photo by sara b. healy
This is a picture after a dose of Photoshop.
As an amateur photographer, I love Photoshop. It is one of the most amazing photo enhancement software programs ever invented. Not only can you improve a “not so great picture”, you can create new art from old photographs.
I took this picture and used Photoshop to alter it:~) I used four different filters to get this effect and had a lot of fun doing this.
The Challenge
Your picture challenge today is to guess what this is a picture of. Don’t worry; I’m giving you some hints.
I learned from The Puzzle Game that my readers are very smart and quick. Therefore, my challenge is to give you enough hints that you should be able to guess the answer, but not so many that it’s too easy. See, I believe in sharing the challenge.
Here are your hints:
- It’s something very common.
- This one is outside, but they can be found inside as well.
- This one is near my birdbath and is made of copper.
- It keeps Aggie, my cat, entertained when the birds are napping, but only if the weather is right.
- Some people live in them, but they’re not safe when the weather isn’t right. (oops! From the comments I’ve received so far, this clue isn’t clear. Let me clarify — The place you live in isn’t the object itself, but has the same name. All the people who have already commented, have been notified of my mistake. Sorry about the confusion.)
Can you guess what this is a picture of?
Leave your guesses in the comment box. At the end of my next picture story post on Monday, February 8th , I will reveal the TRUTH:~)
"Stand the test of time by placing your roots deeply!"
Like puzzles? Try this one. Using this photo, you can create a puzzle and put it together.Go to JigZone at 
Fireblossom32
Hilary
Patty - Why Not S...
talon
Chris Edgar
Davina
Jannie Funster
Keith Davis
Tony Single
Barbara Swafford
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
My initial guess would be a wind spinner (aka whirligig), but people living in them? Only if one stretched it and called it a wind-mill.
Mike Goad´s last blog ..Water Lily bud with dragonfly
Oh, and thanks for the calendar!
Wonderful photos — I just flipped it over to February.
Mike Goad´s last blog ..Water Lily bud with dragonfly
Hi Sara .. I too backed away at the fourth point! Couldn’t think .. still can’t – copper too .. not a windchime, nor a coloured CD cassette .. living in it??!! Glass house? I’m at a loss.
Now photoshop .. is it easy to use? Looks fun – not to say I have a lot of time for fiddling around with photos – but I’d love to learn soon ..
I’m looking forward to the answer now!!
Hilary´s last blog ..The Wigmaker, “Cottonpolis” and the first factory
I am completely stumped. People can live in them? And they can go inside your house? That’s perplexing me!
I love playing with photos – it’s neat what you can create with the photo elements.
I can’t wait to find out what this is!
talon´s last blog ..A little of this, a little of that…
Wow, Sara, this has me stumped. Particularly the part about living in it. Here’s what crossed my mind that I’ve rejected: a tent, a copper box, a geodesic dome, a travel trailer, a yurt. A copper fire pit? A copper daybed? (Sometimes I do feel like living in my bed). I know, I know, I’m really reaching here. So I guess I’ll just have to keep checking back to see who figures it out!
Patty – Why Not Start Now?´s last blog ..Meaning Mondays: The Singing Blog Edition
Hi Sara, I have NO idea. Haha-but I love the photo, swirls are my favorite shape and this is the sweetest swirl I have ever seen.
Gerri´s last blog ..Natural Health
Fascinating! Love all the colors in this picture and am really enjoying all the creative things you include in your blog. Very inspiring and a lot of fun! My only guess is a bird cage but #5 makes that false. Can’t wait to find out the correct answer!
@ Mike — Wow. You are close. The place you live in isn’t the object, but has the same name:~)
@ Mike — You are so welcome. You were one of the winners in that contest and I’m pleased you like the calendar:~)
@ Hilary — Photoshop Elements is really easy to use and is less costly than the full Photoshop program. Elements does everything I did to this picture and it’s an easier program to learn. I think I confused people about living in the object…you live in something that has the same NAME as the object. Sorry for the confusion:~)
@ Talon — Join the list. What I thought would be a very easy clue (Number 5) has really confused people. I will have to rethink my approach to this challenge. See my reply to Mike’s comment…it might help:~)
@ Patty — I like the idea of a copper day bed:~)
@ Gerri — Thanks for you nice words…it’s interesting that you used “sweet” because this picture reminded me of those lollipops we used get at the fair…the round ones with the different colors:~)
What a very cool picture…
I can only come up with a whirlygig thingamagig…
Peggy
Peggy´s last blog ..Your Moment of Bliss
@ Peggy — Like Mike, you are very close, ….the “whirlygig thingamagig” has a name. I sort of messed up the last clue and this may help: The place you live in isn’t the object itself, but has the same name. Sorry about the confusion:~(
How about a mobile?
Wind mobile.
Mobile home.
Mobile, Alabama.
Mike Goad´s last blog ..Firehole Lake
Hi Sara! Gosh, all this puzzle stuff for my old brain – you realize I had THE slowest time on that puzzle! Well all I can think of for this one is a bird house. I love the picture just as it is! And I cannot understand Photoshop at ALL. I tried it for the pics of my art work – let’s face it kiddo, I should not tamper with technology – period!
