River Winding

A beautiful fall day and a look at the Wild Rice River. Loving the long mild fall we've been having! Glad I could take a moment to enjoy it.

Blessings~

Still a Little Color

I live less than 1 mile from the Red River of the North, I went down to the river today and was delighted to see there was still some leaves left on the trees and a bit of color. This winding river looks peaceful and calm right now. Come spring it will be many feet higher and swift moving. The river has caused slumping on this side of the river at Fort Abercrombie Historical Site. We loose a few feet of the grounds every spring......

Again it's not clear here on the blog but if you click the photo, it takes you to a better image

Blessings~

Berrylicious! January 29, 2010

Berrylicious!, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

I love summer and summer fruits. It's still January in ND so we have months to go before summer. I found these beauties in the store and couldn't resist! They are just delish. Almost as pretty to look at as they are tasty to eat. I also got the blueberries and strawberries but I was looking for raspberries. Oh well, it's all good and each Berrylicious Berry brings summer a little closer . In the meantime, stay warm and safe.

Blessings~

Wild Rice River in Winter January 27, 2010

Wild Rice River in Winter, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Another sunshiny day here in North Dakota and quite cold. I took a run to town and on my way home I stopped to shoot this beautiful barn: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9199449@N08/4309902879/ I also took some of the Wild Rice River that the farmstead sits next to. As I was going thru the photos and playing with the black and white on some I got to thinking about how the river and the barn would look in spring. That thought led to planning to shoot both in each season. There are other ordinary spots, fantastic trees,old barns, buildings, parks and so on that could be photographed each season. I'm going to start a list and if I need inspiration for my pic one day I can just check my list.

This pic a day project has been great so far, early into it yet I know. I always have my camera and both lenses with me. If I hadn't today, I would not have driven back to the old barn and the river bank. It's a peaceful, quaint spot to visit and today, just what I needed. Shooting in manual has become much more comfortable. I even figured out the little meter in the viewfinder and I can change my settings without taking my eye away from the viewfinder! I have much to learn and for me doing is the best teacher.

Blessings~

Freezing Rain

Afternoon Rain

Freezing Rain at night, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Evening Rain

Another quiet day in our home. The big news, there is a storm on it's way. First layer is to be freezing rain. There will be a nice thick, slick coat of slippy sliddy on everything! Second layer will be a heavy carpet of fresh new snow to hide all that ice from those walking or driving along. Lastly the wind will pick up, blow some of that snow around and polish the ice so it gets even more slippery! Things will then improve with high temps below zero!

Feeling better maybe normal in the am :D

Blessings!

Waiting to Drop

Waiting to Drop, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

The trees in our front yard are full of these seeds. The leaves all fall off before winter hits but these seeds hang on tight! They're pretty hanging on the tree in clusters and contrast beautifully against a bright blue winter sky. I know however that once the snow is gone, the grass turns green, new leaves and new seeds appear on the tree, the old seeds will finally fall to the ground. And then, I will be pulling up baby trees all summer long from my flower beds, the curb, the sidewalk, even the rain gutters. Anywhere the seeds may land!

As a Christian, I am kinda like this tree, I have seeds of faith to share with the world around me. For a season I may hold on to them, sometimes tightly, stubbornly. It's my prayer that I would release those seeds of faith, of encouragement and blessings. I pray they are more plentiful than those on my trees and that they land everywhere in hearts and lives that need a touch of heaven. May they find soil where they can put down roots and grow and in due season, repeat the process!

Blessings~

Little Red Shed January 19, 2010

Little Red Shed, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Another frosty day in the neighbor hood! Usually the frost we have in the am is gone by noon. About 4pm this afternoon, I went for a drive in the country just looking for things to photograph. I had fun and got quite a few fun winter pics. I found an old house hidden amidst the frost laden trees. My favorite ancient cottonwood tree that stands guard over the prairie was covered with the heavy frost. Our little country road on the way to church was lined with trees whose branches were heavy with the frost. Beauty everywhere I looked, maybe because I was looking for it.

To some, this old weathered shed and its rundown peers is an eyesore. Something outdated, useless and ugly that should be removed, perhaps replaced. Without the contrast of the red of the little shed, this scene would be far less interesting. I'm glad it's still there, hope it stays there for a long time so that I can photograph it again and again as the seasons change.

If you'd like to see some of my other winter pics you can find them on Flickr

Blessings!

The table is Set~January 16, 2010

The table is Set~, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Last week I shoveled a path thru two feet of snow to my bird feeders out back. I wanted to bring them to the front of the house hoping to entice some of my feathered friends back to my yard. I rescued my best feeders and filled them, hung them in the tree out front and waited. And waited. The feeders are still full after several days. Not even a squirrel has ventured near. I will continue to wait, to hope that the birds will slowly find their way to the feeders.

I can be like the birds at times. There is a banquet set for me. Psalm 23 says God prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies! Yet I am too busy, too comfortable or too proud to come and feast at the Kings table. The Lord has promised to provide for my every need. We ask Him for our daily bread and then break our back trying to provide for our selves. We live in loneliness, fear, despair, grief, poverty and defeat when God has fellowship, peace, hope, joy, abundance and victory waiting for us. His table is set, would that I go to His table, to His Word, to Him for all that I need this day, everyday.

