this is my first submission to 'Shoot Edit Submit' with Misty over at 'Through A Photographers Eyes'. she is an amazing photographer and i love following her blog. scoot on over there and check out some amazing submissions/photos! here goes....

i was out braving the chilly morning. went to a favorite spot of mine with cool old barns and barbed wire. the occasional cow that will glance my way. when along came this donkey. he was braying (?spelling) so loud chasing my van (inside the pasture of course) as i was pulling off the road to shoot. i think he was protecting the cow herd. anyway, he decided he wasn't mad at me after all and started these funny antics, rolling all around on the frosty ground. i just love that i captured the morning chill blowing out of his mouth!

have a blessed day!

shay

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

had some crazy days this week. ending in an October snowfall. but i managed to get my hunts pics for this weeks 'Scavenger Hunt Sunday' with Ashley Sisk over at 'Ramblings & Photos'. Please stop on over there and AMAZE yourself with some incredible photographers!

~here we go~

1) Macro...

i played around with the watercolor feature a bit on these, but the coloring is SOOC. i LOVE the result!

2) Found Texture...

this was an easy one as i LOVE all things chipped, aged and paint peeling! this is an old cabinet door.

3) Home...

although i love making my house feel like home, 'home' to me is the safety and love of my family. it is not a roof or walls or structure. it is holding hands, smiles and laughter, unconditional acceptance!

4) The Tree...

(i know this is the last item, but i'm saving 'cover' for last, it was after all the most fun!)

not sure if i am representing 'The Tree' correctly here, but do you know how hard it is to find a tree standing alone in an area loaded with trees??

5) last but certainly not least...'Cover' or should i say 'Cover Shoot'?

i also had a hard time with this one until my friend here helped me along. so without further anticipation..here is my 'Cover Shoot' with my friend who i've named Gordon. i LOVE cows. and i captured him the day before the snow fell!

p.s. WARNING..this has the potential to gross you out..

just saying..LOL

oh, hello there lady with the camera...

what are you from National Geographic or something?

here goes...left, left, left

right,

oops, he didn't want to do the last 'left'. guess he got what he was after. LOL

did you know cows could stick their tongues up their noses?

LOL

sure did make my day!

this farmer is going eco-friendly..no more kleenex needed in this pasture!

wishing you all a very blessed week!

shay

October Snow...

just woke up to our first snow, a little early (for snow i mean), and my eyes aren't quite open yet, but here you are mama. wish you were here, snuggled up in front of a fire eating homemade soup with us.



some days you just don't feel like it

Color

before...

after...

it just amazes me to see how many colors God's paintbrush has.

can you imagine a world without color?

look at all the color we take for granted each day because we are whizzing through life.

slow down and look.

i promise, He will not disappoint.

you will actually stand in awe.

blessings!

shay



"Earth is crammed with Heaven."

 Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

LOVED this week of Scavenger Hunt items over with Ashley Sisk at 'Ramblings & Photos'- stop over there and check out some amazing photographs!

i went to Mt. St. Mary's and an apple orchard across the Maryland line Saturday morning and was able to get all my hunt photos, had a hard time choosing which ones to use. so without further words...

1) Words...

2) Under...

3) Orange...

(played with layers here a bit)

4) Fly...

5) Always look on the bright side...

i was so blessed to have spent the day with 2 amazing women in a place that made you feel like God was sitting on the bench right next to you. full of peace and quiet stillness. having the moment to pray and just 'be still'. and so blessed that i was able to capture some beautiful shots and memories!

blessings!

shay

for you 'mama'

the ladybug made me feel like you were with me today

love you

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

~the Lord is my Sheperd and i want for nothing~

blessings!

shay

true beauty comes with age.

just like this well worn barn.

as we grow older, become wiser, overcome hardships and love completely, our beauty shines.

and when we finally come to that place deep within our hearts, our souls, and see ourselves as God sees us, then we will know our true beauty and the light that lives in us.

and we will shine for all to see.

blessings!

shay

'Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves.'

Psalm 126:5-6

do you ever long to just grab your camera, a few days worth of clothes, get in your car and just drive? to destinations unknown or maybe a place that is drawing your heart?

i do.

just for a brief moment. to search my heart. my soul. to feel the warm sun hit my face. to capture shots i may never see if i don't go. i think i have a wandering spirit, that urges me to go. but i never do.

why is that?

blessings!

shay



the Star Barn.....

i've seen paintings, photographs, all kinds of material representing this famous barn. but never, have i seen it with my own eyes. or through my camera lens. until today.

worked all night last night then on a whim decided to map quest directions and hop in my van for a drive. so glad i did. the Star Barn was breathtaking. well worth the lack of sleep and trip.

can't wait to get my photos into photo shop and play around a bit. but for now i wanted to share a few in simple B&W.

this barn will eventually be moved and restored to preserve it's amazing history and beauty.

LOVE ME SOME OLD CHIPPED PAINTED WOOD!

have a blessed evening!

shay

'Sunday Scavenger Hunt'

Click on over to 'Ramblings & Photos' with Ashley Sisk to see some amazing photography!

1) Abstract~

2) Round~

3) Fire~

4) Seeing faces in strange/unexpected places~

(My father was a carpenter. He used to play this game with me when I was a child to find the faces in the wood grain. I still do it today!)

Can you see them?

5) Stars~

Have a blessed week everyone!

shay



to be still and know, that Your in this place

please let me stay and rest,

in Your holiness,

word of God speak.

Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory.
-- Betty Smith

we see the changes as the months go by, but do we feel them in our hearts, our souls. i think we go through seasons too. as i sat on my porch this afternoon, looking at the colorful leaves on the trees, watching them slowly drift to the ground, cool wind touching my face, i thought of my journey lately. how my season right now is slowly drifting to an end, of what is past and what is yet to come. fall feel likes a time of reflection for me. the upcoming winter will be a time of quiet preparation, a time of careful and mindful planning. there are stirrings going on in my heart. i am on the verge of 'newness'. not only in my spiritual life, but on my journey. i am praying these things will come to pass. praying that i will have the strength to walk through the doors that are being so lovingly opened before me.

i think spring will be a season of new beginnings, new opportunities, of peace and joy, of giving God glory with my God given talents.

so i will cherish fall and winter, as i wait for my spring.

blessings!

shay

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

another inspiring week of 'Scavenger

Hunt Sunday' items over at 'Ramblings & Photos' with Ashley Sisk.

so here goes my interpretations...

1) Landscape~

we've had nothing but cold, rainy weather here of late, a little hard to get a good landscape shot. so i shot what was near me and beautiful in my eyes.

2)Complementary/Triadic Color~

i am so new to this, so don't know if i got this right this week, but here's my go at it.

~or~

3) Black & White~

ooohhh...my favorite! was so glad to see this picked. my father did B&W in his darkroom when i was a little girl, so it means alot to me. found these in the coolest little shop i could go wild in, full of salvaged architecture and rusty old hardware, the owners also make things, these were hanging everywhere and actually prompted me to buy 2 old cabinet doors, paint chipped and peeling, along with old rustic hooks, which we turned into a winter coat/bag/scarf/hat rack and hung them just inside our door. LOVE them. but i also LOVE these!

4) Blank Space~

had a hard time with this one. but we were at a church picnic and the tables were lined with white paper, crayons scattered everywhere, just waiting for the kids to doodle and create masterpieces. so it made me think 'blank space' OR like me when i begin a painting 'blank canvas'.

5) Food~

fresh from our veggie garden! love 'maters'!

~or~

'food' stored

hope everyone has a blessed day!

shay