All posts in category Weekly Photo Challenge

Color Me Red! | Vibrant

Here in the depth of winter the Weekly Photo Challenge theme is “Vibrant“. Ahhh … a winter break from black and white! And what a great theme to showcase my favorite color—red! Our recent blizzard allowed this red bush a standing ovation.

Amidst the ice and snow the bush got my attention. So red!

I zoomed in for a closer look,

and the vibrant, red leaves glistened as the ice completely enveloped them, dripping like jewels.

And since I’d just replenished birdseed, another brush of red caught my eye through my kitchen window. After juggling the camera and ten pictures later I found this one deemed worthy. 🙂

Rust-Tinge

I love all vibrant colors but red always turns my head.

From barns,

to cars,

Vintage Companions

to mums,

Magnificent Mums

to roses,

to my four-wheeler. 🙂

Capture the Mooon

I’ve even splashed it on a few walls in my home,

Christmas Gift Suggestions

and it graces my front door. 🙂

Welcome Closer

I just love red and can’t help but share the following quote. I’m no psychoanalyst, but maybe this is why:

“I’m in love with red. I think it’s such a passionate color. Every flag of every country pretty much has red in it. It’s power. There’s no fence-sitting with red. Either you love it or you don’t. I think it’s blood and strength and life. I do love red.” ~ Brian Batt

Fire and Ice

And while taking the blizzard photos I noticed one of the ice-enveloped leaves glistening in the shape of a beautiful heart.

Midwinter's Night Dream

So, while I’m at it, Happy Valentines! 🙂

“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

For more bloggers’ interpretations of Vibrant click here.
Other “Vibrant” posts I liked:
Say It With a Camera
Campbeltown and Islay Photography
Pauses and Clicks

Best Buds |Weekly Photo Challenge: My Happy Place

When I saw the photo challenge titled “Happy Place” the words that immediately came to mind were “travel destinations”—places that invoke that glorious feeling of combined rest and joy, one definition known as “happiness”. I thought of places I’ve been (North Myrtle Beach).

or places I’ve dreamed of going (Moorea).

When I went to Acadia National Park (above) I thought, “Oh, now this it. This is the ultimate, the place to unwind, to get away.” I was happy!

However, travel can bring its own stresses, as we all know. The planning, packing, and getting to-and-from can be tiring. You’ve heard people say, “I need a vacation from my vacation!” 🙂

It can feel like chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,

or trying to truly capture the presence and majesty of another breathtaking moonrise,

or that ever elusive butterfly.

But when you’re in immediate and desperate need of joy, finding a happy place cannot always be found by thumbing through travel guides for yet another trip or even dreaming of those places.

It’s times like that I totally forget a happy place that lives right out my front porch. Most of the time I find I’m looking beyond it, rushing past it toward some goal, the “next thing”, that place called “when I finally get there, I will be happy!”

I forget the happy place staring straight at me. It’s a place where they’re straining their necks to grab me, to get my attention, to make me stop in my haste to happiness and see that they are what I really need;

that they live, they thrive, they exist to make me happy! (I’m convinced they serve no other purpose.) They are my never-ending friends, through every season, through every joy, through every sorrow. They are constant and oh, how I take them for granted!

They remind me that we both endure some thorny paths and sticky situations,

that I’m not the only one out there feeling so alone,

drowning in life’s demands,

and kind of hanging by a thread,

or in need of a hug;

that while we pass each other everyday in the coming and going, we can still rise and hold our head high, together, and shine in the sun!

You see, when you have best buds you can find happiness no matter where, no matter what. 🙂

I write this in honor of my friends and family, my “best buds”. Thank you for being just a phone call away. I always miss you.

Peace, Alexandria

2 Comments

by Alexandria Sage on October 21, 2015 • Permalink

Posted in Be Content With Who You Are, Enjoy Life, Remember--You Are Loved--No Matter What, Stay Close with Those You Love, Weekly Photo Challenge

Tagged flower photography, joy, love, photo essay, photography, relationships

Posted by Alexandria Sage on October 21, 2015

https://simplysage.org/2015/10/21/best-bud-my-happy-place/

November, Gold at its Finest

November.

That golden month.
Shimmery, glittery,

Dripping Gold.

Gold waves flutter against azure sky.

Sun shatters, splits, scatters light.

Blinding good.
Hmmm. And people think real treasure is found in golden coins.

Think again!

Gold—Strong. Malleable. Resilient. Unchanging.
Constant.
Coins and jewelry buried for years, centuries, remain intact. Truth be told, we don’t know how much gold the earth has.

It used to be the standard of finance. No more as we print a non-existent value. Fool’s gold. But November still governs by the gold standard.
Of that, there is no doubt.

It’s said in Heaven we walk on it. November gold holds but a glimpse.

Oh, and another thing. If you’re into those golden years, smile.

November wears gold quite well.
So should you! 🙂

And one last thing. On cloudy days I notice the gold is more brilliant against the stark, grey sky. It seems I’m surrounded by gold, gold, and more gold.

Gold everywhere!

So on the cloudy days of life, take heart. Like fire refines to gain pure gold, so you can stand more brilliant against those hovering clouds.
Just like November.

