Hi Everybody!
Hope you have all well and truly arrived in the new year!
The first day of the year here dawned bright, sunny and very frosty, and I was able to have three wonderful walks before the sun went down and the darkness crept in, with a decorative crescent moon to make it even more beautiful.
These are some of the wonderful transformations which we can witness every day, wherever we are, and transformations is also the theme of Rain's Thursday Art Date this week. It's also time for Elizabeth's 2nd on the 2nd, so I have dug up lots of past pieces which fit both themes. I am also linking to
Paint Party Friday
Paint Party Friday
Light, dark, shadows and colours transform our world day for day:
Education transforms us and helps us develop into knowledgeable and responsible adults:
Gardens transforms themselves from season to season and reward the work we put into them with colour and beauty:
Dragonflies and butterflies are for me remarkable examples of transformation:
Music, frost and beauty transform the world and our souls:
Peace would transform our world to a much better place:
Inventors transformed the world with revolutionary inventions and ideas. One of the greatest was perhaps Leonardo da Vinci:
The wheel transformed lives:
We can transform ourselves with bright accessories:
And my daily coffee transforms me from a bad tempered old goat to a (mostly) rational and thinking being:
And my photos from today's transformations:
My long shadow on the frosty path - with a peep at my boots:
Visiting the llamas at Schloss Kalkum:
In the evening a hazy mist started to rise:
And then the crescent moon came out:
Have a great day, take care,
and thanks a lot for coming by!
I doubt too you are an old goat lol I loved this post very beautiful loved all the quotes-so true. I enjoyed seeing the llamas. Yeah me I started walking today-counted steps to make a mile so I know about what is a mile now here where I live-I would like to work back up to 3 miles again. and I bought a new pedometer-that only counts steps-wanted it simple as could be.
ReplyDeleteHappy second on the 2nd hugs Kathy
Great that you have started on your walking, keep going!
DeleteYour creativity is quite astounding, Valerie, and the narrative to each post is both thoughtful and entertaining. If you are an old goat then I will be very happy to meet many more old goats! And have a coffee with them.
ReplyDeleteThanks David! Coffee unites people - and goats!
DeleteBeautiful artwork in all aspects here, lovely designing and fabulous photos.xx
ReplyDeleteWow Valerie you did a fantastic job with the transformation theme, so many good examples here.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! I look forward to a wonderful year of crafting with you and seeing your gorgeous photos. Love the artwork and the picture with your very long boots :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kelly! Fun how the sun makes us grow!
Deletedas sind wundervolle Bilder, ich liebe sie, sie sind immer was besonderes deine Machart und zum Thema Rain!!! Klasse auch der Mond und die angefangene Nebel der Abendfotos sind so schön und die Lamas.
ReplyDeleteIch wünsche dir einen schönen Tag!
Lieben Gruss Elke
Thanks Laurie! The llamas are so pretty to watch!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post with some inspired views of transformation. It's that time to look and contemplate for sure. I love all the art. It is very beautiful and has made me wish I could stay home in the studio today rather than going back to work. Happy January 2. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteHow in the world are you able to find the time to make such beautiful and breathtaking art and photos and still take long walks and socialize with friends and blog!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are an inspiration for us all.
Big Hugs and Happy 2020🎉
I don't sleep much and I can't sit still!
DeleteValerie,
ReplyDeleteFabulous post! I love how you developed Rain's 'Transformation' theme in various aspects of the word. Your sunrise shots remind me very well how night transforms into day. I love seeing the morning colors strike across the sky to greet me. However today isn't one of those days as clouds hang overhead with the promise of rain developing later in the day. Here's to a marvelous 2020, my friend. Let's transform the world into a beautiful place with our art together, shall we?
That's wonderful goal for this year!
DeleteI love stopping by here. You are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Rue, your words do me good!
DeleteEine schöne Quote! Ich werde sie mir merken. Und Krähen liebe ich sowieso.
ReplyDeleteja. Menschen verstehen oft nicht, dass sie sich selbst zerstören, wenn sie die Natur kaputt machen...
Oh, "danke" Ohrwürme sind angekommen (plural!)
Leonardo hängt hier gleich um die Ecke (er würde das mögen, oder? Er hängt in einem Bilderrahmen).
HMM. Dann muss es aber sehr leckerer Kaffee sein (mein Bruder kann das).
Llamas, ohhh!
Einen schönen Tag die, GlG, IrisEine schöne Quote! Ich werde sie mir merken. Und Krähen liebe ich sowieso.
ja. Menschen verstehen oft nicht, dass sie sich selbst zerstören, wenn sie die Natur kaputt machen...
Oh, "danke" Ohrwürme sind angekommen (plural!)
Leonardo hängt hier gleich um die Ecke (er würde das mögen, oder? Er hängt in einem Bilderrahmen).
HMM. Dann muss es aber sehr leckerer Kaffee sein (mein Bruder kann das).
Llamas, ohhh!
Einen schönen Tag die, GlG, Iris
Hoppala, Blogger spinnt!
ReplyDeleteHeute spinnt die Welt, nicht nur Blogger!
ReplyDeleteLovely photo Valerie, how do you chose which views to take a photo of when there is so much choice of interesting and beautiful scenery. Its a good thing cameras have moved on from yeears ago when we had to use films and get them developed. Digital has for sure changed us all as they are easy to store and look at.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day today.
Yvonne xx
It's sometimes difficult to choose which views to take as there are so many to choose from. So I shoot lots and sort them afterwards on the computer.
