A Sad Good-Bye

The last days and weeks feel like a blur to me. Working longer hours has become something of a habit and the days off I was fantasizing about were simply that - fantasies.

Today, it was my goal to start out again, get back into the habit of being here at least on Mondays for Lisa's Creative Exchange.

I'm glad I made it today, because I would have hated to miss the last week of this wonderful creative space, Lisa has created here. Especially after these last weeks I more than understand that life is often about having to adjust priorities, but nevertheless I will miss Creative Exchange on Mondays dearly. It was really something I was looking forward to at the beginning of each week.

Thank you, Lisa, for all the time and effort you had put into this wonderful project and all the best for you!

A Quick Note And Some Felicity

We are in the 5th week now with half of our team away and I must say I'm ready for a break! I had to cut back my hours online here (my apologies for not visiting!) and I guess it won't get any better for the next two weeks. But I plan to take a day or two off when everyone is back again.

I thought I was in for a little treat and so last Friday I decided to buy some flowers on my way home. I was lucky to grab the last bunch of tulips available at the supermarket - even at a discount as they were a bit damaged - and then indulged in having a go at them with my camera on Saturday  and happily playing around a bit with textures, too.

I will link this up at Lisa's Creative Exchange (one day later than planned, but I wouldn't want to miss it!) and then also at Kim's Texture Tuesday, as I just found out that I fulfill today's rules of using at least one layer of her "Felicity" texture.

Have a wonderful week everyone and sorry again for not visiting so much these days!

A Little Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! 

I know it's one day early but as Lisa's Creative Exchange is all about one's heart in photography I think there's no better place to share my heart with you!

Have a wonderful week!

Monday Again

Can you believe it's Monday again? And February already? And Lisa's Creative Exchange!

Last week more than half of our team in the office was down with flu. You would think that no virus or bacteria would survive in that cold we have been seeing for the last weeks... But although I wasn't able to visit any blogs last week - I do apologize for that and hope there will be more time this week - I'm glad to be one of the working and not of the ill part of the team.

Thus I was able to enjoy a Sunday morning walk, admiring a deep blue sky and white frost on the branches. It was so beautiful I didn't even mind the -15° C / 5° F we had.

Have a wonderful week everyone and stay warm!

This one is taken with my iPhone

No Tulips Yet

I was so looking forward to last Thursday where I planned to buy tulips at the Farmers' Market, come what may, or so I thought...

Well, freezing temperatures came and thus there was no flower stall at the Market. So much for plans or tulips photos! The weather forecast for this week is even colder than last week, so you might have to put up with another orchid shot next Monday for  ;-)

Have a wonderful week everyone! And now off to Lisa's Creative Exchange, maybe there are some tulips there...

Ready For Tulips

After this weekend's roller coaster weather I'm so ready for tulips... I almost bought some last Thursday, when I saw buckets full of tulips in every colour you can think of at a local Farmers' Market. Today, I can't even remember why I didn't buy some, maybe the blue sky that day was enough to make me happy.

I brought my Christmas Rose in from my balcony for a little photo shooting and yes, that made me happy, too! Aren't those buds just beautiful? I'm so fascinated about how those blossoms fold out, change and develop.

Have a wonderful start into a colourful week - see you over at Lisa's to take a look at all those gorgeous submissions for this week's Creative Exchange.

Thank You

Although it was last week that Lisa had asked for our favourite photo 2011, I decided to show you another one. A flower, of course...!

Thank you all so much for your wonderful and encouraging comments and emails! I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate them - your are best!

It's already the second week of January and what is quite unusual for me is that I haven't taken up my DSLR so much these days. I'm now a proud owner of an iPhone (I think I must have been the last person on earth to join...) and I have been playing around with Instagram these days. Justine encouraged me to try it and now I'm hooked... ;-) It's really fun and if you'd like to connect with me there, you'll find me @rosiegrey.

I'm linking up to Lisa's Creative Exchange - see you there!

New Year's Blues

Texture: Kim Klassen

I hope you all had wonderful Christmas Holidays and a fantastic start into the New Year! 

The days before Christmas were more than chaotic at work and seemingly have robbed me of the rest of energy I had. I paid the price, but learning the lesson is not so easy... The days between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve I spent with sleeping and eating and more sleeping and a few walks in between.

I had put my hope into the start of the New Year - a new beginning, with drive and energy, tackling all things in a stride, beginning new projects, trying out new things, taking courses, finding a word for the year 2012, things you see everywhere in blogging world... well, against my better judgement, as you may guess. I woke up yesterday morning and things were just the same, same me - what a surprise, ha...

How do you manage to see the new beginning, the fresh start, the wonderful projects in 2012 and how do you handle all that? 

For her Creative Exchange today, Lisa asked us to show our favourite photo of 2011. I really don't know if this is my favourite photo, but it spoke to me today. 

