATL.  I believe +Patrice Christian is also interested in going ... wondering if anyone else is up for a photowalk?  Thinking some time in May before it gets too hot.

They are open on Saturdays from 9AM - 1PM.  Please let me know if you're interested, and if so, what Saturday in May works best.  I am not available on May 4.

http://www.oldcarcityusa.com/

2013-01-05 18:37:04 (10 comments, 1 reshares, 56 +1s)

It's Shakespeare #squirrelsaturday !  And I love seeing everyone's photos.  Even if you don't have a Shakespeare quote to share, be sure to share your squirrel shots!

Thanks to my partner in crime +Skippy Sheeskin and our guest curator +Russo's Books for making today's #squirrelsaturday  so creative and fun!

“Time is very slow for those who wait
Very fast for those who are scared
very long for those who lament 
Very short for those who celebrate
But for those who love time is eternal” 
― William Shakespeare 

2012-11-03 14:23:16 (36 comments, 5 reshares, 80 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

Don't they have the cutest expressions?!  Hope you are all having a great weekend ... I'm heading over to check out your squirrelicious #squirrelsaturday  pics!  

#squirrelsaturday  curated by +Skippy Sheeskin and me :)  (I can't find my own name on G+!)

2012-10-27 12:57:04 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 39 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

Hope you are all having a SPOOKTACULAR #squirrelsaturday  ! +Skippy Sheeskin and I can't wait to see your pics!!

2012-10-20 14:28:03 (9 comments, 2 reshares, 75 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

Good morning, fellow squirrel lovers!!  I caught this sweet girl grabbing one of the millions of acorns that have fallen around our house.  Talk about a breakfast buffet!

Will be a full day of football at our house:  LSU - Texas A&M, followed by the Gamecocks in The Swamp.  Looking forward to seeing your #squirrelsaturday  photos!  Go Gameocks!!!

2012-10-19 02:18:58 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 50 +1s)

New Orleans

It's been a crazy couple of weeks ... between starting a new job, planning a wedding and traveling to Louisiana, I have not been online all that much.  I am looking forward to visiting your streams over the next few days to see what I've missed.

In the meantime I wanted to share this photo with you that I took last Friday in the French Quarter.  It was around noon and there was a big crowd that had gathered to watch this talented couple dance to amazing music played by a band that set up outside the Lousiana Supreme Court building.  A lot going on in this photo ... if you take a few minutes to look :)

2012-10-06 13:43:10 (16 comments, 3 reshares, 92 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

Happy Fall Ya'll!  +Skippy Sheeskin and I are celebrating the colors of fall for today's #squirrelsaturday !  Or a spooktacular Halloween style photo of you have one?  But really, we're just suckers for any cute, fun photo you have of our favorite furry friends!

Lots of good football on today!  Who are you cheering for??  My Gamecocks play those mean ol' Bulldogs tonight so I have to say:  GO GAMECOCKS!!!

2012-09-29 14:20:43 (18 comments, 3 reshares, 89 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

Good morning Squirrel and Chipmunk lovers!!  Did you know that #squirrelsaturday  is trending again this weekend??  You guys rock!  Keep those gorgeous photos coming!!

Now ... back to breakfast :)

2012-09-26 11:58:55 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 62 +1s)

State Fair

Shot using my 10-22 mm wide angle lens at 10mm, cropped tight. f/5, 8 second exposure.  Ran it through Color Efex to get a little extra color saturation, sharpened a bit in LR4.

One of my favorite shots ... not sure why, just really dig it.  Hope you do too!

#hellofall   #statefair  

2012-09-24 15:53:15 (22 comments, 3 reshares, 57 +1s)

To The Moon

I have been inconsistent over the last couple of weeks with my postings!  Please forgive me!!  I have missed interacting with all of my G+ pals and am looking forward to visiting your streams to see what you have been up to.

Yesterday +Scott Cullen and I went to the North Georgia State Fair.  It's been years since I've been to the state fair, and we really enjoyed it.  Corn dogs, skee ball, petting zoos and of course, the ferris wheel!

