Quiet Hope

This little beauty was nestled in the grass at water's edge. I'm sure many walked past it and thought nothing of it. After all, it's just a common weed.
I see hope. The hope of a new day to come with more beauty to bestow upon the careful observer. Beauty that is evident as the sun graces the delicate petals with a last kiss of light before nightfall. Hope is like that. It is quiet, yet determined. It is delicate, and unassuming. It may leave, but it comes again.

(click image for best view)

Quiet Hope  ©Pamela Reynoso 2012

Calming Strength (photo)

I went out one night several months ago and drug  took my husband along with me. He was a great sport, as he often is. Being the academic that he is, he brought a book and hung out underneath a nearby streetlight. He loves me. :)

I wanted to explore taking shots near the river that were at about sunset, and even well past dark.  This is one of my favorite the long exposure shots taken that night.

I love the richness of the colors from the blues to the amber's, and how the the strong silhouette of the draw bridge divides the warmer colors from the cooler ones. This shot was taken just after 7PM in the winter and it was well after dark.

(click image to view in lightbox)

© 2012 Pamela Reynoso

Serenity

Today is a dreary and damp overcast day so... I'm posting a photo that brightens my mood. :) I love the colors (green and purple are my favorites!) and I find water in a photo typically adds a welcome touch of serenity.

...of paper flowers (photo)

I took this photo today in my back yard. I suppose there are benefits to be had for not having mowed in months. I was playing with "depth of field" or DOF for short. All that was required was a scrim and two children. One child would have sufficed, however the first bailed out on me complaining about getting bit. I let him wimp out as he had secured a replacement child. (Good thing I have a few spares around here.) I realized I may be a tad obsessed and lacking in good sense upon noting the humongous mosquito bite on my forehead after I went in.  I knew one had landed on me, but I was framing a photo, dang it. Thank the Lord for Ledum. :)

Here's the pic:

"...of paper flowers"

I'm enjoying the various flowers that are popping up. :) I have put my husband on warning that there is one plant I do not wish to be mowed this weekend. It is a small purple wildflower. It's lovely! Purple and green are my favorite colors- so I'm in heaven, even if I have to walk all the way to the 'back 40' to get to it. Ok- it's not really that far, it just feels like it as it needs a good cut. I'd better get more shots. Fast.

Center Stage (photo)

I've been culling photos today and organizing them. OK, Lightroom (my editing/cataloging software) has been doing the heavy hitting in the organizing aspect. I LOVE Smart Collections! I also love that I can any one of my nearly 12,000 photos in less than 30 seconds.

I happily rediscovered this macro photo and thought I'd share. :)

Center Stage

Floral Friday (photo)

This is one of my favorite images thus far taken of my neighbors tulip tree. I have been slipping into their yard (with permission!) nearly every day to take shots. This photo was taken during the only 5 or so minute period when early morning light touched the tree in the last week. We've had cloudy mornings ever since and I'm ready for less clouds and more light!

(click image to view in lightbox)

ISO 100, 30mm Macro, f/16

20 Years of Memories with my Love

Twenty years ago, I began dating my best friend. We weren't always best friends, though. We met our Freshman year in High School and frankly I tried dodging his witty remarks that were lobbed my direction. He was far more adept at wit than I was at avoidance. :)

These are our Senior Portraits- taken just after we began dating- proof I have actually had hair. ;)

(Click on any photo to enlarge.)

It's weird to think we now have a son who is a Senior. Wow.

We attended Prom together.

We sang The Star Spangled Banner together at our graduation in 1991.

Just over a year later we were married on November 7th, 1992.

Children began to arrive.

This past summer we just celebrated our 20th High School Reunion. 

I think it's worked out alright. :)

Don't get me wrong- we've had our rough patches and even a time when we were not sure if our marriage would survive, but by the grace of God and the loving support of those who cared for us, it did... and it's flourished. We have grown up together, we have learned how to love each other. We are still learning.

I'd do it all over again- in a heart-beat.

I survived!! ;)

Ok, actually I did enjoy this last week of assisting my friend, Sharon, in a Kindergarten VBS class. It was certainly tiring but well worth it. Once the chaos of Tuesday passed with increased enrollment and children shifting classes to accommodate the numbers it was smooth sailing.

A blessing is that our mechanic is located right across the street from our church, so 3 of the 5 days of VBS the car was across the street having various things dealt with. The van just rolled past 100,000 miles and we need it to keep running well for at least that many more miles. :) It was a definite blessing that the thumping heard when the car was put into reverse turned out to not be a transmission problem, but rather a broken engine mount. Like how does an engine mount wind up broken on a minivan anyways? I had wondered if it was the result of the accident in which I was rear-ended last September. The impact was enough to require the installation of a new hatch on the rear, so perhaps it affected the mount?? I have no clue. It's not like it's a souped up racing machine- lol. :)

This being Saturday morning after a long week, I have hoped to sleep in a bit, but due to 2 sweet little morning glory's with internal alarm clocks it was not to be so. So I went out and took a few photos instead. Here are a couple favorites of a Cana flower. I find I have to let photos sit on my computer for a time before I revisit them to see how much I ultimately like them, but here are my favorites of the AM based upon first impressions.

I like the idea of taking photo's of people as I certainly have several to choose from, but they largely refuse to indulge me...or stay still. Nature is much more accomodating. :)

The Task At Hand...

sorting photos. A million of them. Or so it seems. :) Here are a few of my favorites from the last month or so.

Gardenia

Gardenia branches

Easter Lily

Banana Tree