Pussy willow is a name given to willows and sallows when their furry catkins are young in early spring. Early Spring – Yes!!!!!
a sign of spring
Category: Photography
A long and rambling post
The saying; Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans, is true in many cases. And now, in this moment in time nothing happens, no plans can be made, even if you do are you able to do them in this current situation.
Plus as a fact, you cannot plan life really, it happens. I have had this happen to me so many times. You can make all the plans you want for yourself, but life probably has a completely different set of plans. Everyone has been let down at one time or another when their life hasn’t quite gone the way they would like. I know my life is far from what I had planned and I’m sure a lot of people have had that happen to them, too.
Life molds you as time goes on changing your life as it sees fit. This is not to say that I don’t have a good life, but it is totally different to what I planned when I was young.
in this moment in time, I feel sad, kind of helpless and frustrated at the same time. Depression, I have mild one. A self diagnosis for sure. I think lots of people do at this time. Lots of things contribute to it in my case.
The fact, that I am not able to get a job. I have this feeling, that I don’t know anything or a not able to do anything that is required in the jobs I have skills for. I know I have the skill, but I feel that I don’t. You apply to various positions, maybe get an interview, end up being in the best 2 – 5 people, this is no comfort. Also this relates to the main thing, where am I going to get the money to live. The feeling of being worth something, also in this context.
Covid, it has some effect on everyone I am sure, some more, some less. I have taken it mostly OK, it is what it is. Still, that you are not able to do all the things you want to is restrictive. I am in the good situation that all my family is close and we are able to be in contact. But one of the concerns is that it has caused also unemployment in the younger generation including my kids, so you worry about their income.
Also depression has hit some of my close ones hard, not mildly but severely. It is hard to see how it takes hold of the person and how it resonates to the people close to them. The helpless feeling as you do not know how to help. Action more than words are more effective.
Winter is, and never has been, the best of the seasons, and people who have read my post in the past know this. I have complained about enough. But as winter go this was not the worst by all means. And spring is on it’s way, I am so happy about that.
I’ll stop now. Work on my art and photos to put my mind out of this non productive rambling.
If you read this far, thank you 🙂
Veikka the Cat
My small photography studio is in my office 🙂 ( I don’t have one, but one of the things I use when trying to create one, is the light from the north facing window and a floor lamp behind the desk and this artist paper block. Veikka is so ready to be my model. And what a good model he is.
Today’s thought
Do you know the feeling when you are dreaming and find yourself thinking, I’ve seen this one before?
Well, last night I had two reruns. They seemed to go on and on…it felt like I dreamt all night and nothing new was on. Well that is my life at the moment anyways, like so many of us are experiencing. Same, same, but different. Except not 🙂 Play the blues
I should take it like Tinka, lay down and relax. Yesterday I did. I usually do not nap, hardly ever, yesterday my eyelids were so heavy I had to give in. One hour in the afternoon. This is what it has come to. Napping. I felt like Tinka below, this is what’s it’s come to.
Veikka ignored my dilemma, he just slept.
comments
is anyone else having issues about posting comments today, I am frustrated!!!!! I have written several comments to various posts and then I they won’t go through. It does not happen to all blogs or all comments.
After several attempts I give up….I feel like these two below 🙂
Lemon Slice #3
I promise this is my last post on lemons for now, other fruits need to be noticed too for they bright and uplifting colors. As you can see I can go slightly overboard when I try to capture just the right shot. Serious business these challenges 😀 LOL ( not! )
Lemon, yellow…I bought lemon, lime, sparkling water and set up my project.I took so, so many shots, way too many. Once again I faced a dilemma what to post. So I took macro or close ups mainly of slices of lemon , but you can see lime there too. This first one is my favorite.
Lemon Slice
If nothing else these are a splash of spring, summer in these photos; Nothing says ‘sunshine’ in the kitchen or on a menu like lemon. One of the quotes i saw about lemon was this, I did not aim for that: One of the negative side, some artists use the image of a cut lemon to insinuate that something is sour, faulty or otherwise amiss.
Lemon, yellow…I bought lemon, lime, sparkling water and set up my project.I took so, so many shots, way too many. Once again I faced a dilemma what to post. So I took macro or close ups mainly of slices of lemon , but you can see lime there too. This first one is my favorite.
Lemon and Lime
One of the things I participate in is a monthly FB group photography challenge, this is my second entry to theme.
This month the theme is Lemon, yellow…I bought lemon, lime, sparkling water and set up my project.I took so, so many shots, way too many. once again I faced a dilemma what to post. Here I am not so limited I might even do several post on this. Trying to figure out the framing, this is in my humble opinion one of the main things, how you frame your topic. I does not matter if it a still life or landscape. Exposure, the light and shadow play, What area do you want to focus on, and how sharp the image is and where to place the focus. Decisions, decisions 🙂
Winter blues
No way getting over it, it is still winter. It looks lovely no denying that either. Lots of folks I know are really enjoying this. So lets be happy for them 🙂 The singing of the birds carries the notes of spring. All good. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Open water
This is a sign that we are glad to see, not spring, but a hope of it. Areas of open water in places where there is a nice current in the water. The first one is from the end of rapids, as the water enters the lake. The second is from a river.
Challenges
One of the things I participate in is a monthly FB group photography challenge, the same group has been active for a long time, now we are on going strong in the 6th year.. The amount of participants slightly differ yearly, but there has been small group of photographers, mostly women, from the beginning.
