When Summer Lingers

This is the time of the year

when late summer and early autumn join together

as the autumn equinox approaches.

I notice this as the hydrangea leaves change colour with splashes of red.

The petals take on a more muted shade

and shades of green come back rather like in the springtime

The dahlias are having their last fling in glorious full bloom

and showing the intensity of their varied colours

Bees are still busy taking advantage of the sunny days to collect pollen.

and the Golden Rod lights up the gardens

and Rudbeckia blooms dazzle us with their sunshine petals

until one day it starts to rain

and the first autumn leaf floats down to remind us

a change in seasons is taking place.

***

The last blog header to remind me of earlier days

when sunflowers still waved in the fields.

How Can We Define Impermanence?

Everything changes constantly.

Just going for a walk, I notice how the things around me change from day to day.

This lovely crinkly leaf was not against the railings when I passed this way

the day before.

The life cycle of a leaf is an example of impermanence.

Melting ice

illustrates how fast things can change in a matter of moments.

Not resisting change

Life is comparable to a river, or flowing water.

It is a progressive movement, a successive series of different moments,

joining together to give the impression of one continuous flow.

Going with the way things are rather than fighting the natural flow

and wanting things to be something else.

Non-resistance helps us to adapt to constant change and to accept it.

The impermanence of the seasons.

As one season celebrates its plenitude, another lies dormant,

waiting for the moment of rebirth.

Like crumpled tan gloves dropped on the earth, these fallen leaves

seem completely connected to the first snow fall

and in acceptance of their condition.

The fleetingness of shadows

and how their impermanent nature can charm and enthrall us

Their brief and changing presence makes me stop awhile

and enjoy them so much more!

Trusting change

Change can occur in different ways.

Sometimes we seek it out and other times it comes upon us unawares.

There are many crossroads throughout our lives

and important choices to make.

We ask ourselves: "Which ways shall I go? Should I turn left or right or

continue on the beaten track for fear of the unknown?

Whatever changes comes upon us without warning, as much as those

we specifically choose,

putting our trust in the long-term outcome

gives us newfound strength and the confidence to carry on,

come what may.

Slowing down and shifting priorities

Because of recent unexpected events. I have been forced to slow down considerably.

I have always enjoyed reading, but because of other much-loved creative activities,

and of dealing with the practicalities of life, 

I often put off reading-time till very late in the day

when I'm almost ready for bed.

These days, with a plaster cast on my right hand and arm,

I have had to review my priorities.

This has given me the opportunity to incorporate my reading times 

into new and different moments of the day.

I have created new spaces in my daily routine

which reminds me to continue to do this even when my right hand

is free again in five weeks' time.

***

Although I am not a Buddhist, I feel very much aligned to a great deal

of their philosophy.

"In Buddhism, the term 'annica' refers to the doctrine of impermanence

which asserts that all of conditioned existence, without exception,

is transient, evanescent, inconstant."

(Taken from Wikipedia)

Early Buddhism dealt with the question of impermanence

in a very rational manner.

According to 'annica', impermanence is an undeniable and inescapable fact

of human existence from which nothing that belongs to this earth is ever free.

So, however we feel about the impermanent nature of all things,

seizing the moment as it comes to us

to live it fully

just the way it is

seems like the very best thing we can do for ourselves and for others.

***

I know this blog entry is much wordier than a simple entry

on photography, but I'm currently following a workshop called:

"Celebrate Impermanence"

which has opened the door to new ways of observing life as it is

which is in a state of perpetual change

made up of

a multitude of moments.

If you are interested to read more about the workshop above.

You can find a link

HERE

The August Break 2016: Part One

Day 1:

MORNING LIGHT

I had gone out early to catch a sunrise

but

all I caught were clouds and misty moments

so

I turned round to go home

and

when I looked back I saw these amazing misty sunrays!

Day 2

LEAF

A textured wooden step in a garden attracted my attention

because of this beautiful pale green leaf.

Day3

HANDWRITING

I cleaned my pens

polished the nibs

and found a stock of decorated paper.

I have decided to write more handwritten letters

and reinitiate the art of handwriting

into my life.

Just feeling the pen gliding effortlessly across the smooth paper

makes me remember how good that feels.

Day 4

SWEETNESS

Slowing down to notice the charming moments in each day.

This little toddler pulling her big shopping bag

made everyone smile.

Day 5

MIDDAY

Seeking the shade in the middle of the day

and being thankful for a parasol

which framed the fluffy blue clouds

like little thought forms drifting away from me

and leaving my mind free to revel in the moment.

Day 6

I'M READING

The latest book of one of my favourite authors

whose stories are based on true historical facts

with a story woven between them.

Tracy Chevalier is the well-known author of

'Girl with a Pearl Earring.'

Day 7

BENEATH MY FEET

The soft earth and sweet clover

where the early evening breeze created my skirt to billow out

.Day 8

FAVOURITE TASTE

Strawberries and raspberries: the taste of summer

***

This year, I've joined the August Break group for the first time.

The group is organized by Susannah Conway

who says:

" This is a community project that has no real rules -

the idea is to simply take a photograph every day 

for the whole of August.

That's it.

Pause, look around you and shoot what you see.

Live inside each moment.

Pay attention to what's there."

We get daily prompts

and they are the words written in capital letters.

For the whole of August, I'll be doing a daily posting on Flickr

and a weekly posting here.

