beach love

My favorite antidote to months of racing through the demands and commitments of daily living. An irresistible invitation to slow down, let in a little joy and savor a better pace of life. And probably my favorite thing about summer. I can't really explain what it is about that vast expanse of sand, sea and sky that helps me re-discover that feeling of inner abundance and brings me back to a place of peace and calm. I can let my cameras sit on a shelf and forget about them for weeks, when presented with the opportunity to spend time at the beach I will always pack as many as I can, giddy with anticipation and excitement.

Today share your love for the beach. Let’s celebrate the sense of freedom, connection, the pure and unbridled joy, and the beauty of the ocean.

water world

Last week the summer heat made a very big appearance here on the east coast.  Seemed almost everyone was sweltering in above normal temperatures with little relief in sight. Perfect time to seek out ways to cool off and have fun all at the same time.  Summer and water just go hand in hand don't you agree?  Water parks, kiddie pools, sea spray, wave jumping, rain dances, puddles, water balloons, fountain fun, sprinklers, and the trusty old garden hose. Splashing and spraying our way through the summer heat. Shooting water is all kinds of fun.  If the sun is shining the drops sparkle light diamonds, or you may capture the action of individual droplets.

What water fun have you captured lately?

Let's all take a collective dip into the cool water today.  Share your summertime water shots with us here.  Maybe get out the sprinkler and jump through the spray... Have fun with it! 

accidentally ... on purpose

Ben and I were sitting on the front porch.... looking for a little inspiration.

We spotted this Mama, her baby and sweet golden coming down the street. They were a fair distance away...so I snapped a few shots. I then waited til they 'strolled' past the house....and kept going... planning on 'shooting' them from behind. 

But at the same time, Mr. Ben spotted a cat, entering our yard.... a big kerfuffle took place, which allowed me just 2 shots before they were out of site.

The first was in focus....and just plain boring... The second... out of focus and so much more interesting.

Do you have any accidental or perhaps on-purpose 'out-of-focus' shots you just love?  Please share with us today.

simply summer

Summer brings a much wanted shedding of layers. Once covered skin now breathes in and soaks up the sun. My previous uniform of knits, jeans, wool socks and snow boots, have been happily replaced by a simple stand of beads, a white tee, flowy skirt, and bare feet.  Less is definitely more in summertime. 

The shutter sister pool is full of summer's essentials .

pretty painted toes

summer sandals and flip flops

an airy sundress

summer hair

that too cute suit

a broad sunhat

and of course a seriously fun pair of shades

As June winds down and summer heats up here, let's send off this month's one word project in grand sister fashion. How do you do summer? Show us your summery details today.