Smoky Windy Lake, Northern Ontario.
I never fathomed that air quality would be such a concern in this area of the world.
The forest fires still rage all around us.
Wondering where I’ve been for so long
Somewhere lost in time
Taking up space
In the eye of the storm
*
Time mistook my presence
Slowing down
Leaving me in limbo
Waiting for the smoke to clear
*
What was hidden
In the stillness
Released its winged energy
And I could fly again
My first dragonfly capture ever.
Sometimes my heart sings with the colors of joy. Flowers are messengers that there is always beauty to be found in this world.
Sometimes it’s all about stirring memories. (A favorite in my backyard many years ago.)
Sometimes I focus on the inner life revealed and wonder about this quiet space.
Sometimes growth is slow to evolve. I wait with anticipation.
Sometimes I’m just at peace with what is and dream along with the winged angel.
https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2022/10/15/lapc-221221-flower-favourites-and-why/
This Lens Artist theme ‘over the hill‘ peaked my interest. Here are some memories from Jasper, Alberta.
“The mountains are calling, and I must go.” John Muir.
Eyes glazed with wonder
Anticipation simmers
Suddenly
What was hidden
Comes into view
Slowly
Inhaling
The moments
*
Waiting for the rain to stop
Waiting for the right time
Waiting for a sign
Waiting for relief
Waiting for tomorrow
Waiting has many flavors
It can put life on pause
It can be unnerving
It can poison the moment
It can be a friend or your nemesis
It can also invite moments of stillness
Revealing layers of hidden strength
It can open the mind to new possibilities
Infusing light into the darkness of tunnel vision
It can allow gratitude to bloom
While singing a mantra of hopeful expectation
I smile
And wait
The Lens Artist challenge this week is to pick three favorite photos, which is almost impossible, but I will show you three close-ups in the avian/animal world that were pivotal in my journey in photography. The memories kept flooding back as I perused my archives.
This seagull duo portrait (2020) was formative in experimenting with the creative editing of a background to fit my vision. Many hours of experimentation and learning.
My first successful chipmunk photo of a creature that rarely stays still. This image only needed a bit of a crop and contrast enhancement. I didn’t learn how to crop until 60 years young.
This one was an emotional choice. Long gone, but always remembered. Monochrome conversion accentuated her sweet eyes and soul. This photo was taken close to her last day. I’ve learned to love the B/W feel of certain images.
*
The Lens Artists theme this week is to interpret surrealism. This is my first post in ages. My creativity was sparked by the possibilities. It is so surreal being here again.
Forest floor shines with magical growth when colorized.
A more dream-like transformation about how nature is all interconnected. One can choose to see or not see.
*
This vase holds two bamboo plants with decorative, glass pebbles.
It was just there. never really contemplated, until…
Its hidden, tangled world was lit up with early-morning sunlight. It intrigued my photographic eye. Below is a cropped, otherworldly hyper-focus.
How odd… almost alien.
*
(* Photo taken in early morning light. Editing inspired by a temporary illumination of this shell.)
Poetic resonance
Escorted by a dream
Tides of time ebb
Revealing timeless unknown
*
Moment of light
Sheds relevance
On here and now
*
I smile into the future
Remembering to focus
On optimistic dreams
Most memorable skyscape of 2021 after an early summer storm.
I didn’t take many photos in 2021 (life happened…), but this cloud formation called to me and I’m so happy I took the shot.
*
Sometimes images have many lives
Drifting into the future
When curiosity brings them back to life
Creating a new world
For the original to inhabit
I spent many moments playing with editing old photos since my fresh supply was lacking due to mobility issues. Here I present the steps to the final result of one of my creations.
Step 1 – My peace lily from 2016 inspired the final image. I love to explore the alternate world of abstraction and investigate the interaction between shape, light and minimal color. I was very new to exploring the possibilities of photography at this point. Intrigued by the life of shadows.
Step 2– Isolating the shadow shape of interest.
Step 3– Beginning to play with the abstract possibilities of top, floral shadow.
Step 4– Final 2021 image of a starry, fantasy world.
*
Once upon a time
I held onto a dream
Of second chances
Waiting through the months of struggle
Never broken
The greys suddenly embraced the light
Colors of the changing season lured my eyes
The body felt lighter
Gratitude filled my soul
Now I can whistle a tune
Sing to the rhythm of autumn
Share my blessings
*
*
***Hip replacement surgery on Sept. 8 was successful and the body is slowly healing.
These photos were taken off my balcony early October. One day I’ll be able to touch a leaf personally and smell nature up close.
Now only the yellows are entrancing the eye. Soon winter will wrap its cold finger around the landscape.
Quality of life has improved and my step is lighter.
I am strangely happy.
Inspiration beyond reach
One day drifts into another
And then
Something stirs inside
“The circle opens
To let the inside out”
Inspiration flitters on the edge of consciousness
Waiting to be freed
And made visible
“Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.” (Unknown)
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #160: Your Inspiration
Time’s stitchery
Unravels
Leaving me blind-sided
Interfacing between wobbly odds
Scrambling to find a new mantra
A new way to be
To see deeper
To breathe between two worlds
*Personal Note: Hip replacement surgery scheduled Sept. 8. Scares the hell out of me. Trying to distract myself from destiny.
Majestic cloud ballooning
Holding rainbow ribbon
Before time slips away
*
Zooming in. Photographer’s luck to get the raven into the shot.
*
*It’s all in the angle.
