Photo Prompt :: [The] Best

Sitting in my favorite chair 

next to our front windows 

and tucked up under my beige, down comforter 

on a chilly, rainy Saturday afternoon.

(All in the company of angels)

.            *            .

Quietly Continuing Her Change

on a gray, rainy day

.            *              .

A Lovely Surprise

This sweet beauty arrived unexpectedly today.

Not only did she touch my heart,

she is exactly perfect.

(Indeed, I feel very loved.)

.           *           .

Happy Birthday, Darlin'!

I do love him so!

Smile!

(Thought it might be fun to document the making 

of his very favorite, Strawberry Cake, 

created by his dear Grandma.)

.           *          .

A Good First Day of Fall

Cloudy morning

Lunchtime Nourishment

Triangles

Afternoon

Baked Hubby's 51st Birthday Cake.

.            *            .

Favorite Word

.           *           .

Beginning

Potholder experiment

.            *           .

A Blissful Fall Day Off

Mother Mary Morning Mercies

Another Awesome Autumn Afternoon

My welcomed lunch dates were our Grandmother Oaks.

.           *            .

The Simple Beauty of Autumn

Her metamorphosis continues

(Here she is last week)

Stunning September Sunshine

.            *            .

I don't like . . .

. . . sitting in traffic.

.           *           .

Good Morning, Grandmother Tree and Blue Sky

I so love morning sunshine. 

(big, happy sigh)

.            *            .

Practicing Peace

So love how she sits

 quiet and steady

in the middle,

unfazed by the movement

going on around her.

What a blessed example 

for me

on how to simply

Be Here.

.           *            .

Another Gorgeous Fall Afternoon

Summer and Fall.

Monkey grass bloom and oak leaf

and another photo graciously received.

After yard work and collecting 5 trash cans full 

of leaves, grass clippings and branches, 

hubby set us up to watch the Dawgs football game 

on our back patio. 

.            *            .

Receiving a Gorgeous Fall Photo

I recently finished the book, "Eyes of the Heart: Photography as a Christian Contemplative Practice" by Christine Valters Paintner, which I really enjoyed and would highly recommend. She has a *great* section on shadow, talking about how, both in photos and in ourselves, shadows give them/us interest and depth. And!! Not all shadows are "negative." Our "unclaimed *beauty*" is tucked away in our shadows, too, just waiting to be discovered. Love that *so* much! ♥

Fun fact? A warm smile spread when I saw that Liz Lamoreux's book, "Inner Excavation," is listed in the back as an additional resource!

Another of Christine's ideas that I was especially drawn to was an invitation to practice "receiving" a photo rather than "taking" one, meaning don't try to compose it or set one up, just look around and receive what's there. She explains that this practice helps encourage us to receive whatever we find when we look at ourselves, too.

When I came home from work today, it was a gorgeous, warm, early Fall afternoon - sparkling sunlight dappling thru the trees, just the right temperature with a slight breeze - so I sat outside in our back yard for about an hour. After enjoying a bowl of chilled applesauce with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey, I meditated ... just watching the trees and breathing.

When I finished, I saw this sweet little red leaf not too far away from me (it's still mostly green here), put my phone low to the ground not far from her and I received this beautiful photo. 

First picture, no filters.

.            *            .

Glimpses of Fall's Grace

Our backyard this morning.

The dogwood has started her transformation.

This little lovely is usually one of the first 

to finish dressing in her glorious, deep red dress.

(Thought it might be fun to take a photo each week

and watch her transformation.)

Such a blessing to find beautiful bits of Fall

tucked in the amidst this afternoon's waning sunshine

and green grass.

.            *            .

Orange

.           *           .

Practicing Peace :: Thankful Tuesday

So loving my sweet little oil lamp and her quiet reminders

to gently shine right where I am

and to Practice Peace.

With Labor Day yesterday, I am just now coming off of "Summer Hours."  That means I'm back to being off on Tuesday mornings.  I'm smiling because it really was a delightful surprise just now to remember "Oh, yeah, Thankful Tuesday!"

