A bright new super moon heralded the arrival of February. This photo was actually taken the day after the super/blue/blood full moon of January. The quote from ML King Jr, whose day was celebrated last month, encompasses all love, including the romantic kind that’s celebrated this month.

The new year started off with challenges for a lot of people. As the author of the featured quote, Roy Bennett writes, ‘Difficulties and adversities viciously force all their might on us and cause us to fall apart, but they are necessary elements of individual growth and reveal our true potential.’ This inspiring view of Mt Whitney, California’s tallest peak, reminds us to go on, surmounting our challenges and becoming stronger for it.

PhotoGrams can now be purchased! The digital downloads can be printed out as posters, used as a screen saver or as digital cards to email or share on social media. Check them out at https://www.etsy.com/shop/CandidCreationsArt.

Special pricing for custom PhotoGrams. If you’d like your own unique PhotoGram, send me your favorite quote!

Being in nature makes us feel one with the universe. There is an energy in the wild that lifts us up, energizes us. This photograph was taken at the Muir Woods, just north of San Francisco, California. Muir Woods was designated as a National Monument in 1908, and preserved for the thousands of visitors to enjoy its massive redwood trees. The land was named after the famed environmentalist John Muir, who helped establish the National Parks in the US. These are now coming under threat, and we need to be vigilant that these lands remain protected and free from human interference for the generations to come.

Recent weeks have tested humanity with various natural and man-made disasters. The news is spattered with disaster narratives most of the time. But beneath the darkness, there have been reports of heroism and people reaching out to those in need, many a times risking their own lives in the process. We laud these heroes who have risen above the norm, in compassion towards their fellow beings. Pictured here are the beautiful minaret-shaped formations rising out of the Santa Monica mountains.

Spring this year, was bountiful. Dry southern California landscapes came alive with the showers, as in this photo by Lizard Rock in Thousand Oaks. Now we’ve had quakes, floods and fires around the world, yet things have been relatively good. We are still alive, as we read this. Feel the joy!

Standing on the shores of the heavenly Lake Tahoe at over 6,000 ft elevation, all one can think to do is breathe… Breathe in the clear mountain air. And, maybe, complement this experience with some ethereal Pink Floyd music.

The miracle happened just as we had dreamed. Despite the fears, our team of 17 were energized to give it our all and hike the Grand Canyon. It manifested this photograph, taken at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, at the dawn of a memorable Memorial Day. The Colorado river meandering silently between the giant boulders of the canyon made for such a harmonious environment. Just like the harmony in our team where everyone looked out for each other. A Memorial weekend to cherish!

Hope has sprung a group of us into active hiking this past one year. The hope that by this month end, we will have traversed the majestic Grand Canyon from the North Rim to the South Rim, and returned with wonderful memories and a boatload of scenic shots. We have gained so much from hiking – stamina, experiences, deeper friendships, a greater love of nature for all that it offers… If you haven’t gone out into the wild recently, I’d encourage you to do so. It’s rejuvenating at the least. You may even stumble upon this elegant purple milk thistle bloom. Anything’s possible.

As I looked at this photo, taken at the Malibu Creek State Park earlier this year, it felt so peaceful. So reflective. Literally reflective. So much so that the first line,”as above so below” popped into my head. Fortunately a Google search provided the rest of this classic Hermetic quote, that rings so true.

I’m excited for spring! Blooms every which way you turn! With it’s innate creative power, nature is showing us what life is all about. These beautiful orchids in this month’s PhotoGram are sitting on our dining table and greet us each morning. Intricate design at its best.

Presidential words for President’s Day (in the US). California mountains offer a mosaic of colors, and are particularly vibrant this winter with the recent downpours. This PhotoGram features the sandstone rock of the 2,826 high Castro Peak overlooking the Santa Monica mountains.

We spent a couple days of the new year at the Joshua National Park. What a surreal environment that is! The above picture shows just one of its many unique landscapes – over 200 million years old granite boulders piled on top of each other in unique formations. This formation resembles an opening bud – a new beginning, as so succintly put by Meister Eckhart, the 13th century German mystic.

We drove down to Crystal Cove State Park, CA this Thanksgiving. This photogram offers just a glimpse of the beautiful, peaceful cove. The beach is dotted with quaint cottages from as far as the 1930s, and is located just south of Newport Beach. They are managed by the Crystal Cove Alliance and rented out for overnight stays for an experience of the mid-1900s. We hope to try that out soon!

Featuring a quote by Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu and one of the myriad floral species on the island of Kaua’i. It’s a beautiful reminder that most things pass on – thoughts and feelings, days and seasons, even life. Life is transitory, there’s no point holding on.

 

This pretty bloom was captured while walking over the quaint bridges of Bruges, Belgium. It shone brightly, even in the murky waters. The festive fall season has begun, and this is a great opportunity to show your uniqueness, be it in your seasonal decor or in your holiday greetings.