My friend Donna at Wind Kisses is debuting this week as one of the presenters of the Lens-Artists Challenge, one whose thoughtful, lyrical words complement her lovely photos. “Messages” is the challenge she’s chosen, offering us a plethora of possibilities.
Sometimes messages are simply words, words that can be humorous as in these signs I saw recently.
In the natural world, a bright color can be a message that says: “Danger. Stay away,” the same message of the apple in “Snow White”, surface beauty hiding something deadly.
The cliffside at El Morro National Monument, New Mexico is filled with over 2,000 signatures, dates, messages, and petroglyphs carved by ancestral Puebloans, Spanish, and American travelers, allmessages from the past. I visited on a chilly fall day, almost the only person to immerse myself in the carved autographs of the past. It was magical, both historically and in the physical beauty of the park.
If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive. ~Eleonora Duse
The passage of dawn to dusk reminds us to make good use of our time but also to enjoy the beauty along the way. This beauty is one that animates part of my life, a part that brings joy, wonder, a deep thankfulness for God’s goodness and creation.
Messages are often personal. Do these footprints say we’re not alone, that everyone needs someone beside him/her, or something else altogether? The answer is an emphatic “YES.” 🙂
Life can get overwhelming, wearing us down to the bone. Is that the message? Nah! I don’t think so. I think the message is just relax and laugh!
Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man. ~Rabindranath Tagore
What’s the message here? Pure and simple: lovin’ my grandson!
This, that and the other thing 
That smile with the grandson was a great ending to the post and lots of fun in the message and photos here!
Thanks very much, Yvette. 🥰
Wonderful post, Janet 👏 Love the dramatic sunsets 😃
Thanks very much, Jez. 🥰 The one on the left is an Arizona sunrise although it has sunset colors. The sunset is from Baja California.
Great post today. I have always heard that the best part of being a parent is being a grandparent. Love him lots!
My husband says you get all the fun and none of the work. 🙂 We’ll be seeing him again in less than a month and we can’t wait. Thanks for the visit and comment, Cathy.
janet
The macro fungi was the all time best of this post until I melted at the end 🙂
GREAT messages. Love the dawn to dusk!
Thanks, John. I hope you’re enjoying the weekend.
Yes. Thank you.
Great selection of photos and messages! My favorites images are the second sun set and the skeleton in the basket.
so many signs and messages. we just have to keep our eyes and minds open to them. beautiful picture of you and your grandson
Thanks, Beth. He’s ten months old now and in constant motion. We’ll see him in less than a month and we can’t wait. We’re thankful for all the photos and videos our daughter sends!
Lovely Sunday post, and the last photo depicts the best job title ever.
I knew you’d think so and I have to agree. 🙂
Cute grandson Janet. And I love the skeleton!
I spotted the skeleton in the basketball net in front of a beach-side house in California before Halloween. It was certainly an eye-catching and lots of fun.
It seems to me, the creator of that statement has a very strong point against basketball. Great find 👍
Andre, I’m not sure what statement you’re referring to here, although I appreciate the visit and comment.
Putting a skeleton in a basketball basket seems to be a very strong statement
Ah, I get it now. That’s what happens around Halloween in California. Not sure it had anything to do with basketball though. 🙂
Ah, ok. Nevertheless, I like it 🙂
Now I understand your confusion after rechecking your post. When I read it, only that one image was loaded 😮 now I can also see the others
🙂
Your grandson is so cute ❤️
Thanks, Hammad. We certainly think so but then so do all grandparents, right? 🙂
I love the emotion that you brought with this challenge, Janet. Since I am lucky enough to know you in person, it makes this even more meaningful. That you brought spirituality, humor, and love of nature is reflective of your character. The person I know.
I love all of this. I never thought about the 24/24 beer. lol. I love the Snow While analogy and the photo of the mushroom to relate. I love the history in the cliffside. My favorite photo (not counting the one of you with your sweet boy) it the footprints. They tell a story on their own. And while I love your “skies” quote, I loved your words that followed even more. So glad to call you my friend. Very nice post.
I never thought of the 24/24 beer thing either, Donna. But it did make me smile as did the coffee sayings, which I also sent you prior to this post. 🙂
I love the footprints shot, too. Of course it always brings to mind the one with two footprints, then one, saying that’s when Jesus was carrying the walker. Here He’s walking beside as He always does.
Anyway, I’m happy you enjoyed the post and I’m glad to call you friend as well. Friends are such a blessing, especially when they arrive unexpectedly. 🙂
I know. I am glad you saved those. lol. I smiled when you sent them last week. Thinking wonder if those will pop back up. Glad they did. Thank you.
Awww, I was really enjoying your post Janet, then I came to the last image and felt my heart growing just a bit larger! What a marvelous keeper that one is. Love all of your other messages of course but especially the footprints in the sand and your interpretations of it. Terrific post!
Thanks so much, Tina. That little guy is on the go constantly and is almost always happy, a true blessing. The footprints shot was a treasure that I wasn’t expecting but that had to be taken. Glad you liked the post.
A terrific series of messages, especially that last one.
Many thanks for compliment as well as regular visits and comments.
Anyone for basket bones?
Good one, Andrew! I thought this an original take on Halloween skeletons.
👍
Wonderful messages in these lovely shots, Janet! Your grandson is CUTE!! How cool to read all through those petroglyphs and just wonder about the messages. Capturing footprints in the sand is beautiful–that message is “relax and enjoy!”
One of the things that’s cool about El Morro is that there are petroglyphs but most of the signatures and lines are in Spanish, so translate-able. There are also some in English. As for the grandson, we think he’s pretty darn cute too, not that we’re prejudiced or anything. 🙂 Thanks very much, Terri.
Love your message photos! Thank you for sharing your grandson photo, precious!
Thanks, Amy. We like him. 😁
I like the beer/hours of the days message. Deep meaning there. I love the skeleton in the basketball basket. Seems like a good use of both.
The beer message is deep, that’s for sure. 🙂 Glad you liked the messages, Ally. Thanks for the tip about shutting off comments after 30 days. It’s almost completely gotten rid of my spam!!
Love those messages. Knowing me (a bit) you should know that I really dig the first one. 🍻 (O gosh, I really sound like an alkie. Fact is, I drink one beer a week and that’s about it – but I do enjoy that one.)
I’d never seen that saying before and it made me laugh. I like a beer every so often as well. I thought all the messages were lots of fun.
A beautiful post, Janet – fine messages and footprints in the sand. You made positive interpretations for us all the way – love that. The last message is just wonderful – love is great! I hope Tagore is right too.
Thanks, A-C. I hope the post brought you as much joy as yours do me.
It did. ❤️
Nice post Janet! The message for spitters is superb 😂.
Yes, that message made me laugh. No room for saying you didn’t know!!