Several years ago a friend and I were visiting an art gallery.
Times two.
I snapped this picture of her, never noticing until I saw the shot later that she was standing in a similar pose to the piece of art hanging behind her.
Sometimes life imitates art unconsciously.
Here, here and here are a few of my favorites, so far, from this week’s challenge.
I’m feeling pretty lucky to be living up here in Michigan right now, as the blizzard Jonah is bearing down on the south and east. So far this winter has pretty much passed us by. Sure we’ve got a tiny bit of snow on the ground. And it has been cold for a couple of weeks, but this winter is nothing like the last two evil and nasty winters we all suffered through.
Still, this week’s photo challenge is all about looking forward from the middle of the long winter. What makes us feel hopeful that we’re headed toward warmer weather? What keeps us going when we’re tired of shoveling, scraping frost off windshields, bundling up, driving on treacherous roads?
Stopping for a quick visit at Matthaei Conservatory always lifts my winter blues. It’s tropical inside with lush green trees and flowering plants. And in the back is the dry hot air of a desert complete with intriguing desert plant life. For a little while you can lose yourself in another place. A warm place.
I always like to stop and visit a huge rotating pot full of colorful plants. The plants are changed with the seasons, but the best part of this exhibit is the kaleidoscope that transforms the colors in the pot into changeable art. I took this image through the eye of the kaleidoscope. As the pot of plants rotates the image changes.
Spring in the eyepiece.
It’s magic and always makes me smile. And smiling in winter? Well, that’s the first step on the road to optimism.
See other optimistic responses at the original link above. It’s early…so I haven’t picked out any favorites yet. But optimism is such a wonderful concept, they’re all bound to be great.
Another view…just turn the pot.
Sandhill cranes, though large birds, fly as though they weigh nothing at all…
Weightless cranes
…way up against the puffy, weightless clouds in the beautiful blue sky.
You can see other interpretations of weight(less) at the original WP post. Or check out a few of my favorites here, here and here.
OK…here’s another favorite from my archives:
Let’s go fly a kite.
Taken last spring on a blustery day, this couple stood on top of the sledding hill flying their kite.
For me it was easier to think about this challenge from the weightless side. But I wonder what I have in my archives that would represent weight.
I bet there’s something.
The ‘eyes’ of a tour guide in Quebec reflect all he spies.
I see you!
You can see other interpretations of Eye Spy at the original post, or catch a few of my favorites, here, here and here.
We got the first snow of the season yesterday. It came on the heels of record breaking heat and a wonderful extended fall. Yesterday it snowed steadily all day; the skies grey, the snow coming down relentlessly for hours. This morning I measured 12 inches (30.48 centimeters) of wet heavy snow covering everything, but the skies are brilliant blue and our world is stunning.
I had planned on driving out into the country to find something of three to photograph for the challenge this week. Something that would represent trio. But while I was shoveling the driveway I happened to glance up, and saw, against the bright blue sky, three roof lines all outlined in snow.
I couldn’t resist.
Three roofs, two triangles.
And once I saw the image on a screen I recognized another couple of trios in the shapes of triangles.
It wasn’t the shot I thought I was going to get. But something about the symmetry, the clean lines, the simple fact of three, something about all that makes me smile.
I hope you smile too.
You can see other representations of ‘trio’ at the original WordPress post, or catch a couple of my favorites here, here and here.
Look around. Where are the trios in your life? Care to share? Post your photos on your blog, and link back to the WordPress challenge. I look forward to seeing what you find!
This is part of the ceiling of a concert hall inside the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor Michigan. We were there last night listening to the Ann Arbor Symphony. It was another magical night.
I don’t have much that is ornate here at home, but there’s a lot out there in the world that fits that description. You can see other interpretations of ‘ornate’ at the original post. And you can see a few of my favorites (so far), here, here and here.
Share a little bit of the ornateness in your life; link your post to the WordPress challenge so we can all see. I look forward to it!
Sticking with a trend here, when I saw this week’s photo challenge I knew what I had to show you.
Be careful.
In the eleven years that I’ve worked with the Truck Safety Coalition I’ve learned a lot about big trucks. But perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned is that as a driver in a passenger car we all need to stay vigilant. Put your phones away. Stay focused.
Don’t do stupid things like cut in front of trucks, pass on the right side of trucks, or take very long to pass them on the left. Don’t tailgate them, they can’t see you back there, and you can’t see ahead. Stay as far away from big trucks as you can. And try not to be the last car in a line of cars stopped in traffic.
My message this week is the same as it is every single day.
Be careful around big trucks.
Dangerous things.
Here it is Thursday night. Tomorrow a new photo challenge will arrive. Time to get back in gear! Since I was in Washington DC this week and since I love the metro system there so much I will use it as an example of something ordinary that is extraordinary.
I love that you can see the people inside on this shot.
Everybody on the trains has a story, and most of them are interesting. Everyone I talked to while riding to and from meetings was engaging; they were all people I enjoyed talking to. There wasn’t a rude one in the bunch. In fact the metro was indicative of the way people were all over DC.
Red pants on escalator.
Even later at night, when there were fewer people around I found the stations underground to be beautiful. What the natives see as ordinary I found simply extraordinary.
You can go to the original post, up in the link above, and see what other ordinary things people found extraordinary.
Feet were made for walking.
Any time I can get near one of our Great Lakes I’m in my happy place.
You can see other people’s happy places at the original post. It’s very early in the week…so I haven’t selected any favorites yet. You’ll have to go check them all out.
Meanwhile…where is your happy place? I’d love to see it!
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Darn fence!
You can see other interpretations of ‘boundry’ at the original post. Or you can check out a few of my favorites so far here, here and here.
This is an intriguing photo challenge. What boundaries do you see around you? Care to share?
Change Is Hard 