Dear Sandra,
 
Don't think you are "dim" for not realizing Chicago was right on the shore of such a large body of water, Lake Michigan. I still remember the chilly January morning I came to Chicago. As the plane approached the city I had the clearest view ever and saw the immense stretch of water reaching to the horizon. For a moment I wondered if I had travelled in the wrong direction and was seeing the ocean!
 
Love,
Edda

Peace and joy!

it was an unrealistic fear that something would happen if I stood on it

 
Dear Betty,
I agree with this. I had an unrealistic fear of crossing my little bridge over the river when I first came here to live. (My twin fears....heights and water) It wasn't helped by being blown by the strong wind in front of a car, but slowly the feelings of fear retreated and now I can cross it without problems. I avoid it in very high winds though!
I've had a poorly functioning balance mechanism since I was 14 and that doesn't help things. I remember how I couldn't balance in a puddle (honestly) because the sky was reflected in it. That still happens.
Common sense doesn't come into these irrational fears does it? They must be very deep rooted instincts.
Well done you for mastering that fear!
 
Now on to your pictures....
 
Love,
Jude

Love is the only way

Chicago was right on the shore of such a large body of water, Lake Michigan.

 
We learn something every day! thank you Edda.
 
Love,
Jude

Love is the only way

Wonderful snaps Betty the first one is full of hope and the last two speak out to me so much..
 
I guess I was never meant to be on mastermind but I see I am not alone!

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

Dear Betty,
Thank you for the lovely 'calming' pictures today! Love the 'mums and also the sunset?
 
Jude

Love is the only way

Dear Marie, I like your evergreens picture,and I am glad that you joined us to this thread
Keep snapping and posting here!
 
Dear Betty, I stil think that YOU ARE
 one very brave ...
Thank you for today's pictures.Beautiful and wonderful pictures for my soul...

 Sandra,it's been a while since I saw pictures from you----HHHHHHmmmmmmm.

Yes SANDRA - YOUR TURN
Do not hide,we can see you

I am slow in replying today . . .
the pictures are all so beautiful.
I am amazed that you still have flowers,
dear Buba.
All so very pretty,
and I like the little black cap the cat is wearing!
She must be a neighbor?
And the little pidgies . . . 
now dear Bright Spirit,
I don't mind that they ate the bread
and the dogs . . .
all enjoying their day.
 
Thank you for nabbing one of the pandas,
dear Jude.
I tried, but it didn't work . . .
even doing it the way you did.
 
Oh my, Betty . . .
your city pictures are fabulous!
I am very fond of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.
You have captured the beauty of the windy city so well,
even looking down from that high place.
Beautiful sunset and autumn blooms as well.
 
Your evergreens look very sturdy,
for being five years old, Marie.
I too, am glad to see you posting some pictures.
Love the little bridge!
 
I am grateful today
for being reminded
of the many different kinds of beauty
there are in the world
with love . . .
sparrow
     ♥

everything counts... ♥

sandra and all,

i just got to watch the glorious video you put together!

wow!

thanks for a super job!

i loved the photos and also your sweet song choices. i will play the soundtrack while working on the computer late at night.

i am honored by your dedication, but more honored by your friendship and the opportunity to get to know you some by your heartfelt posts.

this weekend i got out to a state park and got to take a long soft tender drink of the beauty in that place.

it was nourishing to my soul and helped me find me.

it was comforting like god was wrapping a soft blanket on my heart.

the beauty of the creeks, sky, leaves and trees reminded me of other times i have shared similar beauty with loved ones now gone.

i came back to this spot in my heart where i realized that these precious memories were like some food in my freezer that i could take out at any time, and that these memories would always gently and patiently revive my spirits.

life is good and my heart is finding the courage to heal.

i realized that it really is a courageous act to go to the hurt places and feel the pain.

it's a more life giving process than to just ignore the sadness and wish the hurts away.



as far as the beauty of the skunk i had a small encounter with, i'm still working on finding the beauty in that experience.

p.s. there was a time when people would ask me for technical help loading photos, now i am in awe of all that you ladies do with your photos and how good you are getting with your snapping.

keep on being you, as the greatest compliment you can give someone is to be comfortable in their presence.

