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Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After

Rediscovering Life after Retirement

Categories: Craft and Create

The World Through My Lens 02.2023

The World Through My Lens 02.2023

Shutterbugs and photo-lovin’ friends glad to have you join me for The World Through My Lens 02.2023.  Today I am sharing my snapshots for the January and February prompts provided by my blogging buddy Terry at Second Wind Leisure Perspectives.  Terry hosts the one-prompt-a-week Sunday Stills monthly photo challenge.  This season I also created my own list of prompts for a winter 2023 photo challenge.  Did so in hopes that I would take a little more time to notice the beauty in the world around me.

Have found that when I step away from blogging, I also step back from taking photos.  Which makes it feel almost like I’m going through life with blinders on. I don’t really look for the beauty in the world.  Or maybe I don’t take time to appreciate the beauty.  The same happens when I get in a blue funk.  I cast my eyes down and forget to open them to the beauty around me.

You can find my last The World Through My Lens post, here, if you missed it.  Right now, I am glad to be walking through my world with my eyes open and camera lens at the ready.  And have a few photos to share here with you for my winter photo challenge and Terry’s Sunday Stills prompts.

Just a reminder:  Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After occasionally uses affiliate links which are usually italicized.  If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link provided I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.

WORLD THROUGH MY LENS 02.2023

 

I had just started taking photos again in January so waited to combine that month with February’s pictures.

Winter 2023 Photo Challenge

 

I will be collecting photos for my winter 2023 photo challenge until the first day of spring.  Here’s are the prompts for the challenge.

 

The World Through My Lens 02.2023

 

My Photos for the Winter 2023 Photo Challenge

 

Here’s what I have found so far.

  • Through the window:  of our Air B&B in Santa Fe, snow falling

The World Through My Lens 02.2023

  • Door
  • Snuggly
  • Shopping
  • Cozy place
  • Fancy:  this Volkswagon was bedazzled with flowers.  It was a very popular photo backdrop at the Paris Edition of Girls Night Out at church this month.
fancy
The World Through My Lens 02.2023
The World Through My Lens 02.2023
The World Through My Lens 02.2023
  • Weather
  • Lights
  • Twinkle
  • Fragrance
  • Pattern:  frosty morning but the sun created interesting shadows from the wrought iron rails on the balcony

The World Through My Lens 02.2023

  • Workout:  back to running on the treadmill a couple of times a week; a winter goal realized = ✔️

treadmill

  • Shadow
  • Something red:  some of the chairs at the charming La Fonda Restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico are red.  And all of them are lovely.

The World Through My Lens 02.2023

  • Frosty
  • Relaxation
  • Toasty
  • Movement
  • Something I’m Working On:  organizing my scrapbook supplies, another one of my winter goals =✔️

The World Through My Lens 02.2023

  • Still
  • Love
  • Sweet
  • Handmade
  • Savory:  breakfast omelet and hashbrowns with green chili sauce at Weck’s.  Mmmm, mmm good.

The World Through My Lens 02.2023

  • Winter clothes
  • Feminine:  my Cami Jean is one feminine gal; she loves to wear dresses, and lots of pink and purple, please

ballerina

  • Boots
  • Candlelight
  • Fun
  • Golden hour

SUNDAY STILLS

 

Moving now from my winter 2023 photo challenge to Sunday Stills where Terry has announced the color prompts for the first half of the year.  They are:

  • January: white and gray
  • February: red
  • March: green
  • April: pastels
  • May: purple
  • June: pink

Sunday Stills 01.2023

 

01.01.2023  your 2022 year-in-review:  I didn’t gather photos for a year-in-review collection.  Hope to do that for 2023.
01.08.2023 plunge:  into snow tubing…down all 3 of the runs – beginner, intermediate and SCARY.  Really banged my tailbone on the steepest run which left me wondering if I need to permanently retire my inner tube.  Clearly, I didn’t take this photo…but it fit the prompt so well.

The World Through My Lens 02.2023
01.15.2023  monthly color challenge, white and gray:  interesting how the snow, trees, sky are all shades of gray and white, but the picnic area and my granddaughter Camila look almost colorized against the neutral background.

The World Through My Lens 02.2023
01.22.2023  silence:  there’s no silence like that of the snow

silence
01.29.2023  seeking light:  our flag in the front yard seemed to be seeking the light in the midst of a late-night windstorm.  Paul is always very mindful that our solar light is sufficiently brightly shining on our flag.

