September Photo Challenge: Selfie

Oh my. PJ really pushed me completely outside my comfort zone for September’s photo challenge with to prompt of Selfie!

Love them or hate them, the selfie is here to stay. Interesting how people respond to selfies. Some believe it’s an outcome of our increasingly narcissistic society. Others believe it’s simply an offshoot of the self portrait. Is there a difference? Some say yes, as you will read HERE. Selfies are easy to take, so why was this challenge so difficult for me?

First of all, I don’t think I’m very photogenic. Call it self consciousness or whatever, I don’t really like having my photo taken. Like looking in a mirror, I see every flaw and imperfection magnified 100 times. I suppose I’ve succumb to our culture’s ideals. Sad, I know.

Because of my head trash, I tried to approach this month’s challenge a little unconventionally. The first two shots are the only really, true “selfies” I took this month. The first one is unretouched, SOOC. The second is the result of playing with PhotoShop filters. The rest….well, you can decide.

This next one is technically a selfie, but I tried to make it represent an aspect of my personality. Some might call it an un-selfie. It does include my face, so I’m thinking it falls within the parameters. it was a lot harder to achieve this idea than I thought.

Technically, in our culture, a “Selfie” is a photo taken of yourself with some type of digital camera and shared on social media. Since you must know the rules in order to properly break them, I think we should expand the definition and have a Selfie represent an aspect of our individual Self. Some people think of this as an alternative self portrait….without the portrait part. So, these next two shots represent part of my-SELF… without my face! Perfect.

This “Selfie” represents the aspect of my Self that loves to read. My interests cross all genre of the written word. As you can see here, my collection includes high fantasy, apologetics, science/theology and, represented by the open John Grisham book, novels that range from legal thrillers to historical fiction. I own just about every John Grisham book ever written. If there’s not a book or magazine at arm’s reach, I’ve been known to read a cereal box. 🙂 And curling up with a good book is only made better by accompanying it with a beverage.

And speaking of beverages, this photo of my-SELF represents my love of the fruit of the vine. Like books, my tastes span from budget-friendly to stupid-expensive selections. But, mainly they’re always red. Did you know W.I.N.O.S actually means Women In Need Of Sanity? Yep, for sure.

So there’s my five September Selfies. The bonus one below really is not a Selfie, but I was on a roll and had some fun with PhotoShop to share a bit more about my Self. It hope you can get a better sense of what I’m all about with this alternative un-Selfie portrait.

Please take a few minutes and check out the Selfies over at PJ’s. I’m sure most everyone else played by the rules!

 

 

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August Photo Challenge: Summer Fun

I think PJ threw us all a bone this month with his prompt of Summer Fun. The only problem I had this month was whittling down the photos to only five! So what did I do? Well, some would call it cheating. I call it being resourceful.

With Peanut and Twix back from Alabama, we worked on packing in as much summer fun as possible before school began mid-month. I’m always astounded when school begins mid-August. Just doesn’t seem right.

But, anyway, here are the five I chose to share with you for August’s Summer Fun.

Summer Fun #1

Twix turned into a water bug this summer…and is working on her tree-climbing skills. What? Doesn’t every girl climb trees in a skirt?

Summer Fun #2

August began Cabo’s Walk/Heel 101 classes. I’m happy to say at 5 months old he can walk two miles before he is totally distracted. Heeling is more of a challenge, but he’s starting to get it. It’s going to be nice to have a walking buddy again.

Summer Fun #3
You would think after those two-mile walks, Cabo would be exhausted but Noooooooo. He can come home and play like he’s slept all day. Fetching the ball is a favorite any time of day. And, his Golden Retriever roots show every time water is present. Yes, that is HIS baby pool. 🙂

Summer Fun #4

Peanut is a vociferous reader and summer vacation is no exception. She does take a few breaks, but her love of books is only rivaled by her Nana.

