Sunny Days, Sweeping the Clouds Away by alophoto

Sunny Days, Sweeping the Clouds Away

Thankful that today is looking brighter. Colder, but sunnier. The kids are home the are having what I call a "too damn cold day" which is different than a snow day. It's too cold for the busses to run...it's 7 degrees below 0 today or 39 degrees below freezing. Um, yeah. That's cold.

To take this ICM (intentional camera movement) shot, I was outside in my pj's, slippers and a robe. I only spent a few minutes outside and my hands and nose didn't even get numb. Thankfully, my blood is thickening up.

Thanks for all of your comments on my tearful selfie yesterday. We all have hard days, tough times. Grateful that mine was mainly acted out and that today is an all around happier day. We made cookies last night, which helped:). Wish I could share.



rockin the camera movement girl friend....
January 28th, 2014  
Beautiful icm!
January 28th, 2014  
Glad to know things are better. Very daring shot. You are a risk taker and that scores high marks with me :)
January 28th, 2014  
The photo conveys rushing about on a cold day.
January 28th, 2014  
Beautiful shot! It is miserable cold here too. I can't wait for some warm weather. Fav
January 28th, 2014  
Are they as good as Costco Cookies? I bought a whole box of them today and they are already half gone!!
January 28th, 2014  
Lovely shot too, he added lamely!
January 28th, 2014  
A perfect subject for ICM! Fav'd.
January 28th, 2014  
@seanoneill YOU have Costco? Is it a membership bulk buying club like here? Or is that a brand? Mine were homemade and can't be beaten. They are peanut butter blossoms...the peanut butter kind with the hershey's kiss on top. I used dark chocolate ones! Mmmmmm.... And thanks!

@egad Oh my goodness, I need spring. Thanks girl!
January 28th, 2014  
Fabulous shot!! I love the sun in the middle -- well framed. And wish I had some cookies. This healthier diet we're on is really annoying. Glad you're feeling more 'up'.
January 28th, 2014  
This is absolutely wonderful! Fav for sure!
January 28th, 2014  
brilliant! love it. fav
January 28th, 2014  
I have Costco, they've been over here for 20+ years now. I do the shopping there for my serviced office business. They do a Hotdog and Coke for £1-50, it's my very guilty secret, though I did skip breakfast knowing that one of those bad boys had my name on for lunch.

