More about sunshine....

It can't be said enough...the spring sunshine is making us all smile. I was driving along the other day, and my bangles were dancing in the light. Thanks to my handy easy macro iPhone lense, I was able to capture this shot. And it made me so happy! It's always so good when a shot captures a moment exactly as it seemed to me when it was happening. It's the little things, you guys. The little things.

I also have to tell you about this tree. Because I drive by it almost every day. There is the most random branch growing straight up out of the top...a misfit branch. I thought maybe, as the buds started to appear, the crazy branch would fall off...but it's still hanging in there, catching the sunlight and showing off like it belongs!!

We had a really fun weekend. Dinner with the kids Friday night - all of us together celebrating some birthdays. Saturday night we went out with good friends, and Sunday we did some serious organize-the-garage-spring-cleaning! The skies were blue and I think we hit 60 degrees! The day ended with a perfect golden hour on the deck. Robins chirping. Steak on the grill. Just me and my guy. It felt just perfect!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Joining friends for

The Good. The Random. The Fun

and

Macro Monday

Treasures in a Plastic Box

On my lazy, rainy Sunday I had a few really good moments while digging through a storage box full of my mother's photos and paper mementos. This photo (from 1972) was taken at my Grandfather's 70th birthday party. He's the second from the right...handsome guy! In this photo we have his wife, his three daughters and their husbands...and all the cousins except one. I'm the groovy girl in the middle. The one who looks like she belongs in an episode of Little House on the Prairie.... My grandparents, aunts and uncles have all passed. My parents have been apart for years. And it's been decades since I've seen most of my cousins...so this photo really struck a chord deep in my heart. I'm pretty sure this is the last time we were all together.

AND!!!!

I found a copy of this photo of my dad - a photo I knew I had somewhere, but couldn't find! This was taken when he was in France in the 50's for his military service. Such a gorgeous shot of my sweet daddy!

As I was dealing with this box of photos, I found a few old albums ... those awful old magnetic albums which are full of acid and lignin - the chemicals that ruin photos!! I thought I'd gotten rid of all of them! So I'll take this opportunity to make a random public service announcement! It's so important that photos NOT be stored in albums like these. Or in those old black albums our grandparents used. If you don't have time to scan them, or transfer them to photo safe albums, take the time to remove them and store them in those photo boxes you can find at any craft or office supply store. Please! Save your photos!!

The most fun I had in this box, was finding a folder full of great-great-grandmother-style photos and a typed out family history. Tucked into the folder was this book mark. Such a mystery! Did a relative stitch it? Receive it as a gift? Was it actually made in 1876? Lots of questions...no answers. The only thing I know is that it is very delicate...crumbling a bit. There are teeny-tiny stitches that form the date, stitched right into the paper. It's so pretty!! Couldn't resist getting a few macro shots of the details...

Linking up with

The Tood, The Random, The Fun

and

Macro Monday

Itsy Bitsy, Teeny Weeny.....

Nope.

No Bikinis.

Not even close to bikini weather.

Just some very small hints of the season to come.

Oh, I know the calendar says it's here.

Spring, that is.

But as far as I can tell, that's just a random day someone chose to trick us.

We've had raindrops, instead of snow flakes.

Which is good....a step in the right direction.

Though that might not last.

"They" are saying it's going to snow on Wednesday.

One step forward, two steps back.

As "they" say.

This stone wall that's been under ice and snow for months

is still covered in moss.

Moss that seems to think it's actually spring!

Look at that fresh, bright green!

Ok. 

So I've had to search for signs of spring in the MACRO world!

The signs are there if you really look.

And I sure do have fun taking pictures of what I find!

So, no bikinis.

But here's an itsy bitsy, teeny weeny pine needle resting on the moss.

Kinda the same thing....

Sharing my Good, Random Fun with

Tamar

and 

My love of all things Macro with

Sarah

It's a Monday...