*
Lens-Artists Challenge #154 – One Photo Two Ways
Up early before sunrise, witnessing the sliver of a moon rising as the sky lightened. I was inspired to bring my camera out on the balcony. Waited until it got close to this cloud formation.
Intrigued to see what it would look like in monochrome. Turned out to be quite dramatic.
*
“Sometimes the best things in life are unexpected.”
Faith Sullivan.
“There is scientific evidence that trees communicate and are sentient beings. Human beings exchange information mainly through sound and vision. … Well, it has been discovered that plants also communicate with each other, have intelligence, and pass information intergenerationally, just like we humans do.”
*
Offspring seed the earth
Flying with wind spirit
To unknown destinations
Yet some stay close
To Mother tree
Who nurtures her kin
Sensing their needs
Through mycelium threads
And fungal highways
On symbiotic pathways
Connecting all forest life
In a belowground network
Where grand schemes unfold
To the benefit of mankind
*
*
VJ’s Weekly Challenge: trees
Come sit with me
At the edge of fluid dreams
Where worries crumble
Drifting somewhere and nowhere
*
Our senses will be carried away
By the cascading tumble
Of a pristine waterfall
Echoing past the mountains of tomorrows
*
Let’s sit together
In a circle of kindred spirits
Reveling in poetic banter
Exalting the human experience
*
Let’s speak deep truths
In different colours
Finding warmth in harmony
Beyond this world of discord
(This is my daughter’s painting that I edited. She was having difficulty adjusting to her present moments in sobriety and I guided her in the need to tap into her creative spirit. The waterfall scene is a reflection of her meditative, safe and happy space.)
*
VJ’s Weekly Challenge: Read on…
(Somewhere… the aves are hiding in those branches.)
***
Sleeps eludes me again
Lured to my balcony oasis
In this warming season
Here, sitting in pre-dawn darkness
I am at peace
*
Soon the serenade will begin
Hidden from sight
An orchestra of songbirds
Will entrance my senses
To my daily delight
*
Time stands still
Thoughts crumble
I am hypnotized
Until twilight reveals itself
And the sun radiates a new day
Songbirds fill the air
With symphony of voices
Hearkening new day
(Hills in the distance from my balcony.)
*
(Sun catches balcony railing.)
Standing in unchartered territory
Witnessing the fine line
Between free will and destiny
*
It’s been a hell of a ride
Waiting for medical intervention
To ease my chronic pain
*
For too long
On the periphery of truly living life
Faith was almost lost
Quieting the mind
Engaging in the moment
Inhaling the sunrise
*
VJ’s Weekly Challenge: peripheral
Window opens
To intimate connection
Nature draws me in
*
My mind flutters with creative intent
Inner revelation excites the soul
Where silence invents the moment
*
Bane of photographer
Mobility issues
Influencing options
*
Except photography itch
Hard to deny
Throws out its call
Changing seasons
Whispers to the soul
Hard to resist
Long drive
Riding out the pain
Yearning for quiet hideaway
Reach final destination
Except others intrude on the space
Undeterred
Camera in hand
Except battery dies
Adventure suddenly ends
Except I did get a few
Hopefully redemption next year
*
https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2020/10/17/lens-artists-photo-challenge-119-my-hideaway/
V. J. has asked us to be creative with the literary term “pathetic fallacy.”
It is the attribution of human feelings and responses to inanimate things or animals, especially in art and literature.
I have many faces
Yet my core nature never changes
I am wisdom of the ages
I am the ultimate survivor
I have surrendered to the seasons of time
Sometimes I stand alone
Yet the sun warms my weathered body
Sometimes I am bathed by soothing waters
When family surrounds me
Gurgling laughter pleases me
I am yesteryear, today and tomorrow
Close your eyes now
And breathe in my strength
Remember me in stormy days
When the waters freeze over
And the clouds fail to part
I am your rock
*
This is the Education Center at a local park.
Monochrome/cropped version.
I wanted to remove all extraneous details around the subject and make it look otherworldly. I think the creation of a moody sky adds to the total effect I was searching for. Pyramid power!
*
“Pyramids are believed to be extremely sacred in many cultures around the world. Many churches are built with pyramid-like steeples and ancient pyramid structures can be found not just in Egypt, but in South America and parts of Asia.
The Native Americans also sat in tipis to conduct rituals and ceremonies, which have a pyramid like shape to them. It was believed that this shape helped to connect them with the earth and the heavens above.” (Tanaaz)
Turned a corner on the drive to Jasper National Park and started tingling with a sense of awe. This was one of the first sightings of many magnificent peaks. I hadn’t been to the Rocky Mountains since I was a teen.
“You are not in the mountains. The mountains are in you.” (John Muir)
“Inspiration awakens us to new possibilities by allowing us to transcend our ordinary experiences and limitations.”
Final destination. The gorge at Athabasca Falls. Moving waters churn below the layers of ice and eroded rock. I stand above and I am mesmerized with wonder.
Lens-Artists Challenge #115 – Inspiration
“Negative space can drastically change the mood and story of your image. Much of the time, negative space is the mood and emotion.”
(Ed Heaton)
“Negative space may very well be white, but it also may be dark, colored, patterned, variegated, a gradient, or even a background image.”