Npw peanut butter cookies are right up my alley, so please add these to the list of things that need to be available when I come a calling one day!! I am the only person in my house who eats PB, so I rarely get to have it. When I am particularly good, R makes me some PB Squares, see link. http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/Peanut-Butter-Squares-5384
They are "The Doggies Doodahs!!" It has been a good 3 or 4 years since we last had any ;-) Now chocolate. Sorry, that is one thing we do better.....lights blue touch paper and retreats safe distance.
January 28th, 2014  
This shot is great, makes me happy.
January 28th, 2014  
@seanoneill At least the swiss and belgians do. Ok, you bring the chocolate. Cool that you have Costco. I shop at the other version we have here called Sams. Our old Costco was so crowded that I couldn't bear it. Mmmm, the hotdog and coke sound good.
January 28th, 2014  
@amandal You want to come to ours then, I could have driven round it today it was so quiet!
January 28th, 2014  
Beautiful. Looks like a painting....
January 28th, 2014  
You've made me want to try this ICM. I'm crazy about focus and freak about a bit (ok, a LOT) if my photos aren't focused exactly the way I think they should be. But this ICM is pretty dang cool! I'll start researching on how to get this done.
It was -7° when we got up this morning too. But they don't cancel school unless it's -20°, so it's business as usual.
January 28th, 2014  
Amazing, amazing, amazing. FAV, FAV.FAV.
January 28th, 2014  
Fabulous effect!!FAV!!
January 28th, 2014  
@smellychelli -20...can't even imagine how cold that would be. Try setting your camera at an aperture of 16 and using an iso of 100. Then move your camera slowly up or down or to the side when you press the shutter. I even tried to make it all zig zaggedy today, but yeah that came out awful! Thanks, Michelle. This is where it is ok to be out of focus.
January 28th, 2014  
Gorgeous Amanda! Exact the good zoom effect !
January 28th, 2014  
gorgeous.
January 28th, 2014  
Instant fav! Gorgeous wArm tones.love the jaggedness ( is that a word) of the lines in this ICM
January 28th, 2014  
Lovely!
January 28th, 2014  
Very pretty! I long for a sunrise with colour!
January 28th, 2014  
Lovely shot, beautiful colours!
January 28th, 2014  
Love the slow blending of the colours!
January 28th, 2014  
@kwind This one was a pretty cold sunrise, so I played with it a bit to warm it up. I needed to FEEL warm today. The other one from a few weeks ago, was crazy colorful. This was less so, but still pretty. Thanks!
January 28th, 2014  
I love this abstract! And thinking of you outside in this cold weather in your pjs.. lol You are getting crazier and crazier girl! I was reading your comments above but had to stop coz they were too caloric..lol
January 28th, 2014  
@deniseescovino I've been doing photos outside in my robe for a year or so now. But yeah, it's not usually below freezing out when I do. I seriously didn't notice. Don't know how, but I guess I was focused...and have a warm robe and pjs.
January 28th, 2014  
Jo
Such a great shot Amanda, just love the ICM effect.
January 28th, 2014  
very painterly ... love it .. I would have been tempted to soften it (but thats just me and my opnion) ... looks awesome as is ... FAV :-)
January 28th, 2014  
Meg
Great shot...reminds me of a shower scene...love the colors.
January 28th, 2014  
@friend2303 I think it was softer prior to uploading it, but 365 has been crazy with my shots lately. Thanks, man. I did up the colors a bit to at least make me FEEL warmer today but lightened it significantly. Thanks so much for the fav!!
January 28th, 2014  
@amandal as long as you keep yourself war, girl :))
January 28th, 2014  
@deniseescovino Always at war;-). In my mind. Yes, warm, too:).
January 28th, 2014  
Really beautifully done
January 28th, 2014  
This looks like a warm shot! We are just at 30 degrees in Florida. It's raining and the schools are closed today and tomorrow. Possible snow in the sunshine state!
January 28th, 2014  
FAV!
January 28th, 2014  
Pea
Very, very nice shot Amanda. You are rocking ICM fav
January 28th, 2014  
beautifully done :)
January 28th, 2014  
very beautiful shot :)
January 28th, 2014  
hahahahaha WARM! Oh Goshh, getting old sucks!! LOL
January 28th, 2014  
@tskipper Wowsa...my kids are off because of the cold. Snow in FL. I remember that once before on Christmas when I was a kid. Thanks so much!
January 28th, 2014  
Wonderful ICM! Great light!
January 28th, 2014  
Beautiful warm colours Amanda, great icm shot.
January 28th, 2014  
Superb ICM, the camera movement was probably because you were shaking with the cold!!
January 28th, 2014  
Beautiful abstract
January 28th, 2014  
beautiful!
January 28th, 2014  
Beautiful. Love the ICM. It's going in my favorites.
January 28th, 2014  
Beautiful ICM - love it
January 28th, 2014  
Like a painting, love it :)
January 28th, 2014  
I wondered if the movement was from trembling in the cold :o) Gorgeous colours and silhouettes ...love the image of you in your slippers.
January 28th, 2014  
*mental image* that is!
January 28th, 2014  
Oh dear lady, that sounds really cold. Keep warm.
January 28th, 2014  
Nicely done with great golds and cooler tones. They call off school here when it gets to -20 F.
January 29th, 2014  
Jae
Lovely!
January 29th, 2014  
@rvwalker Thanks, Ross!! We are wusses here in OH. Wanna see a funny poem my mom wrote about our state today:

A Poem for Ohio

It's winter in Ohio
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At twenty-five below...
Oh, how I love Ohio
The snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.
Yes, the winter here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave Ohio
'Cause I'm frozen to the ground!
January 29th, 2014  
This is one of the best ICM shots I've seen here - perfect for a quick shot in your miserable weather! (Would have liked to see you getting this - takes me 25 tries to get one decent shot this way - don't think you had that kind of time!) Well done and hope for warmer days soon.
January 29th, 2014  
@milaniet I took 30 shots...and somehow didn't manage to get cold. Crazy. Thanks so much, lady!! I got a good one a few weeks back and figured I'd try again.:) It's really hit or miss so don't feel bad.
January 29th, 2014  
Ahem... To the tune of "On Top Of Old Smoky".

1. It's winter in Idaho, and soft breezes blow,
Forty miles per hour, at thirty below.
2. Oh, how I love Idaho, when snow's to your butt.
Take a breath of winter air, And your nose is froze shut.
3. Yes the weather is wonderful, You may think I'm a fool.
I could never leave Idaho, Cause I'm froze to the stool.

