Im not sure if this is technically ‘allowed’ for the challenge, however while out on a spring tour today seeing all the old trees reminded me of this challenge. Driving through the forests on the trails, with the huge tall trees towering over us, is a beautiful reminder of their age, the wisdom and strength.
Ive had my head in my computer at work and my lap top at home for weeks now, with the exception of 2 weekends of our daughters 6 and 4 games I haven’t been on my laptop for ‘fun’, I had my to-do list, however for today it felt right setting it aside to fully immerse within nature and with loved ones.
We briefly stopped on this old bridge over a river, I love the character of these bridges and that we still have them around.
This tree in the bog is absolutely stunning. Nothing green, however standing tall!
The contrast between some new trees and old trees in the bog.
Ive found nature to be so calming for me, the reset that I need, it could be minutes or hours and I feel like a new person. A reminder for myself how I can easily incorporate this into my own daily life.
You may not know the answers you are seeking when you step into nature, however you will find more than what you ever thought you needed. My heart felt she needed to share these images today, perhaps a reminder for me.
As I woke this morning, I realized it was just before 8am, 7:55am. Although I was up briefly in the night again, I had successfully fallen back asleep and slept until almost 8am! Thats a win! As I sat up, the sun was brightly shining through our windows, flooding through the transom window behind our bed, as I sat up all I could feel was the beautiful warmth of the sunshine! So wonderful to wake up to, especially after a day of rain and cold!
John introduces this weeks theme and its ideal for him and his traveling! John has some stunning examples within his blog, my favourite being the first from Arizona.
“This week, it’s my great pleasure to host a challenge that leans into two of my favorite pastimes—photography and historic sites. Many of my favorite destinations are places where history still lives—recreated, restored, or simply preserved as they stand today. While it would be perfectly proper to feature a single favorite park, site, or museum if you’d like, I’m opening the door to a bit more variety. You’re welcome to choose from any of the subtopics in this challenge, mix and match them, or bring your own historic theme if none of these themes quite fit your submission.” John
I thought on this over the afternoon, I have already blogged about our travel to Nashville and Nova Scotia, and then I remembered a photo tour I went on many years ago. Doors Open Wellington North in 2014 where you could pop in and out of places within Mount Forest and Arthur and learn the various history of the sites.
Mount Forest Archives – Its very cool that you can step into the archives building and can be instantly transported back in time!
The Library in Mount Forest, over the years and the building in 2026 still looks much the same!
Two churches in Arthur, I believe one is the United and another possibly the Presbyterian.
Each spring in our area the Holstein Maplefest happens in the Love Sugar Bush. Its a beautiful piece of property and this year they celebrated their 30th year! This is a photo from years ago inside their one barn type building down in the sugar bush. I find it so fascinating!
This one isn’t a historic site – but rather historic sight as the olympic flame came through our small town back in December 2009!
I love old bridges like this, this one was taken back in 2009 and is still there today tucked away on the edge of town on the Mount Forest Saugeen Trail!
A local race track where we used to spend almost every weekend, truly a historic site – Varney Motor Speedway – Circa 2010!
The historic view coming into town, with the big water tower, doesn’t matter how many years ago, this is the view you see.
I found this online – not my photo :) I think from 1912
The Cenotaph in Mount Forest
Historic in a sense, we live in a small town rural community where we have a lot of Mennonites who travel by horse and buggy.
The Holstein local Christmas parade is always non motorized its so very cool to see all the beautiful horses! Its a Christmas tradition for 33 years in 2026!
Beautiful historic buildings in a snow storm from back in 2014!
This was a fun challenge to look back, photos I haven’t taken lately that I now feel a photo tour is in need for some updated shots!
Next week, it’s Beth’s turn to host. Be sure to follow her [here] so you don’t miss her challenge that goes live on Saturday at noon Eastern Time.
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.
The past couple months have been busy and emotional. We are making a significant shift at work within our office and our daughter was finishing her last season of hockey.
Life happens and we respond, sometimes life keeps happening and its like when you fall down on ice, you can get up, but you may fall again, you may flail for a bit when getting to and you may get up perfectly fine to then fall down much later.
Ive been going, pushing myself, and many times neglecting my own needs due to mainly others needs or my to-do list. This can only happen for so long before someone collapses, in some way. Last week, my son and I ended up in the hospital on the same day, I had been there for hours before he arrived and I knew he was going to be coming. Laying in the hospital bed, explaining to the Dr his situation 3 surgeries later and then later, while waiting for my own U/S showing the nurse while in my gown how his wound care is supposed to be done before heading to my test. For the past 6 years of my life, being on and of wound care for both my husband and son, that is pulling up all the triggers.
A week later I found out the news of what was happening with my body. I have shared before, especially years ago of my own health challenges. PCOS, Hypothyroidism Hashimotos, Endometriosis and IBS. All different, yet do go hand in hand. When I am conscious within my body, my stress/overwhelm is much lower, I am eating properly, hydrating, taking my supplements and being active to what my body needs – I feel like me. My invisible health challenges are a complex, and quite often my overwhelming reality, with overlapping symptoms like chronic inflammation, severe fatigue, pain, and metabolic issues.
