“Keep your face always toward the sunshine — and shadows will fall behind you.” — Walt Whitman “Don’t depend too much on anyone in this world because even your own shadow leaves you when you are in darkness.” — Ibn Taymiyyah * * * Two pears, one apple. Three shadows. Photo by Mary O’Connor © … More In Shadow
“Mistakes are merely steps up the ladder.” — Paul J. Meyer “It’s not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.” — Vaclav Havel * * * All (but one) Lined Up • Sparrows on steps photo by Jan Logozzo © 2020
“All the secrets of the world worth knowing are hiding in plain sight.” — Robin Sloan “Anyone can hide. Facing up to things, working through them, that’s what makes you strong.” — Sarah Dessen * * * A favorite sight in North American wetlands, the Great White Egret hunts in classic heron fashion, standing immobile … More Hiding
“Love without conversation is impossible.” — Mortimer Adler “I have the deepest affection for intellectual conversations. The ability to just sit and talk. About love, about life, about anything, about everything.” — Anonymous * * * Rescued from a horse barn in Pennsylvania, Squeaky overcame her shyness to become one of the most vocal members … More Conversations
“The beauty of life is in small details, not in big events.” — Jim Jamusch “The most basic way to get someone’s attention is this: Break a pattern.” — Chip Heath and Dan Heath * * * Natural Beauty ~ Female mallard duck’s distinction is found in the details. • Photo by Jan Logozzo © … More Patterns
“The dog lives for the day, the hour, even the moment.” — Robert Falcon Scott “Dance. Smile. Giggle. Marvel. Trust. Hope. Love. Wish. Believe. Most of all, enjoy every moment of the journey, and appreciate where you are at this moment instead of always focusing on how far you have to go.” ― Mandy Hale … More Be Happy
“Among famous traitors of history, one might mention the weather.” — Ilka Chase “Nature has no mercy at all. Nature says, ‘I’m going to snow. If you have on a bikini and no snowshoes, that’s tough. I am going to snow anyway.’” — Maya Angelou * * * Let it snow — Roads still clear, … More Ice Conditions
“Generosity is never out of season.” — Janet Morris “The best gifts come from the heart, not the store.” — Sarah Dessen * * * Store-bought Beauties ~ Cellophane-wrapped tulip bouquets translate into packages of joy. • Photograph by Mary O’Connor © 2019
“Holidays – any holiday – are such a great opportunity to focus on bringing the family together.” — Lidia Bastianich “There is no greater happiness for a man than approaching a door at the end of a day knowing someone on the other side of that door is waiting for the sound of his footsteps.” … More Welcoming
“Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift…” — J. R. R. Tolkien “It’s not real belief if you don’t feel it in your heart. You can’t see Christmas magic, you have to feel it.” — Snowflake, elfontheshelf.com * * * Chippy takes to the skies in his ELF Air plane in … More ELF Air Winner
Life Is Full of Sweet Spots 