Sometimes it is a challenge, when new arrivals come to figure out what you can say about the photos they post. The idea is to give feedback on the photos other than; Nice, lovely etc. As all photos are not that, they need constructive feedback. I include myself in the group that, we all can benefit from other peoples views on our photos. Well, the ones who have been together, you know that you can give feedback, suggestions without offending them – they know it is one opinion, you might agree or or not, learn from it. Or just ignore it. Some are so opposed to criticism that you either say nothing or give some platitudes, so you have commented on the photo. It takes time to figure out what someone is willing to hear.
As I said, I have been in this group since the beginning. It is run by a friend of mine. This same friend is who got me into blogging in the first place back in 2011, then I posted photos mainly to challenges either photography or art challenges.
One thing that came from it, is my digital art interest and desire to create it and learn more of it, to create my own style. My contemporary art and this blog has kept me on a learning curve. The photos I took way back and was happy about make me slightly gringe and that is certainly the case with my digital art, at the beginning they were just double exposures 🙂
So to sum up this long post, constant learning and opinions have certainly been helpful to me. Thanks Irma for your encouragement and our willingness to keep the challenge going. For me, most of the challenges have been a learning experience, that I would not have tried if not for that challenge.
This month the theme is Lemon, yellow…Here is my take on it. The first image is the one i submitted, other are different takes on it. I always have difficulty when trying to pick one image.
Alert to…
Tinka was alert to the approaching steps, but it was only me with my camera.
We have a new bedspread in this rich rich burgundy color, I liked how the color reflected to Tinka’s face in these photos.
Reflections
The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You’re one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you’re two months back in the middle of March.
(Robert Frost)
A conversation
As we don’t get to see our friends, acquaintances during this odd time, some people have been actively on the phone or making video calls. I’m not one of those, as nothing really happens, there isn’t much to say, repeat what we spoke about the last time as the days seem to repeat themselves day after day.
You know; breakfast, shower ( maybe) time at the computer, looking at the same news, lunch, tv, sleep. Repeat, repeat with ever so slight variables to the routine.
Today, I spoke to friend that has stayed with me from one of my jobs, from several years back. It is funny how we pick, get friends, who stay with us. I think I have kept about one friend from each one of my many jobs. They may not be someone I communicate with daily or even monthly, but when you speak you are at the same wavelength that you where when you saw daily at work. Remember, when we went to our workplace daily? They are part of your history from that part of your life.
Yes, back to the topic, I spoke to a friend who has been living in another country for past three years and now has returned home. We exchanged messages on messenger or whatsapp or both occasionally during this time, so I was slightly aware of her life situation. We spoke for over a hour of topics ranging from big to small, life, health, work, family, home interiors, cultural differences, age, growing old you name it. Say what you want about aging, it’s still the only way to have old friends said Robert Brault, I have to agree.
It was fun. Thanks so much for the call, it made my day slightly different from yesterday. One of these days, when the days warm up, we will meet and chat face to face, nothing beats the human contact.
A hug
Here I still am, sitting at my computer even though I am thinking that I should go out. So to be very quick I am giving you a virtual feel good hug.
Over the roof tops
We went and visited Helsinki this afternoon, it was a bright, warm, very spring like day with temperature of +9C , but even with that taken to consideration, there were not many people walking about. We just had to get out of the house. We even had the restaurant all to ourselves, we spent lots of time looking at the cityscape opening to us behind the window. I do feel for the businesses. it is not easy to survive wit all the restrictions in place.
Keeping it simple
Frosty flowers shimmering beautifully in the February morning light
Faces *
Frank, from Beach walk reflections approached me if I wanted to collaborate with him and provide photos for one of his posts. He asked what kind photos I have, he had a list of topics to choose from. I could have provided photos to many of the topics, in the end and he chose to write about Faces* and after few discussions later he suggested photo collages, which worked out well for me.
Have a look at his post to see what he wrote about faces and the collages he chose to go with it. This was fun, maybe will do this again 🙂 You can visit his blog also from here* and see the rest of the images.
Cold day finds
Frosty flowers shimmering beautifully in the February morning light
.
Taking a close look
Frosty flowers shimmering beautifully in the February morning light
.
Frosty rose hips
Touch of red on the few remaining rose hips that the birds have left for our enjoyment in the autumn.
.
Frosty morning
We have had several cold days this week, but the weather should be warming up a bit. This cold certainly brings us nice and sunshiny days and the clear starry nights. The amount of clothing you have to wear to keep warm. Layered clothing is the thing or just stay inside, which is the option i use the most.
We have been seeing news about Texas and other areas that are not used to winter conditions and the problems they are having…so sad.
Fruits
At breakfast this morning I started to play with my mobile phone, I took photos of the fruit 🍎 I had on the table 🍊🥭, so why not share some colorful and healthy fruit shots
Knitting
It has been a big trend , knitting that is. I decided to be part of it. I went out and bought some yarn 🧶 and knitted myself a beanie and a warm Elizabethan collar. The technique has something to desire, but I am rather happy with the result
Yawn
Yawn 🥱, my Veikka cat was a bit tired 😴
Coffee moment
I asked my husband to get something tasty to go with coffee. This is what I got, laskiaispulla. A bun with whipped cream and strawberry jam. Aah , so tasty 😋
