365 Project - Day 298

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will ever let the righteous be shaken." Psalm 55:22

Confession ... I've gotten so far behind in my 365 blogging that I lost a day somehow and the Limes below were skipped. I have a lot on my mind and I suppose the combination of the high key limes and the whimsical flowers may be a bit of a reflection on my state of existence now.

Perhaps I just have a little too much of this going on? “I can never read all the books I want; I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in my life. And I am horribly limited.” Sylvia Platt

If so, I'm not sure I'm ready to narrow my work, yet!

Best wishes.

Today's Photos:

High Key Green (the real Day 296)

Whimsy in Red (Day 298)

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1Corinthians 10:31

365 Project - Day 297

"Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 'Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.' So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds." Daniel 1:11-17

If you have heard of the Daniel Fast, this is the basis for the fast. I have been on it once for 21 days and need to build more discipline into my eating and exercise routine now. While this was not the initial motivation for today's photo, the discipline illustrated was.

Before I broke my leg, I was considerably, though not perfectly, healthier. Now that my son is safely off to school, I have decided I need to work my way back to a healthier me. Perhaps the discipline of a Daniel Fast and a bit of exercise will do the trick.

It's hard to imagine that 10 days of vegetables and water could change a person's appearance in such a visible way. What I enjoy about these verses is that not only did their appearance change, but their minds were opened up as well - all in TEN days! A lot of people do the Daniel Fast for much longer (tied to the time the king set for bringing young men into service). However, when I decide to go back on it, I'm going on for 10 days and will press for appearance, knowledge, understanding, visions and dreams. Consider the sixth fork, extra grace!

Blessings.

Today's Photo: Disciplined Grace

"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver." Mahatma Gandhi

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Hippocrates

365 Project - Day 296

"Not a moment of life is wasted on a farm. Others may have been more places, but none have outlived me." Jim Fisher, Texas Rancher

We went to a local fair last weekend and as we watched the various festivities, almost all of them farm-centered, my son asked how the farmers could spend their time in what he considered intensely laid-back activities. Since my husband and I lived 18 years in Texas, we are more familiar with farm living and tried to enlighten my son. He would have none of it. He would point to the 2 photos below and say, "see, not much excitement happening." I tried to explain that the farmers would think he wasted his time on the frivolity of less important things, while they spent their time on meaningful family entertainment. We need farmers, I explained. And, while their priorities and yours are different, there's much you could learn from being on a farm.

He has been exposed to a lot of different cultures. We've lived and traveled internationally and I have reminded my children regularly that fun and excitement, worry and anxiety in one culture may not be very different from the next. One thing we haven't discussed, is the seemingly radical difference between rural and city living. On the surface, though, things always seem different. The important piece is to dig beneath.

I love these photos because because they illustrate fun and relaxation on the farm. And, if you look closely, you can see that what is essential is always invisible to the eye.

Blessings.

Today's Photos: Summer Country Fair

"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry

365 Project - Days 294, 295

"We can't become what we need by remaining where we are."

So we are here. The end of summer 2015. The beginning of a new school year. As luck would have it, these photos, especially as processed in black and white, seem to reflect the end of summer. With the boats racked and a quiet pool, it's time to move on.

A funny story about the boats. I had taken my car in for its regular service and was tooling around in my Acura "convenience car" looking for a photo op. I rolled around a few unknown neighborhoods and followed cars down a small road where a construction crew was working. I paid no attention to the detour sign and kept going. I was quickly stopped by a police officer who asked, 1) was I on my phone (no); 2) didn't I see the detour sign (yes); 3) where was I going (uh, nowhere in particular). He let me carry on since I had already passed the danger zone, and I eventually stumbled upon a little lakeside play area. Honestly, my life is a bit like that moment, at times. Skirting past the orchestrated detour, with little focus as to where I'm headed and once safely past the danger zone, surprise blessings. My life might have been easier, more linear and certainly more fastidious had I followed the more pragmatic detour(s). It also may not have been as exciting or extraordinary. Alas, the good news is - I keep moving on. That is more than enough.

Best wishes!

Today's Photos: End of Summer!

“All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused.” Martha Graham

365 Project - Day 293

“In the short term, it would make me happy to go play outside. In the long term, it would make me happier to do well at school and become successful. But in the VERY long term, I know which will make better memories.” Bill Waterson, Calvin and Hobbes

On the eve of a new school year and just moments away from dropping the eldest off at college, I thought a little Calvin and Hobbes would be fitting. The summer is over. There is no debating that now. The loveliness of the garden and the warmth of the sun may tell a different story, but the frolicking must cease and the seriousness commence.

