About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Photo Hunt Theme: METAL


When I saw that the theme for today was METAL, I automatically thought of sculptures. I didn't want to go into the city to the Art Gallery or other areas where I knew there are sculptures so I thought I'd post a photograph of a sculpture on the Hermosa Beach Pier. I was there last year and it was a good shot. But then I decided to go for a walk and return a dvd (by the way, "Atonement" is cr*p compared to the book) and I took my camera along with me. People must have thought I was nuts taking pictures of street signs, sewers, fire hydrants, fences, etc. Do you have ANY idea how many things in our everyday lives are made out of metal? I couldn't believe it. So, here are a few of what I found on a 30-minute walk around my neighbourhood.





I found this lying on the grass. If you can guess what it is you get 10 points! lol I'll tell you at the end what it is.




Then I passed by an ordinary tree and was taken aback at all the nails stuck in it. Obviously, it's at a good spot for posting yard sale signs. It's a wonder the tree hasn't bled to death from all the attacks it's had over the years!





Two different coloured fire hydrants.















I passed by the Safeway store and people stared at me as I took this shot of the shopping carts.

Behind the Safeway is this little area that used to be a daycare center. The chain-link fence kept the little ones safe inside as they played on all the metal equipment.


The signage around my neighbourhood is incredible! When I started looking, I thought "Wow!" and I thought I lived in a "countryish" suburb. Not! These are the local television cable satellite towers above a "no stopping" sign.
We can't live without stop signs! And signs indicating street names/numbers.

And of course we need to be careful not to park where there's a "No Parking" sign.

When you need to cross the street, there's a button you need to push so the sign will tell you when it's safe to go.

Go only when it's green for you and red for the drivers.


Drivers must adhere to the speed limit or risk getting a ticket.
And go right when you're told.

This is nice in that it shows that some people have civic pride by adopting a street and are maintaining it on their own.And of course if there is a disaster (like an earthquake, a major fire, or another 9/11) follow this route out of town to safety.

Hope you enjoyed this little "metal tour" of my neighbourhood. Oh! and that picture at the beginning? It was a broken umbrella handle.

Oh and the Photo Hunt is brought to you by tnchick here.

45 comments:

Gin said...

I love all your metal shots! I was going to guess that your unidentified metal object was a kick stand from a bike! No extra points for me! haha

I will do Photo Hunter tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

It is amazing how much we use metal in everyday life without realizing it.

Claudia said...

Clever photo hunting! I liked the post with all the tacks & nails. I almost did a sign too.

jmb said...

Lot's of metal everywhere near you Leslie. I didn't recognize the umbrella. Have a happy and holy Easter.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful array of metal findings!
My first time viewing fire hydrants on those colors :P
Happy Easter!

Jen said...

I loved going on your little journey to find metal things! So much fun!! I couldn't figure out what the first picture was, so I lose! Have a wonderful weekend!

Natalie said...

I was right!!!! That's what I thought it was. Go me...I got 10 points. LOL!

Joyismygoal said...

good work lots and lots of metal and cute little tour

Liz Hinds said...

what a lot of metal! as you say we don't notice it until we look.

dixymiss said...

Interesting collection of metal shots. My fave is the tree with all the tack/nails (poor thing) ~ though I would have guessed it was a telephone pole.

Anonymous said...

I find the colors of the fire hydrants cool.

Casdok said...

I didnt get the unbrella handle!.

eastcoastlife said...

hahaha.... a broken umbrella holder! I didn't guess it right.

I thought fire hydrants are red. ???

CRIZ LAI said...

Those sure are lots of signs you took this week. Better rest on the soft warm sofa and get a tall glass of lemonade. It's a great job done!

YTSL said...

Yup, as I just wrote on another blog: It can seem like metal is pretty much everywhere we look these days! ;b

Rosie said...

The tree is wonderful...sometimes you have to suffer for beauty!

jams o donnell said...

Wow that's so many signs! Have a great weekend

Carver said...

Great post and group of shots for the metal theme. It is amazing how many things there are made out of metal when you start looking.

Deb @ Sugarfused said...