(Ayesha Ambreen)
Time to move on
Let go of the past
It doesn’t serve you well
As the sun sets
Remember aging is a process
The future shines bright
Listen to your inner voice
Follow your passion
It’s the only way
Serenity awaits
In unlikely places
Create them
*
Lens-Artists Photo Challange 114: Negative Space
(Photo of me taken by my daughter in August, 2020)
*
Aging can be a challenge
Years of wear and tear
Physically and emotionally
Can consume the body and mind
And leave unwanted residue
In the present moment
*
The road gets shorter
Perspective changes
Trying to clear the air waves
To a higher vibration
Where understanding
And peace with oneself
Lies waiting
*
Embedded
In our existence
Is the constant flow of change
Stuff is always happening
Or waiting to happen
*
Sometimes change is signaled
By a lurking sense of apprehension
That gut feeling
Sometimes it’s revealed in lucid dreams
A riddle to be unraveled
Created by the subconscious
Sometimes an angel leaves a feather
Challenging physical reality
Sometimes it’s an unexpected knock
At the door of your consciousness
That signals an inner need to change
Whatever stuff happens
It’s meant for only you
*
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” (Alan Watts)
*
“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.” (Henri Bergson)
*
Waft of familiar aroma
Attached to a depart one
Slips into real time
*
Senses heightened
Thrown into a vacuum
Surrounding noise disappears
*
Empathic connection
Baring myself
To flame of emotion
*
Miss you…
*
Here he comes
A sudden stop
Mid-descent
Just enough
To freeze time
Then this wonderful pose
Just for me
*
Inspired by taste memory
From a Curious Thyme
Taste buds tingle
Decadent, black berry delight
Frozen black berries tantalize the imagination.
*
I usually don’t photograph food, but decided to try with blackberries frozen in an ice cube. Melting in the hot sun, I had little time to experiment, but I was pleased with the curious results.
By the way, Curious Thyme is the name of the restaurant where the culinary delight was photographed years ago.
*
“In restless dreams I walk alone”
On the edge of nowhere
Yet somewhere
Searching for sanctuary
Pausing to immerse myself
In the quiet waters
I listen deeply
And feel like
I’ve returned home
Listen to the wind,
it talks.
Listen to the silence,
it speaks.
Listen to your heart,
it knows.
(Buddha Groove)
*
“We leave traces of ourselves…on whatever we touch.”
(Lewis Thomas)
*
Memories of long ago
When the flavours of touch
Were never ending
Melting like icecream
In and out
Of layers of time
*
Now emotions seep gently
Into calming, blue waters
Leaving the dark puddles behind
And joy is easier to find
*
Purplish-tinged intuition
Is touched by invitation
To meld with nature
Before summer’s warmth
Is just a memory
*
“Thoughts are mental energy; they’re the currency that you have to attract what you desire. Learn to stop spending that currency on thoughts you don’t want.”
“What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds.”
“Everything in the universe has a purpose. Indeed, the invisible intelligence that flows through everything in a purposeful fashion is also flowing through you.”
(Wayne Dyer quotes)
*
Striving to keep hope alive
In the midst of forces
Beyond individual control
To be of substance
And uncynical
In a world turned topsy-turvy
(The above is using the key words in V.J.’s quotation example to create my own poem. “Strive to be uncynical, to be a hope-giving force, to be a steward of substance.” )
*
V.J.’s theme: Quotation
https://onewomansquest.org/2020/07/20/vjs-weekly-challenge-105-quotation/
Yesterday, a surprise visitor joined me for my morning coffee.
On my balcony, seven floors up, this monarch butterfly gently landed on one of my knees and then fluttered to the other. I was awestruck.
Within seconds, it flew away and decided to spend some time on my bedroom screen window. I raced to get my camera and enjoyed a few photo moments with this precious creature.
I kept pondering what the universe was trying to tell me in gifting me with this random, magical event.
Was it a sign of a new chapter to begin, a shifting of my consciousness to be open to new possibilities? That life can be so unexpectedly magical as long as I keep being present and open to the whisper of the universe.
*
V.J.’s theme: New Chapter https://onewomansquest.org/2020/07/13/vjs-weekly-challenge-104-next-chapter/
Dust In The Wind
V.J. has asked us to reflect on a theme song.
I don’t really have one, but this song by Kansas had popped up on the car radio multiple times through the years when it felt like I was in need of a message; after a loved one has died, when my world was caving in or when I needed to get unstuck from my worries.
I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment’s gone
All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind
All they are is dust in the wind
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind…
Now, don’t hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away
And all your money won’t another minute buy
Dust in the wind
All we are is dust in the wind
V.J.’s theme: Theme Song
https://onewomansquest.org/2020/07/06/vjs-weekly-challenge-103-theme-song/
Slowing down the pace
Invites surprising details
*Bubbles in a sink caught my eye.
Slowing down the pace
Adds interest to life
Grass snake surprised me as I entered my backyard a few years ago.
Slowing down the pace
Invites a curious sight
A pumpkin just relaxing nonchalantly in the sun.
*
V.J.’s theme: Pace https://onewomansquest.org/2020/06/29/vjs-weekly-challenge-102-pace/
Ann-Christine’s theme: Surprise https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2020/06/27/lens-artists-photo-challenge-103-surprise/
In this quiet moment
My hat sits waiting
Ready head out
In a search for tranquility
I walk alone
Oblivious to past worries
No decisions to make
Totally absorbed
A wave of nostalgia
Washes over me
Like a cooling breeze
On a hot, summer’s day
Then a tiny movement
Catches my eye
And I realize
I’m being secretly watched
*
(P.S. I lost that hat a few years ago in Hawaii, taken by wind.)
