I have been posting a lot about my mom lately, I know. I really miss her, especially today. When I think of her, I think of aprons...among other things.
I wrote about my memories of her and her aprons last year on my other blog, Memories from my Childhood {and other blessings}.
I'm joining Donna again this week at a Personal Photo Challenge...
...and she has left it w-i-d-e open!
The theme is COLOR and this was kind of a tough one for me.
After going through my photos, this is what I came up with...
...and it's about as original as it gets for me.
For the most part, my photos are quite colorful but so are everyone else's, right?
So it got me to thinking...how much color do I want in my photo?
Actually, there are times when I like to remove some of the color to feature a specific part.
For this edit, I used the Focal B&W effect in Picasa 3.
I also use Picmonkey quite a bit but I personally think Picasa 3 is much more user-friendly.
You start out with your fully colored photo, add the above effect,
and adjust the area where you want to keep the color.
I really love the look of this...it puts all of the focus on the flower alone.
Sometimes, all that's needed is a soft pastel...
... like these lovely little baby blue flowers that have nearly overtaken my yard this spring.
I'm not complaining though...when you live in the woods, grass doesn't grow well...
...but I'm glad other things do!
The sun was also filtering through the tree, creating the variations of green.
The only editing was softening it up a bit using the Soft Focus effect in Picasa 3.
I'm breaking the rules here to show you the close-up.
And yes, I was lying on my belly on the ground.
But then there are those other times...
...when you want bold, vivid and bright color...
...like when it's STRAWBERRY SEASON...
...like NOW!!!
She has a beautiful blog filled with lots and lots of great photography of wildlife and such...
...and, of course, lots of great fences, I might add!
I have always been drawn to fences and gates and so I was excited when I came across her link-up.
So...since last week, I have been going through all of my photos (which are a little unorganized)
and pulling out the ones I had taken of fences.
I am proud to say that I now have most of them in a folder labeled...you got it...FENCES!
Genius!
I took these just this week, through the pickets of the fence looking out into my front yard.
The azaleas were still looking pretty good but the blooms don't have much longer, sorry to say :(
Last week, when I was on my way back to work from lunch break,
I pulled up to a stop sign and just had to snap this as soon as I saw it.
I just love the mailbox...U. S. MAIL...well, of course it is!
You should have seen me....I had the windows down in my Jeep,
reaching my arm out here and there... just snapping away!
You won't catch me texting and driving but you will may catch me snapping and driving. It's easy to do with my point-n-shoot and every now and then, I get lucky :)
These last two photos are from a post from last fall when I took an early morning stroll...
...down the road that leads to our cabin in Fancy Gap.
The misty sun rays were gloriously filtering through the trees...a heavenly sight.
Just what is it about a fence anyway?
So...this is my first fence post! (sorry...I couldn't resist)
I wrote this post one day when I was feeling a little bit nostalgic.
Today, especially, is one of those days since it was on this day, four years ago,
that my precious mother went home to be with Jesus.
To honor her memory, I am sharing this again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It's funny sometimes...what will spark a memory. The other day I was putting things away that were in the dishwasher and as I was opening up the various cabinet doors and drawers, I started my trip down Memory Lane. First it was one thing, then another and before I realized it, I was taking a mental inventory of all of the little kitchen items I have that had belonged to my mom. Some are things that I use on a regular basis...others not so much. I keep them mostly as reminders. These items are just inexpensive little kitchen accessories that would hardly bring a quarter at a yard sale.
In 2010, it became necessary to sell her home. At ninety-seven (and a half) Mom hadn't been able to live alone for the past couple of years and spent her final year between hospitals and the nursing home. In April of that year, she went home to Jesus. You can read about my last visit with herhere. All of her children—all eight of us—gathered at the house to go through it's contents and take away what we wanted to keep. Among other things, these little kitchen items just reminded me of her so I put them in my box of goodies.
