July 29, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #107 WINTER

This week Ann-Christine suggests we post the last topic in this series featuring the four seasons; Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. “I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape—the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.” – Andrew Wyeth When winter is mentioned, many people think about snow and cold temperatures although in the southern states close to the Atlantic Ocean it is normally fairly warm and sunny.  Usually we spend our winters on Kiawah Island and the temperatures here generally range from the 40’s  to 60’s.  Snow is such a rarity that when it…

July 19, 2020

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #106 AUTUMN

This week Patti wants us to continue thinking about the four seasons; this week the topic is Autumn.  Be sure to visit her post and enjoy the lovely autumn images. To me Autumn is about the beautiful colors Mother Nature creates as the air gets cooler and tree leaves change to glorious oranges, reds and yellows. Maine as well as other states in New England have a well-deserved reputation as being one of the prettiest areas during the fall months.  Over the past years my husband and I have spent our summers in southern Maine,  and occasionally stay through the fall and winter months.  Such a treat to be there…

November 26, 2019

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #73 COLD

This week Tina challenges us to show pictures which can make you feel “Cold”.  Snow, ice, frosty window pane anything that looks cold!  In recent years my experience with Cold has been associated with a few snowy months in Maine before returning home to the warm, sunny south!  As you can see, we were literally knee deep in snow and watching snow storm after snow storm roll in on a regular basis.   Snow and the cold is handled so different there, school was only closed a day or two, roads clear and drive-able quickly and stores were operating on a normal schedule.   “What good is the warmth of summer,…

August 14, 2019

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #58 SOMETHING OLD, NEW, BORROWED AND BLUE

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue…  This is from an old English rhyme and this week Patti is challenging us to feature pictures of places or things that have some or all of these good luck qualities.   She also mentioned that showing all four qualities in one image could be extra challenging, and it certainly was!  This topic required a bit of thought 😟….then, I remembered taking a family visit to Peak’s Island in Maine a couple of years ago and how pretty it was with an abundance of color everywhere; buildings, homes and vegetation!  Before taking you on a short pictorial tour around the Island I’d like…

August 9, 2019

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #57 TAKING A BREAK

This week Tina invites us to explore a few things people can do to Take a Break from the daily grind of life – to re-energize, regroup then move forward again, feeling refreshed.  I stumbled on a very interesting chart entitled, “50 Ways to Take A Break“ from the Independence Center  when exploring the internet.  Since this chart is so relevant to our topic this week I decided to include the links, it shows 50 fun ways to take a break and enjoy doing it!     “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”  –  Dr. Suess   Often times taking a break…

August 3, 2019

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: #56 SEASCAPES

  “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Cousteau   This week Amy encouraged us to show favorite pictures of various Seascapes, such as the water front, shoreline and waves.   Early one morning when walking on the beach at Kiawah Island, SC with our dogs, I was excited to see this female Loggerhead turtle returning to the Ocean after laying her eggs in the sand dunes. Fortunately, I was able to take a series of pictures documenting her long, laboring journey back to the ocean. This first one, originally posted on Mar 15, 2019 in my blog “Around The Neighbor”,…

June 15, 2019

FAVORITE THINGS: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

Patti invited us to share a few pictures showing a favorite place or activity…” just about anything that brings you happiness.”  I have many favorites (family, people, pets, places, pictures I’ve taken) so it is difficult to pick only a few.  I could fill volumes of books with a list of Favorite Things!    Since we are in Wells, Maine for the summer, I decided to share a favorite activity I have enjoyed for years – going on early morning walks.  Often our two cocker spaniels, Bentley and Chester, and my husband accompany me (along with my camera!). A few days ago, we decided to walk around Ogunquit.  Unfortunately, after…

March 29, 2019

WORN and/or WEATHERED: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

The topic for our photo challenge this week is Weathered and/or Worn.  Ann Christine suggests we feature a few pictures showing which things we are attracted to that are worn and weathered.  Personally, I enjoy seeing and photographing old, worn out buildings or structures constructed from wood.  Why wood?  Because it ages so gracefully, showing the marks of time; the color slowly change along with the shape, lines start to appear and scars from usage plus battling the elements tend to give it a certain kind of beauty. Worn, weathered wooden buildings or structures arouse my curiosity as I wonder what secrets they hold. Then it is fun to imagine…

December 1, 2018

SPLASH: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

This week Patti challenges us to show images of water.  She beautifully writes, “water is magical.  Its beauty, power and persistence are unsurpassed…”    What is it about an ocean, lake, stream, waterfall or just a puddle which can draw so much attention?  Water is truly magical because it is never the same – strong, angry, calm or picturesque when reflecting colors – and vital for all life.   “It is life, I think, to watch the water. A man can learn so many things.”  ∼   Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook _____________   “She loves the serene brutality of the ocean, loves the electric power she felt with each breath of wet, briny…

November 22, 2018

DOORS AND DOOR WAYS: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge

This week Tina invites us to show pictures of Doors and Doorways.   Do you think the appearance of a door or doorway is important?  Actually, it has been said it only takes about 10 seconds for someone to form a first impression, either positive or negative.  Think about doors and doorways, could this also apply to them?   Can’t doors and doorways to be inviting, happy and attractive?  Radiate warm, welcome feelings or cool and foreboding ones? “My favourite words are possibilities, opportunities and curious.  I think if you are curious, you create opportunities, and then if you open the doors, you create possibilities. ∼  Mario Testino ———- “Libraries allow children to ask…