Lens-Artists Challenge #22 – Happiness Is…

“The happiest man is he who learns from nature the lesson of worship”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

SUNRISE, COLORADO

SUNRISE AND SNOW, COLORADO

Those who know or follow me will not be surprised that my response to Ann-Christine’s Happiness challenge is all about nature. Having spent the Thanksgiving weekend in Colorado with family (yet another reason for happiness) I was happy to see a glorious sunrise over a fresh coating of snow. Here in South Carolina we rarely see snow, and I rarely see the sunrise – sometimes happiness can be found in a two-hour time change. 😊

ASPEN GROVE

ASPEN GROVE

“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery – air, mountains, trees. I thought, “This is what it is to be happy .”

Sylvia Plath

Another thing we don’t see here in South Carolina is a grove of aspens – in fact, as far as I know we have no aspens at all. I was happy to find this small grove near my brother’s Colorado home as I enjoyed an early morning walk in the crisp air. I often shoot them with a bit of blur (as above).  I find their white trunks make a lovely subject, especially against new-fallen snow.

SWEETGRASS AND SUN

PINK SWEETGRASS, BLUE SKY

“Colors are the smiles of nature.”

Leigh Hunt

Returning home, I was happy to find the beautiful southern sweetgrass still blooming. I captured this image of the causeway on which we enter/exit our island using my iPhone as I bicycled to the gym on our first morning back (and yes, I did need to work off the excesses of Thanksgiving weekend). This is one climate change I was happy to see!

BIG BIRD

BIG BIRD

“If you want to find happiness, find gratitude.”

Steve Maraboli

Finally, I love photographing nature, and was happy to have my zoom lens with me on one of our local golf courses earlier this month. High in a tall pine tree bordering the course my friend spotted the beautiful hawk in the image above. I don’t often use a cart but when I do I try to remember to bring my Fuji along for the ride.  I was glad I did.

I think Steve Maraboli got it right that gratitude is the key to happiness. I personally am ever-grateful for my husband and partner in life, our families, our friends and of course for the beauty of nature all around us. As the old song says – if you can’t sleep, count your blessings instead of sheep. There may be times when it’s a bit harder to see them, but no matter what, they’re always there.

 

Thanks to Ann-Christine for giving us the opportunity to focus on the things that make us happy. And thanks to all those who’ve chosen to join us for our Lens-Artists challenges. We’re happy to see participation growing each week. Be sure to stay tuned for Amy’s challenge next Saturday – we hope to see you then!

Tags: , , ,

97 thoughts on “Lens-Artists Challenge #22 – Happiness Is…”

  4. Hi Tina – so nice to find time to visit! That pink sweetgrass along the causeway reminds me of a road I travelled to see the Angel Oak. So pretty!

    Reply ↓

  6. Pingback: Lens-Artist-PC-Happiness-Is… – WoollyMuses

  7. Tina – I finally found your post- in my spam folder! 😦 A totally wonderful post, and the first and second shot are my absolute favorites. The Colorado one I can hardly take my eyes from – and they all make me Happy!

    Reply ↓

  10. You certainly are at home in nature Tina. Beautiful sunrise shot and you figured it out…just set your clock at home ahead two hours and you can start stocking up on those beautiful SC sunrise shots. 😁

    Reply ↓

  13. Hope you enjoyed our fair state over the holiday weekend, and glad you weren’t disappointed by the meager snow cover. Aspens, by nature, are trees meant for the mountains. When they’re planted in the lower elevations, it’s a so-so proposition they would make it to the next year. If they do make it to the next year, it becomes a matter of taking good care of them, which requires more attention than other deciduous trees and conifers. In a mountainous grove, aspens do really well by relying on the common root system. My neighbor in the old neighborhood, she had a pair of aspens in her front yard. She planted them in the late 1990s and they lasted for around 20 years, which isn’t bad. When the trees failed to leaf out in Spring 2017, she decided to cut them down. They kept the wood for the their wood burning stove.

    Reply ↓

  15. Hi T, You Colorado sunrise is fantastic. Gorgeous colors and composition…and a shock that you shot a sunrise. 🤣 Hooray time change.
    Nice to see some nature on Kiawah, too.

    Reply ↓

  17. Well said, Tina. Gratitude and being greatful is the key to happiness. Sounds like it was time well spent with the family. ‘There may be times when it’s a bit harder to see them, but no matter what, they’re always there’. Such a thoughtful line ❤ Beautiful shots of the snow sunrise and back home a few days later. Also seems like you and your Fuji are getting along very well 🙂

    Reply ↓

  18. Hi Tina, I love nature also and I appreciate the sky, the mountains, the ocean, and sunset (I don’t get up early enough to see sunrise). The nature speak so much to our mind and our heart. I enjoy all the photos and am not surprised that your find happiness in nature.

    Reply ↓

  26. That’s an excellent pairing of sunrise and snow you caught. We have no trouble understanding how someone from South Carolina would be especially taken with the combination.

    The big birds seem to be hawks.

    Reply ↓

  27. I’ve not had a lot of time for joining in, Tina, but I like to keep an eye on all of you because this is a lovely challenge. There’s more than enough to make me happy with life right now. 🙂 🙂

    Reply ↓

  29. These beautiful images of nature make me very happy.Colorado is beautiful when it snows, love these captures especially the first one. We used to sky every other week (that was in the mid and late 80s. 🙂 )

    Reply ↓

  35. This post was my wake-up treat! I loved all the photos but particularly Sunrise and Snow (I couldn’t stop looking at it) and it was so interesting to see the causeway to the island – so resplendent with the southern sweetgrass!

    Reply ↓

  39. Tina, you are absolutely right about gratitude and nature a recipe for happiness. I must admit your post that I look forward weekly is my antidepressant. To read Sylvia Plath is a surprise. Perpetua

    Reply ↓

Leave a reply to Tina Schell Cancel reply