weekending by Polly Scott

I persuaded my husband and stepson to go shopping with me by promising good food and a toy store. My sights were set on the parade of cute gift shops and restaurants further north. But I had forgotten the magic of Lark Toys.

Entering the store is a bit like stepping into a Willy Wonka village.  A vintage toy museum runs along a long hallway leading into a candy shop with a large rotating carousel.  Llamas wander around the grounds waiting to be petted.  A large room of wooden toys runs into a room full of costume hats and wigs with noise makers, hula hoops and pogo sticks nearby.  The book collection is large and diverse enough to be an independent bookstore.  I stared at a room stocked floor to ceiling with family games. I thought about how long it had been since we’d played a simple board game.

My husband and stepson try on hats and make faces in the mirror. They head along to the noise makers and kazoo sounds fill up our quiet space.  As we leave, my stepson hops into the Whirlybird. We can barely tear ourselves away. I feel refreshed and I’m reminded once again of the value of play.

How do you play?

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Polly Scott shoots images like these with a Canon Rebel T3 and spends her weekends going on fun family outings like this one to the local toy shop.

You can find her on her website destinationdriftless.blogspot.com and on Flickr as DriftlessDestination.

Todays prompt: cards

Tomorrow's prompt: evergreen

transformation of a city

I am thoroughly in love with my city.

It's streets.

It's alleyways.

The rhythm of the coffee shops and bus stops.

How it endlessly transforms itself...

This holiday season, the weather has been dreary and I've found myself seeking out pops of red on every street corner. I've been yearning for the holiday spirit and I notice I seem to find it when I least expect it. Running errands on a rainy afternoon, to-do list in hand, my mind lost in thought... And from the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of red... a Santa hat hurrying along the sidewalk.

This city energizes me...breathes life into me...reminds me that we are constantly transforming. Sometimes we just have to slow down and look...

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Today's post and image by guest shutter sister, Laura Yurs.

What pops of red do you see?  Share one with us here today.

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Finding Appreciation

 

I recently had a garage sale to get rid of some of the stuff I've accumulated over the years so that I don't have to carry it all with me when I move next month. I'm moving because I can no longer afford my rent. 

When I first realized I would have to move, I was despondent. Why didn't I get as many opportunities as my friends, I wondered? Why did I continue to struggle while others had it so easy?

But as I looked around the garage sale, I realized that almost everything I had was given to me (either by friends, family or the side-of-the-road gods). I had been given furniture, TVs, books, dishes, clothing, everything I really needed.

I was suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude. I realized that there have been so many times that I've been the recipient of good fortune and generosity.

My focus shifted from depression and indignation to thankfulness and appreciation. Now, I am grateful that I have another home to go to and that it has turned out to be even better than the last.

Are there things in your life that need a second look? Can you find appreciation where and when you might need it most?

Image and words courtesy of Gennifer Carragher. You can find her on her blog or on Facebook, where she created a community for other Gratituders in The Year of Gratitude.

Update on Friday, December 14, 2012 by Kim Klassen

The winner of a spot in Kim's Lightroom class, Round Trip is, Becs! Congrats!

Weekending by Suzanne O'Brien

Suzanne O'Brien shoots with a Canon 7D and her typical weekend includes the outdoors, exercise, some friends and a lot of family!

You can find her on her website SuzanneOBrienStudio.com. 

Have you captured any down and dirty photos lately?

Today's prompt: orange

Sunday's prompt: knits

weekending by Libertad Leal

"A couple of weekends ago my little family and I woke up at 4:30 AM to drive an hour to Galveston, TX to see (and photograph) the sun rise over the ocean. It was something I had wanted to do for a very long time and it did not disappoint. It was peaceful, beautiful, magical, exciting and by the time we left I felt awoken and alive." -Libertad

Libertad Leal shoots images like this with her Nikon D80 with a 50mm 1.8 lens and spends her weekends juggling quality family time, laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, family/social commitments, errands, and chasing after a very active toddler. But she always tries to carve out some time for photography.

You can find her on her website Libertad Leal. 

How do you make time for photography?

Today's prompt: music

Sunday's prompt: red