Joyfully Green: 9 entries from December 2013

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You are the Curator of Your Life

Back in my advertising days (a curious and dubious profession for somebody who now writes occasionally about non-consumerism), I used to collect my favorite print ads for inspiration, and one of my favorites was from a bank (I don’t remember the name of the bank…so much for the ad’s effectiveness!), in which the headline was “You are the President of Your Life.” I had the headline pinned to my bulletin board. It resonated with me because I felt ruled by my to-do lists, compelled to complete nonsense tasks and busywork--very little of the stuff that actually mattered in the Grand Scheme of Things. But that ad spoke to me because it was about making the important choices, managing time in meaningful ways, and viewing life as a combination of departments to manage.

When one year is ending and a brand-new one is peeking around the corner, I tend to look backward, inward, and then forward--in a sort of "presidential year-in-review" combined with a plan for the future, prospectus-style. What shined in the past year, and what could have used a polish? What did I discover about myself, and what do I hope to accomplish in the year ahead?

In distilling the past year and capturing its essence, I looked through the last twelve months at this blog. These were the recurring themes, the things I learned, the posts that defined who I am and where I want to head:

This was the year I continued my journey of non-consumerism and minimalism, finding new homes for things I didn't need, and spending significantly less on new things. Although Amazon.com won't be happy to hear it (shhhh!), I learned that I made 47 purchases in 2011, 29 purchases in 2012, and 9 (nine!) purchases in 2013. I love that kind of downward spiral!

This was my year of capturing the fleeting moments, that split-second between what was and what will be. This was the year I stopped the car to really notice what I was passing.

It was also the year I occasionally abandoned my to-do lists, let my breakfast go cold while I discovered more delicious rewards, discovered micro worlds with a macro lens, and met some very strange-looking models.

This was the year that formerly "ugly bugs" taught me a thing or two about life and character.

This was the year I finally defined myself as "A Photographer."

This was the year I realized that I'm not just the President of My Life, but also the Curator of My Life. When you're the Curator of Your Life, you decide...

how much money to squander, and how much money to save.
the stuff you part with, and the stuff you choose to keep.
the positive people to bring closer, and the negative people to cut loose.
how you take care of things, or how you let things go.
the good memories to cherish, and the bad ones to learn from and let flutter away.

In 2014, I hope you, too, will refine your course, polish the edges of your possibilities, and redirect your vision so it aligns with what you really, truly want. Happy Curating!

Your turn: Did you have a defining moment from the past year? Were you happy with your 2013? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own. (Don't forget to click the box for subscribing to comments so you can follow the conversation.)

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Did you enjoy these photographs? They're all for sale, framed and unframed, at Society6.com/JoyfullyGreen. Proceeds help support this blog and keep it advertising-free.

Nature photography e-course coming in March 2014! Stay tuned for details!

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Posted on 12/31/2013 at 12:51 PM in BUGS!, flowers, minimalism, nature, non-consumerism, perspective, photography, priorities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: goals for the New Year, macro photography, minimalism, non-consumerism, photography e-course

Joyful Reads for the Weekend, Vol. 7

I hope this edition of Joyful Reads finds you warm and snug, blissed-out from whatever holidays you celebrate, and ready to ring in the New Year next week. Here are five reads to inspire you to have more fun, live a little lighter, and take it easier on yourself in 2014.

I love playful, harmless types of mischief (I was nicknamed "Miss Chiff" at one of my first jobs--oh, the stories I could tell you!), and these parents perfectly captured the spirit of fun and wonder: Toy Dinosaurs at Night.

Instead of Making a New Year's Resolution, Try This.

Never mind those grandiose, hard-to-reach goals for the next year; choose to do a few of these very easy yet very meaningful things "Just for Today."

In this season of being hyper-social butterflies, I loved this suggestion from Lyle at The Joy of Simple for having some quality alone-time: Date Night with Myself.

And finally, a great way to free yourself of baggage in the New Year: Forget Resolutions and Make a Leave-Behind List.

