The Quiet Monday.....

It is very quiet, this August fog that greets me in the early morning. A buffer to the noise from roads a mile or more away.....

....I watch the sun come up and light the land with gold, reflecting in the  moisture-rich air....

....The view framed by porch posts as if by a paper easel used to print photos....

....Shadows and boards become an interesting mix of abstract line....a simple pleasure magnified....

....A visitor, sunning to dry off. (it has been years since I have been graced with a Walking Stick  in my garden....and the butterflies have returned in abundance)

....Lilies sweet adding scent to the moment. A bundle most lovely; a bouquet by Nature herself....

....And charming, graceful, the hearts so damp with dew....Redbud, yes, but so much more....

....Mallows, fashionable with glittering water drop necklace....bright frilly skirts waiting to dry and dance in the breeze....

....As my horizon clears, I pull myself back into the real world of studio and work. But saving all these little miracles, and sharing near and far.
May your Monday be magical.
See the beauty that surrounds you; capture the moment.


Pax....

Hello!

Just a quick pop in to share a cute little surprise I got while shooting under the Tulip Poplar the other day.
I was in a bit of a hurry as weather was heading our way (as usual) and the branches were swaying to and fro. I did not anticipate one photo turning out in the lot.
When uploading these, I found this little gut peeking over the top of the petal! He must be tiny, because the flowers on the tree, while not small, are of modest size; yet our little visitor makes it look massive!
Perception is everything, is it not?

On a totally unrelated note, I am welcoming new blog followers, which I should have done ages ago. Mea culpa. Life has vaulted from calm and collected to absolutely crazy. I am hoping you understand!
So officially, welcome to El Milagro and hope you enjoy the content within. It changes.....what can I say? Short attention span? Too many interests?
Maybe.
But we usually have one constant here, and that is FUN!

Now I am off to face the day and do ONE (note that O-N-E) errand and I am back to the sewing table.
Have a great day!


Pax....

Just An Ordinary Day.....

 

 

....And extraordinarily lovely.....

Enough said. 

Pax....

In The Sky.....

Dear Readers,

This post was brought together before the heinous and devastating weather hit our Southern States. (I have been away all day and am now catching up) It was with deep sadness and a heavy heart that I read of the toll that weather took on our brothers and sisters in the overnight hours.
My prayers and heart go out to all who have been wrenched from a life they knew, have suffered ultimate loss and hope that soon some of the church agencies throughout our country will be helping our brethren in desperate need.
May you all be blessed, and kept safe from harm. 


Anne

In the sky, there are white billowing anvils......

There are mountains so tall the sun stretches to peek over....

 

Cotton candy colors; they seem to say, "Can you dream THIS BIG???"

 

And at the end of everything, the eye of God, to say goodnight......


Pax....

Something Pretty.....

.....while I get the photos finished up for the stamped paper tutorial.

Sorry folks, it's been an allergy-mess here after a local yokel set a fence row on fire and it's not burning; it's smoldering. And yes, the Blog Mistress is deathly allergic to smoke. (I'm living in *Deliverance*...I tell ya....)

So here is something lovely to occupy your eyes! :-)

The lush yellow of first buds....

Age and youth mingle....

The simple made sublime with sunlight....

Through veils of flowers, I see these skies....

I will hold you close to my heart forever and ever....

Spring has popped up overnight......enjoy.....


Pax....

Afternoon Glow

Yesterday was the perfect Fall day all around; modest temps, bright sun, light breeze.

I was busy working in the studio all day with the shades down to now get distracted, but around 6 p.m. allowed myself a few moments to wander through the far end of the lot.

The sun was at a perfect level for capturing a few great shots~~I was under the large maple shooting back toward the unharvested corn.

These are from one of my few Paper Birches to survive our wicked winters. (I started with 10.......I think there are two healthy ones left)

The play of shadow and light, color and neutrals, is what drew me to the corner; a little doorway to this intensely bright field. As if someone had left a little passageway for the sun and colors to pour in through......

Today I awoke to rain.....alas, my fear....we will lose the leaves before they have a chance to put on one last show.

Pax....

Sunrise......

(click for larger view)

I had planned to quietly slip into the day of work ahead without a blog-post, and then I stepped onto the porch and was greeted by this wonderful sunrise.....everything golden and magical with a hint of red tinge.
How could I pass it up?
How could I not share?
May you day be bright, glowing and worthy to remember.....

Pax....

Queen of the Setting Sun

Yesterday evening I grabbed a few minutes to waddle about the yard a bit and see what I could be creative with in my presently *confined quarters*. I have a large area at the back of the lot I have chosen not to mow; some due to fuel prices but mostly because I live in the country and enjoy seeing what comes up.
The Queen Anne's Lace was exceptional this year, and even now, dried, in seedheads, the plant is a delight.
This is another of my captured on the fly with fingers crossed, shooting into the sun, photos!
I love it.
I am guessing that maybe this is becoming my signature style; break the rules, shoot with abandon, hold your breath and hope one turns out!
I should have waited to share this with some of the other shots of the evening, but I think it deserves a post of it's own.......click gently, it should enlarge. ;-)

Pax....

Autumn Arrives Gently~~Morning Until Evening

(I am still somewhat limited in my ability to walk and wander.....all was gathered from within a  dozen or so yards of the house and studio.

