Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: weather


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WordPress challenge: minimalist take II

I wandered about today, camera in hand, even though the sky was mostly uninteresting.  The leaves, once colored, are long gone, the crops nearly gone as well.  The landscape was brown.  And gray.  Drab.

But that works for what I was looking for; minimalism in the country.

I honestly think the concept of a minimalistic photograph fits more into an urban setting, at least in my mind, but I wanted to see if I could show you the vast expanses of farm country here in mid-Michigan.  And see if I could convince myself that minimalism can have a country side as well.

I found a few interesting things, but so many seemed busy, cluttered.  I like filling the frame when I’m on a photo hunt, so it was hard to look for negative spaces, to leave part of the frame empty.  I’ll show you some of the shots that didn’t make the minimalist cut, but when I came across this I had to capture it.

harvest time

It’s the end of the harvest here, and the white truck parked and being filled with shucked corn by the harvester in the middle of nowhere just struck me.  The muted colors, the empty field.  It all shouted to be noticed.

So I did.

You can see other photographers’ minimalistic offerings here and here.   Go.  Enjoy.  Spread your arms in all the space.   You can see all of photos by going to the original post.

And give it a try yourself.  No matter where you are you can find something minimal and interesting if you look.

Even way out in the country.

 


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WordPress Photo Challenge – Minimalist

The concept of a minimalist photo is simple.  You might even say minimal.  It should contain a large amount of negative space and a somewhat monochromatic color scheme.  And if you can, it should tell a story.    This morning we woke to our first significant snow, so large parts of our world were monochromatic; I found this right outside my front door.

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I’m not sure this is totally correct, I don’t see negative space for example.  I’m hoping to get out tomorrow to search for another example.  But you never know about tomorrow, so I’ll put this out there for now.  You can see other examples of minimalist photography here, here, here and here.  And especially this one.  Or go to the original link and read all about it, then look at the hundreds of submissions attached.

Meanwhile I’ll enjoy looking for another bit of minimalism.  You can too.  I’d enjoy seeing what you come up with!


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Spend a relaxing weekend

On the lake.

On the lake.

Doesn’t it seem like people are stressed more than ever lately?  Frightening sights from all over the world flow into our nightly news every evening.  The economy continues to wallow and we all work harder than ever trying to get by, trying to make a difference, trying our best.

So I appreciate a lovely long weekend filled with nothing but good food and good company.  Here in the United States it’s Labor Day Weekend, when we  celebrate the labor of so many generations before and appreciate those people that worked so hard to build the country we are lucky enough to inhabit today.  It’s a time for family barbecue, camping in the woods, bonfires, boat rides, long walks, and naps.

I’m spending this holiday weekend on a lovely lake in the South where the weather has cooperated and the waters are warm, where the skies fill each afternoon with towering clouds but only a little bit of rain falls.

When I head back to work next week I’ll keep the memories of boat rides and deck sitting and bobbing in warm waters tucked safely away in the back of my mind.  And when that customer demands immediate attention or the coworker calls in sick I’ll pull those memories out and smile again.

We hope all of you are having a lovely weekend as well.  May we all relax and then start again next week with high spirits and wonderful memories.

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Weekly Photo Challenge – – One

This week the WordPress photo challenge is  One.   We had an ice storm Saturday night and I decided to take advantage of the sadly beautiful devastation in my own backyard to show you my interpretation.  You can click on any photo to see more detail.

Many of our trees are hanging in low curves over the bird feeder.   Sunday the birds tried hanging out on ice covered twigs only a few feet from my window while waiting their turn at the feeder.  I thought this solitary finch was perfect for the concept of one.

ice goldfinch edited

I thought about stopping there, but I had a plan, even before the ice storm, to hang a single holiday ornament on a tree in the yard.  I thought I’d wait until after the storm and pick a snow or ice covered spruce.  But Sunday morning I couldn’t resist using the ice on our toppled birch tree as a foil against the red.

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The ice is beautiful, but my heart aches for the loss of our lovely birch trees.  They’ve all been damaged, most will have to be cut down this spring.  I’ll have these images as memories of how beauty can be so damaging.

ice cardinal edited


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Frosty morning

Garden beauty

Garden beauty

This time of year we here in Michigan are always threatened by an early frost.  Just when late blooming dahlias are at their best the weather turns cool and those dastardly weather people start making noises about frost.  Wednesday it was in the 90’s (32.2 C) here.  Last night we were warned it could go as low as 38 (3.33C) in the city, maybe colder out here in the country.  So after supper Katie and I went out and cut a few of the beautiful blooms, bringing them in to save them from the cold.

