Self portraits

Do you like your own picture?  Do you shy away when someone gets the camera out?  So many of us see ourselves in photos and declare that we don't look like that. The camera doesn't lie and we don't see ourselves as others see us. We are supercritical towards ourselves.  That is why it is hard to put yourself on a blog. 

   I am currently taking a course on self portraiture. It's actually for iphonography but since I don't have an iPhone I'm using my ipad to take pictures. Would you like to see some of my results ?

    Anyone who knows me can tell you that I love hats. In fact I have quite a collection. They are hanging on the wall in the spare bedroom.  

They have ribbons, feathers or pins on them. 

So I thought I'd try on a few and take some selfless.  Then I used different apps to create my self portraits. Here are the results. 

Jus had to share thus...LOL.

A little spot of red in a gray world

I think about my mother every day. But usually the thoughts are fleeting - she crosses my mind like a spring cardinal that flies past the edge of your eye: startling, luminous, lovely... gone.

Meghan O'Rourke


The robin and the cardinal share the food of the earth praying for better weather to arrive.

The raindrops hung on the branches yesterday. The rains washed against the earth promising Spring.  But this morning all we see outside is white once again as the nighttime storm sneaked quietly in once more.

ok, that was a little big..try this.

Down the slide

Trying out a new picture setting in blogger. Let’s see if these pictures are too big for the blog.

Paulo Coelho

I knew nothing about Paulo Coelho until I found the quote that I used in my post. Wanting to know more about him I googled his name and found that he has been an author, theater director and actor, lyricist and journalist. He was born in Rio de Janeiro. He published The Alchemist, which I would now like to read since finding such great quotes from the book.

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

I am a big believer in the Universe. After reading The Secret and discovering the idea of manifesting what you want I ask the universe for things all the time.  And the universe answers. I try to think positively and look for those things that I need in my life. The answers always seem to be out there for me if I am willing to see them and make them happen when I get the opportunity.

“Everything tells me that I am about to make a wrong decision, but making mistakes is just part of life. What does the world want of me? Does it want me to take no risks, to go back to where I came from because I didn't have the courage to say "yes" to life?”
― Paulo Coelho, Eleven Minutes

“There are moments when troubles enter our lives and we can do nothing to avoid them.
But they are there for a reason. Only when we have overcome them will we understand why they were there.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Fifth Mountain

“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.”
― Paulo Coelho, Brida

Peace

Just when I needed to see a flower my Peace Lily burst forth with a bouquet. This huge lily was once just a small plant at my father's funeral. It has grown a lot in the seven years I've had it. It seems to love it's spot by the French doors and is happy there. Sometimes the simplistic things bring you the most pleasure. 

Sometimes, the simple things are more fun and meaningful than all the banquets in the world ...” 

― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

“I have learned over a period of time to be almost unconsciously grateful--as a child is--for a sunny day, blue water, flowers in a vase, a tree turning red. I have learned to be glad at dawn and when the sky is dark. Only children and a few spiritually evolved people are born to feel gratitude as naturally as they breathe, without even thinking. Most of us come to it step by painful step, to discover that gratitude is a form of acceptance.” 

― Faith Baldwin, Many Windows, Seasons of the Heart

“The simple everyday experiences become the doorway to new thoughts and inspirations.” 

― E.A. Bucchianeri

Do it now

Tick rock. Time is passing. You become more aware of that as you grow older. In the back of your mind you can feel the hours counting down and know that your time on Earth is finite. Have you done all you want to do?  

   There are those who live their lives vivaciously, full of energy and fun.  Then there are those content and spending their days peacefully, doing exactly what they want.  I try to find a balance. My content life is punctuated with bursts of activity and fun. I try to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. I like to travel but haven't been on a vacation in a Few years. I visit family...which I love but haven't really gone somewhere just for myself in a while. The road is calling. 

Is the spring coming?

“Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?"...

"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine...” 

― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

tags: beauty, children, classic, nature, spring

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Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.” 

― Virgil Kraft

“I enjoy the spring more than the autumn now. One does, I think, as one gets older.” 

― Virginia Woolf, Jacob's Room

tags: autumn, old, spring

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It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want—oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” 

― Mark Twain

“It is a very beautiful day. The woman looks around and thinks: 'there cannot ever have been a spring more beautiful than this. I did not know until now that clouds could be like this. I did not know that the sky is the sea and that clouds are the souls of happy ships, sunk long ago. I did not know that the wind could be tender, like hands as they caress - what did I know - until now?” 

― Unica Zürn

“A Robin said: The Spring will never come,

And I shall never care to build again.

A Rosebush said: These frosts are wearisome,

My sap will never stir for sun or rain.

The half Moon said: These nights are fogged and slow,

I neither care to wax nor care to wane.

The Ocean said: I thirst from long ago,

Because earth's rivers cannot fill the main. —

When Springtime came, red Robin built a nest,

And trilled a lover's song in sheer delight.

Grey hoarfrost vanished, and the Rose with might

Clothed her in leaves and buds of crimson core.

The dim Moon brightened. Ocean sunned his crest,

Dimpled his blue, yet thirsted evermore.” 

― Christina Rossetti

The spring decorations are out at my house along with thoughts of spring. Despite the very cold weather.....eleven this morning...spring has arrived here at the Karrasch home. 

New do

.What do you think?

Straight and dark?

Or light and curly?

Got a new hairdo yesterday. I've been wearing it straight for a while and needed a spring change. I decided to lighten it up. 

As you can see my hair is fine and sparse. It's not easy to work with in fact I have a hair war almost every day. But it's me and I've learned to accept it..well, with a little perm and coloring..LOL.   We all have things about ourselves that we think could be improved upon. I inherited fine thin hair. Wigs, anyone?

Will it ever end?

That was the headline in yesterday’s paper. We are not the only ones that are sick of the cold weather and snow. But we have had it since November and it is time for it to go away now.
   The forecast doesn’t look any brighter for the rest of the Spring. Below average temperatures are expected till June. Boo-hoo!!!
   Meanwhile, buck up, buckeroos. It will still be in the twenties for the rest of the week. When can I put away my winter coat?
   Here are a few pictures I took in Tennessee (just in case you’ve forgotten what a daffodil looks like)

Spring Wreaths

Here is some inspiration for your front door. 

Which is your favorite?