Climbing tree

We are down to one car for three drivers, so in order to get everyone to work I had to be on the road early today.  It gave me a wonderful opportunity to photograph the sunrise someplace else besides across the street.  This tree stands outside of where my husband works.  He loves this tree and would put it in our yard if it was possible.  Such a good climbing tree; a young boys climbing fantasy.  It also has great character and in the early morning light and combined with the steet lights what a delightfully graphic quality it exudes.

Serendipity strikes again

Have a wonderful day

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Learning by doing and a little serendipity

.It still amazes me when serendipity steps in and blesses your life in unexpected ways.  I have been wanting to try my hand at Artist Trading Cards (ATC) and had been looking for a good trading site when I found Swapbot.  It turned out that Swapbot not only helps facilitate ATC trades. but other types of arts and crafts trades, also.  They also facilitate pen-paling.  Not only am I learning about ATC's and thoroughly enjoying it but in seeing how others do their art I am learning new methods and styles.  Some of the sponsored swaps even come with tutorials so you can learn and swap of equal value.  Some of what I have learned is new and different ways of using my art and sharing the joy it brings me.  One of my discovers was in Mail art; in seeing how others did their mail art I took it a step sideways and started using stickers (see photo).  I tried different methods and papers but now I use address labels to make my envelope stickers.  The 2x4 size Avery (48363) address label  is great and so is using the Avery (25395) self adhesive name badges.

. However one of the greatest things I've learned is the art of writing a good letter.  There is a knack to it; to make it enjoyable to both you and your reader.  In todays world of text messaging and short e-mails, this artform has been largely lost.  From recieving and writing letters from those I trade with I am developing that skill.  Just like in doing a blog I have learned to express myself better (still learning) by doing and seeing others blogs ( I go back and read my early posts and wow what a difference) With pen paling, writing is on a different level.  I am now learning to more effectively communicate with others and especially my grandchildren,  Since my grandchildren are growing up, living far away and most are in school, writing can now be a way to establish ties with them.  What a potential blessing this is; all because I joined Swapbot .  You just never know what blessings can come from seemingly little events in your life. SERENDIPITY at work.

On top of the things I am learning I am also gaining in friendships, double blessings. 

The photos are what I have sent on recent swaps.  The top one is 3 different swaps with 7 different people.  The bottom photo is a swap, Stuff an 6x9 envelope.  One of the nice things about this kind of swap in I can thin down my art supplies of excess and know it will be appreciated.  A new way of the old trading system.

Fun, fun

 

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Give away #1 revisited

This is going to be short and sweet.  I gave myself my IVIG last night which always leaves me achy and then I had physical therapy first thing this morning.  Big mistake.  I hurt. With the help of my husband;  I did however get my act together enough to get the first giveaway gathered together and mailed. 

I hardly ever delete my photos no matter how bad they are.  The background for the CD and cover is a very badly out of focus photo of a Nasturtium.  I think it made a great background; much better than a solid color.   Going to the post office after my afternoon Doctor appointment (long day) turned out to be a pleasant experience.  The winner lives in Thailand so I had to deal with international mail; which I haven't done since my son served a 2 year mission in Brazil several years ago.  The postal worker was very helpful and because it was international mail it took longer to mail it.  While I was filling out the paperwork this delightful postal worker and I had an interesting conversation on mail art and the photo I had placed on the envelope.  Even with as tired and in pain as I was, this discussion lifted my spirits and made me glad that I have decided to share my art with others.  Not so long ago I would not have felt that my art work was worth sharing much less believed  it would  bring pleasure to other people's lives.  Even at 55 I am learning and growing not just in my artist endeavors but also personally.  Once again serendipity brings joy into my life.

Enjoy

♥☺♥Johnina♥☺♥

Rose garden

<><> <><> “One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon-instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our windows today.” Dale Carnegie quotes (American lecturer, author, 1888-1955) Serendipity at work on this photo. When I saw my roses with the dew still on them and the sun shining down on them; i just had to go out to photograph them. When I go out to take photos I almost always try different angles to get different compositions in hopes of a WOW shot.  The first picture I took was alright but then I noticed the window in the background so I moved around a little bit so the roses framed the window. When I saw the photo on downloading; I knew I had a photo worth posting.  I then went on a search for a quote to go with it.  I used  http://en.thinkexist.com/  and simply typed in the word roses and just a couple of quotes down was the quote I used above.  Perfect for my photo!  I am so glad that I listened to that small voice of intuition and followed it.  When I listen and follow my intuition my day always goes better, more joyously as serendipity takes over. Enjoy ♥♥♥Johnina♥♥♥