All In One

I won't loose a word about how behind I'm with everything - I've accepted that I won't be able to finish my Christmas preparations as I would have loved to.  And so I'm really proud of the fact that I at least made it here to Lisa's Creative Exchange to wish you all a wonderful holiday!

I used Kim Klassen's textures Zuzu and Wonderfulmagic_Stars on my photo, textures Kim is giving us for free in her "12 Days of Textures".

Happy Holidays to all of you - have a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Time?

Before I start complaining that I don't feel Christmassy at all with all the rain we are having and that I haven't found the time to bake Christmas cookies or even put up my Christmas decoration, let alone look around for Christmas gifts, I'll just link up this photo of my Christmas baubles that are waiting to embellish my chaos here to Lisa's Creative Exchange.

Kim Klassen started her 12 Days of Textures today and I used today's texture "Lilly" on the photo.

I'm afraid it will take some time to get around to everyone but I promise I'll do my best.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

November Bokeh

Yes, I know it's December already...! Originally, I had planned to show you this photo last Monday, but then the internet decided to join our heating, so they were off together...

And when I had thought that the weeks in October and November had been busy at work I had no idea there was room for escalation...

So here I am, exhausted, tired and a bit out of breath, but with a working heating and internet again (yay!), linking this November photo to Lisa's Creative Exchange today.

Thank you all so much for your kind, wonderful and warming comments on my last post! I hope to visit you all over the next days to catch up on your news.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

A Bit Odd

I'm so used to getting in close to my photography subjects that taking and putting up a photo like this feels rather strange and uncomfortable.

There was really nothing interesting or exciting for a close-up shot yesterday on my photo walk. I was, however, absolutely excited by the light when I saw the above scene through a fence. I'm not so sure whether this photo does really justice to what I had seen with my eyes, but maybe it's only a matter of getting used to it.

I'm off to link this up to Lisa's Creative Exchange and see what's up there already!

Have a wonderful week!

Autumn Colours

You all know that I'm a "summer girl" and that I dread the cold and dreary days, but I must admit that I enjoy these wonderful colours the changing of the seasons brings about.

I'll link this up to Lisa's Creative Exchange - don't forget to have a look there with the new link.

Have a wonderful and colourful week!

New Home

Lisa has a new home for her wonderful Creative Exchange. Originally, I had planned to bring muffins as a welcome gift... - but the muffins are still in the oven and an unfortunately tight time schedule leaves no time to upload and link when they are ready.

So I decided to bring flowers to the "blog-warming" party instead. Roses, with traces of brown, but beautiful nevertheless - well, at least in my eyes. Lisa, have a fantastic start with your new Creative Exchange!

Happy Halloween everyone and have a wonderful week!

Expectations

This cold but sunny weekend saw me heading over to a public garden where I expected to find all sorts of autumn flowers. I couldn't have been more wrong... - not a single mum, dahlia, Chinese lantern or Japanese Anemone to be found, but a rose garden with rows of wonderful roses, still blooming!

As this might be one of the last roses for this year I thought it to be just perfect for Lisa's Creative Exchange. I can't wait to see all the interesting photos being linked up over at  Lisa's, I'll meet you there!

Have a wonderful week!

Photographer's Weal And Woe

Can you believe it's Monday again? Time for Lisa's Creative Exchange!

Yesterday was a cold but sunny Autumn day and I was out and about with my camera. At one spot some trees were beautifully highlighted in the afternoon sun, a must-have photo, or so I thought.

I was playing with my camera settings while waiting for several people to "walk out of my picture", when suddenly a man yelled at me "stop taking pictures of me". I was absolutely shocked at his tone and tried to explain that I didn't take any pictures of him, that in fact I was waiting for an "empty" scenery, but he went on ranting. In the end, I just ignored him, took my picture - which then was totally uninspired - and walked on.

No wonder I love taking pictures of flowers and berries so much...

Have a wonderful week!

Back Again

I'm back again and ready for Lisa's wonderful Creative Exchange. I can't wait to catch up with you and hope you've all had a good time.

Have a wonderful start into the week!

A Tough Decision

So much is coming my way at the moment - things that need my full attention - that I have to accept I can't handle it all. That's why I've come to the decision that I will sign off for a few weeks here to take care of things and then also to take a vacation.

This photo is one of my August sunshine photos and I'll link it up to Lisa's wonderful Creative Exchange, which I will miss just as much as I miss you all already!

Have a good time everyone! And I hope you won't forget me in the meantime...

9 Days of Summer

We had 9 days of summer - hot, just as I love it - and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Saturday the cold and the rain came back again. Time to catch up with all your blogs and flickr, and laundry and cleaning, too. Somehow I have the feeling that the 12 Days of Christmas are just around the corner...

I'll link this up to Lisa's Creative Exchange today - can't wait to see all the entries there.

Have a wonderful week!

Another Rose

Roses don't get much of a chance to show off their beauty this year with all the rain we've had over the last weeks. So I decided to provide a platform for those rare beauties and there is no better one than Lisa's Creative Exchange.

Have a wonderful start into the week and enjoy the links!