...4.29.12...

  

brav·er·y (br v -r , br v r ). n. pl. brav·er·ies. 1. The condition or quality of being brave; courage.

 2. Splendor or magnificence; show.

this week's.

beyond layers projects.

animation.

triptych.

bravery.

"tell your story of bravery".

bravery comes in many forms.

what makes one persons level of bravery.

different from another?

many of us feel.

we are not brave.

sometimes.

just waking up.

and deciding to face the day.

is brave.

fighting for this country.

huge act of  bravery.

taking a leap of faith.

bravery.

it comes.

in all shapes

and all sizes.

we all have a story.

my picture above.

of my kids.

is my story.

my little niche of bravery.

raising them.

hoping we've instill in them.

right and wrong.

and watching them.

walk on.

letting them.

try and fail.

crying with them.

letting them.

try and succeed.

and rejoicing.

this is just my little act of bravery.

that i am the most proud of. 

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...falling into place...

deciding everything is falling into place perfectly 

as long as you don't get too picky about

 what you mean by place. or perfectly.

~storypeople

light +  objects = shadows

just BE.

robin.

...you'll need a glass...

If your heart is warm with happiness,

you'll need a glass -

 if sorrow chills your heart,

 have two!

Bob H.

"In wine there is truth." 
- Pliny The Elder

i love to photograph.

my wine glass.

the upside down reflection.

of whatever it is near.

just makes me happy.

and isn't that what photography is all about...

or have i just been drinking too much wine?
this photo is of.
a tulip. that is upside down.
in my glass.

anyway.

today is.

texture tuesday

kim requested we use one of two.

of her textures.

oh my or let go.

i used oh my.

with soft light blend.

i do so love my wine glass.

cheers.

just BE.

robin.

...4.22.12...

to take one photo

and work it three ways.

that is what we did this week.

kim klassen - beyond layers.

worked with her textures.

first - cool grunge

second - framed

third - abstract

what is your favorite?

click image to enlarge

if i thought the tears were done...

nope.
this song was sent to me by a dear friend.

we don't get to 

pick the moments.

when sadness hits us.

but we do get to decide.

where to go from there.

wipe the tears away.

be grateful.

be grateful for what you were given.

be open to the possibilities to come.

and smile because it was.

the sadness will lessen.

it is.

the circle of life.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...old stuff that's holding her back...

saving up a bag full of peak moments she's going to have someday if she can ever get away from all the same old stuff that's holding her back & you can pretty well guess how it's going

~storypeople

the frost has

a hold on spring.

sheets and tomato cages.

protect the ferns as they grow.

the clothespin and sheet.

made for a quaint shadow.

this morning.

happy sigh.

we are the proud owners.

of little ellie.

she appears to have slept well over night.

in her new surrounds.

she got up this morning.

ate some breakfast.

had a drink of water.

and went potty in her kitty litter.

yes!!

she is closed up in her own room.

while we acclimate her big sister to her being here.

she is playful and curious and lovable.

light + objects = shadows

please join us.

most time will be spent.

this weekend.

letting a little one get to know us.

insert blue's british accent.

really?

smile.

just BE.

robin.

click on photo for larger image...

...ellie grey...

meet Ellie.

today is texture tuesday.

my photo is textured with

kim klassen's let go.

this will be our

newest addition to the family.

in a couple of weeks.

i believe her to be a girl.

she might be a max.

just BE.

robin.

...4.15.12...

"the ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest."
-  Thomas More  

"while washing the dishes one should only be washing the dishes, which means that while washing the dishes one should be completely aware of the fact that one is washing the dishes.  at first glance, that might seem a little silly: why put so much stress on a simple thing?  but that's precisely the point.  the fact that i am standing there and washing the dishes is a wondrous reality.  i'm being completely myself, following my breath, conscious of my presence, and conscious of my thoughts and actions.  there's no way i can be tossed around mindlessly like a bottle slapped here and there on the waves."
-  Thich Nat Hahn

"when i dance, i dance, when i sleep, i sleep; yes, and when i walk alone in a beautiful orchard, if my thoughts drift to far-off matters for some part of the time, for some other part i lead them back again to the walk, the orchard, to the sweetness of this solitude, to myself." 
-  Montaigne

simple.

what a beautiful word.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...ferns...

