Itching For Photography

I haven't had a chance to take photos in about a week.  I have several projects on the go right now, many of which are related to photography, but I'm starting to feel the urge to get out there.  There's so much going on, just beyond the back door.  The buds are starting to unfold and reveal tiny, wrinkled leaves.  Robins, juncos, sparrows are converging under the pine, lunging, dodging, twittering.  The opportunities for great macro photos are making my mouth water...

Photography is one of my favourite pastimes, so naturally, I crave it if I go without it too long.  So I think I'll set aside a few writing assignments I originally planned for the next few days, and dust off the tripod instead.   The landscape is changing so quickly, it would be a shame to miss out on some of the most visible transformations of Spring.

I can't wait to see what this stroll reveals... 

Today, I Begin A New Life...

Today...

I begin a new life.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
I will persist until I succeed.
I am nature's greatest miracle.
I will live this day as if it is my last.
I will be master of my emotions.
I will laugh at the world.
I will multiply my value a hundredfold.
I will act NOW.
I will pray for guidance.

(From The Greatest Salesman In The World by Og Mandino)



My journey through the lens is taking me within and with each new discovery, I see the world with new eyes.  

This photo was taken last Fall on a leisurely stroll with my kids, but became the focus of my week on a deeper level.  I am embarking on a new direction in my life, and during quiet contemplation about this, I felt an instant connection to the photo.  

At that same moment, my eyes were drawn to the bulletin board above my desk and came to rest on a small piece of paper.  On it were scribbled the ten scrolls from Og Mandino's The Greatest Salesman In the World.   

New beginnings can be frightening without faith, hope and courage.  The scrolls are guideposts to live by, through good and bad.  I just wanted to share them with you.
 

Dreams of Summer

With a long winter behind us and Spring cleaning in full swing, the back yard is starting to show signs of being a spectacular show stopper for another season.

This morning, I took a stroll and saw that last night's rain has done a world of good.  The grass is greener and the spring bulbs seem to have sprouted an extra few inches overnight!  I even compared the photos I took on Sunday of the lilac bushes with those I took this morning, and was amazed at the difference.  I guess the seasons are as eager to be seen as we are of enjoying them.

My hubby has already completed a Spring garden project (there's nothing like an extra long-weekend to knock off a few things on a to-do list!).  Some of the flower beds needed to be widened, so he dug out the lawn a few feet out and brought the garden edging out a bit.  Our composters continued to produce great soil all winter, so we were able to fill in the extra space this created.

It wasn't all work and no play.  We played football with our youngest daughter, and took a hike up and around the local waterfalls.

I'm really excited to begin a new season, as many of us are.  Winter can be a beautiful, serene season with many photo opportunities as long as you know where to look.  But Spring and Summer, they're easy.  Everywhere you look, there is something spectacular to behold.  So with camera and tripod in had, I'm off to the back to capture the ever-changing scenery and take in the sounds of the returning birds; I hope to catch a glimpse of the crows nesting in our pine tree, if they're so gracious as to grant me a peek.