Light Up the New Year

"For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice."

                                                                                                     --T.S. Eliot

Holiday Cheer

"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up."

                                                                                  --Mark Twain

La Noche Buena 2018

"May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve."

                                                            --Unknown

Feliz Navidad

"Christmas waves a magic wand over the world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."

                                                                                  --Norman Vincent Peale

70 Degrees...Somewhere

Recently the weather in Iowa has been a bit warmer than usual with very little precipitation....so, no complaints from me; however, it's still cold.  So, this dreamy shot of a rooftop pool fills a void -- doesn't hurt to dream a little.  Meanwhile, back to reality as winter officially arrives this coming Friday.

"Give me the splendid, silent sun with all his beams full dazzling."

                                                                                                                    --Walt Whitman

December

"December's wintry breath is already clouding the pond, 

frosting the pane, obscuring summer's memory...."

                                                                   --John Geddes

Puzzled

This image is of the The Rookery Light Court in downtown Chicago.  The building is one of the Windy City's earliest commercial skyscrapers and Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the structure's main architects.  Anyway, it's a delightful place to visit and tours are available that allow access to photograph this spectacular feature.  And, since this shot would make a very challenging jigsaw puzzle, I added the pieces to provide that effect.  Don't get dizzy.

"Drawing is vision on paper."

                                        --Andrew Loomis

Night Lights

Dynamic Horizon

Recently, while inside the aircraft, I captured this gorgeous silhouette of the wing and dynamic horizon in the background.  Although I snapped the photo with my iPhone and didn't have the opportunity to clean the window smudges left by previous passengers, it's a delightful image with great lines and color.  In addition, this time of day always captivates me as the light slowly fades to these dreamy tones of red, orange, pink and blue.  A calm settles over the land -- ahhhhhhh.

"Outside, daylight was bleeding slowly toward dusk."

                                                                                     --Stephen King

Impressions

"You can look at a picture for a week

 and never think of it again.

You can also look at a picture for a second

 and think of it all your life."

                                                                    --Joan Miro

Gobblers

May the stuffing be tasty and turkey plump.

May the potatoes and gravy be without a lump.

May the yams be delicious and pies win a prize.

And may Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs.

Hanging Around

For many in these parts, we've had at least two minor snowfalls; however, for leaf-lovers like me, there are still some gorgeous works of art underfoot and on a few branches.  And, even though I really dislike the white stuff, the early-morning scene with white highlights sprinkled on these deep red oak leaves was truly delightful.  Thank you, Mother Nature.

"And the sun took a step back,

The leaves lulled themselves to sleep, and

Autumn was awakened."

                                                                    --Raquel Franco

Patterns in Nature

"Love is a canvas pattern furnished by Nature, 

and embroidered by imagination."

                                                                                                               --Voltaire

Honoring Veterans

"May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right."

                                                                           --Peter Marshall

Grande

Wow!  That was my reaction after coming upon this beautiful giant while meandering through the butterfly habitat in Reimen Gardens on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, Iowa.  Officially this is an Atlas moth, the largest moth species.  Specifically, it was almost as wide as my outstretched hand and mostly burnt-orange in color.  According to the attendant in the butterfly wing, just that morning this moth emerged from its cocoon and would live from a few days to possibly a week or so. 

Autumn's Gift

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."

                                                                          --Albert Camus

Halloween Hangs Around

"At first cock-crow the ghosts must go back to their quiet graves below."

                                                                                      --Theodosia Garrison

Halloween

"Sticky fingers, tired feet; one last house, trick or treat!"

                                                          --Rusty Fischer

Twilight

"A sunset is the sun's fiery kiss to the night."

                                                                  --Crystal Woods

Grateful

Recently I was fortunate to be the instructor for a Zentangle art class, and the above tangle is one of the creations the participants and I worked on.  Each time I put pen to paper and draw any type of pattern, I quickly remember how fortunate I am to have stumbled upon this beautiful art form and feel much gratitude toward its founders, Maria Thomas and Rick Roberts.  Learn more at zentangle.com                               

                                                       

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul."

                                                                                        --Henry Ward Beecher

Autumn Splendor

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

                                                  --L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Nature's Bounty

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."

                                                                                                        --Stanley Horwitz

A Fall Favorite

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings,

turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings."

                                                            --William Arthur Ward

Mr. & Mrs. October

"October, baptize me with leaves!

Swaddle me in corduroy and nurse me with split pea soup.

October, tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets and 

carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins.

O autumn!  O teakettle!  O grace!"