It has been a fabulously full fun summer that none of us truly want to end. The next days mark the beginning of an entirely new normal for our family. It will be exciting and scary, refreshing and daunting all at once.

The macro view of this flower is an attempt to reflect the sense of openness to new beginnings, yet with a touch of conflict. It is nice to see that angst can yield a beautiful photograph; a terrific sign of hope.

Blessings.

Today's Photo: Hope and New Beginnings

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28







EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
50mm
f4
1/180s

365 Project - Day 292

"Every blessing ignored because a curse." Paulo Coelho

At first blush, having a cast party for close to 50 kids and their families and then hosting a group of graduated high school seniors for a sleepover immediately following, seemed insane. Yet, I would not trade a single moment. Not the cast party, during which I failed to take a single photo. Not the 33 hour overlapping and raucous senior goodbye event where the kids were awake until 4AM and we fed them breakfast and lunch and began to grow anxious about serving dinner as well.

There are a few moments, mostly ones we do not choose, that are perfect even in their imperfections and they bless us in ways that are immeasurable. Should we fail to see them as blessings, we lose. One of the kids timidly said, "you are so kind to let us stay here all day. If this were my house, my parents would have said, 'enough already, go home!'" "Hmmm," I thought, "what better way to spend an afternoon than to enjoy the final notes of laughter, play time and love before these kids scatter for school?" Of course, I could find something else to do, but nothing would bless me or them more.

Was this a sacrifice? Sure, but it was one where my offering was love, something we all have in abundance.

Blessings.

Today's Photo: Love and goodbyes

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35





EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
50mm
f1.4
1/60s

365 Project - Day 291

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"

At my age, you would think this a seldom occurrence, though lately I seem to be doing something new at a fairly robust pace. And, oddly, I see little signs of this slowing down. The bad news is that this feverish pace has left me running behind in some important areas. The good news is that, at the same time, I am way ahead in others. As always, the world operates "in balance"!

For today's photograph, I chose to try light painting. This was insanely challenging. I chose a small handheld flashlight as my light source and turned off all of the nearby lights. The difficulties were in 1) selecting the strength and placement of the light and 2) getting the focus set in very low light. I tried several different light positions, all hand held, and with a little patience achieved a look I like. One more tech note: I had to slow down the shutter speed to 3 seconds to capture enough light.

Is it not true, though, that when we fumble in the dark, these are our natural difficulties: Finding, directing and even determining the strength of a source of light, while also sharpening our focus? May I suggest, that slowing down, shaking things up and trying something entirely new that stretches us beyond our comfort zone, can allow us to see ourselves, our environment and our situations differently? And in the midst of that new perspective, we just might find new light and new strength.

Blessings.

Today's Photo: New Direction

"Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new." Brian Tracy






EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
65mm
f8
3s

365 Project - Day 290

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time." Thomas Edison

As we left Maine to head home, I had one final task I needed to complete. Shoot a photograph of a lighthouse. It seemed a simple task at face value, but proved difficult. I suppose I have a storybook view of lighthouses. Maine has 60ish lighthouses and I can tell you that several look nothing like the lighthouses I saw in storybooks I read as a young child. Nothing at all like them.

Deeply disappointed by each of our lighthouse excursions, I delayed our trip home. I looked for recommendations online and scoured our maps. Still, I failed to find an interesting lighthouse and finally, very nearly gave up. As the sun was setting, we raced to the oldest lighthouse in Maine, hopeful that this would be what we had envisioned, but we also knew this was our last option. We needed to shift highways in Portland and all of the parks would close at sunset. Indeed, as we arrived at the top of the park at the Portland Head Light, the park ranger was driving around shouting through his megaphone that the park was now closed. Fortunately, the park was crowded and few people were in a hurry to leave.

I was thrilled. Finally, we had reached a lighthouse that looked like a lighthouse. Taking the photos was a bit stressful giving the shouting park ranger and lack of time to find the perfect location from which to shoot, but I was happy nevertheless. We had, after all, been searching for this lighthouse (or one similar) most of the day. We made the most of the reward for our persistence: twilight at the lighthouse. Evidence that persistence pays off!

Best wishes!


