Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Posted on by Rebecca C.

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle,

and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

—Buddha—

I originally posted this photo to my personal Facebook page with the comment, “I don’t know who they are but they look like they were having fun.” A friend of mine replied, they look like us on a girls’ night as we head out to dinner and a movie. She’s right. When we get together, we laugh and share our stories. These ladies were probably no different than the rest of us.

I cannot tell if these ladies were sisters or friends. If they were together at a family gathering or just enjoying each other’s company, I will probably never know. Perhaps they were part of the “Ladies in the Band”. ( https://rebeccaswritingsandphotography.com/2015/10/13/ladies-in-the-band/) I produced the image from the same group of negatives I purchased at an estate sale.  I just know at this moment, they were happy.

As we travel through life’s daily trials, being happy with our family and friends is one of the greatest achievements.

Until next time…peace

Morning’s Sunrise

Posted on by Rebecca C.

“Here Comes The Sun”

By

The Beatles 

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it’s all right

Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it’s all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it’s all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it’s all right
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
It’s all right, it’s all right

I will admit this is the song, I thought about when the sun was rising this morning.
Hope everyone had or is having a great Thursday!!
Until next time….peace

Ladies in the Band

Posted on by Rebecca C.

The ladies in the band…well at least that is what I am calling them. I really do not know anything about their story. I purchased this set of negatives from an estate in Michigan. There was not any other information to go along with the find.

I have been trying to research the sign behind the ladies. I was hoping I could figure out a year for the pictures. Any ideas?
I have been trying to research the sign behind the ladies. I was hoping I could figure out a year for the pictures. Any ideas?

I would love for someone to tell me the story around their performance.

  • Were they in a band?
  • Were they putting on a program or play?
  • Were they travelers?
  • What type of music did they play?
  • Did anyone sing?

What Were They Doing?

I would love to hear your theories. Do you know their story?

Until next time….peace

 

The Milan Cathedral

Posted on by Rebecca C.

I recently purchased some negatives from an estate sale. Unlike photographs, I really cannot tell the subject matter of the negatives until I start turning them into images. I usually save the negatives for the winter months when the weather keeps me indoors. But, I could not sleep last night (too much caffeine). So, I decided to “play” with some photos.

One of the first images, I produced was this beautiful cathedral. After researching different architectural structures, I found out this is the Milan Cathedral in Italy. The structure is beautiful. I wish I could fly there right now to view the spectacular place. The Milan Cathedral is 5th largest church in the entire world. We definitely do not have anything that amazing around here. Here are some other facts:

  • The Milan Cathedral is the second largest church in Italy.
  • The cathedral is dedicated to St. Mary of the Nativity.
  • The Italian Gothic cathedral took over six centuries to build. Originally started in 1386 and finished in 1965.
  • The cathedral has a capacity of 40,000.
  • The cathedral is made out of Candoglia marble.
  • The cathedral holds the seat of the Archbishop of Milan which is currently Cardinal Angelo Scola.

The old image I revised does not even come close to showing the beauty of the place. As a person who loves history, I definitely would like to visit the Milan Cathedral. I was on their official website. (http://www.duomomilano.it/en/visit-us/) The cathedral holds various events including organ concerts, Concert by the Choir of Duomo di Milano, and Concert for violin e violcello. The concerts and the guided tours would keep me there for days.

Until next time…..peace

 

Supermoon Thoughts

Posted on by Rebecca C.

“When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon,

 my soul expands in the worship of the creator.”

         – Mahatma Gandhi

Did you get to see the super moon and lunar eclipse last night? Here in Michigan, we had scattered cloudy skies which made the event challenging to view.

However, I was able to view the spectacular event through cloud cover. The clouds would move away, I would catch a glimpse of the beautiful eclipse. Even with the massive cloud coverage and the inability to catch a clear photo, I found the entire night to be peaceful.

  • The stars would shine through the cloud coverage as the eclipse proceeded. A bright star appeared directly above me, I could not help but make a wish.
  • The inspiring nature only heard at night added to the spectacular event. The owls would hoot off in the distance. I would like to think they were voices their happy opinions of the night’s wondrous events.
  • I could hear the deer walking up the gravel road. Deer make a breathing noise, a snort. At first, they did startle me. But once I knew the approaching creature was harmless, I enjoyed the moment in nature. I had to remind myself… this was not one my stories and a werewolf was not approaching.
  • The one creature I was not able to identify was on top of my roof. I am assuming the critter was a raccoon or a squirrel. I could hear scurry back and forth as I stood outside my house. Of course, my imagination kicked into over drive and I was thinking of large gargoyles and goblins.

Despite of my over active imagination, the entire night gave me a sense of calmness.

Until next time…peace

 

 

 

 

First Day of Autumn

Posted on by Rebecca C.

 

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall”

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Today, September 23, 2015 is the first official day of autumn. The Autumnal Equinox actually started around 4:20 this morning. Here in Michigan, I have been seeing the signs of the upcoming fall season for the last couple of weeks. I noticed over the weekend (I was photographing an outdoor wedding) that the sun was setting sooner. From my understanding, we are losing about 2-4 minutes of daylight a day. Just another sign from nature, the cooler months are about to be ushered in.

The leaves are starting to show their brilliant last burst of color as the reds and orange become more visible by the day.

I also love this time of year for the mushrooms. As I walk through the woods, the mushrooms are appearing throughout the paths and on the stumps. Mushrooms remind me of fairies. I could spend all day walking around day dreaming about  fantasy worlds. I love to photograph the mushrooms and fungus, and then return to my computer to write. The smallest sprouts sticking up through the ground or along a log can have the biggest impact on my imagination.

