This was my class entry.  Adjustments to decrease both shadows and highlight (just a little—too much on hightlights makes a bizarre halo on the treeline!), only 3 on vibrance. Smart sharpen.

Slight adjustment to increase constrast and lower highlights. Smart sharpen. Cropped to eliminate excess sky and water (and the tippy tops of some rocks on the bottom).

Of course I had to do one that was quilty!  This is part of my stash for a thousand pyramids quilt I hope to make.  The quilt on our bed is over 10 years old and is really starting to look it!   Smart Sharpen, adjustment to red layer to make the “one” more accurate. Digital cameras mess with reds!

I need to review our lessons. Tried to do a vignette, but had to resort to using the dodge tool on the corners. Wasn’t able to highlight the woman without making it look forced.  If I had used selective focus, with her sharp and the rest blurred, that would have created a stronger focal point, but I wanted the idea of her looking out on the harbor.   Perhaps I should have moved up hill…….learning, learning!

A rare shot of the hubby, who usually scowls at the camera.  Waiting for the runners at a cross country meet. Increased contrast a tad, cropped off a bit on the bottom, lasso and content aware fill to remove a sliver of a person on the far right.

Lesley’s new book really is inspirational!

A two page spread featuring artwork by Jill K. Berry (left) and Holly Dean. If you look closely in the center, you’ll see a small bit of orange…

Gina Rossi’s crow/raven takes my breath away!

And here’s my page, on the right, with a collage by Lesley Jacobs on the left.  If you right click this image, you can see the perforations and the page numbers in the center.

Quote by Thomas Alva Edison. Class by Val Webb, more info here.

First draft of the Thomas Alva Edison quote with the lettering going all the way across the page.

Testing out colors, letter shapes, and so on. Since I live in Maine and the guys wear Carhartt overalls, I opted for the Carhartt color instead of old fashioned demin. As you can see, I originally intended to do the letters in yellow, green and blue.  I also tested out a color for the silvery metal at the bottom of the light bulb, and getting a yellow fade for the light bulb.

Working away at the dining room table. I even managed to NOT blotch and drip or smudge! And I’m happy I was able to lift the color on the knees to make the fabric look faded and worn by work.

The yellow and green letters are done, so I decided to break for a late lunch. When I took the photo, I realized I had picked up the colors in the placemats I made, and decided I liked the idea of the warm plummy-red better than blue, so changed my color scheme. So glad I did!

Quote by Thomas Alva Edison. Class by Val Webb, more info here.

Near Spears Automotive across. This land is “Forever Farm,” YEAH!

At Simonton Corner. I could no longer resist the temptation to take pictures, even though I was doing the morning kid-schlep to school. Facing East.

At the high school, facing north-ish.

On Park, heading north-ish.

On Barnestown, headed west, near the North Fork turn. That’s morning rush hour approaching me.

Heading up North Fork.  Sigh…these pictures just don’t capture the incredible colors in the clouds:  soft purple, yellow gray, blue, gold, yellow…..

Boat Landing on Rte 105 just past Molyneaux, Lake Megunticook, facing North ish I think, perhaps a bit NW?  incredibly still water and ice in the shallow bay.

Same boat-launch bay, more NE ish.

The end of the cove, not a bit further NE

Route 105 just past 235/Moody Mountain Road heading to Hope Corner

Through the top of the car,  near the town office

Looking toward True Field near Hope Corner, Town Office on the left

Turning the corner onto our road, looking up over our neighbor’s “front yard”, facing East. 

From our driveway, facing NE, haying equipment in the neighbor’s yard

Near our garage, looking up to our other neighbors, the ones with the sheep, facing somewhat SE

What a day, and it all began here, at the York Minster. While in England, I learned that a “city” is a place with a cathedral, everything else is a town. Makes total sense to me!

On the way to the minster, we passed yet another pub with glorious flowerboxes and a wonderful sign.

Guy Fawkes day is a big celebration day in Britain, celebrated (according to Wikipedia) on November 5, where “his effigy is traditionally burned in a bonfire. ” You might also wonder where you’ve heard that name (if your not English that is):  That was the name of Dumbledore’s phoenix in the Harry Potter books.  Get it, the phoenix is reborn by going up in flames?

The inside of the big doors on the West face of the Minster and Eli, not so happy that I’m taking yet another photo of him. That’s what moms do, kiddo!  Plus, those strap hinges are great inspiration for quilting designs.

Illuminated map and lettering–Val Webb, thought of you and your fabulous Watercolor Lettering class.  This looks like gouache and gold leaf.

A close up–just STUNNING!  Love the artwork.  Notice on the left where it shows the chapel dedicated to the women of Britain who served during the wars.

Part of the stitchery on the altar cloth. England has an incredible tradition of embroidery. Yes, that’s stitching, not paint!

And I “do” dragons, and loved this one. More design inspiration.

Just tilt your head sideways….an angel for Marie.  Have no idea why this flipped sideways!

