Inspired

Ranunculus Heaven

They say that heaven is filled with all that you believe it is, all that your thoughts focus on.  If that's the case then I'm going to fill my heaven with beautiful Ranunculus (and yes, happy daffodils too).  There’s just something so perfectly sweet about Ranunculus.

 

 

Did you know that they're a part of the buttercup family?  Well neither did I until I began to read up on them.  Wikipedia says that Ranunculus is latin for “little frog” and they are likely named that because many species are found near water...like frogs.

It also says that the buttercup is called “coyote’s eyes” by the North American natives. In their folklore, Coyote was tossing his eyes up in the air and catching them again when Eagle snatched them. Unable to see, Coyote made eyes from the buttercup!

 

 

The Ranunculus that we grow and plant in our gardens are the cultured cousin of the buttercup.  They're derived from a species that originated in the The Middle East, hence their alternative name "Turban Buttercup".

The Victorians developed a “language of flowers" and every flower was given a meaning…ie..red Roses for love, Dalia’s for dignity and elegance and Hyacinth for jealousy.  Ranunculus meant "you are rich in attractions".

 

 

I bought these pretty pink and very rich-in-attraction, Ranunculus a few days ago and have been taking photographs as they open.  The graceful bend of their stems remind me of dancing ballerina’s...they bring me so much joy!

 

 

We’re having a lovely spring weekend here with a friend visiting, a happy birthday party, breakfast out, an antique English carshow (Mr. I's idea of heaven), and all of it mixed in with some serious relaxing...ahhhh, heaven indeed.

Sending hugs and blowing kisses, all around the world..

 

Winter and Words

The winter view from my fathers deck

I’m having a longer than expected visit with my father and getting a much bolder taste of winter than I usually have at the coast. This photo was taken from dad’s deck…a beautiful spot in the summer, overlooking the town and down into the valley. My parents moved into this house when I was just seventeen and I’ve sat on this deck…which catches the cool breezes in the intense summer heat…and enjoyed many an hour in the shade of the weeping birch tree.

Winter on the other hand, is not deck sitting weather and this photograph was the result of a very quick dash outside. It was snowing when I took the picture but I “enhanced” the snow with a texture from Flickr.

 

 

It’s no secret that I love words…especially in my artwork. I have a difficult time not including words somewhere. Words, both written and spoken, inspire me…they seem to kick start the creative juices. I read this quote today on the website of one of my favourite digital artists…Alice Popkorn. Alice’s digital art work is always inspirational and she often includes a link to a beautiful visual meditation video as well as an inspiring quote.

Another of my favourite photographers/digital artists is Dawne Boynton at Quidity 2 and French at Heart. This beautiful and dreamy piece is one of my very favourites of hers.

And I have to mention Jamie Heiden…oh, I am so in love with Jamie’s digital work…and she does it all with photographs that she’s taken near her Wisconsin home. I’ve sat and studied her work for hours and even wrote to ask her if it she adds any hand sketching/painting but no…it’s all done digitally. As someone who’s had some experience with creating digital work, it’s really quite amazing.

What I love about digital art is the ability it gives an artist to conceptualize and create “magic”. One of the first digital artists that I came across who captured a piece of my own creative heart with this particular style of magic, was Aimee Stewart with pieces like this, this and this. BIG sigh of bliss. (I realize there are a lot of links here but if you have a few minutes, they're really worth looking at)

Sending much love out to everyone and feeling great gratitude for all unknown blessings that are already on their way!

Looking Up

 

A Horse Chestnut “conker” ready to shed its soft, spikey protective capsule

 

Looking up at a chestnut tree, I see a seed splitting and opening.  It's outgrowing it's shell and the emerging seed requires that it discards what once protected it.

Opening. Cracking open. Birthing. Potentials.  Can you feel it?  There’s a new energy afoot. 

There are many things in this world that have failed humanity for a very long time.  Imbalances in many areas.  Greed.  Misuse of power.  Revenge.  The pendulum has swung to extremes...back and forth.

The larger solutions may not yet be clear, but person by person we are each realizing our own personal solution is to know our truth and stand in it, in a balanced way.

Neither victim, nor aggressor, but a middle ground.  People are seeking balance…balance in their own lives, balance in the world.

 

Beyond right and wrong there is a field.  I’ll meet you there.

Rumi

It’s good…it’s all good. Like the splitting of the chestnut's shell, it may feel destructive and unsettling at first but we are beginning to listen to the whispers of our hearts. We are standing in our truth and we are doing this both in solitary and in solidarity.

And my heart whispers the words of the Buddha...

 

“when you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky”.

Wishing you all a knowing of the perfection of each step of your journey. Thank you so much for visiting.

 

(Looking Up is this weeks theme for 52 Photos Project.  Thanks Bella!)

Colours of Autumn

We’ve had a beautiful fall on the island, although our colours aren’t that new-england-spectacular fiesta.  We get lots of gold/orange/brown tone’s which, when set against the lush dark green of the coniferous forests, are beautiful in their own right…but not the flaming reds which the east coast deciduous maples are so famous for. 

