Today's picture features one of my favorite subjects, who also happens to be the hardest to photograph. If anyone has practical tips for photographing pets, I'd love to hear them. Remember I have a cheap-o (but good-o) point and shoot -- so I can't do anything too fancy. Currently, I've had the best results when I turn off my flash and use the "close-up" setting.... when she stays still enough :)
This Sunday morning dawned grey, damp, chilly (I'm from Ohio, guys. I know the difference between chilly & cold :) today it's in the 50's, which constitutes 'chilly'. when it gets down to freezing, and *eeep* below, that's cold! Hehe.) Quintessential Fall. Delicious, quintessential fall :)
A perfect day to heat up tomato soup for lunch, hunker down and light harvest scented candles, and snuggle in with my 'fuzzy babies' and a good book.
Speaking of "harvest scented candles, though, I promised to let you in and show you some of our fall decorations*. (*Sigh. for purposes of full disclosure, I must admit to you that this is currently, in fact, all of our fall decorations. Which is shameful for a self-professed Fall-aholic, right?! No worries, I plan on acquiring a little more throughout the season. ... It's amazing how what seems like the perfect amount of fall for a 2 bedroom apartment hardly makes a dent in a 4 bedroom house ... ah, well :)
So here we go!
(In case you're curious, the framed art says, "A good marriage is like a beautiful tree, standing tall season to season, weathering change, enduring and growing.")
As you can see, our decorations are primarily (until I can get in some fall 'retail therapy'!) focused in two areas: pumpkins & leaves upon our mantle and bright mums on our porch. It may not be much, but these small fall-y beacons warm my heart every time I catch a glimpse of them.
And now, I think I owe you a list~
Good List
1. J. Celebrating 1 year together as a married couple (and then 1 week later, celebrating knowing each other for 8 years) was wonderful. I am so blessed to be married to my best friend, and to be able to experience everyday life and growth with him. I'm looking forward to the rest of our life together.
2. These cooler temperatures Rock.My.World. I love the crisp scent in the air, and I love snuggling under our down comforter at night.
3. Warming my cold hands and lifting my heavy spirits with a day in the kitchen :)
4. Day dreams
5. Really taking the time to notice how beautiful my hometown is, and feeling proud to claim it as my own. (My goal is to take you on a little picture tour sometime in the next few weeks!)
6. Lately, I've been struggling because a lot of the desires of my heart are being met with a resounding "not yet" (which, I'm sure you can agree, is sometimes worse than a "no"... sigh... I will flip this to a good thing, I promise!) Still, even at my most discouraged, my faith gives me hope and courage to press on and step forward. Today I give thanks for a faith and a God who is bigger than my fears and failures.
7. Big, soft blankets. They make our couch so much more welcoming.
8. Quiet times.
9. Role models, and seeing in the incredible people around me traits that I strive to emulate. I know that by simply knowing and observing them, they are helping me to become the woman I am meant to be.
10. "Each day offers us the gift of being a special occasion if we can simply learn that as well as giving, it is blessed to receive with grace and a grateful heart."
~ Sarah Ban Breathnach
Your turn: What tops your 'Good List' this week?