Summer Fun #5

If you were in the path of totality, all eyes were on the heavens August 21st for the eclipse. Peanut watched it at school, but Twix, Entrepreneur and I hung out in the backyard to experience the event. I’m not sure how much Twix will remember, but she thought her eclipse mask made from a paper plate with a pair of eclipse glasses taped to it was pretty cool.

August is now ending and pumpkin spice everything is just around the corner. Our weather feels more like late September than late August with cool nights and below-normal temps during the days. Please stop by PJ’s place to enjoy some more summer fun before it’s all gone.

 

Photo Blogging Challenge: Point of View

July is over! Can you even believe half the year is gone already? From my point of view, it’s a bit scary how days seem to drag but weeks and months go by at the speed of light. And speaking of Point of View, that’s PJ’s prompt this month.

In keeping with last month’s post using quotes, I decided to continue that trend for this prompt.

Point of View #1
Nothing’s beautiful from every point of view.
~Horace
I kept these seed pods because I thought I’d do something creative with them in an arrangement…..in my spare time. By themselves, they’re probably not very beautiful from most people’s point of view. But I love the warm, aged color of the pod.

Point of View #2
Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance. ~Charles Lindbergh
Life is messy…especially when we’re in the middle of challenges, crisis and struggles. Sometimes it helps to distance ourselves from the emotion of the moment and see the bigger picture. Sometimes looking at it from that point of view can offer some clarity. It’s like the difference between being in the middle of the lake versus sitting on the bench, looking at the entire landscape.

Point of View #3
There are three sides to every coin (Heads, Tails, and The Edge). Your ability to understand contrasting points of view and your ability to glean what information you believe to be valuable from each side is a crucial skill.
~Robert Kiyosaki
Now, some may look at this and believe it’s just another excuse for sitting on the fence and not making a decision. But, what I’ve learned in 50+ years of living is situations are rarely heads or tails….black or white….rather, they are shades of gray. And, to have the wisdom to discern useful information from contrasting points of view is the secret to compromise and a more peaceful existence.

Point of View #4
From the dog’s point of view, his master is an elongated and abnormally cunning dog.
~Mabel Robinson
Do you ever wonder what goes through a dog’s mind when they look at us? Do they see another strange-looking dog? Or, do they really care what we are as long as what they are looking at plays with them and feeds them? How do they decide whether you’ll be the “alpha dog”….or not!? Cabo is coming along nicely, but I will say he’s a very opinionated puppy!

Point of View #5
A unicorn is just a horse with a point of view.
~Ron Sexsmith
I couldn’t resist this quote! It really makes no sense when you think about it, but it’s a good excuse to use a photo from the point of view of this little filly. I’m sure she wishes she was a unicorn with a horn. Or, maybe this quote refers to having a magical perspective on life?! 🙂

I hope you enjoyed my point of view on PJ’s Point of View prompt. Please visit A “lil HooHaa to see all the other points of view for July.

Photo Blogging Challenge: Different Lens

While PJ’s intent over at A ‘lil Hoohaa  was to use a different camera and/or lens for this month’s challenge…that’s a challenge in itself for me. My beloved Canon SLR died on me a couple of years ago and I replaced it with a smaller, more compact Canon camera (big mistake). So, aside from the camera phone (which has challenges of its own), a different lens is not really an option for me. Soooooo…….

I’ve decided to interpret the challenge in a different way; taking a more esoteric approach to the word, “lens,” which i think fits nicely with my blog’s name, Peripheral Perceptions. So, stay with me and I hope my wanderings will become more clear.

Let’s begin with the word, Paradigm. Everyone has their own lens in which they prefer to view the world. Those lenses, or paradigms, shape how we believe things should work or be done in our version of a perfect world. We all bring knowledge and personal experiences when forming our individual worldview. But, sometimes it’s beneficial for us to look at our worldview through a different lens. In doing so, we just might be able to make a shift away from those ingrained thoughts and expectations. In using a different lens, we experience paradigm shifts that can unmask stagnant thinking and help us look at ourselves and the world in a completely new way.

