Journaling Outside the Book: Cleveland Botanical Gardens

Photo Journal of "Orchid Mania"


Sometimes you have to get out of the journal and "feed the well".  That's exactly what Ro and I did today!  We headed into Cleveland for the last weekend of "Orchid Mania" at Cleveland Botanical Gardens.  I took 195 pictures!  I deleted about 10 of them and found the best 20 to share with you.  It was a painful process - I would love to show you more but you can't wait all night for the images to load!


Here are some of my favorite orchid pictures:

My personal pick for "Best of Show"

Even as cold as it was, we had to venture outside to have a look around.  We made a pact to return after the weather warms, but there were still plenty of things to amuse and delight us.

An Incredible metal fence and gate

Mystery seed pods 

A stone sculpture - she's beautiful

Girls just want to have fun - even when it's only 30 degrees!

Not only did we have orchid mania, we also had bird and butterfly mania as an added bonus.  These colorful little birds were just a bit larger than hummingbirds.  I was entranced and spent nearly an hour trying to get some good shots.  The butterflies were too elusive, but I think my patience paid off with the birds. 

We had a wonderful time at the gardens, and once we left were eager to get something to eat as neither of us had the good sense to eat breakfast. We stopped at Red Robin for burgers and fries on the way home.  I didn't take pictures there.  No one needs to see that food frenzy!


I hope you enjoyed sharing our trip to "Orchid Mania", and I hope that if you have a botanical garden or arboretum nearby that you'll treat yourself to an outing there.   No one does art quite like Mother Nature.

Ro - a little "matchy, matchy", don't you think?

 I think I found a lot of material to "feed the well".  I'm sure you'll be seeing orchids and these colorful birds showing up in my art journal pages! Have a terrific weekend, and most of all, "Celebrate, LOVE, and Create!"

Photo Journaling

As I look through the photos I've taken over the last month, it occurs to me that I'm becoming somewhat of a photo journalist, and the saying, "a photo's worth a thousand words", immediately comes to mind.   When I look at the spectacular sky photos I captured this past week, I am able to recall the feelings of awe and of my own insignificance in this vast universe as I gazed into the breath taking beauty of nature's creation.

It's been so rewarding to slow down and get "up close and personal" with nature.  Keith and I have been looking to upgrade our camera, so I borrowed our son, Mike's, Sony Cyber Shot.  I've been experiencing my SUMMER world with new eyes through the use of  "macro" function. It's amazing to experience the world in this "super realism"!

I hadn't realized (or remembered) just how textural and industrial looking a grasshopper is!  And did I mention creepy?  One is fascinating,  two are OK, but three or more together becomes a little shop of horrors!  There's a corner of my deck that they seem to have turned into a condo and they hop around like popcorn in the afternoon sun.  They seem to be enthralled with the white flowered perennials that are now blooming.  Needless to say, I water in the morning and give them their space!

For me, no other season brings back childhood and adolescent memories alive like SUMMER, and nothing says SUMMER more than fields of Queen Anne's Lace.  I recall the hours spent roaming country fields and woods with girlfriends dreaming of the exciting things to come like driving cars and going out with boys, or fretting over whether our breasts would get bigger or if we'd be invited to the next "hip" party.  Ah....how simple and innocent were those days. . .

Those shadows of the past can tug at my heart with a longing for the innocence of youth and going back to a time when choosing just the right outfit for a big event was the most pressing issue in a day's time.  I recall the shadows of long, hot summer days in the country making flower necklaces and catching lightening bugs at twilight.

How lucky are we that we are able to recapture those shadows of the past that put a smile on our face and warm, fuzzy feelings on our heart?  I'm glad that I've been able to journal this month of August through photographs and share wonderful walks and memories with friends and loved ones.  It's a pleasure sharing this SUMMER journey with you, and I hope it inspires you to "Happy Creating"! with your camera and recalling the happy shadows of your past.

"Let Your Art Shine All Over The World"

Don't forget to enter your SUMMER page links for a chance to win the *ARTtastic giveaway.  Directions to enter are HERE

Lazy on a Sunday Afternoon

Today I'm feeding the well.  OK, maybe I'm just being lazy on a Sunday afternoon, but I've got to tell you - it feels GREAT!  I've accomplished a lot over the past week, and today I'm just sitting back and taking a look at things I've done and peaking at what the rest of the world is doing.

I just browsed through hundreds of photos in my picture file and realize that I need to do some organizing and editing - but not today. I found quite a lot of photos that I planned on using in a post but never did - until now!  Here are some of the moments in my life frozen in time.

How special am I that my friends gifted me with this fabulous wine glass?  When I want to feel like a queen, this is the route I take.  I used White Zin for the shot, but I typically prefer Merlot or Sauvignon if anyone's asking!

A close up of one of the many suns who live on my deck during the summer and fall

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Hot Fudge Brownie Delights!  (OK, OK, poetic license, people! :o) 

"Journal Joy".  It's possible this is a second appearance, but I don't think so.

I can't believe this is a spread that I created! So out of the box for me.  I used free Glidden paint samples for this spread.

Headlands Beach seems like a great last photo and a reminder for me that I am extremely blessed to have this beauty to enjoy every day.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed  being lazy on a Sunday afternoon with me.  It's so important to take time to relax and just BE.  I like to think of it as "negative space".  There must always be balance.  There must always be some down time.  So take some time out for yourself and just relax.  Your next "Happy Creating!" will be all the better for it!