Stepping Away from the Edge

Shining Images

Each month, the One Little Word project leads you through a guided exercise to help you connect with your chosen word in new and different ways.  For February, it was all about images. . . connecting with your word through photographs or other images that represent your word.

I had a lot of fun with this exercise!  I enjoyed looking through my photo files and finding those that "spoke" to me, in some way, about my word.  I ended up with quite a collection of photos that said SHINE. . . and then I winnowed it down to just nine.

After I chose my images (or maybe. . . I let them chose me. . .), I started reflecting on just why they said SHINE.  What, exactly, was it about each image that so represents SHINE for me?

Well.

Sometimes, something is incredibly beautiful and delicate and fine.  But you don't always notice it until the sun shines and catches it in the light.

There can be plenty of color and passion and beauty . . . even at the end of the day.

Take time to smell the roses!

Embrace each new day.

Quit putting your dreams aside.  DO the things you've always wanted to do.  SEE the things you've dreamed of seeing.  Find a way.

It's a beautiful world we live in.  Get out there.  Notice.

Even when things are in shadow, or you just see an outline, remember. . . the light is shining behind you.

Go for it!  Sip a café crème on the Champs-Élysees!  Follow your dreams. 

Every day is a gift.  Embrace your birthday.  MORE candles; more light; more chances to SHINE.

And, as a final reminder, I included a large image of the Holstee Manifesto - one of my favorite reminders to SHINE.

One Little Word. 

SHINE!

Out of the Fog

Yesterday morning, I was running late.  Scrambling around, as usual.  But as I pulled out of my driveway, something caught my eye.  I had to stop.  Run back into the house for my camera.  And take a few minutes to try to capture the shimmering I saw out of the fog.

Sometimes, you've gotta slow down. . . to see the beauty.

PS -- This photo is better bigger.  Click on the photo to make it bigger.

Overhead

Look what passed overhead the other evening as we were in the backyard. . .

A perfect welcome for July!

Happy Fourth of July.  Happy Summer.  (I'm headed Up North.  See you next week.)

The Merry Month of May

Looking back at May. . .

from here at the end of the month. . .

gives me a little perspective.

Yeah, the weather has been - for the most part - crappy.

And it seems I've been scrambling to complete the most basic tasks.

But there have been some big things in the works.

Beginnings.

Endings.

Growth.

Beauty.

Unfoldings.

May tends to be like that!

(The photos in today's entry are from my May postings to my 365 Project - the entire month devoted to MacroMay.  To see the entire collection of May photos, click on the 365 Project link in my sidebar.)

Tulip Mania

As I mentioned in one of my earlier "travelogue" posts, my sister and I chose our travel dates based on our own convenience and schedules, not based on where we were headed.  It can only be serendipity, then, that put us in the Netherlands during the peak of . . .

Tulip Mania!

Yes, we arrived in Amsterdam during the peak weak of "tulip time."  So we boarded a charter bus and traveled about 35 miles to Lisse, the tulip capital of the world, to visit Keukenhof Gardens (I like to think of it as The Disneyland of Tulips).  My sister and I are NOT the charter bus types.  At all.  But we just . . . went along for the ride. . . ignoring the schmaltzy charter bus tour guide schtick. . . and laughing with each other. . . about How Had It Come to This?  But, then, we caught a glimpse of this out the bus windows. . .

and remembered why we got on the bus in the first place!

Keukenhof Gardens really is an amazing place.

Acres upon acres. . .

upon acres upon acres. . .

of amazing tulips. . .

and bulbs. . .

of all kinds!

But wait!  There's more!

The garden incorporated the most wonderful collection of outdoor sculpture!

Truly delightful. . .

and a fabulous way to mix the art of gardening with . . . art!

But wait!  There's more!

Not only were there tulips and bulbs and sculpture at every turn. . .

There was also a Spring Garden Show. . .

an Orchid Show. . .

frequent glimpses of surrounding tulip fields. . .

treats . . .

and lots of Dutch heritage!

Trust me, you haven't fully experienced Keukenhof until you are munching on a "Warme Beenham" (basically, a bacon sandwich. . .) surrounded by The Throng of Tourists and listening to a middle-aged Dutch choir sing Songs from the 80s -- in Dutch, of course.  (Yes, I think that WAS "Eye of the Tiger". . .)

But I digress!

The gardens at Keukenhof were totally over the top!  WAY over the top.  Gorgeous and a true treat for the eyes.  As you might guess, though, being in the peak of tulip mania, it was PACKED with tourists.  PACKED!  (Our charter bus was probably one of 500 that afternoon.  No kidding.)  But, unlike Versailles, we were outside and the gardens are huge.  We followed our "Robert Frost Plan" for touring --- always (ALWAYS) taking "the road less traveled."  (And . . . that has made all the difference!)

