Invincible Summer

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger — something better, pushing right back.” – Albert Camus

This is one of my best-loved quotes.
Small wonder the author won the Nobel prize in Literature in 1957.

Do you have a favourite quote to share?

In the Ocean of Life

“In the ocean of life, we are all ships that pass in the night.”

 adapted from a poetic metaphor by
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Sunday Snaps: Abstracts in Seasonal Photography*

*Hi, everyone! I’m resharing a popular post from three years ago and have closed comments. My apologies – I’m away but will return next week with something new. – JKP

***

Designing abstract images from nature photography can be creative fun. When you play around with your photos to highlight shape, colour, texture, etc., you can come up with some interesting captures.

In this post, I share images from the four seasons.
All but one were taken here in Newfoundland.

Winter in Newtown

Cold Atlantic off Perrys Point, Newtown, NL
Cold Atlantic Ocean off Perry’s Point
187
Sleet on Grass with Ice Fog 
Funnel Cloud 

Spring

Iceberg, Greenspond, NL
Iceberg in Greenspond, NL
Tuscan Vineyard and Olive Grove, Italy
Tuscan Vineyard and Olive Grove, Italy
Spring Thaw, Newtown, NL
Spring Thaw in Newtown

Summer

Groundcover in Woods, Kilmory, NL
221
Lead Cove Bank, NL
Thunderclouds, Newtown, NL
Thunderclouds over Newtown
Evergreens, Garden Cove, NL
Evergreen Branches in Garden Cove, NL

Autumn in Newtown

Granite on Perry's Point, Newtown, NL
Granite and Lichen on Perry’s Point
Partridgeberries on the Point
Partridgeberries 
109
Wet Sand
Mackerel Sky, Newtown, NL
Mackerel Sky in Newtown

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
~ Albert Einstein

Originally published here.

Beating Myself Up Over The Gossipers

Les chuchoteuses (English: “The Gossipers”) is a 2002 bronze outdoor sculpture by Rose-Aimée Bélanger installed along Montreal’s Rue Saint-Paul, in Quebec, Canada.

I took the above photo ten years ago on my second visit to the beautiful city of Montreal. I’ve been beating myself up ever since for cutting off the middle gossiper’s toes!

Here’s a pic of the full sculpture from Wikipedia, toes and all:

Perhaps I should take the advice of this quote:

“Don’t beat yourself up for not being perfect. But you might want to kick your own ass
if you’re not trying to get better.” – Hal Elrod

By the way, I stopped beating myself over real gossipers a long time ago. 🙂

Frozen Time

Photography is the art of frozen time

“Photography is the art of frozen time …
the ability to store emotion and feelings within a frame.”

– Meshack Otieno

Newtown, NL

Photos were taken on the first of January while out for an afternoon walk.
Our faces felt frozen but our bodies stayed toasty warm.

Time to bundle up on those walks, my northern friends.
Happy New Year to all!

Paw Prints

Cold winter days are fast approaching, and for our feline friends and housemates Maisie and Viv, that means snowy paws and shorter trips outside.

Sometimes they cry to go out, but change their minds and make a quick backtrack when we open the door and the bitter wind hits their furry faces. Then they cry again as if we can magically change the weather for them!

“Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want.” – Joseph Wood Krutch, American writer, critic, and naturalist

Cozy

When I folded laundry from the dryer the other day, I put a throw cushion on top until I got around to bringing it upstairs.

I usually do that to prevent one of the cats from turning it into a bed. Well, Maisie couldn’t resist the warm nest and simply nudged the cushion aside.

“Voila! Thanks, Mom.”

I didn’t have the heart to drive her out of it. ❤️

“Like all pure creatures, cats are practical.”
~ William S. Burroughs

Today a reader…

Please encourage your children to read.

Give them books they would enjoy for Christmas.

Take them to the public library to get their own library card.

If they are too young to read themselves, read them bedtime stories.

It’s never too early to inspire a love of good books. No, they won’t all become leaders, but research shows that reading to children and discussing the book is the best way to increase your child’s IQ and instill a love of reading.

10 Ways for Parents to Encourage Their Child to Read

Evening Sky in Autumn

Autumn sky“There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky.”
– Percy Bysshe Shelley

Mariners’ Memorial

I don’t know about you, but I find these fall photos I took in scenic Grand Bank as Halloween-ghostly as they are eye-catching.

The story behind this memorial is one of tragedy and loss, a familiar one for many who live on this island in the North Atlantic.

From the Town of Grand Bank’s website:

“This is the Mariners’ Memorial: a life-size female figure and a water and beach rocks “shoreline” containing the names of the mariners who were lost at sea. The woman represents and exemplifies the virtues and strength of character of thousands of Newfoundland wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters who had to endure the loss of their men. She is standing alone on the widow’s walk staring in the distance. Her body is full of tension, anticipation and premonition of tragedy. Like a withered tree, she remains there eternally expecting those who will never return.”

To see more of my photos from historic Grand Bank, NL, click here.