Gallery – Page 19 – This is Another Story

Summer Harvest

Published on July 15, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan12 Comments

So here are some pictures from the recent harvest of blackberries. I have a suspicion there is a lot to come.

My mom picked these. I told her to only pick the ones that are black as coal but she didn’t believe me. After all, what do I know? I’ve only been the sole harvester of blackberries for last three years or so.

“Whatever,” she said and popped a red one into her mouth.

“I told you,” I sighed as I watched her squeeze her eyes shut like she had just drunk a spoonful of apple cider vinegar. “The red ones are extremely sour.” I told her afterwards.

That’s why it’s called blackberries and not red berries because they are only sweet when it’s black. I think she had learned her lesson though, just like I learned mine back in 2012. I guess there’s always a first time for everything.

Here is a close-up on the blackberries bushes. It’s just a matter of time before these ripen and are ready to be picked.

There is! One ripened blackberry. They are sweet as sugar.

Just to give you a perspective of the amount of berries in the backyard. This is just a fraction. I thought after my aunt botched the pruning last fall, we would have less berries or none at all this year but instead, we have more. It is incredible.

Here are the watermelons my mom planted about two weeks back. Look at how much they’ve grown. Apparently, watermelons like heat and water. That’s probably why people love it so much in the summer. I am so looking forward to this harvest.

Finally, while the roses are taking a break, the dahlias are blooming in the front yard. Not a lot though, after all, we have just planted them last Summer. It’ll take a little time to grow. This flower has been around for about a week or two and that is already longer than the roses.

Symbol of Friendship

…black and white spots

Summer 2008

Symbol of Nature

A Mix Reflection and Symbols

Published on July 11, 2015November 22, 2015 by Yinglan2 Comments

So I have been busy all day and didn’t get to write at all. What about the story I posted this morning? That was just a little something I put together yesterday. Continue reading “A Mix Reflection and Symbols” →

Unexpected Guests

Published on July 5, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan8 Comments

Warning: Read on at your own risk. I cannot guarantee this post is safe for everyone with Arachnophobia. Continue reading “Unexpected Guests” →

Photo101: Glass

Published on July 2, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan2 Comments

When I was looking at these pictures for the first time, they looked like what an astronaut would see if they looked out the window of their space capsule. Except for the rose bush, it looked sort of like that to me.

Tell me, do you see it too?

Symbol of Friendship

Photo101: Treasure and Close Up

Published on June 29, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan9 Comments

This assignment is a little tricky because it asks about treasures and yet, it showed a piece of delicious tart. Then I understood. The delicious tart is a symbolic way to say that things will be gone sooner or later. Therefore, we have to treasure it while it lasts.

So what is my treasure? I’ve been asked that question before when I took Writing 101 in April. Then, it was the things we treasure and I picked my iPod. I am not going to do that again.

My other treasure is symbolic. It is friendship. I don’t make friends easily but when I make a friend, I tend to hold on to that friend like a vise. So, I was a little sad when I had to move to Texas. Before I went, my friend gave me this last thing to hold on. She made it all, all out of straws (the kind you drank from). Although presently, we are merely just acquaintances, I have treasured this parting gift and I am so glad this assignment jogged my memory.

She had taught me to make these stars once but I wasn’t as good as her. It’s quite difficult to pull the straw through such a small space with my chubby fingers. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge – Close Up

Photo101: Landscape

Published on June 28, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan2 Comments

I take a lot of landscape shots but I rarely take panoramic picture. It’s just too time-consuming and having shaking hands do not help. However, when I can’t resist, I would spend however long to take a perfect panorama.

For some of you, you may remember this picture from last Christmas. This picture is about as perfect as I can make a panorama turn out. It took me five tries and about 30 minutes to take this single shot. It’s worth it though because I’m pretty sure they only decorate this area at Christmas. It is the scene when everyone gather to witness the birth of Jesus Christ.

I did not and am not going to crop this picture because then, it would destroy the purpose of a panoramic picture.

I have also prepare the following pictures to show but I don’t have anything to say about them. They are just some picture I took during one of my walks in the park.

