Nature often holds up a mirror so we can see more clearly the ongoing processes of growth, renewal, and transformation in our lives. ~ M. A. Brussat
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Tag Archives: nature
skywatch friday
Winter Sky
It finally feels like the holidays are over today and a new year has begun. Over the past couple of weeks, as 2008 wound down, I started to feel that big bad cloud of sadness and regret gathering over my shoulders and at first I let it, I figured I deserved it, didn’t I? A little wallowing, a few what-ifs? I mean, this has been one helluva year of stress and loss and heartache around here. But after a few days of it (and a few sleepless nights too) I realized that I was going to have to make a conscious effort to choose between sorrow and happiness, between gloom and optimism. And I knew that there might even be days when I would have to fake it to make it, but that’s okay, I can do that. Because I’ll be damned if I’m going to feel sad and only remember the bad days every time I look at a photograph of my mom, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to believe anything other than the fact that come July 1st I will be holding a healthy little grandbaby up to my face and breathing in the sweetness of a new life, a new beginning.
skywatch friday
The other day I was driving home from running errands and I saw that little patch of blue sky peeking through a blanket of lead colored clouds. During the winter, the landscape around here seems to lose its color. But I think maybe we sometimes simply lose the ability to see the muted colors of the season. That little bit of bright blue sky reminded me to look a little harder, to look past the naked brown branches of the trees and the withered flowers in my garden. I went across the street and photographed the fishing pond in the park again, frozen now, but rimmed with bronzed grasses and crowned with just enough blue sky to renew my fragile faith.
Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. ~Mother Teresa of Calcutta
skywatch friday
This is the little fishing pond in a park across the street. It’s funny, but until I started taking pictures of it I didn’t appreciate its simple beauty. I guess that’s what photography is all about, isn’t it? The lens wraps itself around an image, separating it from the noise and stopping time, giving us the opportunity to look more closely at the world around us. Happy Skywatch Friday!
censored saturday
Mr. bookbabie came home Wednesday and asked me if I wanted to go with him to Tonawanda, New York, he needed to make a last minute visit to an account he has there. As you may have guessed by the photos, Tonawanda borders the Niagara River and Niagara Falls. I decided to go, mostly because I liked the idea of running away from home for a few days. We thought that we might stop in Toronto for one night too, driving from Detroit it’s about two hours shorter if you cut through Canada, so we grabbed our passports and took off…
*** I decided the remainder of this post sounded too whiny so I censored myself and just put up more pics instead:)
bird’s eye view
The Nature Conservancy has a live nest cam aimed at an eagle nest on Santa Cruz Island in California. Two chicks have successfully hatched this month. Pack up all your cares and woes and go check it out. It’s pretty zen to sit and watch the parents tend their chicks and the background sounds of nature are very relaxing, feels like you’re outside sitting in a tree just chillin’ with those lovely creatures. The photo is by permission from Nikon66 on flickr. Fiercely beautiful shot of a fiercely beautiful bird.
signs of spring
The last few days have been lovely here in Michigan. We’ve had lots of golden sunshine and warm temperatures, it felt soo good after such a long, snowy winter. The other day I spotted that photo of the cranes on flickr leech and I don’t know why but it just made me really happy! I’m posting it with permission from Kishore. I just thought of a fun game. Click on the flickr leech link (you have to click the Go button next to the date when you get there to get the pics), click on a photo that represents spring to you (or one that just makes you smile), then copy and paste the web address as a link in your comment. I can’t wait to see what inspires y’all! I’ll do one too just to start us out:)
I realized that if I had to choose, I would rather have birds than airplanes. ~Charles Lindbergh
wednesday journal
The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers. ~M. Scott Peck
bookbabie 