To further make my point, I’ve chosen five quotes that will, hopefully, help reflect the direction I chose to go this month.

Different Lens #1
Paradigms are like glasses. When you have incomplete paradigms about yourself or life in general, it’s like wearing glasses with the wrong prescription. That lens affects how you see everything else. ~Sean Covey
Entrepreneur is having a major paradigm shift with this recent bout with cancer. The lens in which he views his life has changed…and he would not agree it’s for the better. Looking at life through the lens of brain surgery and chemo pills is affecting how he’s viewing life and how he’s contemplating his future. One thing is for sure, these two little pocket rockets are the best lens correction anyone could ask for!

Different Lens #2
Just one step. Just one mile. Just one dollar. Just one kiss. Just one person. When we look at life through the lens of ‘one,’ everything becomes that much more attainable. ~Mick Ebeling
The paradigm shift mentioned above and the different lens used right now is one of “one day at a time.” The goal being to do one thing each day that makes life feel a bit more normal.

Different Lens #3
You see things through a different lens when you have a child. ~Kevin Nealon
Photographing children forces one to look at life through a different lens and try to capture the feeling of a fleeting moment in time. It’s much more than just point and shoot…and hope something of value wanders into your lens field. And, when you look at life through the lens of a child, everything is a wonder!
  

Different Lens #4
Art is kind of the lens through which I think about God. ~Dan Colen
There are many different forms of art. Drawing, painting, sculpting, photography, mixed media, textile, writing, performing, etc…the list goes on and on. God created the universe and everything in it, We were created, so it follows logic that the need to “create” is ingrained in our DNA, and is a reflection of our Maker. It’s been that way for millions of years. Peanut realized this when we went to a museum of art and archeology where she saw artifacts humankind created dating back to 5500 BC.

Different Lens #5
In life and in politics, it’s helpful to try to perceive the other person through the most generous lens. ~Megyn Kelly
And that, unfortunately, doesn’t happen a lot anymore in our culture; maybe not in any culture. We’re so quick to be judge, jury and executioner for anyone and anything that goes against our opinions. Our current political climate is a perfect example. There is no photo to literally portray this quote, but I hope closing with something beautiful will motivate everyone to try to be kinder and more generous, and choose to look at situations from different perspectives and lenses. Perhaps in doing so, we can let go of our judgmental, critical minds and focus on looking at life through the lens of appreciation and generosity—treating all people with respect, and giving others the benefit of the doubt.

One thing for sure is we all use different lenses interchangeably when looking at life. Paradigm shifts may force us to change lenses, but it’s in the refocusing of our lens that makes all the difference.

Hope you enjoyed my interpretation of PJ’s prompt this month. Now you can visit his page and see the lens in which others viewed this topic.

 

 

Photo Blogging Challenge: Look Up

 

 

 

Here we are again with PJ’s Photo Blogging Challenge. Where do the months go? This month’s prompt was Look Up. Bloggers from all over participate by taking photos with the month’s theme in mind and posting them at the end of the month. I tried to take a little different, less literal approach this time. Enjoy.

#1 Look Up….
Early in the month, our grand-niece was baptized in her Mama’s baptismal gown. You could say we all Looked Up to God for extending his grace to this wee one and sealing her with his covenant.

#2. Look Up….
Our nephew graduated from high school this month and his future is Looking Up.

#3. Look Up….
When you’re a puppy, Looking Up is the norm. This is Cooper, a nephew’s Australian Shepherd pupper looking up from the ground.

#4. Look Up…..
We were told Peanut would receive an award at her end-of-the-year school assembly. As we were sitting through all the awards, listening for her name that was not being called, I began to get a little worried there’d been some sort of mistake. But there was no mistake. Her name was called for the last award, The Glory of Missouri proclamation from the Missouri State House of Representatives. The Glory of Missouri is awarded to 14 students in participating schools, each student representing one of the 14 virtues displayed in the house chamber; Knowledge, Liberty, Equality, Law, Justice, Fraternity, Education, Progress, Honor, Truth, Virtue, Temperance, Enterprise, and Charity. Peanut’s award was for Knowledge. She may be someone to Look Up to in the future!

