Just a Picture Taker

I began a blog to share my gardens... 

but somewhere along the path I've discovered... 

I really do love the thrill of capturing an image.

And it tickles me when someone else delights 
in the scene I create.

Alpine Meadow in September

"How can This Grandmother’s Garden fantastic photo not be a winner?  She clearly understands the contest theme “Fill the Frame” – the photo is carefully cropped, using the entire canvas to achieve a nice balance of meadow and woods.  The focal point is nicely off center and I really get a sense of a vibrant, verdant mountain meadow.  I want to be there.

Thanks for your strong entry to the GGW contest. Really nice cropping allows you to fill the frame and have a precise focal point. I think a slightly lower down camera position might have allowed those main flowers (Rudbeckias ?) to be taller and fill up that side a bit more with your story."                                                                     
                                                                                                      ~Saxon Holt, Photographer

Sunset Magic

When the voices of children are heard on the green
And laughing is heard on the hill,
My heart is at rest within my breast
And everything else is still.
                    ~William Blake

"This photo teaches us a lot about thinking outside the box, ah … er, garden! This is a fun and endearing moment, and the accompanying poetry (William Blake !) sends the whole thing off the chart of our expectations. I really like the orange glow, the black silhouettes, the highlighted edges and the three quirky poses. A Silver Medal award to This Grandmother’s Garden shot of her grandchildren in silhouette. This is a photo that moves beyond the ordinary and makes art out of the ordinary.”    

                                                                                                           ~Charles Mann, Photographer

Columbine in  the Wild Meadow

I'm just a Picture Taker, not really a photographer 

and I have so much to learn...  

but I'm lovin' every step of my journey!

Bird Seed

Throughout this new year,
 I'll be sharpening my picture taking skills...
maybe I'll actually  learn to use my camera properly.

Who knows?

Maybe I'll graduate 
to become a camera-person someday.

More Please

"It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. 
You need less imagination to be a painter, because you can invent things. 
But in photography everything is so ordinary; 
it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary."

                                                                                ~David Bailey (b. 1938), British photographer

I think I better spend a little time
working on my imagination, too!

Welcome to my gardens!

Your visit here is cherished

and your comments sweet nectar that keeps me posting.

Click on the *optional link to your website on the comment form

to leave your blog's address... so I can visit you!

Naughty or Nice...

Several of my grand-kiddos discovered these little Elves 

making mischief in the Christmas tree bows.

Lively little characters with curious expressions

that captured a three, four and six year old's imagination.

"Grandma, you have Elves at your house, too?!"

Their bright eyes sparkled with absolute wonder.

Oh, they know all about Elves... 

"they watch to see if you're naughty"

the four year old exclaimed with conviction.

"We have one at our house, Mr. Glimpse,

and every morning he's in a different place." 

chimed in the 6 year old.

"Do your elves see us Grandma?" 

the three year old asked with concern.

Oh yes, they do! I wisely replied.

And I'm certain they will tell Mr. Glimpse 

all about your weekend with Grandma.

Love those little elves... they worked their magic.

 No naughty kids here.

We just welcomed our 16th grandbaby into our hearts.

Grandchildren are God's gift to tired old mothers who persevered.

                                       ~ One who did... me!

Daily Blessings... November 17th and 18th

Life is better with grandchildren...
they are the most precious blooms in my gardens.

When the voices of children are heard on the green

And laughing is heard on the hill,

My heart is at rest within my breast

And everything else is still.

William Blake, "Nurse's Song"

Give children time to explore...

to learn about the feel of the grass under their feet 

and the wiggliness of worms in their hands 

and their giggles will warm your heart.

I'm thankful today for my grandchildren...

#16 will be here soon.


♥  ♥  ♥


I'm taking another chance at a photo contest with this image... it's one of my favorites and it brings back such sweet memories of a perfect visit to my island grand-kiddos.
Wish me luck!

♥  ♥  ♥



*Sweet! 

So nice to know someone else enjoys a picture I adore!

Visit Gardening Gone Wild to see more entries 
and read the great comments by the judge.

For My Dad...

who patiently taught me how to garden...

Outdoor Gardens

Round red radishes pulled from the soil, 

always the first harvest of the season,
but they don't taste very sweet.

Zucchini Squash, large yellow blooms, within days set long and green,

if I sit still long enough can I SEE them grow?

Delicate wispy green foliage 

with the promise of yummy carrots under the soil 

(I can see orange!)... 

how long do we have to wait?

Carefully hoed rows of furrows,

deliver life from living water.
  Can I help make those little rivers?

Picking horn-worms from the tomato plants
  before they can do damage, 

why do they have a horn, anyway?

Warm Summer nights sitting on the front porch,  

marveling how your big thumb on the end of that hose 

makes a perfect spray of water... 

can I try?

♥  ♥  ♥

Memories of Dad (and me) in the garden...  forever priceless!

Thanks Dad, for sharing your love of gardening 

and harvesting 

and life.  

And thank you for answering all of this little girl's questions!

I can feel you watching from Heaven as I garden. 
 

Did you KNOW you were growing more than just vegetables?

Shhhh... it's a secret.

Mother Nature has a way of teasing us at the change of each season. Beautiful days of sunshine, temps creeping up into the 60's only to be followed by a burst of cold and snow. This is the pattern until Spring finally arrives in full splendor. 

While my gardens are just beginning to wake from their long Winter's slumber, it's the perfect time to prepare the flower beds before summer arrives.

I've learned a great secret in my 30 plus years of gardening.  

STAY AHEAD OF THE WEEDS. 

Seriously. 

It's amazing how fast those weeds grow even when the temperature is so cold.  The perennials and budding leaves need the sunshine to coax them from their sleepy state, but those pesky weeds seem to thrive in extremes of cold or heat.

