Friday, February 25, 2011

Feelings are much like waves

 

We can't stop them from coming

but we can choose which one to surf. 

~Jonatan Mårtensson

: : :

 

Today was not a wonderful day and the best part of it was coming home. It had stormed in the afternoon, a vicious, wicked force with pounding rain and violent wind gusts. By the time I left for home, the downpour had stopped and the wind had the roads nearly dry, and was still blowing strong.

And then home, up the long driveway that I had hoped would be clear to pass. I knew that a storm like that had probably brought a tree down.

And it did. And my husband had just finished clearing it.

And being home never felt so good.

 

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I didn’t want to do anything but roll in a ball and shut out the world. I’m sure you’re all familiar with that feeling. But instead, I opened up a few photos that I didn’t think were all that and just began playing with them. I don’t even remember what I did, but I know that I used several new textures from the Florabella collection.

Florabella Collection Fine Art Textures Set III

 

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Being creative completely quieted my mind. I highly recommend Photoshop as therapy.

And don’t think that I totally understand what I’m doing in there. I can do a few things, yes. They are basic but they yield the results I’m looking for. And some day, I’ll learn more of what it can do.

 

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For some reason, this is my favorite. The arch of his little male house finch combined with the shape of the cooper perch look like a heart to me.

For you see, each day I love you more
Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.
~Rosemonde Gerar

: : :

Well, it’s Friday night and I think I’ll pour the drink of lonely men and hoary nights. And then I’m putting on my pj’s and my thick wool socks and popping a DVD into the computer.

 

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This is what it looked like at the manor house on Tuesday morning. So pretty.

Have a beautiful weekend, all ~

123 Signature

44 comments:

Annette W. said...

Sorry to hear it was such a yucky day. May tomorrow's day be bright!

Michelle said...

I absolutely love that first quote! We are studying emotions in the Bible for our study class at church right now; must share that quote....

GailO said...

Photoshop and playing around with my photos on the computer are therapy for me too:) These are quite beautiful!

Rained cats and dogs here today and I have had some bad news about a family member so I need a little therapy tonight too:)

I have a feeling it's going to be a long weekend:(

michelle said...

I am going to have to try me some of that drink of lonely men and horay nights - LOL great name.

I am sorry you had a bad day :-( I have Photoshop and honestly it scares me! I keep saying I am going to take a small workshop or class on it - someday I will do that - someday!

Gone Country said...

I'm so sorry you had an icky day *frown*. Getting creative is always such good therapy for me as well. I'm glad you sat down and 'played' awhile! I like the house finch photo too! Great shot!

I hope you have a better weekend!

deborah said...

Love the little house finch photo!
Its been raining and windy here too...now the temp is dropping and snow is expected.
Wishing you a lovely weekend-

Caroline said...

Oh my goodness...I love that quote! And your bird shots are just getting better and better! You amaze me Kate!

Low Tide High Style said...

Photoshop is a wonderful form of therapy isn't it?! We had that crazy weather all day today and it's still howling outside. I hope tomorrow will be a little more quiet! I love the last bird photo, and I can see the heart too!

Kat :)

JacksDad said...

Oh HOARY... my bad! :)

TexWisGirl said...

Not only love the finch but love that female cardinal too! You did great! Thanks for letting us share in your therapy session! :)

Deb said...

have a great weekend..great photos...

abb said...

Bad start, good ending...

Miss you a LOT! xoxoxabb

ELK said...

i love the feelings you do as well .. raise a glass to home ..especially on a Friday ..after a stormy day ..have a very wonderful weekend ..your photos look like you know what you are doing!!

Linda said...

(((hugs))) Kate. Relax, refresh, breathe. Hope you have wonderful weekend.

Skogkjerring said...

Hey Kate,
Do you lose a tree during each big storm? Poor trees! Enjoy your weekend, this is our last with the Captain for the next five weeks...ugh...mixed feelings but use to the whole thing so as the good sea captain's wife I am, I'll deal with it!! ;-)
The leos and Jenny send a "high five paws" to George...

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

Rain here too.. atleast it washed away alot of the dirty snow. Yuck.

Anonymous said...

I just kick myself when I let my feelings get the best of me... I DON'T like having to ride any kind of emotional waves.

We had our rain already. Guess you are getting our leftover weather. It's just dreary here. Hopefully this weather will turn around as soon as March gets here.

JaneK said...

great to have a constructive outlet for therapy! and great for your viewers... thanks for sharing. and even more wonderful to have a home that you are happy to come to. working on making that happen in my life... that is very important... and I love your opening quote.

hope your therapy session lifted your spirits!

Country Gal said...

We are getting rain this weekend woohoo get rid of the snow .
I some times feel the same just hide from the world for a bit and get lost in the story of a good book or take off and do my photography that is makes me feel better! Hope you can perk yourself up soon ! Lovely photos and post , Have a good weekend !

tj said...

...Okay, I for one am a fan of the female Cardinal on the wood against the snow photo. I love how the color hues of her and the wood sorta match against the snowy white background. Yeah, that's what she said. :o)

...So sorry to hear you had a bad day Kate - they suck don't they? :o\ I hope your day today and your day tomorrow and your day after that are all fantastic, that's my wish for you... :o)

...Hey, I'ma lonely woman struggling to keep a fire lit and a cabin warm, can you tell me how to make that drink? I may just go find me some of that stuff today... :o)

...Dear hubby is off this weekend with a bunch of friends processing deer meat into sausage and jerky, it's a man's man weekend - no women allowed. Men.*sigh* They call it their Annual Jerky Off but I like to ruffle their feathers and call it their Annual Jerk Off. ha,ha,ha*snort* ;o)

...Enjoy your day dear and blessings too... :o)

Mary said...

