A Word A Week Challenge – Dawn

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Today I’m participating in the A Word A Week Challenge. This week’s theme is “dawn”. With young kids, I never get to sleep in, so I often have an opportunity to see the dawn, especially in the winter months. I love listening to the sounds of nature at dawn, where the animals start waking up and the birds start chirping.

Here are a few of my favorite photos of dawn. Remember you can click on each photo for a larger view.

A Word A Week Challenge – Dawn in the winter
A Word A Week Challenge – Dawn in the winter

I’m lucky to see the sun rise behind trees and hills every morning. I love the soft glow of this winter sunrise. Such lovely dawn!

A Word A Week Challenge – Dawn in the winter
A Word A Week Challenge – Dawn in the winter

Of course, sometimes dawn wants to show up in all bright colors. What a cheerful entrance!

A Word A Week Challenge – Dawn in San Diego
A Word A Week Challenge – Dawn in San Diego

WordPress weekly photo challenge: Change

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

I’m participating in the WordPress weekly photo challenge and this week’s theme is change. I could pick from so many different types of photos to illustrate this theme. The first thing that actually came to mind was the change of spring and the rebirth of nature around me. But then I remembered this past weekend and my visit to Coronado Beach to see the Pacific Ocean.

I love watching the ocean waves as they come and go. I could sit on the sand and watch them for hours. If you don’t pay close attention, you’ll think the waves all look the same, but they really change a lot from one to the next. They start and break in different places. Each is of a different height. The rolls never seem to appear in the same spot. Though the ocean seems constant, it’s constantly changing. Just like me!

I used my Canon Powershot G1 X for these shots with a polarizer filter and I love how the photos came out. Remember you can click on each photo to see a larger view. Enjoy!

I love watching the waves slowly form…

 WordPress weekly photo challenge: Change - the waves of the Pacific Ocean
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Change – the waves of the Pacific Ocean

Until they reach their highest point…

 WordPress weekly photo challenge: Change - the constant waves of the ocean
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Change – the constant waves of the ocean

And they finally break to form a nice roll.

WordPress weekly photo challenge: Change - the ocean waves
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Change – the ocean waves

Let’s Be Wild Weekly Photo Challenge – Spring

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

I’m participating in the online adventure travel and photography magazine LetsBeWild.com’s Wild Weekly Photo Challenge for bloggers. This week’s Challenge is: Spring.

Spring happens a little differently in San Diego. The early signs of spring come very early, usually by the end of February, and by the time the end of May is here, everything turns yellow and brown from the hot sun rays. As a sign of renewal and rebirth, spring is my favorite season. Here are a few photos of what spring in San Diego looks like to me. Remember you can click on each photo to see a larger image.

I was lucky to be picked as an honorable mention winner for my photo of California poppies for this challenge.

Blue skies and colorful flowers are common in the spring.

Photo of colorful California wildflowers
Photo of colorful California wildflowers

I love the many California poppies we see all over.

California wildflowers - poppies
California wildflowers – poppies

Ramona lilac is a local plant and it features beautiful, but unscented, clusters of small lilac blooms.

Lilac blooms in Ramona, California
Lilac blooms in Ramona, California

California wildflowers grow just about anywhere they can find some water.

California wildflower blooms
California wildflower blooms

This lupine bloom was standing on its own in a local park. I love the color purple that comes with spring.

California lupine at San Diego Mission Trails Regional Park
California lupine at San Diego Mission Trails Regional Park

These pear blossoms start early at San Diego’s Balboa Park, usually by early February. You can view more photos of these ornamental pear blossoms here.

Close-up of the pear blossoms in Balboa Park
Close-up of the pear blossoms in Balboa Park

I took this photo of dew just last week. Dew usually happens before spring starts here. After that, our mornings are too warm. You can view more photos of dew here.

Purple wildflowers with morning dew
Purple wildflowers with morning dew

I featured these flowers in yesterday’s Macro Monday post. Tiny flowers are a great indication of early spring in San Diego.

Close-up of pink flowers
Close-up of pink flowers

Macro Monday: Small pink manuka flowers

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Today I’m taking part in Macro Monday at Lisa’s Chaos. With the good amount of rain we had these past couple of weeks, along with the many work and personal matters I had to handle, I haven’t found many opportunities to grab my camera and snap some new photos. Fortunately, this gives me some time to go back and look at all the photos I’ve taken in the past few months and display them on my website.

Here are a couple of photos of small pink flowers that look very pretty in close-up mode. I believe these are manuka flowers, from New Zealand. Remember you can click on each image for a larger view.

Macro Monday: Small pink flowers
Macro Monday: Small pink flowers

If you live where spring is taking its sweet time to show up, I hope this gives you a little taste of what it will look like when it gets there.

Macro Monday: Close-up of pink flowers
Macro Monday: Close-up of pink flowers

The beauty of the morning dew – Part 1

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

I’d like to start this post by sharing a coupon code with you. Use POTOGOLDSALE today to save 20% off your purchase on my Zazzle store, or any other designer’s store (apparel not included). I believe this offer is valid today only, so hurry!

Yesterday morning I couldn’t help notice the beautiful morning dew as I was walking my kids to school. Unfortunately all I had at the time to capture it was my cell phone camera. Even though a couple of the photos looked pretty, I thought they didn’t do justice to what I was really seeing. So this morning I grabbed my good camera and looked around for some pretty displays of morning dew. I got many good shots and I decided to split them in a few posts, so they can each have the spotlight they deserve.

Remember you can click on each photo below for a larger view.

Morning dew on purple flowers
Morning dew on purple flowers

I love how tiny and numerous the morning dew droplets are, compared to the raindrops that are left after the rain. Sometimes they just seem to glitter with the morning sunlight.

Purple wildflowers with morning dew
Purple wildflowers with morning dew

I don’t know what type of flowers these small purple blooms are but the morning dew seem to turn them into a thing of beauty.

Morning dew in San Diego
Morning dew in San Diego

With afternoon temperatures of 93 degrees yesterday and flowers blooming everywhere, spring is definitely here in San Diego.

Morning dew droplets in the sunlight
Morning dew droplets in the sunlight