Innocence

We met Morgan, aged nine, fishing with her family at Paper Goods Pond.  To me, there is something ultimately innocent about a young girl--still a year or two before the turmoil of adolescence--doing something as traditional and simple and quintessentially Summer, as  fishing in a small pond.  Better yet that she was in the presence of her doting family, all enjoying the balmy lengthening evening.  It reminded me of one of the opening lines of the newly late Ray Bradbury's classic Dandelion Wine: "Summer gathered in the weather, the wind had the proper touch. the breathing of the world was long and warm and slow."

Wings

A flock of geese took off from Paper Goods Pond last night as evening fell. 

Camera: Canon EOS T3, Lensbaby Muse   Processing : PSE

Zany

I know they're a tad out of focus (the disadvantage of having the Lensbaby mounted on one's camera)...but one can't get much zanier than this: the dude caught a huge bull frog at Paper Goods Pond and decided to see if it was an enchanted princess.  Can you imagine her horror if she had been one?

Camera: Canon EOS T3, Lensbaby Muse    Processing: PSE

Multiples

These pink flowers blooming at Paper Goods Pond have multiple blossoms. 

Camera: Canon EOS T3, Lensbaby Muse  Processing: basic adjustments with PSE

Blessing

Today is the 20th birthday of my youngest child, Sierra Rose. She was the unexpected blessing.  After we had adopted our older two, Amber and Christian, Korea (their homeland) shut down to further adoptions.  My husband passed 40; most countries that were open to a third adoption required parents to be under 40.  So we took delight in our two...but I just KNEW somehow that there was a third child meant for us.  Then, when Christian was five, Korea opened up again, and they said they'd accept parents up to the age of 42.  John had just turned 42, so we sent an application in right away--and on September 22, we went to Kennedy Airport to meet our happy, wriggling baby girl.  We have truly been blessed.

Fear

This little toad was frozen in fear when I happened upon it just outside my vegetable garden.  I snapped a photo with i iPhone, then left it alone to hop off somewhere safe.

Camera: iPhone 4s  Processing: PSE

Youth/Soft

There is nothing as soft as baby feet.  These belong to my new pseudo-granddude Elijah.

Camera: iPhone 4s  Processing: kinda lost track, but the last one was Dynamic Light