Busy as a Bee

"Delight in the little things."  -  Rudyard Kipling

Fall? Already?  How did that happen?

The Quickest Summer Ever

My husband, daughter and I took a trip to a tiny island called St. John in the US Virgin Islands.  We love this island.  John, my husband, and I first visited St. John before we were married, over 20 years ago.  The word has gotten out about how beautiful it is and more people visit than twenty years ago, but we can still find secret beaches we share with the seagulls for an afternoon.  

It is so beautiful I can stare out at the horizon for hours on end.  After relaxing, we have fun snorkeling, swinging on a tire swing, searching for sea glass, taking a boat trip, hiking...  

This summer we also visited family in Tennessee and Indiana, family from Missouri visited us.  Laughing and visiting with family fills my heart with happiness.  Having miles separate family is bitter sweet.  It is sad because we don't get together as much as we would like, but when we are together we truly appreciate and cherish the special time.

While visiting with family we celebrated a 50th and a 40th birthday.  Have you ever seen 50 candles on a cake?  I was surprised the smoke detector didn't go off.  Love you both. :)

Back in Ohio we did some flea market shopping, some purchases will be seen in my future photos.  I can't believe I had to be dragged to my first flea market, now I can't wait to go and find another photography 'prop'.  

Megan, my daughter, just started her first year of high school.  It is amazing how quickly time flies.  I think it hit John harder than me because of his comment on her first day, " Your baby just left for high school."  

Photography is one constant in my life, even when everything else seems crazy.  I have been taking lots of pictures.  Cleaned up my Instagram account and am finding a lot of inspiration there.  I also entered a Sunflower Art Show, a celebration of sunflowers with paintings and photography.  

I can't believe I have been away from this space for so long, it is nice to be back.

Thank you so much for coming to visit.

I hope you enjoyed your summer.

Michelle

Balance

“Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.”  -  Rumi

I love rocks, especially round ocean, or river, tumbled stones.  I like how they feel in my hand.  They remind me how powerful nature can be, and at the same time how peaceful it is at the edge of calm water.   

St. John, US Virgin Islands

Several places I've visited have piles of stones stacked on top of one another called cairns.  Sometimes cairns are made to mark trials.  Other times people balance the stones just to see how high they can stack the pile, or how impossible they can make it.

Sedona, Arizona

Balancing stones can be tricky.  It takes patience, practice and a little luck, just like balancing life...  

Today I am joining Kim Klassen’s Friday Finds.  My finds are a cutting off my Japanese Lace Leaf Maple Tree (who is enjoying our cool summer by growing to the ground), a Ziplock baggie of vacation stones and a one dollar bottle.   My top image was textured with Kim’s textures touch of 1 and may, and I also used her Lightroom preset light and airy.

Thank you so much for stopping by!!

Have a great weekend!!

Michelle