Focus on Life Week 17 - Color

Three of my grandkids had this week off from school so we decided to take them to West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta for two nights.  This is the largest shopping mall in North America and has many unique amenities including a huge waterpark, ice rink, amusement park and marine life.  We stayed at the Fantasyland Hotel which is attached to the mall.  Believe me there is enough to do there for a full week but my feet were so tired after two days that I was ready to leave.  It is virtually like a small city contained under one roof with hundreds of places to eat.  With spring arriving, color was abundant - in fashion stores, shoes, home decor and everywhere we turned there was an explosion of color.  

I talked my grand daughter into walking to the far side to visit a fine art store.  I always need more art supplies....right?  We walked in and saw this right before our eyes.  I knew it was the photo I wanted for this week.  

Have you ever seen rainbow stairs?

If you want to see more color, be sure to visit all the other participants over at The Studio Sublime

Thanks for stopping by and leaving such welcome and encouraging comments.

Focus on Life Week 16

The prompt this week was - Go For a Walk.  Spring is trying it's best to appear in these parts but there is more mud than anything else.  I know that because my dog's feet need to be washed after each walk.  It is wonderful to hear the happy sounds of nature when I am out and about.  This sighting made me stop and enjoy!

Snow melts

Ducks gather

They don't seem to want a visitor today

They're gone - but they will be back

If you want to find out more about Focusing on Life - 52 Photos go to The Studio Sublime to see what others have focused on this week.  Thank you for stopping by for a visit.   Just so you all know, my Boxer Rosie is doing very well after her surgery.  Thank you for all your kind comments and concern. 

Focus on Life - Up Close

This is week fourteen for the Focus on Life series of photo prompts.  I missed last week and I haven't left comments for everyone participating so I plan to get back at it again.  This week I did NOT take an amazing macro shot.  This is an analogy of my life up close......

I am feeling like the little stream I happened to drive by yesterday.  I stopped for a few minutes to gaze at it and take pictures and noticed it was almost overflowing it's banks.  Only a week or two ago, there was hardly any water in the bed and it was frozen and still.  Now it has melted and is flowing fast with dark murky water.   

Run off causes streams to swell and flow quickly

Such is life it seems.  Sometimes we have little happening and can slow down and enjoy our days.  At other times, the water rises and events make the waters dark and it is difficult to see our way.  I noticed that there was a big boulder in the middle of the stream and it caused the water to change course and come to a near stop before it rushed past on it's way.  Like that boulder, we need reminders to slow us down and enjoy what we have.  

Water is murky and dark

I nearly lost my new Boxer dog Rosie on Thursday.  I took her in to be spayed and because she has an irregular heart beat, surgery is considered to be quite dangerous especially when waking up.  They assured me there would be special monitoring during and after surgery so I felt at ease leaving her.  When I picked her up late in the afternoon, the vet told me that her heart problem would likely get worse because the heart enlarges and is harder to pump blood.  He said that typically they live to be 6-8 years.  She is now four.    

Another problem during surgery was that she did not stop bleeding so they had to take extra measures to stop it.  They applied a pressure bandage and held it in place with what looks like a diaper.  Not a simple spay procedure by any means. 

She seemed fine when I left the Vet Clinic, but as soon as she got in my vehicle, she started whimpering and whining and thrashing about which lasted the full half hour drive home.  I was a wreck by the time I got home.  Later, she would panic and jump off the couch (where we made a nice soft bed) and frantically pace around the house before nearly falling flat on the floor.  Her eyes were full of pain and she had a look of fright.  I wasn't sure she was going to make it through the night.

I made a special bed for her in the living room and slept with her all night and she finally settled down.  Today (Friday) she seems so much better and her pain is tolerable.   She does a lot of sleeping but at least she is alive!  I am so thankful.

In spite of having so many things I need to do - I spent most of the day sitting on the couch and snuggling with her.  We have only had her for 50 days but she has us totally smitten.  I can honestly say that I have never seen a more loving and friendly, good natured dog.  She has such a beautiful spirit and she has given us so much more than we could have ever imagined.

Not a macro shot but this is Rosie - Up Close 

This was a typical week of so many things happening but in the middle of it a boulder was placed.  It forced me to change course and stop for a moment and realize what is important.    

If you want to see what everyone else saw up close this week - go visitSally's Blog

As always, thank you so much for stopping and leaving your wonderful comments.

