Today's Picture to Ponder Photos
Wood(en) Ducks in a man-made, small lake in a complex of professsional buildings in Delray Beach, Florida
From a distance I thought these were real ducks. I am featuring them today for the story that goes with them and aesthetically for the patterns in the water.
In the lower photo, I find the copper colors very interesting. Given our discussion of reflections the past three issues, I'm also looking at these and realizing that many of the dark areas, rhythmically dancing throughout both photos, are most likely reflections of the small waves and their shadows.
And, as I wrote the last statement, it occurred to me that shadows could be considered another form of reflections.
Self-Reflecting Queries
The Story - When I glanced out the window of an office I was in yesterday, I noticed a large, beautiful duck swimming by. It was one that I had not seen before and I hoped that it would still be there when I left so that I could photograph it.
When I finally was able to get my camera, I did not see the duck in the area where I had originally seen it. Instead I thought I spotted it in the distance. I took several pictures from that vantage point and moved closer to a different location, where I also found the second duck (lower photo). After several minutes of observing the way that duck seemed to be gently bouncing up and down in front of a narrow underwater pipe, I looked more closely at it and began to suspect that it was not real.
I went home thinking I had photographs of a live bird and another of a decoy.
When I downloaded them and saw what was on my monitor, I realized that the top duck, with all the markings, wasn't a live one either!!
It took me a minute or two to adjust to this new reality AND I started thinking of the irony and how this experience exemplified what I, and I am sure many of you, may go through; how we interact with things the way we expect them to be whether, in fact, they are that way or not.
Because I had seen a beautiful, presumably, live duck swimming, I took for granted that these other two were also real. I was so positive about the first one with more markings (see duck), it never even occurred to me to zoom further in on my camera screen to check it out after the picture was taken. I would have seen the painted features immediately had I done that.
Are there places in your life where you are interacting with things the way you assume they are, without even looking to see if there are other aspects to the situations? If something seems off, I invite you to take a second look, change perspectives.
To solidify it for you, with a more personal share from me:
I am always interacting with Sam as if he has absolute control over all of his actions. (For those new to Picture to Ponder, Sam, my husband has Parkinson's Disease.) I communicate with him out of my expectations and assumptions and when he has "good" times this is the way it always is and should be. Rarely do I allow for the limitations caused by the illness and bottom line we both suffer. A whole different being is available for each of us when I cause a shift in my being.
If any of this resonates for you in your life, I invite you to look for the places where you can make adjustments.
While doing this, see if you can bring fun to any of it. My dearest Sam will sometimes smile when I'm behaving my worst and that winds up causing a lightness and a shift for both of us!
smARTist Telesummit
a 7-Day Artist Career Global conference to be experienced in one's own home - 17 workshops during the course of those seven days, with MP3s recordings available of all the sessions, so you don't miss anything. Check out smARTist Telesummit for pre-conference recordings to get a sense of the presenters, to read about the contents and to register. (back to Today's Photos)
Now available for purchase! Pictures to Ponder: Inspired Journaling - Print Edition or downloadable eBook - your choice
"I bought your eBook earlier today and not only is it well written, the pictures you chose are lovely. The reason I waited so long to purchase was because I'm trying to curb my addiction to books and the clutter they are causing.
This morning I read the 10 page preview [link under photo on each of the description pages], and since you were offering it in a eBook format, I just had to indulge one more time. I know this will be a very successful for you. Congratulations!" Eva Macie, Artist
|
GIFT Yourself with the Photos and Queries
Click on eBook
(Note: For some reason the eBook Preview is showing up in black and white. The photos ARE in color in the PDF file. For a color preview one of the other previews.)
|
Purchase the eBook and you get a link to download the PDF file which you can print out or simply leave on your computer to pull up whenever you want a lift or inspiration.
At any time you can open up one of the beautiful flowers in PICTURES TO PONDER: Inspired Journaling and fill your screen with it, giving you the ability to "step into" the image.The high resolution, set for printing, has the photographs capable of maintaining their quality at magnification as much as 300%. And, of course, the queries that went with the flowers are here also. |
Reader's Comments
are welcome on our BLOG.
When you go there, you'll see the current issue and photo and a link at the end for Posting Comments. To see the photo
ENLARGED, at the same size you see it here, simply click
on it.
If posting on a blog is not your style, please continue to send your comments directly to me . Learning what you are experiencing means a lot. It is part of the reward of Picture to Ponder for me.
Additional Subscribers Desired
If you you are enjoying PICTURE TO PONDER please pass
your experiences of it on to your friends and colleagues
and suggest that they, too, SUBSCRIBE.
Especial thanks to those of you who have been passing this on!
Inspirationally,
Sheila
sheila[a]eteletours.com
--
© 2006 Sheila Finkelstein
http://www.eteletours.com/ptpintro.html
http://www.naturesplayground.com - our unique photo/drawing art
http://www.cafepress.com/natureart - gift shop
©2005 - 2006 Sheila
Finkelstein - All photos and written content are copyright and, unless
otherwise noted, the property of Sheila Finkelstein and eTeletours.com.
Photos and writings may be printed out for personal use and inspiration
only. All other rights are reserved. Modification, further reproduction,
or distribution of any of the content is prohibited without express written
permission. For other uses contact Sheila |
|