I couldn't even attempt to count how many apple, black raspberry or pumpkin pies that were baked in this aluminum pie pan. It reminds me of the times Mom used to let me stand on a chair at the counter and "help" her cut up the apples, knowing I would put more in my mouth than in the bowl. I use this pan often and think of her sweet face whenever I do.
I have no idea why these two little strainers had any significance. I don't really remember them from when I was little but I know she must have used them often. They are really handy little strainers and when I use them or even open the drawer and see them I am reminded where they came from.
This egg poacher stirs up a memory or two. Back in the day, Vicks Vaporub was the cure for what was ailing you. My mom would boil water in this little "dipper" as she called it and then add a finger full of Vicks and let it melt. This created a very potent vapor to inhale as we sat with it under a tent made from a towel. I remember tears just pouring from my eyes as I would breath in those vapors right before bedtime. I remember feeling much better in the morning!
Ah yes...the measuring spoons...
...we're back to the pie making again...can you still buy these??
When we were going through things, my husband wanted this. Quite often he drinks his morning coffee from this Fire King mug. It reminds him of the mornings he sat at the breakfast table with Mom and Dad when we would be visiting for holidays or whenever.
I really don't know why Mom had these little Jello molds. She made lots of Jello but rarely if ever in a mold...I don't think she ever used them. That's okay...I probably won't either. They were hers. That's all that matters.
There are a few other random items that I retrieved from her kitchen cabinets and drawers...another small saucepan, a butter knife, a glass juicer...none of it worth anything to anyone else...anyone else but me.
The older I become, the more precious are the memories.
I can smell the damp on the breeze and in the sky I see the halo of your violence.
Storm, I know you are coming." ~ Robert Fanny
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
Yesterday when I was out and about, right before a thunder storm,
I turned down a road I hadn't intended to so I found the closest driveway to turn around in.
The view before me nearly took my breath away.
The bright green foliage of the new growth on the trees seemed to be glowing like neon...
...like someone had turned on a light switch.
The sky was almost navy blue in the darkest place and the sun was still shining...
...creating this fantastic contrast.
The greens were at their greenest, in every shade on the color wheel.
After I got home and was able to see the photos on my computer screen,
I couldn't help but be reminded about the storms that we all face in our lives.
Just like the wind, sometimes they just blow in out of nowhere it seems.
Sometimes they are predicted...but many times they aren't.
Sometimes you can sense them...you can almost feel them in the air.
There is no doubt... they are coming.
Storms are imminent.
God even told us this would happen.
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ~John 16:33 And if you're like me, you'd probably say you've had more than your share... ...whatever that means. I wonder what actually is our share? For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. ~Psalm 27:5
So here's something else that came to mind...
...if it hadn't been for that ominous, dark blue stormy sky,
the leaves on the trees and the grass wouldn't have appeared so bright and beautiful,
and I would have missed the blessing of seeing it (let alone the photo-op!) :)
It was only because the sun was still shining on them.
Not unlike the thunderstorm, theSON will shine on us when we are facing dark skies,
and He will bring back the brightness once again...that is, until next time.
God wants us to keep trusting and praising Him in the midst of those storms!
We are being made stronger for weathering them!
I don't understand it...but I believe it.
Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. ~Psalm 28:6-7
We are supposed to have a stormy week ahead here in central North Carolina.
I heard somewhere that April showers bring May flowers :)
But more and more, by His grace and mercy,
I am learning what I need to do during my own frequent storms.
I pray that you are doing the same!
Have a week full of Sonshine...whether it's raining or not!
That little girl in the photo is still very much alive and well, living inside this aging body of mine.
Sometimes I just want to crawl up on her lap...the way I used to after I'd brush her hair.
Oh, how I wish that I could have just one more visit with her...one more Easter.
I miss her so much.
But, thanks be to God, because of the resurrection power of Jesus,
I know that Iwillsee her again...in ALL of HER glory!
"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."
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