312/365 Grateful for R&R

"Friday in the Park"

I am grateful that today is Friday and even more grateful that tomorrow is Saturday.  More and more I appreciate the weekend.  Yes, there are household chores to be done and a few errands, but none of that requires setting an alarm, only having time for one cup of coffee before heading out the door, or being dressed before 7am.  Life over the next twenty four hours is looking pretty darn good from my current vantage point!

This was a good week; it just never seemed to slow down - until now.  That may not be an entirely good thing, though.  I have had time to surf the Internet looking at photography books.  I purchased a couple of ebooks.  The others on my list will end up on my Christmas list.

I spent the day at school with Weber mentoring this morning and then staying to hear their Veteran's Day assembly this afternoon.  It is so much fun to hear those young musicians.  The band, orchestra and choir all performed.  These kids, many of whom have only been involved in music for a year or two, are only four or five years younger than some of my college students.  It is amazing to think about how much they will grow in those next few years.

We stopped by the park on the way home from school.  I knew that I only had about forty-five minutes of daylight to accomplish the day's photo.  I had a few ideas.  After quickly working through my list, I was most happy with the above shot.  I like its simplicity, its nothingness.  I have learned in the last few years that it is OK to take a few moments and do absolutely nothing.  That is the only way that I can truly relax.  For many, many years I never stopped.  Now I know why I was stressed all the time. 

We only spent a few minutes sitting at the park, but that was enough time for me to unwind from the stresses of the week and relax into the weekend.

311/365 Grateful for Quiet Times

"Going In Circles Is Not All Bad"

Most days I feel like a hamster on one of those exercise wheels...round and round I go only to end up right back where I started not knowing for sure what I have accomplished.   Feeling like there is something else that I need to be doing all the time makes it hard for me to slow down, take a deep breath and calmly and quietly reflect on the day.  One way that I like to celebrate my day is by drawing a mandala.  This sacred circle helps me to gain a better perspective on the crazy circles that I have run all day long.

310/365 Grateful for the Little Things

'It's in the Little Things"

Thank you , Sara!

309/365 Grateful for Birthdays

"The Right Time"

Despite all the jokes and teasing that usually come our way on birthdays, especially once you cross the 50 mark, they are still deserving of a joyous celebration.  To have the opportunity to greet another year is such a blessing.

One of the ways that we honor and celebrate the lives of our parents who have died is to light a remembrance candle on their birthdays.  It is a small but meaningful gesture.

308/365 Grateful for Harvest

"Harvesting the Brain"

Took this one a few days (weeks?) ago for my baby the math nerd.  It will have to do for today.  It was a rainy gray day here and there was nothing being harvested.  

I am grateful that the Lego mini figures always come to my rescue when my creativity is pretty much non-existent.

307/365 Grateful for Sight

"The Better To See You With"

I am grateful for all the things that make it easier for me to visually navigate through my days.  My iPad, phone, glasses and monocular each do a little to make my world a little better.  Because light sensitivity is one of the issues with my eyes, I chose to over expose this photo as a nod to that.

306/365 Grateful for Lessons Learned

"Follow Your Dreams"

I have learned many  many lessons in my lifetime, most of them the hard way.  The one that I value the most and the one that I wish that I had learned much earlier in life is to follow your dreams.  I have tried to teach that one to the girls.  Aren't parents supposed to try to keep their children from making the same mistakes that they did?  I am happy to see the girls trying to make a go of their bread baking business.  I wish that I didn't see so much of its mess in my kitchen, but I do enjoy seeing them trying to create something that is their very own.  Who knows, maybe they will be the next Wonder Bread.

This picture is far from technically good;  that speaks to another lesson that I have learned.  Everything doesn't have to be, nor can it be, perfect.  It has taken me a long time to learn that one but I think I might almost be there!