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November 17, 2020

The World Through My Lens 10.2020 & Autumn Photo Challenge

The World Through My Lens 10.2020

Shutterbugs and photography-lovin’ friends, welcome to The World Through My Lens, 10.2020 & first week of #25DaysofGratitude.  I am sharing my photos for this month’s prompts for the Sunday Stills photography challenge.  And the photos I’ve taken for the autumn photo challenge my friends Deb and Jennifer and I are hosting on Instagram and on our blogs.  If you haven’t joined us yet, please consider doing so…and be sure to tag your photos with #25DaysofGratitude so we can find and enjoy them.

10.04  Dry
10.11   Fall Color Challenge: Ochre
10.18  Your Happy Place
10.25  Backyard Birding

THE WORLD THROUGH MY LENS WEEK 40

SUNDAY STILLS, 10.04.2020:  Dry

We hadn’t had rain in more than a month when I took this photograph of my Prince walking through the desert.  The dirt was more of a powdery sand.  And when we walked or ran, our shoes were covered in the fine red dust.  It was so dry, that most of the plants were burned to a crisp.  And then, out of the clear blue, we had a snow!

The World Through My Lens 10.2020

THE WORLD THROUGH MY LENS WEEK 41

SUNDAY STILLS, 10.11.2020:  Ochre

At the time our home was built in 2008, Tuscan decor and color palettes were trending.  The inner and outer walls of our home are ochre, and the tiles the same, with splashes of rust and white and a darker brown.  I loved it then, and still do.  But our home is very dark inside.  And now, it seems, cooler, lighter tones are popular.  However, I bet if we wait long enough, our ochre walls will come back in style.

The World Through My Lens 10.2020

The unexpected storm of last week gave everything a magical dusting of snow.  We truly had frost on the pumpkin.

THE WORLD THROUGH MY LENS WEEK 42

SUNDAY STILLS, 10.18.2020: Your Happy Place

El Paso, my home, my husband and my family are all my happy places.  And being in my loft makes me happy.  It is where I read, write, and craft.  I took this selfie, a rare shot with glasses, during a recent devotional time.

The World Through My Lens 10.2020

THE WORLD THROUGH MY LENS WEEK 43

SUNDAY STILLS, 10.25.2020:  Backyard Birding

All summer we had the cutest, chartreuse, neon green little birds bee-bopping around our yard.  In fact, they were bee-bopping all over El Paso.  My daughter was told they were Wilson’s Warblers.  I wish I had been able to capture them with my camera but they were so quick!!  For this challenge, I resorted to snapping some pictures of a birds in our neighborhood park because all of the cutie pie green birds have ‘flown the coop.’

The World Through My Lens 10.2020

The World Through My Lens 10.2020

#25DaysofGratitude Autumn Photo Challenge

Here are the first week’s photos for our #25daysofgratitude #autumnphotochallenge.

The World Through My Lens 10.2020

Grateful for:
1. Comfort food  ✔️  I love soup.  No matter the season, although autumn is probably my favorite time of year to enjoy soup, chili and stew.  You might remember that last year this time, I hosted a soup recipe swap.  Revisit all those delicious recipes, here.
PC requested this cheesy cowboy chowder for Sunday dinner.  Chockful of potatoes, corn and bacon, it’s one hearty bowl of comfort.
The World Through My Lens 10.2020
2. Fresh produce  ✔️ Knowing this was a prompt for our photo challenge, I wandered through Sprouts the other day after my CT scan.  As I have shared (complained about) before, we don’t have many different grocery stores in El Paso.  And in the northeast part of town where I live, we really don’t have options.  Walmart and that’s about it.  So I take full advantage when I am on the east or westsides and visit all the stores we don’t have near home.  You know how I love GREEN.  My senses were delighted by all of the shades of green and different textures in the produce.
The World Through My Lens 10.2020
Wellness Weekend 10.2020: Goals Update & Walking
3. Home – you by your front door  ✔️  Was going to get dressed up in something fallish and pose by my door, but decided to keep it real and take this pic the way I looked today, cleaning house.  Wearing the sweatshirt that PC had on in the photo on his Match.com profile.  It was practically love at first sight, for me.  Over my left shoulder, you can see the Dia de los Muertos altar I set up each year.  My autumn wreath is on the door.
The World Through My Lens 10.2020
4. A favorite place to walk  ✔️ McKelligon Canyon, beautiful walk…every.single.time.  We tend to walk McKelligon, when we are feeling good, at least once a week.
The World Through My Lens 10.2020
5. Nature  ✔️ Our snow-frosted bougainvillea.  We had a very rare October snow this year.  But what else would you expect from 2020?
The World Through My Lens 10.2020
6. Something in autumnal colors  ✔️  The Sprouts’ crate full of gourds and squash.  In the northeast side of El Paso, we don’t have many shopping choices, even fewer grocery shopping choices.  When I find myself on the east or west sides, I take full advantage and hit up some of the stores we don’t have ‘at home.’  Sprouts is one of them.
The World Through My Lens 10.2020
7. Warm clothes  ✔️ Can’t wait to wear my new Olivia Miller Been Around The World Duck Boots and my faux fur scarves.  In anticipation of our trip to Kentucky and Ohio in December, I ordered these boots through DSW.  They were less than $25 and had good reviews.  Hope they will keep my tootsies warm and toasty.
The World Through My Lens 10.2020
8. Weather  ✔️  What better indication of the weather than my solar dancers boogying on my kitchen window sill?  I have similar solar dancers for all the holidays.  El Paso is the Sun City so these babies are always dancing.
The World Through My Lens 10.2020

