“It came to him in rainbow dreams,
blent with the wisdom of the sages,
of spirit and of passion born;
in words as lucent as the morn
he prisoned it, and now it gleams
a jewel shining through the ages.”
* Ailsa’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Gleaming
When you look up at the stars, what do you see? Does the panorama of tiny infinite lights give you answers, or, as it does for many of us, raise infinite questions?
Every point of light in this sky is a star or an entire galaxy. Each galaxy holds billions of stars, with solar systems like ours orbiting each of them. Is it the Great Unknown or the Meaning of Life?
Because we are born egocentric, the prospect of our personal insignificance, and thus no afterlife, is disturbing.
Fear of our own mortality creates a need to believe in something greater than we are and that our death is not the end. In addition, if there is life after death, there is the belief in reunion with those we loved, lost, and grieve for.
But if you hold an atheistic view, you accept and may even appreciate the notion of your own insignificance. If this was your attitude, would it make you feel that everything you do is futile?
Or is it simply the freedom and beauty of seeing our world, and our lives, from an omniscient perspective? The universe was here in all its immensity before we arrived, and will be long after we’re gone. Doesn’t that make our time here on earth all the more exquisite?
Are we forgetting the value of living in the moment, the desire to improve the world for others, and the joy and privilege of telling those we love how much they mean to us, because one day our time will be up?
Alas, this is just a blog post, not a lofty dissertation.
Tell me what you think of, when you look up at the stars.
*Photos in this post were taken by my husband’s cousin, Paul Sautter Jr., on his recent visit with us. His superior camera, lens, and photography skills allowed him to capture the night sky on Perry’s Point in a way that is “light years” beyond my ability. I have so much to learn!
Yay! Vivian here, letting everyone know it is our birthday today.
My sister, Maisie and I, have turned eight years old,
and we think it’s time for us to celebrate!
Aren’t we BEAUTIFUL? 🙂
Remember how we looked when we were adopted?
Here is a small gallery of us over the past eight years:
Until next time, Maisie and I wish you all a purr-fect remainder to your summer.
As for today, don’t party too hardy for our sake;
simply enjoy a nice little treat or two in our honour.
We love you!
❤
On the 2nd of August, we had a thunder and lightning storm that lasted for seven hours, the longest one we’ve witnessed since we moved to Perry’s Point (nearly) five years ago. There was torrential rain off and on throughout, but these pics were taken during the dry lightning act of the show.
This time, I can’t take credit for the photography. My daughter Denise and her husband Dave captured parts of the electrical event on their cellphones during their visit with us. I had no idea smartphones could take such great pictures!
Notice, in most of them, the phenomenon of shelf clouds with the bonus of the setting sun in the shrouded background.
Tomorrow we have a high Humidex warning with values approaching mid-thirties.
More unsettled weather may be coming.
Eek! Could another thunderstorm be on its way?
What is it that inspires our desire to create?
What moves an artist to draw or to paint a picture? What sparks the passion in a writer to pen a poem or a story? What is it that prompts a photographer to run for her camera and try to capture that perfect shot?
Here are a few things that give me continued inspiration:
1. The ocean, which surrounds me… (No surprise there, right? 😉 )
Every day, it is a slightly different colour, morphing between shades of blue sapphire, steel grey, or deep, dark navy with racing waves and frothy white-caps. On other days, it is as calm and flat as a mirror.
The sea is a living thing: mercurial, organic, merciless, and endlessly beautiful.
2. I’ve always had a passion for all animals (no, not just my cats! 😉 ).
Horses, dogs, whales, and birds…
…natural beings of the forest and untamed creatures of the sea and sky.
3. My granddaughter inspires me with her sunny smile, her boundless energy and curiosity, and her sweet innocent, loving heart.
4. My grandson inspires me with those impossibly long eyelashes, his sense of humour, his quick wit, and his infectious laughter (even when he teases his crinkly Nanny).
5. Teaching children about Nature, and why we need to respect it, appreciate it and care for it is a spark for my imagination. I love answering their many questions…
… and listening to them tell of their own experiences in the beautiful, natural world.
*
Have you ever noticed how Children and Nature go so happily together?
“Children are born naturalists. They explore the world with all of their senses, experiment in the environment, and communicate their discoveries to those around them.”
~ Audubon Nature Preschool“As a child, one has that magical capacity to move among the many eras of the earth; to see the land as an animal does; to experience the sky from the perspective of a flower or a bee; to feel the earth quiver and breathe beneath us..”
~ Valerie Andrews, A Passion for this EarthDo you have special childhood memories of exploring Nature?
What fills you with inspiration? Do tell!
We might not have the greatest weather in Newfoundland, but we do have some of the loveliest views.
