Tag Archives: Photography

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Tibetan Prayer Flags

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While visiting a friend one evening last week, I admired the prayer flags that graced her already beautiful outdoor space.

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“Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to gods, which is a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe that the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all”.

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My friend’s husband had recently had surgery and the prayer flags were hanging to promote healing and peace during recovery.

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Prayer flags come in sets of five colors.  These colors, arranged from left to right in a specific order, represent the five elements.  Blue symbolizes the sky and space, white symbolizes the air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth.

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By hanging flags in high places, the blessings depicted on the flags are carried to all beings.  As the wind passes over the surface of the flags, the air is purified and sanctified by the mantras depicted on the flags.

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While I was familiar with these flags, I did not realize the meaning of them.  The information in this post was gleaned from Wikipedia.  I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences with these flags

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Basil

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Two years ago, I called it a love affair … but I think it’s time to be honest … I don’t want to go a day without basil.  In fact, it makes me happy just to see these plants outside my kitchen door.

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The combination of basil, mozzarella, tomato, and olive oil just can not be beat and it serves as my lunch or dinner almost every day during the summer months.  Of course, basil elevates almost any food, at least in my opinion.

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Unlike many of the garderners whose blogs I follow, I did not raise these plants from seeds.  Perhaps I’ll try that next year.

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The aroma of fresh basil is heavenly!  I’ve even been known to swab a leaf across my pulse points in the same way that another woman might use perfume.

Would you say that I have a problem?

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Let me know if you do … you can find me near the basil plants.

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A Golden Stop

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At the end of a day of travel, I was prompted to pull the truck over to capture this golden scene.

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Just think! Soon I’ll be pulling over on the bike because Yes!  The new bike is in the driveway!

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Cluck!

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Morning coffee at Kate and Bob’s home offered a few moments to enjoy their chickens.

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Clearly content, they clucked and coo’d quietly while I quickly took a few shots.

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A peek inside the coop revealed freshly laid eggs

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Check out the decorative touches and and bright colors of the chicken yard.

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Kate and Bob have created a space that would make any chicken content (yes! the chickens told me so!)

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Women Riders

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A friend of mine was the focus of a Women Riders segment produced by one of our regional television stations.  Missy and her husband own an indepedent motorcycle shop, and Missy, who has been riding for years, invited several women to come ride with her and help put the spotlight on women who ride.

It’s been 6 months since my wreck and unfortunately, I am still a rider without a bike (although not for much longer!).

Thankfully, I was able to indulge in another passion of mine.

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I’ll be posting more photos soon, but meanwhile remember this:

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The First of Many

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It happened almost over night

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The first Rhododendron bud opened

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My Rhododendrum shrubs (or Rhodies, as we like to call them) are full of buds

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By the end of the day, a few other buds had started to bloom.

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Soon, the entire shrub will be full of gorgeous blooms such as this one from last May.

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Rhodies are abundant in this part of the world.  “Tall, wild varieties can reach over 35 feet high, and are found throughout the coastal mountain ranges from New York to Georgia. Designated as West Virginia’s state flower, rhododendrons are particularly abundant in the Great Smoky and the Blue Ridge mountains. Species in the Pacific northwest from northern California to British Columbia vary in heights” (www.library.illinois.edu)

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Wine at Night

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Most of you know that I enjoy a glass of wine occasionally (just occasionally mind you – quit snickering!). A few friends and I gathered on my screened porch for a spring birthday celebration this past weekend, and of course I had to document the evening.

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As the day waned and the darkness gathered in, I decided to bring out my new tripod.  I’ve been resistant to using one because I like to shoot on the fly and from the motorcycle, and I feared the tripod would take the spontaneity out of my fun with the camera.  (I’m sure the photographers reading this are rolling their eyes right now).  I sure did like the result, though!

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Liz’s home baked Orange Sponge Cake with Mangoes and Ginger Cream was so yummy!

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Happy Birthday!

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Do You Know Bud (Redbud, that is)?

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Many of you responded to my previous post about Redbud, scientific name Cercis canadensis, by saying that you were not familiar with the tree.   Commonly called Eastern Redbud, it is a deciduous, often multi-trunked understory tree with a rounded crown and is noted for its stunning pea-like rose-purple flowers which bloom profusely on bare branches in early spring (March-April) before the foliage emerges.  

The tree is native to eastern and central North America from Connecticut to New York to southern Ontario and the Great Lakes south to Western Texas and Florida( http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/ ).  Here in Virginia, we often see it in open meadows, and along roads and rivers.

My blogging pal, Pauline, The Contented Crafter, thought the Redbud looked familiar, and in doing a quick online search, found that in New Zealand they call it The Judas Tree.

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Littlesundog, writing from Oklahoma, commented that she loved the beautiful blooms and the heartshaped leaves.

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If you don’t have Redbud in your area, feel free to come visit Southwest Virginia in the spring and I’ll be happy to show you around!

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Joy

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When spring finally does come ’round, the moments of joy are endless.

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If you haven’t already done so, I’m sure you are looking forward to getting back outside, putting your hands in the dirt, and bringing color and beauty to your surroundings.  I’m so lucky to have a screened porch to enjoy while creating this blog post.

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The bees are buzzing, quite loudly actually, all around my new hanging baskets and the blossoms on the Redbud Tree, all of which have been purchased from local nurseries or greenhouses.

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The birds that have nested in the gutters over the carport are adding a beautiful song to the other sounds of spring, and FINALLY, I have found a few basil plants (if you know me at all, Basil is my summer addiction).

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I’ll have to bring the pots in every night for a few more weeks, but at least I have some!

Yes, there are chores to be done, and errands to be run, but even accomplishing those things seems easy on a beautiful Sunday in April.  So, until I can get back out on the bike and join my friends, at least I can get my hands back in some dirt, and finish what I started yesterday

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