Patti’s theme: A Quiet Moment https://pilotfishblog.com/2020/06/20/lens-artists-photo-challenge-102-a-quiet-moment/
V.J.’s theme: Decisions https://onewomansquest.org/2020/06/22/vjs-weekly-challenge-101-decisions/
“Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet.” (Jeremy Bentham)
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope. (Lady Bird Johnson)
Majestic beauty
Of the exotic
Left spellbound
Pausing in the moment
Mesmerized by wonder
*
Cee’s theme: A Single Flower https://ceenphotography.com/2020/06/13/lens-artists-photo-challenge-101-one-single-flower/
V. J.’s theme: Pause https://onewomansquest.org/2020/06/15/vjs-weekly-challenge-100-pause/
I am part of the world, but need to distance myself. It’s painful to watch the storms that surround us. Tears sometimes flow, triggered by a sense of awe of what humanity has come to.
Resetting the mind
In troubling times
A daunting task
*
Dark, stormy clouds
Keep rolling in
Blurring focus
*
Simple rainbow appears
Illuminating the moody darkness
Brightening the moment
*
Privileged to experience
The joy that still
Colors the sky
*
V.J.’s theme: Privilege https://onewomansquest.org/2020/06/08/vjs-weekly-challenge-99-privilege/
Abandoned barns meet wind power on Manitoulin Island.
***
Parliament buildings (1866) rising amidst modern architecture in Ottawa.
Wider view of the landscape. The pavilion on the right is home of the pillar in the above photo.
Rideau Canal was first opened in 1832 with the Chateau Laurier (in the background) in 1912.
*
Amy’s theme: Old and New https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2020/05/30/74124/
R.I. P. Peanut–May 28, 2020
*
Emotional risk
Of letting go
Ending the story
Witnessing heart stopping
*
Heart breaks
Presence missed
Gentle soul
Disappears from earthly existence
*
If only nine lives
Was a reality
And the cancer
Hadn’t written
A death sentence
So suddenly
*
One more day
Not possible
Time had run out
Peace was calling
*
Double-edged reward
Bitter-sweet mantra
Love is forever
Yet tears still flow
*
V.J.’s theme: Risk-reward https://onewomansquest.org/2020/05/25/vjs-weekly-challenge-97-risk-reward/
Winter and Spring have been holding hands for too long. Frost two weeks ago and now instant summer. Landscape suddenly bursting with green. I took some quick photos at a local lake already being visited by swimmers. Life is good in summer’s warm embrace.
Mind wanders
Circling the view
To capture
A bit of magic
*
V.J.’s theme: Circling https://onewomansquest.org/2020/05/18/vjs-weekly-challenge-96-circling/
Circling bits and pieces
Snippets of life
Collected here and there
Nowhere and somewhere
*
Meaning percolates
In holding pattern
Mosaic unfinished
Fragments wander aimlessly
*
Stillness in the matrix
Concealing the future
Waiting for somewhere
To reveal itself
~~~
V.J.’s theme: Bits and Pieces https://onewomansquest.org/2020/05/11/vjs-weekly-challenge-95-bits-and-pieces/
Remember when
Life was easy
Losing oneself in dreams
*
Remember when
Joy flowed uninterrupted
Innocent eyes twinkling
*
Remember when
Earth sang in colours
Flirting with senses
*
Remember when
Life was easy
And possibilities
Sent their invitation
*
V.J.’s theme: Remember https://onewomansquest.org/2020/04/20/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-93-remember/
Behind
Gossamer shadows
Unknown forces shift
*
Ripping
Into fabric
Of temporal reality
Spirit
Endures transformation
Resilience one’s foundation
*
Behind
Lucid time
Hope always reigns
*
V.J.’s theme: Behind https://onewomansquest.org/2020/04/13/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-92-behind/
Treasure of simplicity
Captivates imagination
Transporting senses
To yesteryear
When freedom of movement
Taken for granted
***
V.J.’s theme: Transported https://onewomansquest.org/2020/04/06/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-90-transported/
Patti’s theme: Simplicity https://pilotfishblog.com/2020/04/04/lens-artists-photo-challenge-91-simplicity/
After a long winter
Spring breeze filling the air
Yearning for open waters
Under sunny skies
Empty boardwalk
Contribution to social distancing
Benches empty
Waiting it out
Here I sit calmly
With my daughter companion
Wondering when it will all end
***
V.J.’s theme: Contribution https://onewomansquest.org/2020/03/30/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-90-contribution/
Tina’s theme: Distance https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/2020/03/28/lens-artists-challenge-90-distance/
Lady seen reclining
Feasting on imaginary tales
Words written long ago
When the world was full of wonder
Today she picks up a new book
Author unknown
Full of cliffhangers
Ending still to be written
***
V. J.’s theme: Imaginary https://onewomansquest.org/2020/03/23/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-89-imaginary/
History repeating itself
Microscopic invasion
World shaken
Difficult times
Troubled waters
Ripple domino effect
Grounding necessary
To dissipate fears
To find calm waters within
To have faith
That this too
Shall pass
V.J.’s theme: Domino Effect https://onewomansquest.org/2020/03/16/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-88-domino-effect/
Ann-Christine’s theme: Chaos https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2020/03/14/lens-artists-photo-challenge-88-chaos/
Morning vision
Serene calm
Cooling breeze
Senses transfixed
By wonder
*
V.J.’s theme: Morning https://onewomansquest.org/2020/03/09/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-87-morning/
“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” (Loren Eiseley)
***
Miriam’s theme: Reflections https://theshowersofblessings.com/2020/03/07/lens-artists-photo-challenge-87-reflections/
Befriended by
Dancing shadows
Playing in the sunlight
Swaying with breezy abandon
My shadow photographing this tree. (Images from archives)
***
Bren’s theme: Shadows https://brashley.photography/2020/03/09/photo-for-the-week-59-shadows/
Pondering the theme of cliches, I’ll try to wrap my head around the enigma of time.
