Joyfully Green: leaves

Less but Better: Essentialism in a Nutshell

I'm right in the middle of teaching my Art of Photography e-course (and enjoying it immensely, thanks to very talented and motivated students!), so this will be a quick post.

I'm reading an insightful book called Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. In a nutshell, the author's main point is this:

"Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it's about how to get the right things done. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy."

The book is really resonating with me, I must say! So, whereas before I would have been tempted to write an in-depth book review here while clicking back and forth to my online classroom, let me now just say this: If you feel pulled in a million different directions, check out the book at the library. It just might give you the focus you need.

And now, I'm going back to focus fully on my students and their lovely photographs!

P.S. Here's a post that's up the same alley: How to Make Time for the Things You've Been Longing To Do

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© 2014 by Joy Sussman/JoyfullyGreen.com. All rights reserved. All photos and text digitally fingerprinted and watermarked. Please do not use any of my photographs without asking me first for permission at [email protected] and then clearly linking back to this site with photo credits. Site licensed by Creative Commons.

Posted on 11/11/2014 at 09:02 PM in autumn, books, e-courses, leaves, minimalism, simplify | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Essentialism book review, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown, focusing on what matters, how to be more organized, how to simplify your routine, minimalism, organizing your life, prioritizing, simpler life, simplifying

Monday Snapshot: The PINK Leaves of Autumn?

I grew up in New England and have spent my whole life in the Northeastern states, but I cannot remember ever--EVER!--seeing pink leaves in the fall foliage. Until this year. I guess there really is a first time for everything, isn't there?

I hope your week is full of unexpected and rosy surprises!

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Posted on 11/09/2014 at 09:02 PM in autumn, leaves, nature, trees | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: autumn in New England, New England fall, pink leaves, pink trees, unusual colors of fall foliage

Monday Snapshot: First Frost

Brrrrrrrrrrrr! November is blowing into town with a furious and chilly wind today! The dried-up leaves are swirling through the air in a frenzy, whirling like dervishes. (Did you ever see a whirling dervish? I included a link with a video, below--interesting!) It's time to put on the winter coat, without feeling like I'm foolishly overdressed for the weather. It's time to cozy up in sunlit corner chairs with thick quilts and thick books. It's time to welcome November again.

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Posted on 11/02/2014 at 09:02 PM in ice, leaves, nature, photography, snow, sparkle, winter | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: first frost, November chill, November weather, what is a whirling dervish, whirling dervishes

My Week in 5 Photos: Farewell, October!

It's been a particularly wet October here in northern New Jersey, but somehow, the rain didn't shorten the lives of the leaves. They hung on for longer than I expected. In fact, a good portion of them are still hanging on!

Our driveway would NOT be a good example of the leaves hanging on...

I like to take the prettiest fallen leaves indoors for simple autumn bouquets.

It's not just the fall foliage that's been amazing around here lately. The sunsets have been like oil paintings! I'll miss October, won't you?

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Final 3 days to sign up! Join me and learn how to take artful and gorgeous photographs, even if you have a full-time job and a camera that's not fancy-shmancy! Just a few spots left for my online photography course starting this Monday, November 3: "The Art of Photography: How to Take Your Pictures to the Next Level." Click here for details!

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Posted on 10/30/2014 at 09:02 PM in autumn, leaves, nature, photography, sunsets | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: autumn bouquets, autumn in New Jersey, autumn leaves, decorating with leaves, dramatic October skies, fall foliage, fall foliage outlook, leaf photographs, leaves at their peak, rainy October

Joyful Reads for the Weekend, Vol. 35: Awesome Autumn Craft Ideas!

It's official: I'm head-over-heels in love with autumn! Even the rainy days have a certain beauty, as the colors of the leaves really shine. In the spirit of soaking up all of the fun and natural beauty the season has to offer, I rounded up five posts that feature super-easy, not-your-run-of-the-mill, ultra-creative crafts using three of the biggest stars of autumn: leaves, acorns, and pumpkins. Best of all, they're not just for kids (although I'm sure my kids will love them). I can't believe how pretty and elegant some of these designs are--wait 'til you see them!

From Home Stories A to Z: How to Paint Acorns

From Budget Savvy Diva: Crayon Melt Pumpkins

From Edventures: The Art & Science of Leaf Rubbings

From Emily Isabella: This is What Happens When You Live in the Woods

From Handmade Charlotte: 7 Ways to Turn Your Fall Leaf Collection into Art

It was so difficult for me to choose just five pretty decorating and craft ideas for fall that I ended up creating a brand-new Pinterest board dedicated to autumn crafts! You can find MANY more gorgeous ideas there, plus a few more in the Related Articles section below. Have a colorful and crafty weekend!

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Time is running out! Join me and learn how to take artful and gorgeous photographs, even if you have a full-time job and a camera that's not fancy-shmancy! Just a few spots left for my online photography course starting on November 3: "The Art of Photography: How to Take Your Pictures to the Next Level." Click here for details!

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Posted on 10/23/2014 at 09:02 PM in autumn, creativity, family, home, Joyful Reads, leaves, nature, photography | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: acorn crafts, best fall craft ideas, DIY autumn projects, easy autumn crafts, fall craft ideas for kids, fall decorating tips, fall leaf projects, how to make leaf rubbings, leaf crafts, new pumpkin decorating ideas, Pinterest board for autumn craft ideas, pumpkin craft ideas, using acorns for crafts

Monday Snapshot: The Orange Tree

There's a show-off in every crowd, isn't there? One that steals the spotlight, dependably, like clockwork. In our neighborhood, it's this tree. The Orange Tree. Not the fruit-bearing kind of orange tree, but the kind of tree that lights up in October as if it's on its way to a Mexican fiesta. I have a soft spot for this orange tree. I look forward to its magnificent show every single year.

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Final 2 weeks to sign up! JOIN ME with your camera (even if you have a full-time job, and even if your camera is a smart phone!). Register for my online photography course running in November: "The Art of Photography: How to Take Your Pictures to the Next Level." Click here for details.

Thanks for reading Joyfully Green!

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Posted on 10/19/2014 at 09:02 PM in autumn, leaves, nature, photography, trees | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: fall foliage, fall photography, leaves turning orange in autumn, online photography class, peak fall colors, photography e-course, trees in October

Autumn Quiz: Name That Leaf!

Since all eyes are on the super-spectacular fall foliage right now (at least in this neck of the woods), I thought it would be the perfect time for a little pop quiz, to see if you can identify trees by their leaves. Think you really know your stuff? Ready...set...name that leaf!

Match the following letters to the numbers on the photos:

A. Silver Maple

B. Sassafras

C. Japanese Maple

D. White Oak

E. Black Tupelo

F. Red Oak

G. Bigleaf Linden (Lime in the U.K.)

H. Sawtooth Oak

I. Yellow Birch

J. Red Maple

Clue for #3: These yellow leaves are VERY large--about 8-10 inches long!

Clue for #4: The "mitten" shapes give it away!

Answers: A-7. B-4. C-2. D-8. E-1. F-6. G-3. H-10. I-9. J-5.

Okay, let's hear it! How did you do? 'Fess up in the comment section below!

P.S. If you'd like to learn more about the leaves where you are, I used the following resources to check and double-check this post: Forestry.about.com; leaf-id.com; arborday.org; and the Leafsnap app for iPads and iPhones. (I wrote about Leafsnap a while back, along with some other fun apps for nature-lovers.)

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Posted on 10/14/2014 at 09:01 PM in autumn, fun, leaves, nature, trees | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: autumn leaves, Bigleaf Linden, black tupelo leaf, different oak leaves, fall foliage, how to identify leaves from their shapes, how to identify trees by their leaves, how to tell the difference between maple leaves, Japanese maple, leaf identification, leaf photos, nature apps, Red Maple leaf, Silver Maple leaf, what's the difference between red oak and white oak

My Week in 5 Photos: A Deer Appears!

