Today’s Picture to Ponder post evolves around choices, accepting what is, making things complex or receiving with ease.
Given the abstraction of most of the images, I am including a Nature photo also, for those whom I assume expect to see nature photographs here.
Explanations are below the pictures.
Today’s Picture to Ponder Photos –
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AVOCADO PITAged, Solid,
Rock Hard,
Rich in color, texture, patterns
And oh so much more.
On its own, it splits in two
Peel the parchment skin
Find the heart lines, textures,
Ying and Yang?
Is there a message here, or do we simply accept it for what it is?
Beauty contained in the ordinary, often overlooked,
Sometimes never seen at all. [click to continue…]
If you read the last Picture to Ponder post, you’ll most like recall my fascination with the unfolding of two interlocked, wood-like, seed pods that got totally flat after soaking in water.
One of the photos showed the pods starting to curl up. I put them back in water until my grandsons came, so together we could watch changes that might come.
The bottom line end result is that the two pods, with one ultimately placed on top of the other, became intertwined and totally circled back onto themselves into one unit.
The whole process took less than a half a day. I’ve posted the photographs below and seven others on a Pods Circling page for you to see the changes. If you are a writer, there are some interesting images on the latter page that I think would be great for journaling or creative story writing.
Today’s Picture to Ponder Photos –
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My older son and two grandsons are visiting this week, so today’s Picture to Ponder is late and will mainly be the photographs and story documenting discovering and transformation. The Queries are brief and might be profound for some of you.
Today’s Picture to Ponder Photos –
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If you have been following Picture to Ponder for a while, you’ve undoubtedly realized that I consider my camera as one of my best friends. It and/or its predecessors have joined me and my family in celebrations and on trips;
1- it has shared in the joys and some of the sorrows in my life;
2-Â over a period of many years our similar yet different views with our cameras opened some exciting conversations with my beloved husband Sam and me;
3-and, many times its served as a form of meditation AND definitely a stress-reliever.
I make it a practice to ALWAYS have a camera with me and as you know, I encourage you to do the same as you develop the practice of photographing ANYTHING that catches your eye.
Other’s cameras and mine also serve as conversation openers, thus connectors, when out among other people. Today, as I was walking on the boardwalk at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, I pointed out the reflections below to a woman who had paused to ask what I was photographing.
Reflections – Rhythms and patterns from the boardwalk [click to continue…]
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Today’s issue of Picture to Ponder evolved from some of my experience of “creating” during the last two days. I wound up spending a good amount of time adding new images to products in my Nature Art Gift shop. This included creating prints of the silk painted mandala featured in last week’s Picture to Ponder as well as portions of the garlic bulb imagery below. Also at a customer’s request I put the “Sh*t Happens – I find the beauty” on a mug. She loves the message and wanted one for herself and one for a gift.
After working on the mug I went to the garlic bulb segments featured here and on the blog in September. I particularly love the photograph and wanted to have it on a calendar in my kitchen. (The calendars are actually a very cost effective way of getting 8X10 -approx – prints. I simply cut off the calendar part when finished, or before.)
As I started working with the photo in Photoshop Elements, I “accidentally” focussed in on one portion of it. I then became enraptured with the silky texture and created a page with some variations on one of my sites. Stilll excited, I’ve put a composite of three of them here for
Today’s Featured Photos –
As you can see the top two are the same view rotated 90 degrees, each projecting a different feeling. The “silkiness” that so appeals to me remains in both.
For the bottom image I created a “montage”, mainly to show the original image with which I had started. There are a couple of more images on the garlic page where it is easier to spend time with each image separately.
Self-Reflecting Queries –
Today’s experience and story relates to being open to the unexpected, focusing in and shifting perspectives.
I am assuming that more than likely you never pay too much attention to a garlic bulb if/when you take it apart to get separate the cloves. In the case of the above two segments I was taken aback when I made the “discovery”, kept the pieces for photographing and for further exploration with my camera. Ultimately, as evidenced by the above, the photographs themselves became another playground for exploration.