Serendipity sunrise

I was reading one of my favorite blogs last night and Max http://ladunata.blogspot.com/2011/08/fire-that-burns-in-my-soul.html

had posted some gorgeous red sunsets like they sometimes get in the mountains and it reminded me of the sunsets I used to see while I was at BYU.  Sometimes especially in the winter the whole world turns pink from the reflection of the sky off the mountains and the snow.  It made me very homesick for those mountains.

This morning I got up early and lo and behold the sun was rising and the whole world was pink.  So wonderful and it did my heart good to see it.  My camera didn't quite capture the true beauty of seeing the world through rose colored glasses, but it still took a pretty sunrise photo.

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Miracles

A LIGHT IN THE FOREST

I was watching the movie "Field of Dreams"; I haven't seen it in quite a while and had forgotten all the little life philosophies that it contains besides the obvious one of following the inner voice.  There are a lot of metaphors for lost chances, events that change your life and set you on a different path.  As I was watching and contemplating my own life; tears started to roll down my face, not tears of sorrow but tears because my spirit was touched.  With all the changes and different paths that I have taken, sometimes of my own choice and sometimes placed upon me by my health; this movie at this time of one more path change gave me pause to think and feel.  Hence the tears.  Especially when Ray asks 'What's in it for me?'.  Perhaps our lives shouldn't always be about 'What's in it for me?' perhaps it is only after we have risked everything and everything we do seems to bless others while our circumstances continue to go downhill that we need to let go of ourselves and our needs to have what we, ourselves REALLY need for our peace and healing just like in the movie.  After all isn't that what  Christ meant when he said when lose ourselves in service that we find ourselves.  I think sometimes stories can give us pause for thought and that's a good thing.  Christ taught in parables for a reason, sometimes we are moved more by stories then by being lectured.

As the movie was ending good 'ole Rascal stuck his nose over the arm of the chair with his sad eyes and even sadder whine; trying his best to let me know that he had to go out NOW.  Big Sigh! I really didn't want to get up much less go for a walk.  But up I got and as I opened the door Serendipity stepped in and I got to witness the miracle of two adult Robins with 5 little ones gathered round them.  I say miracle because this is something I had never seen before and I found witnessing this awe inspiring.  This circle of life- this new life.  Surprise, surprise I was so entranced I forgot to grab my camera.  Knowing that as soon as I opened the door they would fly away, I just stood there peacefully watching despite an occasional nudge on my legs from my faithful companion.  I did eventually pull myself together, grabbed my camera and monopod and headed out the door.  I did manage to snap a shot of one of the babies in the neighbors yard before they all flew away.  I then saw a different kind of baby bird and clicked his pic.  Apparently since we have bird feeders on our front porch the birds are now enjoying life in my yard instead of the woods where I can't see them as often.  I didn't know such a small thing would make such a difference.  As Rascal and I continued our walk with me much more peaceful; I took notice of the afternoon sunshine on the woods and captured that also.

WHAT A WONDERFUL MIRACLE OUR LIVES ARE!

ENJOY

☺☺☺Johnina ☺☺☺

Franken Moon

“See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...we need silence to be able to touch souls.”

Mother Teresa of Calcutta quote

Last night was a special kind of moon, the closest it will be for a long time.  It is supposed to cause all kinds of havoc.  Wife's tales and all that, exagerating science, yes the moon does cause the tides but when we're talking the kind of distances between here and the moon the effect may be felt but cause havoc, nah.  It was however very cool to look at.  When it came up over the horizon it was big and golden and extremely impressive.

As the moon rose into the trees it lightened in color and started to look like something out of a spooky Hollywood movie.