Photo101: Architecture and Monochrome

Published on June 28, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan1 Comment

I was actually dreading this assignment because there are really not much architecture around here that’s worth showing in color let alone in black and white. Now that the project at my other job complete, I just have to go to work once a week to update the inventory and I never bring my camera for that. Then this morning, as I was digging around in search of some landscape pictures, I came across these. They aren’t much but I’m sure they belong in the category of some sort of architecture. Continue reading “Photo101: Architecture and Monochrome” →

Withered English Tea Rose

Fresh + Withered English Tea Roses

My Muse

Published on June 27, 2015August 9, 2015 by Yinglan16 Comments

I am definitely obsessed with taking pictures of flowers, plants, and landscapes. What can I say? Those are the only things here.

At the moment, though, I don’t really have any landscapes pictures worthy of showing. So I will just stick with flowers. I took these just three days ago and since then, I haven’t been able to take my eyes off of them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Before I go, can someone please tell me the name of those pink flowers? I honestly don’t know. Thank you. 🙂

Response to Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Muse

Observation From My Walks

Published on June 26, 2015August 9, 2015 by Yinglan8 Comments

Originally, this was published under Photo101. The original title was: Photo101: Observation. Therefore, below are the original texts:

Since I don’t know what scale means, at least in terms of photography, I’ll just do observation.

From what I understand, observation is something we see and typically, the camera captures more or less than what we see. For example, in the picture above, my eyes are paying attention on the path several feet ahead while the camera captures the entire scene, no matter how I adjust it. I’m not sure if this is making sense to anybody. Ugh, I suck at explaining things. Anyway, the same goes for the picture below.

Did I achieve the goal of the assignment? Yes? No? Maybe?

Anyway, now, looking back, I think these pictures are great for the Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge – Beneath Your Feet.

Photo101: Play with Light

Published on June 26, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan2 Comments

I wish I had shown this picture for yesterday’s prompt because it was taken a little more than a hour after the sun had risen. At the time (April), the sun didn’t rise until a little after seven. Continue reading “Photo101: Play with Light” →

Photo101: Moment and Motion

Published on June 24, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan4 Comments

This is a picture of the University of Utah fountain. Continue reading “Photo101: Moment and Motion” →

Photo101: A Pop of Color

Published on June 23, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan14 Comments

So I haven’t really had the opportunity to go out and take some new photographs since mom has decided to only work one day a week now that she’s getting closer to being laid-off. It affect me going outside and taking pictures because she doesn’t believe in taking pictures without people in it. Continue reading “Photo101: A Pop of Color” →

Red Roses

Orange Pumpkin Pie

Yellow Tulip

Green leaves with pink elephant ear roses

Yellowstone Lake

I guess this can be classify as violet, right?

I can’t tell, violet or indigo

Rainbow and More…

Published on June 20, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan9 Comments

Last night, I sat in my new basement bedroom and looked around. I see a variety of things that fit the criteria of Roy G. Biv. But under this bright florescent lighting, the photos do not turn out so good. Therefore, I have decided to again, go to my archive and dig. I’ll show more later, if I have time. Enjoy. Continue reading “Rainbow and More…” →

Photo101: Warmth

Published on June 18, 2015November 24, 2015 by YinglanLeave a comment

It’s quite hard to capture something using the sun as the source of light, I think. I’ve tried in the past as you can see in the picture below. It is a picture of the sun on a cloudy day. I was pulling the camera to its maximum zoom (3-times). That’s why everything else look like it’s taken with a cheap phone camera. Continue reading “Photo101: Warmth” →

Definitely Out of Season

Published on June 18, 2015August 9, 2015 by Yinglan3 Comments

This year has been undoubtedly wet and warm. However, it’s not just here. Looking at other people’s posts, it looks like it’s happening around the world as well. Yesterday evening, when my mom and I went for a walk in the park, she pointed out the mountains are not snow-capped anymore because normally, a tiny bit of snow would stay remain on the mountains in June or July but this year, there’s none.