Goodness that's a lot of metal in 30 minutes lol :)

BTW, thanks for the heads-up on Atonement. It's one of my favorite books and I've been anxious to see the film.

Katney said...

I don't know why I didn't recognize the umbrella handle. I have one just like it. That unbrella is not easy to use!

Russell said...

Love this post!! Of all the pictures - and I liked all of them! - I absolutely loved the picture of the shopping carts the best!

I am not sure why, but that seemed to capture so much and say so much! I think it says a lot about our society - get that Safeway cart and go, go, go!!!

I also think about the people I see in the city who are pushing a grocery cart around with all their worldly belongings in them!

Most interesting and I really enjoyed these images. Someday I have to learn what 50 kilometers means!! I can never put kilometers into miles!! Well, okay, I sort of know but I am lazy!!

Take care!

Carin said...

Great photo hunting! Your story put a smile on my face for I often feel the same when taking pictures in the neighbourhood. Like you I think people think I am nuts when they see me taking photo's of normal stuff ! Well that's the fun of it !

Nice entries for the theme.

Happy Easter !

Desert Diva said...

Very nice collection of "metal!"

Pulchritude said...

i love the tacks and nails too

Paulie said...

What a collection! (Those would all be great for ODD SHOTS Monday too!) People look strangely at me too when I take photos of odd things. Yesterday I was taking a photo of a swing set in a very messy yard. It had a couple of thick branches on the two swing seats and I found it weird/strange/odd BUT when the homeowner drove up, he was indignant that I would be taking photos of his yard. He thought I was from some neighborhood group that wanted to report his trashy yard. lol When I told him why I took it, he thought it was ok. lol Millions of people on the internet will see it but no one will know his immediate address!

Anonymous said...

very nice..I had a feeling that was part of an umbrella, but wasn't sure.

Yoshi said...

Wow i love your shots. :D lots of metal there. It's so true that it's everywhere. :D

TorAa said...

A brilliant idea you had here. I'm impressed you did it.
My PH Metal is very different.

TorAa said...

A brilliant idea you had here. I'm impressed you did it.
My PH Metal is very different.

TorAa said...

A brilliant idea you had here. I'm impressed you did it.
My PH Metal is very different.

Flo said...

Isn't it amazing how much metal is all around us every day?? These are some great shots. Mine's up over at Flo's Place

Barb said...

Very nice tour of your metal neighborhood, albeit "countryish" suburb.

Janice Thomson said...

Lots of metal for the theme Leslie.
Great pics and ideas. Happy Easter!

sonia a. mascaro said...

Wow! What a creative post! Love your "matal tour"! Just amazing photos!

Unknown said...

Very clever post!! I love the nails in the tree, definitely my favourite.

Anonymous said...

Wow you really found a lot of metal to photograph! We really are surrounded...
Have a wonderful Easter.

Anonymous said...

I loved all of these signs. I thought (was hoping) we were going to get a shot of Hermosa in there too! The surfer in Huntington would have been a good one too.

Great shots.

Barbara said...

Lots of metal in your neighbourhood, we are surrounded but do we notice it? I guessed the first one was a broken umbrella, the rest of it probably taken by the wind.

Have a great Easter.

Sarge Charlie said...

well you do not owe me 10 points, very nice tour of the neighborhood. my original photo post had some old farming iron and other farmhouse items, I added a second entry because of something I saw while visiting other photo hunts, please stop by both, happy easter

meggie said...

Haha, I guessed the umbrella- had one just like that!
Great post!

heiresschild said...

HAPPY EASTER LESLIE!

denz said...

Wow! what a lovely picture for this week theme, just keep it up and enjoy what you are doing!

Check mine also in HERE!!!

Happy Easter!

Anonymous said...

Tonnes of metal shots... O.o Wow.. impressive

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Loved the metal tour - thank you! Glad you told us what that first photo was as I thought it was a golf club - shows how much I know about sport!!

Heart of Rachel said...

Hi Leslie. Wonderful shots! I think it's great that you went around taking those photos of metals. It seems that everywhere we go we encounter all sorts of metal. Thanks for visiting.