The World Through My Lens 02.2023

 

Sunday Stills 02.2023

 

02.05.2023  frosty:  the sky, the blowing snow, the colors in the neon art along the interstate all look frosty.

frosty
02.12.2023  monthly color challenge, red (any shade):  placemats and paper plates and napkins to go with the most delicious Reese’s chocolate pie.

pie
02.19.2023  sweet:  my grandmother and mother’s cinnamon and orange roll recipes.  Made these last week with my sister on Facetime.  They were almost as good as the ones I remember from childhood.

The World Through My Lens 02.2023
02.26.2023 feeding the birds:  we indulged in a larger-than-usual breakfast recently at La Madeleine and because the morning was gloriously warm, we chose to sit on the patio.  Mid-meal we were joined by some hungry sparrows looking longingly at us and our warm, buttered croissants.  I captured this little one waiting for a crumb.

sparrow

 

Your Turn

 

What have you captured lately in your lens?  My sister has been playing around with the winter 2023 photo challenge and has taken some lovely shots.  Find her on Instagram, here.

Wishing you a quiet week.  I was supposed to have jury duty but I am hoping it will be canceled.  We keep thinking ‘this’ will be the week that work begins on our pool repair.  But no.  No word.  Been waiting for years.

Thank you for popping in.  I appreciate the time you spend with me.

Hugs and kisses,

leslie

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About Leslie Roberts Clingan

I am an aspiring blogger and children's author, wife, mother, daughter, sister, - in-law, responsible pet owner and recently retired elementary school librarian. I hope to figure out the next chapter of my life as I transition from crazy, busy work world onto totally idle retirement and now to something in-between.

Comments

  1. Terri Webster Schrandt

    February 28, 2023 at 1:14 pm

    I am so tickled to see your posts for January and February, Leslie, as well as what you curated for the winter challenge! Your Cami Jean is adorable–my baby Lauren was a pink girlie girl too. Your various choices for my challenges were so perfect! Tubing is fun but I would stay on the easy hills myself. I’m amazed that Sante Fe gets so much snow! I guess snow is popular this year 😉 I just love the “look” on the sparrow’s face–what an awesome capture! Always great to read your Sunday Stills posts.

    Reply
  2. Marsha Banks

    February 28, 2023 at 4:34 pm

    It seems all that’s on my camera are photos for the blog which is another way of going through life looking down, right? Your Santa Fe vacation looks quite the dream through your lens! And, my goodness, those rolls…I think I can smell them here in Indiana! I was supposed to have jury duty last week, but it was cancelled. I think they would have excused me anyway as I might be a titch too opinionated!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

    Reply
  3. Donna Connolly

    February 28, 2023 at 4:40 pm

    Hi, Leslie – As much as I am throughly and completely done with winter, your photographs are gorgeous. You are a very talented photographer. Thank you for sharing them with us.

    Reply
  4. Leanne | www.crestingthehill.com.au

    February 28, 2023 at 5:29 pm

    Hi Leslie – I seem to have woken up today with blogging snow photos in my email feed! As I just mentioned to Christie, it’s 30°C++ at our place right now and hot and dry. It seems so strange to think of others having snow during the year, and the activities that go with it. Loved all of your photos and the little insights they give into your life.

    Reply
  5. Joanne

    March 1, 2023 at 6:21 am

    You have some really lovely photos! I really enjoyed the one of you in the tube even if you didn’t take it. I was just checking yesterday to see how many/which prompts I have left for the winter photo prompt… and I’m not doing too well! LOL.

    Reply
  6. Lysha

    March 2, 2023 at 12:42 pm

    So many great photos! I don’t think I can pick a favorite. Great job!

    Reply
  7. Laura Bambrick

    March 2, 2023 at 1:26 pm

    Love the VW pictures and the bright colors! Tubing looks fun! It was such a bad winter here for snow, but there’s always a chance we still get hit with some good sledding snow! Ha!

    Reply
  8. Brennyn

    March 3, 2023 at 2:06 pm

    I love you mom!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      March 18, 2023 at 9:09 pm

      How I love YOU!! So very much.

      Reply

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In what felt like the blink of an eye, I have gone from full-time wife to my sweet husband, hands-on mom to my two beautiful daughters and elementary school librarian to a retired, empty nester with lots of time on my hands. Join me on my journey to rediscover who I am. Glad you are here...
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