catching light / catching dreams

L - Nikon / T - Canon

"Be open to changing circumstances and remain flexible."

- 54 precious keys to happiness

I've missed my visits with you all but I've just been away on a fantastic trip to Arizona. Such a great place for inspiration, and a photographer's paradise. I came away with a few photos I really love but I have to say it wasn't without some frustration. I found I had a difficult time with the correct exposures. If you haven't seen some of my photos on flickr you might not realize where I have been. I visited the Grand Canyon, came within just feet of beautiful deer and elk, snowshoed deep in a birch tree forest, 4-wheeled in the desert at sunset, relaxed on the green lawn at Fountain Hills - home of the 4th largest water fountain in the world, and hiked the McDowell Sonoran Preserve without getting cactus burrs in my legs.

While I was in Arizona Taylor sent me this photo of her dream catcher and her camera pendant that hang in her rearview mirror - seemed fitting for what I was experiencing right there where dream catchers are made by the Navajo women. (the one she has was bought on our trip to Niagara Falls last August).

One thing that I was really looking forward to was a hot air balloon ride. It was scheduled for Thursday afternoon and the day was beautiful, warm and clear. The van filled with about 12 people drove to a large field, miles away from where we met, and then the balloon pilots sent small helium balloons up into the air to watch it's flight pattern and test the winds. We watched as the little white balloon went higher and higher and disappeared in the sky hoping that it was going to give them a positive reading. What they look for are winds no greater than 10mph, but they were at least 14 and gusting to 18mph - the flight had to be canceled. I was SO disappointed. I was so hoping for that ride in the sky across the desert at sunset. I tried hard not to pout like a baby. But... I found beauty regardless, walking on foot at the perfect time of evening I caught this wonderful light - and got my ultimate desert photo. I smiled with delight.

if you're interested in a few of the highlights of my trip you can see them here

spectacular / extravaganza

phone pics from both of us

Even though these two photos weren't technically taken on the same day I couldn't help but put them together - to me they're a perfect pair - in both "venues" we watched in amazement, awe and wonder. My iphone pic of the magnificent sunset was taken yesterday. Her's was taken with her phone Tuesday when we went to see Cirque du Solei.

The sky was amazing to watch from early morning until the sun went down. It such a wonderful thing to be able to watch the sky so constantly - 360º view all around our office. So many times, towards the end of the day, you'll hear someone say, "hey come look at this sunset" and we'll gather in someone's office just to watch as the sun sinks lower and lower into the horizon. This day we also saw striking sun beams in the morning, a beautiful rainbow in the afternoon, and a vibrant pink sunset as the sun sank deeper into the horizon.

/ mom bought tickets for us to go to see the cirque du solei performance of kooza the day before i went back to school. great way to end the holidays. i've been to several of the cirque du solei performances and i am amazed every time at what these people can do - crazy exciting stuff. "KOOZA tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world. Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA explores themes of fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement."

eve / til morning

"How clearly the sky reveals God’s glory! How plainly it shows what he has done!" - Psalm 19:1 (GNT) This was on the envelope of the birthday card I got from my older brother that I opened tonight. It was the sweetest card I've ever gotten - the words he wrote to me on this milestone birthday filled me with love. It struck me how perfectly this scripture fit with the photo I took at work as the sun went down. Although this is through the glass with my iphone you can still see how magnificent.
I show this photo of the sun setting on this eve before I turn 50. I choose not to look at tomorrow with a sense of dread but rather as a bright new day tomorrow - I feel this is a good way to think of it: “Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move forward the life that God intended for you with grace, strength, courage, and confidence.” - Og Mandino I'm not so old yet, right?

To celebrate I'm doing a giveaway - I get to give the gift.

/ honey crisp apple and fruit biscuits (thank you, Elizabeth) just might be my late night snack tonight as i finish the painting that's due tomorrow morning. phone pic

work late / working later

The advantage of working a little late is that the view gets incredibly beautiful as the sun goes down. This is my view (of course with an iphone the capture is not grand). Our office is 18 stories up and all windows – if you walked the entire office you would get a view 180 degree view of downtown Atlanta, Stone Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain and all in between. / more photo editing tonight after i finish my drawing