New variety

New variety

Katie had to go out this morning at 5:30 and I could see there was frost on the roof of the car parked in the driveway but I haven’t been out now that it’s daylight to see if the frost killed any plants.  We covered the tomatoes with sheets so they should be fine.  Meanwhile I have these lovely flowers inside to enjoy.  And Katie and I saw a shooting star when we were wandering in the cold earlier.

Pretty amazing

Pretty amazing

Flowers and shooting stars.  Not a bad way to start the weekend.

Summer memories

Summer memories


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Another six done

I never got around to blogging about last Sunday’s six mile run/walk.  It was a long story and I shared it with my online running group so I guess it’s validated that way.  I got in a couple more 3 milers after work this week.  I’m still having trouble with my feet; the arches ache so much when I begin and it’s not till mile 2 is done that I get much relief so it’s a challenge to make myself keep trying.  But I have a goal.  I’d really like to do the 10 mile Crim race at the end of August.  Yes.  This August.  I used to run it every year and I haven’t been able to in the past three years or so.  So I keep getting out there.  Keep hoping.

Do you want to hear about my six miler this morning?  I went a route I haven’t been for a couple of years.  Figured it would be fun to see what had changed.  In the end though I wasn’t really paying attention to the views, it was more about listening to my body, figuring out what hurts and what doesn’t and  why.

The best, perhaps biggest news?  My feet didn’t start out hurting!  Maybe I’m over the hump with that.  Instead of aching arches during my first mile I had the normal twinges; ankles, shins, knee.  I felt like a runner!  In fact I ran a whole 1/2 mile without stopping, I was so happy about the way my feet felt.  I think that’s the longest I’ve run in 4 years.  Yes when I stopped running and began a walk break I could still feel those pesky arches, but it was more a general fatigue, not a dibilitating ache.  So I’m very very pleased.

Once I settled into the run I enjoyed the fact it was darn cold out.  It’s in the 50’s here, which is perfect for running.  Plus there was a lovely little breeze.  We’ve had lots of rain so my dirt road was soft and there was virtually no traffic.  Perfect.  I had lots of time to think.

I thought about my parents a lot. Not the overwhelming grief of years past, just noticing a little flower Mom would have liked, or the new construction house that would have interested Dad.  It’s been nine years now and I’ve mostly moved out of that dark place.  For example I ran into an acquaintance couple this week.  They told me it had been a rough year for them; his father became ill and died, her mother died too.   I listened to their story and offered my comfort and condolences without diluting their pain with my own story.   They’ve never heard mine, and likely never will.  I’ve learned over the years the benefit of sharing a painful story, how the telling eases the pain.  And I can listen now and offer support without having to share my own.  It’s a good place to be.

In between thinking about my folks I convinced my self to run to the next sign, the next mailbox, the next corner.  I made a rule to always run to the next red thing.  Thank goodness there weren’t many red things on my route,  just two mailboxes and a porta-potty in front of the new build.  So that was six mandatory runs on my out and back 3 miles.  Plus lots and lots more.

At one point I thought I’d run to the street sign.  But as I got closer to it something in my mind suggested to go past it to that mailbox up there.  “But that’s a long way!  And it’s uphill!”  “Yes, yes it it.”  “Well OK then.”   Once my mind got away with pushing me like that it tried to do it on every bit of every run segment.  “How about to that mailbox?”  “How about to the one AFTER that mailbox?”  “Now STOP that!”  “Only after you get past that street sign.”  “Well OK then.”

I turned west at the end of mile 5, coming out of the dark wet green of the woods into the open next to a golf course.  I saw dark black clouds and heard distant thunder.  I still had a mile to go.  Well OK then.  Starting up the last mile, the last long hill I could see rain beginning near the top.  The breeze picked up.  I picked up my speed too.  At the top of the hill I turned into my subdivision, back onto paved roads.  I slowed and watched the way the misty raindrops made yesterday’s puddles dance.  Pretty.  Maybe this was just God’s way of providing a giant mister, like they do at the end of a long race, to cool me down.  Well OK then.

I lifted my sweaty face into the mist and smiled.  Another six done.  I beat my time from last Sunday’s hilly six.   And though I didn’t feel like I wanted to do any more miles right at the moment, I also didn’t feel like I couldn’t.   My feet didn’t hurt as much as they have on previous runs.  My legs are just typically fatigued.  The 10 mile Crim race just might be doable.

Well OK then.

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