Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 17:52

Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 17:52

This past week went by in a flash. Which tells me that I need to slow down, and smell the roses.

So I’ve actually done a bit of that, and have some to share with you. I need your opinion. I’ve been playing with some non-manual modes on my camera. Taking a hint from my friend, Gail, I’ve been playing with different aperture settings. So, which do you like better the one on the right, or the one on the left?  (These are SOOC, all I did was resize them in PS)

 

         

These are Knockout roses, which I love, but they do tend to grow like crazy and I did not prune my bushes when I should have. After reading up on proper care, I learned that you really can’t over prune these, so I shaped them up a bit this week. My motivation was, in part, to make room for some other plants. I had some milkweed, specifically butterfly weed, that I wanted to plant in front of them.  I’ve tried in vain to find other varieties of milkweed here, so this weekend I ordered a “kit” from Monarch Watch. {You may or may not know that the Monarch population alone has decreased by 1/2 from what it was a year ago.} I’ll share more when my kit arrives - so excited!

Kitty was helping me arrange the blooms I cut off the bushes. {She’s such a good helper}

 

I’m reading the devotional While I’m Waiting by Laura Hodges Poole. God has been using it to speak deeply to me about faith. I found this quote inspiring from my reading this week.

 

 

My “office” is set up in the loft of our cottage. Directly across from the loft is a large window that looks out into the trees. It’s almost like living in a tree-house. Almost. Earlier this week I was “disturbed” by a series of calls and chatter and was delighted to find, although it was a bit difficult at first due to his coloring, this sweet Carolina wren sitting outside the window. If you’re interesting in hearing what I heard, you can listen here.

 

 

I’ve been working on my flower beds a lot this week and am always wary when I see these girls poking around. Time to spray the deer repellent again!

 

 

Chickadees are one of my favorite birds, and usually one of the most difficult to photograph. They are so fast!  I was delighted to find two {a pair, I think} hanging out in my front yard one evening. I usually only see them in the side yard by the feeders. One had a sprig of cedar in his mouth, but he moved so fast, I didn’t see where he went with it. I’m hoping the pair are building a nest close by.

 

 

These are Carolina Chickadees, which look nearly identical to the northern black-capped chickadees.  The shot below is my favorite, because of the way it shows his “beard” ! The sun had already set when I spotted these two, so the shots are a bit blown, but I’m happy to have them none-the-less.

 

 

Finally, I’m waiting for this monster to bloom so I can set up some butterfly shots! This thistle is 5ft high, growing at the edge of our side yard. The sweetest man in the world was kind enough to mow around it for me. Even though he says it’s a week. {smile}

 

 

It was a bit of a mish-mash this week, but I hope you enjoyed

seeing life through my lens.

What does your week look like?

Blessings,

June

 

Sharing inspiration here: