My older son and two grandsons are visiting this week, so today’s Picture to Ponder is late and will mainly be the photographs and story documenting discovering and transformation. The Queries are brief and might be profound for some of you.
Today’s Picture to Ponder Photos –
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This past weekend I had the pleasure of spending Mother’s Day with my younger son, Rob, his wife, Kevra, and grandson, Ryan. In addition to it being a relaxing, loving weekend, it was also one in which I had the pure delight of making new discoveries.
First my eye “noticed.”
Then I “paid attention”, using my iPhone camera to document my experience to savor and share with you. An added bonus for me was that Ryan got excited also with what I was seeing. He was able to do his own photos with Android.
Today’s Photos – [click to continue…]
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In today’s Picture to Ponder, I invite you to take some time and simply breathe in the beauty of the images below.
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Long-time Picture to Ponder subscriber, Alison James, responded to last week’s issue with such a “right-on” observation, sharing her own experience, that I asked if I might feature her expressions in this issue.
Photo by Alison James, Guest Writer/Photographer
She wrote: “I ride my bike every morning thru the same piece of Forest preserve/prairie. I try to make it a peaceful time, focusing on what my senses bring me – smell, sight, sound, feel – and not get wrapped up in thinking about work / home / future / past etc. [click to continue…]
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If you are one of the followers who relates to Self-Reflecting Queries, as well as the photographs, I thought you’d appreciate the following statement, “Empowerment in using a camera has altered how I see myself,” as shared by Marifran Korb.She was referencing her experience resulting from participating in the Through and From The Len telecourse. The next session starts on Tuesday night, March 15th. See TFTL.
Before going further, without adding words to interfere with your responses, I invite you to pause at each of Today’s Photos. Then consider the emotion, or response, that comes up for you with each one individually.
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Last week I had the pleasure of having lunch with Kaitlyn, my college-freshman granddaughter, to celebrate my birthday. The camera was with me and, being involved in conversation as we ate, I stayed pretty much focused on our discussions.
Toward the end of lunch I decided to see if there was anything visually interesting that I might photograph.
I took some pictures of her above her glass and then decided to focus on the glass itself. (Photo on right is initial scene)
It was when I zoomed in on the imagery in the glass that the photographs became interesting. In the first photo below we see a wide variety of pleasing textures and soft colors. I’m moved to stay in it for a while and yet the dark line (her drinking straw) almost cuts the picture in half, falling outside the principles of good design.
As you see below, I thus cropped the larger photo with the straw repositioned in different places in each of the two other photos. [click to continue…]
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If you have been following Picture to Ponder for a while, you’ve undoubtedly realized that I consider my camera as one of my best friends. It and/or its predecessors have joined me and my family in celebrations and on trips;
1- it has shared in the joys and some of the sorrows in my life;
2- over a period of many years our similar yet different views with our cameras opened some exciting conversations with my beloved husband Sam and me;
3-and, many times its served as a form of meditation AND definitely a stress-reliever.
I make it a practice to ALWAYS have a camera with me and as you know, I encourage you to do the same as you develop the practice of photographing ANYTHING that catches your eye.
Other’s cameras and mine also serve as conversation openers, thus connectors, when out among other people. Today, as I was walking on the boardwalk at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, I pointed out the reflections below to a woman who had paused to ask what I was photographing.
Reflections – Rhythms and patterns from the boardwalk [click to continue…]
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Usually the photograph dictates the writing in Picture to Ponder. It’s somewhat reversed today as you’ll see below. I invite you to simply experience the photo and then check the “story” of it and how it came to be
Today’s Featured Photo -
“Kaitlyn’s Moons”
Today’s Photo Story -
Today’s picture is symbolic of the nostalgia I’m feeling. Given it’s the start of a new school year, or approaching it, and/or for others nearing the end of Summer vacations (if you are in the United States) I suspect you, too, might be experiencing some emotional ups and downs.
My granddaughter Kaitlyn, a little over two years of age in the above photo, is now 18 and leaving for college this weekend. A very talented and special young woman, I’ve been reflecting and writing on some of her precious attributes to include in a card for her when she departs.
