A forgotten Treasure

The other night, I stumbled across some photos I took last August, the I had not edited. There are a variety of reasons photos go unedited in my life, but the most common one is time. Especially in the summer. I take entirely too many photos, and have such little time to go through them and chose out my favorites. If not for my blog, I'd like be WAYYYYYYY more behind than I am.

It is always a treat though to go back and find some hidden treasures. This series of photos really brought a smile to my face, and a flutter of love in my heart. I remember this day like it were yesterday. The simple and true joy of playing with a big old tree. There was no fancy toys.....no batteries or lights. Just the tree and it's gifts of nature. I'm so glad I had my camera with me....or I might have missed this face. It is the face I see so often, when Sugar is educating me about something. I think this is her, "Now listen to me....I know what I'm talking about." face. Isn't it priceless?





Do not be afraid to go out on a limb ... That's where the fruit is.- Anonymous





It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanates from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit. -Robert Louis Stevenson

Trees are the earth’s endless effort
to speak to the listening heaven.
- Rabindranath Tagor

Of all man's works of art, a cathedral is greatest.
A vast and majestic tree is greater than that.
- Henry Ward Beecher, Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit, 1870

We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who can't speak for themselves such as the birds, animals, fish and trees.
- Chief Edward Moody, Qwatsinas, Nuxalk Nation

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
- Joyce Kilmer, Trees

Someone's sitting in the shade today because
someone planted a tree a long time ago.
- Warren Buffett

Hooray for fun summer days, and photos that send me back there in an instant. Bring on Summer.

I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooo ready!

I ♥ Faces~ The Blurb Book Contest

A highlight of my weekend was finding out that my photo of my friend and her son laughing made it into the top 10.  I'm feeling pretty blessed to have found myself in the top 10 the last three weeks.  Blessed, and a bit shocked.  And......a bit pressured.  This week we are supposed to pick our BEST face shot, and enter it to be chosen to be printed in a book.  OH.MY.WORD..... that is pressure.  I am NO GOOD at choosing my BEST.  I have no clue.  My favorites change all the time, then change back.  sigh.......

So to completely save myself hours of agony, I decided to just post an all time favorite, and let it lie with that.  This photo sprung (is that even a word???) to mind as we have had the please of hanging with our first tree frog of the spring season here recently.  This shot sums up what a great feeling it is.

I look forward to checking out some really great photography this week.  Come on over, as well.

I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb book photo contest. If chosen, I grant I ♥Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites.

Photo Hunters~ Painted

She is always proud of what she PAINTED!

and so am I! 

Have a happy weekend!

Photostory Friday~Turn that frown upside down

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I am drawn to this photo tonight, as I sit at my computer feeling a heavy load of sadness.   While I seek to keep my spirits up, I find myself overwhelmed with despair. When it rains it pours....that is what people say, right?  Well, not only is it honestly and truly raining big ol' drops of rain on the roof of the Living and Loving home, the torrent or bad news has officially hit.  It is the type that leaves you no choice than to be soaked........completely and utter soaked with tears.

Over a year and a half ago, a co-worker's husband was diagnosed with Lymphoma of the central nervous system.  His prognosis was grim....Stage 4.  With really amazing treatment, they battled the cancer, and gained him some ground.  He has been cancer free for over a year.  Today......they found out it is back, and he has another brain tumor.  They are testing to see if it has spread to his bone marrow like the last time.  This is devastating news.  He suffered brain damage last time from the cancer and aggressive treatment.  He is not likely to choose the aggressive route again, and January's scan was clear, so we know this cancer is growing quickly.  My heart goes out to my co-worker and her husband.  He is only 56 years old.  

56 years old....is young....very young.  However, 4 years old is MUCH younger.  A mommy friend of mine has had her foundation ripped out from under her in the last few weeks.  Her darling little Miss G, who was born within weeks of Sugar Bear, has been diagnosed with an irreparable heart defect.  Myocardial Bridge causing Restrictive Cardiomyopathy, resulting in the Left Atrium being backed up with blood and large. Both very rare.   

She is in need of a heart transplant, and only today heard the extent of what this truly means. 

I have been unable to even think about it without breaking into tears.  I simply can not imagine the heartache of hearing such devastating news.  Please visit her blog and offer her some care and support.  It would mean a lot to me. 

As I lay in bed with my Sugar Bear tonight, the tears welled up, and I held her tighter.  I found it hard to not feel such deep sorrow for my friends who are fighting for their loved ones.  It really steers one back to what is right in front of them.  One must cherish every little thing.  Sugar Bear is my true JOY.  I know it isn't hard to figure out that I am pretty smitten with this little honey.  This blog is full of photo after photo of her special little self.  It is this photo that touched me tonight.  In her short life thus far, she has felt such little sorrow.  I work to protect her from the hurt that life often brings.  She has the ability to find the joy in most any situation, and can never fail to turn my frown upside down.

This photo was taken last August, near the close of a VERY busy day on the farm.  She fell asleep on the floor while dinner was cooking.  This is extremely rare for her.  I had to smile when I saw this frown, because while I might be one of the happiest people you know, The Hubby has been telling me for years that I frown when I sleep.  Go Figure.

Tonight, this photo made me smile....if only for a little while, I was able to cast a bit of the sorrow aside.  I am grateful for that.