photo challenge #16 - path

"Don't confuse your path with your destination;

just because it's stormy now, doesn't mean you aren't headed for sunshine."

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This prompt was definitely open for interpretation,

and I wasn't sure whether to approach it literally or symbolically,

- or maybe a blend of both.

I'm not actually going through a particularly stormy time,
but I feel that the quote is a good reminder - always - of life's ups and downs.
as well as a good fit for my photo
- which got me thinking -
wouldn't it be a good challenge to choose a quote or saying that has personal meaning
and then try to photograph it?
just a thought

Of the many quotes I read about "path", though,

unfortunately - the one that resonated the most with me is a Chinese proverb:

"I dreamed a thousand new paths. I woke and walked my old one."
Hmmm - not sure how I'd photograph that one...

It's the time of year in collegiate budgetland where my workday life is getting a bit hectic.
I've definitely walked this path before - but it gets a little easier each time.
My posts will likely be sporadic, but I will enjoy visiting yours!

And then - the words of J.R.R. Tolkien remind me that someday - new paths await:

"Still round the corner there may wait 

A new road or a secret gate;

And though I oft have passed them by,

A day will come at last when I 

Shall take the hidden paths that run

West of the moon, East of the sun."

When you think of "path" what images come to your mind?

photo challenge #15 - faceless self portrait

Plum Island - Massachusetts

After a couple of false starts,
I finally managed to get into a groove.
The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge covers a large portion of Plum Island.
Popular with bird watchers, I crossed paths with several photographers
carrying cameras sporting what looked like (to me) gazillion millimeter zoom lenses.
Yeah - don't mind me - I'm just here to shoot a selfie...

I was determined to do this challenge outdoors, though
- and was relieved to find a spot away from the other beach-goers
- a spot where I didn't feel completely self-conscious.
The real bonus - as someone who tends to frown at the camera -
shooting a faceless self-portrait is definitely the way to go!

Next up - Path

Have a great day!

Thanks for dropping in!

Canon EOS REBEL T3i

EF24-105mm F/4L IS USM

ISO 400

40 mm 1/2000 sec at f/6.3

thankful thursday - scenes from the coast

A rare day off - no obligations,

and a much neglected camera

- beckoning me

My weather app said the rain had cleared
- the sky over Plum Island said otherwise

I probably don't need to tell you which was correct,

and which I ignored - necessitating a quick dash back to my car

(which on a sandy beach is neither quick, nor dash-like...)

Yeah well - a day off is a day off

and in the end,

it turned out to be a wonderful beach day.

I am thankful for this day with no plans
and the beauty that surrounds me.
I'm pretty sure I heard my camera whisper thank you, also.

Note to self - when in doubt, ignore weather app
and always pack a rain jacket...

I am joining Michelle for Thankful Thursday
and Tanya for Willy Nilly Friday Five

Thanks for dropping in!

scene & story - february

February was...

Well, it was February

The month began as February should in New England

- cold and snowy

I took this photo at Rockport Harbor, early in the month

- a cold, blustery day - the kind of cold that stings - almost knocking the wind out of me.

The ocean was a bright deep blue, and the sky - painted with shades of pastel.
Gazing through my lens, I watched the couple on the breakwater,
envying their adventurous spirit.
It's too cold for me though - I'll scramble over those rocks another day.

Rockport is popular with tourists,
its beautiful harbor, quaint shops, and art galleries draw large crowds in the summer.
The colorful buoys tell another story
 - this is a working town with a working harbor.

It is the vast openness that is compelling me to take this photo, though.
The ocean never fails to draw me in,
reminding me - always - of my first sight of the Atlantic.

Nearly 16 years old, standing on the sand,
  utterly in awe - feeling so very, very small - insignificant.
I have never lost that sense of wonder
- and with this, I raise my camera,
attempting to capture this small moment in time.

I am joining Sarah and Leon for Scene and Story

Thanks for dropping in!