Wordless Wednesday

Completely unrelated subject:

Protect Amazon.com Users and Indie Publishing Authors from Bullying and Harassment by Removing Anonymity and Requiring Identity Verification for Reviewing and Forum Participation – Sign This Petition !!!

I invented a pie…oh yes I did. And you can vote on it so I can well…win kudos of course, plus money !!! Mine is the “Under the Sea” pie in the Pie Warmer.

CBBH Challenge: Simple Pleasures

Marianne may be off tiki touring but the challenge is still on.

For this month’s challenge I decided to focus on one simple pleasure, though I do have a list. This post it is all about the joy I get from photography. A simple pleasure that has reemerged in to my life after laying dusty in the ‘too busy’ cupboard for quite some time.

Through photography my senses are being reawakened. When I photograph a bee I smell the pollen as it settles on its wings. A gull’s song fills my ears as I try to capture it flying overhead. The waves cool and soften my skin as I wade in for a closer shot. Zooming in on a strawberry its crisp sweetness smothers my tongue. Stopping to capture a moment, I see worlds that previously I had passed by.

So in enjoying this one simple pleasure I have inadvertently opened a treasure chest that is seemingly self perpetuating no matter how much I take from it.

Yesterday I spent part of my afternoon indulging my senses and raiding the treasure chest again. I spent the time at a friend’s dance school end of year concert in town. Walking around among the girls and their mothers I was transported back at times to when The Daughter was young and ballet was a large part of her life.

These are some of the images from backstage on Sunday. I hope you get your own simple pleasure from seeing them.

So on to my TWO featured blogs this month.

Michael Andrew [aka Michael the Maven] is…crikey [don’t know what crikey means ? Click on it and find out – there is even a video]…simply amazing. What a photographer. He has some wonderful stuff to just look at as well as lots of instructional material about photographic gear and techniques. He runs a yearly competition, and is at present showcasing the finalist nominees in the Macro category. I could watch his slideshow of nominees for hours.
Jimland is James Thompson’s blog. James is an American living in Finland. He is also an author and his blog has so many fascinating bits that once there you need to wander around. You’ll be surprised what you find on your tour.

Now – if you haven’t before taken part in this monthly challenge, hop on the bunny below and visit with Marianne at East of Málaga, who just received the Bronze Award in the Expat Blog Competition for Spain.

Sunday Post: People

Want to visit more people…hop on the flying dragon.

Heirlooms

small thoughts

gathered in the rainbowed droplets

that rain upon your flesh,

listen as they soak deep within you

— as I listened —

then traverse the paths

your own eyes find

1-30-2012_008 — Sourced from (C)JoBryant...hehehe...always wanted to say that.

***

Weekly Photo Challenge: Indulge

My all time favourite indulgence for breakfast…eggs benedict !!

Tomatoes are my favourite food in the universe. Breaking one of these guys in my mouth, straight off the vine, sunshine warmed, is an indulgence I never tire of…

Photography has become an indulgence again in my life.

So here are a few shots I indulged in taking, and playing around with…

Jack (a.k.a.The Grumpy Cat) immortalised forever…with all her personalities !

Bay Dixie (a local dixie band)

It looks like it’s coming for you doesn’t it !!!

25022012290 — Click on the photo to see it full size.

Early morning on my street.

Stone # 17

bones creak,

the walk measured,

glass covers the eyes,

excuse me, what was that you said

is often uttered,

new skills require longer hours,

these things smiled into oblivion

as the layers align

the picture’s complete

inside and out

***

I am trying out a different photo editing software and until now it has held the upper hand. But today a small victory was scored, not only on the computer but in my head. The following is the original photo. I actually really don’t care what anyone else thinks because at this moment I am bursting with joy that it finally worked. It may take more time than when I was twenty to master something – but the pleasure…is grander than ever.

So…do you like it ???

Hehehe