Purpose in Life

I'm not sure who wrote this, so I cannot credit the author of the quote. I googled the text and another photo of the same came back with a website: notetoselfphilosophy.com  

Regardless of its origins, it struck a chord in me and I wanted to share it with you. 

A miracle right before Easter

Photo shows smoke rising around the altar in front of the cross inside the Notre Dame Cathedral.

REUTERS

It is this photo of the aftermath of the Notre Dame cathedral fire that stays in my mind. The cross and the altar remained intact, and if that isn't an Easter miracle, I don't know what is. It is a symbol of hope, of life amidst death (of a building), and of resurrection.

God bless the fireman, clergy, lay people and anyone who helped save the artwork and historical treasures that were housed in this cathedral. It was so good to see that the cathedral will be rebuilt, and that donations are pouring in. Another miracle......People do care, they just need to unite around a common cause, one that touches them deeply. This one does, for many people, on many levels--emotional, historical, spiritual and psychological.

End of August garden photos

Some recent photos of the vegetable part of the garden, and of the new perennials purchased for the flower gardens.......

Beautiful Rouge Vif D' Etampes pumpkins (my favorite pumpkin type)

bean plants in the foreground, corn plants behind them 

waiting for the tomatoes to ripen

Physocarpus opulifolius Diable D'Or--beautiful reddish-brown ninebark

Silver ragwort (sølvkrans in Norwegian)

Oxalis--lovely reddish-brown wood sorrel 

Heuchera or alum root

Heuchera

Heuchera

Heuchera 

Astilbe plant--also called false goat's beard

Echinacea--coneflower (solhatt in Norwegian)

Echinacea 

one flower garden

the other flower garden, with two hydrangea plants and a Hebe Wild Romance plant on the lower right side

the sparrows have loved bathing in the bird bath this year, and the bees loved drinking the water

Full moon from early December 2017

Day 6 of the Facebook photo challenge

Photo #6

Day 5 of the Facebook photo challenge

Photo #5

Day 4 of the Facebook photo challenge

Continuing with the black & white photo challenge on Facebook, a challenge that I have been enjoying. It's fun to try to come up with motifs that cannot include people. And difficult to not give an explanation for why I chose the motif I did, or where the photo was taken......

Day 2 of the Facebook photo challenge

The black and white photo challenge on Facebook

I've been challenged by a good friend to post seven B&W photos of my life over the next seven days. No people. No explanation. So here is photo #1 that I posted on Facebook today......

Rays of sunshine on a gray autumn day

Sunset at sea

Also taken from the ferry on our trip back to Oslo from Copenhagen......I love the path the sun makes on the water. Ever since I was a child, I have always wished I could walk on those paths toward the sun. Those thoughts have formed the basis of several poems that I have written over the years.

My photo of the Vikersund ski jumping hill was used on a Polish sports website

http://sportsinwinter.pl/ps-w-vikersund-loty-na-final-raw-air-padnie-rekord-swiata-lista-startowa/

I found out recently that my photo of the Vikersund ski jumping hill was used on a Polish sports website. They even credited the photographer, me, which is not always the case. So I thank them for that and for using the photo. After all, I make my photography public and available for use, and it's a matter of trust--that you trust and hope that the people who use your photos will credit you. I make a special point out of doing so when I refer to or use other's photos.

Every now and then it's nice to see that some of the things you pour your heart and soul into, like my writing and photography, get noticed. Good karma. Thanks, universe!

Cookie man

I made hermit cookies last night (raisin spice cookies) and discovered one cookie on the cooling rack that definitely didn't look like the rest of them! Definitely not planned......but cute.

A favorite photo of my brother

Today is the second anniversary of my brother Ray's death. I was looking through old photos during this past weekend and came across a few of him from November 2005 (he had just turned 45 in August of that year). I had met Ray for lunch in Manhattan; that was something we often did when I came to NY to visit. I would meet him for lunch for a couple of hours as his 'business client', and then we would join the whole family in the evening of the same day or on a separate day. It was always nice to have some alone time with him; we always had some interesting conversations about how he enjoyed being a father to two children, our family, the work world, politics and history. He was an avid history buff and a real font of knowledge when it came to American history. He would have made a good history teacher. This photo is one of my favorites; he was happy and smiling (my mother would have said--look at his dimples) and relaxed. It wasn't often that he had the chance to relax.

On Monday of this week, a woman from our old neighborhood in Tarrytown (Tappan Landing Road), Bridget, passed away from cancer. She was the sweet daughter of the older woman, Philomena, who used to care for my mother in her later years. Just like my brother, Bridget was 54 when she passed away. They died two days and two years apart, but at the same age. I'd like to think that they're both in heaven now, happy and at peace.

Gamle Aker church on a winter's night

I was out walking last evening--a clear night, not bitter cold, and came upon Gamle Aker church which was beautifully lit up. A beacon in the darkness, and there's a lot of darkness now in Oslo. I am looking forward to longer days very soon; 3:15 pm is too early in the day for it to be pitch dark. Gamle Aker church is a very old church, thought to have been built between 1130 and 1160 AD. It's not hard to imagine that perhaps many spirits walk the cemetery grounds and the church, given that the church is so old and that its walls and cemetery grounds hold many stories, some known and some of which will remain untold. You can read more about the church here:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Aker_Church

Happy Halloween

Celebrating the 17th of May

Today is a national holiday here in Norway. As we do each year, we'll go out to eat at Morten's Kro in Gjelleråsen, about a twenty minute drive from the city of Oslo. And then we'll come home. If the weather is still nice (blue skies and sun right now), we'll go down to the garden for a while. Nice to just relax today........

Akerselva river in spring

Blackbird outside my window

Last year I posted a photo of a blackbird outside my office window (http://paulamdeangelis.blogspot.no/2015/01/a-winter-visitor-outside-my-office.html). I managed to get a few shots of a blackbird this year as well; I wonder if it's the same one? I set out bread crumbs in order to attract the birds; sometimes I get magpies, other times bullfinches, but this time I got a blackbird. He's a plump little bird and very cute.

Best Wishes for a Happy 2016

Wishing my readers a very Happy New Year, and including the lyrics to a song that many are familiar with as a New Year's Eve song. Auld Lang Syne was written by Robert Burns in 1788. The lyrics were set to the tune of a traditional folk song. This song is often played/sung on New Year’s Eve, as a way of ushering in the New Year. We remember friends (and family) of old and how much they meant and mean to us. 

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne.

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.