Evening Window

Evening comes slowly on, the light fading to a beautiful glow over the palm trees. The city, the sea, the trees.

We were back in our room at the hostel in Nice early on Saturday because Brandon wasn't feeling well and wanted to nap. I was trying to capture the view and evening light from our window but couldn't quite get the angle I wanted with the palm tree and cityscape and sea all in there. Until I noticed the reflection in the window, just perfect. With a window to frame it all and give it a sense of place.

Sometimes it takes a problem to come up with a creative solution. You don't think you want the problem to begin with, until you see the solution and realize that you would never have gotten to that place any other way. That's what I see in this image, a much more interesting story than if I could have lined up the palm tree just right with the city and sea. Lucky me!

The Blue Coast

We just got home from a weekend in Nice, France with a little side trip through Monaco on the way home. (Sometimes I get a kick about the things I write here, do we really get to do all of these cool things?) It is clear how this region gets it's name of "Cote d'Azur" in French, or the Blue Coast. Just look at that water! This is of the Monte Carlo hotel overlooking the Sea in Monaco. More pictures to come this week!

Art Expressing Spirituality

All around Europe, there are religious images. It would be impossible to live and travel here in Europe and especially Italy without seeing religious art. From a street corner niche to the vast cathedrals, we are surrounded by it. Much of it, while impressive and beautiful and historically significant, falls flat to me in terms of actually touching something inside my soul. It's no reflection of the belief system itself - they just aren't me; they don't reflect my beliefs.

For me, it is often the everday images that reach out and touch my soul - as evidenced by the things I share here. But once in a while I run into something that is both of a religious nature and I feel some connection with - that is this piece of art, in this chapel of the Bled Castle in Bled, Slovenia. I love the simplicity of the sculpture, the light on it, the location it was placed, the surrounding chapel. There is something more real to me about this religious art than a perfectly executed Rennaisance painting. This would be a place I could sit and ponder the nature of the universe or the nature of myself.

Perhaps this is the reason why I keep ducking into churches or chapels, just looking for the one or two pieces of art that speak to me. That give me a greater understanding of why art is so important to spirituality. And maybe a little better understanding of myself.

Travelling to a New Place

A church on an island in a lake on a summer day. Fabulous! It was time to travel to a new place here on the blog, so I am going through photos of Slovenia, from our summer road trip. It's kind of fun! It also makes me excited to go back to Slovenia, we have it on our list of places to visit again this year. This church is on Bled Island, in the lake by the town of Bled.

Perspective is Everything

Last night it started snowing every so slowly, and this morning we woke up to this small amount of snow on the ground. It was still snowing, but it was just barely sticking and the roads were all just wet. No issues with commuting and a very beautiful view, so why was I still annoyed by it? Two months ago I was reveling in any snow. What happened?

I realized that I've been wishing for spring - for warmth and flowers - ever since we had that nice warm, spring visit to Corvallis. And I also realized that the difference in my view of what the morning brought was all internal. So I went for a walk, with my camera, and shifted my perspective. Intentionally. What was cold and wet and glum first thing this morning became beautiful again. It was all in my mind.

It made me think, how often is it our own perspective causing the problems we face? If we take a moment to intentionally shift our perspective, we might be happier. We might find more beauty. We might enjoy the moment more. Try it today, let me know how it goes.

Summer Shadows

This image is about summer. Summer sun and shadows. Summer sports where you are out in the sun. Hot, direct light creating sharp shadows on the ground. Have you ever noticed how shadows change focus? Depending on the light, the subject, the distance to wear the shadow is cast. It's really cool, I've been noticing it more lately.

This image is from the Giro d'Italia in Milan last May.

Leave Only Footprints

"Take only pictures, leave only footprints." Haven't we all heard this little saying about spending time in nature? But as I went through my pictures from Corvallis this weekend I thought of this in a new way... maybe that's what we are doing in life. We leave only footprints in the lives of those around us. The pictures I take are only a visible reminder of the footprints my friends have made on my soul. Thanks to each and every one of you for the things you bring and the place you have in my life!

I've uploaded photos from the Corvallis trip. You can see my favorite, artistic shots in this album, and all pictures of our trip here.