Patients is a Virtue

Sometimes you have to wait for good things to come to you.

The old saying "patients is a virtue" is certainly true. I worked on practicing patients, as I would say to my children, these past two weeks. Sometimes this is not easy to do, especially in a world of almost instant gratification. But as hard as it was to stay still and focused, my patients paid off. I would have missed these great opportunities if I had not taken the time to be still and wait. It is amazing what you will see when you take the time to wait and watch.

Making Time

In a previous post I wrote about balancing our time and taking time to appreciate what is around us. I had to do this very consciously this past week. Both my children began their baseball and softball activities. They are fully enjoying it, however it has been a very challenging schedule for our family. Here are some pictures I took in my own yard.

This last picture I took while we were at one of my children's baseball games. Even then you can take a moment to notice things.

Take a Closer Look

With the spring blossoms in full bloom, you can't help but notice the beautiful sights. We usually notice the blossoms, but how often do we stop to pay attention to the delicate details in them. Here are some photos I took this weekend. The first one is what we usually notice if we were driving by or walking by, the second is what you can really see if you take a closer look. These were all taken in my backyard. I encourage you to take a few minutes in your backyard and look closer at some of the flowers or blossoms in your yard, you might be amazed at what you have you never noticed!

Spring in New Hampshire

Well spring is in full bloom here in New Hampshire. Everywhere we look we can see signs of the season. Personally this is my favorite season, although fall is a close second now that I am an avid photography hobbyist. Something about the spring time, makes me feel rejuvenated and peaceful all at the same time. The sounds, smells, and sights. I did a simple exercise with my children this weekend were I had them sit on our deck and be as still as they could for 5 minutes. I had them use there senses to take in the sights, sounds and smells of spring. I wasn't sure how this was going to go over, but after about a minute the birds returned to the feeder that was very close to where we were sitting. They really enjoyed getting a close up look at some of our feathered friends and were actually continued to observe the birds well over the five minutes.

These leaves caught my eye because they looked so soft almost as if they were covered in velvet.

First Spring Hike

It began to warm up here in southern NH, at least for a short time. My children and I took a quick hike in the woods behind our house. I wasn't sure how much there would actually be to see this early in the season, but we were pleasantly surprised. What was really nice about this hike was that we really had to look to find interesting things. It was exhilarating to finally see things starting to grow.

This rock was interesting. It brought up a conversation of how the plants are growing on the rock. My children had their hypothesis. One thought that the plants were growing all the way through the rock, the other thought they were a type of plant that did not need soil to grow. We investigated a little closer to find out the real answer.

Another great thing about hiking this time of year is that the weather is tolerable, and because the leaves are not on the trees yet, there are a lot of interesting sights that are visible. Some which you maybe wouldn't see if the leaves were fully grown.

We stopped and observed this tree for a short time (as short amount of time as two young children can stand still and quiet) to see if we could see some wildlife poking it's head out of the hole in this tree. Unfortunately we didn't get to see anything this time, but we will be making plenty of visits back.

My children think that the near by owl we have been hearing in the evenings is living in here. We will have to see!

We became real excited when we first saw this bird flying. We thought it could have been an eagle, but when we looked at the picture we realized it was a Turkey Vulture. Not as exciting, but still very impressive in size.

I took this picture because when I saw this seedling next to a fallen tree trunk I thought of the terms "renewal" and "rebuild". Much like this year has been for my family. Nature shows us that things always have a way of balancing out.

Changing Times

I finally have flowers and shrubs budding in my yard to photograph. I never realized how quickly things can change in nature when the conditions are right. One evening I was pointing out the daffodils that were just getting ready to bud to my children, and the next evening when my children went to check on the progress then told me that they had already opened. This realization has really made me focus on what I want to photograph in my yard before it changes, so that I don't miss the opportunity. It also has taught my children and myself to really look at what were are seeing because it may be completely different tomorrow.

Taking the Path Less Traveled

Sometimes it scares me how much today's society is always in a rush. What is life going to be like for my children if we don't learn how to slow down and relax. I feel like people are always pressured for time, stressed about something, over committed, and just unhappy. No wonder why so many Americans have health conditions. I myself can be caught up in the rat race of life. What really helped me learn to slow down and take time to breathe was photography. When I began studying photography, I began to realize how much I was missing and what I was modeling for my children. I have really become aware of how many times I say to my children "Hurry up," or "We don't have time.". I am learning to ask myself "Why don't we have time?" "What would it hurt if we did take the time?". No wonder so many children are being diagnosed with ADHD/ ADD. Look at what they have for models, and how rushed we make them. Of course they don't have long attention spans and are always on the go. We are making them that way! (Besides the fact that the are staying indoors most of their day, but that will be a topic for another post.)

Learning to slow down isn't easy, but once you can it is amazing what a difference it can make in your life. The picture below I took on my way to work one morning. That day I decided to go the back roads to work instead of the highway. I am so glad I did, because look at what I would have missed.