Sometimes the smallest detail, is that moment your mind needed to forget your stresses.
Macro Monday | Rain Drops on Leaves
Silent Sunday | Tobermory Flower Pot Island
Lens Artists Photo Challenge #404 – The Letter B
This week, leading into the Lens-Artists 2 week summer break, Beth is inspiring us with the Letter B as our weekly theme! Check out her post, I really like her boat examples with all the birds flying all around!
I was awake early this morning, about 430am, I did lay there and tried to go back to sleep, however I was awake so I embraced it. As the sun shone brightly into our room shortly after 6am I knew that was my call to just get up and let myself feel inspired. I did reach for my computer, I opened it and opened my blog and flickr pages, but then, something called me away. I suddenly had the burst of energy and inspiration to get started on some decluttering. The irony, I was specifically going to blog photos from our trip to Tobermory, however the photos wouldn’t be what I am sharing now – and I am loving the variety with the letter B!
Last weekend we were in Tobermory, we saw a few different boats there and this one below, Bruce Anchor Cruises, is the one we rode on around Flower Pot Island.
This is technically a boat, but also referred to now as a ship wreck!
We saw a few good sized bunnies around the camp site as well!
Buttercup flowers captured with my phone.
The bunny in the buttercup flowers.
Paddle Boards on the water in Tobermory heading towards the coast guard boats.
Another glass bottom tour boat on the water with a crew aboard.
The walking bridge in the trees on Flower Pot Island. Another view than what I shared in the last challenge.
The other glass bottom boat cruise line, Blue Heron Cruises coming in through the channel.
The MS Chi-Cheemaun, a great big ferry boat coming in to unload and load. This was very cool to see sailing in!
We took a walk down to the beach area at our camp ground – we stayed at Lands End in Tobermory, its a great camp ground! Very private, nice size sites, very clean bathrooms!
The path to the Beach captured with my cell phone.
The beach area, I love how the path and stairs are hidden within nature and are built with nature!
This butterfly stayed with us for a visit!
Phone snaps on my Samsung and on the water shots taken with my Canon R6MII + 24-240mm lens – its a great travel lens.
The Lens-Artists team will be taking a break for the next two weeks. Anne-Christine will be hosting the next challenge when we return on July 18.
You can keep up with all of our challenges by subscribing to the Lens-Artists team members websites: Tina, Patti, Ann-Christine, John, Sofia, Anne, Egidio, Ritva, Beth.
For information on how to join the Lens-Artists challenge please click here.
The Healing Power of a Weekend at Home
Its 9am and I am sitting on the couch enjoying a warm cup of tea.
Realizing, I’ve actually been up for more than 4 hours, and I am filled with energy and gratitude, I have had a relaxing AND productive!
We could have went to our family cottage this weekend, a space we’ve had for now 4 generations and is a favorite gathering spot through the late spring, summer and early fall.
This weekend, we decided to stay home. After having a few busy weekends away from home, it feel good to be in our space for downtime.
‘To fall back in love with our home’ is what came through to me.
We’ve had an on-going to do list that has been nagging at me, and also balancing weekly evenings at home after work. After a good handful of years off and on of heavier duties, I have felt burnout and its hard on the nervous system. When IN heavy stuff, when life, life’s you its important in those times to lean in, rest and do the little you need to. As soon, you will have the flow begin to open and even though all may not be ok in the your world, it is in the moment.
I am SO proud of myself for not only following my nervous systems lead by starting my day early, I allowed myself to be led by the daylight. 6am it was shining bright in our room, I just love all of our natural light that floods in each morning. It was then I decided to get up, to get the dog going and just see where my morning led me.
I briefly picked up my computer about to do a blog post of our camping trip to Tobermory last weekend, when inspiration and energy hit. With having invisible illnesses, when this happens you flow with life, whatever this may mean.
Everyone’s morning routine is best when its what works for you, when you flow and it feels natural, no resistance. Comparison truly is the thief of joy. Focus on you and yours and beauty will always blossom!
This morning, that meant beginning to organize our hall closet, which then flowed into my den closet, which then flowed into our mud laundry room, which then flowed into our garage. Which also flowed into the basement.
We are taking a load to the thift store today, that is almost filling the back of the truck! My husband joined in and helped with organizing the counter in the laundry room. Flat surfaces can sometimes be too easy for things to gather. Practical organization makes me so happy!
Its now 925am and some mornings, this used to be my start, I love that I had the energy to get going and tackle things that have been on my mind for some time.
Clearing up visual clutter is SO freeing!
Lens-Artists Challenge #403 | Photo Composition – Perspective, Depth, and Scale
This weeks challenge was introduced by John. “My challenge this week extends the series of compositional tools I began in March 2024. That first challenge, #289, focused on Shape, Form, Texture, and Light. In Challenge #359, the emphasis shifted to Lines, Colors, and Patterns. Following Patti’s excellent exploration of subject‑focused techniques in Challenge #401, we’ll turn our attention to tools that shape visual space: perspective, depth, and scale. While these concepts might sound a bit technical, they are incredibly intuitive once you look for them, and you’ll likely find you’ve been using them all along. Revisit your archive or take a photo walk to find images that feature these spatial cues. You could share two images for each of the three tools, or focus on just one or two spatial choices. Please limit your selections to six images for the series.”