I probably should have saved this for #transportationtuesday , but hopefully the curators will let me sneak this one in early :) 

2012-09-22 12:54:42 (21 comments, 3 reshares, 83 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

Who's hungry for some #squirrelsaturday  action??  I know I am!!  Can't wait to see what you've got for me and +Skippy Sheeskin today!  

Have a great Saturday, and thank you to everyone who supports our theme :)

2012-09-15 15:39:54 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 67 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

We are in Kentucky for the Bourbon Festival and running very short on time.  For you creative folks, it's funky, creative #squirrelsaturday   today. Ramp up those colors and let's see what you've got!  Don't forget to tag me and +Skippy Sheeskin so we can enjoy your photos!

2012-09-07 11:46:42 (15 comments, 0 reshares, 31 +1s)

Food Friday

My first contribution to Food Friday!  These pics are from our lunch last weekend at Alma Cocina, which is one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta.  Really friendly service, fresh, tasty food!

We like the fried avocado taquito (below) and as you can see, +Scott Cullen is enjoying a Classico Margarita con sal.  

#foodfriday  curated by +Light Bandit +Natty Netsuwan +D. DeMonteverde 

2012-09-06 11:36:50 (22 comments, 0 reshares, 52 +1s)

Speakeasy Entertainer

Last weekend we attended the Speakeasy Cocktail Festival at the Georgia World Congress Center.  This is a new event for Atlanta and while they put forth a nice effort, the event was not what we expected.  

We did enjoy the entertainment :)

2012-09-05 11:18:13 (20 comments, 0 reshares, 26 +1s)

Dragon Con - CNN iReport

Yesterday afternoon one of the editors from CNN iReport contacted me about the Dragon Con photos I posted on Flickr.  He asked me to contribute 10 shots online along with a write up. About an hour after I uploaded the shots, he emailed me and asked me to upload another 10 shots!  You can see my report and the shots here:

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-837348 

#dragoncon   #dragoncon2012  

2012-09-04 11:41:37 (13 comments, 0 reshares, 29 +1s)

Dragon Con 2012

In this installment of Dragon Con photos we have some of the scariest characters I saw.  Not sure who the first girl is ... anyone know?  The second girl was a dancer in the Michael Jackson "Thriller" group.  And the last guy was hanging out near the host hotel, Marriott Marquis.  I know he looks incredibly menacing, but I have to tell you he was so nice!  He instantly broke into laughter after striking the pose you see here.

#dragoncon   #dragoncon2012  

2012-09-03 17:06:00 (11 comments, 0 reshares, 23 +1s)

Dragon Con 2012

More photos from the Dragon*Con 2012 festivities.  I do not know who these characters are ... if you do, please let me know!

#dragoncon   #dragoncon2012  

2012-09-03 15:35:30 (15 comments, 0 reshares, 38 +1s)

Happy Birthday Moon Lee!

One of my very favorite G+'ers is having a birthday today!!  +moon lee I love your inspirational messages, food photos, beautiful droplets and amazing flower images.  Hope you have a rockin' day today!

#mohawkedmoonlee  with big thanks to +Mylah Nazario for organizing!

2012-09-02 12:50:46 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 23 +1s)

Dragon Con 2012

Dragon Con is the world's largest fantasy/sci-fi convention, held annually in Atlanta, GA, on Labor Day weekend.  The parade kicked off yesterday at 10 a.m. We arrived around 8:45 to get shots of the parade participants prior to the start.  I have a lot of photos.  Over the next few days I'm going to share some scary ones with some not so scary ones.  

Everyone is passionate about something:  golf, photography, fishing, exercise, movies, computers, etc. so while this is not my passion, I wholeheartedly respect the effort, time and enthusiasm the parade participants put into making their costumes and the parade a huge success.

#dragoncon   #dragoncon2012

2012-09-01 11:40:19 (26 comments, 0 reshares, 61 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

I need help with captions for this one ... ??  

Looking forward to seeing your photos, but first, I gotta run downtown and get some really cool Dragon*Con shots for you to enjoy.  It's 72 degrees in Atlanta with 97% humidity, so it's going to be a gnarly one ...

Don't forget to use the #squirrelsaturday  hashtag and include +Skippy Sheeskin and +SE Blackwell as your curators!

