Netherlands Nuesday 50

Green guy in Dam Square, 2007

Essential Beauty

"Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Which is to say, beauty is in and of itself a great and glorious good, something we need in large and daily doses (for our God has seen fit to arrange for this). Nature at the height of its glory shouts, Beauty is essential! revealing that Beauty is the essence of God. The whole world is full of his glory." -John Eldredge

Westward Ho

This past week, John & I have met with a group from our church planning a mission trip to Rehoboth, New Mexico this January for a week. We are excited to be a part of this opportunity to serve and ask for your prayers as we prepare and go on this trip. I'll be taking photos and blogging for the group and hopefully painting or tutoring or whatever they need.

The above pictures were taken of us in Rehoboth almost 20 years ago when we were considering moving out there and working for the Rehoboth Christian School. We had just found out we were expecting Edward so the timing wasn't right and we didn't go, but now that Edward is in college...

Kitties Looking In

Every day occurences: Leo pops his head in the window when he wants in and that strange little cat comes by the back slider. Happy Saturday!

Flash Back Friday 92

Edward, 5 months old, 1990

A thing of beauty is a joy forever. - John Keats

Love Thursday

I *heart* my friends

As I mentioned before, Bridget & I went to Emily's birthday party a few week's ago in a hotel suite. The room was decked out (by Cathy, the mom) like a big birthday love bomb for 13 year old girls and included a heart shape that would surround you when you looked in the mirror. My bff cathy joined in as I was taking this photo for Love Thursday! Happy LT!

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. -Eleanor Roosevelt

Black and White Thinking

Leo looking good in Black and White

Calvin: Dad, how come old photographs are always black and white? Didn't they have color film back then?
Dad: Sure they did. In fact, those old photographs are in color. It's just the world was black and white then.
Calvin: Really?
Dad: Yep. The world didn't turn color until sometime in the 1930s, and it was pretty grainy color for a while, too.
Calvin: That's really weird.
Dad: Well, truth is stranger than fiction.
Calvin: But then why are old paintings in color?! If their world was black and white, wouldn't artists have painted it that way?
Dad: Not necessarily. A lot of great artists were insane.
Calvin: But... but how could they have painted in color anyway? Wouldn't their paints have been shades of gray back then?
Dad: Of course, but they turned colors like everything else did in the '30s.
Calvin: So why didn't old black and white photos turn color too?
Dad: Because they were color pictures of black and white, remember?
- Calvin & Hobbes

Netherlands Nuesday 49

Amsterdam Canal Cruise with bottles of water, 2007

Turning

To everything there is a season

And a time for every purpose under heaven

I went walking this afternoon with the intention of capturing some great fall color. In our neighborhood however, there is still a lot of green. It was a cold, drizzly day along with the strange scent of burning leaves in the air. The tree I always enjoy looking at the most has already lost most of its leaves.



Then, to top it all off, I looked down and like an old man, I was wearing tan socks with my walking shoes.

New England Fall

Photo by A. Boyer

Uncle Alan sent me this panorama he did last weekend of their beautiful New Hampshire fall where it looks like the colors are peaking. I think we have a ways to go yet.

As John Calvin said and maybe you've read here before as I am a graduate of his college, "There is not one blade of grass, there is no colour in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice".

a self-portrait saturday

The Blogger, October 2008

Don't worry, this is not going to be a regular feature. Yesterday, I just had a small urge to do this, so I set up the tripod. Do you like how the deck rail in back is in more in focus than me? lol! I've had greater urges to photograph the beautiful fall colors, but haven't gotten out much. Here are just a couple though:

Flash Back Friday 91

Edward, Maine, 1990

Love Thursday

Chicago, Sept, 2008, The Blogger with her True Love

I was so so happy to see this photo be recovered after the big Chicago camera trauma resolved because it was such a happy memory. We were walking around Chicago and I was taking John's picture in front of this statue when a professional came up to us and asked if she could take one of both of us. She was holding a HUGE camera and took my little Rebel XT and said, I know what I'm doing. You can see she did.

What Happened in Chicago

Chicago, September 2008

I already mentioned the great Chicago camera trauma. Well, last week when I got a card reader, more of the photos I had taken in Chicago reappeared. Good thing! I probably never would have thought of the time John & I stood in front of the funny mirrors on Navy Pier.

Sharon says we look like the Go Go Gadget Couple!!!