When I was looking around the web for a weekly photo challenge, (because a daily one is sooooo not for me, as I found out this summer) I came across Bella’s 52 weeks project.  It’s good to have a focus like this and yet it's not too much pressure.  I had stopped taking my camera everywhere with me and was feeling quite blah about it but I think shooting with Jaime last weekend got the photography juices flowing again.   It was probably a break that was needed and I’m feeling much more motivated to get back into something low key again.

 

The creative process is a form of meditation that allows me to approach each act of creation with intuition and discovery.

 

 

This week the theme is autumn colour and rather than try to find the perfect show of autumn leaves, I went to the market instead. 

The farmer's market's on the island are full of beautiful root vegetables right now…many with the old heritage varieties.  The nearby pumpkin fields are chock full of glowing orange spheres and all I need to complete the autumn feeling is an apple pie baking in the oven!  I'm off to a late Thanksgiving and very early Christmas gathering with family later today, so I may even find this treasure on the table if I'm lucky.

 

“I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.”
- L. M. Montgomery

 

…and I truly hope that your weekend is filled with many little pleasures.  Thank you ALL for stopping by.

 

Photographs and Friends

 

Today was a beautiful day.

It was a day of sunshine and crisp light…a day made for revelling in, as only a sunny day in October day can be. Days like today are meant to be embraced with gratitude and imprinted on the heart and soul for solace in the winter days ahead.

And what made it even more perfect was that I was meeting a new friend, a blogger who lives near by, for a day of photography. Sunshine + photography + connecting with a kindred soul = perfection.

We met in Fernwood…a fun and funky Victoria neighbourhood…and sipped our Chai’s while we talked about life with all it’s twists and turns, joys and challenges. When we could no longer ignore the sunshine calling us, we headed out with camera’s in hand, walking and talking and finding a million quirky, beautiful, colourful things to photograph.

 

cats posing in windows…

 

The graceful symmetry of white picket fences...

 

 

and quirky pieces of sculpture found in unexpected places.

Jaime is a beautiful photographer and today she taught me more about my camera in one afternoon, than I’ve learned in the past five years. What a relief it is to realize that I’m finally able to begin using the camera as it’s intended to be used!

 

 

One of the most inspiring things I saw today was in a sweet little art school, just beyond this door...

 

 

There was a poem written on the classroom wall and I knew I was meant to see these words today, so I took a photograph of it through the window.

 

As the sun slipped away and the temperatures began to drop, we finally said our goodbyes with plans to do it all again soon.

I hope your weekend was soul satisfying dear friends and that you were able to find time to sing your own beautiful song.

Monet's Garden and Me in 2012

**warning:  the following post contains a shameful overuse of such superlatives as "beautiful", "gorgeous", "stunning" and "lovely".  I apologise in advance, but it was truly unavoidable.

This week something very special arrived in the mail.  Something that was wrapped up in an envelope almost as beautiful as the gift that lay inside.  (I was doing some silent inner squeeling as I opened this!)

 

I was the lucky recipient of one of Georgianna Lane’s georgeous calendars.  She has several new ones ready for 2012 and this one is brimming with 12 stunning photographs that she took this summer in Monet’s Garden near Paris, France.

 

 

Oh my goodness, I just love these colours!  It’s full of soft pinks and turquoises and roses and poppies and windows with shutters and lace. 

 

 

These lovely images will be with me throughout 2012 to remind me of summer, and romantic French gardens and beautiful dreams.

And if that wasn’t enough she even included a photograph of a stunning Parisian door…an amazing blue door.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love doors?  There's so much to wonder about them...what possibilities lie on the other side...what opportunities do they open to?  How many people have walked through them and what are their stories?

 

 

And the sweetest part of all was the little package of Parisian goodies…a card and napkin from a certain very well known French Patiserrie…Lauduree…they’re famous for their heavenly macarons, and a city guide to find my way there!  Oh my goodness…there are just so many things in my life recently, that are pointing me towards Paris.

Do you think that perhaps Georgianna knew about this?

 

Paris is always a good idea.

Audrey Hepburn 

 

Seriously, if you've never visited Georgianna's magical wonderland, you're in for a real treat.  Take a few moments to wander through her virtual garden. (and just in case you were thinking about it, I already have first dibs on carrying her camera bags around for her on her next international photography assignment, so don't even think about it!)

Thank you Georgianna!

 

Focal Point

This is obviously a theme I’m on these days as I've just realized I wrote a post with the title “Focus” not long ago.

 

 

Although I photographed these Irises several weeks ago, I didn’t care for the composition, so didn’t post it at the time.  I haven’t had my Nikon out in awhile so as I was trolling through my files today for something I might have missed, I checked this one out again. (Maybe it improved with age?  Maybe my eye wouldn't be quite so critical?)

 

 

I did a little cropping to look at it from different aspects…first the blossoms…and then the vertical alignment of the leaves…

 

…when I noticed this…a cocoon…attached to a leaf, unnoticed until now.