Hope everyone has a squirrel-tastic day today! 

2012-08-31 11:47:39 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 51 +1s)

Fido Friday

I'm helping a few local animal rescues with photos of dogs that are available for adoption.  Hopefully the photos will help them find homes quickly and get the pups into happy, loving homes.  We are posting photos & information on Facebook, so if you are interested in learning more about the dogs available for adoption you can visit:

https://www.facebook.com/BethBlackwellPhotography  or
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Animal-Action-Rescue/91099380806 

#fidofriday  curated by +Wes Lum +Suhaib Ayaz +mel peifer +Lisa Lisa 

2012-08-30 11:39:09 (23 comments, 2 reshares, 43 +1s)

Dragon Con 2012

Quick reminder:  the Dragon Con parade will take place this Saturday!  Parade participants will gather and organize around Woodruff Park.  I'll be there at 9 a.m.  Parade begins at 10.  I'd suggest taking Marta if you can because traffic will be congested all weekend with so many activities (Nascar, 2 college football games & several other festivals).  If you can't make the parade and still want to shoot, you can go anytime and walk through the hotels, around the streets.  There is a lot to see, and the attendees are very friendly and happy to pose for photos.

Hope to see you there!

#dragoncon #dragoncon2012

2012-08-29 12:08:13 (18 comments, 1 reshares, 46 +1s)

Breakfast

If you shoot enough shots ... especially in continuous mode ... you're bound to capture a bird pulling a crab from the sand for breakfast :)

Have a great day G+'ers!

2012-08-28 11:28:44 (28 comments, 4 reshares, 68 +1s)

Butterfly

I have really enjoyed +Sharon Jeannette's butterfly images and wanted to jump in on her theme but alas, no butterflies.  Until this past weekend!  Our butterfly bush turned a corner, I guess?  All I know is we had the biggest, most beautiful butterflies fluttering around the backyard.  Not the easiest to photograph, but I was happy with this shot.
 
Drum roll please .... my first contribution to  #onthewingsofbutterflies curated by the fabulous +Sharon Jeannette & +Cicely Robin Laing!  Thank you for the inspiration, ladies! 

2012-08-27 11:57:24 (22 comments, 2 reshares, 67 +1s)

Beach Birds

Hoping Isaac slows down, hoping it won't be as bad as it sounds ... 

2012-08-25 19:57:37 (17 comments, 0 reshares, 53 +1s)

Turbo

Turbo tried to wake me up several times this morning.  When I refused to pay him attention he knocked the coins off my nightstand one.coin.at.a.time.  When that didn't work he came over, sat next to me and started patting my nose and mouth with his paw.  

Happy #caturday  :)

2012-08-25 12:56:27 (9 comments, 2 reshares, 45 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

Every once in a while I catch these guys trying to break into the bird feeder.  Caught this little fella red handed!  Busted on #squirrelsaturday  :)

And now it's time for +Skippy Sheeskin and me to make the rounds and see what you've got for us today, squirrel lovers!  

2012-08-24 11:44:07 (27 comments, 1 reshares, 76 +1s)

Janey

Her name is Janey, she's 12 years old and incredibly sweet.  Her owners got her from Atlanta Lab Rescue.  

For #fidofriday  curated by +Wes Lum +mel peifer +Suhaib Ayaz +Lisa Lisa 

2012-08-23 11:46:18 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

Southern Art

Southern Art is Chef Art Smith's (Top Chef Masters on BRAVO) restaurant. The restaurant is on the ground floor of the Intercontinental Hotel and features a very nice Bourbon Bar that we enjoy very much.  Their Old Fashioned is one of the best I've ever had.  

On that note ... wondering if anyone out there has been to the Bourbon Festival in Bardstown, Kentucky?  If so, what'd you think?  What's a must do?

#bourbon   #bourbonfestival #atlanta  

2012-08-22 12:07:05 (23 comments, 2 reshares, 56 +1s)

Topsail Island Sunset

The captain of this boat did not follow the channel markers posted along the intracoastal waterway and found himself in waters more shallow than he anticipated.  Most people don't realize that the water in this channel is only about a foot deep in most spots, and you can frequently see people wading and collecting oysters.