As it rose in the sky, it lightened in color and looked more like a regular full moon.  I hope your skies were clear and you were able to enjoy this special moon if not I hope you enjoy my photos. I have a feeling there will be a lot of blogs with moon photos today because it was indeed impressive and there were lots of fellow photographers out there taking photos.  I had people who saw me; stop in the middle of the road to tell me where better shots could be had.  I met and talked with several other photograpers and had one invite me to park in her yard so I would be well off the road instead of in the grass just off the road.  It was one of those nights that my faith in people as being good, decent,freindly, all those things that have supposed to have diminished in the world are not gone and it warmed my heart.  Perhaps that was the best part of the night.  Some wonderful Serendipity

ENJOY

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Bright, Colorful New Year

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.”  Albert Einstein 

I got up New Years day to this beautiful sunrise.  I woke up feeling pretty good and having slept better than normal.  What a delightful way to start the new year.  I intend to keep up this peaceful,but bright, colorful start to my new year.  However as I was taking out the power lines, I realized that I wouldn't have this beautiful sunrise without the clouds, not all may go smoothly but look at the beauty that is in the world because of what we would normally perceive as a bad omen.

I have lots of raptors who nest in the surrounding woods and they were particularly active that morning, flying overhead, dive-bombing, riding the winds.  I was trying to capture them, but was having very little luck, so serendipity stepped in and they flew across a rainbow.

Over the past several weeks I have been thinking about a theme for my goals for this next year.  This past year I have found reasons behind my health problems and have worked at correcting them, with improvement in my health.  This past Thanksgiving and Christmas were the first ones in years and years were I was not hospitalized.  Hooray for me!!  We were even able to have a real live tree with out it making me sick.  Nice for the whole family.

Now that I have started to get better by correcting health problems; I now need to heal the damage caused by these underlying health problems.

Seeing this rainbow first thing on new years day almost made me cry; a confirmation of my main goal for the year.  For many years a rainbow has been a symbol of healing to me.  My oldest daughter got very sick when she was six years old.  Her digestive system shut down and the doctor had no idea why; she just got sicker and sicker.  She started to look like the starving children with skinny arms and bloated stomach from lack of abdominal muscles.  There was another girl her age with the same problem.  Our Bishop had us carry Sarah to church ( she was so weak she could not cross the living room without collapsing from exhaustion) and the other family to bring their little girl also.  He then asked for a special day of fasting and prayer for these girls as he was inspired that they would not live till the next week so he asked for the fast to take place the next day.  The next day there were two rainbows in the sky.  One for each of the girls.  Sarah got up and ate and asked if we could walk down to Mr. Lees a little 5 and dime about 3 blocks away.  She wanted to go spend her money that Grandma had sent her.  Amazingly she she was able to do it, when the day before she could not cross the living room.  My miracle child.

Rainbows are also one of those things of beauty that is dependent on rain ( a commonly perceived bad weather display).  But viewing this rainbow certainly gives me hope for healing in the year to come.  Join me in my new journey this year.

Johnina ☺☺☺☺☺

PS Sorry this took so long to post we have had lots of things going on here, then blogger went down on me and I couldn't post.  Everyone is back home safe and blogger is now working so I'm back.

Before the dew is off the Rose

This morning was beautiful with soft light and cool temps.  Having been frustrated lately with trying to take pictures first thing in the morning; between low blood sugar and not having my medicine in my system fully my hands shake real bad in the morning.  Sooo yesterday I went and bought a monopod in hopes that it would help steady me enough to take good clear photos.  This morning I tried it out.  The pictures were very much better and the monopod is so much easier to use than a tripod.  I'm sure there will be time when I will still use my tripod when out taking a series of photos but I've been trying to figure out an easier way to steady myself when I'm just out walking and the tripod is somewhat awkward and bulky.  While the monopod is not quite as flexible when it comes to pointing the camera (no swivel head) it is an excellent compromise.  The pictures I took this morning are proof.  The rose photo I took this morning was nice and clear but then serendipity, I accidentally hit the zoom button and wow was I surprised at the detail I was able to see, so I cropped it to the size of the zoom and it's up above.
The morning started out beautifully, but I ended up spending my afternoon and some of my evening at Best Buy getting my computer fixed.  It has been acting up for several days but became absolutely unusable today, fortunately they were able to fix it while I was in the store, it just took a long time. 
While I was there I had them look at my camera; when I fell and hurt myself, I scratched the lens, it's a small scratch but still a scratch and since I paid for insurance for accidental damage I figured I ought to have it fixed, so I'll be back to my old camera for a couple of weeks. Sigh! 

Scene while walking the dog

I think quite often we take for granted the beauty around us everyday.  While walking the dog and enjoying the early morning sunshine with it's dappled shade, it occurred to me that I had gotten out of the habit of sharing everyday pleasures.

