Timing is Everything

Waiting to be discovered

When we first moved to New York State in late June, my husband and I set out to start a habit of walking three miles each morning, as much as possible.  I suppose the newness of the move brought the usual excitement that comes with a fresh start.  As time progressed, our walk began to fall by the wayside.  It took everything in me to just get dressed and put my tennis shoes on.  Several times, my husband went on without me.  At first, I felt guilty; but, it went away.  Then, something happened.

I decided to get on the scale.  That was both good and bad.  I’ve gained all my weight back from two years ago.  “Throw caution to the wind,” she said as she finished off the last two chocolate Macadamian bites from the box her son brought from his trip to Hawaii.  Oh, and of course, she needed to make berry pies for her son – you know from the berries they all picked together at their last visit in July? The good? It was time to get serious about my health. 

The second motivating factor came from an article in the Huffington post,  "Shinrin Yoku.”  This is also known as 'forest bathing'.  It's how Japanese de-stress and declutter their minds by taking long walks in the woods. After reading the article, I realized I wasn't getting the opportunity to enjoy our surroundings.  I needed to enjoy my walk, not focus on the time and distance.  The article refreshed my perspective.

Now, don't think this made starting any easier.  In fact, I balked at the whole thought, even though I knew it was the right thing to do.  Maybe it was because I got up a little later and I was still waiting for the fog to move out of my brain.  I grumbled while tying my tennis shoes, but I managed to make it out the door, and follow my hubby down the drive.  Once I hit the pavement, things seemed to look up for me.

We began to slow our pace to observe the changing flora.  Some were dying off, some were turning red, yellow, and orange; and, others were new growth.  Since we weren't actually walking in the woods, I could only observe the bark textures from a distance.  One towering pine stood out. The needles seem to drape down from the branches.  It reminded me of the Spanish moss that hung from the water oaks back in Georgia.  My guess is it was a  Norwegian pine.  By this time, I was feeling a bit like Annie Dillard at Tinker Creek. 






I was on constant vigilance for my next photo.  A bunch of milkweed pods became an interesting subject.  A close up shot made it seem as though I was walking in a southwestern desert.  

The Monarch's Life Source

My husband commented about a conversation we had with a friend regarding the Monarch butterflies.  With the decline of milkweed, the Monarchs have no place to lay their eggs causing them to no longer migrate to North America.  You can read more here. 

By the time we headed back, the sky had a bit of an overcast.  One of the things Tammy encourages is spontaneity.  Rather than be too fussy about my subjects, I just picked some of the nearest weeds, got down on my knees, and looked up into the sun.

All of this probably would never have taken place had I not stepped on the scale or read the Huffington Post article.

Timing is everything.

A Butterfly in the Sun

It's been a little over two months since my husband retired and we moved north from coastal Georgia. Talk about opposite ends of the earth, huh? 


Our house in New York has been rented out since the early 90s.  Needless to say, it needs a lot of TLC.  Of course, renovation means one thing - chaos.

In order to keep myself sane, I decided to do something I've wanted to do for ages - enroll in an online photography course.  Every so often, Tammy Strobel who writes at Rowdy Kittens offers one.

I've always loved Tammy's photography.  When she began to offer photography courses, I would tell myself  'maybe next time'.  No more.  I decided now's the time.  Taking the plunge gave me a sense of normalcy, not to mention help build my confidence in my photography.


Self-Discipline

Having weekly lessons and a group to share our photos with does wonders for keeping me motivated.  I find myself looking forward to each day.  I love seeing photos that others post and reading the comments.  Adding to the old saying of "every picture tells a story," I'm more inclined to write everyday.  It also helps me to stay focused (pun intended) and not to be scattered like my house.


Observation

I'm becoming more keen of my surroundings.  I was at the library the other day when half a dozen delightful butterfly mobiles caught my eye.  My first inclination was to just stand and admire them. Then, I remembered this week's lesson about shooting into the sun.  I couldn't have asked for a more perfect opportunity.  

Patience and Experience

I realize that it takes patience. What I see through the lens isn't always the finished product.  For instance, a vibrant evening sky isn't necessarily as vibrant when I'm done.

Everything is a learning process, especially when it comes to light.  It has so many different effects which create a variety of moods.  Last night, I went out just before sunset.  The sky was overcast and made it difficult for me to capture what I intended.  I was rather disappointed, but I posted them, anyway.

After considering some of the comments my peers made, I realized the mood created by the overcast was rather interesting: dreamlike and soft. It wasn't as bad as I first thought.

None of this would be happening if I hadn't taken the plunge.  For so long, I put something off that I really wanted, badly.  Unfortunately, the timing wasn't right.  But, now that I have,

I feel as free as a butterfly in the sun.