 Look for my Goose Yoga Series coming soon!  This is the same bird I photographed the other day that was injured. It’s only my second time to see him but the strangest, yet coolest thing happened. He came out of the water to the shore near me and walked right up to me. All the other geese always move away from me when I approach. I’ve never had a goose come to me! I don’t know if it’s because he is injured or not. But he came so close (several inches away from me) that I couldn’t even take pictures of him because I only had my telephoto lens! I just gently talked to him. He wandered away a little and then I called him back to me twice. It was so delightful. Another goose came to the shore and was comfortable being close to me, but he didn’t walk up to me like this fellow did. I took this pic after he walked back to the water… Notice the little black feathers amidst the white just below his beak. It’s a very distinct marking...  Walking Toward Me  You can see the dock behind me, and I'm beneath the sun with my camera taking this picture!
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All of my photographs can be printed as greeting cards and I have well over 200 images, but I'm also creating a new line of cards for all occasions. Click the belated birthday card to see the first in my new series called Fuzzy Headed ....  Click image to see all the new series The Fuzzy Headed series is dedicated to all the women in my life (many of the over 50 crowd) with whom I've shared tales and woes of how my memory is fading and faltering! We trade stories all the time about our latest fuzzy headed episodes! Might as well laugh about it ... I'm not sure it's going to be getting any better ...!
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you... while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. -- JOHN MUIR  American Kestrel  Cattails  I shot the Cattails on my walk today and the beautiful falcon yesterday. The shapes, texture and earth tones of the lovely cattails captivate me. And, of course, the falcon was just stunning to see. It was my first time seeing an American Kestrel. (Thanks Jake for identifying it for me!)
Had a nice evening with a friend watching Last of the Dogmen. What a great movie. FYI to my readers....
If I don't post here on certain days, it's likely I've posted something new under FEATURED BLOGS or BLOG FOR CHANGE. I also may have posted new pages like: Just Click for The Nature Conservancy. Check out FEATURED BLOGS and BLOG FOR CHANGE for new postings.  Where Did Everyone Go? Found a great place to get some exercise and bird watch yesterday. I watched one goose intentionally dive under the water and flip over on his back to wash! He did it twice and floated for a moment on his back! Some of the ducks had florescent colors. I loved it. The beauty in nature is awe inspiring ... I never cease to be impressed.   photo from Wikipedia This was an interesting article about Haiti that isn't all about the earthquake. It's about Haiti - its people and culture. Worth a read. Check out Featured Blogs today and read about how comic book illustrators are joining together to fight human trafficking.  photo from Change.org Also read about and take action to demand Kraft do the ethically responsible thing and buy slave free cocoa in it's production of chocolate. I posted this under my Blog For Change today. The original article and petition is on Change.org.
Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures. ~Henry Ward Beecher Art sometimes paints itself. As I paint, I find it’s an exquisite rush to be part creator and part audience. It can be an extraordinarily spontaneous journey – almost guided. It’s often in sync with my life. I’m not a big planner. I feel my way through and the more I learn to focus on day to day life, the better I do. My art becomes a reflection of this. Some live on a wing and a prayer and I don’t feel too far from that. It’s part of who I am.  These are collages of photos taken of my original which is painted on gypsum board using all kinds of different paints from gallons of household latex to oil and spray paint. The original is texture-rich and framed; ready to hang.  This is a collage of photos taken of my original which is painted on gypsum board using all kinds of different paints from gallons of household latex to oil and spray paint. The original is texture-rich and framed; ready to hang.
  I'm still having fun capturing images of the geese at a nearby park. (High resolution images are available on my online gallery. I only upload low resolution on this website to protect the image from being freely copied.)
I just love their dirt and grass covered beaks! I didn't know Geese are monogamous. They live in permanent pairs throughout the year. I also didn't know they are related to the swan and duck though I don't find that surprising. If a group of geese are on the ground they're called a gaggle.  On Their Own Path A whole flock - probably 75 geese - flew away as I approached with my camera at a nearby park yesterday except for these two. They let me follow them around for the next ten minutes. I love how they weren’t afraid and how they didn’t follow everyone else. I also love how the different personalities of birds and wildlife emerge when you take the time to notice…  Several times as I followed them, they felt comfortable enough to plop down and take a short break! I stopped when they stopped so they'd continue to feel a level of comfort. I know that geese leave their markings all over parks and that people tire of them because of it, but how can we not be touched by their beauty?