*
Time
A mystery
Circular and linear
Intertwined in space/time continuum
Affected by speed and gravity
Always a factor
In one’s life
~~~~
Personal time is fluid
Time can sing to us
Through meaningful cliches
~~~~
As time flies
One can lose track of time
While dreaming of a timeless love
It can save one
In the nick of time
If one plays one’s cards right
Or reads between the lines
~~~~
But it’s always a matter of time
In the quietness before the storm
That can seemingly last forever
Change is inevitable
And the future can come
At the speed of light
And one is pressed with the reality
Where did the time go?
As time runs out
~~~~
The Enigma of Time
Elliott Jaques
“The enigma of time is the enigma of life: it has plagued poets and
philosophers from the beginnings of civilized thought. For life is lived
in time. Without time there is no life. But each one lives in his own
time. No two men living at the same time live in the same time. Each
one, living at the same moment, has his own personal time perspective, his own living linkage with past and future, the content of which,
and the scale of which, are as different between one person and
another as are their appearance, their fingerprints, their characters,
their desires, their very being.”
***
V’J.’s theme: Cliche https://onewomansquest.org/2020/03/02/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-86/
This growing, storm cloud was a wonder to behold.
Feathery front of mare’s tail clouds filled the sky.
Mackerel clouds, surrounding the setting sun, created an eeriness to the scene.
Cigar-shaped cloud announcing the end of a tornado warning.
***
All these photos were taken off my seventh floor balcony.
***
Cee’s theme: Clouds in B/W https://ceenphotography.com/2020/02/27/cees-black-white-photo-challenge-clouds/
No matter what one’s mission
A clear path can be elusive
Frozen in wintry challenge
Yet the heart is trusting
That it will unfold
As it should
***
V. J.’s theme: Mission https://onewomansquest.org/2020/02/24/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-85-mission/
Filling empty spaces
With dreams
Of new shorelines
Of discovery
On the edge between
Yesterday and tomorrow
Where the sun
Shines eternally bright
Evaporating coming storms
***
V.J.’s theme: Sun https://onewomansquest.org/2020/02/17/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-84-sun/
Patrick’s theme: Shoreline https://pixtowords.com/2020/02/16/shoreline-pic-and-a-word-challenge-220/
This was yesterday.
This is now.
This is tomorrow.
***
Ann-Christine’s theme: Into the Future https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2020/02/08/lens-artists-photo-challenge-83-future/
Whisper
Across time
Sends a message
To be mindful
Two strikes
Next time
Could be tragic
***
*I was recently distracted when changing lanes while driving. Hard to get grounded with back pain. Blind spot screams. Not paying attention. Close call. Heart takes a leap. Angel on my shoulder.
***
V. J.’s theme: Whisper https://onewomansquest.org/2020/02/03/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-82-whisper/
Trajectory adjustment
Riding on butterfly effect
Missing puzzle piece appears
Seed of transformation
Invitation rises on horizon
Colors quickly fading
Life turning into black and white
Spontaneous responses denied
Rules of engagement fall apart
Unable to hide in distractions
Holding onto rare moments of peace
Yearning for the normalcy of habits
***
V.J.’s theme: Habits https://onewomansquest.org/2020/01/20/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-80-habit/
Psyche entangled in fragility
Ebb and flow of life force distracted
Pain an unwelcomed visitor
Unraveling quality of daily life
Subtraction overwhelms
Healing stands elusive
Photography sits in the freezer
Waiting to unthaw
Journey altered
***
V.J.’s theme: Subtraction https://onewomansquest.org/2020/01/13/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-79-subtraction/
Never hesitate to open new windows in your life.
(Mehmet Murat Ildan)
Scenic view from Curious Thymes restaurant, Sudbury, Ontario. A foggy, drizzly autumn day a few years ago. Sadly it no longer exists.
The view outside a lounge in our hotel in Honolulu.
Aquarium window also in Honolulu.
Looking out the helicopter window overlooking the scene above Kauai, Hawaii.
Rare, vivid, winter sunrise looking out my sunroom window.
***
Amy’s theme: A Window with a View https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2020/01/11/a-window-with-a-view/
“Mistakes are the portals of discovery. ” (James Joyce)
Candle in a mirror
Illuminates portal
Entrance to possibilities
Creative energy surges
***
**These images were created by using my sectional mirror (below) and a candle.
***
Frank’s theme: Portal https://dutchgoesthephoto.net/2020/01/07/tuesday-photo-challenge-portal/
V.J.’s theme: Action https://onewomansquest.org/2020/01/06/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-78-action/
I see my thoughts reflected in the open waters
Accepting the illusion of warmth from the cold, setting sun
My heart is tranquil in this frigid moment
Knowing that transformation is inevitable
***
*Happy New Year to all those who have supported me on WordPress.
