{sweet}

peace

xn.
xxx1. stillness or silence
xxx2. absence of mental anxiety
xxx3. absence of war
xxx4. harmony between people or groups
xxx5. a treaty marking the end of a war
xxx6. law and order within a state

i woke up today with so very much on my mind. i did not know it, but i would need a sense of peace. after preparing my half coffee/half soy hot drink, i sat down to check my e-mails and visit some blogs.

i stopped by a favorite blog—today is pretty :: a photo blog. i won't deny it—i went there to see if she had posted anything about who won her eight free prints that she posted about in a give-away a week ago. per the give-away requirements, i left a comment saying how much i liked no.3, titled sweet peace. i chose this one, because of the subtle birds in the background and the softness of the photo as a whole. it is so delicate, and it is just what it says—sweet peace. it is one of my favorite of her photos, and i so love the title as well. so imagine how delighted i was to find out i won! i received some peace today—not in the way i expected, but i will take it in any form.

anyone who knows me, knows how much i love birds. i know they are a popular design motif as of the last few years, and i certainly jumped on that bandwagon. but i loved birds even before that. the real thing. actual birds. i like to hear the sounds they make. i enjoy seeing the beautiful colors they display. i love the thought of flight.

so when i discovered "today is pretty" i instantly became a faithful visitor, because much of the photography there is of birds. and so beautifully shot. i would see a photo and think, "my, oh, my. if only i could take pictures like that." i have tried many times to capture birds, but it is difficult with my little camera. to get close enough for a good picture with my low zoom power usually scares the bird away. when i shoot from afar, it is hard to see the bird or birds at all.

so many times, i will be driving, and a flock of birds will take off and fly overhead. every single time, i wish i had my camera ready and that i could get such a perfect shot.

when i was at the river on monday, i attempted to get some flying seagull shots against the sky. i kid you not—i took about six or seven, and in every single one, i just caught only a wing or half the body if i was lucky {like below}. with no view finder on my camera and the glare of the sun, it was difficult to see if i was getting the bird at all. still, i sort of like my half-bird shots. more artsy that way, right? {see me smiling and winking?}

anyway, take a look at some more wonderful bird shots from the photographer at "today is pretty" on her flickr site. a couple favorites of mine—this one and this one. you can also see her bird posts on her blog all together by going to the "categories" button in the right column and clicking on "bird love"—all 122 of them! i'm pretty sure i've found someone who likes birds as much as i do.

thank you, sheri. i can't wait to receive your sweet piece—sweet peace.