Thankful Thursday

It's been a productive week and I'm always thankful for that.  Just as I'm always thankful for pretty spring flowers. :)

I'm also thankful for:

     ~ all the little things I thought were lost I found
     ~ learning new techniques with the camera that worked
     ~ long conversations with my mom
     ~ finding the movie The Slipper and the Rose after 30 years and all the memories attached
     ~ a fun afternoon out with Erin
     ~ planning for an 8th birthday

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

Every year I say I'm thankful for spring and this year is no exception. It's my favorite season. The world around me starts coming back to life with the flowering trees, blooming flowers, birds singing, and I feel like I'm coming out of hibernation. It feels so good to go out without a coat, drive with the window down, sleep with the window open, and see kids out playing. It's not hot and humid yet and it's not cold anymore. There was a blizzard in Denver yesterday and my son would probably disagree with me right at this moment!  Yep, I'm thankful for spring...it just makes me happy!

I'm also thankful for:
     ~ Easter and all that it means
     ~ my hard working husband
     ~ springtime inspiration
     ~ Shylee's joy at accomplishing hard things
   

What are you thankful for today?

Photo A Day Week 17

Day 111 - This happened
Every time Shylee visits, this happens.

Day 112 - Season
Yay for spring!

Day 113 - Mess
Mess or lots of wishes?

Day 114 - Snack
I snack on these every day.

Day 115 - Fill the frame
More cherry blossoms.

Day 116 - I sat here
Watching Shylee play.

Day 117 - 4 o'clock
Collecting shells on the river beach.

Shylee has been visiting a lot this month.  We actually had a day without rain and could finally get out to play and take pictures.  It was such a perfect spring afternoon.

I hope you've had some perfect time outside recently.  It does wonders for what ails you!

Happy Wednesday!

xo Annette xo

299.  birds singing in the early morning

300.  cherry tree blossoms

301.  play days

302.  open windows

303.  the way the sun shines through the lace curtain, creating a lacy pattern on the opposite wall

304.  the Baltimore community coming together

Photo A Day Week 13

Day 83 - Too Much
Too much of a chance of being pooed on if you're standing under this many birds!

Day 84 - A treasure
This is a bowl where all the spare change gets thrown in.  Shylee calls it her treasure when she is visiting.

Day 85 - Half

Day 86 - I love
I love that it's spring.  I also love that these daffodils are blooming.  They were here when we bought the house eight years ago, and this is the first time they have bloomed.

Day 87 - Something white

Day 88 - Give
This little cutie gave me great pleasure for a few minutes when he stopped to say hello.

Day 89 - Zen
Anywhere by any water.  This is the St. Mary's River.

After three months of taking a picture every day, the thing I've learned is that the more pictures I take, the more I need to learn!  I've taken hundreds of photos and only a handful have turned out the way I wanted them to.  But I am truly enjoying the process.  I'm learning to take my time and be patient, to check the camera settings before taking the picture, and letting go of perfection.  I'm getting out of the house and meeting some interesting people on my outings.  It's been a good three months!

xo Annette xo

276.  spring

277.  blooming daffodils

278.  watching grandpa and granddaughter interact

279.  warm breezes

280.  conversations with strangers

Wordless Wednesday ~ Spring

Happy Wednesday!

xo Annette xo

99.  wisdom

100.  Shylee's 6th birthday 

101.  chocolate birthday cake

102.  making memories

Focus On Life~Week 16~Take A Walk

Grab your camera, open the door and step outside into the fresh air.  Take a walk!  Whether you walk to your favorite chair on the porch, walk a few miles down a rural road or a busy city street, take a moment to be aware of the beauty of the world and let it's grandeur energize your soul, inspire your mind and jump start your creativity.  Step back and look at the wide world around you and capture a shot of the landscape in front of you.  

I wish I could have actually taken a walk, but I had to settle for going through my garage onto the driveway.  I'm thankful I could walk at least that much!  These pictures are looking at my back yard and the last one is looking across the street from my driveway.  

I look forward each spring to the blooming cherry tree.  I hope to go out in a couple of days and take some close up shots of the gorgeous pink blossoms.  The yellow forsythia is fading now, but I love seeing the yellow flowers and pink blossoms together.  Nature is always inspiring, but I'm especially inspired in the spring when color starts popping up everywhere.

Visit Sally at The Studio Sublime to see what others saw when they took a walk!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

xo Annette xo

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Spring!!

xo Annette xo

Wordless Wednesday

Signs of spring!

Happy Wednesday!

xo Annette xo

Thankful Thursday

Every Thursday I share what I'm thankful for.  Sometimes it's a serious or big thing, and sometimes it's a goofy or small thing.  I believe that no matter what is going on in our lives, there is always something to be thankful for.  Always.

Today I'm thankful for
     *  pretty things to look at
     *  eating dinner while it's still light outside
     *  new friends from the FB support group
     *  signs of spring
     *  the anticipation of a family weekend
     *  the birds serenading me in the morning

     What are you thankful for today?

Have a wonderful Thursday!

xo Annette xo

I Love Spring

You might get tired of me saying it, but I can't help it.  Spring is my favorite season.  The temperature slowly climbs upwards so you can venture out without a jacket.  But it's not hot and humid yet.

Everything that was dead and dormant starts coming back to life.  Color begins appearing in all shades of the rainbow.  Birds are singing, the days are longer, people you meet out and about seem happier.

Yes, I love spring and you will probably hear me say it again!  But until then, here are more signs of spring around my yard.

(Except the azaleas which are in my neighbor's yard behind mine!)

I'm joining these very lovely blogs

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Photo Feature Friday at A Rosy Note

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

It's Spring

Spring has finally sprung!  It's my favorite season and time of year.  I love how the flowers, trees, bushes, shrubs and grass start coming alive and filling the drab, dreary, dead landscape with life and color.  Spring means that cold weather is on it's way out.  It may take awhile to be completely gone, but old man winter is fading away.  This is how spring is looking around my yard.

I hope you're seeing signs of spring where you are.  

What, if anything, will you miss about winter?

I'm joining My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

Spring to Winter and Back Again

Typically, where I live in Maryland, we don't get much snow.  A couple inches here and there and that's it.  Last year was the exception with back to back blizzards, but this year was pretty typical.  We also very seldom see snow this late into March.  Yesterday was the exception to that!

Here is how everything looked on Saturday.

This is how it looked on Sunday!

By mid-afternoon, the sun was shining, the temperature was in the upper 40's and the snow was gone!  

It made for a very pretty and peaceful Sunday morning while it lasted.

How was your Sunday???