DP Challenge: Gift / Word-A-Week Challenge: Face

“Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift.”

Albert Einstein

PAMLETTO SUNSET

Today’s Daily Post has suggested we select a photograph to demonstrate the concept of “gift”.  Albert Einstein and I agree that nature continutally gifts us with wonderful surprises.  In an effort to deliver a small gift to my subscribers, I’ve turned some of my favorite nature shots into “orbs” for a unique take on the challenge.

TWO EGRETS

“What reason can deny that gift so sweet, so natural that God has given a stream, a fish, a beast, a bird?”

Pedro Calderon de la Barca

In the orb above we see two egret faces surrounded by their beautiful feathers.  This one is a nod to Skinnywench for her word-a-week challenge, Face.

PURPLE IRIS

“Instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend.”

George MacDonald

Flowers are often given as a gift, and indeed they are a wonderful subject for an orb.  Above we see the glories of a deep purple iris transformed into a perfect circle.

CIRCLE OF VEGETABLES

“Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection.”

Pindar

Orbs can be created from most any photograph although you never quite know what will work until you’ve tried.  Some that seemed promising were quite a disappointment, while others, such as the vegetables from a farm stand in Provence, were a very nice surprise.

UMBRELLAS

“Find out what your gift is and nurture it.”

Katy Perry

And although it is not a gift from nature, I’ve included one of my favorite shots, “umbrellas” to show that perhaps the most important element of a photograph for creating an interesting orb is the presence of color.  As an added bonus, if the image has a graphical quality, so much the better.

My thanks to my friend Ann Gridly for her tutorial on orb-making, and to the Kiawah Island Photography Club for their continued focus on expanding our photographic horizons .

For a tutorial on orb-making, go here.   To see more DP challenge “Gift” entries, go here.  For more of Sue’s Word-a-Week entries on “Faces”, go here. 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Escape / DP Challenge: Feed Your Senses and Memory / Travel Theme: Elements

“Let us keep our hearts young and our eyes open that nothing worth our while shall escape us.”

Victor Charbuliez

PAYING HOMAGE

This week several of my favorite challenges lent themselves to combination, and I’ve chosen to address them with a single photograph. As I interpret it, the supplicant is honoring the memory of a departed loved one, who has escaped the confines of his or her earthly life and moved on to whatever follows.  The woman beside him addresses the feed your senses challenge with the scent of the joss sticks she holds. Finally, the burning candle represents fire, one of the four elements in Ailsa’s weekly Travel Theme.

To see more Weekly Photo Challenge entries, click here. For more responses to Ailsa’s Travel Theme, click here.  For more of the Daily Post click here.

DP Challenge – Unconventional Love

“Love is of all passions the strongest,  for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses.” 

Lao Tzu

TWO AS ONE

Today’s DP Challenge is “Unconventional Love”.  I chose this ostrich photo from our African safari for several reasons.  First, this couple obviously shares a very close (pun intended) relationship – so much so that they actually seem to be a two-headed creature if you look quickly.  Second and more importantly, ostriches really do have an unconventional lifestyle in the avian world.  They mate for life, and share responsibility for their offspring.  The female incubates the eggs during the daytime while the male manages them during the night.  Often they share communal responsibility with one large nest (actually a hole in the ground) for all of the eggs in a large group of ostriches.  Once the eggs have hatched, it is typically the male ostrich who cares for them until they are self-sufficient.  Hmmm…..perhaps I should have saved this post for Father’s Day

To see more of today’s DP challenge  entries, go here. 

DP Challenge – Mothering / Sunday Post – Mothers Day

“Mother’s love is peace.  It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved.”

Erich Fromm

NURTURING

The Daily Post is having a week featuring photography – how nice for  those of us who post our photographs as a general rule.  Today, not surprisingly, we are to post about mothering.  Rather than join those who choose photos of human mothers and children, I have decided to feature some of the beautiful examples of mothering I’ve found among our friends in the animal kingdom.

LEARNING TO WALK

“God could not be everywhere, therefore he created mothers.”

David C. Gross

NURSING DOLPHIN CALF

A mothers’ role appears to be the same among most all species.  After giving birth, a mother nourishes her young until they are able to provide for themselves (which happens much earlier in the animal kingdom!), teaches them the skills they need to survive, and sets an example (hopefully) for them to follow – as all children learn best by emulating their parents.

TALLEST MOM

“Oh you mothers…..God knew what He was about when He made you!”

L.M. Montgomery

A mother is also a fierce protector, especially in species like lions and alligators where fathers are known to practice infanticide.  Be you father, friend or stranger, do not even think about threatening the life of a child whose mother is anywhere nearby unless you are willing to fight to the death.

KEEPING WATCH

“Mothers most of all carry the key to our souls in their bosoms.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Birds too, follow the intrinsic rules of motherhood, nesting, carefully tending their eggs, feeding their helpless babies first with regurgitated food and later with pieces of fish or small animals, and finally teaching them the glory of flight.  Would that all children might be as well-equipped to leave the nest as effectively as our feathered friends

MOTHER HERON WITH CHICKS

“There is an instinct in a mother to love most her own child.  And an instinct to make any child who needs her love her own.”

Robert Brault

I lost my own mom years ago, altho of course the best of her is with me always.  Kristin Hannah said “A daughter without her mother is a woman broken.  It is a loss that turns to arthritis and settles deep into her bones.”  Cherish your mother, and mothers everywhere on this day and all others. Love their strengths and forgive their shortcomings, as you know they do yours.

