Thanks Aunt Jean . . .

Spring is over.

Summer's hot breath is upon us.

Visting Aunt Jean brought a vase

As a gift.

Which inspired me

To rescue a few columbine

From my flower bed.

Some yarrow and verbena

added variety.

Bringing in some beauty

On a hot, windy day.

Goodbye June.

Here comes July.

Thanks Aunt Jeanie!

Photos & text copyright 2010.  Jodene (Jodi) Shaw.

Just when the caterpillar . . .

Dedicated to my "Flying Lessons" friends ~

Sweet Delight of Summer Bubbles

"Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart."  Psalm 37:4

This is my verse for my kids when we are in the midst of sweet delight.

This was one of those times.

Few words are needed

Here.

The pictures tell the story.

Pure fun.

"Watch this!"

Giggles floating on the air.

Alongside the bubbles.

This is how Erin does life . . .

Child number 3.

I often think, "What if everyone just stopped at 2 kids?"

"What would the world be like without the spirited 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, 10th born?"

We need and love and treasure our cautious, go-by-the-rules kids.

But we also need adventurous spirits willing to go

and do where and what others may not.

I had a blast taking these pictures and could not wait to share them!

I hope you enjoyed and found delight!

Photos and text copyright June 2010 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw.

South Dakota Summer~Savoring Seasons

Savoring the Seasons.

Instead of fighting or dreading or resisting.

It takes a conscience shift in the mind to do it.

This season is haying season.

Fortunately this haying season is green.

Others have been brown.

This year:  plump, lush, green windrows.

Alfalfa blooms.

Grass.

The old cliche ~ "Make hay while the sun shines."

Is in full swing here in Meade County.

An old hay cutter overlooks my favorite hayfield.

To the east of my kitchen.

My kids love to sit in the seat.

And play in the old red tool box.

The kids ride along with their dad.

In today's swather.

It's a season of hope.

Hoping for enough rain.

Enough sun.

Enough dew.

Enough time.

Hope.

For rain at the right time.

For sun at the right time.

For dew at the right time.

For enough time at the right time.

For growing.

For cutting.

For curing.

For raking.

For baling.

For stacking.

Hope for the weavels

And the grasshoppers

To not eat everything before getting to that field...or all of them.

Hope for no breakdowns.

Or few breakdowns in equipment

And in spirit.

Or that the part you need for the breakdown will be in.

Hoping that you can get fixed and back in the field.

In the right time.

Hoping that when your spirit breaks down.

You get back up and out again.

Without too much fallout.

Hope for no hail to wipe out a field or the whole place.

Hoping that a storm won't come up in the night

And blow all of the windrows

So that they they have to be pulled out of the barbed wire fence and raked back up.

Or that they didn't blow away completely.

Hope for no tornadoes.

There is beauty to savor.

Here.

On the South Dakota prairie.

Under the summer sun.

It gets to be a long season.

Long hours.

Little sleep.

Solitude.

Lots of time for thoughts.

Weariness.

Monotony.

Savoring the season is a conscious effort.

A choice.  A focus.

At times it does come effortlessly.

But often it is a method of preserving sanity.

It is haying season.

Photos and text Copyright June 2010 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw.

"...hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."  Romans 8:24-25 NKJV

{For me, jodi, my camera is the way to savor the season and preserve my sanity.  I have said before that sometimes my best photographs come at the times that my mind is at it's worst.  But picking up the camera and going out to find some beauty, calms my mind and spirit, and brings me back to God and His creation and even moves me to worship Him and hear from Him.  I don't always see and feel day-to-day what my camera shows.  But it is the camera that is my tool that helps me intentionally find something beautiful to enjoy.  To feast my eyes upon.  And that changes my heart and mind and focus.}

Latest Project based on Ephesians 3:17-19

Ephesians 3:17-19

...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;

that you,

being rooted and grounded

in love,

may be able to comprehend . . .

what is the width and length

and depth and height

to know the love of Christ

which passes knowledge

that you may be filled

with all the fullness

of God.

New King James Version.

Lately the kids and I have been singing "All is Love" from the movie

Where the Wild Things Are.

"L-O-V-E.  It's a mystery.  It's a mystery.  All is love.  Is love."

This is the tune in my head as I work on this project.

Photos and collage art copyright June 2010 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw.

South Dakota Sky

"You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice." Psalm 65:8

South Dakota Summer Sky.

There is nothing like it.

I've been to Hawaii and seen an island sunset.

Nothing like the sunset of South Dakota that stretches across the summer sky.

Shifting from grays, blues and yellows

To orange, pink, lavender, blue with black silhouettes.

Thunderstorms over the praire dwarf the Black Hills in the distance.

Savoring my place in the world.

Soaking it in.

Photos & text copyright June 2010 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw.