Harbinger of Spring

Every year, it is a surprise to see my redbud trees blooming. It always feels like they have blossomed overnight. For me, there is always something so hopeful about these little pink flowers on those bare branches. Spring really is coming! Better days are around the corner! I feel grateful when I see them.

Anthropomorphic Carvings

I think this is one of my all-time favorite cemetery statues.

Is that despair or mourning or regret I see?

Someone said they thought she was praying.

I wish I'd had more time to spend with her. She might have had something to say to me, and I to her.

The Bird Quotes CS Lewis

I went out to take pictures this past weekend and was sitting in the car trying to decide if I was going to get out and walk around looking for pictures. I was at our Civic Center and there were people all around. I am kind of funny about getting out in public with my camera. I am always afraid people will think I think I am this great photographer and I always want them to know that I do not think that at all, that I'm just out there entertaining myself and that sometimes I just see things that need to have their picture taken. Anyway, the bird kept sitting in this tree that was very close to my car, and staring at me, as if he was daring me to get out and take his picture! When I finally decided to commit to getting out of the car the bird moved to a tree that was a little farther away and so I did not get the closeup I was hoping to get.

And the quote, oh it is one I need to hear. That's all I'll say about that.

Of Childhood

We had frost on the ground this morning and I went out with the camera to see what I could see. Unfortunately, I did not do well at capturing the frost. I did end up with this little thing. Just so you know, it is not ME who will not turn back to see the light! I see light. Most of the time.

I also liked this one. I see remnants of childhood in this photo. My daughter has landed a job teaching kindergarten in a school that is in an underprivileged area. She is replacing a teacher who is out having knee surgery. Most of the children she teaches do not have large backyards with swing sets and play houses. Many come from broken homes. Some do not live with family. Already, these children have very little childhood innocence. It's hard to imagine bright futures for some of them, hard to imagine light reaching them. That is a sad thought. And a reminder that life is not always fair. Every child deserves to be protected and treasured and nurtured.

Healing and Hope

I decided to go check out the local thrift stores today. At the third one, I saw two Willow Tree angels. They were priced at $1.99 each. I grabbed both of them and finished looking around. When I went to pay, she only charged me $1.99. I guess they were having a year end clearance sale or something.

 One was the angel of healing.

 The other was the angel of hope.

I'm taking their appearance to me today as a sign of healing and hope for the new year.

Happy New Year!!

Twisted Christmas Greeting

I was taking a Leisure Learning class and I could not get own pictures off my jump drive so I had to search google for pictures. The class was focused on doing Christmas cards. This was three different images combined and it makes me smile.

Merry Christmas to all! I am off to my parents' house for fun and festivities! 

Joy

I really like the blurred exuberance of the angel in the background of this photo. I got a new lens and was trying it out on my mother's Christmas tree. 

Then I went into Photoshop and tried to add some texture to the photo. I am not entirely sure I like the results. I have not been playing around as much in Photoshop as I'd like to be doing.

I got behind on the December prompts. I haven't decided whether I am going to jump back in where they are or try to go back and catch up on what I have missed. Some of the questions are asking for more than I want to share! But they are really good things to help evaluate the coming year, and to consider for the coming year.