Cee’s theme: Hot of Cold Things https://ceenphotography.com/2020/01/02/cees-black-white-photo-challenge-hot-or-cold-things/
Patrick’s theme: Illusions https://pixtowords.com/2019/12/29/illusions-pic-and-a-word-challenge-213/
Embracing cycles of life
Pausing to feel grateful
That I’m still here
***
V. J.’s theme: Pause https://onewomansquest.org/2019/12/16/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-77-pause/
Fingers discovering keys into another world… Child’s joy in music and developing skill cut short by rapping on knuckles from harsh teacher, demanding perfection. Told mom at nine years old that I didn’t want to go back. Piano gathered dust. Child’s mind tuned-out to music, until the Beatles and Sound of Silence (1964) appeared on the magic box. I was ten.
“Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again…”
Poetic lyrics with a message drew me in.
The world showed another layer
Colors came back
I started expressing myself
In the poetic mode in early years
Then drawing and painting joined in
I had started my journey
Where creative acts fed the soul
Then life happened…
After forty years of ‘adult reality’
Creative spark still waited patiently
To befriend me again
*~*
***
V.J.`s theme: Music https://onewomansquest.org/2019/12/09/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-76-music/
Dappled light
Flecks of gold
Glowing through branches
Join my walk
*~*
Frank’ theme: Glow https://dutchgoesthephoto.net/2019/12/03/tuesday-photo-challenge-glow/
Sudden appearance
Blown in by the wind
Excites curiosity
Satisfies need to play
With eyes of a child
~*~
V.J.’s theme: Satisfying https://onewomansquest.org/2019/12/02/vjs-weekly-challenge-75-satisfying/
“Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes…” ― Arshile Gorky
A water ripple encircled by wisps of floating grass…
Reflections in a pond...
Birch tree shadows across a rocky hill in winter…
~*~
Patti’s theme: Abstract: https://pilotfishblog.com/2019/11/30/lens-artists-photo-challenge-74-abstract/
Sipping moderation
Taste buds tingle
Relishing the journey
Aging changes perspective
Balance a must
Extremes only in youth
*~*
V. J.’s theme: Moderation https://onewomansquest.org/2019/11/25/vjs-weekly-challenge-74-moderation/
“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”
– Aristotle
“…in winter…you feel the bone structure of the landscape — the loneliness of it; the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.” (Athabasca River Gorge, Jasper National Park, Alberta)
– Andrew Wyeth
“The color of springtime is flowers; the color of winter is in our imagination.”
– Terri Guillemets
*~*
Tina’s theme: Cold https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/2019/11/23/lens-artists-challenge-73-cold/
“Fantasy and reality often overlap.”
(Walt Disney)
“Fantasy…opens our eyes to an unseen world and trains our mind to see beyond the visible.”
(Bryan Davis)
*~*
Frank’s theme: Fantasy https://dutchgoesthephoto.net/2019/11/19/tuesday-photo-challenge-fantasy/
Waiting can be glorious
Pivotal moment
When anticipation rises
New beginnings await
Simplifying life
When traveling light
Steps overcome
Walking into the unknown
Towards the light
Sky suddenly opens
Looking into the eye
Of wholeness
*~*
V.J.’s theme: Wholeness https://onewomansquest.org/2019/11/18/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-73-whole/
Patrick’s theme: Waiting https://pixtowords.com/2019/11/17/waiting-pic-and-a-word-challenge-207/
Amy’s theme: Waiting https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2019/11/16/waiting-2/
(Image of sun dogs off my balcony taken recently when the temperatures plummeted. I wished for an interesting, new photo and here it is.)
A wish
Is a tricky thing
A momentary thought
A sparkle of possibility
Harnessing the luck
Of a falling star
Or celebrating growth
From year to year
Or is it more than that
*
If one lingers too long
A wish turns into something else
A hope for the future
Or a dream to be fulfilled
*
Wishes are fickle
Manifesting whenever they choose
Some almost instantaneously
And others languish in the ether
Waiting for the time to be right
And others never have a chance
To grow their wings
*
V.J.’s theme: Wish https://onewomansquest.org/2019/11/11/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-72-wish/
Patrick’s theme: Depth https://pixtowords.com/2019/11/11/depth-pic-and-a-word-challenge-206/
The crack is before me
Do I step over it
And stay in the safe zone
Or do I step on it
And force destiny’s hand
*
Do I hold its hand
And play the victim
Or do I laugh at it
And ignore its power
*
Do I sing to it
And pray for forgiveness
Or do I love it
And embrace its lesson
*
Do I photograph it
And claim the moment
Or do I live in it
And make it my story
*~*
Patrick’s theme: Crack https://pixtowords.com/2019/11/03/cracks-pic-and-a-word-challenge-205/
When darkness falls
Light lies in wait
Painting with graying pallette
To the eye’s delight
The sky erupts
Displaying its mood
While the flower lies safe
In the forest’s gentle arms
Tenderly awaiting
The sun’s awakening
*~*
V. J.’s theme: Wait https://onewomansquest.org/2019/11/04/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-71-wait/
Patti’s Theme: Monochrome https://pilotfishblog.com/2019/11/02/lens-artists-photo-challenge-70-monochrome/
Final fall colours
Meet Halloween snowstorm
Long winter ahead
Illusion warps landscape
Inviting dark emotions
Elongated alien forms
Emanating shivery truth
***
Happy Halloween! 🙂 (The above image is actually a reflection in a window that I caught recently. The lines in the background is a lake. )
V. J.’s theme: Alien https://onewomansquest.org/2019/10/28/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-70-alien/
“It takes a long time to grow an old friend” to fly through time with.
(John Leonard)
“You must go on adventures to find out where you truly belong.”