Focus on Life Week 12 - Observe the Curves

For this week's Focus on Life prompt, 'Observe the curves' we are reminded  - Branches of trees curve to embrace the breeze.  Letters curve and form words.  Curves can keep things apart, hold things together or create a path.  This was another example of wanting to find something different to photograph but ending up with the most obvious choice of all.  

The curve in the road - where does this path lead?  

To warmth and welcome, comfort and shelter, grandkids, food, family and friends, love and laughter, hugs and kisses.  The curve in this road leads HOME.  The place where I am inspired to make art and bead work.   I couldn't think of a better curve to photograph!

More random Curves found on my daily walks - trees lining my driveway

Dried Grasses - a reminder of what was or what will be?

Thanks for stopping by - it is always a pleasure to receive your lovely comments. To see who is participating this week, visit The Studio Sublime

Focus on Life - The Possibilities are Endless

I am so ready for spring but sadly there is still six inches of snow on the ground.  Color is very much missing and I am wanting to get out in my yard and start planting.  When I saw racks of seeds in the store this week, I grabbed up a few.  My husband loves to garden as in vegetables and after  he plants enough for a small village, ends up giving away many bags of produce.  I think he loves to do it just so he can give to others.  

I am dreaming of the possibilities of transforming my yard into something beautiful......

This is what I picked out....I love color so flowers are my specialty.  I will have to pick up many more bedding plants as well.  

This is a start and gives me hope that the place we moved into in late October might be very inviting this year.  That is if we ever get spring!  

Thanks for stopping by - now head over to see what everyone else focused on this week - at The Studio Sublime

Focus on Life - All Wrapped Up

I have been so wrapped up with the online courses I'm taking that I wasn't going to participate this week.  Then I remembered that excuses are one of my big pet peeves.  To put it more simply - I didn't know what to take a picture of.  Then I remembered something I received back in late December and keep on my desk for inspiration.  To me, it represents beauty in the details.  When we are in business, our packaging is so important and it tells a story about who we are.  This is a perfect example.  Erin's blog is called "Treasures Found - Inspiration is everywhere".  How true Miss Erin!

Beautiful, Simplicity, Detail - notice the tiny key on the right 

I received these beautiful goodies in the mail this past week from Kristi Bowman  Some beautiful handmade elements for my jewelry.  I won the package of beads shown from Kristi on her blog and they are quite beautiful!  I have never won anything before so lucky me!  I wanted to include this on my blog today.  Thank you so very much Kristi!  Your work is amazing!

I hope it is okay to brag about someone else's work and not always our own.  Kristi and Erin are beautiful designers and wonderful people as well.

Thank you for stopping and leaving such beautiful kind words each week.  I so appreciate it.  Now go see what the others have wrapped up over on Sally's Blog

Focus on Life - Week 9 - Knock, Knock

Knock, Knock....  Let's open some doors to see what awaits us on the other side.  

This was Sally's prompt as she guides us through 52 weeks of  "Focus on Life".  I am so impressed each week with the photos everyone is capturing and the stories behind them.  Such a diverse group in terms of who we are, where we live and what we focus on in our lives.  I feel like I am getting to know everyone and am so appreciative of all the wonderful comments.

This looks like it could have been a door...?

I absolutely love old buildings and am intrigued by the layers of weathered paint, crooked boards, cracks, rusty nails and am full of wonder as to what happened there throughout the years.  I would love to know the stories.   This little shack sits on the property adjacent to ours and it drew me in today as I went in search of pictures.   I couldn't access it so I'm not sure what it's purpose was - probably a workshop.  I am in love with the turquoise painted on the bottom half.

Then I found another door on the other side.

Some may see ugliness in this but I love the aged, cracked paint hanging in shreds showing layers right down to the weathered and bare boards.  I have to say that this old building was a stark reminder to me of the many layers of experience and life lessons that we go through.  I am not what I used to be in so many ways (thank goodness) and what I am trying to become is like this bare wood.....showing my true self.  The essence of who I am like this building that has stood strong for many years through many storms.  When I look at elderly folks I see beauty because of the strength of character and determination they have gained from hardships and physical labor they may have endured.  

This was my take on this week's prompt.

The house we moved into last fall was built in 1937 so all the doors are dark wood with glass door knobs.  So very pretty!  Where does this door lead?  To my delightful bright studio where I spend most of my days.  If you want to see pictures of that studio see my post Here 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit - now go see what others have been knocking on by visiting Sally's blog