What do you see, the forest or the trees?

We've all heard the phrase, 'Can't see the forest for the trees'. It's over 400 years old and was recorded in 1546 in John Heywood's, 'A Dialogue Containing the Number in Effect of all the Proverbs in the English Tongue'. He wrote, 'Plentie is no deinte, ye see not your own ease. I see, ye can not see the wood for trees'.

This phrase suggests that details can impede ones general view of something, that we lose view of the whole.

Some fail to grasp the main issue because of over attention to the details and not necessarily that they are taking in the details for the sake of enjoying them. While some are so impaled by the details it keeps them from finishing something, others sweat so many of the small things that they just miss entirely the bigger picture called life.

While I agree that we should all be aware of the big picture I also believe that it doesn't really matter much if we can't or choose not to take in all of the yummy details that make it so exciting. Just not in a way that it keeps our sight  from the forest. There needs to be a good balance between the trees and the forest.

But I think when it comes to life the opposite is true and that so many people are too close to the forest to notice the trees. Most of the time it's just as simple as taking a few steps back in order to realize there are details in that picture called life. Some very important details that need the consideration of our time and priority.

That it's not just about the destination (forest) but also about the journey (trees). And just as in yin and yang, one does not exist without the other.

This picture is what I see. . . the forest is still in view, but I haven't lost sight of all the beautiful trees along the way. It's what keeps me sane and what reminds me that I'm alive! I'm trying not to sweat the small things while keeping in perspective the details that matter most.

I was reminded of that this weekend, as I learned the news that my son's friend's father passed away. There are some details in life that we can not go back and notice. That sometimes there are no second chances.

So today, I hope you take in some of the details knowing full well the forest is still there and waiting. Open your eyes, listen and breathe.....feel your heart beat, and taste the wonders of life!!

Love to you all,

Kim XO

Foto Friday

Happy Friday everyone! The sun is out and they are calling for a high of 75 today and tomorrow with a high of 79 on Sunday! Time to get out the garden gloves . . .

This week has gone by pretty quickly and I'm really looking forward to the weekend and the chance for some excitement with my camera. I went to lunch with my husband this week to find I wish I had brought my camera along. I almost always do, but who would have thought that I would have seen the Texas Trail Riders going through the restaurant parking lot on their way to the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show? Unfortunately unlike a parade there were no clowns with shovels following them, which made for quite the mess they left behind. Did I mention there were a lot of horses? (insert smiley face)

This first picture is that of the doors that lead into the Grace Episcopal Church in Galveston, Texas. It's a beautiful Gothic style church that was designed by the famous architect Nicholas Clayton and was consecrated in 1895.

It's a survivor of the 1900 storm as well as the more recent hurricane Ike from 2008. After the 1900 storm, they spent years raising the grade of the entire island and building the Galveston Seawall. By way of a completely brilliant system of hand turned jacks the church was raised four and a half feet and not one of the stones was cracked in the process. They pumped in a slurry of sand and water to fill in where the buildings were raised and of course had to wait for the water to drain off. Over 2,100 buildings were raised in this manner and it took them over 7 years!  The more I learn about the island the more fascinated I am by Galveston and it's people. They really are survivors . . .

After breakfast last weekend we walked across the street and I took this outside in a garden area of the Hotel Galvez, again on Galveston Island. A hotel of the elegant Victorian era that had guests such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Howard Hughes, and Frank Sinatra. We met and talked with a security officer who is also a historian for the island who enjoyed sharing as much as we did receiving all of his interesting historical information. This is a place that I will be re-visiting, looking for that historian with my journal in hand next time. He was like a walking history book only with animation.

They were just setting up brunch when we took a peek inside . . . yep we'll be back for that too!










Okay, next to the Pelican I think the Roseate Spoonbill would be my other favorite bird. They reach about 32" high with a wingspan of 50", and they have the most extraordinary red eyes and their feathers are PINK.   Because they eat foods rich in carotenoids, the more they eat the pinker they become. I was thrilled to get these photos since it's hard to get close enough (unless you own multi-million dollar lenses,ha) without spooking them. I was lucky as we had pulled off to the shoulder for some egret shots and in he flew!