#5. Look Up….
It was a fun challenge this month and I hope you enjoyed my take on “Look Up.” I’ll leave you with the goldfinches we’ll be Looking Up at in the sky…after they finish emptying the bird feeder.

Be sure to Look Up the other photo challenge entries over at A ‘lil HooHaa.

Photo Blogging Challenge: Color!

Late to PJ’s party over at A ‘lil Hoohaa this month, but better late than never? Especially since the theme is COLOR!

April was a colorful month and the enticing spring flowers, Easter festivities and warmer weather made sure I got out to enjoy all that color….except for the last three days when Mom Nature decided to dump buckets and buckets of water on us. Oh, and today, it’s barely making it out of the 40sF. So it’s April that’s going out like a lion.

Back to more enjoyable thoughts.

Color #1
The oddest thing happened one day at War-Mart. Four very large hanging baskets of violas jumped into my cart. So, I took them home for some early spring color in the planter pots. The lovely lavender and yellow colors were just what I needed that day to make me smile. 🙂

Color #2
Sometimes Twix gets to go to Preschool Open Gym time a local gymnastics gym. It’s always very colorful in a gym with the mats. And…then there’s the splash of pink color hanging on the rope.

Color #3
I featured this earlier this month, but it bears repeating. This colorful display is what greeted Entrepreneur and I when we went to the hospital for his radiation treatments. The sea of cheerful, yellow, daffodils probably brought smiles to many worried patients.

Color #4
Easter is always colorful with egg hunts and baskets. This year, Peanut found a very colorful lollipop in a basket from her great-grandparents.

Color #5
What self-respecting color addict wouldn’t include a photo that personified her bio? As a 96-crayon-box person, I might resemble this remark….um photo. 🙂

Don’t forget to visit PJ’s place to enjoy more colorful month-in-reviews.

Photo Blogging Challenge: Four

PJ, over at A ‘lil HooHaa has been hosting a photo blogging challenge for four years this month. And, in honor of that momentous occasion, this month’s challenge is centered around……you guess it….Four.

I thought this would be a slam dunk this month. But I would have been misinformed. This was a much bigger challenge than I anticipated. On one hand, I’m still dealing with Entrepreneur’s post-brain surgery adjustment. He’s doing well…I’m the one who seems to be struggling.

So, you all will need to give me a little bit of latitude on some of these selections. 🙂

#1 Four
Included in this row of Bradford Pear trees are FOUR trees in full bloom. They lasted all of about four days before a late spring hard freeze turned all those lovely white blossoms brown..

#2 Four
Bridget is one of FOUR kittens that came to live with members of our family 12 years ago. The no-kill shelter nicknamed them the “Irish Kittens” because they found them on or around St. Patrick’s Day. Three are from one litter, the fourth was found somewhere else, but was assimilated in with the others. All four assimilated together nicely into the bed.

#3  Four
My grandfather’s violin (or is it a fiddle?) still has all FOUR strings in tact. Circa early to mid 1900s, I really don’t know its story other than he owned it. Wish I knew more.

#4 Four
Twix has a puzzle with FOUR separate puzzle scenes in one, which may be a little confusing when you’re only three years old. 🙂

#5 Four
Here’s where I need a bit more latitude. Since March is the month to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day, what better way than to look for FOUR-leaf clovers. What? You don’t see any in this shot? Neither do I. But, there may be one hiding in there so I think it should count. 🙂

Bonus FOUR foto!
Twix turned three years old in February. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, she was not able to have her “official” party until this month. So, here is the ONE-YEAR-LESS-THAN-FOUR-year-old birthday girl with FOUR presents. I thought it only fitting to include this since PJ’s photo challenge is celebrating FOUR years old this month.

Whew….Be sure to visit PJ’s place to see how others interpreted the prompt this month.