There's something calming about the simple look of a cat, looking directly at you. The simple curiosity, the response when you pet them and fill their bowl with food. That's exactly what they want, no complexity, a simple act, a simple response.

 

The sounds, lights and movement are what I like about this photo. It's posted on a photo hosting site I use and after almost a year, it's become the most popular photo of the ones I have posted, of several hundred on the site. 

While visiting New Mexico for the first time, I came upon this skull on the side of an adobe building on the Ghost Ranch, near the village of Abique. In color, the color of the building as a backdrop to the skull is striking but I also like the stark contrast of the b&w, the variation of the gray tones as the light changes on the building and the starkness of the skull itself. The flowers below are actually husks, not flowers. Unfortunately I don't know the name of the plant from which the husks were extracted.

Monaco

I visited France for the second time in 2004, but for the first time the visit was to the south of France on the Riviera. We had a house for two weeks close to the village of Vence. To say it was a great trip would be a bit of an understatement. One day trip was to Monaco. Monaco is such a visual place, the beauty and contrasts are striking. The boats were everywhere in the harbor, these are just a sample.

Are they flowers? No, they're formed from the husks of other plants (unfortunately I don't know what type.) Wandering through Santa Fe, NM a few months ago, I came upon these husks in a small shop off the main square.

The natural colors of New Mexico

Ghost Ranch, in New Mexico, over 20,000 acres of wide open spaces, the inspiration for Georgia O'Keefe.

 

 

 

Blue Ridge Mountains, the depth of the distant views are very calming.

Blue Ridge Mountains from Cone Manor 

 

San Juan Islands..

 

Cannes, France...the shoes, well the whole scene..I love Cannes. On the other extreme is nature. Nothing plastic, tucked etc.

Early morning light can change dramatically and quickly. These two photos, taken in the mountains of North Carolina were taken within 30 minutes of each other as the sun rise painted a quickly changing color scheme over the valley below.

 

St. Tropez, France a town of colors, interesting people and especially beautiful women.