Oh yes, that is my therapy of choice, too.

The Photoshop thing, not the "drink of lonely men and hoary nights," although that may do the trick at times, too. :)

We got the rain and high winds, too. It's calm and sun this morning, but still cold. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Some creep is leaving nasty comments on my flickr account, so I'm off to deal with that now...
xoxo

Anonymous said...

Wow - each photo is a work of art!

Mental P Mama said...

Well I wish I knew this when we talked! Hope you are better today;)

Devon said...

When I scrolled down and saw the house finch... my first thought was, how beautiful, a heart!

Creating always brings me peace... so nice that you were able to salvage the afternoon.

nancy in ks said...

Love, love the male finch photo. Others also, but the finch just made me gasp.

Yesterday I saw a plump red headed woodpecker just clinging to the very top branch of a spruce tree right outside one of our windows. He stayed and stayed, so I thought maybe I could catch him. Got the 200 out and on the camera, snuck over to the window, and just as I was focusing on him, he flew away. Takes patience.

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

More snow predicted for us starting late this evening. I love that I have one of your lovely cardinal photographs. I took the small one and put it in a little frame and it sits on my windowsill in the kitchen. The larger one is put away and will be out again around Thanksgiving until the Middle of January.

the wanna be country girl said...

Color is just amazing. The first photo, even though there was snow on the ground, made me feel warm because of the orange tones. But the second photo, made me need to curl up under a blanket.
the wanna be country girl - Caroline

Anonymous said...

HI Kate,
i love to read your blog, it always make me feel better. I am going thru a really tough time in my life right now and looking at your photos and reading what you have to say helps me calm down when I am upset. You really should write a book. :)
Karen
karen_bremermann@yahoo.com

sharon said...

photos can heal the soul. Thank you for sharing yours. My Friday was like yours. still sore from the spinal tap but getting better all the time. My son is getting ready to leave for a month of training before heading to Afghanistan, your photos hit the spot. Thank you Kate. Thank you for sharing!

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

Hope today was better.

I had a similar day yesterday, and all I wanted to do was go to bed for about ten years.

Love the pictures, especially the one with the heart shape. I definitely see it.

Bluebird49 said...

You know I love the house finch best--he's just such a cutie.

Yesterday..was not so bad. But this morning, I got a call at 8AM. My next door neighbor died after coming through a 3-way bypass, after she had beaten colon cancer-in her 80s---she slipped away from us. She was the best neightbor anyone could ever have--for 44 years.I don't know how to know she's not going to be next door now. She was more than a friend, she was like another mother to me.

Some days just aren't wonderful, are they!

Lili said...

Part of me wondered how you knew that was a house finch. I don't really know my birds that well, and I would not have known that one. Love the heart shape in here too. I bet you didn't even have to look in that bird book across the room for that one, did you?! xo ~Lili

LivewithFlair said...

I needed that quote today (the one about feelings). Thank you.

spindrift,maine said...

Great choice of remedies! (Both, probably, though I am not very good at drink therapy. Being a very cheap drunk, I am ready for a nap after the first 5 sips.)

I have spent many a Hard Time playing with photos. I think it gets back to those 'zen' times: if you can forger what was going on when you were miserable and just be in the now, you have it made in the shade.

Your photos are so lovely, Kate.

I'm hoping today is better all the way around.

Maria said...

That photo of the little finch echoing the copper perch on the feeder (it even has an "eye!") is really something. But that chubby cardinal on the curvy tree limb with the frozen background is the one that draws me in. I just love cardinals. Looks like his counterpart is giving him a stern look in the photo above him though. :-)

Jan's camera said...

I know how you feel. Winter makes you want to curl up in a ball and stay warm and safe. I love the photo of the finch on the feeder. The shape of his feathers and wings is so pretty.

Donna S. said...

Hope today was brighter!!

Gail Dixon said...

PS is my therapy also! Like you, I know the basics--enough to rescue a photo that might otherwise have gone to the trash bin.

Hope today was a better day for you!

mrs mediocrity said...

photoshop is most definitely therapy....and those pictures are beautiful.
friday was the worst blizzard of the year here, it was crazy, but kind of fun.

i do know that feeling though, and sometimes you do just need to curl within yourself a little bit...

Mrs Catch said...

I want to live where there are cardinals! They are so pretty. Hope you warmed up after such a cold day

Marcie said...

These are absolutely beautiful. There is something about simply playing with photos that is therapeutic!

Unknown said...

I hope your weekend has made all the Friday yuck a distant memory, okay?

Your photos help me ride the right way, as do your words.

I don't have photoshop.. someday. I will just continue to admire and aspire .

love to you,

deb

Anonymous said...

I have always found photos a way to escape.....enjoy and take care of you!....smiles.

Kerri Farley said...

Awesome house finch! Your Friday afternoon sounds like my Monday morning! I am soooo glad this day is over!

Looking at/playing with images always makes me feel better too :)