August 1 - Weather The Change

Random thoughts as I captured this morning's sky - August 1 ushers in another season of change. "Because it can't be a mistake, if I just call it change". Letting Go and Moving Forward.

Who knew that August would become the new January? It has become the month that signals the start of something new. Summer, with its intoxicating mix of freedom, sunshine, recreation, relaxation, balmy breezes and long days clings on, but can’t overcome the reality of darker mornings, empty beaches and back to school sales.

Who could predict the impact of change within my life, just over the past year? While nothing earth shattering, so many things have changed. My husband started a new job exactly a year ago - that situation, came with many positives but a few not so positive aspects. I go over the past year’s events and can’t help but wonder what’s in store this year.

A Year Ago - After Scott left to start his new job. Beauty transcends sadness.

Change, while always present, will be amplified this year as we face major life milestones – both children are in High school, there will be college visits, college applications and a high school graduation. As a mother, there can be no bigger milestone than one of her children leaving the nest - a necessary rite of passage for the child, a tumultuous one for the mother.

Of course, with all change come new opportunities. We just need to see them that way. Let go, trust and enjoy the ride. I hope I can do just that.

The song, Landslide seems to be appropriate today.

I took my love and took it down
I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Till the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too
Oh, I'm getting older too

I take my love, take it down
I climb a mountain and turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Will the landslide bring you down
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Will the landslide bring you down, oh, oh
The landslide bring you down

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August 2014 Desktop Calendar - Free Download - Scotland

For August, I have two options available for download, scenes from our trip in 2007 to Scotland.

We traveled there for my sister's wedding. She's the one who lives in the UK and married a Scot. This was our family's first trip overseas and it was definitely memorable. Michele and Andrew were married in the west coast town of Oban, a popular tourist destination for those living in the UK (not so much for Americans, who tend to frequent the big named cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow).

After the wedding, we all boarded a ferry (our cars boarded as well) for a trip to the Isle of Mull, where the wedding reception was held, in Glengorm Castle. Along the picturesque journey, we passed several landmarks, including the Lismore Lighthouse:



From the Welcome to Scotland website:

At the southern tip of Lismore, on the islet of Eielan Musdile, Lismore Lighthouse was lit in 1833. Its first keeper was a direct descendant of castaway Alexander Selkirk, the inspiration for ‘Robinson Crusoe’.

Duart Castle is the oldest castle on the Isle of Mull. We didn't get to visit it, but passed by this spectacular structure during our ferry ride:


From the Explore Mull Website:

Duart Castle, home of Sir Lachlan Maclean, Twenty-eighth Chief of the Clan Maclean, stands proudly on a clifftop guarding the Sound of Mull. The ruin of Duart Castle was purchased in 1911 by the current owner’s Great Grandfather, Colonel Sir Fitzroy Maclean. Not only did he spend a fortune restoring the castle to it’s former glory, he restored it as home of the clan, the seat of the Clan Maclean. Today Sir Lachan himself is often at home to welcome clansmen from all over the world.

To download the Lismore Lighthouse Calendar, click on this link from Box.com:
August 2014 Calendar - Lismore Lighthouse, Scotland

To download the Duart Castke Calendar, click on this link from Box.com:
August 2014 Calendar - Duart Castle, Scotland

To view more photos from our Scotland adventure, this link will take you to my Flickr collection:
Scotland, 2007.

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Seven Questions - From That's What She Said

Wine Bottles Adorn the Window Before the Show

A couple weekends back, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a unique performance - That's What She Said - a venue of speakers and musicians - women sharing their stories and finding connection through those stories. Most of the speakers were local and the topics ranged from the familiar, funny elements of motherhood, to the heartbreaking account of watching a loved one die.

The organizers also posed seven questions to numerous local people (including my good friend, Lisa) and published their responses in the program. I thought it would be fun to answer those same questions here.

1. What are you grateful for today?
I am grateful for the incredible abundance in my life. I have so many wonderful people in my life who love and support me. I have a healthy mind and body that can do incredible things. I am surrounded by beauty and bounty.

2. Tell us about one of your friends and what you love about her.
Lisa, who I mention above, is one of my neighbors and a dear friend. I still remember the first time we met - it was Halloween in 2002, my family had just moved to Illinois and were trick-or-treating in our would be subdivision. Lisa was visibly pregnant and exuded hospitality and kindness. After meeting her and feeling immediately like family, we knew we had chosen the right neighborhood. Lisa is always there to help a friend out, lend a compassionate ear, and if needed, a swift kick in the butt.

3. Describe one of the best days of your life.
I have to choose just one? The day my daughter was born - after 13 hours of labor, there emerged this perfect baby. And then there was the birth of my son, who popped out 20 minutes after I walked into the emergency room at the hospital. If it hadn't been for my husband insisting we leave for the hospital, he would have been born on the highway. In both cases, the growth and emergence of new life was such an incredible experience - that my body knew exactly what to do, regardless of the number of books I had read educating myself on the topic.

4. What’s the best lesson you learned from your mother/grandmother?
Be disciplined and work hard. Be independent and strong. Sounds like a typical Chinese mother, right?

5. We’re all unique. What is your special gift?
I think I am able to capture the beauty right in front of us, through my camera lens.

6. What could women be doing to make their community a better place?
Support, encourage and uplift each other! Let each person know how important they are in their situation.

7. What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
I would leave the comfort of my home and embark on some sort of adventure involving my camera, running shoes and yoga mat.

How would you answer these questions?

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Lace and Snow

What I captured while waiting several hours during yesterday's horse show: a lovely patch of Queen Anne's Lace.





I thought this single bloom looked like a snowflake on a stem:


Lace and Snow in summer!


Delicate flower
White lace, waving in the wind
Beauty Stumbled upon

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Happy Friday

Plans for the weekend include a trip to the farmer's market, hanging out with hubby Scott and a horse show!
Wishing you a great weekend!

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Wings of a Different Kind

Last week, I mentioned I had been listening to a new recording artist, Jasmine van den Bogaerde, who goes by the stage name 'Birdy'. I meant to include a snippet of her song Wings in my dragonfly post, but decided it deserved its own post.

Wings is my favorite song from her Fire Within album. The song has a sweeping, lush, almost cosmic quality about it - I imagine being enveloped in its chords while driving along the prairie on a cool summer night, top down on the convertible, the wind in my hair, laughing with friends.

You can listen to the song here:


Lyrics below:
Sunlight comes creeping in
Illuminates our skin
We watch the day go by
Stories of all we did
It made me think of you
It made me think of you

Under a trillion stars
We danced on top of cars
Took pictures of the stage
So far from where we are
They made me think of you
They made me think of you

Oh lights go down
In the moment we're lost and found
I just wanna be by your side
If these wings could fly
Oh damn these walls
In the moment we're ten feet tall
And how you told me after it all
We'd remember tonight
For the rest of our lives

I'm in a foreign state
My thoughts they slip away
My words are leaving me
They caught an aeroplane
Because I thought of you
Just from the thought of you

Oh lights go down
In the moment we're lost and found
I just wanna be by your side
If these wings could fly
Oh damn these walls
In the moment we're ten feet tall
And how you told me after it all
We'd remember tonight
For the rest of our lives

If these wings could fly

Oh lights go down
In the moment we're lost and found
I just wanna be by your side
If these wings could fly
Oh damn these walls
In the moment we're ten feet tall
And how you told me after it all
We'd remember tonight
For the rest of our lives

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Wings To Fly

I spent part of Sunday morning weeding the garden [Yes, I was really doing the hated chore that is called Yard Work], noting the heavy prevalence of thistle, crabgrass, prickly lettuce and other undesirables in the lawn, when something buzzed near my head.

Fortunately, not a wasp (I really don't like wasps, especially after several nested in the back of the mailbox and went after me when I reached in to pull out the day's mail - I think I ran screaming around the cul de sac - and yeah, I got stung twice).

It was a harmless dragonfly, flitting around our fish pond - I watched the buzz of his wings as he circled around - at the high frequency of flight, his wings appear to be a blur of blue. The he grabbed one of the Iris leaves and settled into stillness. To my surprise, its wings weren't blue, but clear with black and white spots.

And so the yard work was abandoned for a few minutes because I had just found my newest photo shoot subject...



He was a bit skittish - if I got too close, he would take off, circle around, but then find purchase again on the same branch or leaf. I was able to get several decently detailed photos before relinquishing my camera for the garden gloves.



After some web research, I learned my subject was a male twelve-spotted skimmer. Although this dragonfly is fairly common, I was glad to have captured its amazing transparent wings. And with these photos, I've hit 10,000 uploads to my flickr stream.

Yup, I take a lot of photos.... because I really need an excuse to get out of yard work every now and then....

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