MOTHER’S MILK

 

Because this is a special DP Challenge week for photography you’ll be seeing more of me than usual – so apologies in advance if you’re overwhelmed   And a special shout out to Viveka, The Seeker, for nominating me with a “Thank You For Being There” award.  What a lovely idea Viveka!  Have a click on the link to enjoy some of Viveka’s thoughtful posts.

To see more DP challenge Mother entries, go here.  For more of Jake’s Sunday post entries on Mother Day, go here. 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Patterns / Travel Theme: Beaches

“Sit in reverie and watch the changing pattern of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

DOUBLE RAINBOW – PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, CANADA

This week’s photo challenge is “Patterns”, while Ailsa’s Travel Theme is “Beaches”.  I found the two challenges complimentary and have combined them in today’s post.  The photo above was taken on a beach in Eastern Canada’s Prince Edward Island.  I found patterns there in the ridges left by the tides on the amazing red sand, and of course in the colors of the double rainbow that appeared after a sudden rainstorm.

In beautiful Dubrovnik, patterns appear in the colors of the ocean, in the waves breaking along the rocky shore, and in the lovely orange rooftops of the homes throughout the city.

WAVES AROUND DUBROVNIK

” Find beauty not only in the thing itself, but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides.”

Junichiro Tanizaki

Along the Costa Brava, there are patterns in the way the fingers of land jut out into the sea, in the rows of flowers that grow beside the cliffs, and in the curves of the mountainous roads that caress them.

COSTA BRAVA BOUQUET

“Life has loveliness to sell, all beautiful and splendid things, blue waves whitened on a cliff, soaring fire that sways and sings, and children’s faces looking up.”

Sara Teasdale

Here in the states, the Pacific coast is known for its remarkable beauty, shown here on the rocky beaches of Mendocino.  Again, patterns are everywhere – in the way the waves crest over the rocks, in the lines of wildflowers the dot the landscape, and in the details of the rocks as they’ve eroded over the years.

MENDOCINO MAJESTY

ROCKS AND WAVES

CAUTION, NATURE AT WORK

“Water continually flowing will wear hard rocks hollow.”

Plutarch

For me though, the beach closest to my heart (and to my door) is our beautiful beach here on Kiawah Island.  Our little island has been recognized many times these past few years.  It was named by National Geographic Traveler as the second most romantic beach in America; by the Travel Channel as a Top 10 beach for Families; by   Bride’s Magazine as one of the best honeymoon destinations, and by Coastal Living as the happiest Seaside Town in America.  Without further ado then, some of my favorite photos of our lovely beach.

BIRDS AT THE BEACH

PATH TO THE BEACH

SUNRISE ON THE BEACH

GOLF AT THE BEACH

FULL MOON OVER THE BEACH

Thanks for visiting our little piece of heaven here in South Carolina – and happy weekend to all!

To see more Weekly Photo Challenge Patterns, click here.  For more responses to Ailsa’s Beaches Theme, click here.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Signs

“Buy, buy says the sign in the shop window; Why, why says the junk in the yard.”

Paul McCartney

FRENCH GROCERY

Cee has given us a fun opportunity this week with her
“Signs” challenge. I’ve chosen to share some of the fun signs my husband and I encountered in our exploration of beautiful Provence, France.

MENU DU JOUR

“If it doesn’t taste good, it doesn’t go on the menu.”

Heston Blumenthal

Somehow, most of what I captured had to do with food or wine – what a surprise–NOT!  Is it because the French are more focused on les choses gastronomique, or because we are?!  Probably both.  Here then, a few of my favorite food and wine signs from Provence,  the land of food and wine.  First, taking full advantage of real estate:

WALL ‘O WINE SIGN

WALL ‘O WINE SIGN II

“Language is wine upon the lips.”

Virginia Woolf

And then, awaiting the opening of the local bakery:

BREAD LINES

“A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and thou.”

Omar Khayyam

Next, a nod to the French esprit de corps:

LIFE IS GOOD

And, the perfect accompaniment to good food and wine – some lovely music

FOR MUSIC LOVERS

 ”Without music, life would be a mistake.”

Fredrich Nietzsche

Finally, from an ancient, beautifully preserved church, a “sign” that the French rejoice in the power of prayer through their love of music.

MUSIQUE D’EGLISE

With appreciation to my followers for tolerating the frequency of my posts this week, I’m “signing” off on this one.  My thanks to Cee for the fun challenge.  (Check out some other “signs” entries here).

 

Word-A-Week – Orange

“Orange is the happiest color.”

Frank Sinatra

RAINBOW OVER BRYCE

It’s amazing how many bloggers have responded to Suellewellyn’s Word-A-Week challenge “orange” by commenting that they’re not fans of the color.  Count me among the many, as admittedly it’s not high on my list either.  But like others, I have found a photograph that meets the challenge and is one of my favorites. 

I made this photo after a violent thunderstorm at Bryce Canyon last summer.  The sky was an incredible dark blue, and the hoodoos positively glowed in the evening light.  It was the third evening we’d attempted to catch the sunset and I was determined that we would not leave until the storm abated.  Fortunately, my very patient husband was willing to sit with me in our car for a few hands of gin rummy while we watched the storm rage for almost an hour.  Not only was I rewarded with amazing light, but by then everyone else had pretty much given up, leaving me to shoot the canyon without the many tourists who’d been there an hour earlier.  Truly a gift from heaven!

Click here to see more responses to Sue’s “orange” challenge.  For more of my photos of Bryce Canyon see my earlier posts here and here.

In closing, I’d like to send a thank you out to Tom of The Palladian Traveller for sending me a HUG (Hope Unites Globally) Award.  I’ve been following Tom since I first started blogging and enjoy his posts immensely.  Give him a look at http://thepalladiantraveler.com/ .