Scavenger Hunt Sunday: space & 'scapes

Totally skipped last week's hunt -- so many things going on and so little motivation to make it happen. For shame my morose mood.
Landscape

The Color Wheel: Complementary/Triadic Color (Exploring with a Camera prompt)
Kat's second installment of color talks about finding aesthetically pleasing combinations in our world. She shared the following three visuals:
I've been having a bit of fun enjoying the lush colors of the season and decided to share a few of my "natural" finds.
[caption id="attachment_2524" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="complementary"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_2523" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="triadic"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_2522" align="aligncenter" width="700" caption="triad variation"][/caption]
Black and White (Paper Heart Camera prompt)

An abandoned post office served as a great industrial backdrop for my little diva's boot shoot. Yes, she insisted on documenting her first "real choice" in shoe-wardrobe. And yes, she really would've rather had the pair with the two and a half inch heel and the furry folded cuff. And yes, those are those dreaded leggings that she so despises but that were required should she wear a skirt like the one she picked out.

Oh, and just to prove that she does, sometimes, simply return to the kid of 8y9m she is most often when the camera is not focused on her, here's baby girl simply being.
Food
I probably should've ventured into the restaurant to capture this display... but it was late and dark and I really didn't think the Maître d would've appreciated me intruding on dinner service just for a picture. I do sort of like the grainy quality of the image, though.
Blank Space
I admit that I have no idea what "blank space" is supposed to mean here... so I'm taking creative liberty.
I love the way my eyes rest in the dark spaces of the flower's seeds and how it is a solitary, lonely bloom surrounded by empty space.

And this one? Well, wouldn't you give him all the space he needs (before spraying him to oblivion with a long range poison, of course)?

Six Word Fridays: Move

Frenzied Movement

Just as the sun's light dims
They gather together and make plans:

"You, little one, start yours here
And you? Start there. We'll meet --
At some point in the middle.
Move quickly with your work, now
But mind your craft, precision counts."

They begin, then, moving swiftly along
Delicately placing their sticky strings behind
Pushing each exactly with confident legs
(loom masters must study their craftsmanship)
Moonlight shimmering, it catches them delightfully
Flurries of movement -- never ceasing work
Minutes expire, they push on still
Till finally, as sunlight replaces moon shine,
It is finished. Immaculate and immense
To catch the finest feast possible
An interweaving of webs for all.

[caption id="attachment_2231" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="shot through a large glass window with dim interior light"][/caption]

{shared with Six Word Friday's @ MCW's}

Scavenger Hunt Sunday: Abstraction

Smile
I was thinking about using a series of photos of Ya smiling... I mean his uninhibited smile is infectious...

And then there is Chi's beautiful and ever-changing smile - with the odd combination of baby and adult teeth, gaps where tooth fairy has been awarded treasure, and her sometimes lip-gloss colored lips. It belays her personality at this moment in time.

But then I started editing the photos of the early stages of Irene passing through our area and I came across a series of the kids stomping in puddles. We'd been cooped up in the house waiting for the hurricane to ravage the area for hours. The kids were restless. And so, we found our coats and covered our heads from the rain and headed outside. The streets were empty - - of people, of most of the vehicles, of animals. It was eery. It was also ideal for kicking up water and stamping feet. We loved it.

I wish there were also a photo of my surprise when the gusty winds killed the umbrella and I was soaked instantly by the rain. That would surely make someone smile...

Stairs
I'll never, ever forget those dreadful stairs... in fact, I still have abnormal heart palpitations whenever I pass metal staircases. Stairs are just not something I want to be near.

My workplace is currently under renovations. Add to the efforts damage from the earthquake, and you have one massive mess to make presentable come school's opening on Tuesday. Yes, I said Tuesday We've got quite a few of these stairs of construction (destruction?) there right now... and none of them are conjuring thoughts of climbing a corporate ladder to greater success.

Clouds

After the rain and winds of Saturday's battle with Irene, the skies looked amazing. Deep blue color interspersed with fluffy white and dismal grey clouds to create a magically beautiful sky painting.

Warning
I know some people are a bit squeamish when it comes to bugs, but around here bug hunts and captures (photographic, of course) are commonplace. As always, as long as they are outside of my home or my car and not on my person, I'm cool with living in harmony. The next few pictures are of our insect neighbors. I've been privy to a lot of portraits with our weird weather of late. You've been warned.
Macro

This friendly Mantis lives at the prison-turned-art-collective. He was wandering up the wooden doors that blocked an industrial trash container. I wasn't bug hunting when I happened upon him. In fact, it was Chi who noticed him. She refused to pose for a portrait in the location I had scouted because Mantis and a moth (that was certainly his intended dinner) were present. Mantis didn't like us being there to interrupt him, so he initially froze before deciding that if he walked really slow, he could move away. He pointed his longest toe on each gracefully long leg (arm?) as he moved.


Abstract

Found this little dragon without the hunt! He was waiting for me in front of the garage as the kids and I left for work and school early this morning. I loved the abstract pattern created by the clear and brown styling of the film of his wings. And it was awesome that he sat patiently waiting for me to capture his portrait exactly as I wanted. That's one fly dragon.

{Sweet} Play and Buggin Visits

The end of the summer met with play dates - planned rendezvous with friends.

It was warm enough when we did Jack's portraits for us to return to the house for a fun afternoon of water play. Sprinkler, mini pool, and buckets entertained the boys for some time. There was water everywhere.[caption id="attachment_1281" align="aligncenter" width="395" caption="Edited using Kim Klassen's masked (photo above) and extreme grunge (photo below)"][/caption]
And then he showed up... I suppose he wanted a Popsicle. Maybe he was just curious about the flurry of activity outside. Either way, he was uninvited.

LEM: "Bokeh" (a butterfly in macro)

Isn't symmetry enthralling? And, you've got to love the rainbow created by a flowering garden!