Thank you so much for meeting me here, and warmest wishes for the year ahead!

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Nature photography e-course coming in March 2014! Stay tuned for more details!

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Posted on 12/26/2013 at 08:11 PM in Joyful Reads | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: New Year's Resolutions

Resolutions for the New Year, "More or Less"

I'm not really one for "resolutions" in the New Year's Eve sense of the word, promising to change something but instead letting the plan crumble to pieces by the third week in January. I do like to give myself something positive to aim for, though. Who doesn't have room for improvement? I love the "Self-Help" section of bookstores, although I wish it were called something like "Me, But More Awesome!" With a better name, there might be fewer people looking shamefully and furtively at the books before scampering off like frightened squirrels.

In the spirit of aiming higher in the new year, here are my "resolutions":

1. More Silence. Less Noise.

2. More Meditation. Less Distraction.

3. More Patience. Less Pushing.

4. More Empathy. Less Judging.

5. More Savoring the Moment, Being Open to Changes, and Welcoming the New.

Happy New Year! May it be one in which you aim higher, and hit your mark.

Your turn: Do you make New Year's resolutions? Why or why not? If you do, what are yours for 2014? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own. (Don't forget to click the box for subscribing to comments so you can follow the conversation.)

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Did you enjoy this post? Get more like it by subscribing! (In righthand column.)

Did you enjoy these photographs? They're all for sale, framed and unframed, at Society6.com/JoyfullyGreen. Proceeds help support this blog and keep it advertising-free.

Nature photography e-course coming in March 2014! Email me at [email protected] to be on the mailing list for early details or to reserve your spot.

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Posted on 12/23/2013 at 05:33 PM in meditation, mindfulness, nature, photography, unplug | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: framed photographs for sale, goals for the new year, New Year's resolutions

Joyful Reads Vol. 6...and a "Blog of the Year" Award!

It was a snap to choose five joyful reads this week. Each of the following posts showed up in my in-box and offered a completely different and worthwhile experience. Let's dig right in!

Tracy Beckerman's Lost in Suburbia blog has a lot of comedic gems, but I think it's best to start off with her quiz: The Official "Are You Lost in Suburbia?" Quiz.

Tricia from Little Eco Footprints (one of my favorite green blogs) writes about why we should stop buying all of those bright, plastic, junky toys for kids: Cheap Plastic Rubbish.

Every time I read a post at White Rabbit Insight, I learn something new and interesting. In this post, I learned about a music genre I'd never heard of before, and the links to the Latin pieces completely relaxed me, just as promised: Taize: Worship through Meditative Music.

I laughed all through this post from Fragments from Floyd because I am officially and unequivocally a "dog person" now, and this dog has a hilarious way of trying to give his owner a hint: Gandy's Workshop.

Perhaps more than anything else I read this week, this interview from Treehugger with award-winning wildlife photographer Tin Man Lee completely resonated with me, and his photos are stunning, of course: Tin Man Lee on the Ethics and Challenges of Wildlife Photography.

And now, some exciting news!

A big thank-you to Christy at The Simple White Rabbit for giving me the Blog of the Year Award 2013--and thanks so much for the kind words!

The Blog of the Year Award is an award one blogger gives to another. Once you receive the award, you "pay it forward", choosing one or more blogs to award. I've already given out the Liebster Award to several of my favorite bloggers, so this time around, I'm spreading the love to three other bloggers who align with my green values:

Evelyn at Smallish "offers a genuine and sometimes quirky perspective on living with a small budget, a small footprint, and in a small space." Bonus: Her blog is really cute!

Tricia at Little Eco Footprints writes "I dream of living close to nature; having space to grow food; having a little ecological footprint; and being part of a community." Down-to-earth goals I admire.

Fred First is not only an entertaining writer, he's also a champion for environmental issues and a great nature photographer at Fragments from Floyd.

I hope you'll add these bloggers to your weekend reads!