Blessings~

Like Stone January 12, 2010

Like Stone, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Today the sun was shining! What a treat. After work, I took my camera outdoors and took a short walk. The snow has been drifting in on the path I walk to work. This is a shot of the top of the snow bank. I tweaked it some in picasa, just a little contrast and warmed it up some. Reminds me of limestone. You can see a few more of the shots I took today on my flickr page. There are some unedited and a couple black and white. Snow makes such fun abstract pictures. I'd love to hear what YOU see.

Blessings all

Colorful Scrap January 11, 2010

Colorful Scrap, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Today was another gray day. The temps are much warmer but it made for a gray, hazy day. I needed a little color today so I went looking thru my craft closet. I checked out my beads and pearls, pencils and markers, stickers and papers. I found these little strips of scrapbook papers. After playing with them, stacking and fanning them Ifound I liked this best.

Kind of like friends, all a little different, each having a special place and adding just the right amount of color to your day.

Blessings~

Coffee Time! January 10, 2010

Coffee Time!, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

I so enjoy the weekends! I try not to have to be anywhere. I sleep in, stay in my jammies and brew a pot of coffee that I can drink at my leisure. I started drinking coffee when I was just a kid. I would go visit my grandma after school and she loved it that I would have coffee with her! Sometimes that coffee had been in the percolator for hours. We would go visit an old fella that my dad rented land from and he always insisted that we have coffee and a gingersnap. It was instant and very very thick! We still refer to strong coffee as "Oscar Coffee"! Probably why I like my coffee strong and black.

When I go visit my mom, one thing I can count on is a pot of egg coffee while I'm there. Egg coffee is made by mixing one third cup coffee grounds with one egg. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in your coffee pot and then add the egg mixture. A glass or old enamelware coffee pot make the best coffee. Watch closely as the coffee has a tendency to boil over. Once it will boil with out going over the top, let it boil a couple minutes. The coffee should go from cloudy to clear. Remove from heat and let the grounds settle. Pour the coffee thru a mesh strainer and enjoy! You can adjust the recipe to taste.

So is the coffee on?

Blessings~

Pink Glass January 9, 2010

Pink Glass, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Something a little different today. A piece of my antique pink depression glass. I have many pieces of the pink, a few of the green, a couple of gold and two of the deep blue. I remember my grandmothers having and using the pretty bowls and plates. We would have sauce in the little green bowls. Sweet salad was presented in the pretty pink bowl. They were used only for special occasions and handled very carefully.

I have a couple pieces that had belonged to my grandmothers, the rest I have purchased or received as gifts. I use them whenever I can, I so enjoy them! We all have treasures. Some things may be valuable in dollars but if we never use them, look at them, enjoy them, that's a shame! I hope your treasures bring you pleasure!

Blessings~

Sun Kissed Birch January 8, 2010

Sun Kissed Birch January 8, 2010, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

I love the white of the birch tree. Especially against the blue of the winter sky. We had a glorious sunset tonight but I live in the city limits and there are houses that obstruct my view and it was toooo cold to go hiking to the edge of town. I started looking around to see where the light was landing. Not much right by the house, too many houses and trees across the street. I looked up at my mother in laws birch tree and those beautiful white trunks were sunset kissed. They seem to be reaching toward the sun, soaking up and savoring the suns rays.

Even tho I was unable to enjoy the entire sunset due to the clutter between me and the sun, I still got a glimpse of it. This image, the trees touched by the light of the sun had a lesson for me today.

I can't see all of heaven, there is too much clutter between me and my heavenly home. There are the distractions of life, of living, of making a living and the constant pull of the world for my time and attention. But every now and then I get a glimpse of heaven, a reminder of all that is waiting for me. It may be in the smile of a friend, the helping had of a neighbor or the kind words of a loved one. The words of a song lift my heart to heaven or a passage of scripture take me to the heart of my Heavenly Father. All around there are glimpses of heaven, reminders that I am undeniably, indescribably, unconditionally loved. One day I will not only see; I will experience heaven. For today a glimpse is enough.

Blessings~

sun on the snow January 7, 2010

sun on the snow, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Yesterday we had snow, snow, snow, falling, falling, falling. Today the wind was still blowing but the sky was clear of clouds and it was the temps that were falling, falling, falling. We are well below zero here, add some wind and you have "quick freeze your skin" conditions! The older I get the more I dislike the cold and the more I feel it in my bones.

So on this very cold day, what do I do? I head outdoors with my camera! And not just once but three times I went chasing sun dogs! That's what a good cold clear day is good for. The last walk took me to the edge of town where across the field I could view the sun dogs and the sunset. The wind still blew snow across the drifts and the setting sun kissed the snow with pinks and orange. Such a beautiful goodbye to the day! I'm glad I didn't sit indoors bemoaning the cold and wishing for warm temps. Instead I opened my eyes and found surprises!

You can see more sun dog and winter pics on my flickr acct. Just click the link!
Blessings