July Photographic Adventures

OPENNESS

The spaces in-between

Life isn't just made up of light and shade

but also of the spaces in-between.

This capture made me think of a jigsaw puzzle and what I noticed the most

were the open spaces of sky.

What if the spaces were the most important part?

They are a reminder of how essential openness is to follow the path

that stretches out before me without preconceived ideas and limitations created in the mind.

PAUSING

Evening walks are slow and relaxed. 

I like to take the time to pause and stop and look around me

to notice what catches the light in the last rays of sunshine.

The red leaves invited me to look further into each detail of their structure,

how the stalks caught the light

how the edges of the leaf looked so beautiful

and noticing the tiniest spider's thread on one side.

Pausing and taking the time to notice details makes everything seem more beautiful,

more present, more intense.

ACCEPTANCE

It sometimes rains on holiday!

If the rain hadn't been so generous when I visited England recently

I would never have seen the wonder of reflections in puddles.

They are an art all on their own!

OPEN-FOCUSED ATTENTION

On an early-morning walk, I passed these self-sown poppies

which had found the tiniest slice of earth between the wall and the path.

Their random demeanor pulled me in.

The simplicity of these wild poppies  made me feel totally connected to life

just the way it is!

Feeling a connection with that moment was beautiful

and as I look at this image, I rekindle that connection.

CURIOSITY

There are certain turning points in our lives when decisions are made

as different paths and choices appear before us.

I am today, the result of my decisions and of my personal destiny.

I am curious to know how my life will play out in the days and months

and even the years to come.

Yet, I have no fixed plans, that would actually limit me,

I like to remain open, letting my natural curiosity lead me

to discover new paths.

Going with the flow gives me freedom.

Life is like a hall of mirrors

what images will be reflected back at me?

WONDER

The translucency of petals

I am a seeker of light, both in my photography and in my life.

Wonder is everywhere.

When we look around us like a small child seeing things for the very first time

in open-eyed wonder, we are totally connected to the marvel of Life!

CONNECTION

Have you ever noticed how connected everything is?

When I go on my walks, I notice so many connections.

I paused to take in the texture and colour of a rusty post and noticed

how the old wooden fence was connected to the post

and then the green vine which brought everything together 

by draping itself across the open wire fencing and around the post.

The pale green lighting in the background illuminated the whole scene

as I stopped to savour every detail.

HUMILITY

is being open to the realization that everything is an opportunity for learning.

We discover unexpected treasures along the way

even in the darkest places.

SIMPLICITY

A draped curtain

filtered light seeping through the slats of the almost closed shutters.

A feeling of peace.

ATTENTION

When raindrops create art

Taking time to stop

to move in closer and really see each detail.

How those raindrops, like shiny jewels, glisten.

Taking the time to focus my attention and to marvel at what is around me.

FASCINATION

Water has always fascinated and inspired me

the colours, the reflections, the rhythmic movements

how it is ever-changing

often calming

sometimes wildly energizing.

CONNECTING TO THE SKY

The crescent moon, still delicately apparent in the early morning sky.

A plane cloud dispersed

creating a soft, fluffy backbone against the blue.

As I paused to look up, there was instant connection

the three of us:

moon, cloud and the sky-gazer

alone in the universe in that moment

I embraced the scene with all my being.

Simplicity, wonder and emotion fill the frame like a contented sigh.

***

I have recently participated in a workshop called

Adventures in Seeing

with Kim Manley Ort

I have been discovering new connections

with the world around me and have been on new photographic adventures!

Have a look at the link above

to join Kim on future adventures.

Poetry and Humming

She had promised herself that she would never complain about the cold again

after the stiflingly hot summer!

The first step was to think of all the gorgeous things about the colder months of the year.

She thought about log fires and the aroma of apples cooking!

Well, a log fire isn't always available, 

how about a snug warm blanket wrapped around the legs

and a good book?

She read:

"So much of our lives takes place in our heads - in memory or imagination

in speculation or interpretation - 

that sometimes I feel that I can best change my life

by changing the way I look at it."

Pico Iyer

A steaming mug of something hot

So comforting as we read.

A snatch of poetry to enhance the day:

"October"

"O hushed October morning mild

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away."

An excerpt by Robert Frost

She looked up at the candle to let the words roam around inside her

and find a resting place within.

Crochet

Such a rewarding and creative passion

and perfect for the cooler months.

She loved to create new things and make gifts for others.

Her children were grown now.

She had done her best to give them a happy childhood

and to guide them into becoming autonomous.

She had wanted to be the mother that she had never had.

Her dad had been her role model and she knew he had done his very best.

She remembered how he often went about his daily occupations humming to himself!

She realized that she did the same!

Humming

what a wonderful word!

It tickles your lips and resonates within

creating happiness inside.

It's definitely a mood enhancer!

What about winter cooking?

She loved to create wholesome soups and anything at all made with apples

Apple Crumble

She looked up from where she was sitting at a slice of blue sky she could see.

She felt content and snug with the wind howling outside.

She thought about poetry and humming

and these words she'd read in Winnie the Pooh:

"Poetry and hums

aren't things which you get,

they're things which get you.

And all you can do is go where they find you."

Perfect!

She said to herself.

Everyone should hum at least once to try it out,

and she realized that she was doing it again

and it made her giggle!