Hmmmm....Ok, I'm addicted to my dog!

I couldn't resist!  Just love taking pictures of Ralph, even if he runs under the bed when he sees the camera coming out... Broccoli is his addiction, and seems to be a good bribe when I ask him to "say broccoli"...  So, I decided to have a it of fun with a couple of pictures this morning.  What do you think?  Healthy addiction?? rescued Ralphie, not the broccoli...  BTW, that's NOT my house!!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

A Belated Merry Christmas!  I had a real nice Christmas morning.  A friend and I drove South towards Miami to photograph whatever we might find along the way that would bring us some joy!  Here's a few photos from one of our many stops!  What fun we had! 

Another stop I was even able to cross off one item from my Bucket List.  You'll have to wait for those photos....Hopefully soon!   Stay warm!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've always had an "Attitude of Gratitude" and, for me, it surely has made a difference!
Whether it be great family, friends, wonderful memories, a nice parttime job
  I have so much to be grateful for...both things I have, and don't have!
-That's a photo of Ralph, aka R, Ralphie, Cutie Pie, puppy, r-phie...
-my rescued doggie-he really dislikes the camera so much! He usually runs under the bed...
Thank you Nancy for getting him for me!
-Have a wonderful Holiday!
          "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
~ William Arthur Ward

What Goes Around, Comes Around....

What a great birthday present I received....Just being in Boston with my daughter Nancy, her husband Kris, and the three girls (Lily, Nina and Abby) was such fun!  I hadn't seen them in quite sometime, so it was really a treat!  Besides a cat, and a hermit crab living with the kids, Nina decided she wanted chickens. So now there are 6 chickens, and an Angora Bunny Rabbit.  Hazelnut resides in a cage in the family room! It was a great visit, too short, but fun.  Taking Lily on a mystery drive with our cameras was fun.  Usually we do a mystery walk with the cameras, but this time she and I snuck off for about an hour to see what we could find and photograph.  My sister and daughter took me for lunch on my birthday.  Just started to eat my lunch... I look up and there's my neighbor of 19 years who I just adore.  Margi drove up from Long Island to spend the day with us!  What a wonderful surprise...I was just thrilled!!!  Margi was 11 when we moved into the house.  Margi started babysitting for the kids and I don't know what I would have done without her!!!  I'd be working and either she or her mom would watch the kids till I got home from work.  Soon after Margi got married she and her hubby and baby Matthew moved back into her mom's house.  My son Andrew was babysitting for her children!  Soo, there you go.  What Goes Around Comes Around.... Thanks Margi for always showing up at the right time.....We all love you!

My Latest Painting ~ Little Cutie Pie Charlotte

Difficult to paint from an image taken with a phone camera, but it surely can be done!

Wow! One of My Photos Was on the Front Page of Etsy Today!

What a surprise when I checked my email today. ~The Brown Barn With Beautiful Clouds~ was featured on the Front Page of Etsy! Here I was at a new temp assignment and I wanted to tell the world, but couldn't!!!! This was a first for me and I wasn't even sure if it was from a treasury someone had included me in or what. My buddies in the POE (Photographer's of Etsy) forum were so supportive as usual! Thanks folks.. I'm sooo excited!

Take Time to Smell The Flowers

~Thank You Collage~
Originally uploaded by pamlefcourt

I've just completed an assignment that allowed me to take the time to smell the flowers....and what beauties they all were!
~For this, I am oh so grateful!

"The more you are thankful for what you have, the more you will have to be thankful for." ~ Zig Ziglar

Click on the photo to take you to my flickr collections http://www.flickr.com/photos/pamlefcourt/collections/

One Never Knows What is Around the Corner!

Awaiting us in Treviso, Italy ~  I was invited to stay with dear friends and neighbors in a farmhouse they rented for ten days.  It was located outside Padova, Italy, an hour from Venice. Each day they'd map out a route with a few towns to explore. What fun we had! Arriving in the town of Treviso, I was so excited to see these plastic statues all over the place! Blue penguins placed in balconies, Pink and Green Bears standing in the street, some waiting patiently to be placed. Pink Dolphins were being strung across the narrow width of the Street throughout the whole block! It was just another great find, especially for me, the obsessed "just one more shot" photographer!

