About Timing...

A root canal treatment is definitely the last thing I needed in this already hectic time... but I guess I'd rather have it now than over the Christmas Holidays with no dentist available...

So here is just a quick "Hello" from me, linking up to Kim's Texture Tuesday, before heading back to couch and painkillers.

processed with Kim's textures "Frosted" and "Franklin"

Have a wonderful week everyone!

A Sign

The first amaryllis are around, which for me is always a sure sign, that Christmas is around the corner (can you hear that slight panic in my voice...?!!).

I know - it's the same with me every year... sigh... but nevertheless I think amaryllis are wonderful to look at, don't you?

processed with Kim's texture kk2710 and linking up to Texture Tuesday

Have a wonderful week everyone - Happy Thanksgiving!

Surprise

I didn't find vibrant colours, as I had hoped for last week, nor did anything black and white inspire me, but I found a little surprise on my balcony!

Despite the cold temperatures and the lack of sunshine, this cornflower decided to bloom in November, which is really not typical for cornflowers (at least not in my corner of the world)... and so I thought this brave little warrior deserves some spotlight here...

processed with Kim's texture "Havana" for Texture Tuesday

Have a wonderful week everyone and perhaps a nice little surprise, too!

November Blues

November is really getting at me at the moment... everything seems so dark, and as much as I love tree silhouettes, I do long for colours. Or at least for the sun.

But I'll spare you a tirade of whining and sighing here - I'll be looking for something more colourful for my next post, or maybe I'll even discover a passion for black and white...

processed with Kim's texture "frosted" and linking up to Texture Tuesday

Have a wonderful week everyone!

A Good-Bye

This is a good-bye to an October filled with fog and rain and even snow, and a cold that has turned into a nasty sinus infection.

But there was also sunshine and and the most wonderful and amazing colours.

processed with Kim's texture Edith for Texture Tuesday

I hope your October was a good one - now let's see what November has in store for us!

Foggy

I keep seeing all those wonderful autumn photos everywhere and I've been out and about with my camera, too. However, looking at my photos keeps frustrating me, as they ... well, let's say, don't live up to my expectations. 

After debating with myself, I decided to put up one of those dreary photos nevertheless, as I didn't want to miss another week here. So, here is my photo for today from another foggy day, that feels like November already.

edited with Kim Klassen's texture "Edith" and linking up to Texture Tuesday

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Friday Finds

I really think taking photos has taught me to look closely and see tiny things, I might otherwise have missed. And it's good to always have your iPhone with you...

I'm linking up to Kim's Friday Finds today, wishing you all a wonderful weekend. And all the best for you and your family, Kim, in these challenging times!

Blink

In the blink of an eye, August Break was over, and also the first 3 weeks of September. And with that same blink, summer has turned into autumn with temperatures in the low fifties and a lot of rain.

Today, the sun has come out again and brought back memories of warmer days. Honestly, I'm not ready for autumn yet...

taken with my iPhone

I hope you've been having a wonderful weekend!

Refocusing

Having people treat you badly is bad enough, but not being able to shrug it off and keeping anger and frustration trapped in your head by constantly replaying words and scenes is even worse...

Sometimes, seeing the beauty of flowers helps to refocus - at least for a little while...

From Summer Break to August Break

Finally, summer has arrived and I decided to enjoy it as much as possible and have a little "online summer break".

I thought some of you were doing the same, but coming here today I discovered that my Feedly feed didn't work quite as it should. I'll work on that - until then I apologize for not visiting...

Due to the crazy weather some flowers didn't bloom as expected, but you can always count on cosmos to show up, can't you? I was so happy to discover this beauty on one of my photo walks:

Processed with Kim's texture "Sybil" for Texture Tuesday

Speaking of breaks - today, Susannah Conway's August Break starts again. It's always such a nice atmosphere and considering it was during August Break 2010, I met some of you, I'm happy to participate again. You can read about all the "rules" here.

This year, Susannah also gave a list of prompts, and although I often have difficulties with taking pictures for prompts, I managed to do it today. So here is a photo of my breakfast - I love to start the day with fresh fruit, especially in summer:

August Break 2013 - Day One - Breakfast

Have a wonderful August everyone!

Deep Sigh

As you can see, I'm not the only one having a bad-hair day today...

taken with my iPhone

"Deep sigh" is the name of Kim's texture I used on this photo for Texture Tuesday, and yes, the name was the main reason for choosing it.

And yes, I know there are better photos than this one... ;-)

Have a wonderful week everyone!

