100 moments of summer (no. 39-70)

"You see, but you do not observe"  ~Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

"You can observe a lot just watching."  ~Yogi Berra

"Look around you...Feel the wind, smell the air. Listen to the birds and watch they sky. Tell me what is happening in the wide world."  ~Nancy Farmer 

One of the things that I love about taking pictures is that I notice things that I normally wouldn't pay attention to.  When I look through the lens I'm more aware of the little things that might otherwise go unseen...and when I slow down to see these things I also take the time to observe how they affect my other senses.  How they smell, or sound, or taste, or feel.

Things like...

the taste of fresh peaches on my cereal in the morning.
listening to the sound of the seagulls and of the waves crashing when I go to the beach.
finding cool shapes and shadows in dune fences on the sand.
looking up and seeing a yellow roof outlined against the bright sky.
looking down and seeing a colorful beach ball rolling by at the pool.
feeling a sense of peace when surrounded by the beauty of the bay.
how much better burgers taste when cooked on the grill.
watching people on the beach...fish,build sand castles,hold hands,fly kites,walk dogs & play.
feeling grateful when doing everyday chores (like laundry or dishes) for a life well lived.
seeing a beautiful butterfly or white heron and thinking about how awesome nature is.
enjoying all the inspiration found on the internet via Pinterest or Instagram.
eating a frozen yogurt (with yummy toppings) outside on a summer night with the kids.
listening to the music of the merry-go-round & remembering all the fun times we had.
watching my daughter pack for sophmore year of college & wondering where the time went.
smelling chlorine & sunscreen and feeling the warm sun on my face when we're at the pool.
counting how many bunnies we see on our evening bike rides
being amazed at how gorgeous a summer sunrise over the ocean is.
spending time watching tv shows together with my family.
hearing the sounds of geese flying overhead.
appreciating the gorgeous summer flowers we see on our evening walk.
going to watch a movie on the beach (Brave)...and getting rained out, but still having fun.
noticing how fast the time goes when you're spending it with a good friend.
seeing a white contrail in the sky and wondering where the plane is going or where it's been.
going to my mom's house for a delicious home cooked meal
taking a nice 15 minute afternoon nap in a rocking  chair on the deck.
going on a trip to city that we all love and seeing familiar sights & visiting favorites places.
finding beauty in old and abandoned things...and wondering about what their story is.
watching Top Ten Plays on ESPN with my son.
hearing the laughter of my kids...best sound in the world.
making pancakes (with chocolate chips) for breakfast with my daughter...so good.
going back to school shopping...and feeling not quite ready for the summer to end.


So very grateful for all of these little things that make summer (and life) special.













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