Farewell to Autumn & Happy Thanksgiving!

Sadly, I think the last of Autumn's fiery display has now blown away.  Always hate to see Autumn go; it's my favorite time of year ... ripe with hope and possibilities.  I suppose the fact that winter's icy fingers have begun to take hold also plays a role in my 'sadness' (still flying in Peace & Love though, per my last post =).  I truly dislike being COLD.  The fireplace is my new companion on cold winter nights ... love reading by the fire.  So that's something to look forward to, I suppose. 

Well as the last of Autumn blows away, I still have my photos of Autumn to keep her memory alive.  Here's a painted set of windblown leaves.  Love the fiery, defiant reds in this one!  Enjoy and Happy last of Autumn to you.  Happy Thanksgiving to all those living here in North America as well.  Know it may be difficult in this lousy economy, but try to count your blessings and find reasons to be thankful.  God Bless one and ALL!


Peace & Lots of Love,
~Isabelle

"Kaleidoscope Autum"  ... Peace, Love & Forgiveness blowing in the colorful wind.

 

@Copyrighted Photograph:  Isabelle Black Smith.  October 2012.  All Rights Reserved.

  

 

 

P.S.  I have my desktop background set to this.  So colorful:  I love it!  Feels like a BIG (((HUG))) from Autumn =)  If you download this image for personal use only (not for profit) you can use it too.  My Thanksgiving gift to you =)  (Note: Easy to re-size up or down by % in MS Office photo or other software for optimum display)

 

The Frosted Moon ...

Tried sleeping, but I couldn't.  Got up and saw the moon through the skylight in my bedroom.  The Enchanted Moon was blazing brightly and covered by wispy clouds.  The whole scene looked wicked cool, so I grabbed my camera and tried taking some snaps through the glass of the skylight.  Did not use a tripod and the glass distorted the image slightly ... was also a bit dirty.  So I played around with the image and smudged the clouds a bit, etc.  Not great but it looks kinda cool. Not bad for 3:00 a.m., with no sleep? Oh well, it was fun to play : )

"Frosted Moon" ... taken through skylight

[Feel free to use this image : ) Would be nice if you would link back here and give me credit.  Thanks!]

See what you miss if you just blindly sleep through the night?  So there is perhaps an upside to bad dreams and "insomnia"?

Guess, I'll try to finish up my latest read now: "The Tempest."  The introduction to the play was about 60 pages, but some of the info does seem to be useful in understanding the play itself.  Funny thing is the play is supposed to be Shakespeare's shortest work, so the play itself is dwarfed by the introduction in the book that I am reading.  So far this play reads much easier than some of Shakespeare's other works --for me anyway.  I am looking forward to seeing the new movie that was made in 2010 based on Shakespeare's play, also titled "The Tempest." Will wait until I am done reading the actual play before seeing the movie though.  The movie stars Helen Mirren and the trailers looked rather intriguing.  Here's the movie trailer if you happen to be interested.
Movie Trailer for "The Tempest" on YouTube: http://youtu.be/DDyGl2uIQ-


1/31/2018 Revisiting this image tonight, on the tri-stellar moon viewing night of the Blue Moon, coupled with a Super Moon and a Bonus Lunar Eclipse.  This hasn't happened in over 150 years!  Anyway, viewing image makes me think perhaps the moon woke me up that night?  Given the hole in the middle of the ice crystals formed upon the glass.  Rather intriguing thought to me ... I see the moon, the moon see me ....  Watch the eclipse live here:  Live Stream View ==> A special expression of gratitude to Gian Masi and collaborating astronomers for making the effort to bring this amazing stellar experience avaible to people around the globe by way of via live streaming video.  Truly breathtaking real-time images!  If you missed it, the feed appears to be still be available for post-viewing as well.  Incredible experience.  Thank you for sharing!!

Channeling Autumn ...

I was sick last week.  I still am ... Think this is the flu and its after effects, but it's all a state of mind, right?  Anyhow, I couldn't take feeling crappy and constrained any longer so I took my daughter and we snuck out to the beach to photograph what I had a feeling would be the last of Autumn.  It was a gorgeous day ... good for the body (even a sick one), mind and soul to be outdoors.  I took some amazing photographs that day ... I still haven't gotten through them all, but here is one of my favorites.  It is my daughter skipping down the tunnel bridge straddling the railroad tracks ... EJ and me call this one "Channeling Autumn."  It was a good escape ... Good to "play hookie" from life and responsibility from time to time, I think.  Do you agree?

"Channeling Autumn"  (low res.)

@Copyrighted Photograph, 2011.  All Rights Reserved: Isa Black Smith.

When was the last time you unleashed your inner child?

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Sunshine on a Cloudy Day ...

I got sunshine on a cloudy day ...

"Painted Daisy"

@Copyrighted Photograph, 2011.  All Rights Reserved.

...Very helpful on a dark, dreary, drizzly Monday.  At least the clock's hand went forward this weekend and not backwards, right?  Gotta focus on the upside  : )  Or as I always say,  "Change your perspective: change your life."  ~Me




 "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy." ~Martin Luther King Jr.

Autumn: Love this time of year!

Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year, my favorite of the four seasons.  I love the feeling of the crisp cool air upon my skin, as Autumn's brisk breeze softly rustles through the changing leaves while choosing to spiral a few choice pickings down upon the eagerly awaiting ground below.  It's as if nature is weaving her own hand-crafted, glorious blanket of color, a vibrant tapestry to softly cover the harvest landscape.  And of course, this blanket, when raked together, is absolutely heavenly to JUMP right on into!   You're never too old for leaf jumping, right?  I especially love the dazzling display of vibrant, earthy colors swept across the Autumnal landscape  ... the rusty crimsons, the coppery browns and especially the fiery reds and sunset oranges.  I LOVE the fact pumpkins have become ripe enough to harvest and to finally enjoy:  from carving works of ART, to baking edible goodies, making soups and toasting the leftover seeds, loaded with tons of salt: YUM!!  I love the abundant aromas that dance about in the Autumn air:  the smell of fireplaces burning seasoned wood.  The release of oaky, maples and cedars wafting into the crisp clean air is simply divine, especially when coupled with the scents of cinnamon, allspice, cloves and hot cider.  I love hayrides, bonfires, roasting marshmallows, sipping hot apple cider or warm buttered rum ... And, of course, one cannot overlook my favorite holiday:  HALLOWEEN!!  Who can't appreciate any legitimate excuse to act like a kid once again.  = )

"Autumn walk at twighlight"

@Copyright Photograph 2010.  All Rights Reserved:  Isabelle Black Smith.

What a glorious time of year!  I hope that you and yours are enjoying your Autumn thus far as well.  We've already put the Halloween decorations up.  Our front porch and yard are bursting at the seams with Fall & Halloween decorations.  The cooler weather has set in this past week and our leaves have begun to change colors.  It's so beautiful up here right now:  I just LOVE IT!!  I hope to find some time and energy to venture outdoors to capture some of this year's fabulous Fall foliage on film soon.

"Three Scary Jack-o-Lanterns Be We!"

(Pumpkins carved by my three children last year.)

I just received a letter and wonderful package of Halloween goodies from a talented photography friend now living in Arizona.  She really sounds as if she is missing the wonderful display of Autumn that the Northwest puts on this time of year.  I seem to recall the desert landscape doesn't change much during the Fall season, with respect to color anyway.  The desert is most alive in the Spring season, another glorious sight to behold.  So with this in mind, I am posting few of my favorite Autumnal photos from last year:  These are for you, Jana my friend!  Peace & Much Love coming your way from the Pacific Northwest. ♥

[11_25_11 photo deleted.  To view goto my Flickr site via link on main page.  Thanks!]

"Autumn Breeze"

@Copyright Photograph 2010.  All Rights Reserved:  Isabelle Black Smith.

[11_25_11 photo deleted.  To view goto my Flickr site via link on main page.  Thanks!]

"Indian Dance"

@Copyright Photograph 2010.  All Rights Reserved:  Isabelle Black Smith.

Lastly, here is a link to some of my favorite tunes for the season ... 

Zombie Cheerleader's Halloween Playlist

P.S.   My Autumal photos displayed above, along with other photos, will soon be for sale on my artist's website (TBA). And if you happen to have a good recipe for pumpkim soup, please leave me a comment.  I have yet to find a recipe that I like.  I love pumpkin soup!! Thanks in advance for your help : )