Hugs
suZen
My first response was going to be a faucet, but it can’t be mistaken for a house! And then I thought of a bird house because I know Aggie would love that, but it wouldn’t be bothered by the weather.
So I’m stumped. I can’t imagine it’s a pinwheel though the photo does suggest it.
I’ll just be patient and wait for the reveal.
talon´s last blog ..Foundations…
Hmmmmm, is it a windmill? Do people live in windmills? I’m thinking of the huge windmills in Golden Gate Park. Not that people live in those, but I’m thinking some windmills might have a sort of house at the bottom.
Patty – Why Not Start Now?´s last blog ..Meaning Mondays: The Singing Blog Edition
Thanks Sara,
You’re making me work the brain. My first thought was a hose, but I’ve never seen one made out of copper, then I thought, a bird house or a light house. Still thinking….
I’ll be back to see what it really is…..
Barbara Swafford´s last blog ..Unveiling The Results Of My Facelift
Hi Sara .. Patty’s windmill seems a good idea .. I then thought of a kite, but we don’t live in a kite .. so I’m still stumped!!!
Thanks for the bit about Photo Elements though .. sounds interesting for when I have time to play in the years to come ..
Good to know – I’ll keep thinking .. PS Comment Luv for me isn’t working for some reason .. this is two posts behind .. Life is full of hurdles!!!! Go well .. enjoy today .. Hilary
Hilary´s last blog ..The Wigmaker, “Cottonpolis” and the first factory
I’m lost in the sauce. Reveal the secret..lol
Me again. Is it a lighthouse? It’s still nto a good guess. Scratching my head…
@ Mike — Persistence must be one of your top strengths:~)
@ SuZen — You aren’t alone on this one. I think I actually made this challenge a bit too difficult. Funny how that works…something will seems SO CLEAR to one person, but not to others. Someone has guessed, however:~)
Regarding Photoshop, I learned it when I studied Graphic Arts …one of those careers I thought was my path to happiness:~) Photoshop Elements is the best way to go as there are many automatic settings, like Quick Fix for photos. It does a pretty good job and can be better than playing with the settings. One time I was doing a print job and the color I used on screen ended up being some kind of lime green when printed. So, with Photoshop, caution is a good thing!
@ Talon — Join the club!!! I obviously need to work on my clues, but hey…it’s all in good fun, right? It’s not a pinwheel, but it does spin like one:~)
@ Patty — It’s kind of like a windmill, but isn’t one. Wind certainly would have an impact on it. Remember you don’t live in this object, but it has the same name as something people do live in. I didn’t know that. Can you live in windmill? I suppose the older ones are big enough…like the ones in Holland…I think:~)
@ Barbara — Thanks for the visit…everyone is getting very close and one person has guessed it. I will be fun to reveal what this object looks like and compare to the Photoshop version:~)
BTW — I love the new site…it jazzy:~)
@ Hilary — Everyone is so close…wind does influence this object. You know, reading the title of your new post makes me want to go and visit. You always talk about the most things:~)
@ Jonathan — All will be revealed…soon. I like the phrase, “lost in the sauce!” It makes me laugh:~)
Hi Sara .. i thought Mike’s mobile was a good thought?! I have to say I’ll be bemused when I hear what it is ..
Thanks for coming over for my Wigmaker, “cottonopolis” and the first factory post – it’s interesting times .. see you soon .. go well – Hilary
Hilary´s last blog ..Groundhog Day, Candlemas and Jannie the First …
A copper box.
@ It is copper, but it’s not a box. Most of time, this object is round or oval. Thanks for visiting and playing this game:~)
@ Hilary — The answer will be revealed along with the picture on Monday.
BTW I greatly enjoy your site. As I said I always learn something new and I like learning:~)
I’m with Patty and Mike. I think it’s a windmill too. I just can’t get my brain around what else it might be… hang on, what about those buildings with the twirly giant water wheel thing on the side? Could be one of those…
As for Photoshop, I have the full version and can attest to its usefulness in producing nicely coloured artwork. I don’t really use it to manipulate photos which is what it’s really for apparently.
I think Photoshop Elements is definitely a better choice for most of us though, as it took me a year to teach myself how to use the full version! And I’m still using only a fraction of its capabilities!
Tony Single´s last blog ..The Nouns of Multitude
Well, lucky me able to still get in on this before the 8th, with the advantage of the clarification.
And I have not peeked at anyone’s comments.
My guess is a copper nest! I know it makes little sense, but that’s my very uneducated guess.
Maybe a copper flag spinning, but that wouldn’t be something to live in.
A copper nest!
xo
Jannie Funster´s last blog ..Gratitude
@ Tony — A windmill is very close. This object does use wind to strut it’s stuff, so to speak:~)
I think Photoshop is for any type of picture, but I know what you mean about using the full capacity. There’s so much this program can do. I have one the WOW books and the pictures in it amaze me. It’s also wonderful for picture collages. I agree about Photoshop Elements. It is used more for photographs and it’s much easier than the full Photoshop program.
@ Jannie — Well, this is a dilemma for me because you are partly correct as you will see when the object is revealed. It does serve as a nest for something and it does spin.:~)