I am also a firm believer that when you put good out you get good back.  I just got finished reading Dan Brown's "Lost Symbols" and the scientist in it was working on proving that people can influence the world around them by their thoughts.  Dr. Wayne Dyer also puts forth this idea in his books and the title of his book that I am currently reading "The Power of Intention" really puts forth his belief in the power of one's thoughts to influence one's life for good.  I have put some of his principles to work in my life and seen the results and delightful they have been.  I also believe that just putting out good thoughts and sharing the good in one's life bring good into one's life.  Serendipity in principle and action.

I have also found that the good that comes into one's life also comes when you are ready. In finding the book on vitamin D ("The Vitamin D Solution" by Dr. Michael Holick) not to long ago I would have ignored it, because of all the things listed on the front that it was supposed to cure or help.  It sounds to good to be true and things that sound to good to be true usually are. However, I have had so many experiences lately with one hormone or medicine helping or throwing off lots of different parts of my body that I was willing to read it.  I have learned a tremendous amount from this book and one of the most important is the fact that vitamin D is not a vitamin but a hormone and a type of steroid at that; which is why it effects so my systems in one's body.  Since I know I am indeed deficient in vitamin D I am doing my best to follow the suggestion in this book.  Right now I am sitting under a UVB light so my skin can produce vitamin D. Even finding out I was vitamin D deficient was a matter of serendipity,  finding the info when I was ready and having others ready to help along the way.

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy some of the beauty I found while walking the dog.

Please leave a good thought or experience from your life in the comments so you can join me in passing good around the world.

Johnina  :^A

 

Doctors, Doctors and more Doctors (Part 2)

and disappointments and hope and a little bit of serendipity.  Over the last three weeks I have had at least one doctor or physical therapy appointment a day.  It's getting really old, especially on days when I have two appointments.  It's very time consuming.  I've gone into the doctor, told them of the problems I've been having only to be referred to another doctor or given advice, getting my hopes up, trying their suggestions only to have them fail or not work as well as expected.  I was beginning to feel like this floor looks, like I was walking into a prison.

Finally  I found the doctor with the answers, but I didn't like all of the answers.  Amazingly the doctor or actually the doctors assistant was the endocrinologist.  One would have thought the surgeon or the pain doc or the primary care would have the answers first, but such was not the case.  Since I have so many medical problems and they all interact sometimes it is hard to know which doctor to go to; so I end up sitting in many waiting rooms with the most uncomfortable chairs in pain and sick.  Why is it that doctors offices and medical waiting rooms tend to have the most uncomfortable chairs?

Anyway it seems that I had come down on my corticosteroids too fast and it was causing all kinds of my symptoms.  From my hair failing out, withdrawal symptoms (nausea, stomach cramps, chills, headache,etc.), trouble keeping my blood sugars stable, lethargy and whatever else.  It's amazing what having a hormone out of whack will do to me, so many things are affected and I feel so cruddy.  Upping my steroids made me feel better much better and faster than any other suggestions from the other doctors.  There was bad news here though, it seems that the reason that I had so much trouble with the pain is because I no longer make my own endorphins which makes my pain level higher than it would be for most people.  Also in spite of taking 3x the high dose of vitamin D supplements I am still deficient.  Now on to looking up and having hope and the little bit of serendipity.

I am no longer vitamin B-12 deficient and therefore no longer anemic so I no longer have to see the hematologist.  I've met all my goals in physical therapy so I no longer have to go there that gives me an extra hour three times a week in travel time.  I still have to exercise but no more travel.  Progress-Progress

Now for the serendipity- several months ago Tom ran across an article on the Internet on how vitamin D helps the pain of Fibromyalsia,I asked the fribro group about it and some were having good luck with it so I asked the pain doc about it and he said he knew nothing about it but it was safe to try and to let him know how it worked so I tried it and it did help a little.  When i next went into the endocrinologist the assistant saw it on my list of supplements and decided to test me to determine if I was indeed deficient, and I was.  She prescribed a dosage and retested this last time I went in.  The level is up a little but still low, so up goes the dose.  Then I go in for my IVIG and find the library in Fayetteville, which has a different selection of books from the Griffin library; only to find the book "The Vitamin D Solution"  This book seems to have so many answers to so many of my medical problems, I have hope and am excited to find out more.  This book has turned into a real page turner for me.  Wish me luck in being able to implement the ideas in this book and hopefully it will improve my life.  I certainly seem to have been led to it.

