Tag Archives: weekly photo challenge

Nature, naturally

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When I think about the best parts of living in the Pacific Northwest portion of the United States, I think of the diversity of nature. With my home situated near Portland, Oregon, I am just hours away from beaches, forests, mountains and high desert (with the occasional urban area thrown in).

This week’s Daily Post photo challenge asks us to show images of where we live. I just happen to have a ton of photos 😉 , but I’ll narrow it down to a handful.

Oregon Coast

tour 1

The Pacific Ocean near Oceanside, Oregon

Forests

tour 4

Ochoco National Forest, Oregon

Mountains

tour 3

Mt. Saint Helens in Skamania County, Washington State. This volcano erupted most recently in 1980.

High Desert

tour 2

Painted Hills near Mitchell, Oregon

And of course, the city where I live, Vancouver, Washington

tour 5

Columbia River and the Vancouver, Washington river bank.

To see the sights of where others call home, go to The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Tour Guide

One Spoke

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spokes

I am but one spoke in the wheel.
I carry only a small portion of the load.
The wheel could function without me.
It sustains itself as a whole.

I am but one spoke in the wheel.
I do my part.
I carry my share of the load.
I hold strong.

We are but spokes in a wheel.
We support one another.
We rely on one another.
We work together to carry a load that
none of us could sustain on our own.

Without each spoke,
the wheel weakens.
Without us all, the wheel would collapse.
The vehicle’s motion would cease.

We cannot steer the vehicle.
We must rely on other mechanisms to
choose our direction.
We must trust in others, as others trust in us.

Together, in faith, we make the journey.

spokes2

The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Weathered

tenacity

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Sometimes growth isn’t about new beginnings and fresh starts.
Sometimes it’s about perseverance through tough times,
when stagnation would be so much easier;
giving up easier still.

Sometimes growth comes with refusing to wilt.

growth4

The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: Growth

2017 Recap in Photos

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The Daily Post’s photo challenge this week is to share the most meaningful photo we’ve taken this year. I decided to choose one for each month of the year as well.  It was a fun way to review the year, and helped me realize that — all in all — it’s been a great year for me personally. Kids, pets, nature, friends, art, and challenges that made me stretch and grow. Here are my choices:

January

2017_01

It’s rare to get snow where I live, and it can be rare to get a sunny day in January, so this day was special on two counts!

February

2017_02

Daffodils broke through the soggy soil in my back yard early this year, it seemed. They avoided any serious frost, though, and brought vibrancy and color to this sometimes-dreary month.

March

2017_03

Sebastian the Tux Cat is always special.

April

2017_04

Sometimes you come across an image that just begs for a photo. Cell phones rock!

May

2017_05 - Copy

I took a six week class at a CrossFit gym and loved it! Note to self: exercise won’t kill you, and can, in fact, be fun!

June

2017_06

Chules always makes me smile.

July

2017_07

The Uroboros Glass Factory went out of business after 40 years of producing art glass in Portland, OR. I was so sad that I had to drown my sorrows in a shopping spree at their factory outlet store. Now I have lots of cool glass just waiting for cool ideas as to how to use it.

August

2017_08

Chules and his new buddy Brisco got together at the beach in August. Brisco’s eskie “sister” Zoey was there, too. Fluffy cuteness overload!

September

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Exploring nature with the little ones in my life is a treat and an honor.

October

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Fun in the autumn leaves.

November

2017_11

A perfect sunrise!

December

Well, December’s not over yet, so that favorite photo might be just around the corner.

On other fronts, it’s been a more difficult year. The political scene in the US this year has been brutal. Partisan machinations and misplaced priorities; ethics free-fall; utter disregard for the environment and the survival of the planet; massive gun violence that gets lost in a miasma of political posturing…

I didn’t think I had one particular photo that was the most meaningful to me, until I got to the end of this year-end review process. But there is, in fact, one photo from January that kind of set the stage for the year and as such has proven to be the most meaningful photo I took this year.

It is this:

2017_most

Portland Police Department officer monitoring the peaceful Women’s March on January 20, 2017 in Portland, OR.

The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: 2017 Favorites