Showing posts with label Round Robin Challenges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Round Robin Challenges. Show all posts

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Round Robin Challenge: Goodbye

"If I had a single flower for every time I think of you,
 I could walk forever in my garden."

~Claudia Adrienne Grandi


Saying Goodbye...

Life is full of hellos and goodbyes. Whenever I lose a friend, or a TV show, or an icon or a project I dearly love, I try to remind myself that life is a series of hellos and goodbyes. Most of the time I grieve for a while and then one day I realize the sadness has passed, and I am doing a lot more smiling at the memories, than crying and longing for one more visit to a place lost, or a smile that won't be there, or a joke that won't be told. In truth, I have been lucky enough to have had many more happy hellos than tragic goodbyes, but even the most charmed life will have their share.

2014 seems to have been a year of loss. You know from the news. But none touched me more deeply than the death of Robin Williams. He was a San Francisco Bay Area fixture. He lived in southern Marin County, but his love and generosity was felt throughout the Bay Area. In the town of Tiburon, where he called home, he was affectionately known as "The Man On The Bicycle." He was well loved by many, and that included me. With my little photo jaunts around the Bay Area, I always figured I would cross paths with him one day, alas it wasn't to be.

I have to admit... it's a fact that breaks my heart into
 the tiniest of pieces. 
Shards really.
 
:( 

There were many different tributes to Robin Williams held around the Bay Area, most of them for his dear friends, and a few public ones. I chose to honor him in my own way. Just a fan saying, Thank You, for the many moments of happiness his talent brought me.
 So last Monday, October 6th, Alan and I made the trek to Marin County, to a lovely little quiet park that sits just around the corner, on the same waterfront that touches his home in Tiburon, to pay our respects. I brought him some plastic Army Men, of which he was an avid collector, and I quietly said "I loved you" and "Goodbye."

 Paradise Beach and Park. 

:)

Thank You, Robin!

Alan and I enjoyed our visit to the park and beach very much, we now have another amazing place to visit when we are in Marin County, and you know I will always think of Robin when 
we are there. It's one more thing to thank him for!

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

~Theodor Seuss Geisel (attributed)


And now, I want to say Goodbye to the Round Robin Challenges.

Karen and I accidentally began this meme, but we certainly had a great time with it over this past decade. THAT'S RIGHT... DECADE! The Round Robin Challenges is just a little over a decade old, and I am very proud of Karen for all she did to keep the fun going! She and our dear Steven, did a lot to make this project a very nice place during it's heyday, and while I haven't contributed as much to it in recent years, it was always near and dear to me because it began as two friends, Karen and I, inspiring each other to be creative. When others asked to join in, it became a lovely community project, with a lot of creative ideas suggested for challenges as we moved along. How could I not be at least a little sad to see it come to an end? In truth, I am sad, but more than anything I am proud to have been a part of something so extraordinary.


Thank You Karen, you were and continue to be one of my favorite people and my good friend!

I had a blast!

:)

And Thank You to all the Robins who participated in this project!

Okay, so for one last time...

If you would like to join in, there is still plenty of time. Just pop on over to the official Round Robin Photo blog and leave the following 3 pieces of information...

Your Name
Your Blog's Name
Full Address Of Your Blog

It's that easy. Simply click the link at the top of this post to be redirected.

And now the Leaf Of The Day...

 
:)



Mood: Happy/Reflective

~Me :)

Saturday, August 09, 2014

Round Robin Challenge: Where'd You Get Those Eyes?

Autumn Me (Selfie) 2006

"The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter... ofthen and unconscience but still a faithful interpreter... the eye."

~Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre

RRC: Where'd You Get Those Eyes?

Eyes? I suggested an eye challenge? Yeah, I think I did! I just wonder why I chose eyes? I hate doing selfies... HATE THEM. But I have done a few, and thankfully Karen said we can think outside the box when it comes to the challenge topic, so here are some of my favorite eyes. Most of the photos have been posted before, but there are some that while photographed a while ago, haven't been posted before. 

Enjoy!

Where'd You Get Those Eyes?








Elvis 2006









                                                  Elvis And The Boy Next Door 2008







A Scan Of My Left Eye
                2009









                                                               Hendrix Kitty 2010







The Whistling Tree
    Autumn 2012









                                                       Baby Dylan November 2008




The Ostrich
  June 2005





                                                              The Kitty Next Door
                                                                          2007

And with that last photo, we come to the end of my gallery of EYES! :) 

Now that you have seen my gallery, why not check out what every one else came up with? To be redirected to the official Round Robin blog, just click the link at the top of this post. That is where you will find the links to everyone's blogs, and all the information you need to play along!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Round Robin Challenge: About The Weather


San Francisco With A Little Cloud Cover
October, 2013

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine."