#topsailisland  #topsail #sunset  

2012-08-21 11:36:40 (11 comments, 3 reshares, 64 +1s)

Amelia Island

This was taken a few months ago during a trip to Amelia Island, Florida. In this image stormy skies were beginning to clear up just as the sun was setting.  

2012-08-18 13:07:21 (16 comments, 6 reshares, 84 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

We have an agreement ... I bring the peanuts, Chippie brings the entertainment.  It took about 7 or 8 trips, but he stuffed every single one of these peanuts in his chubby little cheeks.  They'll eat well this winter :)

+Skippy Sheeskin & I have already seen some really great shots this morning and we're looking forward to seeing even more!  Don't forget to use the #squirrelsaturday  hashtag - it's the best way for us to find your photos. And as always, thank you to our contributors who make this day the best day ever!

2012-08-17 11:57:31 (30 comments, 3 reshares, 70 +1s)

Chicken

Meet Chicken, a mix of chihuahua and dachshund.  She is the child dog of a friend of a friend, and we did a photo shoot last weekend at Piedmont Park. Chicken is extremely affectionate and loaded with personality.  She loves to run at full speed in the big wide open fields at the park ... and, as you can see, she loves the camera.

Miss Chicken is ready for her close up on #fidofriday  curated by +Wes Lum +mel peifer +Lisa Lisa & +Suhaib Ayaz 

2012-08-16 02:57:49 (35 comments, 1 reshares, 91 +1s)

East Coast Waves

Shot on Topsail Island, North Carolina.  Processed in Silver Efex.  It may not be technically perfect. It may not be the way you would process it, but it's my shot and as a result, I get to do with it whatever I want ... and this one may very well get printed and framed ... cause I like it!

Who's ready for the weekend??

2012-08-15 02:35:11 (19 comments, 1 reshares, 55 +1s)

Intracoastal Waterway

Have you ever played that game where you talk about how you'd spend your lottery winnings?  What would you do with all that money?  We've played this game many times and have decided that part of our lotto winnings would go towards a house on the intracoastal waterway of North or South Carolina.  We'd have a walkway to our dock to go crabbing and enjoy sunsets.  In fact, this spot would do quite nicely :)   

2012-08-14 02:29:40 (15 comments, 1 reshares, 59 +1s)

Topsail Island Swing Bridge

There are so many things I love about Topsail Island, but one of my favorites is the swing bridge that connects the island to the mainland.  It opens every hour on the hour during the day.  I hope they never replace it ... this is a shot of the bridge opening as we cruise through ... so cool!

For #bridgesovertuesday  curated by +Steve Boyko & +Clare Bambers 

2012-08-13 11:44:20 (16 comments, 1 reshares, 40 +1s)

100 Strangers

Meet Ernie, his wife Dora and their dachshund, Ken Hans.  Scott and I met them while walking along the docks along the intracoastal waterway.  We struck up a conversation with them and learned that they moved to Topsail Island about 15 years ago and are now full time residents.  They were so much fun to talk to, so friendly.  As we were saying our goodbyes I said, "Would you mind if I get a photo of you?  I like to take pictures of the people I meet."  As you can see, they were happy to oblige.  (I stole that line from another G+ photographer!!)

Ernie <16/100> and Dora <17/100> #100strangers  #100strangersproject 

To learn more about this project, check out our page +100 Strangers Project or contact the curators +kim scianghetti & +SE Blackwell 

2012-08-11 13:02:46 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 57 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

Good morning squirrel lovers!!  I see many of you have already started filling the G+ airwaves with your squirreltastic images ... we can't wait to see your photos.

+Skippy Sheeskin & I have been playing around with additional themes over the last few weekends and this weekend highlights literature.  Maybe you have a favorite line from a poem, book, or short story that you want to share?  I'm a Faulkner fan, but today I wanted to share a line from another writer that I think fits well for today.

"Four legs good, two legs bad."  That's an easy one ... do you know the book??

Play along if you like, but no worries if it's not your thing - just keep those photos coming and use the #squirrelsaturday  hashtag so we can find you!

