Today, I owe thanks to fellow bloggers and artists Geninne and her friend Margie (both have beautiful blogs, so do have a look) for my inspiration. When I 'walked to work' this morning, I got a certain distance from the house and then ran back for my camera. The sky was absolutely amazing! Maybe it's because I've been painting clouds this week that I'm more in tune with my atmospheric surroundings. Or maybe it's because I'm adopting the eyes-wide-open way in which both Geninne and Margie view and record their worlds. Both of them encourage their readers to go outdoors and soak in the details of nature around them. Today's walk brought me some stunning skyscapes. (Oh, my painting hand is itching.)
I also got some lovely shots of wildflowers, seed pods, chestnuts and berries.
Other photos might have been lovelier if they were in focus. I didn't include them. (Dear self: please remember to bring your reading glasses next time so you can actually see what is on the LCD screen of your camera.)
We are very lucky to live in a picturesque suburban neighbourhood but both Geninne and Margie I think would make the point that there is beauty in every backyard and neighbourhood.
Other photos might have been lovelier if they were in focus. I didn't include them. (Dear self: please remember to bring your reading glasses next time so you can actually see what is on the LCD screen of your camera.)
We are very lucky to live in a picturesque suburban neighbourhood but both Geninne and Margie I think would make the point that there is beauty in every backyard and neighbourhood.
My morning walk also brought me some unexpected sights. Yes, indeed. Can you spell S-N-A-K-E? Eeeeek! I am not fond of snakes. That is a polite way of saying that I hate them. In the end, it seemed as frightened of Meeko and me as I was of it. It slid off the path and then remained stationary--perhaps hoping that we would pass by quickly. Meeko was unfazed. Brave? I'm not even sure that he noticed it. I was still shuddering when we were well past it. I even shuddered when I was looking at the photo on my computer. I'm shuddering again right now.
And it was an interesting role reversal for Meeko. Usually he's the one tugging me to allow him to stop and sniff.
Today, I was the one tugging him and asking him to stop as I saw scene after beautiful scene that deserved to be photographed in my very own neighbourhood.
I once wrote an article on snakes and pond keeping. I could not include any illustrations except for the garter snake (which your snake is :) as the dangerous ones really freak me out. Even at that the garter snake was a challenge.
ReplyDeletefroggy -- I know it's a garter snake too and that doesn't help me at all. I totally understand what you are saying. :) Wish I was braver about them, but I don't think that is going to happen.
ReplyDeletei love the photographs you took with your eyes wide open on your walk.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is off to an amazingly beautiful start too.
Thanks so much for sending me the link today.
margie
Margie -- Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my blog and for your lovely comments. Imagine my photos if I'd been wearing my glasses. :)
ReplyDeleteYou, Geninne and Arounna are rock stars to me in the blogging world. I love learning from all of you.
I'm truly honored Kathleen :) Thank you for sharing your wonderful surroundings!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I haven't come across any snakes on my walks! Almost all the ones here are poisonous. The garter snake is pretty though...but it still gives me the chills.
Geninne -- I envy your walks in your beautiful surroundings (minus the snakes of course).
ReplyDeleteAll this talk of snakes has reminded me of something that happened to our family years ago. We had a very close encounter with a rattlesnake when I was 10, my brother 8 and my sister 3. (My youngest sister wasn't born yet.) We were blueberry picking in Northern Ontario while on a camping trip. Blueberries like sunny, rocky places and, as it turns out, so do rattlesnakes. It was my sister Nancy who heard a sound and asked my mom what it was. Mom said that it was probably cicadas in the trees and then looked down where she and my sister were about to walk and my dad and brother had just passed. There was a rattler. We all backed up slowly but steadily and no one was hurt but it was a very scary moment.