The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. ~ Henry Miller ~  That quote by Henry Miller strikes a chord with me. The camera has helped me to take notice of things and actually see more than I used to see. I appreciate more things more fully. I love that.   Most of my time while I was in San Diego was dedicated to my art and photography. Such a great way to end 2009 and bring in the new year ...   It was my good fortune when I spotted these marvelous, naturally abstract pillars (the zippers & fabric shots above) thus the name of my photo series ”My Good Fortune”. What you see here is the protective “rain gear” around the sturdy beams that have taken quite a toll weathering the constant ocean waves.... Check out my online art gallery and look under ABSTRACT if you're interested in purchasing framed prints or greeting cards. They look great matted in white with black frames! Both images were FEATURED in three different art groups.  One of the extraordinary bonuses to me about photography is how inexpensively I am entertained by it. I didn't have money to go out while I was in California, but I could always take my camera and for the price of parking, I could spend hours not only getting exercise by walking around, but it was exciting to try capturing stellar moments in time. Money will never buy the feeling of what it's like to look at life through the lens of a camera. I thrive on it. Time doesn't stop for anyone, but when photography is a passion, it's a way of making the most of time and in the end, it's also about being able to bring home a slice of that time picture by picture. When an image gives you that feeling of hitting the sweet part of the bat, when it's everything and more that you saw when you pointed the camera at it, it's exquisite.  Marbled Godwit  Rose Petal Ride Curves that carry you like waves in the ocean…. the bounty of nature never ceases to amaze and delight…  We Belong Together  The Unveiling There’s a layer-upon-layer feel in this piece, but also a sense of fragility that comes from a “here I am” setting where there’s no pretense. I prefer the slight blurry softness of this versus what a crystal sharp image might evoke. I think it gives a sense of vulnerability and truth like someone about to disrobe and hoping for acceptance….  Petals Away You know how you never tire of seeing a sunset or a sunrise? It’s simply a marvel each and every time. That’s how it was with the roses yesterday. I’ve photographed them over and over and played with the images even longer, cropping, washing them of color, and searching for that certain “feel”. I’ve held the petals in my hands and felt the thorns prick my fingers like a playful kitten. It’s been a beautiful exploration. This makes number 4 .. or is it 5 that I’ve posted on my online art gallery today..? Petals Away was FEATURED in Redbubble's No More Color group today ...  It Was A Very Good Life The tell tale signs that the end is near are evident in the plump, curling petals, but the beauty and signs of a life well lived is equally apparent. So while it was a beautiful rose it is also still a beautiful rose. Just as there is beauty in youth, there is also beauty in age…
 painting by Angie Brooksby Angie Brooksby is my beautiful cousin. She's having an art exhibit that opens today in Paris! I wish I could be there. She's been a successful artist in Italy for over 20 years and now lives in France where she continues to paint and show her work.  Out For A Stroll - by Betsy Seeton There’s so much beauty in the world and sometimes it's in smallest of ways. We just need to slow down and take the time to notice. I’ve been under the weather with the flu for several days and today was the first time I felt well enough to take a short stroll. I think because I’ve been laid up I was even more appreciative of being able to get out and take in the warmth, the sun and soak up the natural beauty that surrounds this area... And then the most extraordinary thing happened. I asked a man who was tending his flower garden if I could photograph one of his roses. It was at the entrance behind a small black gate. He nodded and said, “Certainly!” After I photographed it, he walked over to me and used his hands to break the rose off its vine and handed it to me. It was a huge red rose. I stammered a bit with several thank yous and then he asked me to wait a moment. When he came back he had clippers in his hand and he clipped off four more red roses and handed them to me. Just like that. I told him he made my day and I walked off with an entire bouquet of roses in my hands. He simply wanted to share the beauty that he saw me appreciating. (My dad was that way with things.) The photos I took of the roses weren’t successful. The red was too red and the shading and contrast didn’t come out well, but I loved the photo above from the cactus plant, which I took just before approaching the rose man’s house. So to me, that photo will always be a reminder of roses and kindness….. Below is Ellie (one of the cats I'm sitting for) and one of the roses when I got home just as I was putting it into the vase with the other four.  The rose is the symbol of transience, of spring and beauty, of completion and perfection. It is a symbol of Love and metamorphosis of passion. ~Author Unknown The rose has graced our planet for 35 million years. What a thought. Hard to even wrap my brain around that much time. What's equally amazing is how long the rose has symbolized love and beauty.  Coming Up Roses - by Betsy Seeton The pink rose (the photo above was Featured in #1 Artist of Redbubble) was the dominant species of wild roses and thought to be one of the earliest roses in existence. Pink was also the color of rose depicted in some of the earliest known pieces of art.