(Sue Fitzmaurice)
~*~
Tina’s theme: Seeing Double https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/2019/10/26/lens-artists-challenge-69-seeing-double/
Light warps form
Distortions suddenly flare
Shadows slowly flicker
Kindling fires of imagination
*
Portal arouses awakening
Window creaks open
Shape-shifter enters
Perusing new reality
*Tribute to Halloween when the walls between our world and the spirit world becomes thin.
***
V. J.`s theme: Kindle https://onewomansquest.org/2019/10/21/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-69-kindle/
Chasing the light
Delineating shadows and lines
Layers of the fallen
Transformation ending
Landscape becomes moody
Barrenness a promise
The last hang on
Braving the winds of change
***
Amy`s theme: Layered https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2019/10/19/lens-artists-photo-challenge-67-layered/
As the days grow colder
Memories grow fonder
Warming the heart
With candid moments
Playful opportunities
Minds exploring
Sensual learning
Sometimes fun turns to too much fun, as the day`s outing comes to an end. There`s a story behind that pouty face.
One is eager to pack up and the other finds it hard to leave the playful possibilities.
In the end, the seagull finds itself alone exploring the beach.
~*~
Ann-Christine’s theme: Candid https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2019/10/12/lens-artists-photo-challenge-67-candid/
V.J.’s theme: Play https://onewomansquest.org/2019/10/14/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-68-play/
Daylight cautiously succumbs
To cyclic vigil
Full moon parades
Its fiery luminosity
Old patterns unravel
Requiring new vision
In wake of dire warnings
A wobble in time’s matrix
Future at risk
Celestial invitation
To heed voices
Calling for change
~*~
V.J.’s theme: Sky https://onewomansquest.org/2019/10/07/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-67-sky/
In Sudbury, weekly farmer’s markets display locally-grown food, wild blueberries, hand-crafted items, homemade baked goods and preserves, and sometimes live music. Always fun to experience the community vibe and take some photographs.
Love the look of wooden, bushel baskets that bring back childhood memories.
These unusual, textured gourds caught my eye.
A bit of a humorous touch with the hat on a pumpkin and the 714 pound, prize pumpkin stealing the show.
Just had to get a macro of this chanterelle mushroom.
~*~
Frank’s theme: (Farmer’s Market) Groceries https://dutchgoesthephoto.net/2019/10/01/tuesday-photo-challenge-groceries/
Standing alone
Savouring transition
Senses alerted
By fiery dance
~*~
V. J.’s theme: Savour https://onewomansquest.org/2019/09/30/v-j-s-challenge-66-savour/
Eyes smiling
With momentary delight
Subject of affection
Falls into sight
*~*
Happiness hormones
Lifting the spirits
Mood transformer
Well-being soars
*~*
V.J.’s theme: Smile https://onewomansquest.org/2019/09/23/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-65-smile/
Derelict barns can be found driving the countyside of Manitoulin Island, Ontario.
“The poetry of earth is never dead.”
(John Keats)
Sometimes a feel of country can be found close to home. This walkway led to the stream below.
*~*
Amy’s theme: Countryside https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2019/09/21/lens-artists-photo-challenge-64-countryside-and-or-small-towns/
Autumn colors transitioning
Bending to the winds of change
Tenacious until the end
~*~
V.J.’s theme: Resilience https://onewomansquest.org/2019/09/16/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-64-resilience/
Frank’s theme: Fuzzy https://dutchgoesthephoto.net/2019/09/17/tuesday-photo-challenge-fuzzy/
Two different perspectives at the same scene.
“Those who do not believe in magic will never find it.” (Roal Dahl)
“I am forever chasing light. Light turns the ordinary into the magical.”
(Trent Parke)
*~*
Ann-Christine’s theme: Magical https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2019/09/14/lens-artists-photo-challenge-63-magical-my-magical-garden/
Candid photos from Anderson Farm’s yearly fall fair.
Bunny love. I kept the original colors. Loved how the gentle hands looked with the color in the bunny’s ears.
Beauty of alpacas.
Crafty dog watching a passerby.
~*~
Cee’s theme: Candid Photography https://ceenphotography.com/2019/09/12/cees-black-white-photo-challenge-candid-photography-human-or-animal/
Architectural digestif
For long, abandoned hospital
Unwanted, hollow shell
Once an eye-sore
Ripens with vivid colors
Graffiti artist adds his touch
Eye-candy or too over-the-top
A matter of opinion
~*~
Interesting video of the process—https://www.sudbury.com/lifestyle/timelapse-video-watch-canadas-largest-mural-take-shape-1665248
*~*
V.J.’s theme: Ripening https://onewomansquest.org/2019/09/09/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-63-ripening/
K’lee’s theme: Architectural Digestif https://obzervashunal.com/2019/09/09/klee-and-dales-cosmic-photo-challenge-architectural-digestif/
“Silhouettes say a lot with little information…” (Kara Walker)
Silhouettes can embrace a subject and set a mood.
Silhouetted leaves can create a sense of drama.
Silhouettes and shadows dance together to the song of nature.
Silhouettes can make one look up and wonder.
~*~
Patti’s theme: Silhouettes https://pilotfishblog.com/2019/09/07/lens-artists-photo-challenge-62-silhouettes/
Wild beauty
Medicinal, saving grace
In time of uncertainty
Daughter undiagnosible
Time passes with no answers
Milk thistle provides a miracle
~*~
*( My daughter missed her grade 7 school year many moons ago due to an unknown illness that cleared after taking milk thistle supplements.)
