Tag: Cosmic Photo Challenge

Pathway & Project Part 4 – Atlantic Ocean & Delaware Bay

On By TimelessladyIn Paths, Projects4 Comments

I might be slightly stretching the challenge subject of passages/paths to consider walking alongside the ocean and bay a pathway, yet my way has a water border and dry sand on the other side. I walk on the wet, hardened area swept over by the waves. On further reflection, I think of walking along the ocean, a definite path. 

The first photograph is one of my favorite places, Fortescue, New Jersey, along the creek that flows into the Delaware Bay. This area is a popular spot to fish. Again, I found the photograph quickly because it is set aside as a scene I would like to paint.

Another favorite area is Strathmere, New Jersey. We walk to the point across from Corson’s Inlet State Park. The beach has large cordoned-off areas for the shore birds that raise their young in the sandy stretches beyond the reach of the waves.

Whatever beach I visit, I collect an assortment of ocean treasures. I keep them in baskets and jars, paint them, craft with them, and have them in my living room as decor. Today, I created a decorative basket with a few. I especially like the piece of seaglass on the front. I found the glass with the small oyster shell firmly attached. I imagine that oyster had quite a whirlwind life while it was alive, tossed around in the waves with its piece of glass host. The small shell included on this piece is a cat’s paw collected on Sanibel Island.

On the subject of Sanibel, I’m including a clip of one of my favorite YouTube Channels: SWF Beach Life. This clip includes Sanibel Island. I love her channel; it is so relaxing and fun to live through her as she gathers beachy treasures. On a scale of 1 – 10, I give this YouTube channel a definite 10. If you feel stressed, or are just interested in seashells, check out this channel.

Passages & Pathways Part 3 – The Paths of Home/Glen Lake

On By TimelessladyIn Passages, Paths6 Comments

Glen Lake Park: This park has benches all along the lake and is maintained by the students of Kindle School. The lake recently has been fitted with fountains and lights. Glen Lake is stocked for fishing. It also is rather shallow and often freezes over, providing a nice place for winter outdoor ice skating. ~Our Town

Glen Lake, a small pond near our home, is a favorite destination for a quick walk. Early morning is my favorite time to circle the paths along its perimeter. A clue to its size is how easy it would be to throw a pebble across its breadth.

Although morning is my favorite time to visit, sunset can be beautiful, too. I love this photograph of my husband walking a pathway of sunlight shining through the trees surrounding Glen Lake. Way back in time, we took photographs of our wedding party beside this lake when we got married.

So often, we want to find beauty in our travels, but for most of us, there are colors and incredible scenes of sunlit splendor right outside our back door. It could be a body of water, such as this small pond near my house, or something as starkly beautiful as a dandelion growing in a crack in the sidewalk.

Wherever your pathways and passages take you today, I wish for you to find beauty that will touch your soul.

Passages & Pathways Part 2- A Week of Paths/BI and Longwood…Again

On By TimelessladyIn Passages, Paths6 Comments

It’s day two of the Pathways and Passages challenge, and I’m still walking the paths of Block Island and Longwood Gardens in my imagination. We often stayed in a Block Island Bed and Breakfast called the Sea Breeze Inn. It’s been well over a decade since we spent a week on the island, but we still remember one of the biggest draws of the place, its beautiful location, and the innkeeper, Gabby. 

In the photograph, Gabby is standing on the path that leads to the room we always booked for our week’s stay. I wish we had kept in touch and could still withdraw to the wondrous room with its high ceilings and comfortable furniture. Every morning, Gabby brought us a basket filled to the brim with a pot of coffee, muffins, Danish pastries, fruit, and many delicacies to start the day. I often wonder where life has taken her, if she still lives on the island, or if she has moved to the mainland. 

This well-dressed lady piqued my fancy one October day while visiting Longwood Gardens. I didn’t know her, and perhaps it is not polite to take a photo of someone just because you admire their outfit, but I loved her hat with its sassy bow, the red coat, and the posh bag she carried. Her long skirt was the perfect complement to the coat. So cute! In hindsight, I wish I had told her how beautiful her outfit appeared as she walked the pathways in the gardens. The photograph was taken in 2009. One of these days, I will attempt to create a watercolor of her. Fifteen years later, there is a lot of time between my first inspiration and getting around to it. 

Passages and Pathways – A Week of Paths/A Few Favorites – Part 1

On By TimelessladyIn Passages, Paths4 Comments

I enjoy taking part in challenges. I thank Dale Cooper for today’s Cosmic Challenge/Passages and Pathways.

Today I’m including literal paths I have walked and enjoyed.