~Later that night there was to be a Fundraiser to benefit a local Children's Hospital in the Street!

~What fun, what marvelous finds with favorite friends!
~What more could I ask for when in Italy...a visit with the Pope...only kidding...I doubt that would happen...
Hmmmmmmmm

There is Another Way! Just Try It...

"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery of a detour" --author unknown

WOW, I so enjoyed seeing this quote earlier today!  I remember watching a wonderful video years ago, and the message was ~ If you travel miles to photograph this great scene and it's not that great rolling, full waterfall, perfect light that you've seen before and expected....just turn around!  By seeing something another way, you just might get an unexpected, beautiful shot!  I was soo impressed with this concept, and thought to myself how many businesses, bosses, and people in general might gain so much from thinking out of the box, that there just might be another way to see or do something.  How simple....There is Another Way!

Shadow Shot Sunday, Every Sunday...

A friend, living in Australia, (who, might I say, has some outrageous photos on Etsy) also has a weekly blog posting. She asks photographers to post their weekly shadow photos... It's called....Shadow Shot Sunday. Every Sunday. Soo, here's the first one of mine I'm going to post on my blog. Hey Harriet...thanks!!!!

A New Beginning...A New Year!

Frustrated, wondering why some of my posts have "lost" their images, I just deleted the posts~~~~and decided to stay away from my blog for awhile.....
Usually when something like this happens I say to myself...Oh well, it just gives me the opportunity to do it again...

And so, once more, I'll try again! Perseverence, patience, gratitude, and now, my word for this year is.....

FOCUS

My Friend Alice....Dr. Alice, that is..

I met this lovely lady 20 years ago. She's always been a modest, caring sole, who seems to never complain. Alice's husband of 30 plus years passed away before I met her. I've met and spent time with her nephews and her niece when they come to visit from out-of-state.

I really didn't know much about Alice. I knew she had been a Doctor with the Health Depatment up North. She seems to keep the fact that she was a doctor to herself now that's she's retired. I knew, but I don't think many others did. Before retiring in 1983, Alice served in various Governmental agencies for 25 plus years. Her last position was the Director of Health in Manchester, CT 1973-1983.

Last November Alice celebrated her 89th birthday. She later asked if I'd take home a stack of birthday cards to reply to. She also asked that I make a holiday card to send out to those on the list she provided. I took notes on each person I would be writing in order to personalize the cards a bit. I came upon one and asked about the relation, friend, family? Alice handed me an article to read..I read it once, then a second time...outloud.

Mind you, I always knew there was something special about Alice and here was a huge piece of the puzzle! I was so touched by the article written by the lady I was replying to, I began to well up with tears.) Here's a bit of the story....

It seems Janice Nichols lost her twin brother to polio at the age of 6. Jan also had polio, but would survive. She has dedicated most of her life to the goal of worldwide polio eradication. Her book Twin Voices tells the story of polio, the disease, and the story of one family’s bout with the killer, in multiple “voices.”
Janice speaks of being fortunate enough to locate the medical resident (Dr. Alice (Jaros) Turek) who signed her 6 yr old twin brother, Frankie’s death certificate. The personal relationship that she and her family has developed since locating and connecting with Alice Turek, has been a joy to all! Janice and her family send the most beautiful floral arrangements on Alice's birthday and holidays!

Upon receiving my thank you card (from Alice)~ one of my photo note cards, with logo on back mentioning I could turn a favorite photo into art~, Janice contacted me and asked if I'd make a "special" painting for Alice last Easter....and so, this is how this painting came about.....!

The other photo shows Alice and I celebrating Alice's combined Thanksgiving & Birthday Dinner in her dining room. She lives a few blocks away from me and whenever I'm driving in that direction, I like to drop in and give her a hug, kiss and a quick back rub!

Sitting and Watching What Might Catch My Eye

I really enjoyed making this photograph at a local hotel. I realized my photoshop skills are a bit better when I added a few things to this image! I hope it makes you giggle a bit...