“I had heard the old Indian legend about the red fern. How a little Indian boy and girl were lost in a blizzard and had frozen to death. In the spring, when they were found, a beautiful red fern had grown up between their two bodies. The story went on to say that only an angel could plant the seeds of a red fern, and that they never died; where one grew, that spot was sacred.” 
― Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows

i am covering.

them nightly.

protecting them so they grow.

tall and healthy.

so they provide the shade.

for blue.

the shade that he so loved.

in the summer time.

for more 

light  + objects= shadow

 just BE.

robin.

...4.8.12...

“Life is the dancer and you are the dance.” 

― Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

"the present moment 

is the field

on which the game of life happens."

"there are three words

that convey the secret

of the art of living,

the secret of all

success and happiness.

one with life."

"being one with life

is being one with now.

you then realize 

that you don't live your life,

but life lives you."

"life is the dancer,

and you are the dance."

the journey.

started thursday.

and  it's end today was and is

 the beginning.

simply stated. 

He gave us life.

to enjoy life through Him.

to live it to the fullest.

life is the dancer,

and you are the dance.

Father...thank you for inviting me

to the dance.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.

...an entirely different view...

we think too small, 

like the frog at the bottom of the well. 

he thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. 

if he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view.

Mao Tse-Tung

the sun is shining brightly.

trying hard to hide the fact.

that it is twenty-nine degrees.

the flower gardens are forced.

to wear a blanket.

to keep the frost at bay.

i must protect blue's ferns at all costs.

the weekend has the makings to be beautiful.

light + objects= shadows

enjoy your weekend.

may you find many moments that take your breath away.

just BE.

robin.

photo shoot this week of 

emma grace.

moments...

...dragonflies and waterbugs...

Dragonflies and Waterbugs

There was this group of waterbugs that lived in a pond.

 They were happy and enjoyed each other’s company,

 but they noticed that every once in a while

 a waterbug friend would go to the surface of the water and never return.

 They discussed this and wondered where their friends

 were going and why they never came back to tell of their adventures.

 One day the waterbugs decided that whoever went 

to the surface next would come back and tell all the other

 waterbug what he saw up there. Not too long 

after this a waterbug had the urge to swim to the surface.

 He swam as fast as he could and broke thru the surface of the water,

 where he found himself to be exhausted so he took a nap on a lily pad.

When he woke up he saw he was no longer a waterbug but a dragonfly.

 He started flying around and exploring and doing

 all these great things he never could do as a waterbug.

One day he looked down and saw his waterbug friends

 below the surface of the water and he remembered his promise to return.

 He tried to fly down to tell them about this great new world 

he was living in but he could not break the surface of the water. 

No matter how hard he tried he could not return to tell his friends

 that he was ok and happy in his new place. 

He could watch over them, but could not communicate with them.

 He could only wait for them to join him as a dragonfly.

Doris Stickney

just BE.

robin.

...4.1.12...

the remaining snow from friday's storm.

they survived... 

so much easier to photography gandie...she can take you or leave you.

blue always wanted to come to where i was if he saw me taking his picture. 

George Malley: You know, if we were to put this apple down, and leave it, it would be spoiled and gone in a few days. But, if we were to take a bite of it like this, 
[bites apple] 
George Malley: it would become part of us, and we could take it with us, forever. 
[offers the apple to Glory, who takes a bite. Al refuses] 
George Malley: Al, everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything. 

we were talking about movies.

at work on friday.

started out talking about.

nicholas cage.

which led to john travolta.

which lead to the movie phenomenon.

which was on tv yesterday.

of which.

i saw the last half hour.

which is the really good kleenex part.

lacey is on the porch crying.

that can't catch your breath.

crying.

then she stops.

and the treetops start to sway in the breeze.

and it's a sign.

from george.

and a calmness sweeps over her.

(awesome scene).

i did not cry during the movie...

like usual. like i wanted to.

because i've cried a lot this week.

instead.

i took comfort in the words above.

everything is on its way to somewhere. everything.

i took comfort in the sign of the wind.

from george. letting lacey know.

he was okay.

and that she would be to.

i am not sure. 

if blue can send me a sign.

but there are going to be moments.

where something is going to remind me of him.

and i am going to smile.

instead of cry.

and i am going to have that calmness.

and comfort again.

that he use to give me.

with his unconditional love.

welcome to coffee hour.

welcome to this Sunday morning.

just BE.

robin.