Is there anything that has caught your eye or attention recently that you chose to spend some time with and look at in a different way? If yes, what opened up for you out of that experience? If no, I invite you to find something very “ordinary” and see what new you can mentally/imaginatively create from it. And, of course, even if “yes”, I suggest you do this.
I also invite you to really zoom in on pieces of the object, person or situation and see what new you can find. Does the shift in visual perspective, create any other changes for you?
As always, have fun and open up to new possibilities.
Then please post your experience in the COMMENTS section below.
Upcoming – Jump Start Course for Your Brain
My friend Suzanne Holman, who is doing the three week Jump Start Course for Your Brain sent me five page report with tips for maintaining Brain Health. She said I can pass it on to you. In PDF format, I invite you to download it at BRAIN HEALTH FOR BOOMERS.
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Before introducing today’s photos, I want to put out a reminder for those of you whom might be looking for a creativity boost, in an “eye-opening” way, you can experience this in the upcoming Point and Shoot Photo Course. The official start date was moved to this upcoming Tuesday, January 26th.
Our pre-class revealed an exciting, excited group of participants. The call was on How to Use Flickr for communicating and sharing photographs. It was recorded and will be made available for participants. There is still time to join us. See COURSE for information and your subscriber’s savings.
Today’s Photos –
Today’s photos are from a recent walk through the Morikami Gardens in Delray Beach, Florida, with visiting friends from New Jersey. I had several choices for photos to select for today. Then concern set in on the photo I originally thought I might use. I decided some might find it “disturbing.” I will include a separate link below for the latter.
Because my friend loves azaleas, my attention was brought to one above on our walk through Morikami Gardens
Most appealing to me was this close-up of ferns and the posts from a dam-like “wall”. (See broader view.) For some unidentified reason, I get a peaceful feeling from the above picture, a sense of “aliveness’, perhaps from the bright lights and contrast.
The most dramatic photograph from the outing was a yellow (golden) iguana – beautiful colors and patterns. This is the one I hesitated to feature here in Picture to Ponder.
Firstly, some of you could possibly find it repulsive-looking, despite what I see; and, secondly, in South Florida iguanas are becoming a serious nuisance, invading residential areas, eating prized plants and more. So “honoring” it might be offensive to some. You can see the photo by clicking on iguana.
Self-Reflecting Queries –
My “story” today is a demonstration of how we often allow our actions to be governed by our expectations of what others may think and feel. And, it’s not always even the reality of the situation.
I invite you to look into your own life.
Are there places now where you are stifling your own thoughts and feelings because you don’t think they will be accepted by others?
If so, do you take the time, sometimes the courage, to actually check in with the ones upon whose presumed thoughts you are taking, or not, action?
As you ponder these queries, I invite you also to look to see, “Can you identify some areas in your life where you do allow yourself to be truly open/authentic and others where your don’t?”
What would it take to be totally free and open? Is that even something you want for yourself? from others?
Last Call –
Although none of the above was meant to lead into one last reminder of the upcoming Through and from the Lens Point and Shoot Photo Course, 4 weeks, starting Tuesday evening, January 26th at 8:30 PM, I would be remiss in not making one more mention here.
The course does provide a fun, experiential platform where, with your camera, you can start more freely, playfully, identifying the most meaningful areas of your life.
For specifics and registration see Through and From the Lens Course.
More Upcoming Important Events in which I am participating. You can too.
1 – My friend, amazing Adela Rubio is continuing her teleclass series: Conscious Business Summit: Mastering the Inner Game a global network of Conscious Business Experts(TM) ready to power up your potential in just 11 days.
Adela states: “Launch a Powerful and Profitable 2010 by Mastering Your Inner Game. Tap Into Your Creative Genius and Unleash Your Built In Greatness to Create an Abundant, Authentic and Conscious Business powered by YOU. . .”
These calls are F*ree, with a 24-hour window to listen in if you can’t make the live call. Check out Mastering the Inner Game.
Adela is one of the best interviewers I encountered and TOTALLY authentic and open, inspiring her guests to be the same.
