2013

Happy

Nude

Year!

Shine On (3)

"Be yourself.

Above all,

let who you are,

what you believe,

shine through

every sentence

you write,

every piece

you finish."

-John Jakes

this was a fun set to do,
to be creative with
even the blurry pic
has an interesting
quality to it.

Shine On!
and I will too :)

Shine On (2)

 “To shine

and outshine the shining stars,

to take your abilities

to the greatest height,

to sit on top of the world,

you must fortify yourself

with persistence,

the determination

and willingness

to stay in the

same direction

over a long period of time

whatever the cost might be.”

--Ogwo David Emenike, You are a Star

Yeah we all shine on,

like the moon,

and the stars,

and the sun...

-John Lennon

Shine On (1)

sometimes its something as simple as a country song
you hear on the radio that inspires me to try a photo
with a theme... this is one of them.

The song is by Florida Georgia Line and its called Shine On.  






Baby get your shine on!












Turn your party lights on,









Baby get your shine on!








Don't stop girl,

you know I love it

when you get your...

shine on!

No.365

i started this blog
at the suggestion
of someone
special to me....

(which is where the title comes from)

that was over
a year ago,
364 posts ago.
over 1000 photos ago.

i keep going
because of the
many friends
i've made here.

there have been
some days when
i've tempted to
stop.
because
the one person
i was making
pictures for
doesn't look
here
any longer.

Soul

“How we need that security. 

How we need another soul to cling to, 

another body to keep us warm. 

To rest and trust; 

to give your soul in confidence: 

I need this. 

I need someone to pour myself into.”

-Sylvia Plath

Holidays can feel lonely
even when you're surrounded
by others, by family.
The world seems to exist
in couple-mode
and shuns those who aren't
coupled up.
If you let it.
Make your holidays your own
with your own traditions
and don't let the world's views
give less meaning to your own.
Celebrate!
--hugs to each of you from Gal

Simplicity

There's something
really appealing
about the simplicity
of black and white images.
~Joseph Gordon-Levitt

I have always felt a strong pull
to do black and white photos


There's just something
so simple about them
and yet there's a depth
to them, another layer,
if one chooses to look,
as well.

Ornament

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

to all my wonderful friends!

~Gal

Remember
This December,
That love weighs more than gold!
~Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon

If ...

If you were here,
right now,
I would wake you up
with soft caresses
and kisses
to wish you
Merry Christmas!!

Lights ...

 ..... holidays

aren't complete

without a few lights!

Gifts of time and love

are surely

 the basic ingredients

of a truly merry Christmas.

~Peg Bracken

Waiting ...

Waiting for Santa.........

I've been a very good girl.....

I hope Santa brings me 

something good ;)

It isn't Christmas

unless I don my

cute lil Santa skirt

....

snap a few pix

....

and generally

go all out

with some

good food and

a glass of wine

(or three!)

Welcomed

But most of all,
I'm a part of you people
out there who have listened to me ,
you've given me so much warmth,
so much affection,
and so much love.
-Ernie Harwell



Ernie Harwell may have said that first...
but its also true for me.
Thank you, all of you,
for stopping in,
leaving your comments,
and making me feel
welcomed.

lots of traffic here the last few days,
which inspires me to do more.
Thank you.

B&W

Black and white are the colors of photography. 

To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and despair 

to which mankind is forever subjected.  

-Robert Frank

Warmth

When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched,
you begin to discover that it's bottomless,
that it doesn't have any resolution,
that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless.
You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there,
as well as how much space.

Pema Chodron

Light

When an interesting shaft of light

tickles my fancy and my senses

what better way to enjoy

than with a pic or two?


Sadie and I are enjoying
some sunshine
and spaghetti
on this weekend
before Christmas

Whatever your plans are
I hope they're
happy and joyful!

Always love

“On a cloudy night, 

when nothing seems above,

still, there is love. 

Always love. 

For something, from someone. 

It’s never done. Never.”

-Jeb Dickerson

Joy

“Sometimes your joy 

is the source of your smile, 

but sometimes your smile 

can be the source of your joy.”

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Right Moment

Life is always 
a matter
of waiting
for the right moment
to act.
-Paul Coelho
 

Keep Looking

"If you haven't
found it yet,
keep looking. 
Don't settle. 
As with all
matters of the heart,
you'll know
when you find it. 
And, like any
great relationship,
it just gets
better and better
as the years roll on." 
-Steve Jobs

Panties

"A girl should be

two things:

classy

and

fabulous."

-Coco Chanel

Mirror'd 2

 I saw this today

and thought yeah

so true! 

So I shared :)

along with 

some of 

my own 

art ...

Working with
sepia
makes
interesting
pictures

 Life is a mirror 

and will reflect back to the thinker 

what he thinks into it.   

-Ernest Holmes

Mirror'd

“I know that mirrors give us

a false sense of confidence.”

I continued. “The reflection

that we see everyday has

nothing to do with how

others see us.

The glass lies.”

-Rasmenia Massoud, Human Detritus








Just a little sepia play today...
here's hoping your days
are going well
this holiday season!

Jammies

Ever get sick and tired

of being sick and tired?

A quick trip to see my doc

and fill my Rx,

I am now on the mend.

To perk myself up,

I bought some

new jammies.

They're not

overly sexy

but they are

cozy and warm...

just what I needed!

"Wear cute pajamas --

you'll never know who you'll meet 

in your dreams!"

New Bra

Been feeling a little under the weather lately,

so today I decided to wear a new colorful bra

under my plain ol' work clothes. 

eHow.com says "Always wear sexy underwear/lingerie 

under your regular clothes. 