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Great news! The photo at the top (along with several of my favorite shots) is available for sale as a high-quality framed or unframed art print in my web shop at Society6.com/JoyfullyGreen. I hope you'll visit it and treat yourself or somebody you love to a pretty picture! (Added perk: It keeps this blog advertising-free, and don't you just love that?)

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Posted on 12/19/2013 at 08:30 PM in blogging, Joyful Reads | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Blog of the Year Award, Liebster Award, Lost in Suburbia, Tin Man Lee, Tracy Beckerman, Treehugger, wildlife photography

Winter is Here! (Or is it?)

"Is it winter yet?"

That's the question my six-year-old daughter has been asking me first thing every morning for the past two weeks, as she sleepily peers out her frosted window in her footsie pajamas.

To any logical person with pretty good eyesight, it would seem that the answer would be, "Most definitely, yes! It is winter!" There's a half-foot of snow on the ground (and four more inches expected tomorrow), icicles glittering on the branches, deer footprints dotting the hill in front of our house. Every time even the lightest wind blows, ice crystals clatter down from the trees like shards of glass. It looks like a hundred thousand wine goblets have shattered on our driveway.

Yes, it certainly looks, feels, smells, sounds, and tastes like winter out there. So far this month, the kids have had a Snow Day from school, gone sledding, made snowcones, sipped hot cocoa, sat by a roaring fire, and marveled at the Christmas decorations around the neighborhood. And yet, according to the calendar, winter doesn't officially begin here until 12:11 p.m. EST on December 21, when the solstice occurs. So it's...um...still fall? Alrighty then, tell it to the thermometer, which is edging down into the teens today.

My toes don't like this "autumn in a masterful disguise" and my ears aren't so happy about it either. But my goodness, with all of the sparkling snow, glittering ice, and a fresh coat of clean, white paint on this neck of the woods, it's amazingly pretty out there. No question about that.

Your turn: What's the prettiest thing you've seen this season? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own. (Don't forget to click the box for subscribing to comments so you can follow the conversation.)

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Holiday Gifts! Some of the photographs featured on this blog are available for sale as high-quality framed or unframed art prints in my web shop at Society6.com/JoyfullyGreen. I hope you'll visit it and treat yourself or somebody you love to a pretty picture! (Added perk: It keeps this blog advertising-free, and don't you just love that?)

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Posted on 12/16/2013 at 08:28 PM in nature, sparkle, sunsets, trees, winter | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: finding beauty in winter, first day of winter, framed art prints, holiday gifts, official start of winter, winter solstice

Joyful Reads for the Weekend: Vol. 5

It's c-c-cold out there! 18 degrees Fahrenheit this afternoon, and I don't even want to check what the temperature is right now, long after sundown. I think it's high-time to squish down under the quilts for some good reads, don't you?

I've written a few posts lately about ways to enjoy the winter, so this post from Rachel Jepson Wolf really resonated with me: Get in it.

Across the blogosphere, I've just met a kindred spirit named Kim, another photographer/blogger with a mad love for her macro lens: Frosty Beauty.

I can't believe it took me so long to discover Rachel Macy Stafford's very popular blog, but now that I've finally gotten a chance to read many of her posts, it was hard for me to decide which one to include here. Many of them simply floor me with her honesty about her parenting, like this one: The Bully Too Close to Home.

In this season of accumulating "more, more, more!", here's a very thorough checklist for decluttering from the always-inspiring Colleen at 365 Less Things: Helping You Decide.

As a child, I became really attached to my E. B. White books--Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet of the Swan, and Stuart Little were three of my favorite novels and still hold a very dear place in my heart. So, I was really moved to discover this heartfelt letter written by the beloved author: E.B. White Explains Why He Wrote Charlotte's Web.

Stay warm this weekend, friends!

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Did you enjoy this post? Get more like it by subscribing! (In righthand column.)

Just in time: Some of the photographs featured on this blog are available for sale as high-quality framed or unframed art prints in my web shop at Society6.com/JoyfullyGreen. I hope you'll visit it and treat yourself or somebody you love to a pretty picture! (Added perk: It keeps this blog advertising-free, and don't you just love that?)

