Sunday, April 6, 2008

Blog-hopping on a rainy Sunday morning

It's raining here in Maryland this morning and I've decided to put my knee up and on ice. I did a little too much yesterday, and am now paying for it. So it's easy-does-it for me today, but the bright side is that I now have some time to visit my favorite blogs out there. Here's a picture of George and it's the straight-on view I have from my little couch. To my left is the sliding glass door and the paddocks beyond.

Over the course of the weekend, I've had several new visitors to my site and I try to take the time to welcome them all. I do this either as a follow-up in the comment section where they first appeared, or a comment on their site. It is just polite blogging etiquette to acknowledge visitors. I have come across two photography blogs that I am so moved by that I have a burning desire to share them with you. Immediately. I've already added them to my blogroll (see the bar on the left, entitled "Sites I'm Liking Lately").

The first is BITSTOP, is by Karen Chappell, who resides in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. Karen posts a photo-a-day on nature scenes, macro photography, cityscapes, animals, still life, everything. I found her photographs stunning, to say the least. She has a still life of an orange buoy on her post entitled "Harbourfront" that I fell in love with. Its simplicity and use of color were the first things I noticed. I urge you to visit and think you'll be glad you did. There's a whole other world up there in Newfoundland and I feel so lucky to have 'found' Karen.

The second is PARVUM OPUS, by Olivia in Otowa. I can't even put into words how I feel when I look at Olivia's photographs, but will try. The first photo I came across when I opened her site was one entitled "curly tailfeathers". I knew I had found a kindred spirit when I saw that. Then I went onto her flickr site and I was blown away. So I'm warning you, prepare youselves. This is all I will say.

Sometimes I feel like just giving up when I go onto flickr and see the photographs of other photographers. I think, "why bother?" There are so many excellent people out there. But that's just ridiculous. Karen and Olivia are real people who happen to take magnificent photographs. And if I could some day be a fraction of the photographer that both of these women are, then I will be truly blessed. And please, don't comment about my photography and how good you think it is. Honestly, I am NOT fishing for compliments. This is not a post about me. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm inspired and it's a really good feeling.

Know what else is a good feeling? It's Sunday morning and my husband's only day off. It's raining now, but we're on the backside of this front, so maybe the sun will come out for him. And he just put a seasoned rack of pork ribs in the oven to slow cook. I love when he puts things in the oven to slow cook. The smell will be divine pretty soon and simple things like the scent of something cooking . . . well it just makes me happy. And that's a good feeling.

Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone. It's just stopped raining. And the mares and foals are out eating the fresh grass.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh I love new blogs to explore, especially photoblogs! Thanks for sharing! Hope your Sunday is sunny and relaxing!

dlyn said...

Ok - I won't tell you how great your photos are. Cause you said not to. So I won't. But they are.

I do often look at other people's images and pine for the chops to do what they can, but they also inspire me and help me see the possibilities. I may never be able to equal them, but I can always do better than what I have done before and that keeps me moving on. We never get tired of it and that is where the art comes in. :)

Karen said...

Thank you for mentioning my blog and your kind words about my photos. You know the way you described how you feel when you see other photos and think they are better than yours, well that is how I felt when I saw your recent entries of horses and blossoms. They are beautiful photos! I will keep coming back to see your photos.

Country Girl said...

Christine, I really am trying to relax. Honest. And Dlyn, I know what you mean! It's just inspiring. And I love your new lens attachment and what it's doing for you! It's exciting.
Karen, I'm at a loss for words. So what I will say is a simple "Thank You".

~ C.G.

Anonymous said...

Well, that crocus pic was amazing! But I won't say that. 'Cause you said not to.

Loved Bitstop, but she doesn't have her comments open to nonbloggers so I couldn't comment. I hate that.

Thanks for sharing those links. I'm always on the lookout for new photoblogs!

Jo said...

It's raining here today too. Of course, this is Vancouver, so it is either raining, has just rained, or is just about to rain.

I love George! Whatta guy!

Now I'm going to check out the other blogs.

I hope your knee is feeling better soon!

Anonymous said...

Ditto Dlyn and Karen. See, Kate? That is how I feel when I look at your photos!! And you are, by the way, AMAZING. Thank you for continuing to inspire me and opening new doors for me to enter....

Tracey
;)

Debra said...

Oh how nice. A rainy day at home with your husband, and he just put seasoned pork ribs in the oven. Very cozy! I hope you enjoyed it.

Hugs,
Debbie

Karen said...

Kacey, sorry about that but I was getting so many spam comments, some of them not very nice with links to porn sites that I had to limit it to Blogger users.

Country Girl said...

The ribs were great, DebraW. Thanks!

Karen, I'll let Kacey know.

Thanks, Kacey & Tracey. Good to see you again, Josie!

~ C.G.

Mary said...

Well, hell. If I can't say how great your photos are, can I at least say that you are MY inspiration?

I'm off now to explore the links. Don't you love a man who cooks? :)
xoxo,
Mary

olivia said...

Wow, I'm so honoured! Seriously ... thank you so much.

It's funny b/c I feel that way too ... when I find a site that so inspires me that I want to immediately grab my camera and get shooting, I just love that feeling. And to know that one inspires that in others is a great compliment!

You said you didn't want to hear it, but I've been thinking about your wonderful shots of George and the foal and of you sitting by your pond watching the birds, and I have to say that I find that incredibly inspiring ... :)

Country Girl said...

Mary, I am touched. Truly.

And Olivia, glad to hear from you. I'm glad that both you and Karen (above) feel that way. I saw something on a photographer's blog the other day. It was Quiet Life by Donna Boucher (Miz Booshay on Pioneer Woman) and at the end of every post, she writes:

ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER

I love that. We inspire and encourage each other. Isn't that what it's all about?

~ C.G.

Jeannelle said...

Thanks for sharing these two links! Now visiting Newfoundland will be possible!

olivia said...

I love that. We inspire and encourage each other. Isn't that what it's all about?

Yep, it's one of the best parts of this wacky blogging world ... :)

Meg said...

Okay, I never follow directions, in fact I would rather ask for forgiveness than permission, so here it is~ your pictures are absolutely wonderful!!! I LOVE them, keep taking them and be happy that we like them!

iloveyou!

Meg