Prayers For Canada

Praying for my Canadian family and friends 
today as they mourn the loss of 
Corporal Nathan Cirillo,
killed yesterday in Ottawa.

Terrorism is leaving no country untouched
or unscathed.

Praying for Corporal Cirillo's family,
and for the proud people of Canada.

I remember sitting in tears,
watching the television when the United States
was under attack in 2001.
That feeling of helplessness,
the feeling of uncertainty,
it's a scary place to be.
Hold on to the faith that all will be well.
Hold on to God.
And hold onto each other.

Photo: May, 2014, in Midland, Ontario. Alice Hendon 

Making Plans

We have the most awesome Ace Hardware store anywhere! Inside the hardware store is a gift shop with so many beautiful things. I usually do some Christmas shopping there each year and I have already spotted a couple things I want to go back and pick up. Today, they had some new butterflies in stock. I have a couple others that I got at Ace to use in photo shoots, but never one like this. I love the colors and the shimmer! I came right home and got it hung up in my studio. And I have plans for a photo shoot with Frankie some time soon. Frankie and this butterfly! Can not wait!

Almost There

I am sure you've noticed I've been traveling a lot lately. Visits with Kali, going back and forth to Florida. I've gotten used to taking pictures of where I am in my journey, and texting them to Mark and Kali so they both know how far I've gotten. State line signs are easy targets. Humongous traffic jams for miles and miles on end always  scream "Virginia!" South of the Border paraphernalia lets them know I am half way there. On this trip, I got caught by this train literally within about a mile of Kali's apartment. What better way to let them know how close I was than with a photo of the train. Haha! And they both knew I would be at her door within minutes.
Photo taken with my iphone.

Good Morning!

Good Morning ~ Mandisa ~ 
Wave away my yesterday Cause I'm leaving it behind me. Hello sunshine, come what may, I feel something new inside me.
I hear the birds singing, Now my alarm's ringing, Get up, get up, hey!
It's a good morning!  Wake up to a brand new day! This morning, I'm stepping, stepping on my way. Good morning, You give me strength, You give me just what I need  And I can feel the hope that's rising in me, It's a good morning.
Slow down, breathe in, Don't move ahead I'm just living in this moment. I've got my arms raised, unphased, Jump out of bed Gotta get this party going.
I went to bed dreaming, You woke me up singing, Get up, get up, hey!
It's a good morning!  Wake up to a brand new day! This morning, I'm stepping, stepping on my way. Good morning, You give me strength, You give me just what I need  And I can feel the hope that's rising in me, It's a good morning.
* * * * *
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV
Many of you already know that Mandisa is probably my favorite Christian recording artist. For those of you who follow American Idol, Mandisa competed in season five. The three judges stated that they didn't "get" her Christian music and she was eliminated that night, finishing ninth. From there, Toby Mac stepped in and helped Mandisa get her foot in the door with the release of Lose My Soul, which included Toby Mac, Mandisa, and Kirk Franklin.  Before much longer, Mandisa recorded Good Morning, where she featured Toby Mac. You can watch the music video debut on Good Morning, America. (My favorite part comes at 1:25, where news anchor Robin Roberts is singing along.) Mandisa has so many great songs. I just love her music. She helps me remember that God's mercies ARE new every morning. Each day IS a brand new day and another chance. And in case you wondered - and even if you didn't :) - I shot the above photo a couple years ago at Epcot Center, Walt Disney World, Orlando. I was on a boat crossing the World Showcase Lagoon at sunset. God's mercies are good then, too! Hang on to that promise and have a great day!

The Light of the Lord

As soon as I figure out where I took this photo I will post the name of the church. Still working on thoughts for publishing a book of my church steeples and cross photos I've taken across the United States. I believe I will interweave some of my scripture photos as well. 
The steeples, the crosses, the scriptures, they all remind me of why I started this blog and why it is named The Creator's Leaf. It can be summed up by the words in James 1:17, every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. Everything I am, every gift I have, every talent I have - they all come from the Father, and in all my ways I want acknowledge Him and give credit where credit is due. With Him. The Creator.

The Creator's Sunset

I recently posted these shots on my photography blog - The Shadow of the Cross - in response to a weekly challenge. I thought I'd share them here as well, since most of you don't follow Shadow. We spend time in Cedar Key at least once during the spring or summer and I always take my camera.

As we were walking down by the waterfront, I turned and saw this amazing sunset above the houses and tree line. At first I thought one of the houses was on fire, then I realized I was just seeing one awesome, amazing sunset. The Creator was putting on a light show - just for me. And now, it's for you, too!

Rapunzel's Tower, Walt Disney World

Still working on feeling better, but before I got so sick we made a trip to Orlando and visited the new Fantasyland at Walt Disney World. This is my favorite shot from the day - taken with my iphone. I probably edited it in streamzoo, it's been too long ago to remember. Anyway, Rapunzel's Tower can be seen above the walls of the Enchanted Forest. It was a pretty incredible site! I can't wait to see what they do with this story!

A Tangled Web

 There are patterns all around us. In our every day life, so many things we come into contact with can become a new tangle for tomorrow.

Tangled patterns, tangled webs. Beautiful designs, a beautiful Creator. A life - patterned by God. Made beautiful by Him when we follow the patterns He has designed for us.

Surprises Are the Best!

Isn't this beautiful? What a fun suncatcher! And it looks wonderful in my window!