2 – Ordered at Amazon, and already delivered, Allison Maslan’s book – Blast Off! The Surefire Success Plan to Launch Your Dreams Into Reality is waiting for me to dive into it . There are several bonuses, still available for anyone who orders the book by January 31st. See Blast Off!
I am offering a wonderful REFLECTIONS bonus for this launch, including 30 Reflections Photos in a PDF slide show, plus a separate PDF with thumbnails and Queries for writing prompts. By agreement, you will be given permission to use any of the photos for you web activities. Again, see Blast Off!
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REMINDER _Â I will be interviewed on Blog Talk Radio by Amethyst Wyldfyre this Friday, December 11th at 4 PM Eastern US time. Amethyst has entitled the program “The Gifted Hand, The Gifted Eye – Fine Arts for the Holidays: Interview with Sheila Finkelstein” I’d love for you to join us. Please bookmark SHOW. You can listen on the web, call in and/or download the call after the show, if the time does not work for you.
Birthday Acknowledgment and History –
My other big news is that today we are celebrating the 5th anniversary of Picture to Ponder, which was launched on December 9, 2004.
I did a count the other day and saw that today marks the 476th issue. Starting out with simply a photo, discussed in the next issue, four times a week, we shifted eventually to the current one issue per week with both photos and self-reflecting queries. The latter evolved and became “official” after about six months.
In Issue 1, as I described what I planned, I stated:
MISSION –
It is my desire to inspire you to discover and expand your own greatness of seeing, imagining and/or creating.
From comments I’ve gotten over the years I think I am fulfilling on this.
Today’s Photos –
The above is the first first photo I featured. As described in Issue 2
“YESTERDAY’S IMAGE –
the remains of a tree damaged by the Florida hurricane, then cut.
THE IMAGERY –
for my husband – the HOBO in the center of the trunk
for me – a cat’s face. with whiskers, seen for the first time yesterday, after I sent this off, and for you??”
Since that time, I recall this as the “Hobo Photo.” I’d even forgotten the “cat.” As I look at it now, I think the cat part appears when we disregard the black portion and look at the whole space surrounding it.
As most of you know, Sam is no longer here to share interpretations with me, so for the most part the added dimension comes when you add your experience or interpretations on the blog.
I was fortunate, the other night. I shared a photo in my camera viewfinder with a couple in Green Cay Wetlands, as they, too, were exiting. In the distance,
I had seen a stumpy man with a green cap and sunglasses, so I zoomed in.
I thought I would use it here and simply label it as “Unidentified Object”, after sharing my interpretation. I really had no idea of what I was looking at. Fortunately, for my curious mind, I shared this with the couple mentioned above. How delighted I was that I did.
“It’s a turtle,” one said. I looked at it and, of course, it became quite obvious once it was pointed out. As a matter of fact, all they had to do was say “turtle” and I saw it immediately. The “sunglasses” were part of the turtle’s body, the “nose”, his head. The “green cap” was duckweed on the turtle’s shell.
None of us, though, could determine what it was sitting on, so we decided to leave it labeled as an imaginary wolf.
Ever curious, I did go back a little earlier the next day for a clearer view. With the duckweed in the water having moved on also, it became quite obvious that it was a log, now looking more like a resting dog.
A close up brings our attention more to the full experience of both the “face” and its reflection, and there might be yet another interpretation. I’ll leave that one to you.
If you have an interpretation to share, please post it below.
As an aside, if you are interested in surfing through some of the issues over the years you can check the eZezine Archives for issues from Issue 4 up through October 2008. Please tell anyone you might share this with NOT use the subscribe button on the eZezine archive pages. We are now at aWeber and you can see the archives from October 2008 to now at aWeber PTP Archives.
I also have all of the issues on eteletours.com. Starting with Issue 1 – http://www.eteletours.com/issue1.html you can scroll through all of the issues by using the arrows at the bottom of each issue or by changing the number in the URL.