A Quick Quote for Labor Day

Thanks Naomi for this one~
Let us be of good cheer, remembering that the misfortunes hardest to bear are those that never happen. - James Russel Lowell

Some of my Favorites from Etsy Shops

Spending so much time on Etsy, I find I have a huge collection of favorites and thought I'd show off a few. So many more hidden, and I don't know how to "grab" them to add them to my blog! Also, I sadly found myself deleting some to gather these in order to make a mini! Soooo, these are just a few of my faves!

WOW, I see the photos change as I add more faves on Etsy, so If you were there and are now now, sorry!!!! I can't figure this out!!!! There's got to be a way..Suggestions greatly appreciated... :{Pam

Snowbell Jewelry~Great Shop on Etsy and Blog!

Just finished reading a great blog from a friend I've met on Etsy. She has some great posts that are quite funny..She lives in London and also has recipes on her blog. Here's one pair of earings from her store that I really like, although I do like them all! Check out Snowbell's blog and store
http://snowbelljewelry.blogspot.com/
http://snowbell.etsy.com

Today's Affirmation

"My Future is Glorious" I now live in limitless love, light and joy. All is well in my world.

Thanks Louise Hay

How Exciting!

My Image of the Painted Peony has been featured on Laura Trevey's outstanding Blog.
Go check out her blog and let me know what you think!
http://www.brightboldbeautiful.blogspot.com/

My Singing Heart

When my granddaughter Lily was three, she would call me at my office. Hearing her sweet voice excited me so! Even more so, since she (now 8) and her family live some 800 miles away, and we don't get to see each other that often. While shopping one day, I saw this small chrome heart, picked it up, and each time I would shake it I'd hear this wonderful ringing sound. What went through my mind at that moment was...that's how my heart feels when I hear Lily's voice on the phone! I had to have two of them; one for Lily and one for me. Upon giving one to her, I explained how my heart would "sing" when I hear her voice and how shaking the heart reminded me of that same feeling. We had fun when we'd talk, just a little shake of the heart once and awhile, she'd laugh and say she knew what the noise was! The heart was a real success when she took it to school for show and tell and told the class her Gremmy Pemmy's "Singing Heart" story!

And so, that's how my saying "It Made My Heart Sing" came to be in my life.

...It's all about the excitement!

Telluride Turquoise

I could have spent hours wandering around the town of Telluride, Colorado a few years ago, but my time was limited. When I came across this house, once again, my heart began to "sing". I just love the colors, the flowers, and the white picket fence! I'd love to hear what you think of it... Have a great Weekend, I know I surely will! ~Pam Lefcourt

What a Great Week!

This Week, I sold two photographs on my Etsy Store! Yippee!!!

The Heartland Church happens to be one. This evening I was notified that my Heartland Church photo was featured on this week's POE (Photographers of Etsy) blog post! You can see the weekly blog here:

http://photographersofetsy.blogspot.com/2009/07/wanderings-summer-road-trip-week-4.html . <--Once you click on the link, scroll down until you see the image of the church, click on the church and it will take you directly to my Etsy Store!!!!

**Thank you Michelle for letting me know, and also for your kind words!**

-This church is located just outside Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

-Also, Thank you to the person who bought two prints, "The Heartland Church" and "Telluride Turquoise". ~ Pam Lefcourt

I Just Love ~ Love ~ Love ~ Quotes!!!!!!

And soo...., I think quotes are going to be a big part of my blog!

I love the one I just posted "The Perfect Day". Although, this morning I find myself quite jealous of my photo buddies who are out shooting in Vancouver! I received some images and just wish I were there with them. Along with the outrageous images was an email where one remarked to the other: "I thought I heard Pam and one of her "ooooowweeeeee's" in the lavender fields." (That's my usual sound of excitement, seeing something wonderful through my viewfinder...I just can't help it!!Let's hope I get permission to share some of those images with you. If I do, I'll update you asap. To my friends out there in Vancouver having a ball without me, (boohoo), I do love you, miss you and wish you all "The Most Perfect Day!"

The Perfect Day

"Give yourself the perfect day. Do what makes you happiest. Look upon what gives you joy. Speak to those who warm your heart. Listen to that which lifts your spirit. Surround yourself with sights and sounds and people who give you pleasure. For all the happiness you give to others all year long, give yourself the perfect day." -Unknown Author