Lens Artists Challenge #389 | Time to Relax

Anne poses a great theme for this week, Time to Relax! Anne shared with us that its been months since she has been able to get out to ‘relax’ with her camera and capture some incredible photos at botanical gardens, after a fall. I can relate, although not a senior, I fell twice last year and it really did challenge my comfort level and ignited a level of fear in me that I am working through personally.

Anytime I think about relaxing, 9 times out of 10 it does involve my camera as well – whether its out taking photos or processing on my computer, doing blog posts to share my photography – its all so relaxing to me. Once the weather gets nice, this portion of my relaxing also involves being out in nature outside working on these things – deep gratitude for technology that can follow us!

Monday evening, my husband suggested I go for a drive with him, he knew my mind has been on overload for a while with some changes and since hitting the worst grief of my life, the end of 2024, I can hit overwhelm pretty quickly, so its key to recognize this and shift so I don’t sink. I instantly resisted, I need to do this, I need to do that, its not even that nice out… Him offering to take me on a photo tour is what I needed to relax my mind, instantly. Especially when if I begin to get in that overwhelm feeling, I may not see it as clearly. I am grateful he saw this.

Being out in the warm sun, blue skies and fresh air with my camera is what I needed! A little creative reset, that still astonishes me, even a quick outing of 15-30 min and my soul feels the reset.

There is such peace to be found in nature, at least for me it is. The clouds above, look so whimsical and almost like they are painted on! This is what nature helps me do, focus on this beauty, whether the big or small picture of the wilderness.

2026 should be the year of igniting the passion in your heart, what is a hobby that you feel pulled to begin or do more? Even in the thaw of spring, its dirty, messy, but still… nature is beautiful!

I just love how whispy the clouds are, from the clouds to the water in the field, it all brings so much peace to my being. Like taking in a nice deep breath!

The reflection and shadows within the water on the road, brings forth a peace, relaxation immersed within the image.

The irony actually as I typing this, I am listening to the audio book of Atomic Habits, I was given the Atomic Habits Workbook recently, it was like a beautiful divine intervention, the universe knowing I needed something to begin to get me back on track. Its easy to slip into the to-do away from the being state, this is when I feel the overwhelm and everything feels challenging. Perhaps also why my right side is experiencing pain and discomfort, the masculine side of the body, the doing side, reminding me to lean more into the feminine side of my energy, to be, gentle, and attentive.

This short drive, although before we left I was reviewing in my head all that I “had to do”, when we got home, what I wanted to do – process my photos – was top of my list… FOR me <3

I hope you enjoyed my share of my recent “relax” photo tour. Just 6 days ago, this trail was snow covered and open for the snowmobile trails! Mother Nature is incredible and also, wild!

As we were on our tour, we stopped near the little school house on the bridge over the river. The river was completely swollen and was absolutely wild. As we pulled up, I pulled out my camera, it was dead… I knew that would most likely happen, I even told myself, grab your other camera this one wont do it, when in that overwhelm its far too easy to ignore yourself, which is what I did. However in the big picture, I am grateful I got out with my phone, as I captured pictures and video. I don’t normally do video’s on my camera, personally that’s just not for me. So my most favourite photos from our tour, were a few quick ones from my phone that I shared in my Thursday Thoughts Photos and Words post!

To finish this off, with our boy Gunner who knows the exact meaning of Relax and embraces it full whole heartedly!