A peek from my world, to yours.
Just you, me, & the big blue sea.
At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun.
Happy trails
Donna George
lifestyle
Living Beyond Extraordinary Days
THERE IS NO ROYAL ROAD TO ANYTHING. ONE THING AT A TIME, ALL THINGS IN SUCCESSION. THAT WHICH GROWS FAST WITHERS AS RAPIDLY AS THAT WHICH GROWS SLOWLY, EBDURES.
– Josiah Holland
Happy trails
Donna George
What Will You Remember About The Summer Of 2015?
What will you remember about the Summer of 2015? The crazy shark attacks, the exceptionally hot temperatures or just spending time with friends and family.
Seagulls in flight
The summer season is officially over. The tourists are gone home, the kids are back in school and summer vacations are over. But the summer still lives on for many of us who reside on the coast. I prefer to think of Summer in three seasons:
Season 1: Perfect weather, lots of beach parking and dogs at play on the beach.
Season 2: Fun festivities everywhere, vacations, water sports, and hot sun.
Season 3: Tourists are gone, parking availability, and more room on the beach.
Summer memories should be savored, so I take tons of pictures. Memories slip away, but the photographs last forever. I’ve learned how to use some of the gadgets on my Nikon this summer like shooting in manual modes, and learning to develop raw images. I’m getting better, but definitely have some work to do. How do you think I’m doing?
Fortunately, I live on a beautiful coast where photographers are plentiful. And with a little occasional help from my friends, like a local photographer Phil Mancuso, (who by the way captures spectacular sunsets and nature photographs), it’s a little easier. Through his help, I’ve been able to recover goof-ups (like accidentally erasing my files). In addition to local photographers, making friends with the photographers through the blogosphere world has allowed me to learn a few new tricks along the way.
Photojournalism and photography is fun, and rewarding. Especially on those long dark days of Winter when you just need to be reminded of good times and Summer fun.
The camera lens becomes an integral part of your own personal, subjective experience and allows you to view the world in a unique, distinctive way from everyone else. With the camera, the world is similar to a buffet waiting to be devoured behind your camera lens. Your fun job is being the one who sees the object potential, choose the right angle and reveals a story. A story perception only you can build, unfold and remember.
Sometimes photos will reflect a state of mind, happiness, loneliness or just a mood, and other times a photo is just the simple reality of the content in the photo, nothing more nothing less. You are the author of your photos and it’s your story.
A creative writer, and traveling photographer Nihar Pradhan shared this…
“Lines and light both are vital to photography, though the light is visible, but the invisible lines matter”
I don’t always remember the exact day of the Summer I take a picture, but I will remember the events surrounding it. It’s like a melody you hear on the radio that sounds like a memory of a real life Saturday night. Photos conjure up strong memories to cherish forever. How many times have you heard the most beloved item in a home other than a person or a pet are the photo albums? Or seen loved ones that are separated desperately hanging onto a picture? And rightfully so, they’re little pieces of our existence, excerpts from our journey in life.
The most valuable advice I would give someone new to photography would be…
Take the time to label, date and tag your photos as you go.
Invest the time to learn how to organize your photo apps on your computer making retrieval easy. Getting control of my photo folders and itemizing information made sharing my pictures with friends simple, and blogging 90% easier. Trust me on this one and opt for the easy way:) Don’t give up and remember there is no right or wrong photo; only a photo, and a better photo. So Snap Away…
Here are some of my Summer 2015 photographs.
Wrightsville Beach Bridge
Sitting seagull
Seagulls on the ferry
Resting place
Paddle board
Did Labor Day end the Summer season for you? How will you remember the Summer of 2015 long after the sun steps back? Share your tips on photojournaling or your favorite Summer memories.
Happy trails,
Donna George
A Dream Dinner Party For 8 Guests At Your Home, Who’s Invited?