A friend tells me that their family has mandatory weeding days - "Everyone go out and get 25 weeds out of the yard" - early in the Spring when everything is super wet and they slide out easily.   

  
When I was a child, my Dad paid me a nickle a weed to dig the dandelions from the lawn. Inflation may set the price a bit higher today, but it's a great way to keep your kids and grand-kids involved.
  
Our rule is to NEVER let a weed go to seed on your property, you will be battling that weed's posterity for a million years if you do... so don't!  

Stay ahead of the weeds now before the warmth of the sunshine invites them to multiply and replenish. But shhh...don't tell anyone I said so, because it's a secret.

Guess what I'm doing on Saturday?

Blooming Friday Winter

Some time ago I discovered a wonderful Swedish blog Roses and Stuff  by Katarina. I must admit I'm a bit partial to blogs (and bloggers) in Sweden. My youngest son has lived in Sweden for the past year where he is serving a mission for our church. He will be there for another year before he returns home. As you might imagine, I miss this young man more than words can say but I am so happy for the opportunity he has been given to serve in such a beautiful country. Sweden is the land of many of our ancestors and I have been blessed to become familiar with this country and many of its beautiful people by visiting some of the blogs originating there.  Katarina's blog is one of those. 

Each Friday Katarina hosts Blommig Fredag 

or Blooming Friday. 

This week the theme is WINTER. 

Winter in This Grandmother's Garden

Here's my contribution for Blommig Fredag.

A collection of Winter scenes

as viewed through my camera lens 

describing all that's wonderful about Winter!

Now if it just wasn't so cold!

Thank you Katarina for hosting such a delightful meme.

Winter's magic wand adorns everything it touches 

with a sense of wonder and beauty.

Snowflakes Dancin' in the River

Branches Bowing to the Snow

Promise of Spring... waiting 

Forest Adorned in Winter Whites

Winter here is always a playground of fun!

Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

Screamin' Fast!

One of Us Has to Move

Look Out Below!

Thanks Daddy

Snow Much Fun!




In our gardens, Winter often comes early... 

Early Snow... Leaves on Trees

Coral Bells Ringing

Early Snow Alyssum

And often returns with surprise visits...

Surprise Snow of May 2009

Dahlia Caught by the Surprise

Clematis Bud Not Sure if it's times to Open

But there is no doubt that Winter always brings beauty to everything it touches.

Winter's Beauty

Winter... it's a season we celebrate!

A Royal Winter Procession

Not far from our home, 

perhaps an hour and a half drive... 

over the river 

and through the woods 

and up the mountain road,  

there is a wonderful little town called Liberty. 

Visiting Liberty is like taking a step back in time, life seems so much slower paced and peaceful. At least it was for us, as most of our family gathered there for a couple of days worth of together time.

The snow began to fall early in the morning, and by the time we arrived, it was a Winter Wonderland with four to five feet of fresh snow. It was magical!   

But that's another day's post.

 ♦♦♦

 Today I want to share 

one of the adventures we had during our stay.

I've placed a filter on these little kiddo pics to keep their smiles from floating through cyber space.

A Royal Winter Procession 

begins as Shepherd and grandchildren lead their donkeys 

Ruth and Esther and three woolly sheep down the snowy path.  

The gentle Shepherd carries a feed bucket 

to entice the hungry parade to follow him.

The deep snowfall has made it a challenge to feed and water them 

so they must be moved to a larger pasture. 

There the horses and cows have already tromped pathways 

in the deep and new fallen snow.

 They willingly follow...

...until they reach the wide open spaces.  

Here, they burst into a playful run, 
enjoying their new freedom.

All must help in gathering them together 

and directing them toward their new pasture.

Kids and grandkids form a wall.

 Back and forth the animals frolic...

 until one brave sheep 
finally jumps toward the high snow bank 
they must climb...

 and the rest boldly follow.

 Mission accomplished!

Haul out a bale of hay 
to reward them for their obedience.

 Enough for all to share.

 The cows saunter over to greet the new guests.

 Surprisingly, all get along together quite well, 

sheep and donkeys, horses and cows. 

A little community of their own.

There's peace in this little corner of the world.

And we're off for a new adventure...

Stay tuned!

On the Lookout for Fake Santas...Tis the 9th Day of Christmas

As promised in the Scrooge Syndrome post...

Here are a few pointers on how to spot a Fake Santa Claus. 

Don't misunderstand... Fake Santas are nice guys, but wouldn't you like to recognize The Real Deal when you see him? 

The Real Santa is not Skinny.

His boots and belt are always made of black leather...

no shiny rubber or black vinyl on Santa!

Santa Claus has a real beard on his chin

that really is as white as the snow. 

You can always give it a little tug just to be to be sure.

Santa's cheeks are a bit like roses 

and his nose really does resemble a cherry,

but naturally so, not from a jar of make-up.

The Real Santa wears a red wool suit trimmed in white fur 

made especially by the elves. 

There is no polyester anywhere... not even in his long-johns.

Santa's eyes really do twinkle and when he looks into yours, 
he can tell, without even asking,
if you're on the naughty list.

He has a voice so deep and calm 
 that it sends a warm feelin' all over you 
and instantly you know... 

He's The Real Deal.

And oh... how you want to be on that good list! 


*Research for this post has been gathered from The Santa Claus Book by Alden Perkes. Ph. D. S. 
who happens to be the world's leading authority on Santa Claus; 
and from the personal experience of the author of this post.

  

 Be sure to follow this link to
Track Santa on Christmas Eve 
Follow him in real time as he makes his visits around the world.
(I don't make this stuff up.)