Self-Reflecting Queries –
I started out stating that today’s issue is a celebration. I’m certainly not “jumping up and down”… the image that the word “celebrate” pulls up for me… and I am acknowledging the pleasure, satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment at ongoingly fulfilling on a mission declared five years ago.
What is your view of “celebration” and how do you celebrate yourself? I invite you to find one or more things for which you would like to acknowledge yourself. Certainly feel welcomed to post them on the blog.
Also, the main theme of the photos revolves around “interpretations” and expanding ourselves when we are open to others’ interpretations and points of view. I invite you to find something that may be intriguing you… a visual image, or a happening… and get in conversation with another about it. Before sharing your interpretation(s), invite them to share theirs. Is it different? the same? and/or do new possibilities open up for you?
You might even use today’s photos as the ones to open up dialogue. If you do, please post your experience on the blog.
As always, have fun with this.
Also, if you would like to experience the expansion of your own discovering and sharing of interpretations in the upcoming Telecourse for which I am in the process of setting up dates, you can put yourself on the “Be-Informed” list form at the bottom of the page on Point and Shoot Photo Courses.
Other Interpretations and Celebrations –
One of the things I have neglected to share here is that a few months ago I took the bold step of having professionally scanned several of my Fantasy Landscape water color series to make them available as giclee prints.
I recently set up the sales page at NATURE’S TREASURES INTERPRETED
Notecards of four of the images will also be available, for sale and holiday gift giving, by tomorrow.
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Reader’s Comments are welcome.
To post them here, click on the small word “Comment” at the end of the post. A window will open, asking for your name, email address that will NOT be published, a URL if you have – Your name will be linked to that – and a box with space for you to “Leave a Reply” will be there to type in your response. Then remember to click on “Submit.”
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Based on positive feedback I received, appreciating integrating “Today’s Photos” with “Self-Reflecting Queries,” I am continuing that format today. So be sure to scroll through the whole of today’s Picture to Ponder.
Tonight (Wednesday, November 4th) I will be interviewing camera expert, Ingrid Owens of Camera Shy. She will be sharing answers to questions she’s asked on buying and using the digital camera.
She will also be sharing the one quick tip she has for improving your photographs before even taking them. There is still time to register for the call and/or get the MP3 recording if you can’t be on the call. See Point and Shoot Photo Courses – Camera Shy. Moving on to TODAY’S PHOTOS and QUERIES –
I promised I would be featuring unusual mushroom photos from my Sunday walk in the American Orchid Society Gardens. While opening the folder in which I placed the pictures, this backlit leaf, kept calling to me. I LOVE the colors, the boldness and strength and at the same time, the rhythm of the very faint and delicate lines of the veins of the leaf. The faint vertical lines from another plant serve to ground the main image.
Back lit leaf in AOS Gardens
Where in your life are there strong contrasts of strength and delicacy? Do they add up to balance? If one is more prominent than another, is there a shift you might like to make?
Moving on from those questions, I invite you to consider the following.
WHAT IF ….
It’s so SIMPLE. Amazing breakthroughs in the scenarios are what participants experience in my Point and Shoot Telecourses. The day session of the next 4-week course starts on Wednesday, November 11th; evening Monday, November 16th. See POINT AND SHOOT.
Mushrooms on a path in the AOS Gardens
I am always amazed. I have been visiting the American Orchid Society Gardens for six and a half years. EACH time I visit, I see something I’ve never seen before AND as you see in the above, it’s not always a carefully, placed orchid, or other, plant.
I invite you to look into your life at one or more situations or places where you are not paying attention. After all, they are “ordinary”, “everyday” … Now, that you’ve paused to look, what new can you find?
The mushrooms above were one of several groupings near the edge of a path. A couple groups were right in the middle of the walkway. As their colors blended with the environment from which they emerged, they were undoubtedly invisible to most people and thus got stepped on.
It’s the grouping and the flow I enjoy in the above photograph AND as I look at it now, I’m more cognizant of the groupings within – the couple, the threesome and the charming, delicate, flowerlike mushroom on the left, almost in the middle.
