A little beach time . . .

"Every time I stand before a beautiful beach,

its waves seem to whisper to me: If you choose

the simple things and find joy in nature's

simple treasures, life and living need not be so hard."

- Roxas- Mendoza

Well, I haven't been here regularly lately . . . it's summer.

Summer means the house is a little busier, everyone is home,

and I'm finding it hard to be at the computer as much.

And that's a problem because I'm still taking photos,

and waaaay behind in editing.

And honestly, although I'm not unhappy, life just seems a little hard lately for many reasons

and when that happens I seem to want to spend a lot of quiet time on my front porch.

...at least until the mosquitoes drive me away.

We have managed to make it to the beach a few times in the last few weeks,

and gosh do I love spending time there!

This particular day, you could actually walk on the shore. This has been a record year for seaweed,

but you won't find me complaining about that. 

It's always fun to learn something new....you know those little holes along the shore where you see bubbles coming out of? Well, this is what lives in there, ghost shrimp.

And it's always fun to dig for sand crabs and watch them bury themselves again. They bury back in backwards so that they can use their antennae to feed.

The seagulls watch me carefully . . . 

And I learned a lesson...make sure the sea critters have buried themselves fully before standing back up

or they become snacks.

I wanted to let you know that I have not forgotten about my monarch series, I promise, and hope to

get that back on track soon. I have been sharing some short videos on instagram though and you can find me at kimatpickingpoppies.

And I almost forgot . . . It's my turn over at Focusing On Life today . . .and I'm exploring the possibility

that what we see through the lens might involve metaphors for our lives....join me?

Until next time,

Love, Kim

sharing with Texture Tuesday, Sweet Shot Tuesday

A short sunset walk . . .

"Know where to find the sunrise and sunset times

and note how the sky looks at those times, at least once."

- Marilyn vos Savant

We are lucky enough to live 30 minutes from an hour vacation . . . 

Sunday at about 4:30 in the afternoon, we got the bug . . . to just drive to Galveston and walk on the beach at sunset. Happy sigh . . . 

We weren't the only ones . . . and this cute little guy had a different agenda than his human. I was eagerly greeted with some love. 

So many little gifts I found scattered the beach, 

 and I filled my pockets until the sun no longer provided enough light.

 There were little pieces of artwork drawn in the sand . . . can you see it, the "hang loose" hand sign?

And warm enough to go barefoot, hand in hand.

If I haven't snoozed my alarm too many times this morning, I will at approximately 7:19 be greeting the morning with the seagulls and my camera. I might even splurge and get some donut holes.

The house is a little quieter once again as we took our girl back to college after a nice month long visit. There was an epic two layer, two cake mixes, homemade butter cream frosting, chocolate in the middle with vanilla on top, cake made while she was here....just sayin'! :) 

I have one monarch chrysalis left to emerge and I hope its story is better than the last one (insert sad face).

On a happy note, I'm getting a LOT of seeds bursting forth from the seed pods.

Monday I started back to my metals class...and OH my arms are out of shape. I know this because after sawing for two days the muscles in my sawing arm are sore. Not exactly sure what I'm making, but I do know that there will be some butterfly shapes involved, and flowers.

And that's a random wrap . . . 

Until next time,

Love Kim

Sharing with Little Things Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Random Five Friday, Friday Finds,

                   Friday Photo Journal

Photo-heart connection, number VII

We do not live life in the big picture,

we live it moment by moment in the small details.

It was on our vacation in Florida that I captured this. He was walking with his mom, it was

early morning and quite overcast, and on the verge of raining. And as little boys do, he stopped often to check things out along the way. That is until this moment,  when he stopped and very purposely went and stood in the surf. I remember it like it was 5 minutes ago. The way the air smelled and the sound of the crashing waves, the beautiful reflections in the sand, and the misty pastel like colors of the morning all etched into my memory.

But most of all I remember that there was intention in how he stood. His body language gave way to what seemed like much thought and contemplation with some wonder and awe.

