SPRING IS COMING! SPRING IS COMING!

Oh, the lovely warm weather, the blue skies, the sounds of the froggies chirping at night, and the first blooms of beautiful and delicate crocus!

Kaeli and I were both SO excited to see this blooming in the yard. I am not sure where it came from, as I dont remember us having any crocus at all in among all of our flowers and plants.... Lucky us!

Of course with Spring comes the chance to use my macro lens filters. I really have enjoyed having them and they have been VERY worth the $ I paid to practice my macro photography until I can maybe someday afford a real macro lens...

I know many people are squeamish about spiders of any size, but it really seemed a great opportunity to capture a moment of nature. This spider was really very interesting and the coloring was very unique...kind of fun
The sun was so warm today and it was perfect for taking outdoor picts...

Kaeli was having lots of fun with the camera and she got this shot as soon as she got it in her hands...It is fun that she is enjoying photography so much too.

THERE IS BEAUTY ALL AROUND

It started raining today just as we left church. By the time we drove home (10 minutes) the sky had just opened up and it was POURING. I noticed how big the raindrops were on the flowers outside and decided to try for some more picts. This unknown plant has quickly become my favorite as it continues to amaze me with its color, texture and beauty. The raindrops on its leaves and petals only made it more beautiful to me. It continues to grow and bloom at an astounding rate and that in itself is amazing.
I love the rain - the way it sounds, smells, feels. It soothes and draws me outside to experience every moment that it falls. Its fresh, Fall smell stopped me in my tracks today when I went to let the dogs in (they are wimps, they dont appreciate the rain the way I do :) I let them in and stopped right in the doorway and walked out to the deck inhaling as hard as I could - the smell was undescribable. At one point it was raining so hard it was like a solid sheet of water pouring from the sky - it was breathtaking to watch. It made my heart happy as I watched and listened to the neighbor girls laugh and squeal as they ran through their yard completely drenched and enjoying every moment of it.
What a miracle it is to have something so simple as rain effect so many senses in me. What a joy to watch as it cleanses and refreshes the air and the Earth. What a blessing to be given such precious gifts as flowers and the rain. What a precious gift to be able to stop and see that there is beauty all around! What an amazing and wonderful world we live in!

A LITTLE PIECE OF PARADISE

A few months ago we re-landscaped our front yard. Instead of grass and trees we put in a rock path and lots of plants and flowers. Over the last several weeks we have enjoyed watching things grow and bloom. One plant that we got from a friend has been growing like crazy and it has been amazing to watch the huge leaves roll open and the stalk grow to 2x as tall as the front porch. We have been waiting for it to bloom and it finally did! And is it ever a WOW! The blooms are gorgeous and remind me of the color of a brilliant sunset. The plant itself reminds me of many that Preston & I saw when we were in Hawaii a few years ago. It is my own little piece of paradise right in my front yard! It was really fun to take picts at the different stages as the blooms opened. I especially was thrilled with the way the one night pict I took turned out - it was so dark that it reminds me of blooms set on a piece of black velvet. I am thrilled to have such a unique piece of nature to enjoy every day - it has been a joy to watch it grow and bloom and I know I will miss its bright colors during the winter but I will look forward to its beautiful blooms again next year!