Scanning the sky…

HIBISCUS
…scanning the gray sky for a sunbeam.
Even in stormy weather it looks up,
seeming intuitively aware that the sun is still there!

When we’re in the midst of stormy times in life,
let us remember that God still reigns –
and let us look upward and seek His face!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For as the waters fill the sea,
the earth will be filled with an awareness
of the glory of the Lord.
Habakkuk 2:14 NLT
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Insta…what??

Instagram!!

Hi, y’all!
I’ve been missing y’all lately!!
Due to the important priorities of “LIFE,”
I haven’t had much time recently to visit my fav’rite blogs…
or to do much blogging myself…

…but I have discovered a quick and easy way
to share some of my photography and especially enjoy the photos of others
through the technology of INSTAGRAM.

Below are a few of my recent entries…

If you aren’t familiar with Instagram,
it’s a photo-sharing application that has been developed for iPhone users.
I understand there’s an Android app in the works, too.
That’s good, because lots of my friends have Android phones!
=)

Playing around with Instagram doesn’t replace the challenge and reward
of taking and editing camera-quality photos.
However, it’s a fun way to capture and share those “Kodak moments”
(or should I say “iPhone moments”)…
and to enjoy such moments captured by other people around the globe.

If you’re an Instagrammer, I’d love to follow you!
Please leave your IG username in a comment below
or look for me @littlethingsoflife –
and make sure you let me know who you are
so I can follow you.

If you don’t have an iPhone or just don’t “do” Instagram,
you can find my photo feed online here:
INK361

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Always remember the beauty of the garden,
for there is peace.
Author Unknown
♦
You will keep in perfect peace
all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Isaiah 26:3 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sunset

I could call this photo collection “Sun on the Run”!
Many of my photos are taken through the car window, while driving down the highway.
Our usual road trips are 8 to 12 hours long,
and if we stopped for every photo-op, we would never get to our destination the same day!

Such is the case with these photos.
We weren’t on a major highway, but we were in heavy traffic –
and there was not an opportunity to pull off the road to focus.

Anyway, the view was very interesting that evening.
It looked as if God were swiping a giant paintbrush back and forth across the sky.
We watched Him paint as we drove along!
The first three photos were taken along the edge of the
Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson, MS.
The others were taken after we got around the “Rez” and back into local traffic.

These pics aren’t as professional as those of some of my fellow bloggers,
but I hope you’ll enjoy!

FYI –
You can speed up the slide show by hovering your mouse over the first photo
and clicking through with the arrows.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

To enjoy some stunning sunset photography, I suggest these from my blogger friends –
WARNING: You may need some UV protection for a few of them!!

Theresa @ Thirdhandart’s Weblog
E.C. @ Enjoy Creating
Dianna @ These Days of Mine
Lissa @ When I Ride
Mayfielder @ Fenland Photos

…and I have to add this sunrise post, also!

TexWisGirl @ The Run-Around-Ranch Report

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thank y’all for stopping by to visit Little Things.
May your life be filled with little blessings, little chuckles,
and little deeds of kindness (both given and received)!
\ \ \    / / /
…and remember to look up every morning and every evening
for a new and unique view of the heavens.
We’ll never see two ‘rises’ or ‘sets’ exactly the same!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sky, Clouds, and Astronauts

Some of my favorite ‘sky’ photos have been taken up above the clouds, looking out the window of an airplane.

I decided I’d post this tonight, in honor of the crew of Atlantis,
the last of our Space Shuttle Fleet to travel into outer space.
Their views of Earth and deep space are much more spectacular than any little thing I can share,
but perhaps some of the thoughts expressed here would also apply to their experiences in outer space. 

 I thank you God for this most amazing day…
for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.
e.e. cummings

There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.
G.K. Chesterson

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Psalm 19:1

I never get tired of the blue sky.
Vincent van Gogh

The sky is the daily bread of the eyes.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is what the LORD says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool…”
Isaiah 66:1a

Once you have flown, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards,
for there you have been, and there you long to return.
Leonardo da Vinci

I would think that the astronauts, in particular, once they have flown into outer space,
walk the earth longing to return skyward.

My thoughts tonight are with the crew of four making this final, historic Space Shuttle voyage.
I pray they have a successful mission and a safe return home.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Atlantis has left the building!

Atlantis has left the launch pad!!

GODSPEED, CREW OF ATLANTIS!!!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Sky

This is a repeat of a previous post…

Dinner at Cock of the Walk Restaurant,
The Ross Barnett Reservoir (known locally as ‘The Rez’),
Ridgeland, Mississippi…

Hope you enjoy what we saw of the summer sky that evening! 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Storm clouds brewing across The Rez
as we drive to the restaurant…

 

 

 

 

Ducks at Cock of the Walk…

 

 

 

 

 Sailboats returned to safe harbor…No breeze for the flag…Calm before the storm…

 

 

 

 

Ducks still don’t appear to be bothered…

 

 

 

 

 Our table is ready — Let’s go eat!! 

 

 

 

 

Rain’s on the way!

 

 

 

 

 Enjoyed our catfish, slaw, cornbread, and iced tea – Made it back to the car just in time!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Morning

We live in a very wooded area, so most of my sunrise photos look something like this:

To see some really spectacular morning photos, you might want to check out my friend Craig’s website over at PBase.  He has two albums of “Rises and Sets,” but his real specialty is wildflowers — so make sure you take a look at them, too!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

MAY YOU EXPERIENCE THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
IN A FRESH, NEW WAY EACH MORNING!

Ross Barnett Reservoir

 

Storm clouds brewing across The Rez…

 

 

 

 

Ducks at Cock of the Walk…

 

 

 

 

 Sailboats back in the harbor…No breeze for the flag…Calm before the storm…

 

 

 

 

Ducks still don’t appear to be bothered…

 

 

 

 

 Our table is ready — Let’s go eat!! 

 

 

 

 

Rain’s on the way!

 

 

 

 

 Enjoyed our catfish, slaw, cornbread, and iced tea – Made it back to the car just in time!