Wow, I just love serendipity!

While I was taking picture while sitting on my walker I was using a mister on the flowers and got my lens with it and decided to go ahead and take some pictures.  The camera focused on the drops instead of the flower and I got an intriguing photo but nothing great.  Since I had it and it was unusual  I played with it to see what I might be able to make of it.  First I cropped it in half,  Then In Picasa 3, it has a button label something like do you feel lucky and I pushed it an wow the blue showed up.  OK this was certainly encouraging.  Then I turn up the shadows and saturation a smidge.  Then a little glow and I loved it. I then added a frame in picnik to pull it together. I was amazed, a case of a "happy accident" or serendipity.  I just love love it when that happens.  I find the more positive my attitude the more trust and faith I show, the more this happens; I am guided sometimes by what at first seems like an accident or misfortune into something wonderful.

I edited another photo which turned out to have a very different look.  Enjoy

Rain, Rain Hooray!!!

Hi
After I had edited my little sketches I decided that I really kind of liked the way they looked.  This one looks kind of friendly so he's being used as my greeting today.  You will probably see more of my little sketches and drawings in my blog just because I'm having fun with them.  They are not great art but they are fun.
I've changed my layout, I got an e-mail about new blogger layouts and decided to try them.  I was thinking of changing my color scheme anyway; I was getting tired of the dark color scheme.  I think maybe it's because of a change in me.  Anyway once again serendipity came into play in the form of an e-mail.  One of the premises of Dr. Dyer's book Excuses Begone, which I am currently reading for the third time, is that when you are ready, the help that you need will come into your life.  Serendipity.  I have found that the more I accept the gifts of serendipity the more I get them and wonderful gifts they are.  Sometimes they seem small at the time but the joy they bring is out of proportion to the size.  For example the change in my blog colors, before I changed them I never would have believed how good it make me feel to see the new set up.  I could do a whole blog just on the little gifts of serendipity I have received of late, and maybe sometime I will but for now I'm going on with other things.

My last blog was on the outrageous pollen counts we in Georgia have had to endure.  Another serendipity, Tom bought me a painter's mask just a couple of days before the pollen rise and it has help me keep breathing normally or close to normal in spite of the pollen.  We woke up to dew on the pollen and it actually made it kind of pretty.  Then we got rain and got pollen sludge.  Yuck!

  After the second rain when most of the sludge was gone the pollen once again made patterns that where really kind of pretty.  That's why the post is called Rain, Rain Hooray!  Well that and the pollen count went down to 1941 still extraordinarily high but better.
I think maybe I should have called this post Hodge-Podge because I'm going to change the subject again.  The economic crisis that has hit pretty much all over has hit this family too.  Although it hasn't reached crisis proportions a little extra money would sure be nice.  I'm working on selling my photographs and now have a website on redbubble (see top right hand corner of my blog and click to go there).  I have also started with ads on my blog not something I wanted to do but I think it could be an advantage to both me and my readers.  I am only working with Amazon.com because they have good prices and service; I've used them and like them.  They also let me choose what to advertise so when I read a book and enjoy it all you have to do is find it in the slideshow click on it and it will take you to Amazon where you can order it. Convenient. I like that I can choose what to put up to advertise that way I know you will probably like it too.  Hopefully finding this will turn out to be serendipity for me too.
I hope you like and enjoy my new blog and your life is filled with serendipity too.

Now living fearlessly - Excuses Begone!

I just started reading Dr. Wayne Dyer's book Excuses Begone! for the third time.  Each time I get more and more out of it and more and more determined not to let excuses get in the way of my becoming the full and complete person I am supposed to be.  My Mom died at Easter time with so much left to give, with so much talent still left bottled up inside.  She was still so much afraid of life and what she had to give.  Dad gave her a necklace for her birthday that said "live, love, laugh" something I think she was learning it was missing from her life and was trying to put that philosophy into her life.  She made my sister, Pam, promise to give it to me when she died because she felt that of all her children I was the one missing that philosophy the most.  Mom received the necklace in January and died in April, not much time for her to use it.  I wore it for a long time, then put it up and only recently got it back out again.  It's time for me to use it to the fullest; to "live, love, laugh" to become the person I am supposed to be; to fearlessly live to leave the excuse behind so I don't die afraid of life with all my talents left bottled up inside.  This message seems to be coming from all sides, finding the necklace, finding the book, a receptionist who reminded me that I didn't want to die with my talent bottled up inside, to the unexpected death of a friend my age, to the anniversary of my mother's death. Serendipity coming into my life once again.
I edited and will print up this photo to remind me to live life fearlessly, to keep up my current zest for life.  The clouds are exploding out from behind the dark trees that had been hiding them and lighting them up on the way.  The clouds also remind me of the Pheonix's flames from which I can burst forth reborn.  (PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE MESSAGE MORE CLEARLY)

