WordlessWednesday 1/20/21
Category: True Love
A Photo a Week Challenge: Cityscape 10/23/2020
I knew the photos I wanted to share for this challenge right away. I love the view of the city I have from my house…of course, the view is not of the city I live in. Nope, this view is of the next city over to the West of me.
That’s the downtown Seattle skyline, with the glorious Olympic Mountains behind.
These next shots are from an early morning walk when I just loved what the sunrise was doing to the Columbia Center…76 stories, and when it was built, it was the tallest building on the West Coast.
This towering scraper of the sky has always fascinated me, though I had never been inside it. I rarely go into Seattle. Just not an urban type, although I guess I can hardly say that anymore, given that there is nothing left of the “country-side” my home was part of when I bought it 47 years ago.
Anyway, just a few years ago, I had the extreme pleasure of officiating a spectacular and delightful wedding at the top of the Columbia Center. I adore this couple and was thrilled to be asked to marry them, but I have to admit, when they told me where, I nearly fainted. I have a more than mild case of Acrophobia.
I knew I would need to prepare myself so I could be fully present and grounded for their ceremony so I started taking pictures of the building from all over town….trying to make friends with this giant black monolith, towering tall over all it’s neighbors…
On the day of the wedding, I arrived early to prepare for the celebration. The ride up the elevator to the very top took forever. It made me seasick and break into a cold sweat. When I saw where we would be standing…so close to the windows, I nearly chickened out, but James kept me calm by reminding me that I would be facing inward, my back to the view. (Well, that half glass of Chardonnay he brought me probably helped too. Hmm, I wonder what the Minister’s blood alcohol number is for the legality of the marriage to be in question…😋)
Once I found my footing, I could embrace and enjoy the spectacular view we would all have this day.
I never told my sweet couple about my trepidation that day but I suppose, now they’ll know. So worth it!! What an amazing, creative, beautiful, warm, interesting wedding. And the “Cityscape” setting? Well, hard to imagine ever topping that!!
As I was selecting photos, I noticed something! A surprising number of airliners showed up, I suppose headed for landing at SeaTac. How many do you count?
https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2020/10/22/a-photo-a-week-challenge-cityscape/
Spirit Lifters-Day 46 of being “grounded” 4/20/20
Impossible to be down today…
Meet our newest family member…long awaited (a couple of years)!
This puppy is very special, bred by Crooked Rooster Farms in Snohomish, WA. He is a Border Collie/Golden Retriever blend, bred for the Collie’s intelligence as well as the temperament of the Retriever. He is already exhibiting both those qualities.
And we think he will probably grow to be more Retriever size (he’s a little CHUNK!) than the Border Collie.
We are all so in love!!!!
Even Loki, the Maine Coon kitten, who has had the run of the upstairs house…until now. He can’t wait to be done with his silly cone so he can romp with the puppy!
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #89: A River Runs Through It
I’m a little behind on some of my favorite “challenges” but this one really got my attention.
I’m more of a Pacific Ocean Beach gal, but have been associated with two amazing rivers in my life time.
First, Old Black Water, the Might Mississippi! I had the privilege of living right next to it, in Natchez, MS for many years. And James grew up there. When I crave an Ocean, he longs for the River.
For years on every visit down South, it was a ritual for these three brothers to make at least one visit to the bluff overlooking their childhood River.
James’s love for his river became apparent to me when we first got back together (at our 40th High School Reunion).
One year we visited right after Her Majesty overflowed her banks…(picture on the right is on the local Golf Course)
And second, thanks to James who found another river to live by, here’s the magnificent Spokane River.
Now we live in a city far from oceans and rivers…unless you count this kind…
😋😋😋
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #89: A River Runs Through It
Weekly Prompt-Valentine’s Day “Special” 2/14/2020
We’ve been challenged to post about something that’s “special” to us….
James, holding a handmade birthday card (big in our family) from his inherited grandson…
I love this face!! The MOST special thing in my life….
WordlessWednesday 1/8/20
WordlessWednesday 12/11/19
Nancy Merrill’s Photo a Week Challenge-7/7/19 theme-Grandparents
Ahh, controversial topic for me.
My Mom’s parents figured prominently in my young life, but pretty much continued their emotional excommunication of my mother, with my sisters and me. So there was no closeness. Mostly disdain.
I never met my “father’s” parents because I never met my biological father.
My Dad’s parents were gone before I was born.
I was close, for a while, with a boyfriend’s step grandmother.
Just not much experience with grandparents. So I became dedicated to being a good one myself!
I am “Dammaw”! Hear me roar!
Disclaimer: I’m responding strongly to this topic, but obviously not with my own photography.
https://nadiamerrillphotography.wordpress.com/2019/07/04/a-photo-a-week-challenge-grandparents/
One Word Sunday-Relax 7-7-19
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge—Eyes 4/30/19
When it comes to Eyes…I only have three choices…all of which I have posted about before. But there you have it. These three sets of eyes figure very prominently in my life!
First, the most eye-connecting cat I’ve ever met, my sweet (recently passed) heart-cat, Zorro. We would commune deeply, through these long, meaningful stares….for 18 years.
I wrote Zorro’s Life Story for Katzenworld here: https://wordpress.com/post/chosenperspectives.com/18061
By no means, in second place, the eyes I have posted the most often are my grandson’s.
This boy surprised us all when he was born.
His mother has these beautiful, mischievous brown eyes.
His Father, gorgeous, penetrating yellow/hazel ones.
And no where in either of their lineages are any blue eyes…except little old ME, so obviously some ego mixed in with my love for his eyes!
Looking into these baby blues for any length of time can get you into serious trouble.
Now, just to make sure the record is straight…the eyes you just looked into above are, in my opinion, beautiful and impactful.
But below are my favorite eyes…the ones I get lost in…for so many years now, the eyes that carry me through every day of my life, the ones where I see the most love reflected right back at me…