And just yesterday I visited a chain garden center to find a plethora of plants to make any gardener

drool with the anticipation of spring planting! The first two pictures are Osteomums and the last one

is a Hydrangea. I also spotted my first two Monarch butterflies but couldn't talk either one of them into a photo. (insert sad face)

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Love,
Kim XO

Foto Friday....on makeup Monday

This, is my sentiments exactly!

Last week was not my best week....lost my crown on a tooth that had already had 2 root canals and they couldn't put it back on. The tooth was cracked well below the gum surface, so they extracted it and did a bone graft to prepare it for a future implant. Two dentists, two hours, four numbing shots, and five stitches to get the sucker out.

I was informed when he finished that I made it to his top five list of difficult teeth to remove in all his 30 years of practice. Somehow, that wasn't the kind of 'special' person status I was hoping for!

So I had very good intentions of posting foto Friday on Friday, but I could not keep my eyes open following a night of pain meds and then a very busy weekend ensued.




My son's 7 on 7 touch football started this weekend and we spent many hours in the car driving the daughter around so that she could fulfill a choir commitment and not miss her girls retreat through church. It meant that we picked her up from the retreat, drove her to where she needed to be for choir, waited and then drove her back. The retreat was on Galveston Island and you couldn't see 20 feet in front of you because of the fog. But when we dropped her back off, the sun had peered through the fog with just enough light for an interesting picture with reflections in the water. Eerie, yet beautiful. Haunting, but peaceful.

So this is the only picture I will leave you with today.

A picture of reflection, the return of light after striking a surface.

It's also where I will be today . . . in a state of reflection as I consider carefully some of my thoughts.

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Kim

Love is . . .

. . . pink tulips

it's universal

knows no bounds

it does not divide, but multiplies

it lives within all of us, but some give it more freely than others

a good friend

an adventure

it's not something you can just keep for yourself

strong yet so fragile

and it should be unconditional

it's an expression of yourself

and being open to the expression of others

supporting, but yet not overbearing

you're considered lucky when you've found it

a basic human need

it's spiritual

a deep connection to something

understanding and forgiving

sometimes it's complicated

it stretches the heart

what a mother feels for her child

patient and kind

not boastful

it's about acceptance

sometimes it feels like an unexplainable mystery

it's sharing, believing and dreaming

it endures all, hopes all, and bears all things

an action expressed unselfishly

strong affection for something

spoken in many languages

it can hurt when that someone doesn't feel it back

a unique feeling that's hard to define

something that makes you laugh and cry at the same time

there is no age limit

you feel this when you genuinely care for someone

to like or desire enthusiastically

it can be defined differently by many

sometimes it's scary

words put into action

it's a connection deep in your spirit

may not make the world go around, but it's a good place to start

it has it's peaks and valleys

something no one should ever be without

passionate, romantic

sometimes it can't be controlled

songs are written about it

it's expressed in art

the bible says to do this to our enemy as we would do to ourselves

millions of words have spoken about it

sometimes sadness and tears come with it

and it seems to be one of the most motivating emotions know to man.

It's called Love and I hope it spreads like wildfire!

Happy Valentines Day

Love, Kim

XO 



Foto Friday - A trail walk through Pine Gully Park

Another week and another vastly different sunrise. It makes me wonder what I miss when I'm not there...but so thankful for the opportunity to see what I can. It's hard to even imagine that there are people who live here that have never gone to watch such a beautiful spectacle.

After the sunrise I took a walk on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, that took me to Galveston Bay.  I went to the end of a pier and sat against the rails and it gently swayed as the tide came in. The sun warmed my face, there was a slight breeze, and I closed my eyes and just listened to the gulls and the water and it was wonderful. It was just what I needed after a very cold week.

When I got back to the car I was inspired to write in my journal:

The sun rose over the horizon

and seagulls flew in to perch.

The water rippled and shimmered like gold

while shrimp boats left for their search.

A rooster crowed,

there was a smell of fresh pine.

Near the waters edge were deer

and a Great Blue Heron dined.

A long walk on a pier

to sit against the dock of the bay.

A slight breeze and warm sun on my face,

while the motion of the tide made in gently sway.

A cardinal,

a woodpecker,

a hovering hawk.

On this day, I had the most heavenly walk.

      I really wish I had a audio to go with these pictures. The sound is just as much a part of it as the seeing.



The sun and the reflection in the water makes it look like a candle to me.

