CFFC: Reflections or Shadows

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge for this week is, celebrating reflections or shadows. I went back in time to find the reflections of a live oak branch decorated for Christmas at Brookgreen Gardens annual “Night of a Thousand Candles.” This was the venue where David proposed to me in 2011, so these gardens are very special to us.

Brookgreen Gardens, SC. Night of a Thousand Candles 2015

The next photo is closer to home at Greenfield Lake:

Greenfield Lake

Finally, we have some tall, late afternoon shadows at the beach:

For more fun photos, visit Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge by clicking HERE.

CFFC: The Presence of Animals

This week our topic for Cee’s Fun Photo Challenge is celebrating what Connects you to the present moment.

Yesterday’s history

Tomorrow’s a mystery

Today is a gift

That’s why they call it the present.

All of nature connects me to the gift of the present moment, but animals are especially good at drawing me in. Maybe it’s because they are experts at being in the here and now. Walking and training my dog, Marley requires that I be present and vigilant as he is constantly wanting to chase or smell something. We’ve made progress. Stroking the formerly feral Mama Cat is soothing as I listen to her purr which gets louder over time.

Is it time for our walk?

Who’s that handsome guy?

Purring on the Catio

The residents at the Farm Animal Sanctuary where I volunteer are always doing something interesting to help me focus on the now. At least once a week, I go there to cut produce and feed the two pigs and 11 roosters, then I hang out with the goats. There are also three sheep at the sanctuary who graze at will.

Goats Nuzzling

Padre and Bennie

Patrick Smiling

Simon the Rooster with Angel

For more on CFFC, visit our host, Cee by clicking HERE.

Sunset Skies

I’ll be cutting back on my blogging over the next couple of weeks to give more time to family,  household projects, and writing. But I still plan to drop in for Stream of Consciousness Saturday and Good News Tuesday.

Here are some photos I took this month at the inlet.

Happy Summer!

Yeah, I might have enhanced this color just a little.

I always wanted long legs. Ta da!

I believe that’s an osprey up in the clouds.

A Black Skimmer Coming back to the Sanctuary

Sea Oats Waving in the Breeze

Yes, I really like sea oats.

I like how the lines in the water and sky compliment each other.

This cloud reminds me of a tornado. But it’s not.

I did not enhance these last two.  This is how the sky looked!

You never know what God’s going to paint in the sky to say, “I love you.”