Weird Water

As I went through digital folders of beach photos I've taken to see what I might post for Watery Wednesday, my attention was drawn to the shots of water that had moved beyond being only a puddle or pool, and become a different entity altogether.

By shooting close-up and excluding the context of sand and shells, some of the resulting pictures seem to me to resemble abstract paintings. The colours and textures look plastered on as if some artist had gone mad with his jars of moulding paste and acrylic paints!

Most of these shots were taken both in White Rock, and at Semiahmoo Beach a short distance further down the shore. Semiahmoo is always a favourite spot for us to visit, as it is one of the few places that allow dogs onto the sand in summer...a rare chance for them to frolic through the water with their guardians, and dig sandy holes. Very much appreciated by those of us who are dog-lovers...and who always clean up after our pets so we'll be welcomed back!

Sunlight on the water creates an effect that I think resembles the marbelized end papers on old books.
Ripples, reflections and a radiant light are things that always will catch my eye.

This picture makes me smile, with it's effervescence and immediacy, as if the wave might leap out and splash me at any moment.

By contrast, this cool study in light and dark perfectly reflects the tranquility of the pond in Watershed Park where it was taken.
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It has been a wonderful summer for water photos, and now that Fall is here and the rains have begun, there will definitely be no shortage of winter watery photos!!

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I'm linking this post to Watery Wednesday! For more photos that are damp, doused and drenched check out the link below!
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http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/
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My Shadowy Self

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If truth be told, I often feel like a shadow of myself.

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I believe the real me to be bold, fearless and self-assured.

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Shadowy me is never quite sure if she’s good enough.. clever enough…so she hesitates, procrastinates and makes excuses.

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The real me trusts her talent and is able to produce work that is meaningful, be it a poem, a photograph or a small piece of art.

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Shadowy me vacillates and creates nothing she considers unique or worthwhile.
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There are those wonderful days when the two of me meld seamlessly into one. Together we become strong, connected and inspired…able to utilize the skills and knowledge gained from years of experience. The sense of living up to potential is surely one of life's greatest rewards.

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It is true that such days do not occur as frequently as I might like, seeming serendipitous in their random appearances. But I treasure them when they're here, and they have come more often this year, bolstered by the support of the creative, blogging community that has accepted me as one of their own.

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I will always be grateful for the large, generous and inclusive hearts that have helped me move out of the shadows and into the light...

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Many thanks to 'Hey, Harriet' for hosting this Sunday event! To see more, do drop by her page at...

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http://heyharriet.blogspot.com/

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My inspiration for these shots comes from the amazing Angela Cartwright. My photos are a mere shadow, (pardon the pun!) of her wonderful work. I advise a nice long visit to her site for a lovely dose of art and photography!

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http://acartwrightstudio.blogspot.com/

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September Sunset

While having dinner with my menfolk last night, I saw my husband glance over my shoulder at the window behind me, his fork held briefly suspended.
Still eating, I raised my eyebrows in question. Master of understatement, his response was a shrug,
and a muttered, "Oh, nothing..nice sunset."

Magic words to my ears! Dinner was forgotten as I gasped a quick, "Excuse me!", grabbed my camera and hurried out to the deck.

'Nice' hardly begins to describe the magical blues and golds that painted the evening sky! I love the mercurial quality of clouds, the swift and everchanging transformations that hypnotize and render one spell-bound. I took a few shots then leaned on the railing to simply soak up all that splendour.

"Your dinner's getting cold," I heard a voice warn me from inside, but there was no contest as to which I wanted more.
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Food for the body or food for the soul...the feast for my eyes won out as it always will with this mad photographer!

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I am linking this post to Looking At The Sky on Friday, graciously hosted by CrAzY Working Mom at the link below. Do stop by for skies that inspire!
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http://www.crazyworkingmom.com/
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Return to Finn Slough

We returned to the quaint fishing community of Finn Slough another weekend. This time the tide was higher than on our previous visit.

With camera in hand once more, I took pictures, to document the contrast between high tide and low...


Low tide

...high tide.

We returned for a third time on a cold, wet day. I did not have my camera with me , fearing damage from the rain, and so cannot show that day's tide, which was so exceedingly low that a few fishing boats were almost completely out of water.

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I know we will return to this spot often, drawn by its sense of timelessness, a rare, calm oasis in these congested times...

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Old Boots

Although I have captured many beautiful sights at home and abroad with my trusty camera, today my attention is caught by boots: old boots…recycled boots…in particular, a grungy pair of Doc Martens that gave my son many good years of service before being reluctantly abandoned. The wear of time shows on them clearly…they are scuffed beyond repair and losing their soles…yet something in me hesitated to throw them out when they were finally replaced. Instead, I plopped into each boot a small perennial salvaged from the shade of a tree…and together, plants and boots have happily settled in and flourished on my back porch.

It can be said that I have an affinity for things old and decrepit, a trait more noticeable in my personality as I come closer to having those same words used to describe me! As an adjective, “beautiful” is more often used to denote things that are fresh, new and young. Flashy cars…spacious homes…a childlike complexion…all are examples of what can fill us with awe and arouse our covetous natures. We are seduced to believe we can enrich our lives by the acquisition of such wonders, if only we prove worthy of them.

Yet in my quest for all things lovely, I have always looked to the old …old friends…old music…old books…and old boots. Old boots keep me humble. Old boots remind me that beauty is not only in the eye of the beholder, it is also to be found in the everyday and the ordinary. Age does not diminish beauty nor preclude usefulness. There is beauty in comfort…in familiarity…in the knowledge that some things can be depended on to remain the same in a society where change is our one constant.

Embrace beauty at all ages and your life will become richer in what really matters...