Nowhere I’d Rather Be – WPC
“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.”
Mark Twain
BE THE BALL
Our challenge this week is to share the thing(s) we’d “rather be doing”. It’s an interesting thought isn’t it? Somehow it pushes us to examine what we love, and to make sure we’re spending our time – life’s most precious element – appropriately.
RICE FIELDS – LONGSHENG, CHINA
“We need much less than we think we need.”
Maya Angelou
I’ve featured two of my favorite things, travel and golf, in my opening captures. I also love reading, writing, playing my piano, spending time with friends and family and of course, photography.
GAME OF GAMES
Just tell yourself, Duckie, you’re really quite lucky.”
Dr. Seuss
Those who know me well know that I love games that challenge the brain – cards, sudoku, crosswords, trivia and most especially Mah Jongg. The capture above is from a game we happened upon when we were in China – where they take their MJ much more seriously 😀. Happily our weekly game is more about socializing than competition – although we do work hard for our quarters!
KIAWAH TIDEPOOLS
“Contentment is the greatest treasure.”
Lao Tzu
I love walking our beautiful beach here on Kiawah where there is always something new to see and to shoot. This week the tide pools were amazing as my husband and I strolled to the very end of our pristine island. Birds were pecking away at water’s edge and the sun shone beautifully as we enjoyed the return of spring’s warm breezes.
HOME SWEET HOME
“Contentment is the only real wealth”
Albert Nobel
Most of all, I love spending time relaxing at home with my husband of 20+ years. Sharing life with my best friend, whom I still love more every day, means there’s really nothing at all I’d rather be doing. And that is really saying something, isn’t it?
By the way, it’s often noted that the best camera is the one you have with you. This week’s captures were made with a mix of my Nikon DSLRs, my Fuji X-T2 and my iPhone 8+. Can you guess which is which?
This was a very special post, showing glimpses of what is special in your life! As always, the images are a balm to the eyes and the soul!
Many thanks Zee
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Precious, precious images, Tina. A truly thought-provoking post, eloquent and beautiful. I have absolutely no clue about the camera. I have read every comment and my guess was also a false one. Could the rice fields be an iPhone shot??
Thanks Dina! Nope, also wrong! Watch for this week’s post
🤔🤨🧐
Always such a treat to catch up with all your lovely photos and words Tina. Have a great week 🙂
Thanks Andrew. Been enjoying your Paralympic series
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Thanks Tina. Happy to hear it 😊
Lovely shots.
Thanks very much Rupali
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Lovely photos. I’m partial to whiling away an afternoon with Sudoku and Mahjong myself! 🙂
🙂
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Yes that is indeed saying something
Regarding lighter matters, chess, Scrabble and Rummikub – never played MJ.
I think I should post a picture of a chess board taken with Nikon and call it Game of Games (hope you do not have copyright).
Beautiful captures
I hiked with an American and Australian today in the Hawequas mountains in Wellington South Africa (one of my greater passions)
LOL, feel free Abrie – I have not copyrighted 🙂 Love scrabble and rummikub but chess is not the game for me!
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Beautiful serene images Tina I would love to be sitting on one of those chairs and watching the bird life with you. Hard to guess which photo was taken with the IPhone but I’m guessing the Mah-jong image…
Thanks very much Pauline but sorry, not the iPhone on that one. I shall post the answers in my response to next week’s photo challenge.
I was judging by the shape. I’ll look forward to the reveal next post…
I’ll give it a try: #1-3 DSLR #4 X-T2 #5 iPhone. But it doesn’t really matter, does it? The best camera is the one you carry with you (as you mentioned) to capture the right location at the right time. If location and time fit to your best camera, then you capture stunning moments. And you are a master in this passion. Happy days, Tina! Reinhold
Thanks Reinhold but nope, wrong. But you’re right, it really DOESN’T matter does it! Stay tuned for next week’s post for the answer to the puzzle!
I love the golf ball shot, mostly because I don’t like golf, but that photo makes me re-think that, and how interesting is that?