Meanwhile, it’s been raining almost everyday. There has hardly been a day where the dark clouds don’t roll in, where we just have blue cloudless skies and plenty of sunshine. Ugh, this weather is killing my mood and inspiration. Please make it STOP!!!

Unfortunately, I’ve already jinxed it. This post was written approximately four days ago and since then, the clouds had cleared up and it’s been one word, HOT! Guess summer has arrived.

Anyway, enough complaining, I want to show you this picture which is definitely out-of-season, trudging in snow in short-sleeves and sandal. This was Yellowstone in July 2011, by the way, and that is NOT my brother (only-child), it’s my friend’s.

Photo101: Natural Worlds

Published on June 17, 2015August 13, 2015 by Yinglan15 Comments

Talk about an easy task. Even though I don’t interact with nature much especially these days, when I step out of the house and something immediately bites me all over but that doesn’t mean I have to be stuck in the house all day long. Therefore, early morning yesterday, while my mom ran to the post office, I took the opportunity and went out to the garden to take some close-up pictures, hoping I can use them for the POV assignment but this is better.

I tweaked this picture just a little bit with Pixlr, a photo-editing app I use but it is a macro picture. Does anyone want to hazard a guess as to what you’re looking at? Hint: it’s a vegetable you eat almost every day, that is, if you eat vegetable.

It looks like the apples from the combination apple tree is coming in nicely. We are going to have lots of apples this year. This is just the Golden Delicious branch. We’ve got Granny Smith, Fuji, and Honeycrisp. All in one tree!

Lastly, blackberries! Last summer, I remember I was harvesting them like I had just harvested snow peas. I think this year will be more or less the same.

Of the three pictures, I am most in love with the blackberry picture. I think the effect I’ve chosen really suits the picture well. Without this effect, the color would look way too bright and the picture would be missing that, oh I can describe it, element.

Photo101: Connect and Tags

Published on June 16, 2015August 9, 2015 by Yinglan4 Comments

For some of you, this picture is not new while for most, it probably is. Yes, this is the same staircase picture I used for my post a few weeks ago. And I’ve decided to use it again for this assignment.

This rickety staircase happens to connect the lower and upper deck of the yard at the rental property. Without it, I probably will not have enough guts to get on the upper level to clear the weeds and distribute the mulch. So thanks to these stairs, I am able to complete that job without my mom throwing a fit about how I’m a scaredy-cat.

Photo101: Solitude

Published on June 13, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan4 Comments

The latest assignment from photo101 is solitude which in my view means a picture of someone looking out into the distance, sad, alone, and may I add, looking completely lost. This kind of photo is quite hard to take and even find because one, I don’t like taking pictures of people because I feel like it’s an invasion of someone privacy to take their pictures without telling them first and two, I’ve never actually seen anyone looking sad, alone, and completely lost. Even when I was in the city today, I didn’t see anything or anyone that fit the description.

So once again, I have dig into my archive and fortunately I found what I needed but first I want to show you this picture:

This is from last May when we went house hunting down by Utah Lake, a large fresh water lake by Provo, Utah. Mom wanted to buy a second house so she wouldn’t have to commute 100 miles daily for work. What you’re looking at is the land. Unfortunately, after we saw the model, we were convinced that it was way too small. It felt smaller than our current home. So we bailed.

That’s me, looking alone. I guess that looks like solitude. I didn’t mean to look like that. I was just standing there when Mom snapped the picture. Honestly though, I felt kind of tired and frustrated because it was all Mom could talk about at the time.

Why is it both black and white and color?

When I messed with the picture just now, I wanted the picture to show that solitude feeling, that loneliness. I guess I failed, huh?

