2026

Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to AUGUST, my favorite month. My header picture this month shows some gorgeous CASA BLANCA Lilies blooming in our yard. God's Blessings to YOU for an awesome month.

Monday, February 9, 2015

ArtChain Challenge: COLORADO and WEST VIRGINIA Favorite Photos of Mine

Recently,  a good friend  (DOROTHY PEPPER)  tagged me on Facebook ---asking me to participate in the  ArtChain Challenge.  My task was to post 3 favorite photos that I had taken--and to do this for FIVE days.  Well--my first thought was,  "Why ME"?  I don't consider myself a professional photographer AT ALL --when compared to many other friends.  BUT--I do love to take pictures and I DO take LOTS of them... I always laugh and say that I take at least 10 pictures in order to get ONE good one!!!!!  BUT--I decided to participate --and I think my Facebook friends enjoyed seeing my pictures.  I will admit that I enjoyed going through some of my photos while choosing some favorites...

There were no other rules to follow other than to show 3 of my pictures each day and then encourage others to participate in order to keep the 'chain' going... BUT--I'm not sure that even my Facebook friends caught one thing I was doing differently,  and that was that  "I" decided to choose 3 photos from different STATES which we have visited...

Since many of you are not on Facebook (and I apologize to my FB friends who have seen these),  I decided to share these photos with you, beginning with the first two states today.   Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them, and re-living these experiences.  Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.    AND--if you'd like to join in the fun and show some of your favorite photos to keep this chain going,  you are welcome to do so!!!!!  I'd love to see some of your favorite photos.


COLORADO
Looking at Pikes Peak,  Colorado
I 'Lucked' up on this one.  I was looking toward Pikes Peak, CO in Sept. 2012 from Crystal Creek Reservoir. I love the reflections and the Aspens in the background.


Colorado Aspens ---and snow-capped Pikes Peak
I took this picture at another place on our way to Pikes Peak.  I was looking toward Pikes Peak, Colorado in Sept., 2012 --surrounded by gorgeous Aspens.. The Aspens were really showing off that month.  We were there at the right time for sure!!!!


Colorado Aspen Trees
Wow---the Aspens were at 'peak' that year ---and I must have taken a million pictures of them..  If you have never seen the Aspens out west,  make it a priority to do it one year... We were there in September of 2012.



WEST VIRGINIA
Beautiful West Virginia
This is a view of the New River Gorge Area of West Virginia, taken from Grandview, in June of 2014.   George and I absolutely love West Virginia.  There is SO much natural beauty in that state ---and it luckily hasn't turned into a 'tourist trap'.... That's one reason we love it!!!!


 Rain,  Clouds and Sunshine happening in Beautiful West Virginia
We were traveling along the Highlands Scenic Highway (Highway 150) in West VA on a rainy/sunny day all around us!!! Picture was taken in June of 2014;


Big Huge West Virginia PUFF BALL!!!!!!
I just had to share this HUGE HUGE Puff-Ball we saw while driving along Highlands Scenic Highway (Highway 150) in West VA in June of 2014.  Isn't it gorgeous?

WELL---that's my first six (of 15) photos so far while participating in the ArtChain Challenge.  I will share more of my photos from this challenge at a later date.  In the meantime,  if you enjoy taking pictures,  I invite you to keep this CHAIN going --and join in the fun...  You don't have to follow 'their' rules from Facebook ---but just share some of your favorite pictures.... Thanks!!!

Hugs,

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina Vacation ---January 2015--Part II

Two people in love at the Gazebo on 1/27/15
If you missed Monday's post (Part I of our trip),  click HERE.     Today I'll share more beautiful pictures from our days last week at the beach...

What we LOVE about going to the BEACH:
-Going during the off-seasons when there aren't many people around, and the prices are cheaper;
-Islander Inn --right on the beach where we can sit on our balcony and enjoy the ocean;
-Leaving our room door opened (even all night) so that we can hear the ocean;  SO Peaceful!!!
-The SEAFOOD --especially at Dockside Seafood Restaurant in Calabash;
-Walking on the Beach (getting exercise so that I could eat that fried seafood);
-Finding shells and watching the Birds;
-Watching the clouds (always different from one day to the next)
-Sunrises and Sunsets (can be viewed from our balcony in winter)
-SUNBEAMS ---which we saw this past week!!!!
-Just being able to totally relax, read, sleep/nap, work on the computer ---anything we want to do!!!!!
-For me this time especially,  we used the steps most all week rather than the elevator;  That gave my bum knee LOTS of good exercise!!!


George eating his favorite Seafood (those big, yummy fried Scallops)--Photo taken on 1/28/15
As I mentioned,  we love Dockside Seafood Restaurant in Calabash---so we managed to go there 3 out of four evenings...  We even got to know our waitress (who is from West VA)...  SUCH wonderful seafood!

The other night (when we weren't at Dockside), we went to another favorite restaurant in Calabash,  The Boundary House.  That is where we get the best PRIME RIB ever!!!!! 


We had never eaten beside the beautiful fireplace at Dockside until this year --but we loved it.  Photo taken on 1-25-15



NO---I'm NOT in the water!!!!!  Photo taken on 1/26/15
George was wandering around the dunes taking photos ---and he captured this picture of me playing Peek-A-Boo..... It looks like I am standing in the water --but I'm not... TOO COLD!!!! ha


SUNSET on 1/27/15
Except for Jan. 26,  the weather was wonderful the entire time we were there. (Even the 26th was not bad though.) We photographed  3 beautiful sunsets  (1/25, 1/27, and 1/28) while there.  This is when the sun was almost 'going going gone'..... Isn't this a beauty?


Lots and lots of BIRDS  (photo taken on 1/26/15)
We enjoyed watching the birds all week...  I guess they love it when 'they' can rest and not be bothered by lots of people on the beach... Most of these are GULLS  I think.


My Wonderful Man enjoying walking on the beach  on 1/27/15
Don't you love seeing the puffy clouds?  AND did you notice that there were no people out walking????  There are usually a few locals who live nearby who walk usually very early in the morning or late in the afternoon.  BUT--when we were out during the day,  we sometime were the ONLY people around!!!!  We loved it.


This Girl was so happy to be there --and be WALKING. Photo on 1/26/14;
Even though my knee is still painful,  it is gradually getting better.  I enjoyed walking on the beach ---and got some good exercise.


SUNRISE on 1/28/15
As much as I loved the sunsets,  the sunrises were even more beautiful (mainly since they were not at an angle like the sunsets were).  Thanks be to God for all of this beauty we enjoyed.


The morning we were leaving ---1/29/15
I was standing out in the parking lot as we were getting ready to leave Ocean Isle Beach..  The sun hadn't come up yet---but the sky was gorgeous....I loved seeing the Palm Trees and the Gazebo from this angle.


Oh how marvelous it is to be out in God's Beautiful World   (1/27/15)
I wanted to end these two sets of photos with this one because it expresses my deep feelings about our time at Ocean Isle Beach.  There are many beautiful places in our country --and this is just ONE of them.  BUT---if we all just take time to get out and look around and enjoy what God has provided for us,  we will be a better people for doing so.  Thank you God and thank you,  George,  for making this such an incredible vacation.

Hugs,