ice pigeon...

it went flying across the lake landscape - which had a fine dusting of ice after fog had covered over it...

...taking to the mountains she went - flying away from me

...happy day

bzzzzz...

on a spring day...

bees are buzzing!

happy day.....

the many faces of robin...

i saw a robin yesterday...

actually it was the second robin of the season that i've seen...  i grew up with the belief that it wasn't springtime - until you'd set eyes upon your 1st robin... why?  i don't know - it was just one of those things - a sure sign that spring had arrived - it wasn't a "fake-out" by nature perhaps...  whatever the case - in all of my adult years, i don't consider it spring until i see a robin regardless of what others may say - or what the calendar deems it to be. 

a couple of weeks ago - i snuck up on my first - he was trying to hide in the underbrush of old leaves in the forest...  i almost didn't count him because of the whole hide 'n seek factor.  this one - this was much better - it was as though we had a connection - an understanding - this robin and me...  i believe he knew i was wanting his portrait but wasn't going to make it easy for me - so made me go on a chase after him - up and down the trail...  i would run after him and call - he would skip along, then stop and look back at me so i could snap a picture. 

if anyone was observing me - i'm sure it was a funny sight - a grown woman chasing after a bird...  yet i swear, he knew exactly what he was doing - playing with me - and having fun all the same.  because of it - and the posing he did - i got front, left and right-sided portraits of the robin... 

it's not every day this happens - in fact, i doubt that birds interact with humans in this type of fashion on a regular basis.  i don't take it for granted - it's always special when it happens between me and nature - gives me a thrill - a wonderful moment in time to cherish god's creation...

happy day.....

orange embers...

...burning within

the tulip... 

making it come alive - with bold color... flashing in the sunlight - a mere strip borrowed from the princess diva gracie - to shine upon the little blossom - makes it glorious in beauty... as though flames are licking up the sides - wanting to explode into the air - up into the universe - uncontained - unbidden...

sometimes we need a touch of bold - a bit of explosion in our lives - to keep them exciting...  i'm not necessarily speaking of anything huge, needing to break the bank or life changing exactly - no, at times - it can simply be the burning embers showing up in a lone tulip... causing you to gasp and appreciate nature - wonder how it was done - leaving you wanting for more.

finally - spring seems to be catching up and warmer temperatures are headed this way for the weekend...  my tootsies are ecstatic for the freedom this means - my senses are heightened for adventure of what might be found while exploring - i'll be looking for bold, expecting extraordinary...

happy day.....

pink paradise...

...of a store bought flower

on a decidedly winter day - when it's supposed to be springtime...

but no - temperatures have plummeted to 12 degrees - lest i remind anyone, it's april - boo! and my tootsies have gone into full revolt at this sudden turn of events - because not only have the temps turned toward the north - snowflakes are flying as well!  sigh... nature is most clearly confused.

so i had to pull out a reminder - one of a bright pink subject - since no one can miss such a clear signal as that, right? it's a bright - bold - perky color - one which has left my eyes glazed over - dreaming of tropical lands - fruity drinks - sand strewn paths under my feet... where tootsie freedom abounds, with laziness in the sunshine of warmth - and there is a readiness for a...

happy day.....

sunday is here...

...he has risen - he's alive

the angel said to the women, "do not be afraid, for i know that you are looking for jesus, who was crucified. he is not here; he has risen, just as he said. come and see the place where he lay. then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'he has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into galilee. there you will see him.' now i have told you."

so the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. suddenly jesus met them. "greetings," he said. they came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. then jesus said to them, "do not be afraid. go and tell my brothers to go to galilee; there they will see me." matthew 28:5-10

easter is a time for rejoicing - celebrating - being grateful - for all he has done for us - the heavy price paid on a cross... for the sins of the world - not to be taken lightly - an eternal choice to be made to accept this act on our behalf - what he did for us - a decision to live by the blood of the lamb - covered by his righteousness - being made whole through love alone, because he so loved the world...  what decision will you make - have you made, this day - for eternity - to have eternal life...

happy day.....

beaver sighting...

...at my little lake today

was it expected? - no

was i excited? - you bet!

in fact, i believe i let out a medium-sized squeal - in addition to a mini-version of the happy skippy dance - i was in public after all...

common talk 'round the lake has always held to the truth - the resident beaver only comes out at night or dusk hours - maybe also very early morning time before the sun has fully risen. i was out in full daylight - so was quite surprised to see him.  in fact, thought he was a log at first until i spotted his cute little ears - and swore there was a blinking eye... then all bets were off regarding the log.  i began trying to sweet talk mr. beaver to come closer so we could chat a while.  well, he wasn't having much of that - kept slithering to and fro in the water - very gracefully i might add considering how big he was... i had no idea beavers grew to be so long! plus in the water - they appear to be ink spots if you're not looking closely - paying attention. although he didn't indulge me to come close, i knew he was listening to me - those brown eyes were blinking away - i felt privileged to be around him...

in spite of him moving so rapidly through the water, i was able to get a pretty decent shot.  although i admit when an animal is moving quickly - in the water no less - it's a challenge to capture them in focus - facing you... at least i was able to get him making eye contact with me -

proves my point he was he was listening to my chatter - or maybe he was simply making sure i wasn't going to jump in after him! 

happy day.....

golden...