This past weekend we were camping in Tobermory with friends. It had been many years since I had been to Tobermory and at that time I was scuba diving, so I was beneath the water, not seeing the beauty that is above the water there! Sharing some of the images from our tour out and around Flower Pot Island is perfect for this challenge. The island and the various rock formations as well as the other boats that we passed by.
I happened to look over as we were cruising by this channel and saw the other tour boat heading through. In this photo the boat looks small, its two storey. I love how its framed between two smaller islands and all surrounded by water. The lush green and the way the rock formation comes out into the water adds another sense of depth within the image.
We were cruising by at a good depth away from the islands, this image was taken at 24mm – as wide as my lens could go. I was using my Canon RF 24-240mm lens – its such a great versatile travel lens! I really like the depth within this image with the water and the rock formation.
Around the island from this view, is this. The depth of the rocks within the trees and the water in the foreground, beautifully peaceful to me, just draws me in!
I just love this image below, the various textures, the way I feel like I am pulled into the image and the colours, so peaceful and relaxing! I feel like walking on that bridge would feel like walking in the forest!
Flower Pot Island in Tobermory – the rock formations are incredible! They are massive and yet, from this perspective do not look so momentous.
A much bigger boat than we were on, the Chi-Cheemaun was pulling into the Tobermory harbour, that was very cool to see. I have seen the boat up close and personal, its even more beautiful when its sailing on the water like this.
Thank you John for this week’s theme. I love being being able to get a different view on things within photography that lights my heart up.
In John’s closing, “If you’re sharing a Lens‑Artists Challenge response for the first time, welcome—we’d love to visit your post. To participate, publish your take on this week’s theme, link back to this page, and add the Lens‑Artists tag so others can discover your work. You’ll find more details on how the challenge works here.”
Finding Clarity: A Journey Back to Routine and Wellness
I went for a Body Talk session the other day, something I knew deep in my heart that I needed.
I am astonished still of how incresible energy is, how amazing spirit is and how the universe leads us.
Sometimes the path isn’t as clear, and others its blazingly obvious. However lofe keeps going and when our nervous systems can’t, this is when the imbalances can easily shift to the negative.
Before 2020 we used oils all.the.time. on the kids and especially each night before bed, it was our routine. It continued through those years however they also grew up, those nightly oils weren’t happening all the time, the Reiki treatments where becoming less and my mind, consumed with so much more.
I fell out of my routine many times, my routine became someone else’s routine that I was following. I was in autopilot, far more than I liked.
I felt like I had to.
When things were falling apart outside of my control, I had to do what I could. I couldn’t let my kids see my pain, that wasn’t fair to them. They stepped up anyway and I am so grateful for that.
The treatment the other day was a firm reminder, you aren’t doing what you know works… use the oils, use the energy. Listen to your heart, first and always.
The devil keeps the mind occupied with things that really aren’t needed in our daily lives, like mindless scrolling other people’s lives of mindless things.
Coming over to my blog or substack and its like a breath of fresh air. Ahhhh did I just realized it, its not filled with influencers, its filled with real, authentic people with ethics and values. Who believe being their best self, whatever that may be, helps the world be a better place.
If everyone focused on what truly lit their heart up, the world would be the best place!
When I am not at work, I love being home, I love being in my space, I love enjoying nature, quiet walks with my dog, and all with my camera!
Photography isn’t for everyone, frankly neither am I, however it is my soul spark and I always allow myself permission to let my heart light up when I see gorgeous sunlight or a breathtaking view.
Allow whatever lights you up, to flow through you, as the gift you were meant to give.
This evenings blog brought to you from my soaker tub. The wait was over a bit ago, as they say, was it worth the wait, and it certainly was! A beautiful Epsom salt + oils bath after dinner.
Monochrome Monday | Flower Pot Island
The tall rock formation of Flower Pot Island in Tobermory, looks very cool in black and white!
I love the various textures of this image, the water, the rock, the trees – nature truly is incredible!
We have had a lot going on and I forgot to book the boat tour to go see Flower Pot island when we were in Tobermory. Days before, tickets were available, parking was easy to find, a kind man drove us over in the shuttle and provided helpful suggestions for the best photos – right side of the boat on the top, the captain, he said, was also talented to get the boat turned around the ship wrecks so you can easily see from the top. We arrived to the top of the boat with Bruce Anchor Cruises, found two seats at the front on the right side of the boat. I am grateful we remembered our coats, it gets cool on the water in certain directions. Such a beautiful cruise on the water to see Tobermory!
On This Day
I read that I had an ‘On This Day’ Post from June 17, 2022.
I remember this day, I remember this post…
It was my calm week… I remember like it was yesterday, thinking finally, my husband has healed from his accident and 3 surgeries.
June 17, 2022, this was days before I found out about our sons severe skin and autoimmune illness. I was in the bliss of my husband finally healing from his fall and 3 surgeries, not being as needed, having a little bit of time for me… and to figure out our new “normal”.
