Weekly West Coast 2016 - May Long Weekend Edition

An excellent, relaxing long weekend means that posting here got pushed aside for other indulgences: mountains and beaches, snow and surf, walks and reading, food and friends...and a few photos along the way.  Perfection.

Weekly West Coast 2016 - May 9 to May 15

"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera."

Dorothea Lange

I haven't been able to find out much about the circumstances of the quote above.  Without context, it's hard to know exactly what Lange meant when she made that statement.  I only know what the words mean to me now as I wander through my daily life snapping photos along the way.

I know that I'm noticing more.  I'm noticing the light on the poppies in my front yard, and I'm appreciative of the many colours of the morning sky. The act of taking these pictures gets me out of my head.  I'm not so lost in my thoughts that I'm unaware of the world around me. I'm becoming mindful, and this mindfulness is carrying over into other parts of my day. Through photography I'm learning to see without my camera.

Thanks to Hubby for helping me to select these pictures. 

Have a great week all! Sending you warm thoughts wherever you are!

Weekly West Coast 2016 - May 2 to May 8

Sometimes, no matter how often you stop to appreciate the beauty around you, your efforts to record that beauty are foiled by uncooperative technology.

That pretty much sums up my week.

Fortunately, all is not lost.  Hubby and I strolled together more than once this weekend.  He was able to get some great pictures, and he was willing to share them with me so I can share them with you.

Thanks to Hubby for providing the photos for this week.  (You are the best James!)

Have a great week all! Sending you warm thoughts wherever you are!

Weekly West Coast 2016 - April 25 to May 1

There is beauty everywhere.

In vacant lots.

On the road.

In the sky.

On the earth below.

By the sea.

On the shore.

It can be man-made...

Thanks to Hubby for the photo

...or nature made.

It can be found in the strangest places.

Moss growing on the side of a trash bin.

But it's there, and it's waiting for you.

Thanks to Hubby for helping me to select these pictures. 

Have a great week all! Sending you warm thoughts wherever you are!

Weekly West Coast 2016 - April 18 to 24

 "Even living here, it's nice to be reminded of the beauty we don't always pause to appreciate."

The quote above is from an email a friend sent after seeing last week's West Coast Photos.  She articulates another reason for my starting this project.  We live in a beautiful part of the world, yet I don't always pause to appreciate it. Committing to sharing photos here ensures that I take a few moments each week to stop and enjoy this place where I live. This week I took about 150 photos.  That's a lot of a lot of pausing and appreciating. 

Thanks again to Hubby for helping me to select pictures for the week. 

Have a great week all! Sending you warm thoughts wherever you are!

Weekly West Coast 2016 - April 11 to 17

Look at me! I actually managed a second week of West-Coast photos.  The weather wasn't as co-operative this week.  There were times where it felt more like November than April.  But I did it! I got out there even on the days when I would have rather stayed in. 

To be completely honest, that was another motive for starting this "series".  It wasn't all half-assed altruism. There were fully selfish reasons too.  I feel better when I spend time outside, but there are days when the weather and my mood conspire to keep my in.  Committing to posting photos here gets my butt out the door.  We'll see if my commitment holds up when it's really November. 

Thanks to Hubby for helping select photos for the week, and for supplying the tulip pictures below. 

Have a great week all! Sending you warm thoughts wherever you are!

Photo courtesy of my awesome Hubby.

See comment above.  Thanks J!

Weekly West Coast 2016 - April 3 to 10

A few weeks ago, when a friend moved to Ontario, I offered to send weekly photos from our west coast home. I figured she might need cheering as she digs out from yet another spring snow storm.  I'm thoughtful that way.

It occurred to me that there might be others out there who would enjoy the beauty of this part of the world, so I'm going to start sharing my favourite photos from the week here on the blog. 

Sending you warm thoughts wherever you are! Have a great week!