Son of a Carpenter

- This was my one of my father's many folding rulers. He could unfold and measure with one hand while holding something with the other. I still use this ruler all of the time and each time I think of my dad. He was a proud son of a carpenter and so am I. Canon 7D, 1/50 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens.

From Here - Go Anywhere

- The new Student Center at the Norfolk Campus of Tidewater Community College opens next week. I started my college studies as a 17 year old at the Virginia Beach Campus of the then new Tidewater Community College. It wasn't much when I started classes in a temporary campus in WWII wooden army barracks. TCC set me on a path to complete an associates degree then on to ODU for my bachelor's degree. Just as I have grown and been successful, so has TCC now with 47,000 students and four major campuses in Southeastern Virginia. I'm proud to be an alumni and was honored when asked to be a founding member of the TCC Alumni Association Board. From here, you truly can go anywhere. Canon 7D, 1/125 sec @ f/8.0, ISO 200, 50mm focal length.

Garden Walk

- We did the Full Moon Garden Walk tonight at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens with our friend Margaret. The cloud cover obscured the moon but it was still a nice evening for a stroll through the amazing gardens. As always I learned a lot from Perry Mathewes our guide. I managed to capture a few photos in spite of the low light and steady breeze like this columbine. Canon G11, 1/100 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 800, in macro mode.

HRVA Photowalk

- Today I attended the second Hampton Roads Virginia Photowalk. We began at the Pagoda Garden in the Freemason neighborhood near downtown Norfolk where I photographed this yellow iris at the edge of the Koi pond. We had 33 photographers along for the mile and half walk through Freemason and along Granby Street ending up at Town Point Park on the Elizabeth River. Canon 7D, 1/30 sec @ f/16.0, ISO 100, 100mm macro lens.

Mums the Word

- A bight green spider mum is part of a flower bouquet that has been in our den for about two weeks. I am amazed at long they have lasted. Canon 40D, 1/25 0sec @ F/4.0, ISO 800, 100mm macro lens.

Table Set

- More salt and pepper shakers and some cool reflections in the table light. Canon G11, 1/3 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 200 in macro mode.

The "new" Luna Maya

- Had dinner tonight at the new Luna Maya on Colley Avenue in the Ghent section of Norfolk, Virginia. The new space is five times larger than the old location and it was still packed with a 30 minute wait at 8:00 PM. The Bolivian inspired food was great as always and the vibe was amazing. This is Norfolk's new "in place" to be. Canon G11, 1/10 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 800.