Hanging out in the raspberry bush
Laying with the warm earth
The drifting clouds told me stories
My happy, alone space
I think I was three
~*~
Looking out of the train window
Crying with the rain
I never wanted to move
Sinking into my first loss
I know I was four
~*~
Beside Cherry Lake was my new home
Crossing the waters to the distant shore
With big brother rowing
To pick wild strawberries
An adventure to fill my memory with joy
When the lake froze, I learned to skate
But big brother was hit in the forehead
With a hockey puck gone astray
And a little voice cried that he might die
My first fear of death
I was five
~*~
Then the flood came
Neighbouring houses were swept away
Ours was spared, but the floor slanted sideways on the edge of a cliff
I was afraid to go to sleep
Until the house was moved to my next life adventure
I was six
~*~
School started and new friends filled my days
I learned French easily with the praise of my nun
The love of playing the piano brought music into my life
Then one day, while waiting outside for my lesson to start
I made a bad choice
Writing my name on the convent wall
Next day, I fell into disgrace
My first experience with shame
On my knees, crying for forgiveness
I was spared the strap, maybe because I was so young
Fear of authority entered my heart
I think I was seven
~*~
I started to gain weight
Kept to myself
My swing was my happy place
The little girl had changed
Learned some hard lessons
With many more to experience
And a second move coming
I was eight
~*~
V.J.’s theme: Childhood https://onewomansquest.org/2019/09/02/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-62-child-childhood/
Parrot chumming around with my daughter. Worth the five dollars for a photo.
I asked this fellow and his pet iguana to pose for me. Strange sight at a local festival.
My daughter’s precious cats, Peanut and Tommy. Munchkin is missing.
A rock pigeon decided to lay her eggs in my balcony, flower pot. I guess it’s like having wild pets.
Here’s the mama pigeon looking out for wandering, predator ravens.
I was intrigued by the beauty of this dog. A quick walk-by.
My Sassy who passed a few years ago.
(A. D. Williams)
*~*
Tina’s theme: Precious Pets https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/2019/08/31/lens-artists-challenge-61-precious-pets/
(Abstract of my long gone, peace lily.)
~*~
The mind is a puzzle
Molded by the brain’s intricacies
With magical possibilities
A source of inspiration
And a receiver of encryptic messages
~*~
Emotional attachment
To unfulfilled dreams
Triggers limbic resonance
Searching lost & found box
To recover the lost key
To believe in miracles
~*~
V. J.’s theme: Recovery ( I used recover) https://onewomansquest.org/2019/08/26/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-61-recovery/
When you really think about it, it’s all in how you frame your life.
Memories blur
Framing special moments
With a forever image
Bridge framing the sunset moment before the boat docking.
(Rideau Canal Sunset Boat Tour, Ottawa)
Rustic framing of vegetation draws the eye into the inner depths.
( Botanical Gardens, Edmonton, AB)
Sculptured family framed by nature.
Casual capture of my daughter busy in her kitchen, reflected in the frame of a mirror. Miss you!
Wall display in a fancy restaurant after the boat tour in Ottawa. (Reminds me of the song, “Ninety-nine bottle of beer on the wall.” ) 🙂
“Frame your mind to mirth and merriment which bars a thousand harms and lengthens life.” (William Shakespeare)
~*~
Amy’s theme: Framing the Shot https://shareandconnect.wordpress.com/2019/08/24/fram/
“Life is a journey and only you hold the key.”
Key
Once hidden
Now reveals itself
~*~
Frank’s theme: Key https://dutchgoesthephoto.net/2019/08/20/tuesday-photo-challenge-key/
These are all photos taken inside and outside Laurentian University’s library a few years ago. (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada)
Main sitting area below the staircase. Looking up, you can just catch the edge of the bottom of the stairs.
I was lucky to get a few shots without people going up and down.
Now for the outside view that caught my eye.
Wanted to see how the above view would be transformed by sepia and monochrome.
Interesting refraction of light from this angle.
Reflections of the trees create an illusion.
(Yes, it was spring, but some snow banks took longer to melt.)
~*~
Ann-Christine’s theme: Angles https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2019/08/17/lens-artists-photo-challenge-59-angles/
Playing with illusion
Creates a whisper
Of momentary wonder
(Luigi Ghirri)
~*~
K’lee’s theme: Just an illusion https://obzervashunal.com/2019/08/10/klee-and-dales-cosmic-photo-challenge-whats-the-prompt-128/
Generalizations
And negative assumptions
Clutter the mind
“Ignorance is bliss”
Twists the belief system
*
Seagulls are scavengers
Garbage eaters
A nuisance
Not worthy of esteem
Lowest on the totem pole
*
That’s what I was told
*
Photographer’s eye
Has opened a new reality
Seeing this maligned glider
As an elegant beauty
~*~
V.J.’s theme: Belief https://onewomansquest.org/2019/08/05/v-j-s-weekly-challenge-60-belief/
*This is the entrance to taking a break from the noise of city life.
(Windy Lake Provincial Park))
“Sometimes, just the warm sun and the sound of the waves is pure heaven.”
(Sue Alexander)
*
” Taking the time to do nothing often brings everything into perspective.”
(Doe Zantamata)
This seagull took an interest in me when some people close by disappeared.
*
Tina’s theme: Taking a Break https://travelsandtrifles.wordpress.com/2019/08/03/lens-artists-challenge-57-taking-a-break/
A little of this. A little of that.
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