WotD: "Delightful"

Simply Delightful, Böblingen, Germany, May 2011,
Canon PowerShot S90, 35mm focal length equiv. 28mm, exposure 1/60 sec @ f4, ISO 80, no flash 

 © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

So it's been forever, and for that I am sorry.

It's time to re-engage with Reflections of Beauty, but I need to find an easy path back in.

So I've decided to try a Word of the Day (WotD).  And with that, a picture -- that may or may not have anything to do with that word.  We'll just have to see.

My wife Carol and I are deciding on what our WotD will be when we wake up in the morning.

So stay tuned.  At least you will get some pictures, and hopefully they will be "beautiful", even if they aren't accompanied by too many "reflections".  We'll see how things go.

Day 46: The Spirit Conquers

Bouquet in the Rain, placed at the Indian Memorial, Den Haag, Netherlands, February 2011,

Panasonic DMC-ZS7, 35mm focal length equiv. 25mm, Exposure 1/30 sec @ f3.3, ISO 100, no flash

 © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

This is a beautiful bouquet of flowers, that was placed at a memorial to Dutch citizens and soldiers that lost their lives in Japanese prison camps during WWII, in what was then the Dutch East Indies.

 It had rained the previous day, and was still quite foggy, giving everything an eerie backdrop.  The sculpture itself is rather eerie; have a look:

The Spirit Conquers, Indian Memorial, Den Haag, Netherlands, February 2011,

Panasonic DMC-ZS7, 35mm focal length equiv. 25mm, Exposure 1/30 sec @ f3.3, ISO 100, no flash

 © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

The title of the sculpture, "De Geest Overwint" translates to "The Spirit Conquers", which I think is such a powerful phrase.

When faced with such adversity, it is the power of the spirit that will bring you solace.  It will guide how you respond to such extreme conditions, and ultimately, define who you are.

May our spirits lead us, instead, to treat our fellow brothers and sisters with charity and grace in the years to come.

• Donation:  To Carl D. (via Carlo), who is washing dishes to raise money for the Pine Street Inn, whose mission is to end homelessness, in Boston Mass
• Exercise:  Walking at NATO HQ on Ramstein AB (15 mins)

Day 27: Do a little dance

Dancing with the Flowers, Amherst, NH, September 2007,

Canon PowerShot SD870 IS, 35mm focal length equiv. 114mm, Exposure 1/200 sec @ f5.8, ISO 80, no flash, 

 © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Sometimes, you just gotta dance!  So get up and start moving.

You don't even need any music ... you can sing the tune in your head.

That's all I wanted to say.  Hope you have a happy day.  And do a little dance!

Flower Buzz, Amherst, NH, September 2007,

Canon PowerShot SD870 IS, focal length 4.6mm, Exposure 1/400 sec @ f2.8, ISO 80, no flash, 

 © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

• Donation:  Big Brother Big Sister Foundation of Greater Manchester, NH
• Exercise:  Short walk with Frito in the woods (30 mins)

Day 4: Follow your nose

Follow Your Nose, Böblingen, Germany, August 2010,

Panasonic DMC-ZS7, 35mm focal length equiv. 25mm, Exposure 1/30 sec @ f3.3, ISO 100, with flash

© Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

I have a habit of rising early in the morning, before anyone else is awake.  I like to spend some quiet time, by myself, reflecting and investigating.  Sometimes I just "follow my nose" and watch as my e-mail leads me to one web-site, and that to another, pursuing some thread of possible interest.

I will admit -- it can be a time waster.  But it can also take you places you would never have come across had you stayed within your typical patterns.  It's almost a multimedia "free association" process.  I'm sure Sigmund Freud could make lots of observations.

And to what end, this following of one's nose?  Well, like my buzzing buddy in the photo -- who knows?  Your nose never knows ;-)  You may just end up pollinating one friend or another with some of the ideas you learned about, and from that, who knows what flowers might blossom.

So follow your nose, and make some time for serendipity to happen.

• Donation:  Alzheimer's Association
  
• Exercise:  My first ever spin class (60 mins); boy, those guy (and gals) are certainly masochists ;-)

Early cherry blossoms

Early Blossoms, Koishikawa Botanical Garden, Tokyo, Japan, February 2007, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 200mm, Exposure 1/80 sec @ f5.6, ISO 200, with flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

During a recent trip to Japan, a couple of friends and I took our cameras to a botanical garden to take some pictures. The plum blossoms were out, as was expected, but these are cherry blossoms and are unusually early. Probably a unique species.

All I know is that I was appreciative of the color and faux springtime. Enjoy this reminder -- Spring is just around the corner!