YOUR TURN

Hope you will run by to see the exciting photography of my friend Terri at Second Wind Leisure Perspectives.

But before you go, girls, grab your calendars, agendas and pencil in this date…11.30.2020.  Know why?  Because I will be sharing all of my photos from the #25daysofgratitude autumn photo challenge on the last day of the month.  And there’s still plenty of time for you to play along.  So, grab your cameras, check out these prompts and then meet me back here on the 30th.

25 DAYS OF GRATITUDE PROMPTS

Thankful for:
1. Comfort food
2. Fresh produce
3. Home – you by your front door
4. A favorite place to walk
5. Nature
6. Something in autumnal colors
7. Warm clothes
8. Weather
9. Favorite smell
10. Keepsake or memento
11. Pet
12. Best friend
13. Routine or habit
14. Coziness
15. Surprise
16. Morning
17. Evening
18. Hobby
19. Work
20. Play
21. Warm beverage
22. Good health
23. Books
24. Quiet
25. Family

P.S.

One last thing, here are the prompts for November’s Sunday Stills:

11.01 Leaves
11.08 Weathered
11.15 Color Challenge: Auburn
11.22 Thankful
11.29 Texture

Thankful to have the distraction of photography and photo challenges to keep me looking for the beauty, the interesting, the curious in this world.

Hugs and kisses,

leslie

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Filed Under: Craft and Create Tagged With: #25DaysofGratitude, #CraftandCreate, #LifeAfterRetirement, #SundayStills, #WorldThroughMyLens

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Comments

  1. AvatarTerri Webster Schrandt says

    November 17, 2020 at 9:28 am

    Lovely photos, Leslie, and a fun glimpse into your life in your loft 🙂 Now that you mention the Tuscany style from 2008, that’s the same year my SIL built their home in Spokane…they have a similar Tuscany style, too but not ochre walls. Of course, she is of Italian descent, so her decor makes the look! Love your frost on the pumpkin…what a temperature change in just a few days!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      November 23, 2020 at 8:35 pm

      Thank you!!
      I like the warm colors of the walls in our home but it is a little dark in here at night!!
      Figure if I wait long enough the Tuscan flavor will come back in favor.

      Reply
  2. AvatarKaren says

    November 17, 2020 at 11:57 am

    Enjoyed your gratitude update & all the wonderful pictures. I’m intrigued with your solar dancers. I’m having fun with the gratitude challenge, incorporating it with my sentence a day. Stay tuned!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      November 23, 2020 at 8:32 pm

      Anxious to see your photos!!

      Reply
  3. AvatarDeb says

    November 17, 2020 at 1:08 pm

    I can’t believe you had snow before we did! Is it really unusual to have snow this time of year? It seems really early.
    That is an amazing display of fruit and veggies – I have a feeling I would have gone mad buying lots of things and then get home and wonder how I was going to use it all! We try and have one vegetarian meal a week but I need to try new recipes. If we had a shop nearby like that one there would be plenty of inspiration!