One of my favorite things to do in the morning is curl up in a comfy chair with a view of the woods, blank notebook in hand, hot tea at the ready. If I'm just gazing outdoors to a peaceful view, my thoughts can naturally wander and I can (usually) come up with a new idea or two. But sometimes, as I'm looking out at the woods, I suddenly realize that somebody is looking back at me--a deer, or two, or three! They blend in remarkably well. Even Delilah can sleep through some of their secretive visits!

I'm half-Swedish but I know far too little about my Swedish roots, so I've been studying all kinds of Swedish things lately. I love the simplicity of Swedish design. The following shots of leaves remind me of the Swedish aesthetic: crisp and pure and uncluttered.

The golden leaf below reminded me of a potato chip...maybe I was just hungry for lunch?

The shot below was my favorite picture of the week. I think it's very "Swedish country-style" with its clean, red color against a neutral backdrop.

I hope your weekend is a crisp and lovely one!

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Registration is now OPEN for my online photography course running in November: "The Art of Photography: How to Take Your Pictures to the Next Level." Join me!

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Posted on 10/09/2014 at 09:02 PM in deer, dogs, leaves, nature, peacefulness, photography, pretty | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: autumn foliage, decorating Swedish style, deer in natural habitat, fall leaves, online photography class, photography e-course, Swedish aesthetic, Swedish design

A Simple Way to Bring Autumn Splendor Indoors

Oh my goodness, the LEAVES! Even Delilah can't get enough of the fall foliage, as you can see in the photograph above. The colors are so vibrant and gorgeous, it got me to thinking: Why should flowers get all of the prime real estate in the vases? So, here's how I decorated the house this week, in a completely free and effortless way: leaf bouquets!

With leaf bouquets, there's no need to change the water before it gets all gross and goopy (something I really dislike about keeping cut flowers in vases) because there is no water! When the leaves pass their peak indoors (usually, within a day or two), I just let them flutter out the front door. See? Effortless!

Do you remember in that Steve Martin movie, L.A. Story, when Mary Lou Henner's character was telling the other women that before you leave the house, you should glance in the mirror and take off one piece of jewelry? Same idea for arranging leaf bouquets: As soon as it starts looking too "decorated", take something out.

And not all of your autumn bouquets need to be orange, yellow, and red. Evergreens also look quite pretty in the fall, so you can show them some love, too!

But really, the main thing about leaf bouquets is just to have fun with them...

P.S. Don't forget to mull some hot apple cider with sliced oranges, so the whole house smells as good as it looks!

How 'bout you? Do you switch up your decor with the seasons?

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Posted on 10/07/2014 at 09:02 PM in autumn, creativity, dogs, home, leaves, nature, photography, pretty | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: autumn decorating ideas, decorating ideas for leaves, easy decorations for fall, fall decorating ideas, fall foliage, leaf bouquets, simple DIY autumn projects, using leaves for decor

Monday Snapshot: The Autumn Leaves' Last Hurrah

Is there anybody out there who doesn't LOVE when the leaves turn their brightest colors in the fall? It's downright festive! They flutter and float down through the air like it's an autumn parade and they're the confetti. The air is cooler and crisper, whispering notes of winter, but until then...it's all about the leaves.

I hope your week is a colorful one!

P.S. If you'd like a little refresher course on why leaves change color, I wrote about it in this October 2012 post about autumn.

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SPECIAL NOTE: The Early Bird Discount on my online photography course running in November ends this Tuesday (10/7/14 at 11:59 pm E.S.T.). Save $15 by registering today for The Art of Photography: How to Take Your Pictures to the Next Level.

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Posted on 10/05/2014 at 09:02 PM in autumn, leaves, nature, photography, trees | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: autumn leaf photography, autumn leaves, fall foliage, fall photos, how do leaves change color in autumn?, leaves turning colors, nature lesson, why do leaves change color in the fall?