Also, I am all about the “best camera” being the one you have with you 🙂
LOL that may be the only shot I’ve ever taken of a golf ball but I must admit it’s an oldie but goodie favorite for me. Thanks Amy
I love the rice fields!!!
Thanks Nora – they were amazing!
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let’s see the MJ game was the iphone?
and not sure about the rest – but that gold ball shot is OUTSTANDING!
and sometimes when people write about their slice of heaven it feels a bit bragging – but none of that here- it was like pure sharing and just matter of factly…. or maybe that is because I know you – but i do hate he braggards.
and nice take on the prompt….
although admit it…
once in a while i am sure you are down south and think, “I’d rather be up in NY”
ok – maybe not….
Nope LOL! And the golf ball shot is one of the oldest I still have :-). Actually sold that one many times on a stock photo site “back in the day”. Thanks for the compliment re bragging, I was hoping not to come across that way. And NO – I NEVER wish I was up north!!!!!
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how cool that you sold that shot – I can see why!
i will be back later to skim some other comments to see who guessed the cameras used… so curious now!
No one got it right :-). Will include the answer in next week’s post.
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ok – see you then – -and it was a little tricky….
The best place – the “home sweet home” view.
Mah Jongg, that’s a serious game … especially if it’s played for money. One of the relatives almost put up their home for casino credit while on a vacation through Macao, Hong Kong and Taiwan in the old days. The casino refused to take it as collateral.
LOL, thank goodness David! We have a $5 limit – if you lose that much you play for free and can recoup your losses. U know what they say, everybody wins :-).
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A nice response to the challenge, very evocative!
We could argue over who’s luckier………but no contest…….just ask our friends and family. I win.
Oh and by the way the post isn’t too bad either.
😊😊💕💕
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Beautiful post, Tina! Beautiful in both pictures and words. Your husband is a lucky man.
Maybe so, but I’m luckier!! Thanks Svetlana
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Contentment, yes – seems so elusive but not difficult to achieve if one really wants it. I loved the pictures, Tina!
Thanks Anita – glad this one spoke to you.
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All lovely shots and feelings. I especially like the simplicity of the tide pools – very soothing.
Thanks Lex – the beach was about as pretty as I’ve ever seen it that day. Couldn’t resist the tide pools!
Stunning images…the terraced rice fields & the textured tidepools, in particular…
Thank you Susan – two images from completely opposite sides of the world, but both speak to me of calm beauty. Glad they spoke to you too.
Wonderful composition of the challenge and beautiful images Tina.
Thanks Maverick – this one pretty much wrote itself!
Best guess—golf ball – Fuji, rice fields – Nikon, MJ – Nikon, Tide pools – IPhone 8+, home hole – Fuji. Wonderful message!
Hey there Kathy – nope but I will update the post with the answer soon.
This is such a reflective post. So many of us would rather be elsewhere…when sometimes that elsewhere is right here, just that we don’t see the positive side to it. I wager the mah jong shot was taken with an iPhone 😁 Sounds like you have quite a few interests and you take time to explore them. But nothing like companionship where someone can laugh at and along with you. Beautiful shots as always 😊
Many thanks Mabel, you’re right about the companionship but sadly wrong about the iPhone :-). I’ll post an update with the answers soon !
This made me laugh, Tina. When my daughter played basketball in grammar school, one of her teammates dads (a wannabe coach), would always yell, “Be the ball, Natalie. Be the ball.” You got down on the ground for that shot?! Great effort. 🙂
LOL, thanks Lois – I did indeed 🙂
Hi T- You’ve certainly captured YOU. Love your tide pool image and the golf ball smack center is quite effective.
Thanks Jane – the pools were lovely that afternoon – I was happy to have a camera with me.
Gorgeous landscapes, Tina.
Thanks Sally, glad you enjoyed these
Both images and words are an excellent response to this challenge.
Thank you Anne, I enjoyed this one.