First time, I noticed this type of mushroom along the path. I need to research more to find the proper name.

The weather was actually perfect for the first official day of autumn. The sun was shining brightly all day with temperatures around 77˚F. The night has brought a clear crisper sky to view the moon and stars. I am hoping the clear skies will last; I want to be able to see the Supermoon this weekend.

I hope everyone had a great first day of autumn.

Until next time….peace

 

The Blanket of Winter Approaches

Posted on by Rebecca C.

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”

– J.R.R. Tolkien

The past week has been cooler which allows me to enjoy every bit of the outdoors. I am not much for hot humid days. I know I should not complain about the heat because winter will be here before I know it. I can already see the signs of the upcoming fall season.

  • Leaves are beginning to turn a fainter green as they prepare for their burst of colors.
  • The summer birds are becoming more scarce as they begin their long migration south to warmer areas. I rarely see Egrets or the Cranes at the old river. I miss the rattle voice of the Sandhill Crane on the river flats.
  • The birds that are still here are gathering in great numbers. I see them flying above the tree tops. They seem to be going back and forth in a harmonic formation as if to gain strength to prepare for their upcoming journey.
  • The days are slowly growing shorter as the frogs and crickets continue to sing their last praises of summer.
  • The squirrels and chipmunks scurry across the dirt paths in the woods where I walk. I see them clutching acorns and walnuts to hoard for the long winter.
  • The nights are cooler which provides a gentle breeze through open windows.

I love this time of year. I know warmer days are still in the forecast. But I am ready for September and October. The two months that seem to be speak to my heart as the blanket of winter approaches. Mother Nature always provides the settle hints that a new season will soon be issued in. Even though today is rainy, I plan to enjoy as much of the outdoors as I possible can during this transition of seasons.

Until next time….peace…

Dragonflies: Amazing Little Creatures

Posted on by Rebecca C.

I love dragonflies. I could watch and photograph these fascinating little insects for hours. I recently sat in the field and just observed their behavior. I was working on some writing; I needed inspiration for flying fairies. The dragonflies always help me with my creative needs. As I watched them hovering, flying backwards and forward, and swooping all around me, I wrote with great wonder. I decided to do a little research on these flying beauties.

Interesting Facts about Dragonflies

As I glanced through the different fact, I found these to be the most interesting.
• Incredible Eyes: The dragonflies’ eyes have around 30,000 individual lenses or ommatidia which give them a rather incredible panoramic view of their surroundings. Each of those lenses provides an image. The brain of the dragonfly will use all of those individual images to make one picture. The eye allows for the entire color spectrum, UV light, and light polarization to be viewed.

• Wings: The dragonfly has two sets of wings; each wing can work independently. The extra set allows the dragonfly to slow the movement of the wings down. On an average, the dragon fly will flaps the two sets of wings around 30 beats per second. The independent movement of the wings gives the dragonfly the ability to hover and fly in all directions. The dragonfly also has the ability to change directions instantly which helps if been sought by a predator. And, can reach speeds of up to 36 mph.

• Food: A dragonfly eats mosquitoes and flies. I couldn’t figure out why I have seen so many dragonflies this year. Well, the wet weather created an overly abundant breeding ground for mosquitoes. The dragonflies have been enjoying a grand feast.

• Species: Currently there are around 5,000 species of dragonflies. All the dragonflies are part of the order Odanata which roughly translates to “toothed one”. The dragonfly can be found almost anywhere in the world where the environment is habitable. A dragonfly cannot live in the Antarctica; the little insects love a more tropical feel. The hot and humid weather here in mid-Michigan right now must seem like paradise to them.

• Ancient Creature: The dragonfly has been around for around 250 million years. The largest fossil reports the ancestor relative had a wingspan of around 2 ½ feet. Can you imagine that flying around the back field? Just amazing to consider.

The next time, you view a dragonfly consider how incredible this insect is or picture a fairy and let you imagination run wild.

Stormy Michigan

Posted on by Rebecca C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning
This was the very beginning of the storm. I really didn’t think much of it at this point.

 

 

 

After the Storm
After the storm was clearing, I looked up to see this bird flying by. The large bird was too far away for me to properly identify.
Dark Clouds Over Barn
The sky became almost black in the middle of the day. But the storm was not as bad as I originally thought it was going be.
Storm Clouds
My cloud fascination continues.
Storm
This part of the storm had me a little worried. But the storm just brought a lot of rain and wind.
Storm
Over the Trees
Storm
Love the Clouds
Storm
Moving across the back field

 

Michigan has been experiencing seasonal thunderstorms. I do not have the knowledge to state the proper terms. But basically, the weather is hot and very humid which when colder air pushes in creates the storms. I am lucky and grateful that none of these storms have caused any damage.

I have recently become fascinated with photographing clouds. Storm clouds are just another part of my new found curiosity. Believe it or not, the entire time I was out photographing the clouds, the rain held off. The clouds moved across the sky first. Then, the rain seem to follow behind. Absolutely fascinating.

And, yes….my mother called and left a message on my phone to “stop taking pictures and get in the house”. Some things will never change.

Until next time….peace always.

Flowers and More Flowers….

Posted on by Rebecca C.

You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry.

And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.

Walter Hagen

This time of year, there are flowers blooming everywhere. The back fields are full of Queen’s Anne Lace. I love these flowers. But there over abundance appearance in the back fields signify summer is half over.

Queen's Anne