Tag Archives: photography

a NEW photo of my week

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Happy Tuesday!

I finally went out for a short photo walk this week. My favorite capture from that walk is of all these white pumpkins. I like the lighting, I like the fall theme, and I like that I got a photo I like. Cuz that doesn’t always happen. haha! I wish I had more time to go on photo walks more often. I’ll just have to make that time, right?!

Well, that’s my NEWness for today. I hope you do or learn something NEW today too!

Miscellaneous Monday…NEW stuff i gotta share

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Happy Monday!

Isn’t this a gorgeous sunset?! I’m in debt to my sister-in-law for snapping this photo because I was too busy playing pickleball to stop and grab my phone to capture this beauty!

That’s me…right there (above). I really was playing, not just standing there, haha!

And, that’s NOT me (below). I tried something NEW this week. I tried Float Therapy. It was an interesting experience.

This Tedx Talks explains the benefits of Float Therapy; but in case you don’t want to watch the TEdx Talk, I’ll list a few benefits too.

Here is a list of the benefits of float therapy, based on scientific evidence:

  • Reduces stress and anxiety: Float therapy can help to reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body, while also increasing the levels of the mood-boosting hormone endorphins. This can lead to a reduction in stress levels, anxiety, and depression.
  • Improves sleep quality: Float therapy can help to improve sleep quality by reducing stress and anxiety, and by promoting deep relaxation.
  • Relieves pain and muscle tension: The weightless environment of a float tank can help to relieve pain and muscle tension by reducing the pressure on the joints and spine.
  • Boosts mood and creativity: The deep relaxation and sensory deprivation experienced during float therapy can help to boost mood, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
  • Accelerates muscle recovery: The Epsom salt solution used in float tanks can help to accelerate muscle recovery after exercise or injury.
  • Improves skin health: The Epsom salt solution can also help to improve skin health by reducing inflammation and promoting cell regeneration.
  • Reduces inflammation: Float therapy has been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body. This can be beneficial for people with chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and Crohn’s disease.
  • Boosts the immune system: The reduction in stress and inflammation caused by float therapy can also help to boost the immune system.
  • Improves cardiovascular health: Float therapy has been shown to improve cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure and improving heart rate variability.
  • Reduces migraine headaches: Float therapy can help to reduce the frequency and severity of migraine headaches.
  • Improves cognitive function: Float therapy has been shown to improve cognitive function, including memory, attention, and processing speed.
  • Reduces chronic pain: Float therapy can help to reduce chronic pain from conditions such as arthritis, back pain, and fibromyalgia.
  • Improves mental health: Float therapy can help to improve mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.

Lastly, I’m making NEW plans to do a “30 Days of Culture” challenge – similar to Gretchen Rubin. The trick is to figure out the best month (or just 30 days) to do such a challenge! I want to do this because I love culture and want more of it in my life! Here’s a quote from Gretchen:

One reason that I love it is that it gives me a nudge to do things that I wouldn’t ordinarily do, exposes me to culture that I might miss, and takes me places that I love.

That sounds like a wonderful way to Explore NEWness, yes?! I’ll keep you updated on the when, and the what (you already know the why!). :o)

Have a great day! Do or learn something NEW!

a few NEW photos of Scandinavia

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Happy Tuesday!

We’ve been back home from our 16-day trip to Scandinavia for a week now. This will be a short post because I’m still very busy trying to catch up with work etc., but I wanted to upload a few photos {but how do I choose!?!).

I guess that’s “a few” haha! These are all SOOC (straight out of camera), so when I get time, I’ll grab more that need a bit of editing and post those.

It was fun to visit somewhere NEW to me. Have a great day and do or learn something NEW to you!

a NEW Thursday thought

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Happy Thursday!

I thought these clouds were so interesting. I managed to crop out my house, but I couldn’t quite get rid of the top of the tree without deleting some of the nice clouds. I guess I could have played around with Photoshop’s “content aware fill” tool, but I have things to do and places to go, and people to see today! Plus, I hope my comment about the tree doesn’t make you focus on it instead of the clouds…{Focus on the clouds….focus on the clouds!!! Haha!}

Have a great day! Go and do or learn something NEW!

a NEW photo challenge entry

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Happy Saturday!

Here’s my entry for the Lens-Artist Challenge #261 – Work In Progress. I’m always very impressed by artists like this woman. I know it probably takes both natural talent and hard work to be able to create amazing art. In a few years, when I retire and have some extra time, I’d like to take some painting classes.

And a special thanks to Cee’s entry of her “Work In Progress” photo since it reminded me that I had something similar I could use as my entry. Actually, I kind of wondered if we photographed the same woman! Same hair length. Same body build. I took this photo on our trip to the Tetons in June (my stash from that trip keeps on giving!) I’ll have to pop over to Cee’s site and ask her if she happens to know her model, haha!

Have a great day! I hope you learn or do something NEW today!

another NEW photo of Jenny Lake and a Sunday message

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Happy Sunday!

I realized I didn’t include this peaceful shot of Jenny Lake when I posted most of my other photos from our trip to the Tetons. Isn’t this lake beautiful?