I read that during the fifteenth century, the rose was used as a symbol for the factions fighting to control England. The white rose symbolized York, and the red rose symbolized Lancaster, as a result, the conflict became known as the “War of the Roses.” During the 17th century roses were in such high demand that royalty considered roses or rose water as legal tender, and were often used as barter and for payments. This 35 million year old flower is still one of the most popular ways to say “I love you” or express appreciation or congratulations. Its fan base is worldwide and I can’t imagine a day when roses won’t conjure up images of beauty and love, elegance and refinement. On the other hand, there is the Kevin Spacey movie ‘American Beauty’ where rose petals leave one with a creepy feeling … hmmm…These roses and more are allfor sale as greeting cards or prints ... There is much beauty in the shape and texture of flowers. Sometimes the naturally awe inspiring colors sweep us away before we can soak up these other astounding features. I call it the color blind effect. By taking out the color every every now and then, it allows our focus to shift and perhaps we can take notice of something we didn't see before. I enjoy finding ways to gain a wider perspective. It's especially interesting when it happens with something you see all the time. To fully appreciate this flower, it helps to view it in a larger size. Visit my online art gallery ...  This was my favorite quote from Richard Bach's 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' ... "Most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight—how to get from shore to food and back again. For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight. More than anything else, Jonathan Livingston Seagull loved to fly."  Runnng Start - by Betsy Seeton I was 15 going on 16 when I first read that book. The story resonated with me so much. I identified with the feeling of being different and was inspired by Jonathan because he went after his passion despite what others might think.
That book fanned my own flames of desire to follow my own and very “different from others” path in life. So when I watch seagulls I feel a kinship and it takes me back to a wonderful time in my life when I first began to understand myself and to carve out my own place in the world …  by Betsy Seeton REFLECTION DEFINED:
1. contemplation: a calm, lengthy, intent consideration 2. the phenomenon of a propagating wave (light or sound) being thrown back from a surface 3. expression: expression without words; “tears are an expression of grief”; “the pulse is a reflection of the heart’s condition” 4. mirror image: a likeness in which left and right are reversed 5. the image of something as reflected by a mirror (or other reflective material); “he studied his reflection in the mirror” 6. (mathematics) a transformation in which the direction of one axis is reversed 7. the ability to reflect beams or rays (from wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn) ____________________________________________________ This image was the bottom of a fountain near Little Italy in downtown San Diego. I shot it one afternoon after visiting the most amazing art exhibit I’ve ever seen by Tara Donovan. I was also in the company of a wonderful new friend. The reflection in it’s original blue/green swimming pool color didn’t move me the way the b/w image does. I think we are drawn to reflection not only in images but in our hearts. The older I get the more I appreciate and value time spent meditating and reflecting. I find it’s a healing thing to let our thoughts "float" and flow like water ..... I took these pictures wandering around Balboa Park yesterday beneath cloudless blue skies amidst a sea of people. Children are natural little "hands on" explorers. I love that. Perhaps we might all benefit on this planet if we were more in touch with some of the childlike spirit and wonder that was once a part of each of us.   |
 Betsy Seeton
I'm an artist, writer, photographer, private investigator and an activist in small ways.
"Turning indifference into making a difference."
MY PHOTO BOOK
GETTING IN TOUCH WITH NATURE is my new website devoted to my photography, books, and art.
  My LADYBUG book is filled with beautiful images & inspiring quotes. Click here for more info.
 All photos are for sale at Betsy's Art Gallery  Email Betsy   Amely-James KOH BELA is fighting child trafficking in Africa and throughout several continents. Read my interview with her.  CLICK FOR BEE PHOTOGRAPHY  Mahoot Elephant training in Thailand with Kaew,  Adorable French girl growing up in Africa with wildlife photography parents - more pictures of Tippi Degre  I visited the Tiger Temple in Thailand & later found out it is under investigation for tiger trafficking and animal abuse. Read full story. In 2015 it was raided. More than 100 tigers and protected bird species in Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua, popularly known as the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi province were impounded by authorities following complaints that the temple was alleged to engage in illegal wildlife trading.    photos for sale as greeting cards and framed prints or posters. Click to go to my online Art Gallery  "The moment one gives close attention to anything,
even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself." ~ Henry Miller  FREETHEBEARS.ORG - Learn about bear farming and bear paw soup. This torture must end! DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS helps people worldwide where the need is greatest, delivering emergency medical aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters or exclusion from healthcare.
 Connect with Jasper, The World Ambassador of Animal Rights & Welfare on Facebook! Read about life in the woods with Chippy & the crew...
What greater atrocity is there on this planet than to sell a human life and brutally force him or her into a life in the sex trade or endless labor? And how dare we abuse, kill and traffic animals in the name of profit... in the name of anything for any reason!
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