Winding Down

Thank you everyone for your lovely comments on my last post!  It makes my heart sing to see so many beautiful comments about our daughter's special day!

We have spent the last week catching up and relaxing.  The new phone I bought is a Galaxy S5, and I am starting to take some pictures with it.  The image above was taken last Monday, as we all were getting back into the swing of things following the festivities.  What better way to unwind than a paddle in the kayaks right?!  Those are my in-laws, chilling out after a hectic few days.

So far I have to say that my new phone does an amazing job of taking photos, and I'm wondering why I waited so long to replace my old one!

Of course I can't ever really imagine relying solely on a cell phone for all of my photography needs, but who knows, it could happen!

The cosmos we planted are putting on a pretty spectacular show now that the weather is cooler.  I took both of the flower images with my regular camera, and then added a texture to each pic.

It's amazing how $20 worth of seed can bring us so much happiness, but it's true that these flowers provide us joy every single time we pull into our driveway or look out the front door.

I know their days are numbered as our nights edge ever closer toward the freezing mark, but for now I will drink in their bright color and devil may care attitude towards the weather.

As I type this, the windows are open and we are enjoying a bit of an Indian summer...oh to be able to bottle up these days and break them out come mid-January or February.  I guess even Mother Nature deserves a little winding down after her hectic spring and summer.

Enjoy your week! xo

Bad Start, Happy Ending

Today started out on a rough note.  I wasn't feeling well at all...

But by the time Mr. Tide got home this evening, I was feeling better and asked him if he would take me out in the kayak.

We took the tandem out for a spin and while he paddled, I got to ride along like the Queen of the Nile and snap pictures.  It's quite a treat to just glide along while someone else paddles, of course we all know I have the hard job of trying to capture the wildlife *rolls eyes*.

If you are wondering why I'm doing so many textured pictures this month, well I have a little project underway and so I'm working on a portfolio.  I promise, realism will be back soon, but for now I'm having fun creating.

So after a bad start, the day ended happily...thanks to some salt water, fresh air, and a handsome husband I can always count on!!   I hope you each had a good day, even if it started out upside down!

Just Around The River Bend

Hey, want to head out in the kayaks tonight?  It's a beautiful night, and we'll be able to catch the sunset!

Look at those trees barely clinging to the banks of the creek...pretty cool eh?

Look, there is our favorite bald eagle heading back home for the evening.  I told you we should have brought the telephoto lens!

Turn around and look back towards the house, isn't the sun pretty!

And check out the heron flying low along the water.  Dang, next time, I'm bringing that telephoto lens!

See these marsh grasses?  The herons love to fish alongside the tufts of grass!

Keep paddling, we're coming up on the long bridges that connect the creek to the river!

Look, the tide is coming in.

It's pretty windy, the little fish windsock says so!

And watch out for the crab pot lines hanging down from the bridge!  Wonder how many crabs are in there?

I love these old tree roots, don't you?!

Last bridge before the river!  How are you doing...getting tired yet?

Mr. Osprey is not happy that we're so close to his nest!

Wow, we've already gone over a mile, but just wait until you see the river!

Shhh, look up ahead, see the heron silhouetted up in that tree?  If we're quiet, we might be able to sneak up before she flies away!  Oh, and did I mention that we should have brought the telephoto lens?!

Nope, there she goes.  Heron's are so skittish aren't they?!

Hey cool, look...I got the osprey, the moon, and that tiny speck (just to the left and a little up from the moon) which is an airliner...all in the same shot!  

Ok, we're finally here.  There's the river straight ahead!

There we go, out in the river!  See Virginia off in the distance...it's about 5 miles away...think we can make it before the sun sets?!

Yeah, you're probably right...not one of my best ideas...we'll stay on this side tonight!

There's just enough wind to create a little wave action...isn't the rocking motion soothing?!

Such a pretty sunset isn't it?!  Look at how it reflects off of the water!

And check out that cloud back towards the creek!

Ok, the sun is getting pretty low, we better start heading for home, we have a few miles to go and we don't want to lose the light.

The waves make it so much easier to paddle back in don't they?!

Hey, don't paddle too fast or we'll get in trouble with the Natural Resources Police!

I don't know which I like best, going out or coming back in.

The creek is always so calm this time of night.

Wouldn't it be nice to just sit on this bench every evening and watch the sunset?!

And here we are back home again.  Did you have fun?  I know I sure did, we should do this again sometime soon!

Thank you everyone for your well wishes for Mr. Tide, he's feeling much better today!!