A Year of Records

After the longest sunless period in almost 100 years this winter and the wettest spring in over 60 years, I fear we are in for the shortest summer, which actually took place last week.

Just in time for the longest day of the year, weather changed back to cold and wet again - so much for a lovely late sunset  or later a spectacular super moon.

However, I managed to squeeze in a photo walk last week and here's proof that we had summer this year :

I used Kim's textures "maybe" and "antiqued edge" for Texture Tuesday

 Have a wonderful week and let's see what further records we are in store for!

Slowly...

I wish time would adjust its pace to that of the guy below... just sometimes... a little bit...

processed with Kim's texture "Anna" for Texture Tuesday

Or maybe Hermione could lend me that time turner...

I might as well  pretend to be able to go back in time and link up to Friday Finds, to make up for all the things I missed here last week.

Have a wonderful week everyone - I'll be around visiting all your blogs. Slowly...

From My Heart

Actually, I hadn't planned on participating in Texture Tuesday this week. Somehow, I did't feel I had a photo, that was speaking to me to use textures on, and there was no time for playing around with textures. And I don't have a pool of textured photos I could go back to, when I need one quickly (maybe I should start one to make things easier...) I wasn't even sure, if I would manage to squeeze in a post today.

But after reading Kim's story I wanted to at least send a little message, knowing that today it's not about a perfect photo or some fantastic texture processing, it's about showing love and compassion.  And so I'm sending loving thoughts and warm hugs to Kim and John and their families.

processed with Kim's textures "Anna" and "Sybil"

Doing The Math

Add piles of work in the office to the heaps of laundry, and you'll know why I haven't been around here and on your blogs...

So, here I am today with a tiny forget-me-not (yes, I've chosen this one purely for its name today ;-) ), wishing you a wonderful week!

So Much For Preparations...

You may have noticed that I was rather quiet lately, which wasn't at all, what I had intended. I was traveling and had downloaded the Blogger App to keep up my blogging routine... well, it didn't work for several reasons.

So here I am, back again - and just in time for Texture Tuesday!  It's black and white or with just a touch of color today:

processed with Kim's texture "Brisbane"

I'm off to tackle the heaps of laundry, while dreaming of the beach. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Colours of Spring

It seems, spring has decided to stay a few more days. Don't you just love that delicate first green of spring? I know I do and it amazes me year after year.

I'm off to enjoy spring as long as it lasts. Have a wonderful and sunny weekend!

Floral Love

That short period of sunshine and warmer temperatures obviously was all, nature needed to show off her beauty...

And I'm really glad, I managed to get out for a walk before the cold and rainy weather set in again.

Taken with my iPhone

Today, I'm sending out love into the world with my flowers - there is more floral love over at Mona's.

Flowers For The Weekend

I couldn't resist taking a photo of these - looking at them makes me forget the rain and I can pretend it's really spring.  And it gives me a chance to link up to Mona's Floral Love, where I'm sure a lot of wonderful flowers are waiting to be admired.

Taken with my iPhone

Have a wonderful weekend!

Texture Tuesday - Or Rather Wednesday

Just as last week, this is a short post to thank you for all your kind words. I'm so sorry, I haven't managed yet to answer you individually, but I'll catch up on you soon, as at least my eyes are on the mend!

Late as almost always, I'm also linking up to Kim's Texture Tuesday with - yes, you guessed right - another tulip image...

I processed this photo with Kim's textures "Sybil" (one of my favourites from the Downton Collection) and "Havana".

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Weekend Flowers

Just a quick "Hello" from me for the weekend with some flowers for you!

I make this so fast, as I have to limit my "screen time" (my eyes joined my sinuses on the infection part...), which unfortunately will delay my visiting your blogs a bit, as well.

Nevertheless, I'll be linking this photo to Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday (I used Kim's texture "Anna" here) - late again, but I didn't want to miss it.

I'll link this also to Mona's Floral Love, a new (at least to me) link party for flower lovers - can't wait so see all the beauties there.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Still The Same

Still no sign of spring here... still that nasty sinus infection with headache... still tulips...

What's new, however, is the colour of my tulips.

Yellow and orange red are normally not my first choice of colour, but I must say that I love the energy of that combination - just perfect for Kim Klassen's "Flower Power" edition of Texture (ahem) Tuesday, for which I added Kim's texture "Sea".

Have a wonderful Easter Weekend everyone with flowers and sunshine and lots of Easter eggs!

On Words

Have you seen Texture Tuesday's theme for this week? It's about "wise words" to go with a textured photo. 