In the process of writing I went back through some old photos to trigger and reinforce memories. The above photo is on the cover of a book she asked me to create for her, when she was 3. I’ve always loved the photo and it seemed to call out to be featured today to represent the walking boldy into the future that so many of us and/or our children or other associates are doing.
The title “Kaitlyn’s Moons” evolved from the fact that Kaitlyn called the leaves “moons.” Those of you into astrology may have fun adding an interpretation to the moon shapes showing in the photo.
Note: If you do, please share this with us in the comments below.
Self-Reflecting Queries -
In addition to Kaitlyn’s starting college, her brother is starting high school next week. My older grandson in Georgia started last week. His younger brother started 5th grade, the end of his elementary school years.
A lot of movement and changes are taking place. I invite you to now reflect on your own life. Where are the changes happening? They may not be major ones and I’m sure you can find some?
What is your response to changes? Are you enlivened? Fearful? Do you go forward confidently or waver and perhaps withdraw? Are there patterns that you can identify?
I am still querying these myself, noticing the spaces where I allow myself to be held back?
Rather than attempt to put forth any answers here today, I’ll leave you with the queries and invite you to post in this issue’s COMMENTS section below.
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I’ve been busy organizing and planning today’s call for moms in deepening connections and communication with their young children. I was once again moved to tears and smiles when Tracy, one of the interviewees, responded to an email mentioning the “STRONG heart connection” with her and her daughter.
Also, though the call is not about using the camera, I asked Tracy if she and her daughter are still using the camera. She replied:
“I would definitely bring up the camera thing because we do it all the time. We also look at your Pictures to Ponder and we each share what we see and feel from the pictures…..she also takes pictures when we are out and she will say every other day….”I need the camera…I need to get a picture……”
Tracy’s comments led me to wondering, “Are there people in your life whom you engage in interaction with your experiences to the photos and/or queries here in Picture to Ponder?”
If you are interested in being on the call, today, Wednesday, July 14th at 2:30 PM PDT/5:30 PD EDT we will be “meeting” by phone (Skype is possible also). If you can’t make the call, it will be recorded and you can get the MP3 download later. See Child Connections to request information.
Lastly, my good friend, Julie Gabrielli, Mom and Architect, www.goforchange.com, will also be joining Tracy and me. You may recall I wrote about Julie and her son, featuring his tulip photos a couple of months ago.
Today’s Photos -
Phalaenopsis orchids at the American Orchid Society Gardens. The middle and lower photograph are obviously the same. The lower one had a minor adjustment. See (Today’s Photo Story below.)
Today’s Photos Story -
When I opened these downloaded photos the first photo I saw was the middle/bottom one. Though the flowers were beautiful, I felt confronted and briefly thought of this as a theme for an upcoming Picture to Ponder. Then I let it go.
A couple of days later the top photo “spoke” to me, the flowers presenting almost a wall, keeping me out. Then I noticed the single flower in the lower right protected by its own wall, the root.
Is it protection or is it a barrier? There is also the one flower on the far left that we could put the interpretation of “look-out guard” or might it be protector in the whole scene?
As I mentioned above the middle and bottom photos are the same, with a simple “fix” or Photoshop Elements enhancement on the bottom that lightened the background, softened and lighted the white of the flowers and now has a slightly more “welcoming” feeling. Just that one very minor click, made, for me, a huge shift in the response the photo evokes.
Now, scrolling back up to the first photo, the small flower on the lower right brings a smile to my face. I could continue to make up all kinds of “stories” about her – the hugs she might want or the “gift” she might be.
Self-Reflecting Queries -
As you might have guessed, today’s “stories” to the photos are partially a reflection of “stuff” I was going through. They even look different today, less “threatening.”
Once again, I realize, I’m demonstrating life and the “stories” we often make up about things. Sometimes they help. More often than not they exacerbate, for us, a situation we “think” we might be in, or a “challenge” we may be facing. It could be “real” or our “interpretation.”
Looking into your life right now are there situations for which you are making up “stories”, possibly even living into those stories, sharing them with others, making them more “real” for you. If so, I invite you to step back and bring new eyes to the situation. As in the third photo above, is there a simple adjustment you can make to the “story” to shed a different light on it?
And, sometimes, no matter what we “do” certain things may not change, at least not so long as we have an attachment to their being “different.” The peace is in the “letting go.” Is there anything going on for you right now that you are willing to release?
Yesterday, in the Mastermind Group with Molly Gordon in which I’m a participant, we spoke of “problems/challenges” often getting stored as baggage. One participant said she’ll often take a problem she may have and metaphorically puts it in a small box, wraps the latter, ties it up with a pretty ribbon and places it in a drawer. When the problem comes up again in the future (don’t they always?), she’ll take the box out of the drawer to open up and find the GIFT within!
I had a further conversation with my friend Marifran Korb who is BRILLIANT in finding the “gift” in anything. She has a new BlogTalkRadio show where she’s had, and will have shows, including the “Gift of Having ADHD”, the “Gift of Depression” and her own book in the works, “Breaking through Concrete: The Gift of Having Mentally-Ill Parents. All sound “heavy” and how much easier our lives are when we find the openings.
I invite you to again look in your life. What are the gifts in it? Make note of them for reminders. Be sure to include on it the gift of yourself and what you bring to yourself and the others.
I’m going save the singular flower in the top photo! She’s full of wonder and the desire for discovery.
As always have fun with these queries and looking/seeing. Also, please post your responses in the COMMENTS section below.
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Last week I mentioned having spent time looking for Roseate Spoonbill photos for you and then went with a different subject. The result of my delaying is that I’ve every time I’ve gone for a sunset walk at Green Cay Wetlands this week I had the pleasure of enjoying the Spoonbills even more. I now have new photos for you.
Last week, I also mentioned my expanding into coaching moms in deepening connections and communication with their young children while having the same freedom of “play” with them that the grandparents have. The date has been set for an introductory open phone call with two moms with whom I’ve worked. We will be “meeting” by phone (Skype is possible also) next Wednesday, July 14th at 2:30 PM PDT/5:30 PD EDT. I will be interviewing Sus and Tracy and there will be time for spot coaching with a few people on the call. For more details and place to get a reminder, plus the call recording, see Child Connections.
Lastly, for the artists among you interested in Proven Strategies To Set up A No-Stress, Successful Social Media Act for selling your art, Ariane Goodwin, creator and facilitator of smARTist Telesummit has a special offer, ending tomorrow night, for 50% off a social media bundle. See Using Social Media. The material is actually good for anyone here in business who wants to know more about using Social Media to expand.
On to Today’s Photos -
The top photo is of two Roseate Spoonbills, at dusk, on a tree skeleton in Green Cay Wetlands. I’ve included the photo below it to show the brilliance of the pink plumage and also give a sense of the rapid movement in the blur of its head.
Because the Spoonbills do not stay still, I decided to also share them with you in video format.
If you pay close attention to the above video, at approximately 15 seconds you’ll see a feather fly off to the left. Toward the end a Black-necked Stilt walks across the Spoonbill’s reflection.
Near the beginning of the above video you will see a couple of Spoonbills spread their wings showing their brilliant pink color. To see Spoonbills parading, click on Spoonbill Parade to bring you to my YouTube page. Sorting by “date added”, on the right, will show you the four most recent Spoonbill videos I did.
Self-Reflecting Queries -
I’m somewhat at a loss for “queries” as I start to write this section, so I’m thinking, “What lessons are we getting from the Spoonbills?” As I look up at the first photo, I see peace and quiet. Then I reflect on the almost, always-in motion, constantly sweeping bill, behavior of the Spoonbills.
I, thus, invite you to look in your life. Are there places where you are in constant motion? Is there a part of you that’s still while other parts of you are rapidly “moving”? What does it look like when you rest? How does it feel?
Then, thinking about the Spoonbills and how they went suddenly from a random group to an intentional line-up, moving in parade style, to an adjacent location, I’m moved to ask the following. Is there any place in your life now where you can line up parts of yourself, and perhaps, others to move with the same focused, single-minded determination that the Spoonbills had? Note, they did come right back, presumably with “mission accomplished.”
As always have fun with these queries and looking/seeing. Also, please post your responses in the COMMENTS section below.
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Gifts for You or the Special People in Your Life Unique Art and Photography |
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