    Reply
  4. AvatarJoanne says

    November 17, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    I have been doing great on my autumn photo challenge and definitely plan to link up with you. I love your photos for produce and fall colors!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      November 23, 2020 at 8:32 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  5. AvatarDonna Connolly says

    November 17, 2020 at 3:24 pm

    That Cheesy Cowboy Chowder looks delicious. I will give it a try!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      November 23, 2020 at 8:17 pm

      We really liked it. I could eat soup most every night for dinner. And salad when I am not eating soup!! Hope you found it tasty, too.

      Reply
  6. AvatarCarrie @ Curly Crafty Mom says

    November 17, 2020 at 6:35 pm

    McKelligon Canyon looks beautiful! You catch all the details in your photos! Nathan was doing a photo challenge for awhile for fun.

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

    Reply
  7. AvatarLaura Bambrick says

    November 17, 2020 at 7:59 pm

    You have an eye for these! It’s so fun to see your photos! That chowder looks delicious! Looking up the recipe to pin it now!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      November 23, 2020 at 8:16 pm

      Thank you!! Love a good bowl of soup or chowder. Nothing better in my book.

      Reply
  8. AvatarBri says

    November 17, 2020 at 9:12 pm

    Love the pictures with the dusting of snow! So pretty! Those pink flowers really stand out against it. Such a great picture of you doing your quiet devotional time. I enjoy seeing that. These prompts are so much fun. I should join in. Maybe I will make these one of my posts next week. Thanks for sharing, Leslie.

    Reply
  9. AvatarDanielle says

    November 18, 2020 at 4:54 am

    I love seeing all the photos you took! I am all about comfort food. Fall/ Winter is my favorite time to cook. 🙂

    Reply
  10. AvatarDara says

    November 18, 2020 at 6:22 am

    I’m very surprised by the snow! Great photos!

    Reply
  11. AvatarRebecca Jo Vincent says

    November 18, 2020 at 4:21 pm

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE … & not one bit surprised – that you have solar dancing figures on your window sill. So fun!!!!
    Love seeing a smile on your face – hope you’re feeling better & recovering.
    I need a reading “spot”… I tend to make mine outside or in my enclosed porch, but winter cold & darkness tends to make that a really bad spot – LOL

    Reply
  12. AvatarLeanne | www.crestingthehill.com.au says

    November 19, 2020 at 11:13 pm

    Great photos Leslie – and I think I’d like some of that cowboy chowder – it looks delicious. I hope you’ll do a tour of your loft one day – I bet it’s lovely.

    Reply
  13. AvatarIris says

    November 20, 2020 at 6:33 am

    Love all your pictures. Love the boots.
    I guess I’m a rebel – I never paid much attention to what was popular when it came time to pick colors, etc for my home. I picked what “I” liked – and DH didn’t care, he was good with whatever I chose. Haven’t changed my mind yet. Your colors sound great.
    Grace & Peace, Iris
    http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      November 23, 2020 at 8:15 pm

      Thank you, Iris. I have pretty well gone with colors I like, too. I much prefer warm tones to cool and my wardrobe and my home reflect that for the most part.

      Reply
  14. AvatarAmy Johnson says

    November 20, 2020 at 7:52 am

    First of all, I can’t believe you had snow in El Paso! Wow! That soup looks incredible, and those veggies look even more incredible. Our grocery stores don’t have veggies that look like that. And that canyon walk looks amazing. Lucky you to be able to frequent it so often.

    Reply
  15. AvatarJill says

    November 21, 2020 at 6:31 pm

    I always enjoy these posts and seeing your photography! That cowboy chowder looks delicious. McKellegon canyon looks like a beautiful place to walk!

    Jill – Doused in Pink

    Reply
  16. AvatarLaura Bambrick says

    November 23, 2020 at 1:39 pm

    Those duck booties are super cute! I’m sure your feet will be nice and warm! The bougainvillea is a beautiful photo! I love the tropical flower and frost. It’s such a striking combination!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts ClinganLeslie Roberts Clingan says

      November 23, 2020 at 8:13 pm

      Thank you! Can’t wait to wear my duckie boots!!

      Reply

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Hello

OOTDs and SIAs: My Fashion Haus 07.2020
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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