Patience Leads to Success

On a recent trip to my parents summer place, I had a few photo goals in mind: 

To photograph

1. The eagle

2. The Bubbling Spring

3. The full moon

4.  The ducks & loons

5. The dragonflies

I was successful  in all except for the dragonflies...although there were, at times 20 or more around me, they never were still enough to get an acceptable shot.  One little guy even spent an hour teasing me flying back and forth, but never landing.  This behavior frustrated me to no end. Why, oh why, couldn't they just cooperate.  After spending vast amounts of time and energy trying to capture these elusive little creatures, I will admit that I gave up. 

On the way back home (a 4 hour drive), the kids and I stopped at our favorite "rest stop" in Milo, Maine.  It's a little park with a gazebo along the river.  They also have floating docks for boats and the kids love to play on them.  As we walked out on the docks we noticed darning needles flying around and some other critters swimming happily about amongst the lilypads.  I sat down to take some pictures of the darning needles, when lo and behold a little dragonfly starts flying around me.  I sort of brushed it off thinking that he was just going to tease me again, so I didn't bother to try and capture a  shot of him.  This little guy wouldn't hear of it.  He swarmed around then landed right next to me on the dock, facing me as if saying, "here I am...take my picture."  

Needless to say, the dragonfly and I had a great photo shoot and I feel that once it was done we both left satisfied.  Looking back, my lesson in this is that sometimes we have to wait, be patient, and be still to be successful. :)  Or, when the time is right, what you seek will be found.  Thanks little dragonfly for reminding me of this. 

It Shouldn't Be So Hard to Let Something Go...

Each time that I've used my favorite towel over the past few months...okay maybe even longer...I've known that it's time to retire it.  I bought it about 17 years ago (yes you read right) when it was love at first site...oh, how thick, plush, and huge it was. I can still remember my mother stating that it would take forever to dry them and that I shouldn't have spent the money on it. 

Okay, it did take forever to dry, but I loved my big fluffy towel and I wasn't giving it up for anyone.  Though time has passed, my towel is still there to go to the beach with me and to give me a daily hug after getting out of the shower. But right before my eyes, and without me noticing, my old friend has aged; it's now frayed, has holes, and is a thin a a piece of paper. It really doesn't even dry all that well...so, why then do I keep it?   

I've been contemplating that question all day and have realized that I tend to hold onto objects (and people) for sentimental reasons.  Even when I know that I've outgrown an item or it has outlived it's usefulness, I have a hard time letting go. Some soul searching may be needed to understand the reason behind my tendencies...so time will tell.  Until then, I'm sure that there is a nice fluffy towel out there waiting for me to buy it. First I must say good-bye to my old faithful and let it go...

Or maybe I'll make it into some rags that can live in my cupboard... lol

Looking at Life's Details

I often wonder how many people miss out on the details of life because they are only looking at the "big picture"?  Being a visual person, I tend to look beyond the big picture and take a closer look at objects hoping to find something extraordinary in the ordinary.  For those who haven't taken the time to slow down and look, I'd like to share some of the images that I find incredible that many would overlook.

Have you seen a sedem flower the size the head of a pin?

The reflection in a raindrop in the tip of a blade of grass?

It's amazing how magical our world is when you really look around.  There are so many extraordinary findings in our ordinary lives.  I challenge you to take a minute to slow down and look around and find a little magic in your world...you'll be amazed at what you may find!

You are now entering a new world

Okay, so maybe it's the same ol' world, but it's my little world that is sometimes crazy and a bit blurry at times.  Since I live in this craziness daily and seem to look at life through a bit of a blurred lens, I thought maybe  I should spread the craziness around and see if there are others who would like to join my little part of the world.  

Being a wannabe photographer and I love to experiment with my camera. We are still getting to know each other and it's much like a new relationship; so much to learn and when you think that you've figured it out there's more to it.  At times my camera temperamental and doesn't perform up to par and I'm ready to break it off, then it runs perfectly and I'm madly in love and can't get enough.  

There are so many great objects in the world just crying out to be photographed.  I'm also trying to move away from what I believe a photo "should" look like and trying to take it the way my mind "wants" it to look.   I'm a wannabe photo non-conformist...though in reality, I'm just a wanna be photographer...again blurred lines.

Beside being a wanna be, I'm also a recent college graduate, mother of 2 children, 2 dogs, a cat, 11 hens, and a few other critters.  Life is up in the air at the moment and I'll write about that in the future...today is just a test for my blogging abilities.

Peace