                                                                --Rainbow Rowell

El Sol

"Laughter is a sunbeam of the soul."

                                                            --Thomas Mann

Twilight

"Twilight drops her curtain down, and pins it with a star."

                                                      --Lucy Maud Montgomery

Can U Relate?

This isn't a top-notch photo but rather something that made me laugh -- a lot.  Recently while walking through a parking lot I noticed this personalized license plate and immediately chuckled as so often I am behind the wheel and have the same feeling.  And this is proof I'm not alone.  So, it's just that simple but definintely worth sharing as I'm confident this sentiment resonates with many viewers.  Laugh a little today.

Early Autumn Stream

"If it weren't for the rocks in its bed, 

the stream would have no song."

                                                                                                                    --Carl Perkins

Double Delight

Although these blooms are beautiful hues of purple and white, I chose to edit the image in black and white as that makes the two different clematis varieties easily visible.  In the front one immediately notices the large blossoms but the small autumn variety consists of a more dainty flower and is scattered throughout the background.  The latter blooms only at this time of the year whereas the former usually provides two rounds of majestic purple petals.  

"Life is the flower for which love is the honey."

                                                                               --Victor Hugo

Little Ones

"One of the greatest lessons that adults can learn from children is the enviable ability to find happiness with simplicity."

                                                                              --Summer Jeirles

Black + White

"Life isn't black and white.

  It's a million gray areas, don't you find?

                                                                        --Ridley Scott

Late Summer Blooms

"In summer, the song sings itself."

                                                    --William Carlos Williams

Keep it Simple

"Truth is ever to be found in simplicity,

and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things."

                                                                           --Isaac Newton

Summer Fun

Some of you have seen several variations of this image as it's a favorite when it comes to summer and fun.  If this is new to you, let me explain -- this is the ferriswheel at the Arnold's Park amusement park on the shore of West Lake Okoboji in northwest Iowa.  It's a summertime tradition and delights all ages.  Of course, I've edited this image but did take it at night and got a pretty interesting scene.  Since today is Labor Day in the USA, I hope you are enjoying something new and/or exciting on this end-of-summer holiday.  

"A life without summer is like a year without summer."

                                                                                       --Unknown

Spinning

"As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're gonna be dizzy

and we're gonna make mistakes."

                                                                                            --Mel Brooks

Giant Splash Pad

These pictures are of one of the 50-foot towers in Chicago's Millennium Park that projects facial images (of Chicago residents) and stands tall above the enormous reflecting pools below.  In addition, occasionally throughout the day and into the evening, these faces move and water begins to pour out of what appears to be the person's mouth.  Essentially, it's like standing in a waterfall that's disguised as the face of a well known individual.  Watching this is very entertaining and great for cooling off on a steamy day in the city.

3 Things

"I have just three things to teach:  simplicity, patience, compassion.

These three are your greatest treasures."

                                                                                          --Lao Tzu

Light Up the Night

Who doesn't love fireworks over the water?  Well, I know several pet owners that dread such events as their furry family members don't do well with the frightening booms and bangs; however, on West Lake Okoboji (in northwest Iowa) it's a beautiful sight.  These images show the colorful displays, the barge from which the explosives are launched and all the onlookers in boats -- notice those tiny red and green lights just above the water.   This annual 4th of July tradition is one that draws hundreds and never disappoints.

Upcycling

Before

Admittedly I'm very fond of Starbuck's unsweetened cold brew coffee but prefer the taste of it sold in the small brown bottles rather than in the larger multi-serving plastic container.  However, I cringe each time I drop the bottle in the recycling bin and feel compelled to try to creatively reuse the container.  

So, I decided to try something ... and, the result can be seen in the next image.  

Trust me when I say this was super easy as I first pulled off the two large stickers and then wrapped raffia around the sticky residue that remained.  Next, I went to a craft bin in my basement and found a few autumn-colored piques of berries and leaves.  Total prep time was under twenty minutes.  This arrangement is going to be a gift but I have lots of ideas for recycling more of these little brown gems.

After

Sailing through Summer

"Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."

                                                                          --Henry James

Tidal Wave

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment."

                                                                                       --Henry David Thoreau

Christmas in July

Wanted to share these images of lights in the night as folks on Lake Delhi recently decorated for  Christmas in July.  This lake is in a section of the Maquoketa River between the towns of Manchester and Delhi, Iowa.  Many people in the area are thrilled to have this event back on the calendar after experiencing a devastating flood that caused the old dam to breach and the river to instantly return to its natural state.  Eight years later with a new dam fully operational, there's reason to celebrate.