Focus on Life Color

Our prompt for this week is The color of Evening

Check out more  at Sally's blog

Focus on Life Week 22

This week is all about what's in bloom.

My garden has been neglected for a few years but our trees are looking great.

This is our Japanese Lilac tree. It smells heavenly!

The tiny buds will soon  be blooming ...click the photo to get a great closeup.

Then check Sally's blog for more blooms.

Have a great weekend!

Focus on Life May

 Week 20: The view about the ground

Sally says to change our perspective and take a look down to see what's going on about the ground

this tiny egg fell out of its nest after a big storm.

Recently we were out in our yard and I found a nest. My husband got up on a ladder and discovered there were two tiny white eggs. I was thrilled. But the next day a huge storm came up and blew the nest out of the tree. I found one of the eggs  but not the nest.

This is the photo  of the nest in our apple tree before the storm.

Check Sally's Blog to see more things about the ground.

Focus On Life A Moment of Focus

April's Topic: Moments

Week Fifteen: A Moment of Focus

Allowing yourself to focus on one moment, one subject. 

A crisp, clear moment of focus.

Spring has been a long time coming to our area. Yesterday I saw that our Ornamental Pear had bloomed.

These blooms don't stick around long so I chose to capture this moment in time before the blooms faded away.

And I couldn't resit showing these tiny leaf buds on the crab tree.

Be sure to check Sally's blog to see more.

Focus on Life Morning Moments

For April our assignments will be all about capturing moments.  

This week it is about our morning moments

that quiet routine that starts the day

the mad dash to get the kids out the door

the 3am feeding

that first cup of coffee

Whether I go to work at my part time job or not, my morning routine is most always the same.

Watching the local news and weather with a bowl of cheerios

Followed by the Today Show

Not very exciting, but that's the way it is.

Hop on over to Sally's Blog to see other morning moments.

Focus on Life With Expressions

This week it's all about expressions.

On a trip to Chicago we ate at a nice Italian Restaurant.

My older daughter (the one on the Left) loves making faces, and the younger daughter just puts up with it as you'll see in the next photo.

Check out Sally's Blog to see more expressions.

Focus on Life Beauty All Around

Our assignment this week is to see the beauty all around. And really we should be doing this every day.

By now many of you know our family loves to travel...and take pictures....lots of pictures.

Here is one of my favorites.

'Double Arch'

This photo was taken at the Arches National Park in Utah.

The park is amazing with beautiful arches and rock formations and breathtaking views.

Honestly I think my jaw was locked open the entire time we were there.

If you look close enough you can see white dots. Those are people, which gives you an idea of how big this arch is. We stayed at this arch the longest, resting on the cool rocks and just enjoying the majestic view.

To see more beautiful photos check out  Sally's Blog

Focus on Life Self Portrait

 

Ugh... which was what I was thinking when Sally announced the assignment for this week. And the photo below shows just how much I dislike having my photo taken, and even worse when I have to take it myself!

 

 

But just because I love the Focus on Life Challenge I did this.

 

 

No makeup cuz I'm allergic to it all, a few wrinkles, and a bad hair day.

Check out Sally's blog for more self portraits.

 

 

Focus on Life Week One

 

Yay I'm so happy to be doing the Focus on Life for 2014!

Week One: The Minimalist Photograph.

 

 

I love chocolate! Isn't this little saucer darling?

Did I mention I love chocolate?

 

 

 

52 weeks Saying Good Bye

Saying Good Bye to 2013 with Sally's Focusing on Life Photo Challenge. But have no fear, Sally has big plans for next year and I quickly signed up for the 2014 challenge.

Our last assignment is to say good bye.

Wishing you HOPE

And JOY

And to see the world like a child with wild-eyed wonderment.

Blessings to you during the holidays,

and a Happy New Year!

52 Weeks Together

Our assignment this week is Togetherness

A small act that lifts our spirits and brings us together.

 

Our daughter came home from North Carolina and our son came home from Denver.  My husband and I were thrilled they could be here if even for a short time and our youngest daughter was happy to see them as well.  We did lots of things like making cookies, eating, visiting grandparents, cousins, aunts an uncles and watching TV and the youngest play basketball while they were here.

Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of any of this because I was simply enjoying these moments before they ended.  And they did end much too soon.

So I'm sharing photos from our summer trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway which includes all three of our kiddos.

 

 

 

We love to travel as you may have guessed from previous posts, and I love that we are together enjoying each other and this great big beautiful country.

 

 

52 Weeks A Pop of Red

It stands to reason that our assignment this week is to find a pop of red. After all December has lots of potential for finding red.  So here is my pop of red.

 

Us girls each got one of these Santa mugs when we were young.  I remember drinking hot chocolate or milk out of these mugs, and sometimes even Pepsi--my mom's favorite drink.

I'm so glad these mugs were kept and later passed on to us.  They bring back lots of fond memories.

 

 

Beautiful books about Christmas, all in red.

 

 

And a book from my childhood. It still has some flocking on the red parts but as I took photos I noticed the book is falling apart. I remember reading this book over and over as a child and later reading it to our own young children.

 

I love the whimsical art and the bright cheery vintage colors.

 

 

As I write this post I have to wonder if the children today will cherish such things from their youth.  New toys and electronic gadgets are being spewed out into the market so fast, and in the blink of the eye they are already old news.  E-readers are taking the place of books, and Christmas cards are sent electronically. What memories will our children remember as they grow older......what possessions will they cherish?

 

 

And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 

Blessings to you through the Christmas Season!

 

52 Weeks A Little Sparkle

I can't believe it's week 49 in our year long photo challenge!

This week our assignment is to add a little sparkle.
I am a sucker for all the things Christmas, especially the ones I remember from when I was young; vintage ornaments, Santa mugs, and those woodland elves that are up there in my blog header.

 Long ago my dad, (who keeps everything) got rid of the vintage ornaments we used to have on our silver tree, which made me sad. 

So this year I began hunting for similar ornaments in antique shops and etsy and found quite a few. Also I purchased a small tree to display these ornaments, which is the first thing you see when you walk in the front door.

So here are just a few of the vintage ornaments I purchased.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

And  of course a topper!

 

"For unto us  a child is born. To us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace."