Powerlines, trees, and stoplights.

It was a golden evening.

After heavy rains and thunderstorms all day, the sky cleared and we had light.

Rich, golden light.

It was a glorious sunset. I stood in the driveway, camera in hand and mind moving fast, watching the sky change light and color in a mind-blowing, beautiful pattern.

The powerlines, trees, and stoplights that plague even slightly urban places were between me and the sky, but I looked on.
And inevitably, I started wishing to be at a place without any of those powerlines, trees, or stoplights.

I wanted a place where there weren't herds of cars driving by, without some of the drivers casting curious stares my way.

Imagine a field with no trees, a hilltop higher than any streetlight, or a lake with no shores. Wide, open spaces.

But I considered the traffic a little more, and I came to a conclusion:
I don't mind lookers-on after all.
Or powerlines, or trees, or stoplights.

The clouds were incredible. I don't know how many shades of grey and gold are possible, but I am sure that most of them were up in those clouds.

I was still thinking, in the back of my mind, about that abandoned hilltop and deserted, powerline-less, tree-less, stoplight-less field . . .

. . . but sunsets like this one aren't hindered.

And I'm going to

watch them

photograph them

and utterly enjoy them . . .

. . . no matter where I happen to be.

~

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
~Jeremiah 29:11
~

sunset

I was visiting family out of town last weekend, out in the wide open countryside . . . and the light on Saturday evening was splendid.



So I grabbed my camera and cousin and tripped out to the road where the view to the west was ah-mazing.



I loved it. Being with my family, enjoying the beauty of the surroundings, celebrating a graduation, taking photos . . . eating cupcakes . . .



Lovely, simple time. New memories and photos . . . life is so beautiful.

~~~~

I've been experimenting with different means of getting my photos onto this blog, so if things have been looking untidy around the edges...that's why. Today's idea: opening a Flickr solely for the blog photos and their html codes. :)

Squaring Off

Dreams, for being ethereal strains of imagination, are pretty substantial. The good ones last through all of life's trials, and even become stronger. Dreams can be anything. From a small wish to an ardent need, the spectrum is wide.

So why don't I face mine more often? They're regarded as lofty aspirations that are mostly unattainable. That's silly.

Look at all the amazing things people have accomplished. Beautiful, frightening things like epic photographs and fabulous skyscrapers and scientific discoveries. These things take hard work, determination, and sometimes guts to pull off!

Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Dreams are sturdy. The ones worth fighting for can stand up to your realization of them!

So I'm gonna fight for mine . . . no more blind feeling of these hopes and dreams. Full-on, intentional grasping of them will work far better.

Square off with your dreams: work for them: and be strident and passionate! What better way is there to live life?

Lovely Photo Wenesday, Etc.

It's a lovely day because:
The sky is wide and blue and dotted with clouds.
The air is ridiculously warm.
The snow is nearly gone.

So it's only appropriate that it's Lovely Photo Wednesday at Aspire!

I like this one because it's light and fluffy and pretty. That said, I don't like because it is only light and fluffy and pretty. Very not Ansel Adams-esque.

Sometimes a departure from one's ideal is refreshing, I learn.

Oh, and it's also my one-year birthday as a blogger! Wow, a whole year has gone by? Time positively fliiiiiies. No joke. Thank you everyone who has made blogging so interesting and fun!

xoxox,
Margaret

Electric Color

My brother put these lovely lights up in the windows, and I simply love the vivid light they give off in the cold, winter nights and twilights.

This one turned out a bit cloudy, but... I still kinda like the icy color.


Horizontal, colorful, icicles, perhaps?

And yes, my friends, this is a bokeh shot! Bokeh is still a fluke for me, but when get it, I am very happy. :)

My entry for Hannah's photo challenge:

Electric Color

October and a note

These are some photos I took over October. The tenth month of the year has got to be one of the best for photography--I love the dynamics of the light and color. :)

Warmth

Worth

Wind

Perhaps you noticed something on these photos? A watermark, maybe? I am a lonnng way from being a professional, but it's nicely satisfying to see a name that belongs to you your photos! :) Vivant la paix is French for "living the peace". The kind of peace I am thinking about for the name is the kind the comes from God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:7

~~~~

You maybe were expecting this. I am going to be taking a Blogger break for a week or three while I write my novel, keep up with school, begin Thanksgiving prep (Can't wait!), and start reading 'fun' novels again (I haven't touched Les Miserables for days, and then there's The Book Thief, which I have yet to get into....). Basically, I will posting far less frequently, unless something amazingly relevant comes up. But before I go, here's a funny conversation that took place the other night:

{Setting: It was quite late and I had turned off my light after a catch-up writing session. Now I was trying to fall asleep, but my little brother Daniel pokes his head into my room, disturbing my efforts.}
Daniel: Margaret? Are you done writing?
Me: Yup, for tonight.
Daniel: What's your book called?
Me: Cadish the White, for now.
Daniel: What's it about?
Me: It's a fantasy. [My usual reply to such a question]
Daniel: No, what's it really about?
Me: *gives itty-bitty nutshell synopsis*
Daniel: Sounds weird. *pauses* I can't wait to read it.

Wasn't that nice of him to say? NaNo has really loosened up my hesitations to talk about my writing, even to my family! But if they asked me anything about The Pace { my pet story}, I will remain tight lipped. :)

Now I leave you with a picture of what my beautiful cottonwood tree looks like right now in the autumn sunlight:

~~~~
Au revoir, my friends!

~Margaret

Photo Entries

There are some great photo blog hops going on right now! Right now, I am entering two:



For Polka Dot's photo contest, I am entering this one:

Purple Sun

I took last June while I was up north enjoying the sunrise. Need I say it was the most beautiful morning of my life? God is so incredibly good to have given us this world to live in. For editing, I sharpened, warmed, and saturated it. I think. It was fun to mess around with! :)
~~~~


For Carlotta's photo challenge, themed COLOR, I am entering this one:

Le petit océan

Thanks for looking!

Love,
Margaret

PS- NaNo! Less than 48 hours away!!

Sharp leaves

I took these photos a few months ago while I was up north. It was a beautiful morning over a beautiful lake, and I was supremely happy. Joy inspires me.




I saved my favorite for last- usually I do not apply B&W, but this time, I liked it. The darkness next to the sharp color and light is...thought provoking, to me.

What is your favorite?

More lake photos

Okay, here are the promised pictures from the lake. The first four were taken between the hours of 4 and 7 in the morning:


I think that I need to make it a habit to arise at an insanely early hour to watch sunrises.

Three layers: sky, water, forest.

Ahh! I can see for miles! It reminds me of Middle Earth.

Very Little Mermaid, no?

One of the reasons I love this lake is that it and its surroundings remind me of so many different fantasy lands. It would be so easy to write my story in a place like that; I would hardly have to imagine any of the settings!

~Margaret Rowena

Lake sampling

Today, I returned from a delightful retreat at Lake Superior, what I think to be the most beautiful spot on this earth. Here are some samples of the beauty:

I had such a good time and so enjoyed God's stunningly gorgeous creation. I will be posting some other photos from this trip soon, so stay tuned. :)

Also, my friend Ellyn has arrived on the Blogger scene! She is a very cool person who rides horses and writes novels, so you really should go check out her blog.

Sorry about the wimpy length of my posts lately. I am quite busy as of late, but this shouldn't last much longer... thanks for reading!

~Margaret Rowena