Also, I listened to an old audiobook from author/speaker Jim Rohn recently and appreciated the message below. I hope you like it too:

The Gardener and God

There’s a story about a man who took a rock pile and in two years, turned it into a fabulous garden. And people came from everywhere to see it.

One day, a man came by and saw the garden and thought it was fabulous, but he wanted to make sure the gardener did not take all the credit. He had this deep feeling inside that a lot of people leave God out.

So the man toured the garden to have the chance to meet the gardener. He eventually found the gardener, shook his hand and said, “Mr Gardener, you and the good Lord together have made this beautiful garden.” 

The gardener immediately understood his message and his point. So he replied, “I think that’s true. If it’s not for the sunshine and the rain, and the miracle of the seeds and the soil and the seasons, there would be no garden at all.”

And he continued, “But you know, you should have seen this place a couple of years ago when God had it all by himself.”

Have a peaceful Sunday and I hope you do or learn something NEW!

NEW photographic inspiration

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Hola amigos! Happy Tuesday!

So, I’ve been disappointed lately that I haven’t been out shooting more. Life is busy. But today I decided to just go in my backyard and try something NEW! I was very inspired by the impressionistic look from a recent post at melinda anderson photography using the camera shake method. I thought her “Wildflower Impressions” photo was so beautiful. So I tried it. It’s rather FUN! What do you think?

Here is a “normal” shot of the daisies. AND, we finally got rid of the ugly plastic edging and put pavers on the sides of our garden path. So that is another NEW thing!

Lesson learned. Even when I’m busy…getting prepared for a son’s wedding, working long hours at the day job, preparing for our upcoming Europe trip, yardwork etc., I need to take the time and have fun with my camera. This only took a few minutes, and now I have an impressionist photo to enjoy. Thank you to Melinda Anderson for the inspiration!

Have a wonderful day! I hope you do or learn something NEW today!

NEW updates to my National Parks bucket list

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Happy Monday! I have the day off work, so I’m finally dumping the photos off my camera. AND…I’m updating my National Parks Bucket List. We recently visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Grand Tetons National Park. Here are a couple of my favorite shots (Tetons above and Black Canyon of the Gunnison below). If I counted correctly, we have 45 more National Parks to visit! We’d better make a plan and get busy.

LIST OF US NATIONAL PARKS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

  • Acadia National Park {done}
  • Arches National Park {done}
  • Badlands National Park
  • Big Bend National Park
  • Biscayne National Park
  • Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park {done}
  • Bryce Canyon National Park {done}
  • Canyonlands National Park {done}
  • Capitol Reef National Park {done}
  • Carlsbad Caverns National Park
  • Channel Islands National Park
  • Congaree National Park
  • Crater Lake National Park
  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park
  • Death Valley National Park
  • Denali National Park and Preserve
  • Dry Tortugas National Park
  • Everglades National Park
  • Gates of the Arctic National Park
  • Gateway Arch National Park 
  • Glacier National Park
  • Glacier Bay National Park
  • Grand Canyon National Park {done}
  • Grand Teton National Park {done}
  • Great Basin National Park
  • Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park {done}
  • Guadalupe Mountains National Park
  • Haleakala National Park
  • Hawaii Volcanoes National Park {done}
  • Hot Springs National Park
  • Indiana Dunes National Park
  • Isle Royale National Park
  • Joshua Tree National Park
  • Katmai National Park and Preserve
  • Kenai Fjords National Park
  • Kings Canyon National Park {done}
  • Kobuk Valley National Park
  • Lake Clark National Park
  • Lassen Volcanic National Park
  • Mammoth Cave National Park
  • Mesa Verde National Park {done}
  • Mount Rainier National Park
  • National Park of American Samoa
  • New River Gorge National Park 
  • North Cascades National Park
  • Olympic National Park
  • Petrified Forest National Park
  • Pinnacles National Park
  • Redwood National Park {done}
  • Rocky Mountain National Park {done}
  • Saguaro National Park
  • Sequoia National Park {done}
  • Shenandoah National Park
  • Theodore Roosevelt National Park
  • Virgin Islands National Park
  • Voyageurs National Park
  • White Sands National Park 
  • Wind Cave National Park
  • Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve
  • Yellowstone National Park {done}
  • Yosemite National Park {done}
  • Zion National Park {done}

Have a great day! Do or learn something NEW today!

photos of our NEW fresh coat of snow

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Happy Monday!

I’m a sucker for reflections, so I think this is the favorite of my shots from today’s photo walk. Reflection in life is important too. I like to reflect on my lifestyle, choices, and accomplishments from last year before l list out my goal for the upcoming year. Yes, I’ve made my 23 for 2023 list. I’m excited to progress, but I know I’ll mess up at times. I’ve learned that’s just how it is…year after year after year! I’m not going to let that get me down. I’m just going to keep on keeping on and try to improve each day. I loved getting out in the snow today. Here are some other shots:

Have a great day! I hope you do or learn something NEW!

UPDATE: Per Terri’s suggestion in the comments, I’m linking to Sunday Stills “White & Gray”. Go take a peek at the other entries.