Picture Retirement
retired from work, not life
Lessons From the Sky
I have long been enamored with the sky; its mystery and majesty. From pondering what secrets the universe holds to simply enjoying the gleeful and sometimes moody dance of clouds, I’m a sky watcher.
My hobbies of sky gazing and photography fit nicely into Teri Webster’s Sunday Stills challenge; ‘Sky‘. And, consequently, I have had my head in the clouds more often than usual this week.
Clouds are formed when the sun warms the earth and moisture rises and clusters together, catching bits of dust from the atmosphere along the way. Light and wind play a part as they dance across the sky, forever evolving and changing. Whether you observe them with reverence or curiosity, they always have a story to tell and a lesson to teach.
Lessons From the Sky
The sky is a vast expanse in which to explore dreams, seek inspiration, find clarity and peace.
Storms are inevitable. Our job is to prepare, seek shelter and have patience.
Light always follows darkness.
A heart filled with optimism and gratitude is better prepared to deal with life’s challenges.
An unexamined life reveals very little that is true and honest. Look first at your own reflection.
With each new day dawns a new opportunity to better understand yourself and to improve the quality of your life; be inspired, find peace, acceptance, renewed confidence and joy. There are lessons to be learned when we look from a different perspective. This week I hope you’ll take some to reflect on life and remember to look up.
Shared
This post is shared with Second Wind Leisure Perspective and The Life of B Squares. Please click on their respective sites to read rules for participation and join the fun. All are welcome.
Sky gazing is a simple pleasure that brings great joy, and that is what makes me smile this week. Shared with Trent’s Weekly Smile challenge. Please take a minute to visit Trent’s World and leave your smile.
Suzanne, thanks for this beautiful and inspirational post.
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You are very welcome.
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Great photos. I like the bits of wisdom with them.
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It just seemed fitting to share a bit of calm amidst the chaos of life right now. I was going for soothing, but I will take ‘wise’ any day. Thanks!
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Wow, Suzanne, your skies are spectacular, no wonder you look up more often. I agree that looking to the sky for inspiration and reflection upon ourselves is true. Glad you could join us for Sunday Stills and share your fab photography! And high five for meeting the photo challenge trifecta 😊
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Skies, Perspective and Squares. Go Me!! Also, let’s not forget the Weekly Smile. Next week will be a bit tougher, but I’ll try. Hope you are getting in lots of paddle time.
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Beautiful. Thank you!
Deb
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You are welcome. Have a great week!
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Those are wonderful images. I can’t pick a favorite.
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No need, just enjoy them all!
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Thanks, Suzanne, for sharing your stunning images and nuggets of wisdom. Have a wonderful week!
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You too Natalie. Thanks for stopping by.
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Suzanne,
Awesome pictures. I’ll differ with Dan because I have a favorite…love the storm image. Incredible color. Have a great week. Joe
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My favorite is two below that one. I love how the sky mimics the seafoam. Enjoy your travels.
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Lovely images! We don’t get the weather changes here that you do so, unfortunately, our clouds aren’t as dramatic. I’d love to have the clouds without the storms 🙂
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That makes sense. California has very little moisture, which is essential to cloud formations. Clear blue skies make a nice backdrop for landscapes and flowers, but there is nothing like a nice overcast day to create the perfect light for any situation.
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Hi, Suzanne – Your water and sky photos are absolutely stunning. I may have said this before — that girl has talent!
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Thank you Donna, I appreciate hearing it, no matter how many times you’ve said it before. Enjoy your walk today.
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Beautiful photos and words to think about for sure as we continue to work through a new normal. Stay well.
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Doing my best to keep it together and stay well. Take care.
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Superb post, honoured you’ve connected with squares.
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Thank you Becky for hosting. I love this theme and depending on what the next couple of weeks look like through my lens, I’ll be back.
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Great 🙂
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Beautiful pictures!
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Thank you!
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Beautiful photos. Any one of them would make a great jigsaw puzzle!!
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Thank you Joyce, and thanks for visiting Picture Retirement!
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Phenomenal sky photos, each outstanding!
