This month’s photo blogging challenge theme is a threepeat. One thing I really like about reprised themes? They prompt me to go look at what I did the last time around. That provides two opportunities: 1) assess how my photography has changed (hopefully improved); and 2) come up with creative new ideas. In September 2014, I processed my colour photos to black and white. In August 2016, I shot in black and white mode or using black and white film. This time around, I’m posting full-colour photos where the subject matter is somehow black and white.

1. Mischief of Magpies

American magpies (aka black-billed magpies) occasionally congregate in our back yard. More frequently, we’ll see a pair hanging about. When a mischief forms, and they start their querulous chatter, we know it’s time to search for whatever’s bothering them. Sometimes it’s a coyote. Once we spotted a weasel. Another time, it was a bobcat that had their feathers ruffled. And sometimes, it’s just a gathering of magpies.

This photo was shot through the triple pane window above my desk, using my trusty Google Pixel 4A. The birds all faced into the wind, which was strong enough to lift them if they spread their wings. They kept taking off, circling around and trying to land on the highest possible perch. I wonder if it’s a way of trying to establish a pecking order within the flock?

2. Black and 𝚆̶𝚑̶𝚒̶𝚝̶𝚎̶ Blue

Well, my cheeks were red with embarrassment and shame after slipping on the ice this month. I know better! And my NANOspikes were in my pack. I have no excuses. I have full range of motion and the swelling is gone, but some motions (like opening a new jar of tomato sauce) still cause twinges.

My slip and fall happened along the shoreline ice at Lake Minnewanka.

3. Black and White Mitten

Some little kitten lost their black and white mitten. I hope they found it again. 🙂

I have been photographing lost objects this winter. So far, I’ve chronicled 12 mittens/gloves, 2 hats, 2 other articles of clothing and one Bose earbud case. The record in one walk? Six things, including 4 gloves, a toque and a neck chute.

A few days ago, local children’s book illustrator & author, Carolyn Fisher, posted a drawing to Twitter. She called the lost mittens that you see hanging from tree branches “blossoms of winter,” a lovely word picture.

4. Black and White Cookies

I tried a new baking recipe, just for this post! Black and white cookies. The cookie part is quite cakey and reminds me of the cinnamon jumble recipe passed on from my grandmother, to my mom, to me. 🙂

As for the frosting, I opted to use melted dark chocolate for the “black” side. I spread the icing from recipe on the “white” side, with a little help from my kitchen assistants. 😉 The leftover chocolate and frosting fancied up some graham wafers.

5. Nested Hearts

A few years back, for PBC Books, I created two images of hearts using books. Since then, every now and then, I’ve wondered about doing a similar thing. But different. The one idea I kept going back to was creating nested hearts. But I didn’t want to damage a book by cutting down some of the pages.

This month, I was looking at some old magazines, trying to decide whether to recycle them. These are not disposable magazines, like weekly issues of Time or the monthly Chatelaine. No, they’re art and photography magazines. And I find them hard to let go.

Then I spotted it…an advertising insert in the middle of a back issue of Canadian Art magazine. Mostly black and white text, the insert was 1.5 inches narrower than the magazine. And the 8 pages meant I could cut the middle six pages of the insert down in 1.5 inch increments to create the possibility for 5 nested hearts!

I had to try a few things before figuring out that judiciously placed bits of two-sided tape would hold the hearts in place. This is a full colour photo of the final result, illuminated by my light box. The little bits of purple and blue are due to a couple of images in the insert.

I had fun with this theme. So I’ll be checking out the link up on A ‘lil HooHaa to see what the other participants made of it.

Next month’s photo blogging challenge theme is Photographer’s Choice! There couldn’t be an easier month to join in. All you need are five photographs. A sentence about each one would be great. Hope to see you on the link up next month.