"Frozen"

To enjoy more images of "Frozen" things, please visit
See It Sunday.

"Yellow Petals"

To enjoy more images of "Yellow Petals" and to vote
for your favorite, please visit Photoblog Challenges.

"Pink"

To enjoy more "Pink" images, please visit Weekend Challenge.

"Sunflower"

To enjoy more images of "Sunflowers" and to vote for your favorite,
please visit See It Sunday.

"Macro"

To enjoy more "Macro" images, please visit Weekend Challenge.

Photo-Heart Connection: June 2013

The idea: At the end of each month, review the images you worked with in that month for the one that gives you the strongest connection to your heart and soul. Write about that connection to the image in a blog post... then link into the monthly link up.



I adore flowers. Their beauty, and honestly even more importantly, their fragrance. And every year I tell myself I'm going to get up to Elizabeth Park in Hartford, CT to enjoy their rose garden, the week before their celebrated "Rose Weekend" of course, since I can't take crowds.

Well this year I did it. I went by myself after my kids were in school. I got there around 10am so I'd have nice light, and as I walked around sticking my nose and camera in to all that deliciousness I noticed that the light had gotten really harsh; it was already after noon. I had stayed for over three hours and took over 700 photos.

I am going through a period of huge transition in my life right now. After homeschooling my two boys for nine years they are both in school, and I am finding myself with a lot of time on my hands. And yet I find myself feeling guilty for taking time to nourish my soul with a few hours of something I love to do, that my other family members would only bitch through if I had dragged them along.

I think I love this photo the most out of the 711 that I took because it is one single rose reaching up above the others. Reaching for the sun even as it beats mercilessly down upon it. It reflects how I am trying to deal with the mixed emotions I have about all the changes going on in my life. I am joyful that my kids are in school now, and that I have a few moments to catch my breath to rise above the mundane. But I am still a white rose in the midst of white roses and miss my kids terribly. The trick, I think, will be to learn to allow myself these moments of alone time without feeling guilty.

Photographically I like this image because it really is quite lovely despite that mid-day blaring sun that professionals are always saying to avoid for the best photos. I've had my digital SLR for almost a year now, and I am still adjusting to it. My last SLR was not digital and was completely manual, and I am constantly challenged to take advantage of the new auto functions (focus, for example) while manipulating them to get the results that I want. Having hours to take photos of still images enabled me to practice.

What a lovely day that was.

To enjoy more Photo-Heart Connections, please go here. Or click on the button to the right.

"White Petals"

To enjoy more photos of "White Petals" and to vote
for your favorite, please visit Photoblog Challenges.

“Bleeding Heart”

To enjoy more photos of “Pink Flowers” and vote for your favorite,
visit Photoblog Challenges.

“Walkway”

I never manage to get my Photo Sunday submission posted on Sunday, but I really enjoy the other entries, so I still throw mine in...


For more photos of “Walkways” and to vote for your favorite, visit Photo Sunday.

“Dandelion”

Check out more textures and vote for your favorites at Texture Thursday.

“Rain”

Enjoy other interpretations of this theme and vote for your favorite at Photo Sunday.

“Red and Green”

Be sure to check out the other participants of this photo meme at Blue's Coloured Thursday.

“Pink”

Enjoy additional interpretations of “Pink”
at Unique Exposures.

“Fresh - Rotten”

Two 4 Tuesday is a photo meme where the weekly challenge is opposites;
hence the title of this photograph. The options are to post:

• a single photo that captures both themes,
• a single photo on only one of the themes,
• or two photos capturing one theme in each photo.

I always try for the first.

Enjoy other interpretations of this theme and vote for your favorite at Two 4 Tuesday.

“Flowers - Rocks”

Two 4 Tuesday is a photo meme where the weekly challenge is opposites;
hence the title of this photograph. The options are to post:

• a single photo that captures both themes,
• a single photo on only one of the themes,
• or two photos capturing one theme in each photo.

I always try for the first.

Enjoy other interpretations of this theme and vote for your favorite at Two 4 Tuesday.

“Macro Flower”

Enjoy other interpretations of “Macro Flower”
and vote for your favorite at Macro Tuesday.

“Violet”

Enjoy additional photos of violet things,
and vote for your favorite, at Creative Colors Monday.

“Carnation”

Be sure to check out the other participants of this photo meme at Macro Flowers Saturday.

“Red and White”

Be sure to check out the other participants of this photo meme at True Colors Thursday.

“Blue - Yellow”

Be sure to check out the other participants of this photo meme and vote for your favorite at Two 4 Tuesday.