Astrantia Flower -- Can It Possibly Be Two Years?

When I signed up for blipfoto, I chose the quote, "Every Day Is a Holiday" after a saying my grandfather had...it always impressed me to look for the fun in everyday and to really embrace living each day. For my blipname, I chose "Musings", as it seemed to be what I would be capturing each day---I had no idea how perfect both of these would be.

At first I struggled with both the idea of a daily photo, and especially the accompanying blog. My very first entries were "collages" of photos which to me was more of an artistic adventure, but slowly I found those things that interested me. Subscribing to other journals gave me an insight into what made a great photo, and when I saw those things that appealed to me, I would try them myself. First it was wildlife photos thanks to blipper "Outdoorguy" and flowers, thanks to my sister-in-law,
"Senior Moments".

Later it would be moon shots, birds in flight, reflection shots, and more. My writing skills would improve too...reading so many inspirational journals such as "Kendall Is Here"
and "Dbifulco" gave me more and more ideas to write about. I cannot mention even half of those who have changed my life for the better...but you all know who you are:)

For me this journey has been more than photos and blogging...it has truly "saved my life". You see, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease about 3 years ago. One of the symptoms of the disease is muscle cramping, stiffness, and problems with balance. To meet this head on you must be active and gets lots of exercise, and use your brain...so Blipfoto helped me to get active again...to get outdoors daily. I discovered so many trails and wildlife spots in my neighborhood in NW Portland that I didn't know about. Blipfoto is a motivator...it drags you out on a rainyday (how fun is that?), it opens your eyes to new experiences, it creates a safe environment in which experiment with new photography skills and get helpful feedback, and it records your daily memories. Such a simple idea...but so powerful!

We live in a beautiful spot on a pond, and what I always thought were just boring "Mallard Ducks" turned out to be a huge variety of waterfowl. What a surprise to find out how "blind" I had been to life. I now love sitting at the window on rainy days and watching a multitude of birds fly into our bird feeders. I will never forget the day when the "Cooper's Hawk" visited and I captured it through the window". I called it "All Dressed Up With Nowhere To Go"...that Cooper's Hawk was a hit and my blip friends gave me so many hearts...I was hooked! I also remember vividly getting my first "birds in flight" photos, and my first moon shot. Then in Maui I captured the Moon eclipse and some of the rarest birds near the Volcano. When I think of the daily excitement of finding my "blip", I'm so thankful that I found this venue. It has changed how I see the world...clouds, reflections, wildlife, vistas...I see photos wherever I go...what a gift!!

But blipfoto is more than just a daily photo...it's a group of friends. We subscribe to each other's journals and share moments in time. We make lifelong friends...such as "NannaK" who has a house on "Parker Island" in the Gulf Islands of Canada. Since we have a boat where we love to spend time, we have visited her island and shared many fun moments. We have "blipmeets" such as "The Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival" where we get to meet other blippers in our area, and share tips and take photos together. And we share daily through our photos and blogs, moments in our lives...the good moments and the sad. In today's busy world, these moments, where we connect, are precious. Can it possibly be two years of blipping??? These are two years I would not trade for anything:)))