Dear Thankful one,
 
It is so good to hear from you! You sound as if you were feeling rather well!
 
You have a lot of catching up to do, if time allows you to do so.
Our photographers are really doing well.
I am slow in appreciating all the pictures since they take time to "grow to full size".
 
I keep a candle burning for you (group "thank")
 
With much love,
Edda

Peace and joy!

Dear T.O.
It's good to hear from you. Glad you like the video. I've watched it 3 times now and always feel better for it, so it just goes to show how valuable this thread (which you began) is.
 
Love,
Jude

Love is the only way

Dear Thankful One

life is good and my heart is finding the courage to heal.

 
I am so pleased to read this I really am you are in my thoughts daily.You are very courageous and I am sure God does wrap a soft blanket on and around your heart.
 
 

i came back to this spot in my heart where i realized that these precious memories were like some food in my freezer that i could take out at any time, and that these memories would always gently and patiently revive my spirits

 
It's always good to have 'food in the freezer' to revive ones spirits.I am delighted you were able to watch the video . I know just how much you enjoyed it because I think we all feel the same way about it.
   
 
You have given many people a chance to find peace within them as they snap. 
 
Through you people are able to 'be free' from heart ache and see and capture such  beauty in this world.   
Like Jude says this thread is valuable and a 'life- line' to so many people.
 
Take care of yourself and keep drinking those long soft tender drinks .. 
  
 

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

betty, jude and sandra,

thanks for all your thoughts, prayers and good intentions towards me

i feel them and they feel yummy to my tummy

although my bank account might disagree, i do feel quite rich in my heart, my soul, my spirit and in the special friendships many of you have been so kind to share with me here

may you feel god's blessings and be aware of the many small moments of beauty that occur constantly if only we are aware

"people see god every day, but they don't recognize him (her)" - pearl bailey

A few of my pictures from Saturday
 

 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Love is the only way

Dear, dear Thankful one . . .
so good to 'see' you!

as far as the beauty of the skunk i had a small encounter with, i'm still working on finding the beauty in that experience.

Plugging the nose might help . . .
 
Dear Jude . . .
Your maple leaves look just like the maple leaves
that coat my garden . . .
lovely as mulch you know,
but they don't crumble in like oak leaves,
and must be pulled out as a flat, wet carpet in the spring!
ugh!
Your berries are so very beautiful  . . .
I have berries here,
but for some reason
I cannot get onto the page where photobucket invites me to upload pictures!
Help!
  ♥

everything counts... ♥

Hi lilsparrow. When I upload from photobuc., the upload bar is on my album page, to the right top is a wide blue bar that says upload images and videos.

Thankful One

i feel them and they feel yummy to my tummy

I also use the expression .
 
 
Jude thank you for your Autumn snaps I really like the one with the moo cow in..
 
 

I cannot get onto the page where photobucket invites me to upload pictures! Help!

I have noticted they have changed photobucket slightly.You have to scroll down a small bit to login.
Hopefully you will be able to dispaly your snaps after a goodnights sleep..

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

Last flower found in the yard today
 

Thank you Marie for this little flower.It's kind of sad to think it's the last one .

Last flower found in the yard today

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

Dear Jude . . . Your maple leaves look just like the maple leaves that coat my garden . . .

 
Yes, they are of the European Sycamore, which is usually the first to drop its leaves, and they turn all colours from pale yellow to bright orange to shades of rich brown with bits of green.
My favourite Acer is this one...Japanese I think. Not mine sadly, as they need acid soil and ours is as limey as it gets.
 

 

Love is the only way

Beautiful  autumn pictures dr.Jude !The same we have here:
 

 some leaves are still green,some yellow,some red,some trees are without leaves (strong wind helped them to fly away) and YES SPARROW some flowers are blooming until winter comes.
 
Lovely flower Marie !
 