DeleteHappy New Year with a new decade here to cheer us on Valerie! I do admire your walking habit. And you have such wonderful walks too. I do think you live in a pretty interesting and beautiful locale!
ReplyDeleteSandy xx
So many examples of what brings transformation. As the year changes to 2020 I think how much time can transform us, and I hope we're transformed for the better as we grow through it. Peace!
ReplyDeleteWe live in hope.
DeleteHi Valerie! :) I LOVE your coffee poem!!! How nice! I feel the same way but with wine! ;) Your post is wonderful, I love all of the transformations, that Moon shot is great! I love the colours, the art and the messages behind each piece. You have me thinking of my garden! :) The Magic of a Frosty Night is my absolute favourite today! The way you decorated that violin for the piece is stunning! I laughed at the "bright accessories" lol! Your photo just before the moon shots with the "tree arms" is so amazing, I love it! So well done, thanks so much for joining in!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI love every piece you've shown. You are so talented and diverse and I really admire that. And then, that moon. Biggest wow!
ReplyDeleteA wonderful post Valerie! It made me smile, especially the coffee poem!
ReplyDeleteYou were lucky to get such a beautiful new year's day, ours was dark and miserable.
Alison xx
Are your boots purple! Very cool.
ReplyDeleteAnd LLAMAS!!!❤️
Where do you live that you get to live among llamas?! Ha ha
I live here! A bit of colour in winter is good for the soul !
ReplyDeleteGorgeous art Valerie and it looks like you had a beautiful day. The moon looks amazing, like you could reach out and touch it xx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. The brightly colored pages reminded me of your gorgeous sunrise/sunset photos of the Rhine.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful art work Valerie and wonderful photos. Love the moon photo.
ReplyDeleteWow, I love your New Year header Valerie!
ReplyDeleteOh such beautiful art. Each and every one of them. Sorry I'm not joining in PPF yet, I can't keep up with the visits to everyone atm.
Its always such a nice feeling to see others' art and yours always has little surprises in it xx
I love the coffee poem and photo - always love a good coffee... yes, it is good to have the first morning one.
So enjoyed seeing your walks, such peaceful moments. Good cheer to you Valerie xx
Morning Valerie, i'd opened this page up last night and saved it till morning to read as I knew it would start my day of perfectly. Like words of wisdom in a daily dairy each with a warm message of truth and honesty what a fabulous start. Love how you mixed this post with art and photography, I say it often but you really do have an eye for capturing the best of everything. Thank you for sharing and a very Happy PPF.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to have you as a blogging friend.. Creative hugs wishing you a super weekend Tracey xx
P.S I do love those long leg shots.. great boots :))
dear have a great day:)
ReplyDeleteHave a great new year!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful series of photos with words ~ favorite is the 'kool dog' one and wonderful recent nature photos ~ ^_^
ReplyDeleteHappy Moments to You,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Thanks Carol. My Scruffy was really cool dog, the best ever!
DeleteLove all of those as always, this place of yours is full of creativity, have a lovely weekend ☺
ReplyDeleteYou may have noticed I didn’t stop by to visit, or I didn’t host my own Second on the 2nd. The reason is quite simple. Wednesday evening, just as I was saying good-bye to my dear friends SC and ND who dropped by to wish me a happy new year, my electricity went out. When I looked outside and saw the neighbors across the street, whose lights NEVER go out when mine do were also out, I knew it wasn’t a blown transformer. My friends decided to stay to see what the problem was. Not more than three or four minutes later, we heard sirens, not just police, but fire, too. We knew it sounded close, so we walked in the direction of the sirens. It was quite dark, but my friends had their cell phone lights to guide them. Two blocks west and one block south we saw that someone in a big truck had hit a light pole so hard, it knocked it over and stretched the wire so hard, the electricity went off in the area on one side, while the other side was draped over someone’s house and was zapping live sparks on the ground in the road.
ReplyDeleteAt first we thought it was a drunk driver, but after the ambulance arrived, we saw the man either had a heart attack or possibly a seizure. As the electric company was arriving, they told the crowd it would be at least a day before we would get our power back. Instead of staying home in the cold and dark, my friend SC, who lives in another town, invited me to her home. I am just now getting home. Even though she has an I-Pad, I don’t know the password that gets me onto blogger (which is stored on my computer only). I’ll be back soon, just want you to know why I wasn’t around to visit and play host. The electricity is on (I’m not sure how long it’s been on), but it’s freezing here. Thanks for understanding, dear friend.
Sounds bad! What a way to start the year!
DeleteHello again Valerie. I am always inspired by your beautiful and original art, your glorious photography and your spirit for living fully. Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteApparently part of my blog post didn't publish. I loved two transformations: the coffee tag, which is just like me, too. If I don't have my coffee, I am a basket case. I need my caffeine to stay sane.
The second was the Peace heart. We need that right now, since Trump has put the U.S. in a no-win situation with his reckless behavior.
Rain's transformation theme tapped into your intellect, sprinkle in your sensibility and emotion and you painted a picture as seen through your eyes of nature, mankind and the symphony we all play together in life. Beautifully done, Valerie and I am impressed with the breadth of your knowledge and understanding. Happy New Year and never stop looking for ways to find peace.
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From the Sol
These are all amazing. The photos are great and I really like your new banner.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant art and photos Valerie! Coffee is one of life's essentials!c
ReplyDeleteChrisx