Needlepoint kneeler and seat cushions in a chapel

Madonna and child in cloth.  Art quilts eveywhere!

Up under the soaring roof are the ribs, the supports for the ceiling. Glad my camera has a superzoom! When part of one nave of the church was restored some years back, they had to make new bosses, the designs at the intersections. Children were asked to enter designs in a competition, and this one of man walking on the moon was included. Totally awesome way to restore yet include contemporary life, which is totally in keeping with how the churches were built and how they keep in touch with contemporary life.

Antique storage chest for the Bishop’s vestments, and more design inspiration in the hinges. The capes/cloaks (don’t know what they are called officially) fold into triangular wedges, then are stored in here.

Design inspiration in a floor grate even!

And I “do” bats as well. Anything that eats mosquitoes is a friend of mine (yes, spiders also). Loved this boss! More design inspiration!

The massive stained glass window that faces east is being restored.  Bit by bit as the work is done, the actual panels are being displayed at floor level.

And another angel for Marie Z. from said window.

And if you wonder why they call it a great window, this explains it. The window is the size of a **tennis court**!!!!

By then we were pretty much churched out, and decided to walk a portion of the medieval walls of the old city of York. Anna led the way. I was petrified. I am not afraid of heights as much as I am of falling (and wait until you see my brave pics from the top of St. Paul’s in London at the end of the trip). This may have required more nerve, tho, as there were no railings on the left. In the US there would have been cement barricades defacing the walk (to keep the litigious and the lawyers at bay).  We didn’t do the whole thing due to time and, frankly, my nerves!

And lovely rooftops on the walk–would make a great quilt!

We had a lovely lunch and tea, and Eli kindly took this photo of me with Anna. The sweater she is wearing is one she made and is FAB. As you can see, though, the wind had abated and it started to warm up a little.

We walked Anna back to the train station (she lives about an hour away from York and came all the way to meet us!).  Next to the station is the Railway Museum, so had to take a selfie with Thomas the Tank since Joshua and I read those books and watched the videos.   Saving the books for some future decade and grandkids!

We were lucky–the “Hogwarts Express” engine was on the sidings at the museum–it is still a working engine so sometimes is out working!

The actual Platform 9 3/4 sign from the Harry Potter museums is here, not at King’s Cross Station, so I’m pretending to push my cart. Thanks again to Eli for being my photographer!

This was too cool not to photograph, also in the Railway Museum.  I think it came fro a station somewhere, but can’t read my photo of the signage.

And some of the engines. That green one with the bump looks JUST like Percy, my favorite engine from the Thomas the Tank books. Percy is such a sweet personality, always trying hard even if the task seems beyond his abilities–he always tries, and does so cheerfully. Methinks I need another visit to York to include more time as this was just about a half hour quick visit!

Banners in the Quilt Museum, York, England. Other than these banners, photography was not allowed.  Glad I could snap there–they are lovely!

With online friend, and now in person friend, Hanneke!

Our walk from the hostel to the old part of the city went down this road.  You can see the Minster (Cathedral) in the distance.

Approaching one of the gates to the old city of York.

Entering the old city at Petersgate, which was founded in AD 71 by the Romans (or more likely, by them on top of a village already there).

Just a short way down the street into town I found a stitchery shop with a quilt in the window commemorating the recent “stage” of the Tour de France that had come through in July.

One of the blocks from the Tour de France stitchery quilt.

Another of the blocks from the Tour de France stitchery quilt.

Wandering about the pedestrian zone of old York. This city is absolutely stunning, picturesque, loaded with history, and not a hustle-bustle kind of frenetic place but one where you can walk, savor, enjoy.

If you paid a modest sum to help support the wildlife and rehab group, you could hold the owls. This one is an Asian Wood Owl.  Did you see that, a HAPPY teen.  Yes, methinks working with animals is a good future for him!

The owl is getting acquainted with Eli (wearing a gauntlet), his handler helping.

Petting the owl. SO soft!

A little owl.

Barn owl.

LOOK at those stunning feathers on the barn owl!

Great horned owl. I realized later that I can spot myself reflected in his eye…I’m just to the left of the sky, holding up the camera!

That Asian owl. Glorious!

This  urn is of an African Style said to have been introduced by Emperor Septimius Severus circa 300 AD; this may resemble his wife. WOW!

Not the best photo, but actual leather shoes from Vikings, circa 1000 AD.

Embroidered woman’s cap, 16th century.

And LOOKIT these massive antlers!  Horns of a Gian Red Deer, which went extinct about 7000 years ago.

Standing underneath the horns, looking up.  They are probably 10 feet wide?

Nose piece from the York Helmet, an Anglian warriors helmet circa 1000 AD.  I love the design work.  Probably an inch wide.

The Middleham Jewel. Described as “the finest piece of medieval fold-working ever found in England” discovered near Middleham Castle, dates to 1450-1500 AD.