Change of Plans

Well, well, well … it’s nice to be back into the blogosphere!  Seems like I’ve been gone a long time.  As for the change of plans, I’ve decided to forego the weekly photo challenge for this year.  Too much going on to commit to that.

Instead I’m going to post some of my all-time fav’s that you may or may not have ever seen.

And so … without further adieu … these two images are of a life-size sculpture here in Sisters. I decided to feature one of these at my gallery site.  Namaste’

Regina (Reggie) Arnold is a “flunked retirement” entrepreneur, co-author of The Art & Science of Recruiting, an award-winning photographic artist, and photo blogger.

Shhh! She’s Meditating

While hubby and I were shopping yesterday, we came across this bronze statue in one of my favorite bookstores.  I still love bookstores, even though I use my Kindle most of the time.  There’s just something very comforting about picking up a real book.

I wonder what this woman is contemplating … or is she just sad?  I think she might be in deep meditation.  Namaste’

Regina Arnold is the author of Uncomplicated Ways to Find Your Financial Freedom, a “flunked retirement” entrepreneur, co-author of The Art & Science of Recruiting, an award-winning photographic artist,  and photo blogger.

Just Look For It

“There’s beauty everywhere if we just look for it.”

When you’re in a crappy mood, you just don’t want to hear something like this. Wouldn’t you rather be immersed in the self-pity, the woe-is-me, I’ll bring you down with me kind of misery?

That’s kind of how I felt the other day when I was at Urgent Care. But while waiting for the doctor to come in, I took this image with my phone.  It was a rather large wall art piece, probably 4’x4′ and I thought it was kind of cool.  I especially liked the colors.

It sure beats looking at those cotton balls, tongue depressors, and that red box on the wall for the used needles…eeeuw!

Or maybe it was my higher self saying “Hey, look for the beauty in everything; every circumstance; every encounter.”  All of a sudden, I felt better. Namaste’

Regina (Reggie) Arnold is the author of Uncomplicated Ways to Find Your Financial Freedom, a “flunked retirement” entrepreneur, co-author of The Art & Science of Recruiting, an award-winning photographic artist,  and photo blogger.

Night Bloomer

The southern Arizona desert has some interesting plants and flowers.  Recently I was combing through some of my images and found these.  The top one is an image of a night-blooming Peruvian Cereus, which was in our back yard at the “Cactus Ranch.”  Unfortunately, the hard freeze that we had a few years ago destroyed the plant.  I found that to be particularly sad, but everything has a life cycle, including us.

The good news is that we can leave behind something of beauty if we choose.  We all have that opportunity.  I’m grateful to our Cereus plant for sharing her beauty with us, and that I was able to capture these images for posterity.  I did some digital enhancements on the top one because I’ll be using it for cards.  The bottom image is what the plant looks like with several blooms.  Namaste’

Regina (Gina) Arnold is the author of Uncomplicated Ways to Find Your Financial Freedom, a “flunked retirement” entrepreneur, co-author of The Art & Science of Recruiting, an award-winning photographic artist,  and photo blogger.

Things That Are Yearned For – Desiderata

When I first read the Desiderata poem as a sophomore in high school, I remember thinking that it had nothing to do with typing.  You see, it was introduced to us in typing class by a visionary teacher named Miss Young.  She was a tough instructor, walking through that classroom peering over our shoulders to see if we were looking down at the keys as we typed away on those old Underwoods.  Yes, even though the new electric typewriters were out and used in other classes, Miss Young was insistent that we learn on a standard typewriter.  To this day, I love her for that.

But I digress.  The reason, as she explained to our underdeveloped minds, that she brought Desiderata to our attention was that it means “things that are yearned for.”  She further explained that we must pursue what feels right to us; what brings us joy; what our hearts tell us…not our heads. And yet there we were, taking classes that would help us be better business people.  Seems like a dichotomy, doesn’t it?  But not really.

I wouldn’t be able to create my blog and take photographs, both of which I love to do, if it weren’t for her teaching me to type.  And I got many a good job that I loved because I listened to my heart and took some risks.  And, as far as that goes, it didn’t hurt that I also had a wonderful English teacher.  But I’ll leave that story for another day.

In the meantime, if you’re so inclined, read Desiderata.  It sure has a lot of meaning these days … now more than ever.  The image below is one I found in my archives of a painting that hangs in our spare room.  Seems fitting to accompany this beautiful poem by Max Ehrmann:

DESIDERATA

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann c.1920

 

Easter Blessings

It’s been rather busy around the old homestead lately and I’ll spare you the details.  But I’m glad to have a few minutes to wish my readers and their loved ones a very blessed Easter.

I happened to see the light streaming in through the bedroom window and liked what it was doing with the glass flowers.  And, of course, I added some digital enhancements. Consider this my Easter contribution.  Namaste’

 

Gracias!

Just a quick post to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you who offered prayers, love, and light to hubby’s daughter last week.  She is recovering nicely … actually more like miraculously … as they removed the ventilator on Wednesday.  Praise God!

She was pretty groggy after being medicated so heavily, but now is sounding more like herself and feeling better every day. A few days in physical therapy and she should be good as new.

While waiting for hubby at the airport, I noticed this wall sculpture and thought it was kind of cool.  Seemed like an image that spoke of gratitude to me.  Namaste’

Steel Stallion

I love horses and wish I had the room to have several (the living, breathing kind).  But I don’t, so I’ll just have to settle for this kind for now.

The sculptor of this life-size piece has a gallery in Tubac, AZ, which my daughter and I visited while she was here at Christmas.  It’s a wonderful, magical place, full of art of all kinds.  I could literally spend days there going from shop to shop.

I call this image Steel Stallion.  Namaste’

• Regina (Gina) Arnold is the co-author of The Art & Science of Recruiting, an award-winning photographic artist, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, photo blogger and “flunked retirement” entrepreneur.

Missing Maude

A while back (almost a year ago) I did a photo shoot of horses for a lady who owns some stables.  She wanted me to photograph the horses and then apply some, as she put it, “artsy” effects.  I was then to have the final approved images printed and make a set of greeting cards for each of her clients.  I shot approximately 150 images to come up with the final results.  There were 23 horses and did I ever have a time keeping them all straight, since I had never seen them before and didn’t know their names.  I was happy that everyone was very pleased with the end result.  What a learning experience!  I learned that next time I will charge a lot more money for this kind of effort 🙂

During the back and forth with her to finalize the images she wanted, one day she said, “Where’s Maude?”  I said, “Who?”  Turns out Maude was a chestnut with a white blaze.  Well, there were three horses that fit that description, so after what seemed an endless effort on my part to find Maude, I finally went back and took more images of just her.  This is the result.  Isn’t she a pretty lady?

Namaste’

Today’s Buddha

Hubby went to an estate sale last weekend and bought me this laughing Buddha.  When I feel the least bit stressed, I look at him and try to remember that life is way too short to be stressed.  Don’t sweat the small stuff, eh?

(Buddha didn’t come with the spectacles… they were my own silly addition). If I were to design a statue of today’s Buddha, I would make sure he was wearing specs. Posing him in front of my lucky bamboo plant just seemed the right thing to do 🙂

I hope he makes you smile, too.

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” ~ Buddha

Namaste’