 Surprising....there is still a lot to see.....

and no words necessary.  Enjoy.)

(on all photos, click to enlarge)

Pax....

Big, Big Sky

By chance, as I was scurrying about on a house errand (escaping the studio for a second) I looked out the front windows and saw this massive, amazing sky.

Click the bottom photo to get a better look. These are Autumn skies slowly gracing our views---the days may heat, but the clouds say that the cool of the year is on the way.
I shot these with my little Canon Power Shot A1100IS, as it has the panoramic feature on it, and when it does panoramic.....Holy Cow! What a big file! I think I could print a mural from it......
It looked like a sweep of a giant paintbrush across the blue of the ether.
A rather lovely start for a Monday morning, I think.

Pax....

Red Skies At Dawn......

A brief interlude from the previous story......I could not let this progression of an amazing and breathtaking sunrise go by......to stand and shoot this was absolutely delightful!
I will continue with my story from yesterday's post when I get everything up and in order, hopefully tomorrow.

Pax....

August Haze

This is a typical Indiana August morning. The heat and humidity combine to produce colors that the camera cannot capture. Light is gold with a hint of pink, everything takes on a magical glow, even the weeds and far off treeline. It is magic to stand and watch; mesmerizing to the point of being motionless.

Lens flare captures the feel of the coming day better than walking though the heavy air; it seems to part like water while languidly strolling. The heat is upon us early, and the old saying of "Red sky at dawn, Sailor be warned" is exceptionally true. These are the conditions that produce super-cells and occasionally duratios; they pop up in the afternoon as tiny thunderstorms and suddenly become massive, roiling creatures with great speed and vengeance.

After storms of this nature pass, there is occasionally a glow that, though I have tried and tried, I cannot capture. When I stood taking the photo of the corn tassels, they were sparkling as if gilded. Color becomes unreal---you cannot trust your eyes. Something in the water and the light; the dense air and the sun dropping to the horizon......everything is rich with intense hues.

We are a land of big skies; clouds not to be contained within a viewfinder. Cumulus that goes on and on, and bears remnants of the earlier threats. Blues that border on black. Shades of grey that do not cooperate with the photographer.

Striking silhouettes of simple trees against the last remaining puffs and rumbles of the storm. Impressive visions from the common. The feeling of being enveloped at any moment by cloud or dark, should the creature turn and strike again.........

And then, as if a promise to behave better tomorrow, a hint of shell-pink blush and the sun says goodnight. Another setting, intensified by the wrath of mother nature, a moment to linger in the peace of birds singing, water droplets finding the ground and the scent of the world scrubbed clean.

How small and insignificant we really are!

Pax....

Visitors

"Hello! Do you mind if we sit a spell?"

"The sky is blue and the day is warm...."

"....a little sustinance before my flight...."

"And oh! How sweet the nectar!"

The beauty that is provided by the unexpected visitors,

to whom we open all our gardens and hearts.

There is enough for all.

Pax....

An Unexpected Visitor & Tomorrow's Blog Giveaway!!!

Good Tuesday morning to you all!!! After another bout of the head doing the hula-hoop last evening, and no blog reading or work accomplished, I feel pert as the robin on the wire!

It is, for the first time, and exquisite morning here; the studio door is wide open, there is a breeze and the leaves are rustling on all the trees, much like old-fashioned silk petticoats piled deep under fancy skirts. It is a delight to sit and write!

I have a lot of photos that have not made it to the blog of late; usually a quick juant in the evening around the house or down the road a bit is all that I need to find something lovely. The light as the sun begins to set allows me to pick up delicate colors in a true fashion, such as the pink of this dog rose. I dearly love these.....their scent is totally different from any of the old fashioneds or from hybrids that have retained their fragrance through the hybridizing process.

Occasionally, there will be one that is almost pure white, either through mutation or the difference in soil nutrients.

Two delightful things this morning; first, the photo below has been posted in the Indiana Weather Service Photo Gallery! So my endangerment of life and metal implanted limb has paid off again! heehee.....It takes so little to amuse me......I am a real weather geek. *sigh*

Second, as I sat beginning to load photos for this post, a humming bird flew into my studio through the open door, hovered for a few seconds (which I am pretty sure equates to *standing still* in hummingbird speak), looked all around and then flew out. That was the best "Good Morning" I think I could have gotten. In all the times I have had this door open, the only thing that has come in is of the undesirable insect variety! LOL!!! (no Yard Man either Ulrike!!!)

Tonight I will gather the names I have for the two pieces below for the giveaway, and get them ready for random picking tomorrow morning. I have been amazed and excited/delighted with the response to this and am anxious to see to whom's homes they will go! Hopefully whoever gets them will love them too!

The time has flown since I made these and posted them.....where has June gone? Is it just me? It seems the month has been washed away by all the rain....30 days gone, disappeared with little to show for it and even less tangible work in my studio.
Oh, leaf count for those keeping track---today, it will top 100 so I can breathe a sigh of relief as soon as I have the next two sets of pattern stitched and out. Then I will cut them and proceed with other parts for the wallhanging.
Again, this post has been all over but that is my life right now. A balancing act, or better yet, one of juggling.
If you haven't signed up for the give away, today is the day to do it!
And I have to say adieu and get off to work....I hope you all have a wonderful, creative day with a few pleasant surprises thrown in for good measure!

Pax...