The dinner table
A dream dinner party for 8 guests at your home, who’s invited? Let me set this up… You can invite 8 guests of your choice, to your home for dinner – sound fun? Play along and let your imagination loose. You might learn something new about yourself. Your guests must be alive and living today to be invited. No fictional Disney characters or dead poets are invited to this party, save them for your next gathering.
Creating my list was easy until I started thinking about how different each guest is from one another and the possible awkwardness it might present. I thought about how the guests would converse with each other, and if the evening would have fluidity? And how I could possibly make it interesting for everyone.
I thought about where I would seat each guest with precision. And where I would place myself… So I wouldn’t miss a whisper from a single guest. Who would I sit next to me? (Maybe I could cut a hole in the center of the table and sit where the candles would be???) As silly as it may seem, for a hot moment, the thought did pop up in my head. Moving on!
There are many details to sort out like which tabletop flowers, what plates to use and what to serve. I mean, the dinner is the important thing, after all, it is a gathering for dinner, to eat. All I wanted to think about was the list of questions I had for each guest.
Your list might be all the same kind of people (people who have much in common) or very different interest, like my list. Either way, it’s your party, your list and you get to orchestrate the whole event exactly as you want.
For some of you, the list will require some thought as you struggle to decide who you find most exciting or who has been a life long influence for you. Six on my guest list were easy… While the other two I debated over. Here are the 8 guests invited to my party.
Stephen King, Writer
Stephen King
Nicholas Sparks, Writer
Nicholas Sparks
Stevie Nicks, Musician, Fleetwood Mac Band
Stevie Nicks
Stephen Tyler, Musician, Aerosmith
Stephen Tyler
Donald Trump, Entrepreneur
Donald Trump
Sarah Palin, Writer & politics
Sarah Palin
Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse
Franklin Graham
Beth Moore, Writer & Christian Bible Teacher
Beth Moore
Do you find this to be an interesting list or an impossible mix of extreme liberal and conservative people? Could they learn something from each other? Would they?
My reasons are plentiful for each guest. An appetite for inspiration, curiosity and motivation just for starters!
King has inspired my imagination beyond limits, yet I continued to reach for his novels. If I had to pick a favorite writer, he definitely gets my vote. In my opinion, King is the best writer alive today, on the planet. I’ve read almost all his work and have never been disappointed. If you are not a fan of the King’s style of horror, I highly recommend his books on writing, “Top 20 Rules For Writers” and “On Writing and A Memoir of the Craft”. I promise you will learn something useful with takeaway value.
Nicholas Sparks, a North Carolina writer and once the professor at Carolina who has risen to fame with simple love stories like “The Notebook”, “Message in a Bottle”, “Safe Haven” and dozens more. His books are transformed into blockbuster movies and usually filmed here locally, in North Carolina. A male writer, gifted with a compelling point of view combined with a knack for developing slow unfolding love stories. Sparks brings a unique storytelling style that leaves a large female audience yearning for more. Bestseller list, after bestseller list – seems to happen easy for him.
Stevie Nicks belongs in a class of her own, unlike any other female performer. Stevie performs solo and is the lead singer for the British band, Fleetwood Mac. A self-made megawatt legend, who had a dream, pursued it with great passion.
Stephen Tyler, a likable musician who rocked stages around the world with the band Aerosmith and continues to perform solo recently breaking into country music. Aerosmith was America’s rock band with mega hits like “Dream on” and “Walk This Way” that leave jingles forever in our heads. His book “Noise Inside My Head” was surprisingly a good read with a candid, picturesque inside view of life as America’s top rock band. He is soulful, mischievous and bubbling over with the joys of life.
Donald Trump is a famous and outspoken businessman, who is a well branded name that has developed a hugely successful empire. As his rising political popularity soars, so does his charisma, determination and tenacity. Support him or not – he is vivacious, and an interesting personality.
