photography Archives - Page 3 of 4

Falling into Fall

October 23, 2009 jennifer Musings on Life and Beauty

I wandered outside the other day to appreciate the beauty of fall, and to hunt for a lost pair of shoes. I’m so glad I took my camera, because I had no way of knowing that later that day the wind would sweep in and carry most of the leaves off the trees. I love my neighbor’s tree. My children spend much of their time in her yard.
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And the carpet of leaves! What a sight!
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Ah, yes, the shoes!
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My heart sighs. What a season!

Then the children came home from school, the wind picked up and the clouds moved in, and the fun began!
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Rides in wheelbarrows…
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Leaf angels…
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really deep leaf angels…
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Leaping into piles…
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and hurling them to the wind.
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As a mother, I ask this question:
How can I bear to call them in to do their homework?

One comment beauty, life, photography

Turkey

May 26, 2009 jennifer Color

I know that these guys are usually discussed only at a different time of year.
But I just have to comment on them for a minute.
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Look at the wattle on these turkeys!
Sometimes God’s love of color really catches my attention.
The blue head and red wattle are quite the combination, wouldn’t you say?
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Something about the brightness of the color combination was really beautiful to me.
I’ve always loved red, white and blue. They’ve been my favorite colors for years, but in the past year or two I’ve come to really like the tomato red with a lighter, brighter blue or even aqua color.

It’s not a color combination that a lot of people around me use much. But I love it.
And here I was, staring at it on a turkey, of all things!

For the past year or so, I’ve engaged in a casual observational study that I call Observations in God’s Use of Color. I love to pause and look around and learn a little about how colors coexist in the natural world.
I’ve learned that nature isn’t very matchy matchy. Sometimes it’s very understated. Sometimes it’s anything but. And sometimes the most average seeming things are punctuated with amazing flourishes.

I guess that’s what grabbed me about these turkeys.
We don’t think of them as beautiful creatures. But what a colorful flourish!
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I really love color. Since I’m on the subject of turkeys, I guess it’s ok to say that every Thanksgiving when I ponder the things I’m grateful for, color is always on my list. I’m just so grateful that we have such a simple thing as color to enrich life so much. Being grateful for color reminds me to give thanks that I can see, as well. Simple gifts. It’s a wonderful life, isn’t it?!

If you’ve had an experience when a glimpse of unexpected color stopped you in your tracks or made you catch your breath for the sheer beauty of it, please share. If you haven’t, start watching for one.

You’ll be surprised.

Happy observing!

Peacocks

May 12, 2009 jennifer Musings on Life and Beauty

On a recent preschool field trip, the peacocks reminded us how beautiful they really are.

When I was a girl, my uncle had peacocks at his house, and I remember hunting for the feathers. I had forgotten how enormous these birds look when their feathers are fully extended, and how blue they look. It took my breath away to watch it (while I also wondered why I decided not to take my zoom lens).

It was also interesting to watch the strength it took from these birds to keep the feathers in a fan when a breeze was blowing:

The poor guy had to work hard to keep them out of his face.

But here’s my question for you. Have you ever seen an albino peacock? If not, check this out.

Sorry about the view of the cage. Only one little spot was bent and would fit my lens in it, and this beauty was nowhere near that spot. I know that I’m a sucker for the color white, but this bird was stunning.