Today's Photo: Twilight at Maine's #1 Lighthouse

“Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing!” John Wesley



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
42mm
f22
7/10s

365 Project - Days 287, 288, 289

"Distance and difference are the secret tonic to creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has been changed, and that changes everything." Jonah Lehrer

Big confession ... For the first time 286 days, I missed taking a photo for my 365 day project. We were traveling to Maine on Day 287 and I had been up most of the night before our trip, so I slept and at no time did it occur to me that I needed to take a photo. Not once. We left later than planned. It was raining and the journey took longer than we thought. By the time we arrived in Bangor, we were tired and hungry. A photograph was not top of mind. So - there is no Day 287 photo. Oh well!

I didn't realize I had missed a day until I uploaded the photos upon our return, but the good news is the vacation in Maine was beautiful and I took lots of photos to make up for missing Day 287. I have wanted to get the family out to Acadia for years and it was everything I dreamed it would be. Fully recovered from packing and traveling, we hiked the wrong direction the first day - up the mountain, when everyone was coming down the mountain! The trail was rocky and dense; a bit of a brutal climb, but every once in awhile it opened up to gorgeous Atlantic Ocean scenes. Refreshment for the hike weary travelers!

On Day 289, I convinced the family to awaken early to get to the top of Cadillac Mountain to watch the sunrise with hundreds of other crazy people. To arrive in time to park in the lot, we had to leave our hotel before 3:30AM! They were surprisingly agreeable and we enjoyed a fantastic sunrise. Then breakfast in Bar Harbor and an early morning walk around Jordan Lake that took far longer than any of us anticipated, but I'm smiling as I write this.

I was anxious to get out and experience something entirely new and different. It was nice that we did not have to travel too far to make that happen. We worked hard each day and were rewarded with extraordinary beauty. I loved being together with my family through the challenge of hiking and while there were noisy complaints, they were covered with extreme laughter and wonder.

As always, when we stretch ourselves, we are enlightened and changed for good.

Blessings.

Today's Photos: Wandering Wonders

(As a note, it was difficult to select a best photo for Days 288 and 289 ... Since I missed Day 287, I am adding my "favorite" photo as the first photo)

"Go outside ... amidst the simple beauty of nature ... and know that as long as places like this exist, there will be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be." Anne Frank

"And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do." Psalm 90:17

365 Project - Day 286

"Good habits formed at youth make all the difference." Aristotle

Four some reason, I can still vividly remember how I felt as I loudly declared to my floor that if anyone should need me they would have to come to my room to speak me and I then plopped down on my bed unable to further move after having eaten 5 helpings of the second most delicious lasagna I had ever eaten.

I was an RSA in college and little elves (not really, but surely it was the only way one could explain the deliciousness of the food we were served) prepared the food we ate each day. There is no explaining what possessed me at dinner that evening. I learned a valuable lesson. I suppose sometimes we need moments like that, but I was a mess the rest of the evening, laying on my bed moaning and groaning.

The combination of these home grown vegetables gifted to us from one of my son's friends and getting him ready for school reminded me of my poor college eating habits. He's fortunate, Whole Foods is just a few short blocks away from his dorm. I know that unless he thinks about the home made bagels, he's not likely to walk over to Whole Foods and when he does, he may stop at the burger joint along the way.

All of this is a reminder that we are constantly reinforcing our habits, good and bad. Most often, we associate habits with food, but everything we do is habitual. The question, as always, is are our habits supporting our purpose or suppressing our purpose. Everything we do does one or the other. A bit of good news is our choices are made easier by the company we keep; make good friends and good habits are easy.

Best wishes!

Today's Photo: Healthy Friends

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
Mahatma Gandhi






EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 500 (handheld)
50mm
f4
1/60s

365 Project - Days 284, 285

“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.” Mary Sarton

Today, we began the long goodbye. The next weeks will be difficult, but as my son journeys on to his next stage of life he will be buoyed by the experiences and relationships he has built here and challenged to begin new friendships. That challenge will surely be a difficult one. A small town's close-knit, sheltered community is a far cry from the mass of one of the world's largest cities. Staying truly authentic, beautifully uniquely himself will be a regular, if not constant, battle.

While I am excited and hopeful about his future, every once in a while I worry about his ability to stay poised. It can be difficult both on his own and while mired in the muck. But what I want for him is much more than posture and survival - I want the kind of brilliance than changes the world and makes it a better place in real, tangible ways. To do that, he will need strength and the ever-present guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then, he will be reminded that he was designed for much more than he can dream.

Best wishes!

