Thursday, December 31, 2009

The End December 31, 2009


The End, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Here it is, the very last sunset of 2009. The last sunset I will see, experience, enjoy, and photograph this year. It represents so much more. Not only is this the end of the day, it is the end of the year, the end of a decade, maybe the end of an era. In our ever changing world we can count on one thing; change. Two things actually, change and an unchanging God. I'm glad that no matter what tomorrow holds or what the year ahead holds, My Father God who has loved me these 52 years with an unending, unchanging and unconditional love will continue to Hold me safely yet tenderly in the palm of his mighty hand.
Welcome 2010!
Blessings~

Open it! December 30, 2009


Open it!, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

The new year is fast approaching. The old will soon be gone and the new will have arrived. Sometimes it's good to shut the door on the past, to leave it behind. But it can be scary to move into the future. The door to tomorrow may not look like one we want to open. Is it safe? Will I like what's behind that door? Am I going thru alone? New years and new doors often mean change. I choose not to fear the change but to embrace it. Behind that beat up old door I will find challenges and change, the familiar and new adventures. I can't wait to open the door. How about You?
Blessings~

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Somethings Missing December 29, 2009


Late December Day, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

After a Christmas Blizzard we were finally able to drive to northern MN to celebrate Christmas with my mom, dad, sister and her family. We arrived before lunch and that afternoon I needed to go for a little walk. (Mom always feeds us very well!) It was cold, but a beautiful afternoon. A couple years ago I took a similar photo but this year there were a couple things missing. The beautiful barn that had been there finally lost it's battle with gravity. Here is a shot taken on a blustery day. http://www.flickr.com/photos/9199449@N08/2144179488/in/set-72157603198719734/ and this is a closer look http://www.flickr.com/photos/9199449@N08/2162139649/in/set-72157603198719734/. Also missing is this wonderful old pickup http://www.flickr.com/photos/9199449@N08/2039768268/in/set-72157603212215570/.

Looking towards a new year you may notice some things that just aren't there anymore. Children off to college, a job no longer yours. Broken relationships or loved ones passed on. Our stuff gets old or we have too much so we sell it, throw it or give it away. Sometimes it can be a good thing to remove "clutter", sometimes loss is just plain painful. When I look at this scene, I know what is missing and there is sadness for what's been lost but I also see beauty and potential for the future. Sometimes we can work to restore what's missing, like a broken relationship. Sometimes we have to accept the reality of loss and move forward. It is my prayer for you that as you let the past year slip away you'll find beauty and potential in the year to come.
Blessings~

Monday, December 28, 2009

After....December 28, 2009


After...., originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

I took a few photos today just before sunset. That is my favorite time of day, my favorite light to shoot by. Much of the landscape in this area is flat, flat, flat. No hills, mountains, buttes, waterfalls or lakes. Lots of land as far as the eye can see. In the summertime this field may be filled with wheat or beans or beets or corn. We watch the little plants pop thru the soil in rows. They grow and grow and soon we have the beautiful colors of fall when the crops are ready for harvest. Then comes the winter. Sky and snow. But if you look for it you can find the beauty. I have two shots like this on flickr. One of them is right out of the camera. Nice...
This one I enhanced using picasa. I hit the auto contrast button and the auto color button. I liked what I saw. Sometimes it's ok to add a little color, a little drama to the ordinary of living.
Blessings~


Note: if you click on the photo, it will take you to my flickr account, you can compare the two photos.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Sticks December 27, 2009


Sticks, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

After several gloomy days, snow, wind, blizzard conditions, no travel, drifts, ice and on and on, we finally got a glimpse of the sun this evening! I first noticed a glow on some buildings across the street. I threw on my coat, boots, cap and gloves and headed outdoors with my camera. At first I was just going to shoot the buildings across the street but the colors at the edge of town so enticed me I decided to take a little walk. The winter sky kept changing, just when I thought I had missed the sunset, the colors would change again. I chose this one for the One a Day set because I liked the colors. Sometimes these trees bug me because they block my view of the sunset. Sometimes I love the way they stand guard, tall, mostly straight , working together, sticking together. They add texture, color and interest to my photo. I hope you have some "sticks" like that in your life, some who will stand with you, stand tall, stand guard, working with you, sticking by you. Some who add texture, color and interest to your life.
Blessings~

Whose Party is it anyway? December 26, 2009


Pining, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

I don't know about you but I get so caught up in the frenzy before Christmas, I sometimes look at the calender on December 26th and say to myself, it's over and you missed it! Growing up, we set up and decorated our real tree on Christmas eve. That was when the party started. Of course mom had all kinds of goodies prepared, cookies, breads, lefse and more! But our "Christmas Programs", company, caroling, and general celebrations took place from Dec 23rd or 24th thru the new year. We never threw the tree out til near the end of January. I think I liked it that way better. I celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus my savior. It's His party. Sometimes I feel like we start without Him and by the time His day arrives, we are partied out and movin' on.
There is a new year on the horizon and I want to live it with a little different mindset. Rather than prepare all year for Christmas, I want to celebrate a little Christmas everyday. With a thankful heart, peace in my soul and the Joy of the Lord as my strength, I will celebrate the Babe in the manger and trust the Christ of the cross.
Blessings~

Happy New Year December 25, 2009


Happy New Year, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Christmas is fast fading and will soon be just memories. The moments of our lives come and go quickly. The memories fade, the details can get fuzzy. Sometimes we look back, longing for what has been. Sometimes we look forward waiting for what is to come. I want to stop and immerse myself in the moment, the here and now. I want the memories of the past to be sharp because I was in them. I want whatever the future holds to entice and inspire me, so that when the future comes, I am delighted by the here and now.
Remember yesterday, be present in the present and wait with anticipation for tomorrow.
Blessings~

A cold winters night (chrismas eve in ND) December 24, 2009

Christmas Eve was a cold winters night!! We celebrated with my Husbands mom and sister who live just next door while outside the "Christmas Blizzard of 2009" was just getting started. I headed home just before midnight and looked back from my driveway. The front lights shone on the wintery night, helping me safely find my way home. It was beautiful and I tried to capture the mood. Not so beautiful the next morn, snowed in and unable to get to my parents home to celebrate Christmas!
It was a beautiful evening anyway!
Blessings

My wishes for all of you! December 23, 2009

One thing I want to learn to do is really understand the manual setting on my camera. I have been trying to use it more instead of the Auto setting, the more i do, the better i understand......Of course there is a lot of trial and error but I learn best by doing. I love Bokeh so that was one thing I was aiming for in this photo. I'd love to hear what you think!
Blessings~

Misty wishes! December 22, 2009


Misty wishes!, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

I started a project 365 a couple years ago and got almost one third of the way thru the year! you can check it out at http://www.flickr.com/photos/9199449@N08/sets/72157603601204850/ I don't remember why I stopped, life just got busier for a time I suppose. I learned a lot about my camera, I also started looking at the world around me differently. I looked at things wondering if this or that would make a good photo. That was a habit I built in those 100 plus days that I continue today, even when I don't shoot for days! So I am going to do something similar. I'm calling it One a Day and if I am able to shoot at least one photo each day, I will. I'll post it here on the blog and add it to my set on Flickr as well. If i miss a day or several, that's ok. I have thousands of images on Flickr and will choose one of my faves from the past and post it here. The goal is to think photography everyday, to look at the moments of my life as if the camera was always in my hand. And them maybe it will be more often!

My first entry is one of our kitties Misty. She hopes you all had a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year in the Making!
Blessings~