I can’t seem to get enough of our local brand of vitamin Sea.
This photo from my hometown/birthplace.
*
I have a treasure trove of pics from our visit to the town of Bonavista.
This one is perfect for the theme of half sea and half sky.
*
I took this one evening from the lovely Garden Cove Walking Trail,
while we were staying in Kilmory.
*
Of course, this post would not be complete without a view from our own backyard.
“Smell the sea and feel the sky.
Let your soul and spirit fly.”
~ Van Morrison
*
Do you find the sea and sky as naturally therapeutic as I do?
***
PHOTO CHALLENGE: Half and Half
This week, let’s split our photos in two.
Travel Theme: Land meets Water
(… meets sky? 😉 )
Welcome back, my peeps and pets, to Vivian’s View From Here.
Today we take a page from my Summer Travel Diary.
Our “staff” took a break from St. John’s this past week
to spend three nights at Kilmory Resort near Swift Current.
It was beautiful and secluded there in our pine log chalet,
which, of course, was right up our alley.
Maisie and I especially loved the loft, because we like perching up high.
So peaceful, so cozy…
We weren’t particularly fond of the noise from the jacuzzi jets, however.
But we appreciated the bird’s-eye view of our beloved staff.
Here I am practising my “lumbersexual” poses. That’s a thing!
If you never heard of it, go google it! I’ll wait. 🙂
As nice and comfy as it was, after a while
we grew weary of having to staying indoors.
“Hey, I hear lots of birds and squirrels!”
Maisie meows. “Can you please let us out?”
After all, we’re used to going out all the time on Perry’s Point.
And look how beautiful and sunny it is out there!
Please???
Begging works! Our staff fashioned makeshift leashes,
so we could explore outdoors for a bit.
Thanks for dropping by, everyone!
~ head bumps & nose kisses,
Vivian
Just a quick note tonight, friends, to let you know I will be away for two weeks starting this weekend.
I’m not sure if I’ll have the time to blog before I come home again, but I do know I will enjoy this break to renew and refresh, soak up some summer fun around the province, and look for new inspiration.
I finally received my editor’s developmental review of my manuscript this past week, and am pleased to say most of the changes are not actual changes, but additions to what I have, so my laptop will go with me.
But you know what? That isn’t work because, to me, it is a labour of love.
Take care, and see you in a couple of weeks! 🙂
– Jennifer ❤
Sherry Lachelle over at Fabulous 50’s is a superbly talented photographer and travel writer who I have followed ever since I’ve been blogging.
From her About page:
Looking back, my decision to resign from a traditional 8 to 5 job and take care of my mother, was the beginning of a wonderful chapter in my life! Working in the corporate world for 30 years and raising a son left little time to discover my likes and dislikes…Starting my own meetup, entitled “Travel Spirit Meetup”, enabled me to take 13 people through 9 countries in Europe for a month in the summer of 2014. I’ve had time to take some photography classes and am now a Photographer and Travel Writer for Cincinnati Refined…I am a Life Hugger and hope to inspire others with my positive enthusiasm and set an example of what someone can accomplish at any age!”
I selected her recent post below because I ADORE the photography. Check it out, you won’t be sorry!
I’ve disabled comments here in the hope you will comment on Sherry’s blog.
If you do, please tell her Jennifer sent you.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
❤
Definition of Old-Fashioned*:
1. a: of, relating to, or characteristic of a past era, in or according to styles or types no longer current or common; not modern.
When we undertook the renovations to our home, one of the features Paul and I emphatically chose not to replace was the stained glass in the two bay windows and in the window over the stairs. These colourful panes were original to the house when it was built in 1923, came special order from England, and bear a trio motif of roses, thistles, and shamrocks.
Rose of England Thistle of Scotland Shamrock of Ireland
But what is the significance of this trio? As Wikipedia explains:
“Since the 1801 Act of Union between Britain and Ireland, the shamrock was incorporated into the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, depicted growing from a single stem alongside the rose of England, and the thistle of Scotland to symbolise the unity of the three kingdoms. Since then the shamrock has regularly appeared alongside the rose, thistle and (sometimes) leek for Wales in British coins such as the shilling and crown, and in stamps. The rose, thistle and shamrock motif also appears regularly on British public buildings such as Buckingham Palace.”
So even though nearly everything else has been renovated, replaced or upgraded,
we are happy we made the decision to keep the stained glass.
And though they may not be modern or practical…
…we love the feeling of tradition and heritage they impart,
…and the beauty they add to our sunsets.
*This has been my take on this week’s photo challenge: Old-Fashioned @ wheresmybackpack.com
Jennifer's Journal 