I wondered what he was thinking, what he was feeling. What made him go and just stand there.

But perhaps it was just that, the sounds, the smell, the entirety of it. And because he is a small child and most likely does not yet live in the big picture, he was just simply enjoying the moment in a way a child

does . . . naturally, unconsciously,  and moment by moment.

This image reminds me how of important it is not to let that inner child in me grow up too much. Because really, what good is the big picture if there are no details, no pauses to look back on.   

Love, Kim

XO

P.S. - I would love for you to join me over at my collaborative blog today, Focusing On Life,

as I'm sharing a little confession.

 

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Ummm, here we are, and I feel like there is no way another week passed.

A week where I didn't do very well hunting, so after a day on the beach today

I'm throwing a hail Mary in that direction for my prompt interpretations.

And they are . . .  

{ wrapped }

To protect with covering . . . a hermit crab with a shell for protecting.

{ your Sunday best}

{ time together }

Looks like they were having just as much fun checking things out on the beach as I was finding crabs.

{ tell me a story }

I have to say it is heartwarming to know that even parents in the wild get a little frustrated with their

youngin's from time to time. This is actually an adult and young seagull and the 'babe' is pretty much

just begging for food, loudly and persistently.  So lets just say it's mom, she regurgitates her food, baby is happy for all of a minute. This keeps on, the baby screams, she feeds it, rinse and repeat. Until she just

gets fed up and I guess in seagull fashion puts her screamer in a big time out. It was quite comical to watch.  

{ love or couple }

The writing is on the wall in the sand . . .

{ duplicated }

. . . as in a reflection

I'm looking forward to how everyone interpreted this set of prompts, see you on the other side!

I hope you're having a great relaxing weekend, and keeping cool. Yesterday the

feel like temps were 109 in the shade!

Love, Kim

XO

 

  

Foto Friday . . . vacation part V, That's a Wrap

"No matter what happens, travel gives you a story to tell."

- Jewish Proverb

Yes, yes it does.

If you have followed our vacation travels, you know that it rained most of the way there,

(we drove), it rained a lot when we got there, we were restricted by double red flags on the beach for many days, and I had a little trouble with frustration from expectations. But the sun eventually came out, and the

double red flags lifted, and I got over my frustrations.

We enjoyed the turquoise blue surf and white sand beaches, some beautiful gardens with ancient (600 yr old) oak trees and a turn of the century mansion, and even traveled to see the Florida State Capitol and Old City Cemetery in Tallahassee.

On our last day, and a vacation to Destin wouldn't be complete without it, we ventured over to have lunch at Fudpucker's and then to the Wharf at sunset. And we packed all of this fun into just five days, which is why...

"No man needs a vacation so much as the person who just had one."

- Elbert Hubbard

{ Shoot.Edit.Submit }

This was our last view of the beach . . .

. . . . before heading out on our last day. We had gotten up early and gone to the Eden Garden State Park, here, and after walking around in the heat we needed a reprieve and some food. So, it was off to Fudpucker's for some food and fun.

And well, the best part about Fudpucker's is Gator Beach....yep almost one hundred of them! They sell special bait food that you can feed them, and you can have your picture taken holding one. Oh, you know I waited my turn to hold one . . . what an amazing creature! A prehistoric creature, virtually unchanged for the last 150 million years. I wasn't so much interested in having my picture taken as I was just getting my hands on one. I mean, how often does one get to hold and really look at an animal like this. Oh my, how soft . . . I did mention amazing didn't I? 

{ Summer Daze - Project Alicia }

After spending a few relaxing hours over at gator beach and a little lunch we ventured over to the Wharf to check out the chartered boats coming back into dock and their catches of the day. The docks were bustling with people just getting back from a day of fishing and waiting for their captain to clean and fillet their catch.

And check out "This Sale" on the gas pump, OUCH!

They weren't the only ones waiting . . . 

And then out of the blue, a rainbow just appeared!

