A Long Weekend

'There is always a sunrise and always a sunset and it's up to you to choose to be there for it,' said my mother. 'Put yourself in the way of beauty.'  -  Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

The Personality Of A Beach

"The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to 

the soul."  -Robert Wyland 

"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it's always ourselves we find in the sea." 

-  E. E. Cummings

Every beach has its own personality:

easy access with a parking lot or a long hike

clear or silty water makes its color turquoise, blue or brown

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

St. John, US Virgin Islands

 

My idea of paradise…

Driving on the left and sharing the road with donkeys, goats, iguanas, and an occasional bull.  

Reading on a balcony with roosters crowing below.

Admiring tropical flowers.

Relaxing in the shade of a sea grape tree with the ocean breeze in my face, captivated by the ocean’s beauty.

Snorkeling, lots of snorkeling.

Watching sea turtles eat and purple sea fans sway with the ocean currents.

Searching for colorful sea glass and the perfect round stone.

Hiking to beautiful places.

 

Exploring sugar plantation ruins.

Spending time with my family.

Coming home after a safe and fun trip.

I have missed being here in my little creative space.  I forgot how much I love playing with photographs on my computer, although iphone apps are a great substitute when I don’t have a computer close by. 

Today I am sharing some of my vacation finds with Kim Klassen’s Friday Finds, my first image is textured with kk_0603 and the boat image is textured with kk_totalgrunge.

I hope you are savoring the last days of summer.  Summer always ends too soon…  

Thank you so much for stopping by!!

Have a great weekend!!

Michelle