Tioga Pass June 2024 photo by Soma Acharya Ink Torrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

Little Stories – Summer Play

Tioga Pass June 2024 photo by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

I went away for a few days to the Sierra Mountains at the high elevation that I love so much.   Now that I am back at home, it is strictly playing and planning indoors for me now.   As I was doing just that, I thought I share with you another set of b&w photos, along with a few other things I have been playing with – paint making, quilting, bookmaking and photography.

 

 

Simple 365 – Set 11

 


Here is another set of Simple365 photos.   For those of you who are new here – A few years ago,  I took one b&w photo per day of simple little things around me for a year.   I have been sharing those photos here every now and then.  These were taken during July and August of that year. 

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos and read the captions.

 

 

I created a page with all the previously shared photos from Simple365.  I continue to add photos to that page as I share them here.  That way I can relive the journey through the year via black and white photos, like in an old photo album.

 

 

InkTorrents Graphics shop @ InkTorrents.com

 

Since I share mostly artwork and photos on this website, one thing you probably don’t know about me is that there was a time when I wrote software for most of my waking hours.  I loved it and I still do.

This is the month when I worked on the computer almost non-stop while drinking countless mugs of coffee and poring over code and art photos.  Tech and art side by side.  My shop went live that month.  Since then, I have added my handmade journals to the shop and sold quite a few, which has been a dream come true.

 

 

Paint Making

 


 

Making Lake Pigment by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

This is only a very small subset of pigments I made last year from things found in the garden.  I am planning on turning them into paint this year.  I need to get a respirator first since I don’t want any of this powder to get into my lungs.  I can’t wait to share more with you.

 

 

Quilt Making

 


 

Iris tulip English Garden Flower quilt pattern by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

I design paper piecing quilt patterns from the ground up, not using quilting software, but a vector drawing program.  I don’t have a design wall, so I create the layout using a software/app as well. 

 

 

Iris tulip English Garden Flower quilt pattern by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

I have finished making all the blocks for this quilt.  Now with the finished layout, I can start cutting the rest of the  fabric for sewing.

 

 

Notebooks and Journals

 


 

Old style handmade NAT leather notebook by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

My husband is studying for his pilot license, and he loves using paper for his notes.  So, I made this notebook for him in the style of old leather books, but with new NAT / vegan leather.  I saved the trim for him to use as a bookmark.

More books are in the making as I write this.

 

 

Photography

 


 

My Cat Tavish photo by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

When I am out and about, my DSLR camera is my perpetual companion.   A few years ago, I switched over to using non-zoom lenses, which are incidentally manual focus only.  It’s a bit old fashioned compared to the modern age of auto-focus zoom lenses, but it suits my style of photography. 

 

 

My Cat Tavish photo by Soma Acharya InkTorrents Graphics @ InkTorrents.com

 

I find black and white photography to be highly expressive.  As the color is stripped off the scene, it becomes all about light and shadow. 

I wanted to try out my recently acquired new lenses.   Tavish is the only cat who sits quietly enough for me to take his photos.   I took two portrait-style photos of him.  I couldn’t decide which one to share since they show two completely different sides of his personality – curious and quiet.  So I am sharing both.

 

Although I miss being outside, looking through the Simple365 photos made me want to play with new ideas, plan for the next road trip, and spend extra time with the kitties.   So that is exactly what I will be doing until autumn calls me out to play again.

I hope your summer is going well!

Until next time,
-Soma

 

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please consider paying a visit to some of them.

 

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One in Hand and Four on the Road

Solar Eclipse 2024 - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

Hi Everyone!  What started as a solar eclipse viewing trip ended up being an epic journey.   Steering wheel in one hand and four wheels on the road,  my husband and I set out on a 5,200-mile drive on numerous small byways.  After visiting seven states and feeling the forces of tremendous winds, storms, along with snow and desert sun, I am back home again.

This is going to be an abridged version of our road trip along with a few photos of the eclipse.

 

Chasing The Shadow – Eclipse 2017

 

We were at John Day, Oregon for the 2017 eclipse.   The sky was perfectly clear.  With my husband’s help, I had managed to take a full set of photos of the eclipse that time.  Except, by the time I looked up, the totality was over.  Since then, I wanted to experience at least one more eclipse.

Driving the lengths of California, Arizona and New Mexico, we set out for Fredericksburg, Texas.

 

 

Solar Eclipse 2024 - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

We had a thick cloud cover, so I didn’t get to take the full set of photos ( which would have mostly been for study purposes ) that I wanted.  I could have fiddled with the camera to get more photos but, unlike 2017, my goal was to do mostly visual observation this time around.

 

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the photos –

 

 

Luckily, the clouds cleared up enough for me to do visual observation and take at least a few photos through the telescope.   The close-up photos are of solar prominences which are only visible during an eclipse.

 

 

Solar Eclipse 2024 - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

I haven’t had the chance to go through the photos I took with my camera yet.  For now, I am sharing the photos I took with my phone.

 

 

Petrified Forest National park - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

Before we got to Fredericksburg, we made one stop at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. 

The wind was fierce that day, blowing at a steady 66mph.  Dust and tiny stone chips blasted the skin.  I could barely stand straight, let alone take photos.

 

After reaching Fredericksburg, we had to unpack most of the car to get to the telescope and everything else that I needed for the eclipse.  With the eclipse behind us,  we packed our car once again for the next part of our journey. 

 

 

Great Basin Sand Dunes National park - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

Walking on the sand dunes on the Great Basin National Park, Colorado

 

 

Rocky Mountain National park - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

A whole day of hiking on snow in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

 

 

Pika from Rocky Mountain National park - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

From my sketchbook – A pika from the Rockies, a kindred soul. 

Neither of us can stand warm weather for too long, and I learned that my allergies disappear at 7500ft onward.

 

 

Rocky Mountain National park - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

Ending the day watching the sunset with a flask full of tea, and cake

 

 

Arches National park - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

Snow to sand – Landscape Arch at Arches National Park, Utah

 

 

Utah Badlands - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

Driving through the Utah “badlands”

 

 

Capitol Reef National park - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

Off to Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

 

 

 

 

Stopping at Escalante Canyon, Utah

The least mapped region in the US

 

 

Bryce Canyon National park - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

Sunset and sunrise at the Bryce Canyon National Park amphitheater, Utah

 

 

Highway 50 sunset - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

Drove on the loneliest road in the US, Hwy 50

 

 

Highway 50 Nevada - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

 

Overnight at an old mining town in the middle of nowhere

 

 

Highway 50 California - photo by Soma Acharya @ inktorrents.com

 

Back home again, in California

 

We drove through quite a few lonely roads through a strange landscape that I did not know even existed. We walked into places that were as foreign to us as we were to them.  We were made to feel welcome and at home everywhere we went.  We got to know the land and the people who are very much part of it.

 

A feeling of extreme sadness always takes over me when I have to leave the road behind and return home.  As we drove toward California, one look at my beloved Sierra Nevada mountains was all I needed to shake off that sadness, knowing that I will be out there again pretty soon.

I was missing my kitties a lot by this time.  They are the pull I need to get back home again.  At home, a lot of cuddle time made the homecoming that much more worthwhile. 

 

Until next time,
-Soma

 

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please consider paying a visit to some of them.

 

 

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