Really nice post and quotes. 🙂 I am going to guess the first two shots for sure were taken with either the Nikon or the Fuji. But, then again, you can probably get way more out of your iPhone camera than I can. 🙂
Well Judy – you’re closer than anyone else so far! Answer in my next post 🙂 Thanks as always for stopping by.
“Contentment is the greatest treasure.”
Isn’t that all we need to seek?
Absolutely Jude! you’ll get no complaints from me 🙂
Ball: X-T2. Rice fields: Nikon. Mah Jongg: iPhone. Tidepool: X-T2. Patio chairs: iPhone.
Nope – stay tuned for the answers John! And thanks for trying 🙂
I have better luck in Vegas.
Love the photos and quotes. I’m with you on everything except golf. 🙂 In half a year, we’ll be celebrating 34 years, which is a true blessing. Have a wonderful week.
janet
Wow Janet – isn’t that fabulous?! A true blessing indeed. As for golf, what I love about it is the social time with my friends, or my husband, rather than the sport itself which can be quite frustrating!!
Great post, Tina…contentment is so important…seems like you have things worked out.
thanks Sue – some days it definitely feels that way. Others, not so much! You know how THAT goes!!!
I MOST certainly do, Tina!
Love them all – along with the quotes. We are so fortunate to live in this world, and in a part of it where we have food, roof over our heads and loved ones close. Pieces of beauty along the road too. Contentment.
Many thanks Ann-Christine. Yes I often think about how the place where we’re born and the family we’re born into is truly a matter of chance. We are indeed very lucky we landed in the right places and in times of peace – so many others are not so fortunate.
Yes – and Why Me?
Fantastic photo’s, especially the tide pools!
Thanks very much – they were fabulous that day. I was happy to have had a camera with me.
Beautiful Tina! I had no idea you are a golfer! I used to play too but had to quit once my neck flared up. I love the sport and wish I could play as my whole family does.
Thanks Nicole. Yes golf is very big here on Kiawah. Personally although I enjoy the sport it’s much more about the camaraderie with my girlfriends and sometimes with my husband. 4 or 5 hours on a beautiful day in a beautiful place – what could be better?! Bummer about your neck. For me it’s the back but so far I’m making it work!
Yes I miss it as I loved just being outside in nature on a beautiful day and chatting with friends. 🙂
Tina, you said it well. Contentment. But I think I’d rather be walking on the beach in search of anything and everything to find myself along the way. Perpetua
thanks Perpetua, walking on the beach is about the best place to look for whatever you seek, including yourself.
Wonderful images and sentiments Tina, I really enjoyed your selection of quotes too! :o) xxx
Thanks very much Xenia, much appreciated!
Contentment’s a wonderful thing, Tina. If I didn’t have the rain pounding at my windows I might be a little happier, but still- I’m warm and dry, and have been to t’ai chi this afternoon. Life is precious, as you say. Now- who can I donate some of this excess water to? 🙂 🙂
LOL, I suppose we could use some of it down here. We had one day last week that I’d call spitting rather than real rain. Here we have pollen from the oak trees which is a nasty yellow coating that covers everything until a good rain comes along. It also causes terrible allergies to many people including me! But I suppose it’s better than downpours. Nothing is perfect is it?!
Even paradise? 🙂 🙂
Yep, have often wondered if there is any place on earth w perfect weather. Couldn’t come up w one!
Wonderful post…so true!
Thanks Ann – I know you know where I’m coming from with this one!
You said it all…… honoring all that you honor and hold so close to you heart..
Thank you girlfriend – much appreciated as always.
Beautiful photographs. You are so fortunate to live somewhere with such beautiful scenery.
I am indeed DD! Thanks for stopping by
May you always persue those “I would rather” dreams.
Thanks Dor—MJ is my backup plan when all else fails 😊
Best ever ! Contentment is a gift that so few ever let themselves fully realize . Of course amidst all the other gorgeous photos , I am partial to the golf ball one ….surprise surprise.
LOL….how did I know?! Thx Gin