I love how the shadows of the wood makes it look like a water color painting.

Pretty much right after I got on the trail I came across these two looking

for food together. The one with the curved orange beak is a White Ibis and the other

is a Snowy Egret. I just love the reflections in this!

This one is a Great Egret, a large white heron.

This a Great Blue Heron and had caught a fish that he could hardly

manage to swallow. He worked at for about 20 minutes.

As I was watching the Blue Heron, a group of White tailed deer appeared and this one

came down to the waters edge. Everything that morning reflected so beautifully in the water!

Not sure what kind of bird this is, but it sure it cute!

The trail was just alive with bird activity, much more than I was able to photograph

with my lenses. This one is a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

This is a little walking bridge over a small inlet of water that comes in off the bay.

 And just beyond those trees is Galveston Bay.

Just shorty after reaching the bay, there is a park with this 1000' fishing pier. I have a similar picture in a previous foto Friday, but this one just reminded me of heaven. I went and sat at the end

and just closed my eyes and enjoyed the sound of the water and the seagulls while it swayed ever

so gently.

Oh, and as I was on my walk back I could hear hawks calling back and forth and then this one flew right

over to where I was and just hovered over me. It was a little difficult to get a sharp focus since he

was moving so quickly. This one is a Red Shouldered Hawk.

Did you know that Texas is one of the top birding destinations in the world, and extremely diverse in it's species of wildlife. And that the Lone Star State was the first state in the nation to create birding and wildlife viewing trails. I encourage you to check out the trails where you live!

I'm looking forward to the warmer weekend that is forecasted. Back into the 60's, which means I'll be back on the trail again......looking for that American Alligator! Perhaps I should get myself a walking stick?

Have a fabulous weekend. Be a hunter (of photos) and shoot something (with your camera) !  ; )

Love,

Kim

A Valentine Giveaway

Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you a giveaway that an artist and friend of mine is doing. Her name is Lorena Angulo and she makes the most beautiful creations out of metal clays. What I love most about her creations is that she incorporates her love of her Mexican culture and traditions into her work. They are truly works of art.

In honor of Valentines Day and her love of hearts she is giving away this beautiful "Corazon" necklace!

I am hoping to be the lucky winner of this!




MI CORAZON

©2011 Lorena Angulo
Bronze clay, PMC Pro, brass, sterling, red coral and pearls.
1.82 inches by 1.32 inches (heart)

Go here for the directions on how to win this. I would say good luck, but it's going to be mine! ; )

Kim

Foto Friday

It's been a very, very cold week here for us on the gulf coast! Rotating power outages, ice, snow for some and wind chills that made the temps feel  like 9 degrees. But today our high is 58 and tomorrow almost 70. I just love Texas!

I was hoping that the forecasted wintry mix storm would bring with it some nice photo ops, but all we got here was enough ice to make the roads dangerous. Not at all the winter wonderland I was hoping for. So my sweet daughter agreed to let me do her hair and makeup and be my subject for foto Friday. While I am happy with how they turned out, I really have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to photographing people. And that would be why I just ordered a book on portaiture by Bryan Peterson. Wildlife, landscape and macro is where my true passion lies, but it doesn't hurt to get better in other areas. I mean, let's face it, the first time I picked up a jeweler's saw I hated it! It's now something I love . . .

Thank you, my beautiful daughter, for trusting your mom with your makeup and hair, I love you!

This was the very first one I took, and I forgot to check my white balance, which is why the picture has more of a cool tone to it.

I should also add that all of these were in window light with a 50mm lens.

  She wasn't crying, but yawning and her eye teared up. I had to make sure she didn't wipe it away as I wanted to capture it. I find it's interesting how much a photo can lie to the observer as photography isn't always about honesty, but a produced perception.

I don't know about you, but I just love a black and white photo. 

For me, you see much more than just the person. It's like looking into their soul.

I like this one . . . is shows her more curious, inquisitive side. Makes me wonder

what she was thinking.

I think this is my favorite! It's just soft, feminine and a little romantic!

I will be adding one of these to the P52 group and would be interested in which one is your favorite and why! I will be honest in saying that this was an extremely frustrating and out of the box exercise for me. She promised that we could do it again so that I could get more practice. So until next week, pick up your camera and take a picture of something. I'll be hoping for some warm weather . . .

Love,

Kim