getting my read on

happy thanksgiving

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates vision for tomorrow."
                              -Melody Beatie

creamy dreamy

In Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers class today I was assigned to process a dreamy-like image. So, I went out to the garden and snapped this photo of bright pink flowers, did a little post processing (following Kim's instructions and presto, creamy and dreamy. This has been such a fun class and I've learned so much about post-processing. Well worth it!!! If you are interested in learning more about processing photos, check out what Kim has to offer here. 

A Little O' The Irish

Well, I'm back from a relaxing week away,

(more details to follow)

and I'm bringing you 

this little bit of wisdom. . . 

 . . . both of which I did a lot of 

this past week.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Winter. . .Still

Nature is full of genius,               full of the divinity;             so that not a snowflake            escapes its fashioning hand.             – Henry David Thoreau –              I awoke this morning               to snowflakes falling     gently to the ground outside my window,         reminding me that it really is                  still winter.     Something that has been easy to forget            over the past few weeks.                  It was beautiful.         I thought I was ready for spring              but mornings like this           make me content with winter.

Beauty On The Run

It's week two of my photo class.
This week's assignment--
Vision and Blur.
I had to choose a word or thought,
take a photo of an object 
that symbolizes that word or thought,
leaving part of the object out of focus.

I was out running

and stumbled upon this weed.
I thought it was simple, yet pretty.
I carried it
for the rest of my run.


It was worth it.
Loving my class!

A Fraction Of A Second

"Photography is not like painting.

There is a creative fraction of a second 
when you are taking a picture.

Your eye must see a composition or an expression

that life itself offers you, 

and you must know with intuition when to click the camera.

That is the moment the photographer is creative."

                   -Henri Cartier Bresson

I turned around to see this fraction of a second 

right in front of my eyes.

Nothing life-changing.

No milestone.

Nothing planned or staged.

Just a tiny moment in time. . .

the only proof of its existence, this photograph.

I'm trying to train my eye to see more of these moments.

And then to act on it without hesitation.

If I'd hesitated at all, 
I would have missed it.
The moment gone forever.

And then there was this moment . . .

 

Grandpa's greatest get-well gift.

(Of course neither of them will put down their remotes 

long enough for a proper hug. Priceless.)

Once There Was A Snowman

Today's picture is brought to you

courtesy of this year's first snowfall.

Early this morning we got 

our first official snowfall of the year.

A lovely inch of the fluffy white stuff!

Not much to brag about

but hey,

it was enough snow 

to run out and make this miniature snowman.

I, for one, am not going to complain.

It also gave me a chance 

to use some of my textures on a photo

(notice the fine print in the corners).

It's finally Winter. . . .

. . . at least for today.

Enjoy!