I was hoping to capture a slightly more inspired shot today. But it was a rough day, alternating between happy (finding the perfect Christmas gift for my grandson Sam) and sad (realizing that Christmas will never be the same with Dad gone). I'd gone to The Christmas Shoppe to find a particular ornament and while I was there I kept my eyes open for some Christmas greenery (since I haven't gotten my own out of the attic yet!). Believe it or not, there was plenty of pink, aqua, red, lime green and other assorted colors of the rainbow, but not much in the Christmas green department. So this wreath (which was displayed on the floor of all places!) will have to do for now. Tomorrow I tackle the attic!
well i love it! and your pov! there is always so much to do around Christmas...and i totally can relate about your feelings for missing your Dad..as you know...things will be a bit different this year...good luck in the Attic..maybe you will be blessed to find that special something just for you! :)
@ellimae Thank you Ellen- yes, we share a common sadness this holiday. You will be in my prayers for strength and peace. Actually it won't be so bad getting to the Christmas things this year. I sold a ton of stuff at our church's yard sale, so now there is actually room to move up there!
@digitalrn Thanks Rick- I know you understand this well. I appreciate the encouragement. @chrismarfil Thanks Chris! @kerristephens Thank you Kerri! @pjonas Thank you Patty- it did catch my eye. @maggiemae thanks Maggie. Well, Sam is 2 and he loves trucks. His daddy is a mason so he's familiar with them all and knows their proper names. But there's one truck that he has his own name for- the Up High Truck, aka a cement truck. Today I found one that's just perfect for him. It is not only just the right size for his hands, it also makes truck noises and has a cement rock that tumbles in its cement drum. I just feel bad for my daughter-in-law because she will have to listen to those motor noises all day! @salza Thank you Sally!
Ah, Ann; I am right there with you - every single day is tinged with an element of what it feels like to step through Christmas routines and traditions knowing that my mother is gone. Really nice shot of your prep. . .
@lyno Thank you Lyn. There are several of us going through the holiday for the first time "without..." I may seek out some grief counseling this week. I'm really struggling this time. You will be in prayers as Christmas draws nigh.
Beautiful presentation. Viewed large, especially pretty. The 1st year is always the toughest, Ann....believe me. Just hang in there and cherish the memories. Your dad would want it that way.
This is a lovely shot.
My Dad's birthday was Dec 26th.. the first year without him was unreal. While it never goes away, it is true that time is the best healer. x
With your dad gone, things will be different. How can they not be? it will be bittersweet for you and your family. Remember the reason for the season and let that guide you through.
@alia_801 Thanks Alia! The wreath caught my eye because it had a different kind of Christmas green- more along the lines of Olive green- but it was still cheery enough for the holiday. However, it just looked dull when I transferred it to the computer, so I gave it some vibrance after processing it in the HDR effect on iPiccy. @cimes1 Thank you Carole! The wreath had a really nice swirl to it which I was trying to capture by shooting from the top. Glad you liked it! And thank you for your thoughtfulness. @filsie65 Thank you Phil- I appreciate your kind words! @dmortega Thank you Dorrena. Yes, it will be bittersweet but you're right, how can it not be? I truly appreciate your encouragement.
i recently saw a small church with beautiful glass stained windows all with tinges of green and this just reminded me of that church. this looks just like one of the designs on the windows. great processing, ann. the passing away of your father is so recent so it's understandable how you feel. but you should think in terms of him having wonderful Christmas everyday wherever he is and that he's looking at you and guiding you still. cheer up, that's what he'd want you to do!
Yes...I know that sadness...my dad gone 5 Christmases and my mom will have been gone 2... So so sad. But they would smile at us for still putting up trees, gift shopping, making special meals...they would be sad if we did not. I love the HDR quality to this shot. Fav for me! How did you process it? Ad, prayers are with you as you head into the holiday grieving for your dad. I am sorry...
