Oh such beautiful winter days we're having.
Sunlight and cool air.
Warm sun rays.
A few flowers bobbing around.
It's been so hard to come here because my camera has not been working.
It's given me a whole year of grief but the last few months were the worst.
My beloved professional camera who has been through so much.
Rebuilt after I dropped it. Years of pics.
A new motherboard.
But now it has ceased to exist and a new fellah has taken its place.
Yep, new camera days are here.
So, here we go, let's see how this bad boy works.
It has me chasing sunsets…
Noticing all the different shades of green.
Looking for all different kinds of sunlight.
Paparazzi-ing the 35 little birds that live in my rose arbor.
Watching clouds and snow and…
Of course, harassing my beloved children.
Watching the little guardian.
Ears up, ready to pounce.
Little birds lined up on electrical wires.
And you can imagine my glee when the sky turns purple and neon pink.
Snap, and snap.
Fire light through bushes.
Candy sky dreams.
Moon wishes.
And garden twinkle lights.
So, here we go.
A new camera era & fresh snaps for the bloglette.
I'm iffy about change, although embracing it more as I get older.
Still, a new camera investment is always a crazy adventure.
Sooooo, it should be fun.
I'll be back to enjoying taking photos & sharing them with you.
Instagram is easy to get used to, just a phone pic and you post, voila.
You can find me there all the time.
But actually taking your camera out for picture taking is a whole different kind of experience.
Is it becoming a lost art in the age of phone pic ease?
I had forgotten how incredible it is.
So, hooray.
New camera.
The days have been so dreamy here, great weather.
Not hot, but sunny and cool.
I watched Bright Lights on HBO did you?
It was so good and heartbreaking.
Then I followed it up with Carrie Fisher's stage production of Wishful Drinking.
So good.
I was left very pensive after watching those two back to back.
(I watched them through Amazon with the HBO add on)
At how much we have to embrace and love every little morsel of life.
How fleeting it all is.
Living life as full as we can is everything.
That's why I spent a bunch of cash on winter flowers.
Hahaha!
Excuses excuses.
But really, it's true.
Find things that will bring you joy and do them.
Not to get all wacky weird, but once when I was around 18 or 19 I had my first traumatic break up where I totally lost myself. But that break up turned out to be the best thing ever ever ever because I was so sad that I was forced to get off the floor and find myself or die from pain.
And so I searched and searched.
And finally one day I asked myself, Vanessa, what would you like to do today?
What would make you happy?
And so I put canvases all over the floor of my garage and splattered paint.
I even put paint on my feet and ran all over the canvases.
Then I went to the garden center and bought tons of plants.
And thus started my journey with the healing power of the garden.
The point is, I stopped and asked myself the question.
What would you like to do today, what do you enjoy?
Not what do you want to do with your life.
But what would you like to do in this moment.
I think that's how you build a map to yourself.
You find all the things you love in life, and no matter how your world might get rocked…
You can easily go back to those things that your heart loves.
It's important to have a youness that you can turn to.
Don't you agree Eunice? 😉
In the Words of Meryl…
"As my friend, the dear departed Princess Leia, said to me once,
'Take your broken heart, make it into art.' "
Hear Hear!
Heart art for always I say.
Broken or not.
For a healthy heart, make art!!
That's my newly, just now invented, motto.
Insert copyright, haha!
Wanna join me?
I'm gonna write it on my wall asap.
Ok so, have a fabbbb day!
And now I can be back sooner since I have a new partner in crime.
A dandy lil' photograph snapper to help document my adventures.
Yay!
Looove, V
Good to have you back with your lovely pictures! I love the colorful sunsets! And the doggies of course!
It looks so lovely out your way. We have had a rough week in the weather department! We had a day of rain & very high winds, then a day of really bad fog, and now today we have ice everywhere! There was a hint of snow & then freezing rain & sleet. We’ve barely had any snow here. The snow makes everything look brighter & less dead. I know some people are getting more than their fair share of snow.
Good luck with the new camera! It looks like it’s working just fine!
Such wise words V. I love asking what you want to do this moment. Not in your whole life. I will tell my girls this because that way, like you’ve said, they can always find some happiness. I think I’ll take that advice too. 🙂 Welcome new camera! Can’t wait to see what you can do for Miss V! Hehehehe. Maybe you should name your new camera??? xoxoxoxo Jen
Hiii new camera! Do you name it? Does it get a name? What gender is it? Lemme know. 😉 I’m curious about weird things, always.
We are actually just on our way to a friend’s art show opening at the local community college. She lives in Savannah (a Professor/resident artist at SCAD) so we’re happy to see her. Her husband played at our wedding reception (Latin fusion music – HIS dad taught Ricky Ricardo how to Babaloo!!!)
Anywho yes, ART and healthy hearts. Good good things – just like sunsets and birdies and trees and furry children and you forgot coffee but I am mentioning it for me haha and nature in general. What’s up with you dahlink? Put on your cape and flyover! xoxoxviiixoxox
‘Take your broken heart, make it into art.’ —-> I almost broke into tears because it was sincere and also tragic because of it being a quote of Carrie Fishers. Ugh/whew.
However, it’s a goal and I might not do it every day, but I’m trying to work it in there in small ways when I can. You know how it goes.
It looks like it takes fabulous photos my friend! Hope you have a wonderful new year! Sweet hugs, Diane (I thought of you when I posted today. I didn’t make our favorite quiche but I made a chicken pot pie…need to make quiche again SOON!)
This blog inspired me to make one of my own. Keep seeing the beauty in life; it’s contagious. 😊
Oh yes I know that feeling…I bought my new Canon in November and I’m still coming to terms with it and like you dashing out everytime the sky turns colour!…still loving what you post though!!
sweet…wise and inspiring words. I always love coming here and never miss reading one of your posts. So glad you found the strength to rise up and find what gives you joy <3 Your photos are always full of such loveliness and charm. I'll look forward to seeing more! Wishing you loads of garden and creative adventures~
Tamara xoxo
Vanessa! You are the greatest! I have been feeling down in the dumps lately, but your thoughts have inspired me to pick myself up, brush off the cookie crumbs and focus again on my happy thoughts. SO thank you for that! And those purple and pink sunset skies…SCRUMPTIOUS! My husby and I always call those “Unicorn Skies”. And it is always so wonderful to pics of your kiddos!Always makes me smile. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I hope you are doing well. Love your posts and photos; glad you have a new camera to replace your old trusty!
**squeals of delight** Looks like you have learned your new camera VERY well already. I love each and every shot. Such JoY to visit you, My Friend.
**blows kisses*
Deb
Ohhhh, I loved this post. I am sorry I have not been here to comment so much lately. I had surgery 12/30 and didn’t realize until after the surgery just how sick the bad gallbladder was making me feel for months. Anyway we have been busy with a short trip to one of my favorite places Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg and then when we came home we got our girls for the night. The little one is always so happy to be here she doesn’t want to stop playing long enough to eat or sleep. The older one and I always have such neat conversations about her writing and about books.
So for today I have been doing things that had to be done like laundry and paying bills.
Now I am going to do some experimenting with some ideas I saw on a video using colored pencils. I’ve decided I have to make time for the things I just want to do.
Love all your pictures and all your beautiful candy skies and sunshine. Beautiful flowers. We have been getting all the gardening books. Love planning what we will grow this year.
Yay for a new camera, I wish they had social media shares built in because my phone takes crappy quality photos. I love your quote what do you want to do in the now. I always put off the spark of innovation and creativity due to the laundry, chores etc….but this shall change. Beautiful photos,I enjoy visiting your wonderland.
Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel.. I’m happy about your new camera!!