home

Home. After two weeks of sunshine, salty ocean breezes, squishy sand, & laughter. It feels peculiar, yet also comforting... being torn from the warm hold of summer & dropped right into the coziness of autumn. There is a kind of rightness about it. As sweet & as lovely as summer is, I don't think I could bear it extending all the way into fall. I love September, just as it has always been - chilly, colorful, & shivery with excitement. I love starting the new school year, thinking of the blank pages soon to be filled with words. Most of all though, I love the hope & joy that stirs within me and seems to flow from everything around. The start of this fresh new season of thankfulness & praise, it brings along a sureness, a promise for the future. There will be laughter & there will be tears, but He will always pull us through. And so, the chapter ends & the page is turned. We will never again be able to look upon this summer with fresh eyes, but only revisit it through memories & photographs. And that is as it must be. Let us welcome the months ahead with a cozy sweater & a warm cup of peppermint tea.
Hugs,

a breath of fresh air & an announcement

The wind whispers. The palm trees wave. The sand glitters. The sun smiles. The sea beckons... and thus my announcement. We're leaving for Florida next Tuesday (NOT tomorrow), for two weeks! That'll be a twenty-five hour road trip, but I'm planning on taking along a whole bunch of books & audiobooks, so I don't think it'll be so bad. I'm very much looking forward to a breath of fresh air before the new school year begins, &, of course, to the super big surprise I'm going to post about after I get back! And in case you feel impatient, I thought I might mention following me on Instagram (@his_swordmaiden), Twitter, and/or Facebook will most likely reveal the big 'thing' beforehand. ;)
I'm planning on asking a few of my favourite bloggers to guest post in the time I'm away, but if you would like to as well, just shoot me an email and I'll be glad to add you to the list!
Enjoy these last few rays of summer! :)

the photographer's eye

People say feathers make the bird, I say the eye makes the photographer. There are many photographers out there, and they shoot with different cameras, different lenses, & also have different styles, but they all have the eye. They can see what other people cannot. That little drop of light, left over from the sunset, lingering on a tiny leaf... that perfect angle, just right for sunflares... that hole in a barbwire fence, waiting to be turned into a natural frame. To some, it comes naturally & with others, it takes effort.
Train your eyes to see the unique beauty in little, ordinary, everyday things, & even if all you have is a point-and-shoot, you'll be one step closer becoming a photographer.

the calm before the storm

Right before a storm sets in, there is this moment of utter calm. The birds stop singing & it seems as if all of creation holds its breath... waiting.. like an audience before the drawing of the curtains. It waits for the Artist to reveal His masterpiece, in all of its glory & splendor. The sky, a seemingly endless palette of gray, tinged pink from the sunset, looks down upon the trees, their leaves shaking, creating beautiful melodies. And then... the first crystal clear drop of rain falls from the heavens... the first rumble of thunder is heard... the first flash of lightning is seen - the cloth covering the canvas has been lifted. And as I stand here, ripples of excitement running through me, bubbling over into a smile, I realize, that no matter how hard I try or how long I live, I'll always fall short of grasping the full majesty of the Creator.

evening at the lake

the water, alive & moving, lapping gently against the rocky shore. the sun, its last rays of light painting both the surface of the lake & the sunset sky a lovely purplish-gold. the breeze, soft, sweet, & full of adventure, bringing with it fresh night air.
yes, the lake at sundown is most definitely my favourite.

these are a few of my favourite things

golden hour, sunflares, & vintage cameras. Speaking of vintage cameras, this here is Louis (pronounced LOO ee). He's very pleased to meet you! :)

a photo is worth a thousand words.
xoxo,

the beach

I step onto the fine grainy surface of the sand & wiggle my toes until they are buried out of sight. The rather strong breeze gives my face a caress, bringing with it the scent of that deep blue, watery version of the sky. The sound of crashing waves on the shore makes tingles of excitement run down my back. I take a deep, refreshing breath and can't help but smile. Three whole seasons of absence have been too long a time... way too long. I'm back now. Back where waves lap gently against the shore, leaving behind seashells - whose pasts are forever destined to remain untold. Back in the land of unending hues of sapphire, where the colour of the horizon is a blend of the two dreamiest shades of blue. Back where inspiration seems to crash into you, just as easily as the white crests of rolling waves. Yes, I'm back in my own little 'Narnia'.
Do you have one too? :)

Ohio // part 1

**in case you missed my vlog, this (super outdated) post refers to our Victoria Day long weekend trip to Ohio**

The highlights of our Saturday morning road-trip (via my trusty iPod notepad):

3:30am. I got out of bed after my three hour nap (yes, it felt like a nap).
4:15am. in the car. blankets, overstuffed rectangular-shaped tote bag full of books, & all.
4:30am. Regina Spektor. :)
5:00am. can just catch a glimpse of light blue sky in the east.
5:30am. sunrise & lots of shutter snapping.
5:45am. listening to the narnia & lord of the rings soundtracks.
6:00am. port Erie (second to last photo) and across to NY.
7:15am: Pennsylvania!
8:15am: Ohio.


Happy Father's day! :)