I was taken down by a burst ovarian cyst. I know I have had small ones rupture before, having PCOS that is our norm, however this, this took me out. I was in bed from the time I got home after 4pm until the next morning when I had some relief, but still was quite uncomfortable (the day I went to the hospital).
Here’s the thing, even though my current life/work circumstances have felt stressful, I was doing much better before, until I had issue after issues after issue, that I needed to step up for. More recently, both kids and myself have had attention pulled to us. For one kid, not in a way neither of us needed – again, especially him. Its beginning to feel like the never ending story, which I will be honest weighs so damn heavy at times. I am lucky, in that I have a medical professional who cares, is compassionate and understands. We’ve since been able to make shifts for our daughter, thankfully, however until my physical and mental health (especially) has been under so much stress, which doesn’t help any of my invisible illnesses, especially when already feeling stressed and emotional. Honestly its finding a new level of courage, a level I had to pull myself up to after my husbands accident as well during a horrible time in the world. I still have PTSD from that entire experience with him in and out of hospital and negligent health professionals, which our recent situation is flaring.
Between our health, work and hockey. Thats been the past couple months. Ive rarely picked up my computer to blog freely like this, to simply share photos, between being on my computer for work and our daughters team having 2 BIG hockey weekends, 2 weeks apart. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to photograph her team, I just love the action shots. In two weeks they played 9 games, which meant processing up to 500+ images per game – I loved it and will miss it, so in those moments, of photographing nothing else, and embraced hockey and work!
Now… we are on the other side, the shift within work, all the effort put in for the past couple months, is beginning to take fruit, the steps that felt so daunting at times, like it was never ending, has been achieved with significant steps forward, which will be so wonderful.
Change feels challenging for me, I can admit that. Especially with many outside factors at play in so many different ways. Ive often wondered why, at times it feels like shining a light on the unknowns or the known injustices of the world. Especially when faced with challenges, fed by those injustices, where at times it feels like your hands are tied.
This week Ive been reminded the importance of ME. Everything surrounding and about me, truthfully. There is no way I can handle what I need to by neglecting myself and my own needs, even those that feel invisible, or when I feel invisible, immersed within the why and filled with confusion.
To be sitting here, listening to the rain fall outside, on this early Saturday morning. Knowing I do have various tasks on my to-do list today, both work and home related. A sense of pride, excitement, slight fear of the change, but easier to embrace, especially with a weekend at home. To be present. A reset. Mother Nature perhaps thinking the same with the cleansing energy of this pouring rain.
Life brings us shifts, the emotions of knowing our daughters hockey was ending, I can now think and talk about without getting teary. Big life shifts. We have always been parents who are in our kids lives, whatever that was for a winter sport or taking a break during the summer. Im going to miss this. We now have weekends fully free in the winter, which feels weird, but we are embracing!
Being reminded this week of my own health needing to be a priority for me, there were countless times I ignored this voice, many times I pushed myself to the side. We are our most important priority, that needs to happen before life makes it happen. Especially knowing I do not want to experience that pain again, or be faced with another surgery. The easiest decision is me, allowing myself permission to make myself the priority.
My biggest lessons this week – listen to ME, listen to my body, push to be your own best advocate and when you are a parent, even as those babies hit and surpass that magic number of 18, they still need you mama. Even as the medical system tries to shift them away from their mother, when you raise your kids while openly speaking of health and the importance as well as the pitfalls that, lets be honest, so many of us fall in, especially when hit with overwhelm. Teaching them how to maneuver a system that is sadly collapsing within in our country, teaching them that they are important and even if the doctor may forget about them, they have every right to know their body and what is happening within it and pushing for answers, pushing for proper care, pushing for respect. Pushing, even when that means paying out of pocket after a doctor tells you no. Trusting in your body’s direction when something feels wrong, to know that you have every right to find and know the answers and you are never an inconvenience – ever.
That last line just hit my heart, … you are never an inconvenience – ever…
So many suffer in silence, for too long, afraid to speak up or have been shut down before by medical “professionals” who think their educational diploma has more importance than how you FEEL in your body.
Its time for change and sometimes we are directed in a quite round-about way. What change will you help bring forth. With confidence. So no one else is left to suffer in ways that anyone should. Especially when this push is the reminder we need, life isn’t to be this way. Everyone is meant to live their best life, including feeling good. Medical gaslighting must end. Now.
Mama never be afraid to stand up for your babies, even the more grown ones <3
Sofia introduced this weeks theme for the Lens-Artists Challenge – Lucky Shot! I love this, it can be interpreted in so many ways in photography. Sofia shared a stunning collection of images with us in her post. Her macro grass I just love, macro is so magical and it totally feels like the lucky shot ;) I am excited to see more beautiful examples from others as well!
This past weekend we spent in the city with our daughters hockey team playing in the provincials! The girls played incredibly well, we are so proud of them, they made it to the top of their pool and into overtime in the quater finals. It felt so bitter sweet, a very exciting time, and high emotions as for the majority of the team, this was their final time playing together. Also, my final time photographing their team. When people say kids grow up fast, oh my goodness – its fast!