Are you blending in or standing out in your life? Are you more comfortable tightly grouped with one or more others in your circle(s)? Can you step back and recognize the beauty of the whole of your communities?
This second grouping of mushrooms was in a different section of the AOS gardens, a little more off the pathway. Here I like the curls and folds. What do you appreciate when you look at the image?
That’s it for the “deep” queries for today.
As always, have fun and look around you with playful eyes.
Upcoming Programs that Will Enhance Your Life
1 – In addition to my Telecourse answering What Ifs :
2 – For those in business, I invite you to check out my friend Adela Rubio’s Conscious Business Telesummit 3-week series of calls, a gathering of Conscious Business Leaders eager to share the models and methods of Conscious Business, including –
Make a 6-Figure Income with a 3-Figure List
Charge What you Deserve Now
Create Your Conscious Business Story and more…
Easy-to-listen to and keen herself, Adela is interviewing well-known, successful, conscious business owners ready to share their profitable business models and their expertise.
3 – For those who are caregivers, or who know, caregivers, my friend Suzanne Holman is co-facilitating Comfort for Caregivers Telesummit, also a 3-weeks series of calls. I’m in the midst of completing a packet with writing, caregiver tips and photography – ALWAYS LOVE – as one of the bonuses.
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– NEW -Â 4 – Week Telecourse Starts November 9th or 11th
Click on image above for details
I am excited. As you can see from the very top image, the header for the new Point and Shoot Photo Course for Moms, I am launching a new program. My earlier Photo/Creativity, then Through and From the Lens courses, will now be delivered under the umbrella of Point and Shoot Photo Courses. The material and philosophy is similar. Working with specific groups will further solidify the community experiences participants love, while enhancing learning and bonding with subject matter.
In terms of today’s Picture to Ponder, for whatever reason, I felt the need to feature autumn one more time. Though the fall season stays with us until December 21st, the visual aspect of it will soon be gone. When I speak of the visual, I refer to the assumed colors of autumn.
Neither of today’s featured photos is a “striking” photo. Yet each kept popping out at me as I was searching photo file folders. They did “seed” some interesting thoughts, turned queries, and compositionally the pictures do hold together.
TODAY’S PHOTOS
The upper photo is of Fallen Autumn Leaves blanketing gravel at the edge of a parking lot in Syracuse, NY. Given the overall feeling of Nature, the gravel appears as if it could almost be blueberries. I like the array of colors, representing the full range of the life cycles of the leaves we see.
The lower photo is a close up of a dried up Queen Anne’s Lace flower which, I discovered when I googled it to check spelling, is edible. Given that the developing theme today seems to be “Life Cycles”, I especially like the circular shape of the full flower and those at the end of each of the “spokes” radiating out from the center.
SELF-REFLECTING QUERIES –
Today’s photos are rich with contrasts and also represent the cycles of our seasons… both in the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer, as well as our own life cycles… seen even in our individual projects and activities.
I invite you to consider the contrasts and cycles in your life. Are you able to easily be with the transitions? Or, are there challenges for you? Do you operate out of “being” with whatever stage you’re in at the moment?
If the latter is difficult at times, have you developed “coping” mechanisms? Are you aware of what they are so you can “call them in” on demand, when needed?
If “coping,” are you able to go beyond with “tools for transformation”?
Sometimes/oftentimes, it’s helpful to simply remember that whatever space we are in at any point of time, it is part of a cycle.
As you ponder and query today, be sure to identify the parts of the cycle that give you the most pleasure, provide the most fun.
CELEBRATION –
Two of my friends, Marifran Korb and Tomar Levine**, are among 36 other authors who have chapters in the “OVERCOMERS INC: True Stories of Hope, Courage and Inspiration” book launched today, October 22nd.
Marifran and Tomar, having seen an advance copy say that it’s great. I trust them and what I’ve read about the book. I love people’s stories. If you do also, check it out at OVERCOMERS. If it is still the 22nd when you read this, there is time to take advantage of all the bonuses with purchase today.
** You also might be interested in checking out Tomar’s Creativity Support Group forming, first session November 3rd.
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