Here we are 4 years later, exactly.
Our son, has now had 3 surgeries, seems to finally be healing now and… our daughter was just, last month, diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer.
One day… I hope to feel and find this peace again <3
June 17, 2022 Always Choose The Road Less Traveled
Lens-Artists Challenge #402 | Looking Back at #1 Wonder
This week Sofia introduces the Lens-Artists Challenge with the topic of “Wonder“. Please do check out her post, she has some beautiful photos, I really like the Japan ones, the colours draw me in, as well as nature.
Wonder functions as both a verb and a noun, representing the capacity for curiosity or the feeling of awe inspired by something extraordinary. It bridges the gap between inquisitiveness and astonishment
When I saw this weeks theme earlier today, I knew one of the photos had to be of the lavender I snagged on Saturday while in between our cousins wedding and reception.
This photo made me think of how a couple is to stand on their wedding day, strong, in solitude, those all around them, but standing tall on their own. I just adore the sun rays shining down as well.
The wonder and beauty of macro images, truly incredible!
The way the macro lens can select and focus on one thing, bringing it into your vision and sight line. In the big picture of life, this is the only thing you need to think of and focus on. Allow yourself to do that. Let it be ok to do that, even amongst all that is in the background.
Sometimes it feels like you may get lost in the crowd.
Always remember your value and beauty there. In the wonder of it all, you truly are one of a kind. Your heart and soul matters. Your health matters. Always.
Quite honestly, my biggest wonder of the world is when this patriarcial medical system is going to collapse and be rebuilt as it should be – patient focused with compassion, calm, collaboration among all holistic avenues for the best of the human.
For far too often, you get lost in the crowd – pushed and pulled by someone else’s opinion. Our own worth being muddled by an opinion outside of ourselves. Where does this make sense, how can someone truly heal? Enough of the ‘old’ way things are done. Where patients put their full trust in a doctor – someone outside of you who cannot feel or heal within you. Where someone makes the decisions for you and you follow along.
I truly have a deep wondering desire to know why someone would need to fight for their health, have to yell to be heard or seen and question why they wont believe you. A true wonderment of the world processes…
After a very disappointing specialist appointment for our daughter on Friday we were hit with a Dr we had waited almost a month to see… tells us at the appointment he doesn’t do this surgery any longer and completely minimized the fact that its a Cancer diagnosis. This is fueling my wonderment of not only respect but also ethics in the medical system.
I wonder, where they are!
Empowering Voices Against Medical Disrespect
In my mid 40’s and I am now fully understanding the constraints of health when you are in a doing mindset, masculine energy, also right side of body. When it feels like you are pushing against the force, when it should be in flow.
I knew this Friday afternoon, within minutes of a ‘specialist’ walking into the room. The energy of the room changed, instantly. It felt like a cog in the wheel, no movement forward.
There are two sides to this, as a mother, who’ daughter was just diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. Yes this is an ‘easier’ cancer to deal with, thank god, I am grateful for that. It IS still Cancer in a very young adult.
Advocating for my daughter, respectfully of course and also pushing back against this patriarchal medical system. A specialist chose to take an appointment that he shouldn’t have.
As a mother I was continually dumbfounded at the way our daughters appointment was going. With what we have dealt with the past few years, being a Doctor does NOT give you the right to treat patients with disrespect and delay treatment. At the end of the appointment when I questioned when we could approximately expect her surgery to be, he looked at us and said ‘I don’t do Thyroid surgery’… Surely to god this person doesn’t have kids and clearly doesn’t understand the lengths you will go to for your child, like driving them wherever to see an actual specialist who does this service. His reasoning, for ‘intercepting’ essentially, so he could then refer to his ‘colleague’… no this is not happening.
Greed… there is so much in the medical system, everyone has to get their dollar and dime for each second, but do they actually care, very little of them do. To most, you are merely just a number. So this specialist got paid to really do nothing but delay us.
We could have had an appt a week ago with an actual specialist who DOES do Thyroid Surgery and now are back to square one.When I woke up this morning, Monday, I had zero anxiety about work. Nothing. What hit me… all of this! Its Monday back to trying to get answers, a not so fun game that for whatever reason the universe seems to want to drag each of my family members through…
Ive learned the lesson, we follow through our own records, I analyze the F out of them, we are all now under the person I was seeing, and she is fully trusted by our family, we are truly grateful for her.
How can one person change this, which is silly to say because its so many people, I have other extended family members who have been perked around. So how do we change it?! By everyone not being scared to speak up.
People will publicly talk shit about small local businesses instead of talking one on one and yet pussy foot around Doctors, just because of their credentials or where you live. YOU know your body best, your gut and intuition will never lead you astray, if you listen and use common sense ;)
Never ever let a doctor minimize what you are feeling or delaying your comfort! We just finished our ensuite a couple months ago. Thank god, the amount of epsom salt baths Ive already taken, have been life saving and giving. Living a ‘balanced’ life of grief, sorrow, sorrow, anger and sadness is so friggin hard, all while trying to live my best life and be happy, grateful and all the things. It just feels so hard somedays and today is another one…