When our daughter joined the team, I fell into my natural photo mama mode and began photographing the games, a little each time to ending the season this past weekend with two cameras on me. The girls gave me a gift and one part was one of my photos printed and framed with a mat that they all signed. My heart was truly touched. This I feel in my heart as a lucky shot, our daughter joined this team not knowing a soul, the girls and the parents were so very welcoming and encouraging.
While in the city we stayed at a hotel right by the airport, the irony how quiet it was, until the morning we were leaving – the planes were closer and going over our building, however the camera wouldn’t focus because the windows were so dirty haha! I did however capture this great one as we were waiting for an uber to take us to a near by hotel where family was staying. Love this shot, I heard the plane and acted quickly to get my phone out. I am very happy with it!
This photo was from two weeks ago, at our daughters year end championship tournament. This truly is my lucky shot. I was at the other end of the rink taking photos. I had JUST got to this corner and got my camera up and began shooting. Just as my daughter skated up and scored!!! Her first of 2 goals that game, the 2nd I missed ;) it was the last minute and I had just put my camera away!!!
This image is from back in the summer of 2014. I truly feel this was a lucky shot, I woke up at the right time, got down to the beach, they were lined up perfectly and a sea gull’s was flying overhead all while the sun was rising over the beach. <3
Macro truly feels so magical to me. Do you remember the movie, Honey I Shrunk the kids, its like a low magnified view and you are either pleasantly surprised or its abstract.
The frosty grass.
This bee allowed me to get so close, I talked to it the entire time, thanked it for allowing me to photograph for so long. It felt like a very lucky moment as bees typically are hit and miss – which is the opposite of this luck ;)
This image, the other side of bee luck, snagging focus and holding it when they move and zig and zag so much, I love this one, even the blown out flowers – I have learned to embrace. I wasn’t ready, opened my camera and didn’t do the test shots to get my settings, so this is also some luck it was usable!
This little guy I found when taking flower macro shots, he totally caught me by surprise, and stuck around for a photo shoot. So very tiny!
I love that I was able to capture this! Timing of the weather was on my side!
I hope you enjoyed my submission for this weeks theme “Lucky Shot”. Be sure to check back with the Lens-Artists members on Saturday at noon to see the next challenge announced.
“This week I’m inviting you to show us photos where luck played a big role. Photos you took when you went the wrong way and discovered something amazing, when you shook the camera unintentionally and it gave you something special. You tried a new camera setting, a new effect on the computer and were blown away. When the only thing you actually did was press the button and luck did all the rest for you. I hope you have fun recalling those lucky moments and share them with us. Remember to link back to this post and to tag Lens-Artists so we can all find you easily.”Sofia
This shot turned out just as cool in black and white as it did in colour! I love the depths of this image, with the trees and the trail. Out in the fresh air!
Fantastic timing of this theme for the week. Patti has announced this weeks Lens-Artists Challenge of Framing Your Shots… “I invite you to join us and share up to 3 photos that use this technique from your archives or from a photo walk. Be sure to identify the foreground, middle ground, background and the subject in each photo. Link to this post and use the “lens-artists” tag so we can find your post in the Reader. But mostly, enjoy exploring this technique!”
This is something I studied after getting my first DSLR, the various ways to frame shots – especially with kids and pets! Its a fun way to express yourself and now that our kids aren’t young anymore, where did that time go! I get excited to get out in nature and capture its beauty. The trees are incredible, tall and strong. The colours even more emphasized with the rain.
This weekend was the first weekend I had picked up my camera for pure enjoyment in weeks. Last weekend and action packed weekend for our daughters year end hockey tournament, I love sports photography. Five games is a lot of photos. Heart warming and incredibly close to my heart, but I needed a wee break from my camera. Until Easter yesterday and our nature tour today!
Patti has challenged us with sharing only 3 photos – this is an element that I can both understand – as it truly makes you think harder of which images to share and why, and also feel frustrated with only sharing 3 ;)
You don’t take a photograph, you make it. – Ansel Adams
I love all the elements of the above photo. Farm gates with weathered grasses in the foreground and a lush deep forest in the background. The colours more intense with the rain.
The raindrops on the tree branches, the amazing colours jumping out of the image in the middle and background with the water and trees.
This clump of trees caught my attention. Their colour was more brownish yellow than a white birch and they have a strength aura to them. I love the green forest in behind the field the trees are in. Can you see the forest for the trees. Being there I felt natures peace, even viewing the images brings a peaceful feeling over me.
It felt great to get out with my camera in nature today. A beautiful little reset, yes things on my to-do list have been moved to tomorrow as I think today, relaxing with my camera and loved ones, was exactly what I needed.
Be sure to check out others Lens-Artists Challenge posts here on WordPress. If you would like to participate, welcome! Use the Lens-Artists tag when publishing it on your blog. The next challenge will be posted by Sofia next Saturday! Which is also our final hockey weekend of minor hockey in our household. This is why I capture all the moments, time can feel long and yet it goes by so quickly. Photography is like magic, pure magic to capture the moments forever in time!
I could have added so many more, however I gratefully appreciate the challenge to pick my 3 fav’s!
