FIREWORKS!!
I took this photograph on the 4^th of July using the “fireworks” mode on my camera. It obviously doesn’t shoot fast enough to catch the individual flickers of light, but I like the elapsed time effect feel it gives to the images.  The city of Fort Collins puts on a big fireworks display every year at City Park.  Many residents also get into the spirit, though they are not supposed to, and shoot off their own… I guess living so close to the Wyoming border where they sell lots of really fun fireworks is just too tempting.

This photo finishes up my assignment for English Composition. I want to thank everyone who participated by voting – you were a great help! 
I hope you enjoyed the photos!

When I took this photograph, I had not had my camera for very long. I was still learning how to use some of the special modes on it, so it was part of the early experimental stage. I will share the secret when I post the original.

This image has some very fun memories that go along with it.  It was taken during a family and friends social event where there was plenty of food and fun involved. Another hint was that it was taken at night.  Once again, I hope that you play along and take a guess.  Thanks!

If you guessed pineapple, you chose correctly! This is a baby pineapple – it still has a ways to go before it will be ready to harvest.

This photo was taken at the Dole Plantation in Wahiawa Town, Hawaii on the island of Oahu. Dole Plantation started out as a fruit stand in the 1950’s, but opened to the public in 1989 as Hawaii’s “Pineapple Experience.”  Although pineapples are native to South America, Hawaii has the perfect environment to cultivate them. There is an extensive garden that gives tourists the opportunity to view and learn about the many varieties.

As with all tourist spots, they also have a very large gift shop…  My favorite part of the shop was the pineapple ice cream :)  

I can’t tell you where I was when I took this picture because it will give it away; however, I will give you the hint that I was not in Colorado. This was taken while I was on a vacation where I was able to see a lot of things I had never seen before and visit some very memorable historic sites. I also had the opportunity to learn about things I hadn’t given much thought to in the past – like the subject of this photo.  Maybe you have seen one of these before, but didn’t know what you were looking at, so let’s see how close your guess can come. 

Stacked Sombreros! This photo was taken in Puerto Aventura on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. We were sitting in this little restaurant that we have visited several times in the past. It is owned by a lady that moved to Puerto Aventura from Kansas about twenty years ago. She’s very nice and my parents really enjoy her restaurant and her company, plus her ice cream and pies are to die for! The sombreros were stacked in a store just on the opposite side of the street from where we were sitting. I love all the colors and textures I see when I am in Mexico – especially the flowers!