Clearly, Out of Focus

Photography deals exquisitely with appearances,
but nothing is what it appears to be.
~Duane Michals~

I am extremely honored to announce that Wonder Collides was an
Award Winner in this years Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition!
I probably don't really have to admit that I was plum tickled to find out the wonderful news, but I WAS :)

This year, we really enjoyed the photographer's reception, and spent much of our time schmoozing with other attendees. Last year, I didn't talk to anyone, really. It just goes to show how much has changed during this time. I definitely felt a whole lot more confident this go round. And maybe having been through it last year lessened any anxiety I would have experienced. I'm sure that it was a combination of many things. Either way, we had a great time, and I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to participate.

After the reception, we headed over to the Banff Mountain Film Festival since they awarded free tickets to all photographers in the competition. I really like that these events coincide with one another. We saw some really great films. Lucky for me, I didn't have an emotional breakdown like last year! However, they did have some very touching and awe-inspiring movies, but none that made me cry like a baby.

I'll let you in on a little secret:
I knew I was going to win all along :o)

Hope you all had a terrific weekend!

Brighter Days Ahead

guided by stewards
inspiration evokes change
I see brighter days


I see brighter days for two reasons. 1.) I simply wish that the rain would cease.
and 2.) Because of people like Joel Salatin.



Cody and I attended "An Evening with Joel Salatin" tonight. It was a great presentation that entertained and inspired. Joel owns and operates Polyface, Inc., a farm in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The virtual tour he gave us during the talk had some wonderful photos, and along the way, he revealed mind blowing revelations. Joel is a true visionary. Really. I hope to share more about Polyface, Inc in the future, and maybe even head that way for a long weekend as the weather begins to warm. We have been dying to go camping in the Shenandoah Valley for awhile now :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Posted in Haiku Friday, Photostory Friday, & Hooked On

Current Project: Newsletter for PACT

View Larger Version

Here is a sneak peak of the newsletter I am working on for PACT. I'm only sharing the second page since I am not completely done with it and because it's only fair that I distribute it to the group before showing everyone else. Recognize those photos? If not, maybe you missed the post I did on the bluebird box building event.

PACT is an organization here in the High Country that I have become involved with just recently.Upon joining, I had a desire to have an actual role within the group, so I signed up to be a board member as the communication & media chair. Although PACT is still in the growing stages and remains somewhat small, I think that once established, it will become so much more.

Our next project is to adopt and develop a wetland on the Greenway Trail which is right near our home. I am definitely looking forward to participating in that effort by taking photos AND getting my hands dirty!

Posted in Wordful Wednesday

Dancing with the Daffodils

Posted in Today's Flowers

~Daffodils Brings the Spring~

We all love the daffodils,
We place upon our window sills.
We like how their pretty faces,
Brighten up our living spaces.

Is it Spring or Winter still?
Look upon the nearby hill.
Spring is here with tweet and trill,
If there blooms the daffodil.

If you do not find it there,
You have no need to despair.
Try as gloomy Winter will,
It can’t hold back the daffodil.

Dark green blades and bright faces,
It will bloom in all places.
You might as well give it room
The daffodil intends to bloom.

By: Linda Burns

I spent very little time "Dancing with the Daffodils" this weekend. I did, however, spent much of my time working on PACT's monthly newsletter. I was also attempting to learn how to do an html email, but after a few hours, I gave that up. Deciding that a pdf file would be just as good, I was able to finally get somewhere with the design. So far, I am pretty happy with what I have come up with. Once finished, I will share it with you--one more page to do. This is my very first newsletter, I hope that with time, I get better at laying them out. A few weeks ago, I signed up to be PACT's communication and media chair, so I will have more chances to streamline the process.

Surely, you had a more exciting weekend than I did. What did you get into?

~Shine On~

A promise of spring
stirs clouded passion
RENEWAL AWAITS


An impromptu jaunt on Wednesday led me to some fanciful discoveries.
After a stressful day at work all I wanted to do was decompress.
I concluded that a photowalk would do the trick.

I was pleasantly surprised to find some early blossoms!
This unexpected fortune instantly washed away what I had brought home with me.

I hope to find more of these moments this weekend, and I hope you do, too :o)

Posted in Photostory Friday, & Hooked On & Haiku Friday

Transformation takes Time

Posted in Wordful Wednesday

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
~Anaïs Nin~

{A Video: For the Photographer*}

If you are a creative type, I highly recommend that you watch this video.


I have watched it a few times. I love this video.
What I would have to say about this piece now, can't
compare to how I felt when I first saw it and left a comment.

Your words most definitely struck a cord with me…..
this is truly a treasure I am glad to have stumbled upon……Right now, I feel human.

We all struggle to find our own voice.
You are not alone, my friend.
-WW

*or any other creative type

Breathing Easy

How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterward.
~Spanish Proverb~


We enjoyed it while it lasted.
Hope you had a great weekend.

Up and Away

A preview of spring
tantalized my winter woes
miss you already

Posted in Photostory Friday, Haiku Friday, & Hooked On

Shrinking the World -- just a little

Out of the blue, I received an email from a fellow blogger, Kate of Art Vein Vessel. Her email proposed an idea of possibly meeting up with one another since she would be in my neck of the woods. Recently, Kate was invited to participate in a show at a gallery in Charlotte, NC, which is only 2 hours from Boone. Being as though Kate and Jerzy would be traveling all the way from Quebec, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity of making a real-live connection.

