Good morning, kittens and dawgs! This is another WW and #BoTB double feature post. Last week, I asked y’all to cast your vote in the Santana Battles Toto covering While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
This was a very tight showdown. The tightest battle I’ve had in a long time. In the beginning, I thought I knew which artist would get my vote. I flipped back and forth between these covers both stirring me differently. I gave both songs one more listen yesterday and I decided Toto’s vocals were a closer match to the Beatles’ original touching on my emotions the same and earning my vote. The winner is….
The finally tally, Santana 9; Toto 8!
Thanks for y’all votes. It truly adds to the fun of each showdown. Please join me on the March 1st for another battle! 
Ok, moving along to my regularly scheduled post. Last year about this time, we spent the day in the Great Smoky Mountains in the Upper Tremont area. By the time we stopped beside the Middle Prong Little River, the sun was slipping farther west creating shadows in the already heavily shaded area I stood to the picture.
It was a gorgeous February day spent in the mountains as you can tell how the sunlight hits the water, especially in the first photo. I did a little photo play with my image. First I converted it to B&W format which is nice and I thought I’d love to draw this but I’m not that talented yet. hee-hee
So, in Pixelmator, I applied the sketch effect. Now, if only I could doodle as good as this photo-art creation!
*all images captured with my big girl camera, Nikon D7000 18-105mm Nikkor lens.*
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I’m gonna leave you with another this song selection by India Arie and invite you to come back for another peek through my lens with my newest edition of Skywatch Friday & CTST!
Have a fototastic day!
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I never thought to try the pencil sketch edit, but look how fabulous that looks! I love the tone of it. Nicely done. Happy to be back commenting on everyone’s blogs! I got a lot of catching up to do.
Les, I’m glad you got your problems resolved. Don’t sweat it, everyone understands your situation. I’m glad you liked the sketch effect. Do it try it sometime. It can make your images interesting!
Close battle! You really don’t know who will come out on top sometimes…
John, it’s true. You just never know how these battles are going to turn out.
Love the pictures! I enjoyed the India.Arie song.
Linda, I”m glad you enjoyed the song and my pix!
Beautiful photos. I picked Santana
Ellen, I appreciated you voting in the last BoTB showdown. It was hard to vote against Santana but I did. Thanks for stopping by!
Well, I am not surprised Santana won this one! He is amazing. Hugs!
Annie, I’m not surprised he won, either. I was surprised at how close the battle went, though. Hugs to you, too!
We went to the Smokies when i was a child, and i’ve itched to go back. Maybe someday!
Thanks for hosting and have a wonderful week. Great pics.
Sure does look gorgeous up there. Beautiful photos, I can hear the rushing water.
jMo, thanks for popping in for a return visit. The water definitely was loud. It’s amazing how much sound it produces. Feel free to join my linky party! Have a good day.
I like the B&W version of the photo the best.
Rhonda, I’m so happy to see you stop by today. The B&W is my favorite, too. You’re welcome to join my linky party! Have a fototastic day!
That was a close battle! I voted for Toto as well, but am a huge Santana fan, normally. The female vocals were a bit off-putting, there, but India.Arie gives a lovely performance with “Ready For Love”. Your first b&w photo looks good! The second one is a bit dark, but interesting. Almost like a negative image.
Debbie, That’s the way I felt about Santana’s cover, too. It’s strange India.Arie did a lovely job on the bonus track but I really couldn’t get into her singing this Beatle’s classic. Oh well, it was a good battle! I even impressed Stephen or at least he said this is my best battle yet. I guess I did something right.
These pics are so soothing ? Would love to visit that place .
Beautiful photos looks so peaceful love your editing, I think the b/w one gives it more atmosphere
Have a edittastic day Cathy and thanks for pirouetting by
That’s the perfect time of day for photos.
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Deb, I generally like the early afternoon light to photograph but we were in the shadows making it a bit tricky for my camera sensor to meter properly but it was a gorgeous day, so what do I have to complain about? Nothing. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, Cathy!
Congratulations on selecting two excellent song covers for your battle and staging a very close contest as a result. Given the one vote margin of victory, every person who picked Santana can consider his or hers to be the deciding vote. The vocals of India Arie on the Santana recording made the difference for me and I appreciated this fine bonus song by her, “Ready For Love,” a single from her 2001 debut studio album Acoustic Soul. It is refreshing to find a millennial song that encourages goodness and spirituality instead of making life all about clubbing, sex and luxury. India’s subdued vocal style and the words of the song touched me deeply. Co-written by India, “Ready For love” sets a fine example for boys and girls, men and women to follow:
I will be patient, kind, faithful and true
To a man who loves music
A man who loves art
Respect’s the spirit world
And thinks with his heart
I like the treatment you gave last year’s picture of the mountain brook. Rendered in B&W, the picture reminds me of the ones my shutterbug dad took in the 30s, 40s and 50s.
Thank you, dear friend Cathy, and have a happy (not-so) WW!
Tom,
This battle had me torn all the way to the end. One day I was for Santana, the next Toto. Both covers moved me differently and I totally like them equally. Santana deserves to win!
Oh goodie, I’m glad you enjoyed the bonus track. The second I heard “Ready For Love” I liked it. I didn’t read the lyrics until this morning and I agree it’s very nice to see a modern artist singing about love, instead of lust. Her soulful vocals tenderly touch my heart with the words in this song.
You like the B&W sketch effect of the stream the best? It turned out pretty good, maybe a bit too dark but then again charcoal shading can be heavy with a lot of details sometimes. I think my favorite is the simple B&W image. I appreciate the comparison to your dad’s style of photography. What a compliment! Have a good day, my friend!
I came pretty close to voting for Toto, but this outcome affirms the feelings of wavering that I and others had. It could have gone either way as far as I’m concerned.
That area of Tremont is a place that my friends and I used to spend a lot of time at. Sure is beautiful up there. Many years ago one of my friends and I floated down Little River from where the mill dam was (near Walland I guess it is) all the way to Rockford. I was a lazy gentle ride that was very relaxing and scenic. Great memories from those parts.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Lee,
This was the hardest battle for me to decide which artist to go with, too. I’m not disappointed Santana won. His cover is very good featuring India Arie. I’m not sure what I’ll do next time to top this showdown.
We have never gone tubing in the mountains. I know that’s hard to believe but nowadays you couldn’t pay me enough to get into a creek. lol But, I always enjoy watching tubers float, lackadaisically down the river. It looks so peaceful. I’m glad you have such fond memories spent in our Smoky Mountains.
I’ve never done the tubing, but we were in a rubber raft. I’ve also done canoeing which was fun. I doubt whether I’d do the tubing, but I might be talked into rafting or canoeing again. I doubt that I’d do it again on my own and I don’t know if any of my old friends still do things like that.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Lee, rafting is very big in the mountains. Oh heavens, in the summer the rivers on both sides of the mountains are hot spots for tourists. It’s absolutely crazy! I have a horrible fear of water, so you won’t get me on a rubber raft or in a canoe.