Today's Photos: Poise: Roses and Water Lilies

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be overwhelmed often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." Friedrich Nietzsche

365 Project - Days 282, 283

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

I was honored to have the opportunity to photograph the dress rehearsal for one of this year's 12.14 Foundation New Arts The Lion King performances. I was back the next day to photograph the second cast because we needed photos for our final leadership series montage. Both of the performances were outstanding. During the dress rehearsal, I nearly lost track of my responsibility to capture the moment, because the kids were so adorable. And during the actual performance that evening, I kept tapping my husband saying, "isn't that just the cutest thing?" It was not that they were just cute - they were cute and awesome. The performances were exceptional and powerful.

The entire experience was special for me since I had worked with many of the primary cast members during our leadership workshops. I confess that I was assigned to the younger kids under duress - well, "protest" might be a more accurate term. I was vocal about my preference for working with the older teens. These 11-13 year olds, I argued are way outside my comfort zone. I also know that these things happen for a reason. So I capitulated. Despite my own personal preferences, I found myself delighted by my time with the middle schoolers.

As I congratulated one of the cast members after the opening night performance, all he could say was how much the leadership training had helped his performance. It made all the difference for him, he shared. I was beaming. They were brilliant. Whatever small part we played in helping the youth become stronger, more confident performers, was well worth setting aside my own anxieties about working with them. As usual, when I trusted that God knew where he wanted me to be, everything was better.

Blessings.

Today's Photos: Powerful Performances

"People tend to play in their comfort zone, so the best things are achieved in a state of surprise, actually." Brian Eno

365 Project - Day 281

"Art is man's nature; nature is God's art." Philip James Bailey

Two days hiking in Acadia and I am weary. I am also in awe of the wonder of His beauty. This is nature at its best. I have watched my sons take multiple iPhone photos, heard them proclaim the beauty they see and declare they have been to no place more exquisite. In fact, one of my sons after hiking (and complaining loudly) for nearly 3 hours, noted that he could sit at the top of the mountain looking out toward the ocean for hours. Sounds like the strenuous hike was worthwhile!

The hike took a long time for several reasons: some due to the nature of the hike and some were my fault. The hike was up a rocky trail. This was my first time hiking since the incident of my broken leg and I was determined to take it easy. The funny thing was we saw a lot of hikers coming down (the easy way) while we were headed up. I also stopped many times to take photos. The path was beautiful; hard but full!

There are parallels we can draw in life, right? The journey almost always seems treacherous and we doubt, along the way, whether the outcome will have been worth the plight. Yet, inevitably, the destination exceeds our expectations. How much more might we enjoy the end, if we took more time to notice the beauty of the journey itself? We might also learn a few secrets from God about the truths of His plan, if we pause during the journey, rather than rush to the end. It is something to think about.

Blessings.

Today's Photo: Nature's Bounty

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." George Washington Carver.







EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
28mm
f3.2
1/30s

365 Project - Days 279, 280

"I've learned through the years that it's not where you live, it's the people who surround you that make you feel at home." -J.B. McGee

As things wind down this summer, these boys chose to take advantage of their season passes to Six Flags to spend the day with their dads. My husband went along, but with some trepidation - he is not a fan of amusement parks. I tried to give the other dads a heads up.

As the kids gathered at our home in the morning, they were full of excitement. The joy and respect they have for each other is obvious. They have such an easy time together. I'm sure the day will be long remembered. They spent the evening playing a variety of games - both social and electronic. And, I must say they were the loudest I can ever recall for a sleepover at our home. I could not fathom the game that caused so much wild energy at 2AM.

They were back to gaming and swimming the following day, with the last group leaving at close to 4:00 in the afternoon. A 30+ hour party. My crowning moment was hearing from the vegetarians that the salad I served for lunch was "the best salad ever." I quickly snapped the photo of the carrots before adding them to the salad.

These guys are more than friends. They are truly my son's extended family. Next week the first of his closest friends will leave for college. The goodbyes will be difficult. And while he is excited to begin his own journey, leaving this extended family he has built with compassion and love will be painful. He knows he has been blessed.

Best wishes!

Today's Photos: Blessings

"Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless - that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing." 1Peter 3:8-9

365 Project - Day 278

“Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.”
― Langston Hughes

Feeling this in spades today and in every dimension. The day has been a rough one, but God has had my back at every turn. I do wish, though, that he could have prevented me from pressing the quality button on the back of my camera when I was fumbling in the dark - I hate when that happens.

I have been pressed for time and this was put in draft and delayed. I have been pulled in a lot of different directions with multiple demands on my time, wearing many different hats. I changed the photo I had planned for Day 278. Still a bird - so I left the quote above, but I just had to use the woodpecker at the hummingbird feeder.