         
~with regards to all~
 

Thank you ladies,
for photobucket advice . . .
it always was
that when I went to photbucket
the option to upload was right there.
Yesterday though,
it opened directly to my picture album
and I could not get to the page
from which I usually download.
I shall try again,
but first here is a photograph I found on my way here . . .
it came up on my google homepage.
 
Like the pandas
it won't let me copy and paste it,
so here is the link . . .
 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sue323/2783386317/
 
   ♥

everything counts... ♥

The pansy . . .
a beautiful 'last flower',
dear Marie.
   ♥

everything counts... ♥

Jude pretty yellow tree with leaves. We like to find a special leaf and book mark it so it won't crumble and pull it out later to admire the beauty once all the leaves have blown away.
Those berries you have in the other photo are confirming my idea with the tree by the bridge. It still has berries and I am going to pick them off and let them dry and use them for some wreaths and other holiday creations. Awesome! Thanks.
 
Buba, hello I wondered where you were. Good to see you friend. Your photos being so far away make me realize some of us share the same type of fall in other parts of the world, it really is a small world. Thank you.
 
Sandra the last flower, I had planted them in a container and in time some of the flowers had implanted into other parts of the yard from blowing out of the container. I thought this was so neat, scattered around.

We like to find a special leaf and book mark it so it won't crumble and pull it out later to admire the beauty once all the leaves have blown away.

 
Dear Marie,
I have got three of the Sycamore leaves being pressed right now!
All the berries have been phenomenal here this year. The ones in the picture are from a mountain Ash and my Cotoneaster in the garden is plastered with berries. The birds shouldn't go hungry this winter!
 
Love,
Jude

Love is the only way

Some more pictures from last Saturday...
 
 
My winter Jasmine
 
Sumach

 
 
 
Ivy
 
 

 
 
 
The footpath outside Chloe's old school where I walked twice a day...

 
 
 
The wall of the little plant nursery opposite Chloe's school where I bought flowers and plants every week. The blue fencing is the school fence.
 
 

 
 
 
The little church and churchyard next door to the school
 
 

 
 
 
The view from the school

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Love is the only way

Keep trying Fluffy never give up!
 
 

the last flower, I had planted them in a container and in time some of the flowers had implanted into other parts of the yard from blowing out of the container. I thought this was so neat, scattered around.

Marie your 'last little flower' proves beauty will always surprise us in wonderful ways .. 
  
 
You are surrounded by such heart warming countryside Jude.I love the colours of your Sumach it's almost 3D..

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

 
the beautiful photos get more and more, I´ve seen ...
So, one Orchid. today; I can enjoy on this flower about two, three monthes as I know from the past. Than it needs a pause a little bit more than  three monthes. This flower I bought in spring, so I do not know more about it.
 

 
 
but it is a beautiful one, I think.
 
The others I have, they have a rest now, but one get the first little buds, and it needs some weeks,because the most of this buds she had, where 18... I hope it will work as in the past...
 
l.is.
 

If you want to know something about someone, listen to your heart.

Jude, I like your photos...
they have something quiet ...
love,
is.

If you want to know something about someone, listen to your heart.

Thank you, dear Isabella!

 I have one like this one, too, and it is just the same as yours! You know what´s funny? One has to soak it in water from time to time, and your post has just reminded me to take mine out of it!

Love,
Juliana

"Speak Peace in a World of Conflict" (M.B.Rosenberg)

Isabella, your orchid is lovely! Orchid blossoms do stay for a long time. I don't have any orchids but my hairdresser does, and they bloom on and on!
 
 
Jude, your pictures are great. I love the autumn foliage in such an array of colors, and the scenery around them.
 
Buba, fall is settling into your surroundings as well. Beautiful!
 
Edda
 

Peace and joy!

but it is a beautiful one, I think.

I do as well Isabella~ thank you.. 
  