Today I am thankful for:

1.  Being and playing with my two sweet little girls yesterday.  It still takes them time to 

    warm up but when they do?  We all sure have a great time.

2.  Without even really thinking about it so without much effort, I made boundary setting

     in the form of changing the subject away from areas I just didn't want to go into a game.

     It was easy and I didn't get snagged and all bogged down like I have for so many years.

3.  This sweet little red oil lamp.  Gentle light, like Moonshine, speaks to me so much right 

     now, both the way I believe I am led and in the way I want to be in my world, too.

4.  Some good reconnecting time with dear hubby over the long weekend.  We had a few 

     rough patches, as an extended period of togetherness can bring in any relationship, and

     I did some things differently, like practicing breathing as we rode in the car together.  

5.  A quiet jammie morning on a cloudy day.

6.  My very favorite Fall breakfast of a cup of icy cold milk along with a steaming bowl 

     of oatmeal with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and a sprinkling of raisins stirred in

     and topped with a drizzle of honey.   

7.  Blessed gift of time spent in "my" swing on Mark of the Potter's lovely back balcony

     overlooking the happy Soque River.  It soothes me so much.

8.  Reconnecting with a dear friend and, as in true friendships, the sense that no time has

     passed at all.

9.  My comfy old brown chair has been repaired and is now sporting a beautiful new

     mariner-blue "dress."  It's taken some time for me to adjust back to it but I think I'm 

      just about there.... home.

10. Working on a little surprise for a sweet friend who, while struggling, is making some

     very brave choices.

11. Seeing my picture of the St. Augustine lighthouse from right here in my chair with the

     added bonus of my Core Desire Feelings taped under her.

12. The deep sense of "Ahhh" I feel when I quietly whisper my core desire feelings to 

     myself:  Moonshine, Be Here, Simple Beauty, Peace, and Grace.  I am home in their

     presence circled around me.

13. Soft, long curly hair.  I will probably cut it soon but, for now, I'm enjoying it.

14. Wise book companions.  The two I've read lately are Rising Strong by Brene Brown 

     and Eyes of the Heart by Christine Valters Paintner.

15. The comfort that comes from noticing and counting my thankfuls.

.             *             .

I need . . .

I need ... downtime. 

It was so lovely this afternoon 

sitting in my very favorite porch swing 

overlooking the happy Soque River 

while hubby fed the fish. 

❤️

(It's been way too long)

I love "my" porch swing so much that, 

unless it's really crowded and I have to share, 

you can usually find me sitting in it 

for most of our visit to Mark of the Potter 

while he feeds the fish. 

Feeling it only fair, 

she says with a twinkle,

Tadd came up with the playful deal, 

just between us,

that we buy a little something as "rent." 

Works for me

and it helps them, too! 

Here's today's new pretty.

❤️

.            *           .

Upside Down

We went on a lunch run during half time

of the very first Georgia Bulldog game of the season.

It's a gorgeous, Fall afternoon

and perfect for a ride with the top down.

Playing with one more.

(Which is actually a selfie, too!)  

.            *             .

Dappled Sunshine

So love dappled sunshine

It's still hot here

but

Fall is definitely on her way.

Yay!!

It was so lovely 

to take a few moments this afternoon

before starting my errands 

to stop and bask in the beauty.

.              *             .

Morning Buttons

Buttons

on my favorite, faded, summery gown,

our alarm clock (boo!),

and my curling iron.

 

.      *      .

 

One of our tween goddaughters now has her first phone!

Grinning because she went and found another photo challenge

for us and invited her aunts (my sisters)

to join us.

 

While I won't be able to be as regular as last month,

I told her I'd play when I could.

 

(How can I resist?) 

 

.             *              .

 

 

Beautiful Late Summer Morning Haiku

 

Warm, moist heaviness

Summer's palpable presence

Caressing bare skin

 

.              *             .

 

Basking in Morning Blessing

(No filter and unplanned)

 

.             *            .