I love little surprises like this and wonder how many things slip by me unnoticed everyday.  It’s impossible to see everything of course, but I find that taking the time to appreciate and enjoy the often small and sweet gifts of nature is a quick way to balance my energy and put life in perspective.

camera + time + focus = delight

(the Kate equation for contentment)

 

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs.  When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.

Andsel Adams

 

Wishing all my Canadian friends a wonderful Canada Day long weekend.  My American friends…have an equally fabulous Independence Day weekend…and for the rest of you…celebrate life and enjoy!   (I'm taking my camera out with me this weekend!)

Passing By...

 

 

This sweet little church (St. Anne’s Catholic Church) sit’s in a narrow valley near a small town…just a village really…called Hedley, in the southern interior of BC.  It’s actually just east of Hedley in the Chuchuwayha Indian Village.

I’ve driven past this church at least a hundred times in the past forty years and for the past twenty, I’ve wanted to stop and take a photograph…but we always seem to be in a hurry; a deadline to meet, a ferry to catch.  There’s no easy place to pull over and I haven’t wanted to intrude on the people of the reserve. They likely wouldn’t mind if we pulled in and stopped to take a  picture, but I’ve been hesitant.

On my last trip to the interior to visit my dad this past March, I took this shot from the car window as we were wizzing past!  It’s not a great shot but I was so glad I did it.  I’m now totally pumped to stop when we return later this summer, and take the time to actually focus the camera!! 

I think forty years is long enough to want to do something and not do it.  In fact, forty years is far too long for me to pass something by and not stop to act on my yearnings!

Is there something that you’ve been wanting to do for a long time…perhaps just a small something…that you haven’t yet done?

 

 

(the sun is shining on this end of the island and it's actually starting to warm up a bit...hooray!)

And Still More Green…

The theme this week at Lens-Us-Together was “green”…so appropriate for the spring season as well as for St. Paddy’s day…and was suggested by Caroline at Constantly Evolving.

There’s so much green inspiration around right now, with nature literally exploding all around us but the greens that are inspiring me these days are the greens that I’ve been both wearing and decorating with…the lime and tropical greens that I spoke of in my last post.

Just before I left on my holiday I ordered the green bag in the photograph above and ladies, you’ll love this…it’s actually a camera bag !  It’s lined inside with strips of Velcro on each side of the bag and padded dividers can be moved around to provide sections for various lenses, etc.  It was perfect for traveling as it eliminated the need for both a camera bag and a purse.  Mine holds my Nikon SLR, two lenses, a small Canon point-and-shoot, my wallet, glasses, sunglasses, notebook, pen, lipstick and various misc., quite easily.  It’s a bit on the heavy side when it's fully loaded but I find it easier than taking both a camera bag and a separate purse and it has a cross body shoulder strap.  While I was traveling, I also packed a smallish over the shoulder, smaller knit purse that I could use when I wasn’t taking all the camera paraphernalia...out for dinner etc.  It scrunched up in my suitcase easily.

(image from Jo Totes)

The other reason I was happy to have this bag was that we were traveling just as all the new regulations for carry on baggage were “in flux”.  They weren’t allowing large tote bags and were strictly limiting what could be classified as carry on, but they were allowing camera bags. 

I had been waiting to get one of Maile’s new camera bags (love them!) but they weren’t available before I left…they’re now available and look fabulous.  My bag is from Jo Totes and is very similar but not quite as stylish.

The only trouble that I can see with these bags is that once you have one, it won't be long before you'll want another…a new style or a different colour for the change of seasons!  

Colourful blessing to each of you dear bloggy friends,

Selfie

 

Last week’s challenge at Lens-Us-Together was to take a photograph of ourselves…that part  was fairly easy, although without a timer you’re relying on the “outstretched arm shot” that somehow never flatters.  What’s up with that anyway…is it the angle?  The difficult part for most, was actually posting it for the rest of the group to see…no more anonymity!

I’ve been posting photographs of myself for a few years now because I’ve always felt it somehow makes it easier to relate to other bloggers if I know who they are…they become real to me and it feels more personal.  It wasn’t easy though and at first I did the “camera in front of my face” shot and then the “cropping it to show just a portion of my face” shot, but finally thought “what the heck” and decided to just put it out there.

So here I am, untouched except for a filter to take out some of the sunburn on my skin (in my hotel room in Panama City) getting ready to go out for a day of exploring.  My nose is sunburned and my hair is frazzled from 5 weeks of the sun beating down on it.  My wrinkles are getting more numerous by the day, my roots are starting to “show” and  my freckles have “popped out” big time but…hey, I’m smiling!  I’m happy.  I’m a happy, happy camper!  I’m taking life as it comes.  I’m learning to live in the present moment and the present moment is pretty darn good….and that’s good enough for me.

(We arrived yesterday, into the mountains of northern Panama, very close to the Costa Rican border.  The weather is perfect here…not too hot and not too cold…the birds are colourful and numerous and the flowers are…well, just what you’d expect in a jungle...stunning.  For the benefit of family and friends, I’ll post more photo’s in a day or two!)

Blessings of the moment to each of you!