 
'“When two friends understand each other
totally, the words are soft and strong like an
orchid's perfume” 
 
 

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

Dear Isabella . . .
I spotted you as an orchid lover
a few pictures ago . . .
bless you.
I don't have enough sunshine for orchids,
but I love their exquisite blossoms . . .
they look like faces
   ♥

everything counts... ♥

Juliana, fine you remembered
 
Hm, it´s a longer time ago when I was out to walk a little bit mor then fifteen
minutes; so I thought, I want to show Sandra a REAL bear, that she do not suspect my poor Niki (he was blue/grey) to be a bear
 
This are the most lovely bears I like (it´s called: the littla panda-bear) and I do not often see this bears in such way because they are sleeping a big part of the day.  On the day when I take this photo, this bear was very very intersting on the visitors of the zoo...
 
 

 
 
Can you see the different Sandra ???
 
 

If you want to know something about someone, listen to your heart.

 
 
 

Can you see the different Sandra

 
 
 
Dear Isabella yes I can opps sorry Niki ! Well they both love the camera  as they both are looking straight into the lens.
 
You just made me smile lots though!
 
Keep snapping Isabella as your snaps are  very therapeutic to us all  ....

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

 Marie ( called LOL) :Your photos being so far away
 make me realize some of us share the same type of fall
 in other parts of the world, it really is a small world. 

Yes dear Marie , here is another proof of it:
The rainy autumn day in my city (TODAY)
 

 

 
 
 
Dear Jude,
your autumn pictures looks similar to mine
As Marie said :It really is a small world. 
   
  
 
Dear Isabella, lovely little bear!

Fall out....
 

 
 
and here....
 

 
 
is.

If you want to know something about someone, listen to your heart.

Dear Isabella,
 
Unfortunately your pictures can't be seen even when I click on the red X!
 
Love,
Edda

Peace and joy!

Lovely snaps dear Buba ,it looks flooded  across the pond .I think  you have had way more rain than us! 
 
This leaf looks like it's been dipped in gold..
 
 
 
 
Isabella it looks like your Autumn is just starting for you as I see lots of greenery.I had forgotten that leaves use to be green.I like the look of those buildings that you snapped.
 
 
 
Oh dear Edda
 

Unfortunately your pictures can't be seen even when I click on the red X!

dare I say this but I see no x just snaps?It's really odd because I know Isabella can't see some of the  photos I put on the forum.I guess Marvin will never change but we must live in hope!!

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love~and be loved in return♥♥  


 

T.O.  I love your analogy of special "food in the freezer."  You are so correct.  Often our bank accounts would never agree with how "wealthy" we feel.
Jude,Your pictures are wonderful.  I love the one of the footpath covered in Autumn leaves.  The one with the house behind the wall with the sumac looks like one what one would expect a typical English countryside neighborhood to look like.  They all just seem to invite one to come and take a long peace filled walk.
Isabella,I am glad I was able to see your orchid before it faded away.  It is truly beautiful as were your other orchids.  What a wonderful gift that the blooms last so long. Your little panda bear looked like he just wanted someone to play with him.  Niki definitely looked like he was related to Isabella II that Little James has.
Buba, I am sorry you are having so much cold wetness.  Our whole month of October was like that.  Now, we have no rain and our temperatures are back up to almost 80 degrees which would be almost 27 C.  Last month everything drowned and got frozen.  This month, we are having Indian Summer.

Thank you all for sharing your snaps.  The video is two months old and already has had over 14,400 views.  (It doesn't show on the forum since I erased the post once when I was moving it).  It is because of all your efforts in sharing your photographs that so many have received a "piece of peace" from our forum familyhood.  May you all be blessed as you have blessed others.

Betty

 The video is two months old and already has had over 14,400 views.   
 
Yesterday,in the afternoon, after the morning rain
 
- Sun came out....

Day light didn't last for a long....
 
   

Darkness came quickly ...

 
Birds going to sleep....
 

 
Betty:"This month, we are having Indian Summer."
Dearest Betty, we had wonderful time in September and in the part of Octobre,Indian Summer,too.
And now the weather is changing rapidly,one day too cold,one day rain the other day sunshine. 
This morning was foggy but not too cold:

And right now the Sun came out and fog is almost gone...
Wishing you all a gentle day.