~Anothony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book

RRC: About The Weather

For this round of the Round Robin Challenges, Karen wants to see some weather. I had to pay a visit to the archives for this one because the weather lately has been, well, relentlessly boring. It's summer, and sunny, with the occasional day of low clouds, but other than that it's just typical. What isn't typical is the fact that California hasn't really had seasons for the last couple years, and as a result, we are facing yet another drought. That means it's all brown and dry. Blech. I would rather not post photos of the very thing that seems to be zapping my creativity. So, as I said, I have tip-toed through my archives to bring you the very best of California weather, by the season!

Enjoy!

Winter...

Snow Falling On Grizzly Peak Boulevard


Snow In The Santa Cruz Mountains


A Late Winter Storm On The Bay
 

Spring

 A Storm Recedes Over The Marin County Headlands
 

An Cloudy April Day Along The California Coast
 

A Foggy Spring Day In Tilden Park


Summer...

The Twilight Of A Hot Summer Day In Berkeley


A Sunny Summer Day In Montara, California


A Summer Heatwave Sunrise


Autumn

An Autumn Day Of Bright Sun And Low Clouds


Clear Sky And Low Clouds On The San Francisco Bay


A Warm, Not Hot, Autumn Day At The Beach


Okay, that's all ABOUT THE WEATHER here in the Bay Area! Now, go see what the other participating Robins have posted ABOUT THE WEATHER in their neck of the woods! Just click the link at the top of this post to be redirected to the official Round Robin blog, where you will find the list of Robins who are participating, and all the info you need to join us!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)



Sunday, July 13, 2014

Round Robin Challenge: Words & Pictures: I Try... And Santa Cruz... And Beauty In The World



"Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife."

~Khalil Gibran

RRC: Words And Pictures

Last Friday was a good day! NO! Last Friday was a perfect day! Alan and I took a midsummer week off to just shake off the stress of the last few months. There has been a lot of sadness, with our friend's suicide, and Alan has been working a lot of overtime. As for me, well, I dislocated my shoulder a few weeks back, right in the thick of things, and have been dealing with the pain ever since. But on Friday, Alan and I decided to ignore all of the stress, shake it all off, and go and enjoy the day in Santa Cruz! We did some Geocaching... more on that later... and then had a nice pizza on the Santa Cruz Wharf, and we parked so we could hear the first set of the Macy Gray concert as we ate. We we finished, we made our way down to the beach, blanket in hand, and found just the right spot to watch her second performance at 8:30 PM.

She was nothing short of amazing! Generous with audience attention and interaction, and uplifting in her words and music! She has been one of my favorite singers for years, and it was a little bit of heaven to be able to see her in concert on the beach in Santa Cruz! I did some photography, I did some dancing, I did some singing, and I had a lot of fun! It was just what the doctor ordered. However, in my urge to spend the day away from my problems, I forgot to post my original posting for the Round Robin Photo Challenge, like I promised Karen I would! MY BAD! It is the first time in about  decade that I didn't turn in a challenge post on time, so I hope Karen will forgive me! Karen, my absence was for a good cause, Alan needed the break from life as much as I did. 


Macy Gray... WE LOVE YOU! Thank you for coming to Santa Cruz, and providing a much needed break from all the pain! You are BEAUTY IN THE WORLD!

Santa Cruz, California
Friday, July 11th, 2014






And Now Macy Gray...

 




 
"Music... will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you."

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Now that you have seen my words and pictures, why don't you pay a visit to Karen and the official Round Robin blog, and join in! There is still time this weekend! Just click the link at the top of this post to be redirected to the where all the fun is!
 
Mood: Grateful
 
~Me :)

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Round Robin Challenge: Sunrise, Sunset



"There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope."

~Bern Williams

RRC: Sunrise/Sunset

Okay, for this challenge Karen wants to see some sunrises and sunsets! Can do! Unfortunately, I am at a bit of a handicap this time around. You see, my carpal tunnel is flaring, and my shoulder is still out of whack from the kitten dislocating my shoulder. Imagine... I was taken out by a kitten! LOL. Anyway, I couldn't get out with the camera, so it was off to the archives. 

Enjoy!

Sunrise/Sunset Gallery

Sunrise...


Sunset...


Sunrise...


Sunset...








Yeah, I tried to find more sunrise photos, but, alas, I am just not a morning person! LOL. All of the sunrise photos in this post were taken on my way to the Sierra, mostly to do autumn photos! But it's okay I suppose, it just gives me one more idea to challenge myself with. Sunrise photos in 2014!

"There's a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they're absolutely free. Don't miss so many of them."

~Jo Walton

Karen, can we revisit this topic later this year?

Be sure to drop by the official Round Robin blog to find the links to the other participating Robins! Just click the link at the top of the post to be redirected! And while you are there, consider joining in this challenge! I know Karen would love to have you play along!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)