Photo101: Bliss

Published on June 12, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan14 Comments

When I saw day four’s assignment, I was a little stumped. Bliss? I mean I’m not a big gesture kind of person, I mean I don’t do big poses when taking a picture. Where can I find a picture of bliss? Continue reading “Photo101: Bliss” →

Photo101: Water

Published on June 11, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan6 Comments

Have I ever show you pictures of that time I went to Great Salt Lake? No? Continue reading “Photo101: Water” →

Photo101: Street and Established Shots

Published on June 10, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan8 Comments

Yes, I have joined Photo101 but unfortunately, I couldn’t find a picture of home, well, unless, I went on pinterest and just find a picture but that wouldn’t be Photo101, would it. Then Day 2, I could’ve just gone outside and taken a photo of my street but everyone’s already seen that and it wouldn’t be fun to see it again and again. So I chose one from my archive. Continue reading “Photo101: Street and Established Shots” →

Green leaves with pink elephant ear roses

Vivid Flowers

Published on June 6, 2015August 9, 2015 by Yinglan8 Comments

So, I want to ask, do you remember this picture?

Do not worry if you don’t. This was taken at the end of March. Why am I asking? It’s because I took the photograph below two days ago.

I hope you see the tulips are gone and it’s replaced by the roses. What a difference in just three short months!

But this isn’t about that, it is about these pictures which are my contribution for this week’s photo challenge: Vivid. I hope you enjoy.

F.Y.I: The pictures of the roses and whatever those magenta flowers are were taken with my Note 10.1 tablet and then I played with it in pixlr. The other pictures were taken with my old bad-battery camera.

First Attempt at B&W Plus Updates

Published on June 4, 2015November 24, 2015 by Yinglan10 Comments

I have been mostly restricted to fiction this week. If you haven’t notice, I’ve been posting nothing but fiction in the last three days. What can I say, I don’t feel like write anything when I feel like crap and yes, I still do but I seem to be just a tiny bit better this morning after mom pushed open my door at 7 am this morning and woke me in a panic for no reason at all except telling me to get to work. She’s gone for the day though, finally, taking a language exam 50 miles away.

I’m so looking forward to this weekend. She will be gone for training and I’ll have the house to myself for the weekend.

Back to feeling like crap, I think I’m having some health issues. That won’t be the first. I don’t want to see a doctor either. All the doctors I’ve been to offer no sympathy whatsoever. I know it’s not your job but still, I came to you. I’m in pain. You can’t just tell me it’s psychological and there’s nothing wrong with me. Can’t you at least do some digging?

Okay, here’s my problem. In the last two days, my head’s been hurting and my chest’s been periodically throbbing. I don’t want to think about it since there’s a chance the pain is “psychological” but at the same time, it feels like it’s getting worse. I want so much to complain but I already know what my mom’s going to say. She’ll either place a large bottle of 600 mg Ibuprofen before me or we’ll bicker.

I couldn’t take it any longer so the other night, I mentioned my discomfort while preparing dinner the other night and we’d just ended up bickering. “It’s all your fault for not drying your hair before heading to bed.” Mom said.

I was, as always, in no mood to bicker and I never went to bed with my hair wet. I always wait until it’s dried before sleeping. “I don’t do that,” I defended.

“If you do that for too many times, it’s bound to happen.” Why do I even make the effort? It’s like talking to a stone.

“Haven’t you been listening to me? I. Don’t. Do. That.” I said through my clenched teeth. There’s no point, my inner voice told me. You’re a minute too late, I snapped.

“I’ve watched you, I’ve seen you do it.” Yeah, like a few months or a few years ago. I didn’t answer. I regret to even brought it up. Forget it.

Aside from that little bicker, so many things had happened this week like I’ve found out a literary magazine HQ in Atlanta is looking for submissions. I have a story for the December issue but I’m afraid it might be too bleak. Should I go for it? I don’t want people to read the story around Christmas and burst in tears. I probably should send another one, huh, one that would cheer people, not make them cry.

I’m going out to work today. This will be the second time this week. I went on Monday and it turned out I couldn’t do much. My boss broke his pinkie last week tripping on a broken sprinkler and now he only has a working right hand while his left hand is wrapped elbow-deep in bandages. I hope he’s there because I went yesterday and he wasn’t there. So I ended up having to have to walk back home but I took my sweet time with the walk.

I’ve always enjoyed black and white photography. I just never thought it fit in with the pictures I took but I just have to try it. What do you think?