Di?  We'll always have . . . Keukenhof!

 

Start to Finish

Yesterday was a perfect day. . . all the way through.

Sunshine.

Digging.

My garden coming to life.

Puppy love.

Playing with my camera.

A new tree.

Mother's Day Ferns.

Time with my Mom.

And the Red Wings even won!

A perfect Mother's Day.  Start to finish!

Love Locked

As we walked along the Seine River in Paris, on our way to the Louvre, something on one of the bridges caught our eye.

Turned out to be locks.  Lots of locks.  Hanging on the Pont des Arts (a pedestrian bridge over the Seine; near the Louvre).

Closer inspection of the locks revealed initials and dates.  Of the "KR + TM 4EVR" variety.  In many languages.

Couples from around the world come to the Pont des Arts and symbolically lock up their love -- then toss the key into the Seine.  4EVR.  (Or, until the City of Paris decides to clear the bridge of locks - which happens periodically.)

Industrious street vendors near the bridge sell locks to passersby -- some with custom printed names, dates, and messages.

I did see one combination lock.

Made me wonder if they threw the combination into the Seine.

Very sweet -- and a little romantic.  If I had been to Paris with Tom, I would have SO locked up our love on the Pont Des Arts.  And then. . . thrown away the key!

Green Day

"There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth.  We are all crew." -- Marshall McLuhan

I'm taking a little break** from blog-as-travelogue today to celebrate Earth Day. 

Every year, on Earth Day, I make a personal commitment to doing . . . something . . . to show my commitment to the environment; to take responsibility for being part of the crew.  These are small acts of green, sure.  But my small acts of green turn into habits and change the way I live.

In the past, I've committed to composting, planting a tree every year, switching out my light bulbs, using cloth diapers, organic gardening, recycling, using more native plants in my landscape, feeding the birds, growing my own herbs, attracting bees to my garden.  Things like that.

This year?  Tom and I signed up for a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share.  We're committing to the "eating local" movement as much as we can.  We're really excited to be part of the Eater's Guild CSA in Bangor, Michigan -- and we're looking forward to picking up our weekly shares, beginning next month.

It's Earth Day.  Celebrate.  Make a commitment.  What can YOU do?  (And once you decide, visit Earth Day Network and log YOUR Act of Green.)

**The photos in my blog post today are from Claude Monet's garden at Giverny in France.  I'll do a post on that incredible place next week.  In the meantime, if the beauty of Monet's garden can't inspire us to make a commitment to the Earth, I don't know what can!

Takin' it to the Streets

In Paris, my sister and I made good use of the excellent public transportation system (especially the bus system -- pretty easy to use and, once you get used to the fact that no one will speak English and just get into the flow of French around you, it's a great way to get around AND see the city). 

But we found the best way to enjoy the sights and flavors of Paris was to walk.

So much happens on the streets -- especially on lovely spring days.

Sidewalk art markets are everywhere -- near the Louvre. . .

near the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. . .

Everywhere!

Flower shops. . .

Pâtisseries. . .

News stands. . .

And then, there are the cafés! 

It is so wonderful to sit in a sidewalk café, with a café créme, and watch the world go by!

(This was our "neighborhood" café - just around the corner from our hotel, and our first sidewalk café experience!)

Some sidewalk cafés are quite small and intimate, with only a table or two.

And some?  Well, let's just say they're a bit over the top!  (In a good way.)

Walking the streets, we encountered street musicians. . .

chess matches. . .

and carnivals!

Sometimes, we even stumbled on to familiar sights tucked away in neighborhoods best accessed on foot!

If you're in Paris, take comfortable shoes, get a good map. . . and plan to take it to the streets!

 

La Ville-Lumiére

Ah, Paris! 

View of the Pont Neuf and the Ile de la Cité

Paris is often described as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  I think I'd have to agree!

Grand structure. . .

Arc de Triomphe

Amazing architecture. . .

Notre Dame Cathedral, back view

Beautiful landmarks. . .

Dôme Church

River views. . .

View of the Left Bank from the Pont Neuf

High points. . .

Sacré-Coeur

Scenic vistas. . .

View of Paris from the Butte in Montmartre

Parks. . .

Jardin du Luxembourg

Bridges. . .

View from the Musée d'Orsay

Romance. . .

Eiffel Tower

And then, at night, they turn on the lights!

La ville-lumiére?  Mais oui!