This will make you feel sexy, 

which will in turn cause you to act sexier.

Now, I'm not sure I acted sexier today at work,

but it certainly lifted my spirits just a bit.

So I thought I'd share a quick pic

and lift your spirits as well!

(Sadie the pup looks on and doesn't seem to care one way or the other...)

Home

 “Happiness doesn't lie in conspicuous consumption and the relentless amassing of useless crap. Happiness lies in the person sitting beside you and your ability to talk to them. Happiness is clear-headed human interaction and empathy. Happiness is home. And home is not a house-home is a mythological conceit. It is a state of mind. A place of communion and unconditional love. It is where, when you cross its threshold, you finally feel at peace.”   -Dennis Lahane




Today, I have been doing a lot of pondering.  Three years ago, I was lucky enough, or blessed enough, to purchase my own home.  It's small, only 1056 square feet.  But its my refuge from the rest of the world, a place to rest, to dream.  (and take pictures, of course!)


The holiday seasons are upon us, and nothing we do will stop them from arriving. 
No matter which holidays you celebrate, I hope its a joyous love-filled season!! 

Sweater.5

“...and her dreams that didn't happen, 

that couldn't have happened 

because she'd pinned them 

on somebody 

too broken and unattainable 

to love her back.”
― Janette Rallison, My Double Life

Sweater.4

“A person doesn't know 

true hurt and suffering 

until they've felt the pain 

of falling in love 

with someone 

whose affections 

lie elsewhere.”

― Rose Gordon, Her Imperfect Groom







“I didn't call you because I'm tired of you only wanting me around when you need something.
I'm tired of watching you be in love with someone else -
someone, incidentally, who will never love you back.
Not the way I do.”
― Cassandra Clare, City of Glass
 

Sweater.3

“If you don't receive love 

from the ones who are meant to love you, 

you will never stop looking for it.”

― Robert Goolrick

Sweater.2

“For so long, it was just my secret.

It burned inside me, and I felt like

I was carrying something important,

something that made me who I was

and made me different from

everybody else.

I took it with me everywhere,

and there was never a moment

when I wasn't aware of it.

It was like I was totally awake,

like I could feel every nerve ending

in my body. Sometimes my skin

would almost hurt from the force

of it, that's how strong it was.

Like my whole body was buzzing

or something. I felt almost noble,

like a medieval knight or something,

carrying this secret love around with me.”

-Carolyn Parkhurst, Lost and Found

Sweater

I stepped out into a chilly
morning to check my flowers,
hoping they weren't too cold
in the night air ........

..... Of course

I had to snap

a few pictures

..... for you :)






My series of pix this week are for and about
unrequited love - that love you have for
someone who can't return it back to you.

Think back to high school crushes,
a college friend you loved but never dated.
Me, I fell in love with my best friend.
But it wasn't meant to be.
and it still hurts.

Manicure

My fingernails
are all dressed up
for the Holiday Season!

When my 'girls' were here
for the weekend,
my daughter spoiled me
with a manicure. 

In the winter,
I keep my nails short
for practical working reasons,
but I think they look nice
this way!

Naked beauty

Art can never exist 

without naked beauty displayed.
-William Blake

When you don't have any clothes on, 

its just you, raw, and you can't hide.  

~Padma Lakshmi

 I hope those of you in the US had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.  Mine was very typical because of my work schedule, and untypical because my daughter and granddaughter visited for the weekend.  It was a very interesting weekend, with lots of time to talk, laugh and have some fun .... :)  Many thanks to all of you for the traffic here this weekend!

Thanksgiving

Thank you for taking time to stop in
and peruse my work.
I'll be spending a little time
away from the computer,
with my family,
for the holiday weekend.

Many blessings....
~Gal

More purple

I admit it, I love to read "personality traits" when it comes to something like colors or stars.  I've read things from Astrology to Native American Mythology when it comes to describing personalities.  This one is "if purple is your favorite color..."


"You are very intuitive and quite psychic or at least interested in spiritual growth or the occult - you seek spiritual fulfillment. You look for the meaning of life."

"You are a generous giver, asking for little in return except friendship."

"You dislike being part of the crowd, wishing to stand apart from the mob - you like to be noticed for your individuality. "

"Your deepest need is for emotional security and to create order and perfection in all areas of your life, including your spiritual life."


I confess I didn't post all of them, because I didn't feel the fit was 100% accurate -- are they ever?  hehehe

Hope you had a good weekend :)

Purple Bra

I love purple, and there's just something about a fancy lacy bra to bring out the purple in all of us!  (I posted this whole picture, because I couldn't get a blur like this again if I tried! hehe)

Purple or violet as your favorite color means you are sensitive and compassionate, understanding and supportive, thinking of others before yourself.



You are a gentle and free spirit. Your feelings run deep and you can be quite sensitive to hurtful comments from others, although you would never show it.

 You have a peaceful and tranquil quality

and a quiet dignity about you.

People are drawn to your

charismatic and alluring energy.

You are usually introverted

rather than extroverted.

You are creative
and like to be individual
in most of your endeavors,
 including your dress and
home decoration -
you love the unconventional.

 “I think it pisses God off 

if you walk by the color purple 

in a field somewhere 

and don't notice it.” 

~Alice Walker

Bits 'n Pieces

 

My apologies

for not posting

for a few days - 

caught some kind of 

cold or flu bug. 

 Just going to work

was an effort.

But I am better now :)

The song "All of Me"

by Willie Nelson

was running

through my head 

as I edited

some photos

 (You can

listen here )

...all of me

why not 

take all of me

can't you see

that i'm no good

without you....

so here are 

bits and pieces

of me.