Double Cabins Plantation

Since I take picture of the woman's activities at church and turn them into collages I decided to practice making collages and then get some opinions from my friends at MSS.  I thought that this old restored plantation would make a good subject for such a collage.  So I had some pictures that I had taken at the stop sign nearby and did one up and asked for opinions.  Oh boy! did I get opinions most of which were negative.  Now that I have received the comments and worked with them I can see that it really was pretty bad. I worked really hard to improve my collages by following their advice and the above collages are the results. When I decided to try again and I went back three times to get the house from different angles as it sits pretty far back off the road.  The last time I went there I had my camera set up for telescopic picture taking complete with my tripod. I parked at the end of the driveway by the county easement but who should come down the drive but four of the adults that lived there.  I was pretty intimadated.  They just wanted to know what I was doing and they turned out to be very nice people.  In fact they turned out to be a good representative of southern hospitality.  They invited me up to the house and allowed me free run of the outside of the house and the gardens.  They have peacocks which they let out so I could photograph them.  Pretty nice, huh?  All in all I now have about 150 photo of the place.  They took the time to talk with me and give me some of the history of the plantation and their current business which is a Bed & Breakfast and they also host weddings and other special occasions.  We also talked a lot about photography and painting and other artistic endeavors both on my part and on theirs.  They were very interesting and delightful people and I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet them.  One of those magical serendipity moments that have come about because of my interest in photography and the new courage I have developed because of it.

Serendipity Super Webs

As I was organizing my photos today I was surprised by this photo. I didn't think I got any pictures of this spider, because my hands were shaking so bad that day all the other pictures I took were too blurred to use. Seeing this picture as crisp and clear as it is really made me feel good so I cropped it, adjusted the colors a little, signed and framed it. A pleasant surprise and serendipity in my life again. :^D

Survivor

One of the things that I have noticed as I have gone through my pictures looking for photos that I would like to spend the time doing the extra editing this month is that in my pictures I've been wearing the same clothes for several years. I decided that since I basically have the material, thread, buttons, patterns and all the sewing equipment I need that I would try sewing my own clothes again. This is something I have enjoyed in the past, I like to sew and I like having clothes that are creative and one of a kind. However I found that I was having a terrible time cutting out the patterns, but fortunately I have a friend who will do that for me. Hooray for talented friends. But since it had been several years since I had sewn I decided maybe I should update my patterns and hooray for serendipity there was a sale on brand name patterns for 99cents. I sure like that price better than the regular price of between $12-15. I like it when things work out like that.
While I was at the craft store I couldn't resist looking around. A real weakness of mine. While I was looking around another stroke of serendipity; I found the stamp pictured above which I also couldn't resist. It really resonated with me and my feelings about my life. I hope that there are others that this little quote will touch like it touched me.