That's one that Linda's Madd Hatters singing group used to sing!
January 29th, 2014  
@rvwalker Did my mom rip it off? Shoot.
January 29th, 2014  
LOL. Delightful.
January 29th, 2014  
What an awesome shot, Amanda. Love your poem above. So glad you are having a better day today and so glad it is you and not me in those temps. I will stay here in the drought. @rvwalker I love your song as much as Amanda's poem, Ross. No temptation to move to the snow ever. Could be dropped in for a day of photo taking though as the snow makes for some of the most awesome photos. FAV
January 29th, 2014  
cool cool!
January 29th, 2014  
Beautiful!
January 29th, 2014  
lovely tones and painterly feel to this...

what's up with all these "cold" days down in the US... i have been swearing to my children that there isn't such a thing as a "cold" day that's like a "snow" day and shuts down the schools... dang - i hope they don't read the news from down south!
January 29th, 2014  
nice
January 29th, 2014  
beautiful shot. glad youre feeling happy - cookies always help :-)
January 29th, 2014  
I love ICM effects and especially combined with sunset tones and trees, beautiful shot! It has been too damn cold days here for a while, brrr!
January 29th, 2014  
ICM is one of those things that either works, or it is a total mess...this one works! Well done!
January 29th, 2014  
would look really great on a large wall of an office. great icm work, young lady.
January 29th, 2014  
wonderful image :- )
January 29th, 2014  
Shake and fav----:)
January 29th, 2014  
@joemuli Shake? Like I was shaking in the cold? Thanks, man. I thought it was a good word story after my miserable selfie from yesterday.
January 29th, 2014  
fantastic! love the color, light and ICM! fav!
January 29th, 2014  
Amy
Loving the ICM!
January 29th, 2014  
Very very beautiful Amanda! I didn't think I would ever get to the bottom of this scroll..so many comments. Love this and of course it is a FAV. WIll need to try this sometime...
January 29th, 2014  
Beautiful shot. Love the movement and silhouettes.
January 29th, 2014  
@friend2303 You were right...I went ahead and softened it up a bit. You like it better? Thanks for that. Oh and last night, my husband, Mike, accused me of "copying that guy." "Who Vijay? Nah, I'm not copying him, just flattering him." Thanks for the tips.
January 29th, 2014  
@amandal ha!:)sorry,what a I mean is - you're shaking from the cold wearing only p.j.'s-- and was 'of course a good story image.
January 29th, 2014  
I love the symmetry and the bold colours xx
January 29th, 2014  
Hooray for cookies, and I love how this short turned out!
January 29th, 2014  
Super duper beautiful! Love the colors. FAV!
January 30th, 2014  
@pflaume Thanks so much, lady. Welcome back and so appreciate the fav!

@psychographer Thank you very much, Lisa!!

@joemuli Shake indeed:)!

@eyesmile Really appreciate that, Gena!!

@wind_of_the_sothern_sea Thanks so much for the fav, Arefin!!

@summerfield Thanks so much for that. I agree!!

@ericdibosco I agree. Thanks, Eric. Glad this did work:).

@darsphotos Snow does make lovely photos, but yes, I am pretty over it this year. Thanks so much for the fav, Darlene. Hoping that you all still get lots of rain and snow in the mountains to quench CA!!

@hh :) I got it. Funny! And thanks!
January 30th, 2014  
@mcsiegle Thanks so much for that, Mary!!

@sugarmuser Thank you very much, Sharon!!

@deeganp Really appreciate your kind fav, Pea!!

@mzzhope Thanks so much for that, Hope!!

@carolmw Aw, thank you kindly, Carol!!

@cathrinemitch You are so kind, Cathrine. Thank you!!

@fullcircle Love that you said that, Cindy. It did me, too:).

@roseolivia Thanks so much for the fav, Rachel!!

@rishi Thank you so much for the kind fav, Rishi!!

@regex Thanks so much for that, Gene!!

@adamj Love your words, Adam. Thank you!!

@swguevin Such a wonderful description of exactly what it was. Thanks, lady!!
January 30th, 2014  
That's really quite lovely here!
January 30th, 2014  
@amandal Bad news. Not much rain and not much snow and this that was to be the stronger system is over. They had a special last night about the drought and two were talking about it standing in Folsom Lake where they would usually be many feet under water. You cannot help but be sad that this is happening and hope and pray that we get more rain (so many got none) and snow (about 6") last I heard. It is affecting farmers, crops and wildlife and us.
January 30th, 2014  
A beautiful abstract shot. Guess when it's that cold it is 'too darn cold' !
January 31st, 2014  
Caz
Beautiful !
January 31st, 2014  
oh yes this is wonderful - love the meloncholy light & feel of being on a train - fav
February 1st, 2014  
You are doing some cool things with the ICM and the trees and the sun!
February 2nd, 2014  
@jyokota Thanks, lady. I so wish I got out more, but it's tough with the extreme cold and a little one. I ICM just to mix it up a bit.
February 2nd, 2014  
@gozoinklings Love your description here, Catherine. Thank you!!
February 2nd, 2014  
really well done ICM! I have never tried it, but I have plenty of UCM Unintentional Camera Movement! lol
February 2nd, 2014  
Love this one!
February 2nd, 2014  
Fabulous shot! Great tones, love it!
February 7th, 2014  
@vickisfotos Funny. I do that bunches, too:).

@soboy5 @kjarn Thanks, guys!
February 7th, 2014  
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