2012-08-10 13:31:25 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 54 +1s)

Added photos to The August #Bestshot Event and virtual photo-exhibition (#1).

2012-08-10 01:38:05 (40 comments, 5 reshares, 82 +1s)

Surf City Sunrise

I'm not an early bird.  But we managed to get up early and make it to the beach and get a few sunrise shots.  The humidity did a number on my camera and lenses, so it took a while for the "fog to clear" before I could get a few clean shots.  This one was one of my favorites.  I hope you like it :)

#surfcity #topsail #topsailbeach   #topsailisland   #sunrise  

2012-08-08 22:50:17 (25 comments, 5 reshares, 76 +1s)

Lois and Superman

If you take a really close look, you'll see the guy on the right is wearing a Superman t-shirt.  So the girl on the left must surely be Lois, right?

This was taken at the southern most point of Topsail Island. There are no developments or housing in this particular area, just natural wildlife habitats, sky, sand and surf. 

#topsailisland   #surfcity   #canonusers   #wideanglelens  

2012-08-07 13:36:52 (21 comments, 0 reshares, 72 +1s)

Board Meeting

Now this is my kind of Board Meeting!  

Submitting for #transporttuesday  (no motors) curated by the amazingly talented crew of +Gene Bowker +Michael Earley +Joe Paul +Steve Boyko  

2012-08-06 12:36:38 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 26 +1s)

Cajun Reeboks

Cajun Reeboks are the short white boots that fishermen wear.  Shrimpers in Louisiana wear them because if you dig more than two feet into the ground, you will hit water. White boots are preferred over a darker color because of the heat. 

This is Tate, the co-captain of the Miss Jo at Topsail Island showing off his Cajun Reeboks. He was quite proud of his pair.  I wish there wasn't a fishing line in front of Tate, but I'm submitting this for fun, not for critique.

#shoesmonday  +Laura Harding +Bernd Schaefers +Terry Fabre 

2012-08-05 21:18:42 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 28 +1s)

Topsail Island

Two more for the album ...

2012-08-05 21:01:22 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 22 +1s)

Topsail Island

We are having such a great trip to the beach.  I wanted to share a few photos with you from the last few days.  We are heading out shortly for an early dinner with hopes of getting some sunset shots afterwards.  Hope you've had a great weekend!!

2012-08-05 12:44:54 (18 comments, 0 reshares, 43 +1s)

South of the Border

South of the Border is a rest stop on I-95 that is between the South Carolina and North Carolina state lines.  In addition to buying gas and using the restroom, you can load up on fireworks, ashtrays, shot glasses and more fireworks.  If you've traveled on I-95 chances are you have seen one of their hundreds of billboards that usually begin with "Pedro sez ..." and then counts down the mileage to South of the Border.

For #signsunday  curated by +Lori Carey 

2012-08-04 02:28:40 (13 comments, 1 reshares, 46 +1s)

Squirrel Saturday

Internet connection at the beach it spotty at best, so I'm taking a moment to contribute my best #squirrelsaturday  olympics photo.  I call this the pole vault :)  Gold medal?  Not so much, but podium worthy for sure.

2012-08-01 11:31:08 (15 comments, 0 reshares, 30 +1s)

Atlanta Tattoo Convention

This was taken a few weeks ago at the Atlanta Tattoo Convention. One of my first times using my speedlite (slowly getting the hang of it).  These guys were kind enough to let me get their photo.  Pretty sure the guy on the right is the artist who inked the guy on the left and the guy in the middle.

2012-07-31 14:18:46 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 33 +1s)

Pitmaster's Dinner at Fox Brothers BBQ

Saturday night we attended the first (of hopefully many) Pitmaster's Dinner at Fox Brothers BBQ in Atlanta. Alick Gerard & the Dixie Limited provided the entertainment.  Peg Leg "Carey Brindle" Porker was the Pitmaster  Extraordinaire.   He smoked a pig that was outrageously delicious.  We also had pimento cheese, pork belly, roasted peanuts and a crazy good goo goo cluster dessert.  

If you are in Atlanta and looking for delicious BBQ, it does not get any better than Fox Bros!

2012-07-31 02:07:47 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

Testing the new homemade bitters