...daffodils

the time changed today - i wasn't necessarily prepared for it, however am prepared for the changing of seasons - the beginning of new life that springtime brings with it... buds that will be bursting forth soon on trees, bushes and flowers - grasses turning from ugly brown to lush greens - butterflies fluttering about - and, of course, wildlife showing off their newborns...

to hasten spring just a bit - stores are flooded with early buds of a variety of flowers... among them daffodils.  not being able to contain myself - i indulged and have been rewarded with beautiful golden color - reminding me of this...

daffodils (also known as: i wandered lonely as a cloud)

i wandered lonely as a cloud
that floats on high o'er vales and hills,
when all at once i saw a crowd,
a host, of golden daffodils;
beside the lake, beneath the trees,
fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the milky way,
they stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
ten thousand saw i at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

the waves beside them danced; but they
out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
a poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
i gazed--and gazed--but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:

for oft, when on my couch i lie
in vacant or in pensive mood,
they flash upon that inward eye
which is the bliss of solitude;
and then my heart with pleasure fills,
and dances with the daffodils.

by william wordsworth


there's something about those words - wordsworth and his magical ability to manipulate the english language - along with poems in general - that leaves me feeling rather artsy. add in daffodils, mixing with natural sunshine - making them golden... and one must simply go with where the mood takes you -

hope others will then come along for the ride - and on that ride will find a

happy day.....

progression of landing...

the thrill of victory...  success with making the final turn in the air - approaching an imaginary landing strip - spreading wings... skimming over the water to a beautiful stop - plopping gracefully into the little lake... 

all done very quickly - after much practice, i'm sure - yet to my eye - appears technically perfect for a duck...  sometimes that "plopping" really is a plop as they forget to put the brakes on fast enough - almost going head over webbed feet into the water!  those times are fairly rare, though... 

usually what i'm privy to - is a gorgeous dance of fluid motion which is stunning, because it's nature at its best - putting on a show for me to enjoy - free to watch and observe - to marvel and wonder at how they do it - to clap my hands at their success; encourage their moments in the sun... 

and when they lighting is working with me - exceptional in its brilliance - i can capture those moments of gracefulness on film  - playing with pastel loveliness as if i were an artist with a brush painting on canvas...  it fills me with unending joy...

happy day.....

natural resources...

...or using what's at hand -

to create illusions - artistic impressions...  to have fun - play - experiment...  in order to achieve the end result you want in a photograph.  it's about having a plan - a goal - then choosing the path to help you get there...

i don't have any fancy-dancy equipment to help me enhance my photographs - make them appear to have more depth, better lighting or whatever...  sometimes you don't need to have anything either - other than what's at hand - natural resources - available to us every day.  lately, i've been learning to take advantage of those resources - following the example of my princess diva gracie, who has regularly found the wonderful properties of sunbeams - using them on a consistent basis herself...  she is one smart kitty!

so i've borrowed her sunbeams - using them to compliment some tulips i recently purchased.  i think tulips are the epitome of springtime - so to play with them in various ways - with natural light - and adding in other resources, has been a lot of fun right now...

 

happy day.....

creating 2nd chances...

...for the christmas cactus plant - and us

this is a 2-fold, 2nd chance thingy... because of one of those oops kind of incidents caused by me - boo!

i knew that soon - the cactus was going to be giving up its 2nd round of life - it always does this time of year after the holiday season - so i was looking at this particular plant - searching for new buds - the new life it would be bringing forth...

well, in my exuberance - can you just about sense what's coming? - i got a wee bit careless, turned the tiniest amount to the left and the planter went flying - so did the plant - into the air - onto the floor... scattered everywhere - i yelped, yes i did - not that it solved anything, so i'm not sure why i did it - but i felt so bad for the cactus - all splayed out, roots dangling - branches broken off - i was nearly in tears - for this is a plant i've had about 5 years - it's always done very well in terms of blooming for me -

so my dismay regarding my own clumsiness was overwhelming - i mean really? but i scurried around quickly to gather up all the bits and pieces - carefully tucking - replanting and potting them, saying soothing words about how this wasn't a big thing at all for it - in fact, sometimes a little amount of pruning can be a wonderful thing for a plant - can make it more hardy - how this mishap would have it coming back stronger than ever... though i was whispering those words to it - i was wondering if it would be so... i suspect christmas cactus plants are pretty hardy - so don't believe this is the end of the world for it - not really...

because sure enough - i've been forgiven... as it appears from this lovely blossom...  as i was gently tending to the plant - i noticed, there underneath some branches - was this small bloom - glorious of sight - newly opened... seems as though the cactus is more resilent than i'd originally imagined - not that i'd ever recommend tossing it to and fro on a regular basis by any means - or doing anything else to uproot it - however, knowing it's hardy - can handle my clumsiness - is good news...  has even produced a couple more wonderful blossoms to enjoy -

it made me ponder - which is the 2-fold thingy today - about the many 2nd chances we all are given in life... the do-overs we get - some we might realize right off - others maybe we don't recognize at all, yet they're there - and aren't we glad for them - those opportunities - the moments we have to do it again - to take it over - try one more time - because someone believed in us - had faith in who we are - stood up for us - perhaps broke or stretched a rule for us... 2nd chances are a good thing in life - they help us to stand strong - to have courage - to reach out when we might have given up... can you think of any 2nd chances you've had or been given - times that have made a difference? because those are moments which have made for...

a

happy day.....

duck formation...

...up in the sky

yes - yes, it is... ducks - not birds - not geese...

ducks, my friends! how often do we see this, i ask...

typically, it is geese in formation - i see flying through the air - circling around my little lake - looking to land... or perhaps pigeons - maybe starlings... but ducks? so rare to see them coming in, in a group, let alone couples! - usually i tend to see them straggling in one-by-one - on their own - as if they're oh, so independent...

  so it was that i was doing a 2-step, quick dance in the snow - watching them high in the blue sky - their bodies appearing almost white through my lens...

so then i questioned - but they circled twice - i caught them the entire way - holding my breath - then letting it out in tiny exclamations of joy... as they landed 2-footed in the snow on the lake -

what unusual rareness - catching ducks in flight, then making their tour of landing prowess - what joy...


happy day.....