....which means the weekend's over.
On Saturday I played assistant to my favorite photographer. My daughter! She had a photo session, and I carried wardrobe and props. Helped change a lens. There was a slight chill in the air, but for mid March, in our neck of the woods,  it was a pretty good day for an outside shoot!

Watching her do what she loves is good! Very, very good.

We found out that my brother is having a boy...so the shopping has begun! I ordered him a surfing Snoopy onesie which arrived this weekend. Perfect for my surfing brother and a little boy. I also got some socks that rattle - a gift I love giving to babies....a little random, I suppose...but these socks help them to find their feet!

I couldn't find any flowers for this week's macro shoot. I probably could have bought myself some...but I found this feather, blowing in the wind. I had way too much fun shooting it as it clung to the branch, catching the breeze.

Linking up today with

Tamar for some Good and Random FUN!

and with Sarah for a little Macro Monday

Macro Deliciousness!

The fun that I had this week was, if you know me at all, probably not that random. I have loved the macro shots that I've been able to take with my iPhone EasyMacro lens...I mean I have seriously loved discovering this new facet of photography! So, I purchased a wide angle and macro lens adapter from photojojo.com last week. Just a little "within my budget purchase"...so now my big girl camera has macro possibilities too! This, my friends is good! Very, very good!

I'm still getting used to it...but these dried, faded rose of sharon pods....with their funny little sunflower-like seeds inside....well, they've proven to be my favorite photography subject this winter! 

Can't wait to re-visit these bushes when they are in full bloom!! 

Linking up with

The Good. The Random. The Fun

and

Macro Monday

Signs of Spring?

It's a GOOD thing that I love snow and all its sparkly,white frostiness.

It's GOOD that I don't mind the cold. 

Because March has come in like a lion.

The snow might have missed us up here today, 

but I'm betting there will be more before winter loosens its grip for good.

I still haven't visited a beach as it snows.

Or captured my ultimate snowflake photo...perhaps there's still time.

A couple of weeks ago,

when my son made a snow man.

he dressed him in a ball cap and sunglasses.

He was a "bartender" snow man,

with a stand right next to him so he could serve up a cold one to visitors.

RANDOM?
Or a subconscious desire for baseball, sunshine and a tropical beach?
You decide...

I've still got fresh flowers in the house to brighten the mood,
to remind me that spring is really right around the bend...
{with or without obvious signs!}

And, as you might imagine, having way too much FUN taking photos of them.

Photos of the macro variety.

Linking up today with

The Good. The Random. The Fun.

and

Macro Monday

Sabbath?

"Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern;

it will come out a rose by and by.

Life is like that ~

one stitch at a time taken patiently

and the pattern will come out alright like the embroidery."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

After a long week, where a bad stomach bug left me with more cabin fever than all these weeks of winter combined, I was able to enjoy a very relaxing weekend. Saturday's sunshine and fresh air lured me to the pond, and Sunday was all about rest. Chosen rest, which is so much more pleasant than the forced-on-you kind of rest. Or rest of the I'm-just-being-lazy variety. I did some light housekeeping, lingered with the second season of  Call the Midwife....and picked up my needlepoint.

I finished all the light green stitching that fills in the outer border, and decided I'd choose the brightest color in the palate for my next stitches. Orange!  So cheerful and warm!

I think it's going to take a good long while to finish this piece ~ it's over a foot squared! But there is a soothing rhythm to the stitching...no deadlines, no goals. Just one pretty little stitch at a time ~ at my leisure.

At my leisure.

Awash in a sea of brilliant color

Floating along with the ups and downs of a lovely, televised tale, told so beautifully.

Finding my own rhythm.

I know there are many who don't have the luxury of a day like I had yesterday.

And I learned {a bit later than some} how to allow myself such a day. But I've learned.

All of which leaves me very grateful.

I don't suppose that true Sabbath keepers would consider my day of rest to have been restful enough.

But I'm growing. And choosing for myself.

And resting.

And thrilled to be enjoying life...one tiny stitch at a time.



Linking up with
The Good. The Random. The Fun.
and
Macro Monday