Oh the Places You'll Go...

My baby girl graduated this week. True to her character, she finished school the way she does life, intensely and fully. Jess is beautiful inside and out. I am proud of her for finishing well and believe she will continue on well. Oh the places you'll go...

 

Dress by Dig For Victory

Jewelry by Zafirenia

Their Dance

Gently they moved in the wind,  lending sweet romance to the landscape.  The dance was theirs to dance and my pleasure to behold. I didn't want to leave.

Sunny Side Up

These wee flowers are so cheery and bright - they are sunny side up! Even the grasses in the background reach up in the same direction the flowers face. I wonder if that is how it is with people. If we see someone or a group of someones whose disposition is cheery, do we look in the direction they look? Do we start looking up?

Celebrate!

There is a whole lot of celebrating going on these days: Father's Day, Graduations, Canada Day, the Fourth of July for our fine friends in the south and a couple of weddings coming up in the near future.

As I was walking the trail over the lunch hour today, this time with my grown-up kids alongside me, I happened upon this, whatever this is. I couldn't resist moving into the brush to take some shots. Who needs fireworks when we have this kind of excitement and celebration wrapped up in greenery? If you know what this is, comment below; I'd love to know too.

Life Emerges

From cloud to clarity, it emerges...life. From wee seeds to tiny grapes, the fruit is born. I love this time of year; amazing growth is all around me as creation moves into summer.

Fleet

The mist and fog settled in. It was as though nothing else existed, only our fleet of sails and the ocean below. Quiet was ours as time stood still.

Light

When you possess light within, you see it externally.  ~Anaïs Nin

Then followed that beautiful season...Summer...

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Night-Light

Beautiful pops of light brought a magical quality to the woodlands. No longer afraid in the darkness, I looked around and saw rich green ferns and waving grasses as beautiful and harmless rather than hidden or hiding places. Light changed everything.

Petals Meet Metals

There is a chain linked fence along the path we walk. Woven in and through these rusty links are delicate blooms, easily making themselves a home alongside the metal and wire. Surprisingly, the urban backdrop takes nothing away from the beauty of the blooms. Rather, by contrast, the beauty is enhanced.

Afire

This was no ordinary flower. I've never seen such a thing. The white flames fanned out from the golden coals, warming all who were near.

Is it in the genes?

Here is a picture of my dad back in the day. I wonder what his images would look like today if he had the time and inclination to continue with photography.  Maybe I have an idea.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Raindrops

After a night of rain, morning comes. There is nothing quite like wandering through the gardens early in the morning before the sun begins to dry the day. How beautiful are the drops of water both from above and below.

Discord or Harmony

One man gets nothing but discord out of a piano; another gets harmony. No one claims the piano is at fault. Life is about the same. The discord is there, and the harmony is there. Study to play it correctly, and it will give forth the beauty; play it falsely, and it will give forth the ugliness. Life is not at fault. ~Author Unknown

 

My Ride

My ride is here.

Nesting

A home is made in the crook of the branches. Great attention to colours and detail is obvious with the mustard lining, so complimentary to the white exterior and red toned branches that frame this rustic abode. The woodlands is just the right neighborhood for this cozy nest.

Sunrise

The sun peaks over the horizon. Her rays are crimson this morning, reaching out to warm the rocks, the land, the sea...and me. May the sun shine light and colour - both, on your day.

Tentative

Should she risk it? Maybe if she just reaches out a little, not too much, not too loudly, maybe she'll be okay. Holding her heart close, her leaves reach out. Will she open her heart too?

Amazing Skies

The skies have been amazing the past couple of evenings. I don't know if we've actually had a thunderstorm but the clouds have been threatening (or promising, depending on where you live). I recognize that the rain is not so welcome in some parts that have been ravaged by flooding and for these areas, my hope is for dryer weather. I'm okay to enjoy the sights and sounds without the downpour if this helps those who are swamped with the rains and floods.

Gorgeous Gazanias

Never lose an opportunity to see anything that is beautiful. It is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, every fair sky, every fair flower.
                    ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Outside In

Summer in the city! Well, almost. Blue skies and summertime temps make for a fine day here in the 'peg! I took this shot at The Forks last year. I love the sense that the blue skies are inside too. Today I need to get to some inside work but plan to have some blue skies with white cotton clouds overhead, at least in my mind. :)

Outside In

Bend

Sometimes we need to bend a little. It is rarely fun. It is often hard. In the end, it makes a difference in our lives and maybe someone else's too.

Eyes Wide Open

I am reminded to keep my eyes open as I go through the moments of my days, the crazy days of June. The urge is there to close my eyes and barge through this month, celebrating at the end, not the moments but rather the survival of the moments. I've done this before and I don't want to do this anymore, especially because some of the moments involved are graduations and celebrations that are really important. But what about the other moments that don't hold quite the same fanfare and accomplishment as my daughter's grad? They too are important. They hold something for me and for those around me. They hold opportunities to discover, learn and enjoy.

As I look at this image, I see busyness in the background but it doesn't take away from the beauty of this flower.  In fact, the more I focus on the bloom, the quieter the busyness becomes. This bloom won't last the summer; its lifetime is short. What if I allowed the busyness to dictate my inclined response? I would have missed the delicate petals, the velvety textures and brilliant colours present in this tiny bloom. My eyes would have been shut and I would have stomped through and possibly over top of this gem. Thankfully, I did not and hopefully, I will not.

Be well. Be present.

What in the World?

Feminine or masculine? Tool or treasure? Function or fashion? Do you think you know what this is? My last What in the World was guessed very quickly but I think I have a tougher one for you all this time around. If you think you know it, comment below.

Love Winnipeg BBQ

Yesterday I had the complete delight of participating in a Love Winnipeg BBQ. Three churches banded together to put together a free community bbq to show love to our fellow Winnipegers. There were hotdogs and chips, face painting and games, red balloons and play structures, a Latin world music trio and a clothing give-away table...and a whole bunch of sunny weather and smiling faces! Love Winnipeg!

TRIOBEMBE

For more Love Winnipeg BBQ pictures go to this link.

Uhh...Mom...

This momma was so intent on her direction she did not notice her wee ones could not scale the curb. Off she went, not looking back. We stopped and tried to help these adorable little fluffs up and over the curb. One was easily scooped up but the other two found cover under our jeep. A couple of other motorists helped us out and after laying on our bellies reaching for the ducklings, we eventually managed to work together and catch them. But where was mom? Nowhere in sight! We looked through the nearby grasses and bushes and found her with duckling number one. They were reunited, a happy little family!

Lush

What in the World?

Are you good at puzzles? Do you know what this is? Bonus points if you can tell me where this might be located - not geographically but rather what might this be on? I've stumped you all before and maybe I'll stump you all again with this one! Comment below!

Tiny Treasures