Frustration calmed

I have been very frustrated lately almost to the point of being depressed. I have had a real hard time recuperating from this last hospital stay and illness. If I think and add up how long I've been sick or rather sicker than normal it's been over 2 months. My health has been somewhat up and down but even on the up side I've been sicker than normal. I don't know why and lately I've been getting tired of the struggle. I wish I had felt better when my family was here so I could have spent more time with them; as it was they went and did things without me. Although in some ways it was good and some of it I would have done anyway so the siblings could spend time together without Mom around. Emily and Laura have not spent time together for well over a year and it was good for them to be alone together but there were times I wish I could have joined them. Even now I'm still having really rough days where all I want to do is sleep. I had several days last week were maybe I was awake for 3 or 4 hours and even for that time I had to struggle to stay awake. I've wanted to catch up with my friends both here and on the Internet and I've felt guilty for not answering their good wishes and inquiries and because I felt guilty it made it harder to do, the old guilt cycle that does no one any good. I've also missed taking photos. Normally I can go out and take some pictures and get out of my funk, but between being sick and the cold that has not happened like I would like. To top things off our Internet connection has been iffy at best. I would be doing or trying to get caught up and the Internet would go down. Thank goodness the blog saves itself every couple of minutes so I haven't lost to much on my blog but I've lost many a photo download or comment. Anyway enough of the POM I'll tell you what I did today to pull myself out of it with the help of the Lord and my friends, my serendipity.
I woke up today not feeling well and having slept wrong on my ankle so I was in pain and having a HARD time walking, pop, pop, pop. I took care of the ankle, ice and wrap, and got my meds and breakfast. I got back into bed and read my church lessons so even though I could not go I could still get in touch with the spirit and learn what I would have learned at church. It's not as good but still MUCH better than moping and doing nothing. I felt much better after doing the reading; my spirit was lifted up by focusing on the Lord. I napped for a little while than I decided to catch up with some of my friends. I made great progress still not done but progress is being made. This helped relieve the guilt cycle. In catching up with my friends I was reminded of looking at the posted photos and commenting more than just "nice photo" which I had started to do because it's easy and fast. In doing the quick look and comment I was not getting anything out of the pictures. So today I went back to really looking at the photo and analyzing what I like about them and writing that in the comments. What a difference it made; I felt better, I learned more and those I made comments to responded so much better. I even got friend requests from out of the blue, people I'd never had contact with. Serendipity or if you put good vibes out you get good back. There was a new group started today to help with analyzing photos and being able to make meaningful comments, I was one of the first invited to join and I am really looking forward to it. Even the Internet interruptions didn't bother me as bad when the Internet went down I just edited a photo or napped. Just short naps today. The picture above is the photo I edited today.
Photo edit:
I used Corel paint shop ultimate that I download a free trial on cnet.com. I used the HDR edit program that comes with the complete program. This was my second try at HDR, but it still didn't seem right to me. This is a picture of a stream that drains a swamp by my house. I drove by it the day before and it was frozen, but on this day it was sunny and the swamp was thawing. As I was standing there taking the picture I could hear the ice cracking; it was very LOUD and kind of scary. I kept experimenting with the editing program and when I came across this edit my brain said that's it. In looking at it I realized that the photo edit looked like what I would think the BOOM of the ice cracking further up the swamp would look like. Again Serendipity.

Laughter on a dreary day

Yesterday: rain. drizzle, grey skies, fever, aching muscles and joints, nausea, doctor's office: enough said about the dreary day. When we went to get lunch we took a wrong turn and found this little strip mall with this little shop in it with this sign in the doorway.

I never thought I would see such a sign in real life. LOL but who ever thought in the seventies that plastic would actually be safer for doing business than cash. That the ease of using plastic would not be the reason for not accepting cash, but the ease of counterfeiting that would cause it. Of course there's what the store sells that adds to the laugh out loud, 'What they been smokin' in there?' A real good laugh and a bit of serendipity.

Confused? bare trees, autumn leaves, rose blooms, winter berries

I am so excited for the first time I am laying down with my feet up and doing my blog. I've had the computer for a couple of days and Tom, Benn and I have been working on getting it set up with programs and data. It still is not quite organized like I would like, but it is useable.
I also had a touch of serendipity with the programs. With the old computer for some reason we had an editing program that didn't get put on; I don't think Jeremy and I
could figure out how to do it. I wasn't going to worry about it but Tom went through the programs and any program that was for photography he put on. The program, Photo Suite went on with no problem and I think it is going to be my favorite program. Not only do I really like this program but it does a good job of replacing the programs that can not be upgraded for my new computer. A real good case of serendipity.

Then on the way to the library yesterday I saw this little garden and it stuck me as a perfect representation of what I have been seeing all around me. The plants and the weather can't seem to make up it's mind as to what season this is. I have seen flowers blooming next to fall leaves, my veggie garden has started producing again, tomatoes and green peppers. My herb garden is growing like crazy. I have trees that lose leaves with every whisper of wind. I have flower buds in my front flower garden.

The plants seem truly confused than I saw this garden with all of it combined. It had bare trees, autumn leaves, green trees, roses blooming including rusebuds, winter berries and trees with algae on them and had to take this picture.

I decided to use this picture to explore my new program and have some fun with my new computer and program before I went back to organizing. I hope you enjoy the fun editing I have done.