{ Photograph life - water }

And then the evening came to a close . . . for Photo Art Friday our theme

is light. I chose this silhouette I took at sunset and used French Kiss texture Ancient Urban, Pixel Dust Photo Art texture Orange Foam Overlay, and Kim Klassen texture Be Still. I went back and forth feeling like it needed one more thing, another element, but every time I added something it didn't feel right.  

And finally for Flower Art Friday, a Gerbera Daisy with French Kiss Rosy Script and Kim Klassen Peony.

The background on this image started out black....

Oh, almost forgot, I did stop someone and ask them to take our picture...sad but I can't remember when we were all in the same picture together. We were pretty much all melted by the end of the day!!

"If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get

out of life that we give the question of what to do with two weeks' vacation, we

would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days."

- Dorothy Canfeild Fisher

I think we should live each day like a vacation day, relaxed (after of course you dump the expectations),

ready to explore what is right in front of us, and willing to share the story of it. And the best thing . . . there is no packing required in that!

Have a wonderful weekend, and thank you for letting me share with you!!

Love, Kim

XO

** P.S. - stop on over at my collaborative blog today, Focusing On Life, where we are sharing ** 

some fun facts about ourselves only you have to guess who they go to - AND there is a prize for the most guesses!!

           

Foto Friday . . . vacation, part II

"We hit the sunny beaches where we occupy ourselves

keeping the sun off our skin, the salt water off our bodies,

and the sand out of our belongings."

- Erma Bombeck

Now is that an oxymoron or what? But oh so true!

And as if when on the beach, you can accomplish any of that.

Well, except to say only on the rainy or double red flag days. And to be fair, it is the gulf
coast and it rains, and storms and then an hour later the sun is back out. But on this trip, the weather was
a bit confused and to say the least I'm really glad we weren't there as tropical storm Debby came in.

This day was a bit overcast and there was only one red flag which is why there were still not many in the water. It's hard to tell from the 14th floor, but when we got down to the beach those waves were a lot
stronger than they looked and there were still rip tides.

Which is why you then have to come up with plan "B", digging holes, enormous holes. My husband

asked him if there was any significance to his hole digging and he said ever since he watched an episode of friends where they all went on vacation together and Joey did nothing but dig holes . . . well, he now digs holes on vacation. He was out there everyday, digging a hole . . .

And this is what he found, not quite the treasure one hopes for, 16 rusty folding chairs. Kinda

makes you go hmmm. . . .What's the story behind this and how on earth did all those come out of that hole?

It was much deeper, they filled part of it back in.

I can't remember if I had mentioned it before, but I thought it had been 7 or 8 years since our last vacation.

Can't believe I actually found this, but almost to the month it has been 9 years! Oh my, where does the time go? My little football boy was six in this picture . . .

. . . . And here he is, about to turn 15 next month! I think I'm gonna cry . . .

He still has that same happy smile though!

{ Project Alicia - summer daze }

And when it's sunny and there is a yellow flag, there will be people!

{ Pixel Dust Art painterly and craquelure, and Kim Klassen Oh My textures }

Photo Art Friday (painting), Shoot.Edit.Submit, and Photograph life

{ Pixel Dust textures, age it, splendor in the grass and soft light overlay }

And my rainy day, stuck in Cornelius {Flower Art Friday} submission...

{ Texture from French Kiss - rosy script }

I have no idea how many parts I will have to this vacation OR if you want to see any more parts, but

there is still a Wedding Tree, our visit to the Wharf, and the restaurant with live alligators etc.

In fact, I still haven't even gotten through all the photos....

Before we left I finally got a new phone with an actual working camera on it as I have been wanting

to play on instagram and lucky for me Android just came out with an app. So while we were there, and with a little help from my daughter (because I'm a little challenged in the technical department) she set me up on instagram. I'm hooked addicted to it. So If you would like to follow some of my everyday findings and life stuff, or where Gumby might turn up next you can find me at: kimatpickingpoppies or click on the button on the sidebar at the top and it will take you straight to my profile on followgram and you can follow from there.

Have a wonderful weekend my friends,

Love, Kim

XO