After working out the details regarding when and where, we decided that the best place to take them would be our favorite restaurant here in Boone, Cha Da Thai. Upon being seated, I saw this contraption sitting on a nearby table and was very curious as to what it was. After many sideways glances with no apparent clues, we thought best to just ask our server. She informed us that it was called a Hot Pot. We inspected the menu and after repeating many times that I wanted to step outside of my pad thai box, we all ended up getting the same thing……Pad Thai! I can’t help it, it’s so yummy!! After some deliberation, we also decided to get our own Hot Pot with Tom Kha soup. The restaurant was a good pick, especially since we all got to try something new and most importantly, everything was delicious. The soup was to die for, seriously, my mouth still waters when I think about it!

In retrospect, it seems silly to think that I was nervous about meeting the two of them and whether or not we would find things to keep the conversation going. We had plenty to talk about and ended up spending 2 hours in the restaurant! It was interesting being able to share blogging with someone else who also blogs; non-bloggers don’t quite understand us. Do they?! In any event, I am glad that we were afforded the opportunity to meet Kate and Jerzy in person and I hope that someday I will get to meet even more of my blogging buddies. So, who’s next?!

Posted in Wordful Wednesday

Spring in your Step {Mini Giveaway Winners}

Congratulations to Kyla, TD, & Liss!
Please forward me your addresses via email & I will get them out this week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't be sad if you didn't win your very own mini print trio.
I would be more than happy to fulfill your special order, just give me the word.

If you decide to purchase a MPT, my gift to you will be $1.00 off the regular price!
And as another special bonus, you can have 3 MPT's for only $15!!!

You have permission to go CRAZY!

If you want to get the insider deal, just leave a comment or email me.

MINI PRINT TRIOS

***You can help the honeybees! I will donate 10% of every sale to NAPPC to help fund research for Colony Collapse Disorder.***

In the End

perspective can shift
as the layers are revealed
you come full circle

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning.
~Ivy Baker Priest~

It's been a while since I have done a haiku.
The transition between winter and spring always finds me in a deeply contemplative mood.
I hate to think that I have to endure it, but the fact of the matter is that, I do. A lot of us do.
The awakening of spring is the emergence of a "real" beginning,
one that I know I am very much looking forward to.

We are supposed to have 70 degree weather this weekend. I plan to be OUTSIDE!
Still don't know what to do yet?!?! But, we are giving much thought to camping out somewhere.

The tree is just another favorite from our Sunday Flurry.
It's one that I have photographed on a few occasions since it sits very close to our house.

Tonight, we attended the gallery preview at the Turchin Center to see Wonder Collides on display. Tomorrow, we are going back with some friends for the real shindig! This evening was for members and those being showcased. Tomorrow, is also when voting begins for the people's choice award. I know I can count on you guys to cast one for me, can't I ;o)

Or maybe, I'll just bribe you?! Bribes are goooooood.
Speaking of bribes, did you enter to win a MINI PRINT TRIO from my Etsy shop?!
If not, you still have time to enter for your chance to win.
Visit this post for more details.

Well, it is past my bedtime. Thank goodness tomorrow is FRIDAY!
Hope you all have a great weekend whatever you have in store.

Posted in OSI, Photostory Friday, Hooked On, & Haiku Friday

Spring in your Step {A Mini Giveaway}

In lieu of the snowy pictures I shared earlier this week, I thought a mini giveaway might cheer you up a bit. We are all eagerly anticipating spring right now, and with spring comes what?! FLOWERS. Yay! My most favorite thing to take pictures of! I can't wait to be traipsing about my yard and nearby meadow in search of wildflowers.

You may have already seen the latest addition to my growing Etsy shop,
the Spring Fever mini print trio.



Well, I added another one called, Yellow Frenzy. In the Yellow Frenzy collection you will find nothing but, you guessed it, photos with a specific color theme.



What I want to offer today is a chance for you to win your own mini print trio.
You may select between the Spring Fever & the Yellow Frenzy collections.

All you have to do is visit the Etsy listings and pick out which prints you
would like to receive, then come back to WW and leave a comment with
the numbers of the three mini prints you would like to win along with which
collection you selected from (so we don't get the numbers mixed up).

On Friday evening, I will select 3 winners and have plans to prepare your
special little package over the weekend.

• Spring Fever Mini Print Trio - Etsy Listing
  
• Yellow Frenzy Mini Print Trio - Etsy Listing

Have fun trying to narrow your choices :o)

Posted in Wordful Wednesday

Sunday Flurry

First Snow
by Mary Louise Allen

Snow makes whiteness where it falls
The bushes look like popcorn balls
And places where I always play
Look like somewhere else today

Beautiful feathery flakes of snow
Over the woodland and field they go
Making a blanket so warm and deep
Over the flowers that lie asleep

I have eagerly awaited a snow day such as this. To see the valley blanketed in white.
Thankfully, it decided to come on a weekend so that we were actually able to enjoy it.
Compared to the gloomy rain we were having just days before, the snow was welcomed.
We walked to the park not far from our house with the snow tube in tow.
It feels strange to say but this was my first time doing so.
I had a blast! A very fun snow day, indeed.

Sledding on a Snowy Sunday from Wayfaring Wanderer on Vimeo.

Do I have the most infectious laugh or what!?!? Okay, maybe obnoxious, whichever.

Posted in Weekend Snapshot