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Posted on 12/12/2013 at 09:55 PM in Joyful Reads | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Charlotte's Web, E. B. White, Stuart Little, The Trumpet of the Swan

Five Ways to Find Beauty in Beastly Winter Weather

The past week here on the eastern coast of the U.S. has been a smorgasbord of "bad" weather--fog as thick as pea soup (more like mushroom soup, based on the color), chilly rains, snow flurries, ice storms. It's enough to send a person into hibernation. And yet...it's a photographer's dream! When the weather is a drama queen--a diva to put even Mariah Carey to shame--it's the best time to seize the camera and get out there.

Although I often post-process my photographs (one of the things I'll be teaching in my upcoming photography e-course), the colors in the photo above are unaltered. It was the combination of thick morning fog and a gray sky that gave the ruby red leaves their super-saturated glow. And those shapes! I loved how the tiny leaves of the Barberry bush acted like little spoons for the droplets.

On a sunny day, you simply cannot get a view of a magical world turned upside-down inside a raindrop...

This snapshot of a tree reflected in a raindrop reminded me of a snowglobe. It was one of those happy accidents, discovering the inverted image of the tree inside the raindrop as I was clicking away.

Aside from experiencing winter through a camera lens (that's #1 on my list for finding beauty in beastly weather), here are four other ways to enjoy the season:

Experience winter through the words of a poet. I've always loved Robert Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Seek out more poems about winter (like Winter-Time by Robert Louis Stevenson), or put your own poetic impressions to paper.

Experience winter through music. If you celebrate Christmas, carols are the obvious answer "when the weather outside is frightful." And it's hard to be a grump listening to The Nutcracker Suite or Vivaldi's Winter overture from The Four Seasons, this one set to a montage of famous winter paintings.

Experience winter by reading novels set in the season. Here's a fine list of books with a winter setting, although my first recommendation would be The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It contains one of my favorite winter scenes ever, when young Lucy pushes her way through the long fur coats in the wardrobe and is shocked to find the snowy wonderland of Narnia on the other side. Every time it seems like the whole wide world is glittering with ice crystals, my mind drifts back to Narnia.

Experience winter through the eyes of a child. Remember the excitement of a "snow day"? Children are bursting with positive energy in winter. Two mornings ago, after an ice storm during the night--each branch and every blade of grass encased in ice--my daughter ran to me squealing, "Mommy, the whole world is in disguise!" On snowy days, the first things that kids think of are snowmen, snow angels, snow igloos, and snowball fights. Why should there be an age limit attached to any of those things?

So, embrace the season as a child would, or try to see it through an artist's eyes and be inspired to create something beautiful out of it--anything from a snowman to a poem, a wintery song to a photograph of a bright red cardinal in the stark branches, with the backdrop of the crisp, white snow.

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Your turn: What's your favorite winter poem, song, novel, or painting? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription or mobile device, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com from a computer to see the comments and leave one of your own. (Don't forget to click the box for subscribing to comments so you can follow the conversation.)

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Did you enjoy this post? Get more like it by subscribing! (In righthand column.)

SPECIAL NOTE: Some of the photographs featured in this post are available for sale as high-quality framed or unframed art prints in my web shop at Society6.com/JoyfullyGreen. I hope you'll visit it and treat yourself or somebody you love to a pretty picture! (Added perk: It also keeps this blog advertising-free.)

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Posted on 12/10/2013 at 08:30 PM in books, happiness, macro, nature, perspective, photography, poetry, snow, winter | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Barberry bush, famous winter paintings, Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, The Lion, The Nutcracker Suite, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Winter-Time by Robert Louis Stevenson

Joyful Reads for the Weekend: Vol. 4

{Happy dancing} I just checked the weather forecast for the weekend and it says we're supposed to get snow flurries on Saturday and Sunday! Not enough to make a snowman or even a snow angel, but perfect for some cozy indoor reading while watching the snowflakes flutter down from a white sky. Following are five thoughtfully written posts to set you on your way for the weekend, plus one book to match the weather ahead.

