morning rays / afternoon flare

L - iphone / T - iphone

I can't tell you how happy I was to see the sun this morning. I feel like it's been weeks since I've seen any more than just a brief "peeking out". It was even warm enough for me to enjoy lunch outdoors - a much needed dose of vitamin D. / the beautiful weather brings everybody (and their dogs) to the park. i was so thankful to see the sun.

2nd cup / 2nd nap

L - Nikon / T - Nikon

With a little time to spare this morning, I sat outside and enjoyed a second cup of coffee and read a little of my book before going off to my metalsmithing workshop. It was a 2 day workshop on soldering. And even though I know enough to get by, I figured there are always new tricks to learn - no matter how many classes I've taken. In fact, I learned several new tricks - one was how keep solder from flowing by using yellow ochre as a resist. I wonder what's something new you are learning this summer? / bunny misses kodi and it shows - look at this mopey little face. today i had great plans of spending the day at the pool but it was very short-lived because it was sooo hot. already 96º and it's only May. it was really relaxing however.

p.s. I hate that we have been so slack in posting here on our blog. With the end of the school year for Taylor and then a nice little vacation in Savannah we got very far behind. Forgive me for not visiting you - please don't think I'm not interested any more. I love reading your blogs but I have not been good about commenting. It makes me very happy when you continue to visit and comment on our blog so I feel badly for not doing the same.

morning / afternoon

L - Nikon / T - phone pic

my view / her view

"I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air." -Nathaniel Hawthorne

new day / be happy

L - iphone / T - Canon

"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." - Eleanor Roosevelt

...so start it with a smile and be happy.

morning light / evening light

L - iphone / T - Nikon

I'm loving the cool mornings and warm afternoons that we've been having here lately. Low 40s, high 60s - perfect. Looks like it's going to last into the weekend too. I'll be heading up to NC to spend some time with my cousin and his wife. We plan to take the horses right outside their home, head out the trail on a ride to the creek, and paint out in the woods - doesn't that sound delightful? / my room has become my solace- that along with the porch. i pretty much have this side of the house to myself, which is wonderful because these are the rooms with the most beautiful sunlight. as of now, my room is clean and crisp. but my body is tired today and i think it's coming through my eyes. i went to a fantastic concert last night, a group called 'brand new'. i cannot even begin to explain the feeling of being surrounded by people, impassioned by the same words that you are, swaying to the same rhythm you are, screaming the same lyrics you're screaming. i haven't been to a show that exciting in a long time.

harvest

solo post - L

"Talk unbelief, and you will have unbelief; but talk faith, and you will have faith. According to the seed sown will be the harvest." - Ellen G. White

start / end

solo post - L

I start my day, most days, with a bowl of oatmeal. I remember to brush my teeth, to feed the cat, to take the dog out, to lock the door. Why can't I remember to take my one-a-day? It promises to give me more energy, keep me mentally alert and make my bones strong – to get me through to the end of the day. Maybe I chose the wrong one. Perhaps the one-a-day for 50+ with ginkgo for memory is the one I need. Do you take something for energy or memory that really seems to work? I was told recently at the fresh market that bee pollen gives you energy. Has anyone ever tried that?

9:30am / 9:30pm

solo post - L

This morning it was raining, again - but that was fine because I had a few indoor projects I wanted to get done. I needed to paint the cabinet that my dad built for me. It's a great cabinet that's going to hold vases and candles that aren't used every day and need a place to hide. I have to try to match the trim as best I can so I picked up some swatches at Lowes - Rain Cloud, Tempered Sage, Fisherman's Net, Shoreline Haze, Sprig of Ivy... aren't those some great names? The one that matched perfectly was named "Epic". (T will get a kick out of that - she likes to use that word). It's a National Trust for Historic Preservation paint which is fitting since my home is a classic Williamsburg, styled after the Bracken House. Anyway, I primed the cabinet and then went out in the pouring rain to get my Epic paint. The cabinet looks great and I love having a designated place to store all those odd vases and candles. / Tonight from 8:30 - 9:30 was Earth Hour . Did you turn off all your lights, have candlelight dinners or a soothing bath by candlelight? I didn't plan anything exciting because I almost forgot and a candlelight dinner by yourself isn't so much fun anyway. I gathered as many candles as I could (hey now they were all in one place in my new cabinet, how nice). It was a hodgepodge of candles but oh well - lights were out and it was sort of relaxing. I took my shower by candlelight and then had coffee and cake by candlelight. I'm generally very conscious of the lights I'm burning but it wouldn't be a bad idea to do this every night. Not only does it save energy, it forces us to relax for a little while.

look to the light / warm rays

Shutter Sisters posted a blog about using available light in your home. Tracey gave great tips for shooting indoors. First she said "get to know the light in your home" and "rearrange your routines" in order to use the great light for your photos. Not only does the natural light allow for great photos, it lifts my mood. I have always done my ironing in the basement, but since she moved out I now do my ironing upstairs – in her room – enjoying the morning light

 / finished up classes at 2 pm today and headed to a friends pool for some rays of sunshine – a last chance for some semblance of a tan.
Well the photos don't go so well together, but I guess we were both "looking to the light"

sunbeam / birds on a wire

I really have no words for today. It's was a good day of getting stuff done around the house and yard. I didn't get a photo from her today so I chose a random photo from her flickr site and not until I placed it with mine that I took this morning did I see the crazy similarities - even down to the angle of the rays coming into the angle of the wire. Another pleasant surprise. / there's a blackout in Athens. haha go dawgs!
"Just as there comes a warm sunbeam into every cottage window, so comes a love - born of God's care for every need." - Nathaniel Hawthorne