Such a nice surprise from one of my photography students - Jesse and Mrs. Bonnie! I love it!

When I unwrapped the package I was outside - the sun was shining bright - and the colors were magnificent!

Here is a picture of Jesse at our photo gallery exhibit. Thank you, Jesse and Mrs. Bonnie!!! I love my surprise!!!

Betweed the Jellies

What a fun drawing! I have admired this style of drawing when someone like Michele Beauchamp does it. So I was seriously happy when Maria and Rick showed us some flow-y lines like this at CZT class! I thought - hey, I might could do this! My main problem - most of the time - is I go too fast and don't take my time with my lines. I need to be 'deliberate' when I draw. 
Flying home from Rhode Island, I had a three hour layover in Baltimore. I drew this sitting in their food court area while I waited. There was a table of businessmen sitting next to me and they kept watching what I was doing. No conversation there - I know not to talk with strangers :) - but they seemed to enjoy watching it come together. I did, too! So happy with how this turned out. Reminds me of some photos I took at an aquarium of jellyfish :). Thanks, Rick and Maria!

Ink, Pens, Paper - APR #19

Lots of fun things happening in the Artist's Play Room this week where Jenn has challenged us to pick up the theme of ink, pens, and paper. I've thought and thought about what I could do. I could do some tangled tiles, but I do those every day. I was editing some wedding shots today and thought about the scripture photos I make. Prints definitely consist of paper and ink, and the editing uses a digital pen of sorts. So here you go - one of the endeavors I love the most in my photography - scripture photos. 

These are all photos I took at various locations across the United States. I love matching God's creation with God's Word.

We are told in the scripture that His word never returns void - that it always accomplishes His purpose.

I hope to one day publish a book including my scripture photos, as well as my series of cross and steeple shots I've taken as Kali and I traveled the country. Another speech and debate tournament meant another set of churches, steeples, and crosses to be photographed :).

God's creation - it's wondrous. It's majestic.

A bonus to our travels is that I have friends in many states - and I shoot a lot of senior photos. I always ask the student to tell me what their favorite verse is. Maybe a life scripture they try to live by. Then I match those verses up with one of our shots and make an awesome photo that their parents (or the student) can be proud of.

It's gotten to be a signature shot of mine, along with shoe shots, and pics of people in trees - haha!

The students (and parents, too) pretty much know that if I am doing their photos, I need a scripture, some awesome shoes, and someone is going to end up in a tree!

Same thing with weddings . . .

. . . garden shots, . . . 

. . . and family photos! I find that there is always a verse to go with any given circumstance. We just have to keep receptive hearts to hear it.


To check out all the other interpretations of ink, pen, and paper, please visit the Artist's Play Room here. You could even join in!

Dream Garden, APR

The Artists Play Room is hosting a garden party this week. As artists, we are supposed to render a creative 'picture' of our garden. Well, to begin with, I have a black thumb. Nothing I touch - plant wise - grows. We also live in a very dry location - dry sand, hot temps, nothing much grows in our yard - except 2 goats, 1 dog, and  13 assorted cats and kittens. So, let me welcome you to my dream garden.

My first love - artistically speaking - is photography. I shot every picture in this post. I am currently taking a break from photography so I can focus on a different type of art in zentangle and art journaling.

Each March - April, this flower field blooms a couple miles from my house. The lovely people who live there open there fields up to whomever wants to come. At any given evening you might count as many as thirty cars there at one time - with every sort of photo shoot going on that you can imagine.

The one on the right is my daughter. I have actually planted seeds in our yard and tried to get something like this growing. A flower field is definitely something I'd include in my dream garden!

Statuary. Is that a word? My garden would have several statues. This one stands outside my mom's assisted living residence. I call her Lady of the Lake - she's my favorite! I would love to have her overseeing my garden!

This is my second favorite statue. This little guy is at the botanical gardens in the next major town from us. They were in the process of building a 6' version - I haven't seen it yet, but I think it might be too big for my garden. What a shame.

She resides in the same botanical garden.

Some cool trellises would be in order. Can you see Kali? She thought this was a stupid picture to take - probably still does, haha! - but I love this picture of her. Dreamy! And it fits my dream garden!

How about some lovely wind chimes? Can't you just hear the tinkling sounds? This shot came from Cedar Key, Florida, which this past week took a direct hit from Tropical Storm Debby.

Wherever you have flowers - you are going to have a few insects! May they all be so cooperative as this little guy to pose and have their portraits done!

This dragonfly was my first ever insect shot. I think he's pretty awesome :).

If I plant the right flowers, I can have lovely butterflies in my dream garden. (As you can tell from my photography logo, I like butterflies.)

I'd have some beautiful shrubs and greenery. Maybe even some ferns like this one I shot with my very first camera.


Beautiful flowers. In abundance. Lots of glorious sunlight - shining on the flowers, in the flowers, through the flowers.

We need just three more things in my perfectly dreamy -  resting in, and lazing around in - garden spot. A fountain with a magical fairy frog . . . 

. . . a swimming lake with crystal clear water and golden sunshine all year round, and . . . 
. . . a dolphin pool! (Taken at SeaWorld, Orlando.)


And that's it! I know this was a long post. If you hung in there till the end - thanks for sharing my dream garden! Oh, how I wish it were true!


Please visit the Artists Play Room and stroll through all our gardens! Perhaps you might want to share yours with us :).