A pathway near the Bell Tower in Longwood Gardens; I have visited more times than I can count and always come away refreshed by the sights, especially in the winter when the conservatory is filled with flowers.

A perfect tree for climbing on the way to Clayhead Beach on Block Island, Rhode Island. I hope the tree is still standing. I have begun a watercolor painting of the tree, including a figure on the long, low branches with a book in her hand.

Block Island again, the same pathway; carrying beach chairs and paraphernalia to the beach at Clayhead is quite a hike, but it is well worth the effort.

Phlutters & Photo Challenges – Cosmic Photo Challenge/Contrasts

On By TimelessladyIn Phlutters, photo challenges10 Comments

Yes, you are correct if you think this blog becomes inundated with butterflies at this time of year.

Today’s photographs are part of the Cosmic Photo Challenge, Contrast. The markings on the butterfly are an excellent example of contrasting colors. The butterfly contrasts nicely with the garden plants he rests upon as he finishes drying off his wings.

Another good contrast is the natural support of the butterfly chrysalis on the left compared to the one on the right. I save so many caterpillars; they sometimes bump finished chrysalises right off their mooring of spun web. I found the chrysalis in the papoose-like sling of string lying on the floor of the butterfly house. I am hoping it will develop properly and emerge perfectly.

  • When I use string to repair a chrysalis resting place, I separate garden twine into single pieces. This is as close as I can come to mimicking the web they spin. It doesn’t harm the developing butterfly. I’ve had two emerge and fly off into the wide world after being put back into place with garden string.

Photo Challenges – Cosmic Photo Challenges – Waterways

On By TimelessladyIn photo challenges18 Comments

I’m starting Six on Saturday, with a view from my bike on the Glassboro-Williamstown Bike Trail.

The trail has several swampy areas. They are lovely and fairylike, with their carpet of duckweed. This photograph is my entry in the Cosmic Challenge—Waterways. Wild Roses border the swamp and trail.

Cinnamon Ferns grow lushly in the woods, and some are beginning to send up their center spike.

Wild asters are delicate in appearance but durable wildflowers.

Beautiful Mountain Laurel in full bloom.

The best photo of the day and the best scent was the honeysuckle. A bumbling bee was drinking the nectar as we passed by.

The beautiful honeysuckle and the bumblebee are my choices for Xingfu Mama’s Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge. I just noticed while looking closer that I also photographed two small ants on the honeysuckle leaves, unbeknownst to me at the time.

Plants and Photo Challenge – Cosmic Photo Challenge/What’s Flowering

On By TimelessladyIn photo challenges, Plants14 Comments

The beautiful moss spores are my choice for The Cosmic Photo Challenge/What’s Flowering Where You Are? Before the recent snowstorm, I grabbed my camera and took a woodland walk. I was amazed at the vivid green of the mosses and lichens. In places where the sun shone through the branches, I noticed some of the mosses had already sent up spore capsules. I’m going to stretch and say these are a type of bloom.

If I had to rate these moss spores for beauty between 1-10, they would receive a 10+ from me.

Skunk cabbage has also emerged in the dead of winter. Here are some of the ‘knobs’ before the snow covered them. I read an amazing fact on the PFEIFFER NATURE CENTER site: some skunk cabbage plants can be over 100 years old. Wow, I will feel a bit more awe over them when I take my next woods walk.

Next time when I become a bit winter-worn and weary over the cold weather, I’ll remind myself of those skunk cabbages never giving up.

As always, lichen on fallen branches are a welcome touch of green.

Whatsoever is Lovely? Definitely the small and delicate bits of green I found in the woods. I wish I could have a large garden plot filled with mosses and lichens in the winter.

Photo Challenges – Cosmic Photo Challenge: Straight Lines

On By TimelessladyIn photo challenges9 Comments

This is the first time I have come across this great challenge. So happy to take part today after going on a bit of a nature walkabout with my camera. Cosmic Photo Challenge: Straight Lines; come along and walk with me…

The woods nearby yielded some interesting textures and lines. Weathered and worn, with straight lines engraved by years of lying on the woodland floor.

Cross the bridge with me, the straight lines of the planks support your steps, but add a bit of bounce and sway too as they carry you over a shallow gully.

A straight line of lichen grows within the confines of the tree bark. The beautiful greens match the color of my kitchen walls.

In the straight lines between the brick steps on my back porch the Creeping Jenny is showing signs of greening up into her Springtime chartreuse.

In the front garden beds, cress is beautifully unfurled between the straight lines of driveway and brick. This is one of my favorite plants for foliage pressings. More on that later on in the week.