Ever feel like this? A bit of a desperate misfit. It seems you have all the right tools, but not quite. I'm fairly certain the woodpecker knows this is not his space. Yet he sticks his beak in there anyway. He may enjoy the nectar, but it cannot be as fulfilling as banging his beak against a firm wooden tree. Yet, still, he burrows in the hummingbird's hole. I watch and wonder. Why is the woodpecker so insistent on enjoying the fruit of something a third his size and clearly something so ill-fitting him? Perhaps, he is just thirsty. Perhaps, he wishes he were a tiny hummingbird. Perhaps, he thinks, if only ...

I know how the woodpecker feels.

Best wishes.

Today's Photo: If only ...

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:1-2






EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 800
200mm
f2.8
1/500s

365 Project - Day 276, 277

"You can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses. It's all in how you look at it." Unknown

I have been putting off writing this blog all day. It was easy, though. My house was filled with the shouts and laughter of teenage boys most of the day. So between cooking for them and cleaning up after them, there was hardly enough time to anguish over today's blog. I am not happy with the photos, perhaps more so than any other day in the past 275.

It's almost comical that a photo of something so beautiful as a rose could upset me so much. And something as awkward as a home filled with teenage boys could bring such joy and gratitude. Interesting day.

I have learned valuable lessons today. The reality is I have to own the fact that late one night, I chose to tempt fate and pop up the flash on my camera to light and shoot the first photo. A poor choice, but now I certainly know better! Simultaneously, there was a time when the boys could make too much noise at 2AM. Yet, soon, when my son leaves for college, the silence will be deafening.

The shouts, louder than ever in the past 18 years, were somehow soothing today. There was not one thing annoying about the noise. It was more beautiful than a rose on a summer day.

Blessings!

Today's Photo: Thorns and Roses

"To emphasize only the beautiful seems to me to be like a mathematical system that only concerns itself with positive numbers." Paul Klee

365 Project - Day 275

"And after you suffer for a short time, God, who gives all grace, will make everything right. He will make you strong and support you and keep you from falling. He called you to share in his glory in Christ, a glory that will continue forever. All power is his forever and ever. Amen."
1 Peter 5:10-11

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:10-11

I needed this and Paul knew it. What comes next is his acknowledgment that he wrote these words to encourage, saying "Stand strong in that grace." Ever have one of those days where it feels like you're running as hard as you can, in one place; doing a whole lot, getting nothing accomplished; going nowhere? Perhaps that is all part of the suffering Paul speaks of in the verses above.

My hope is that my suffering is super short, yet meaningful, filled with crystal clear lessons - lest I suffer without learning. (I suppose one might call that tragic!) And most importantly that the glory surpasses the suffering. Yes, that is a lot to ask, but I believe the combination of God's grace and Christ's glory is explosive and, therefore certainly up to my "ask".

I waited a day or two after purchasing these beets before photographing them. By the time I pulled them out of the vegetable bin, they were damp and smelly. Since I bought them just for this project, though, I was determined to photograph the best bits, the best possible way. This exercise was painful, but I persevered - not to be beaten, by the beets!

Blessings.

Today's Photo: Red Beets

"In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen." 1 Peter 5:10-11

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a short time, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:10-11







EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
50mm
f6.7
1/6s

365 Project - Day 274

"I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate."

Okay - two trips this week to one of the local creameries may have been a bit too much. We have been trying to connect with one of the French teenagers who recently stayed with us and he wanted to try, "the best ice cream in town." We decided to meet him at Ferris Acres Creamery. He wasn't able to make it the first time, but we were already there and at the front of the line when he sent word that he couldn't make it. We certainly could not pass up the opportunity for a family dessert night. Then, however, we met up with him at the creamery 2 days later. It's hard to make peace with yourself when you're working exceptionally hard, getting little sleep and also indulging in ice cream at the same time. It was tasty, though!

I took my camera with me the second time to capture a photo of the cows on the property, but they didn't show up until it was quite dark outside. I suppose bringing the camera was also my way of ensuring there was a higher purpose to the trip to the creamery. It is rare for us to make two trips to the creamery in an entire summer. So maybe in some small way I could redeem the excessiveness and utilize the trip to serve a purpose.

I was humored by the juxtaposition of this post - a peace sign, albeit upside down, in front of the massive creamery menu. This is now one of my favorite photos of the summer. More personal than artistic, but a strong, sturdy reminder to stay on course - or at least, get back quickly after a diversion.

Blessings.

Today's Photo: Peace Cone

"You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You're blessed when you follow his directions doing your best to find him." Psalm 119:1-2








EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 640
50mm
f1.4
1/45s