@summerfield Thank you Vikki! Sometimes you just have to walk through the sorrow and acknowledge it for what it is. We'll be seeing the grandkids and that will be the biggest help of all. His namesake (my grandson Sam) has some of his personality traits making the phrase "love lives on" very real to me. @bkbinthecity Thanks Brian! It won't be too hard. I cleared a lot of stuff out in October and now I can move around up there quite easily. @espyetta Thank you MaryBeth! Yes, I know you understand and I really appreciate all your kind words- and especially the prayers! Thank you so much for the fav! I processed this a couple times (test pictures!) before I decided it would look good in HDR. I did this one in iPiccy using their Advanced HDR effect at full strength. After that I added a touch of vibrance to bring out the sheen on some of the leaves which was lost in the HDR. I finished it off with a mirror frame with a green tint and a border frame, deleting the inner piece and making the outer piece a forest green but very thin. To me the border edge just finishes off the frame. Most of the time I make them so small and try to blend them in so that they're barely noticeable but your eye "feels" it. I have to say that yesterday I wasn't too crazy about this post, but this morning I think I'm liking it a little better. It'll never be one of my top ten, but I do like the colors.
@olivetreeann thank you for all the info...will copy and paste it and try it. I piccy is free, right? And at times, I feel some things need the border or frame to feel right. Good choice here!
@sangwann thank you Dione! @prttblues thank you Bev! @automaticslim thank you Andy! Yes, not the "real" HDR that you do, but a facsimile of it in iPiccy. But I'm glad you liked it. @httpgeffed thanks Colleen- especially for the kind words. @pandorasecho thank you Dixie- I feel the same about mine- thank you for the encouragement.
@la_photographic Thank you Laura. I will get by. There are many people whose friendship and love helps to carry me through. And I know there are others who also have lost a loved one, so I'm not alone. It is a part of life and it's better to go through the emotions rather than stuffing them or ignoring them.
Very vibrant and unusual..... the pov from above is interesting as we usually see these wreaths at eye level straight on a door. My sympathies are with you this Christmas, it is hard to go through such a supposedly happy and joyous season when you are grieving.
December 11th, 2012
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@chrismarfil Thanks Chris!
@kerristephens Thank you Kerri!
@pjonas Thank you Patty- it did catch my eye.
@maggiemae thanks Maggie. Well, Sam is 2 and he loves trucks. His daddy is a mason so he's familiar with them all and knows their proper names. But there's one truck that he has his own name for- the Up High Truck, aka a cement truck. Today I found one that's just perfect for him. It is not only just the right size for his hands, it also makes truck noises and has a cement rock that tumbles in its cement drum. I just feel bad for my daughter-in-law because she will have to listen to those motor noises all day!
@salza Thank you Sally!
My Dad's birthday was Dec 26th.. the first year without him was unreal. While it never goes away, it is true that time is the best healer. x
With your dad gone, things will be different. How can they not be? it will be bittersweet for you and your family. Remember the reason for the season and let that guide you through.
@cimes1 Thank you Carole! The wreath had a really nice swirl to it which I was trying to capture by shooting from the top. Glad you liked it! And thank you for your thoughtfulness.
@filsie65 Thank you Phil- I appreciate your kind words!
@dmortega Thank you Dorrena. Yes, it will be bittersweet but you're right, how can it not be? I truly appreciate your encouragement.
@bkbinthecity Thanks Brian! It won't be too hard. I cleared a lot of stuff out in October and now I can move around up there quite easily.
@espyetta Thank you MaryBeth! Yes, I know you understand and I really appreciate all your kind words- and especially the prayers! Thank you so much for the fav! I processed this a couple times (test pictures!) before I decided it would look good in HDR. I did this one in iPiccy using their Advanced HDR effect at full strength. After that I added a touch of vibrance to bring out the sheen on some of the leaves which was lost in the HDR. I finished it off with a mirror frame with a green tint and a border frame, deleting the inner piece and making the outer piece a forest green but very thin. To me the border edge just finishes off the frame. Most of the time I make them so small and try to blend them in so that they're barely noticeable but your eye "feels" it. I have to say that yesterday I wasn't too crazy about this post, but this morning I think I'm liking it a little better. It'll never be one of my top ten, but I do like the colors.
@prttblues thank you Bev!
@automaticslim thank you Andy! Yes, not the "real" HDR that you do, but a facsimile of it in iPiccy. But I'm glad you liked it.
@httpgeffed thanks Colleen- especially for the kind words.
@pandorasecho thank you Dixie- I feel the same about mine- thank you for the encouragement.