posy / bouquet*

solo post - L, Nikon

"A delicate fabric of bird song 
Floats in the air, 
The smell of wet wild earth 
Is everywhere. 
Oh I must pass nothing by 
Without loving it much, 
The raindrop try with my lips, 
The grass with my touch; 
For how can I be sure 
I shall see again 
The world on the first of May 
Shining after the rain?" 
- Sara Teasdale, May Day

I woke up this morning with good intentions of being productive today... then I stepped outside... with camera in hand. You know the story.

Hope you enjoyed this first day of May.

*not your traditional bouquet of flowers but it works for me

spring up

solo post - L, Nikon

"And Spring arose on the garden fair, Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere; And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast rose from the dreams of its wintry rest."
- Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Sensitive Plant

April is colorful and sweet smelling - yards and work places are filled with pinks, purples, and reds of azaleas, oranges and purples of pansies, sunny yellow tulips, lavender red buds, brilliant green grass, and the pure whites of dogwoods - all in full bloom against a bright blue sky... and a sweet scent fills the air. It sure makes one feel alive to be surrounded by such beauty. I have to say I've been enjoying it to the fullest all week - lunches outdoors, relatively non-stressful days and home in time to enjoy the golden hour every single day so far. I hope your week has been sweet as well.

infinite

solo post - L, Nikon / Canon

“I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.” - e.e. cummings

bounty / illumine

solo post - L

I had 3 apples... I was going to paint them – then I saw the recipe for Apple Crostata... no more apples to paint. SO I went to the market and bought some more fruit and those wonderful sunflowers I shared yesterday. This morning I arranged the items I bought and now I have an abundance of photographs and good starts for at least 3 paintings. One of the compositions really excites me. But first I just had to get outside.
The temperature was perfect so I decided before painting that I should get some exercise. So off I went to Big Trees Forest for a nice hike in the woods. Well I can't go for a walk in the woods without my camera but for the sake of exercise I should have left it at home. I kept seeing things I just couldn't pass by. I was stopping every few yards to take a photo. So my hike turned into a leisurely stroll. You know when you slow down enough to "see" – there is all kinds of beauty around us. (To make me feel like I was actually getting some exercise I decided to walk the trail 2 times instead of just once). The walk did me good even if I didn't get my heart rate up.

Nature is man's teacher. She unfolds her treasures to his search, unseals his eye, illumes his mind, and purifies his heart; an influence breathes from all the sights and sounds of her existence. ~Alfred Billings Street

Once home, I set to work trying to decide which "set up" to start painting. My mom always said, "Begun is half done." Well I'm glad to say, I am more than half done now. Yeah. It's been a good weekend.

I talked to T – she hasn't totally abandoned the blog. She and some friends went to a corn maze this weekend and she said she took some photos. I can't wait to see them. First she said she had to do marine environment homework and start on her next design project. I'll wait - patiently. : )