Sarah Palin is a conservative, brave woman. She is a trailblazer in US politics. Anyone who hasn’t heard of Sarah Palin is living under a rock, considering her popularity and fame. I love her Facebook page! Her posts are opinionated, interactive, courageous and brutally honest. Despite her constant criticism Sarah presses through every battle (and there have been many) with great stamina and big patriotism, unmatched by any other female politicians to date. No, she is not perfect, but she is Sarah Palin and she doesn’t have to be. She is real.
Franklin Graham is a Humanitarian and Evangelist, son of America’s Pastor Billy Graham. Franklin founded Samaritans Purse, one of the largest evangelical relief aid organizations in the world, helping over 240 countries in catastrophic events. Often times, Samaritans Purse is the first on the scene to help.The Graham’s family faithfulness and devotion to Jesus Christ have astounded me my entire life. I stand in total awe of this family! I could spend months conversing with Franklin about spiritual topics and humanitarian subjects.
Beth Moore is America’s favorite Bible teacher. She is a brilliant, a witty writer and speaker who can bring the old and new testament scriptures alive with an applicable and simplicity message. A powerful, dynamic Proverbs 31 woman in every way. Beth is an extraordinary role model for millions of women of the Christian faith around the world.
There were a few favorites I had to leave off the guest list, 8 chairs was the limit. I did discover a couple of things about my own list that surprised me. I spent thirty years in the fashion industry and not a single designer made the cut. I love photography, but there was no one I was willing to remove from the 8 selected.
How about you? Who would you invite and why? It never hurts to dream. Do you still believe in miracles?
Happy Trails,
Donna George
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“Day dreaming and night thinking”
Calling All Lefties – It’s Our Day to Celebrate
How To Turn A 1000 Piece Puzzle Into A Masterpiece
3/5/15 Puzzle Pieces
A fun and healthy hobby I enjoy with my family is putting together puzzles 1000 plus pieces. In this post, I will share some simple tips to help you puzzle faster and easier. I created photo journals during the process on some of my favorite puzzles, from the beginning process to the end.
This is what you will need:
- Chose a puzzle that you love
- 1 piece of large poster cardboard, any color
- 1 bottle of Elmer’s puzzle glue
- 1 sponge or large paint brush
- 1 frame, puzzle measurements
- A big dose of determination
Let’s start with this puzzle photo of an Indian Chief in completion, to get you motivated. Isn’t it gorgeous?
3/5/15, Indian Chief, Headshot Puzzle
Here is a list of things to do to organize 1000 tiny puzzle pieces.
- If you are newbie to larger puzzling, I would search for puzzles with many colors and objects to keep it easy and interesting. I get bored working with the same color.
- Great lighting is mandatory or you will die, not really, but you will struggle visually with the pieces. I use 3 bright lamps, LED lamps and place around the puzzle.
- Place the puzzle pieces on a flat uncluttered surface.
- Make sure no pieces are left in the plastic wrap.
- Stand the empty box up in your work area for visual reference.
- Start by turning all the pieces right side up, separate by grouping of color initially.
Puzzle Pieces Grouped By Colors
Obviously, there will be many shades of every color, group light to dark within groups.
Now you are ready to work on the frame. All frame pieces will have a straight side, pull the frame pieces together and create the puzzle border. Below is a picture of the puzzle I am working on now. A border example is easier to see in this puzzle photo.
Puzzle Border
Easy, right? Now you are ready to start developing the puzzle. Here are photos of the Indian Chief puzzle in progress.
- After you finish the puzzle, it’s time to slide a piece of large poster cardboard (available almost everywhere) under the puzzle to prepare for preserving. Be careful with this maneuver, you don’t want it crashing to the floor.
- Now it’s time to cover the puzzle with puzzle glue. Elmer’s puzzle glue is the best. Usually one coat will secure the pieces into place, occasionally it takes two coats. Put the puzzle away and wait 24 hours for it to dry.
- Hopefully you will want to frame your masterpiece. Frames for puzzles are not easy to find. I would recommend checking local craft stores, but you might have to buy online, especially if your puzzle is an odd shape or size. And be sure to save the puzzle box, it has the puzzle measurements on the side.