Considering the fact that I love quotes, I thought that would be easy. I went over my collection of quotes, went over my photos... either the quotes seemed random, or didn't fit with a photo, or the photo was meaningless... 

I couldn't make up my mind - and, yes, you are right, when you assume that I'm a bit indecisive. And a perfectionist. To my excuse I can only add, that my head is still in a fog from that sinus infection (still waiting on the medication to finally kick in).

I'm afraid you have to put up with another tulip photo - processed with Kim's texture "Havana".  

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Not Fair

Last Wednesday, after weeks and months of winter grey, spring decided to show up with sunshine and nice temperatures, luring out crocusses and snowbells from under the snow.

Last Wednesday, I woke up to a splitting headache and excrutiating sinus pain. I was in bed - that whole week of sunshine - battling that sinusitis and headache. As nothing really helped, I've got antibiotics now and supposedly I should feel better by the end of this week.

Needless to mention that it's grey and dreary again, with snow forecast for the weekend...

I tried to cheer myself up by linking to Kim's Texture Tuesday, where just a favorite photo either with or without textures was asked for. To be honest, choosing a photo when you are ill and in a bad mood isn't such a good idea... but here it is - another tulip processed with Kim's texture "vintage":

Before I'll make the tour to your blogs, I guess I'd better tuck my grumpy self into bed again and come back later.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

A Sign of Spring

I can't remember a winter with such a seemingly endless period of grey and dreary days and weeks - which is a good thing, as the weather report confirmed that it has been the longest winter period without sunshine since 1949...!

The lack of sunshine resulted in increased investment in chocolate and flowers to ward off depression - this is not an official statement, by the way, this is how I survived the last months ;-)

A little pop of colour never fails to cheer me up and tulips are my favorites - a sign of spring.

I used Kim's textures "chill" (to pay tribute to the temperatures) and no. 2 from Ben's collection for this week's Texture Tuesday.

Have a wonderful week filled with sunshine!

Dreaming

"Like a dream" - that is the theme for this week's Texture Tuesday - or should I rather say "was", as I'm painfully aware of the fact that it's Wednesday already...?.

I didn't have the slightest idea, how difficult that would become with no sun and overall bad light to shoot in. I took several photos of flowers, tried my best in PSE... no, not dreamtlike... then the same routine with bowls...

Long story short - I ended up with this one:

I used Kim's textures "unexpected" (now, how apt is that...) and "Sybil" on the photo.

Actually, I'm not even sure if it meets the criteria for "dreamlike", but I'll link it up anyway. At least I tried, and isn't that what's most important?

Have a wonderful, dreamlike week everyone!

TV and Textures

I guess I'm the last person on earth who hasn't watched even one episode of Downton Abbey. Can you imagine...!

I've seen it mentioned here and there, but didn't pay much attention. Then I read about it more often and now it seems to be all over the place. Kim even created two beautiful sets of textures dedicated to the TV show - the Downton collections.

For today's Texture Tuesday, Kim asked us to use at least one texture of her Downton Collection - I used two layers of "Sybil" on this photo:

The set is really marvelous and I simply love it. The Downton II Collection is equally fantastic - I used two layers of "Violet" and one layer of "Anna"on this photo:

You'll find more photos processed with the Downton II Collection here.

Considering the beauty of these textures, I guess I have some TV work to do - as I hear, there are 3 seasons to catch up on. 

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Sending Some Love

No, I haven't been hibernating, although these past grey, cold, wet days - or rather weeks - would have invited to do just that, stay in bed or on the sofa cuddled in a cosy blanket sipping hot tea...

I guess, I just got lost somewhere between my job, a very nasty flu, back pain and endless piles of laundry and paper and lists of to-do's. This resulted in my being offline most of the time. I did try to stay updated with all your wonderful blogs and photos in Flickr while commuting to work, however failed more often than not due to connection problems on the trains.

Today, the theme for Texture Tuesday over at Kim's Café is "Love" - what a great opportunity to jump back here again, sending some love, thanking you for bearing with me. That is, if anyone is still reading my blog (insert wink and smile)...

Textures "Cora" and "Havana" by Kim Klassen

Have a wonderful week and a lot of love!

It's time

... to get going again!

After all the eating and sleeping over the holidays it's really difficult to find back into a routine that doesn't include too much couch time and lazy browsing of magazines after work...

taken with my iPhone

I hope you all had a wonderful start into 2013 - may it be an interesting and exciting year filled with joy and fun and health for all of you!