Seems I take more pictures in November more than any other time. I’m up runnin’ out early to catch the rays. And with holidays in full swing, how fitting The Weekly Photo Challenge theme is “yellow”. They did that on purpose to contrast the reds and greens of Christmas. For me it’s perfectly fitting as I wasn’t ready to let go of my November gold quite yet!

If you’re all snuggled in from the cold temperatures, how about I bring the “gold” from around “these thar hills” to you!

And so I present to you, November gold. The year’s finest achievement. Worthy of honor and distinction. Most valuable of all.

EnJoy!
Alexandria

All photos by yours truly, except the third. I introduce to you, Joshua Burgard, of Shadow Rest Ministries, who took this stunning shot of unexpected snow in early November. For more of Josh’s lovely shots, check out the Shadow Rest Facebook Page.

Other “yellow” posts I liked:
JPicks
Variety of Light
Love in the Spaces, Yellow Light
Still Life with Rubber Gloves

13 Comments

by Alexandria Sage on December 20, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Enjoy Life, Weekly Photo Challenge

Tagged autumn, photo essay, photography, thoughts, Weekly Photo Challenge

Posted by Alexandria Sage on December 20, 2014

https://simplysage.org/2014/12/20/november-gold-at-its-finest/

Moon Shadows and Silhouettes

DSC_0036Edit1

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” ~ Hilary Cooper

On a recent trip to the Smoky Mountains my husband woke me from a deep sleep to come look out the window. Both of us being somewhat “moon-chaser’s”, we are always dragging each other to the window when there’s a particularly eye-catching one. No matter how tired, neither of us can usually resist the urge to look.

“You might not want to miss that big yellow moon out there,” he tempted me. I sleepily thought to myself, Oh, stop–not tonight! I’m waaayyy too tired to drag the camera and tripod out. I’ll just get up and watch a minute and then drop back in the bed. And so I did. I peered out the window and he was right. I did not want to miss this. But, no pictures tonight. So I watched.

DSC_0032.Edit1

But not for long.

Unsure if my brain could even function with settings, I quickly grabbed everything and headed out to the balcony. There before me against a silhouette backdrop of mountains, the yellow deepened. Hmmm … Suddenly I woke up! And “click, click, click” away I went. Then, to my sudden surprise, it turned a brilliant orange! As I clicked away for a few minutes another phenomenon happened.

It turned deep RED! Then, guess who was dragging the husband back out of bed! Mind you, this took place in a span of only twenty minutes.

It hung there for a just few minutes before the earth’s rotation took it behind the mountains. As I dropped back to bed, I thought to myself, Oh, that was so worth it! Even if I don’t get a good photo it was so amazing! As you can see, I managed a few and each captures the color as it progressed. It was one of those that felt so close you could touch it!

But you know what really made this for me? This is the second red moon I’ve seen this year. I saw the real “blood moon” back in February. No, I did not stay up and plan. I was on my usual commute to work and as I made my way over a big hill on our country road, it stole my breath at 5 am. I pulled over for about a minute with my phone.

It’s certainly not a technical masterpiece, but I think the color says it all!

But with the most recent, what if I hadn’t taken the time? What if I dismissed it as “just another moon” and stayed in bed? Sometimes God has these little surprises for me and I miss them because I’m waiting for some “big thing”.

Isn’t that how life is? Aren’t we usually striving and looking for such big moments that we end up missing the momentary, smaller glories right in our midst? And mine are usually right in my backyard.

Sometimes I just need to keep my eyes open.

Peace,
Alexandria

7 Comments

by Alexandria Sage on August 17, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Enjoy Life, Weekly Photo Challenge

Tagged enjoy life, inspirational quotes, photography, Weekly Photo Challenge

Posted by Alexandria Sage on August 17, 2014

https://simplysage.org/2014/08/17/moon-shadows-and-silhouettes/

Love, With a Twist

When you look at me
What do you see?
Branches random,
Unchosen tandem?
Nothing clever.

Space distress
Of leaves and mess?
Unlike attraction,
More like distraction!
Whatever!

Why on earth,
of all the space,
Did God place
you here?
Wish you could just leave,
Whenever!

But we are stuck.
Like glue, we are stuck!
Perhaps a wind may unabate
And maybe we can separate!
Forever!!

I am strong
Without you.
I don’t need you.
Never
Will I need you,
Whatsoever.

{And so the big wind
It did come.
And so it did come unabate.
But it did more than separate.}

Oh nooo!!! Hold tight!!!
Don’t let go!!!!
Please,
Don’t let go.
And don’t go.
Stay.
And don’t go away

Ever!!!

“Love lives in the myriad of imperfection and thrives because of its ability to prevail despite its inability to prevail perfectly.” ~ Alexandria Sage

Weekly Photo Challenge Theme: Twist I hope you enjoyed my twisted poetry. 🙂 Peace, Alexandria

Other favorites:

Vastly Curious (Help appreciated if you can figure out what kind of flowers Vastly Curious posted. Simply gorgeous!)
Jay’s iPhone (Stunning night photo with an iPhone)
Twists in Nature (Ahhh … I am not alone in my tree metaphor!)
Twist (No Meteor Shower) (Yes, no meteor shower but still a “stellar” post)