One thing I learned the hard way – check the floor each time you leave your puzzle area for any pieces that may have fallen off the table. My dogs have eaten several puzzle pieces over the past years. Luckily, my husband is crafty at making missing puzzle pieces. He constructs them out of cardboard boxes, and then matches the paint with the puzzle. Once we worked on a 2000 piece puzzle all summer, yes… it seemed like an eternity and 1,999 pieces later, a piece was gone. Panic attack, but lesson learned – don’t lose pieces.
I hope you find these tips helpful. Let me know if you have any questions. Do you enjoy puzzling? I would love to hear your tips and shortcuts or see photos of your masterpieces. After puzzling for years, I have accumulated a lot of puzzles, but my favorite one is the “Wizard of Oz”. It has bright colors, characters galore and Dorthy’s red sparkly shoes. Do you have a brand puzzle you favored?
This week I’m working on a sweet “cupcake puzzle”, how about you?
Happy trails,
Donna George
Follow me on my Facebook page, DonnaGeorgeBlogs.
I Believe In Miracles, Do You?
thegoodvibe.Co
Do you believe in Miracles? Wikipedia describes a miracle as an event not explicable by natural or scientific laws. Such an event may be attributed to a supernatural being, God or Gods, a miracle worker, a saint, or a religious leader. Does this define a miracle for you?
For starters, The Hebrew word for miracle is Nes.
The term “Miracle” is often loosely used in our language. We hear of miracle drugs, miracle weight-loss, miracle products and on and on the phononem grows. I would define a miracle as a welcoming, highly extraordinary event that is believed to be caused by the power of divine intervention (God), into human affairs. This would be an outstanding example of something mysterious, with favor from God.
Most people believe miracles are answers to prayers.
Miracles
There are miracles that go unrecognized, thought of as ordinary life events.
Possible or Impossible?
Miracle ahead
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. Albert Einstein
I choose to encounter miracles, to wait for them, expect them and embrace them. How about you? What kinds of miracles have you experienced? What kinds are you hoping for?
Happy trails,
Donna George
Reflection of My Soul : Unplugged
This is my my dear friend and gifted poet, Himali Shah, Decoding Happiness Blog. Check out her blog after you read this post, I wouldn’t want you to miss anything! She is wonderful!
Enjoy
Donna
As I wrote this quote last evening, my eyes were welled with unshed tears. Though I love quotes a lot, I never thought that something would ever, move me so deeply; that I’d write one myself one day. Perhaps, that’s the beauty of life. It presents you with bounteous surprises.
The things that stuck me to the core yesterday were :
1. It happens for a reason
2. Far or near, everyone you meet, becomes a part of you in some ways.
Let me share how these two things are beautifully intertwined. My friend Donna shared a post of a 1000 piece puzzle. It amazed me entirely as to how can a human mind solve such a massive and complex puzzle with such intricacies. Till date I had this question looming over my mind. (This bit of information might appear something out of the blue right now, but read till…
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America Mourns The Killing Of 4 Marines And A Sailor In Chattanooga
With heavy hearts, the world sees terror unleashed on America’s finest, ending the young lives of 4 Marines and a Sailor, tragically ambushed in Chattanooga while on active duty at a military recruiting center.
Fathers, Sons, Husbands, Marines, Soldiers, Patriots, Friends and Heroes…
American Soldiers
U S Marines
Carson Holmquist – Grantsburg, Wisconsin
David Wyatt – Russellville, Arkansas
Skip Wells – Marietta, Ga.
Thomas Sullivan – Springfield, Mass.
U S Sailor
Randal Smith – Paulding, Ohio
We honor our military and their families with the highest regard. Our prayers and thoughts are with you.
http://wate.com/2015/07/17/chattanooga-marines-shooting-abdulazeez-victim-killed/
In honor of Heroes,
Donna George
Donna George Blog 
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