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Thank You!
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These are fantastic!
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Thank you Lisa.
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What a beautiful post and photos xx…Every morning I open the blinds in my kitchen and gaze up to the sky, somedays its dark and stormy and others there is a beautiful blue poking through the puffy white clouds xx….#MLSTL
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Thank you for visiting and for leaving a comment. It’s funny how the condition of the sky can influence our mood for the whole day.
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These are fantastic. That second one tho. WOW!! Just WOW! #MLSTL
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Thank you so much, and thanks for visiting.
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Oh how I love these skies. I’m a looker-upperer too and love some good cloud action. As always, great images too.
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Thank you so much Jo. Clouds can be pretty amazing.
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Beautiful pictures and I especially appreciated the thoughts expressed. Shared on my FB page. Sometimes because the pictures were water and sky, my eyes were drawn to the water and the sand but wow! Thanks for sharing these. Michele
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Michele, I love the effect clouds have on water. Sometimes it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.
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Yes, I have always loved taht too. I was incredibly lucky to get good pictures of the Cape Cod Canal with clouds above the water when I was home in October, and could not see the screen on my phone. Lucky indeed. Blessings, Michele
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Ha ha, but it is such a nice surprise when you get inside and review your photos isn’t it?
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Hi Suzanne, what beautiful photos and words! Thank you. It reminded me of that mindful metaphor that I love where the mind is compared to the sky … your photos are perfect 😀
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Thank you Anne, I appreciate the compliment. Thanks for visiting Picture Retirement!
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Your photos are lovely. I am always drawn to the sky, and especially the sky over water. Sky gazing always relaxes me. Maybe it is just because I am home more and have time to look up but this summer our clouds and the moon have been amazing.
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Michele, I love the ever-changing Florida skies. I complain about the heat and thunderstorms this time of year, but wow, are they producing some amazing skies.
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Beautiful photos Suzanne (I wouldn’t expect anything else) and I’m a big fan of the clouds reflecting sunsets (I’m never up early enough to see if it applies to sunrises too!) #MLSTL
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Leanne, I love sunrises, but my favorite place to shoot is twenty minutes away by car, and I need to be in position at least twenty minutes ahead of sunrise, so no, I don’t catch many of those either.
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We have been staying up much later than usual on the deck of our island home hopeful to see the elusive neowise comet. I gave up the other night. I was just falling asleep when my husband called me excitedly – but it was only a plane with a beautiful jet stream. Not a comet, but still beautiful. I agree that there is such beauty in our night sky, even if it is only the quality of the light.
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Hi Helen, thanks for visiting Picture Retirement. I love sky-gazing, day or night. Sorry you didn’t see the Comet.
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Such beautiful images. You’ve really captured some magic moments there!
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Hi Deborah, thank you for the compliment and for visiting Picture Retirement. Have a good week!
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Lovely photographs. We live in coastal Ireland and clouds haven’t been our friend this past month of July, supposedly peak summer here in Ireland. Constant cloud cover has meant only glimpses of sunshine, which does not last, and never stays into the evening!! #MLSTL
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Thank you for taking the time to visit Picture Retirement. We visited Ireland a few years ago and were lucky enough to enjoy the most picture-perfect five days. I remember there weren’t a lot of clouds, but the skies were clear and such an amazing blue. Every day, our guide told us how lucky we were.
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I’ve been taking a lot of sky pictures lately. There’s a palm tree outside our apartment that I love taking a picture of to show it against the various ways the sky looks throughout the day.
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Jennifer, palm trees look spectacular against a blue sky. I have a favorite palm tree at our beach where I do the same thing – it always looks different with the changing sky.
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Such lovely photos Suzanne, but more importantly wise words as well! Lovely to see your post for #mlstl
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Thank you Deb.
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Glorious photos of the sky! Mother Nature is always a source of inspiration and peace of mind.
Jude
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Stunning photos Suzanne you are just so talented with your photography. Thank you for sharing at #MLSTL. I love nature and in particular the photo of the red sky and clouds is perfect. Enjoy your weekend. xx
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