Susan Piver writes about emerging from sadness and finding hope in an unlikely place: Tears, Tails, Dickey and Duane.

I've already told you how much I love Cher's writing. Here's another reason: Ten Breaths.

I got to know my friend Cathryn in London from a photography course we took together. She took me on a little armchair trip to Finland with this post, in which I was introduced to reindeer kabobs and bear pie! Memories of Life in Helsinki.

I've known Melanie (an animal rescuer--bonus points!) since she was an early subscriber at my blog. Now she's got a blog of her own, My Eco-centric Life, and it's wonderful! Here's just one example of why--her very first post, featuring the cutest chipmunk ever: My Eco-centric Evolution.

My new friend Dale is a rising star headed straight for The Food Network--just wait and see! (Or if you can't wait, you can take a look at one of her cooking videos at her yummy blog, Dale's Delectables.) In this post, she gives a sweet tribute to the people who set her on her culinary path: Where Did My Love of Cooking Come From?

Snow by Cynthia Rylant is one of my favorite children's books for winter, but I might love it even more than my children do (which is saying a lot). The way that Rylant describes the snow is pure poetry: "The best snow is the snow that comes softly in the night, like a shy friend afraid to knock, so she thinks she'll just wait in the yard until you see her. This is the snow that brings you peace." (And that's just the first page.)

May your weekend bring you peace!

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SPECIAL: Society6 is running a quick sale for select artists through this Sunday, December 8th at midnight PST, so if you use the following link, you can buy one of my unframed photographic art prints--including "Winter Pines" at the top of this post--just in time for the holidays, for $5.00 less and free shipping worldwide: Joyfully Green at Society6.

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Posted on 12/05/2013 at 08:19 PM in Joyful Reads | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Cynthia Rylant, Snow, Susan Piver

Overcoming SAD in the Gray Days of Winter

{Sigh} The incredibly vibrant and multi-colored leaves of autumn are gone, which is especially jarring here in the Northeast, where this year's fall foliage was particularly spectacular. Pretty much all of the leaves have fallen from the branches; now, only the brown, dried-out, and crinkled ones linger.

Is it any wonder that Seasonal Affective Disorder has the acronym "SAD"? My least favorite weather is gray. Providing I'm not driving, I'd rather have rain, snow, sleet, and even hail, all of which lend a certain drama and interest to the day. But gray? Just no.

However, this blog is not called "Joylessly Gray." So, here's a list of what I'm doing to keep my spirits up until the snow arrives. I think most of the following things are not as much fun to do when the weather is sunny, summery, and gorgeous, so why not take advantage of these timely pleasures now?

Curl up under a warm throw in a cozy corner with a good book. Need ideas for a good read? I'm always ripe with suggestions, so here are three of my all-time (and very different) favorites: Waiting by Ha Jin; Roman Fever and Other Stories by Edith Wharton; and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend.

Take extended cuddling breaks with a velvety-eared dog. Don't have a pet? Now might be a good time to open up your heart and home to a furry friend from a local shelter. (Try Petfinder.com for starters.) Is a pet a lot of work? Yep. Is it worth it? YEP!!!

Make homemade bread, a hearty soup, mulled cider, cookies--anything that will fill the house with a scrumptious and irresistible scent. (And the more helping hands in the kitchen, the merrier!)

Schedule time with friends. Don't just shop for them, be with them!
Hit the theaters. There's something so delightful about sitting in a warm, cozy, crowded theater when it's blustery and bleak outside.
Seek out the fireplaces. If you don't have a fireplace of your own, visit a restaurant, pub, hotel, or even a library that has a crackling fire and nestle beside it. (The public libraries in Chester, NJ and Mendham, NJ both have lovely fireplaces. Yet another reason to love the library!)
Appreciate the stark beauty of the bare branches--the delicate articulation of the limbs, each branch reaching for its own view of the sun.
Read Fletcher and the Falling Leaves to the kids, a heart-melting reminder that although we've lost the leaves, the glittering snowflakes aren't far off.