We all wait…

Some of us for the bus…some of us for love…some of us for our real lives to begin…

Some of us for that special moment when the light and shapes line up just right…in a way that we’ve never seen before and may never see again…in a way that goes beyond words to remind us what we already know…

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To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’ve been busy creating new card designs using my images for my Sparks of Grace series. I am selling these affordable cards to raise funds for my community’s new hospice project.

I’d love to know what you think of my latest card. Does it appeal to you? Do you like the image and sentiment? Would you send it to a friend?

You can see the rest of the Sparks of Grace set here. Thanks so much for stopping by today.

So how do we remember?

My paternal grandmother had a dressing table something like this. She used to sit before it and brush her long, thick gray hair (which was once auburn) and then coil it up on top of her head in two fat braids, secured with tortoise shell combs.

But the picture I have in my mind is a bit fuzzy around the edges. I wish I had a photograph of this part of her daily routine. I would love to see the details again — the colours and the shapes that made up my grandmother’s world.

In the last little while I’ve been looking at old family photos in albums. My father was an excellent amateur photographer. He took black and white photos on a Rolleiflex twin lens reflex camera that my mother gave him before I was born. His images captured the details of people living life with love and artistry.

My mother, circa 1958, in Singapore. That’s me in the basket.

Later on, he progressed to even fancier cameras and colour film, but I think that his early black and white work was some of his very best. Through these photos, the past is not lost to me and my family.

Like many others, I take photos of special occasions and also everyday moments — the grandchildren picking carrots from our garden and wrestling with Grandpa, our travels on the sailboat in the winter, our family outings — as a way to help us all remember down the road…the details of our days, the richness of our lives.

So how do you remember?

Today is about simplicity. Today is about balance. Today is about juiciness.

French butter pears

The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.

Frank Lloyd Wright

If this is your first visit here, thanks so much for coming! I invite you to look at my Sparks of Grace postcard series before you go.

I was in Prince Edward County for the last few days exploring this magnificent region of Ontario and sampling its food and wine.

At one of the stunningly picturesque wineries we visited, there they were — a golden girl playing joyfully with a golden dog. It felt like a scene out of a wonderful dream of times past.

I used a layer Kim Klassen’s Dream-it texture on this and I’m joining in the parties at Texture Tuesdays and Sweet Shot Tuesdays.

Mystery is at the heart of creativity. That, and surprise.

–Julia Cameron

I really admire this amazing collaboration of 10 women friends, who found each other through the Internet. I am moved by the way they share their lives and support each other to climb to new creative heights with their photography. I think you will find their site quite delightful.

Each month they choose a theme and invite photo submissions. Their theme this month is barns.

I can remember being drawn to photographing barns from a young age, often with my father and sister. I love the architecture, the texture, the colour and the settings of barns. Now that I live in a more rural area, there is no shortage of picturesque barns to satisfy my creative urges. This photo was taken near my home outside of Ottawa, Ontario. I was captivated by the colour of the barn, the windows and the light.

I applied a Flypaper Texture to give it the kind of magical feeling I imagined. If you like working with textures, you might want to give these a try. They’re amazing.

For Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen.   Featuring Kim’s “Urban” texture.

Tea is nought but this:
First you heat the water,
Then you make the tea.
Then you drink it properly.
That is all you need to know.

Sen Rikyu, Zen Tea Master, 1522-1591

Who knows what may lie around the next corner? There may be a window somewhere ahead. It may look out on a field of sunflowers.

–Joe Hill

This is the latest in the Sparks of Grace postcard series. Sparks of Grace postcards are for sale for $1 each (plus postage) by contacting me. All proceeds go to the Almonte Palliative Care project.

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Some of my photographs are available for sale through Getty Images.  You can see more of my photographs on my website.