Sometimes an object begs to be photographed for no other reason than to make you smile. This wide-eyed owl necklace was one such object. It was different because the body was made up of segments instead of being a whole piece of metal. It was able to move gently, almost as though it was preparing to fly. And while we usually see owl items with large eyes, these seemed even bigger than normal. They almost looked like a cartoon of a character who’d (no pun intended!) had too much coffee.

This little wide-eyed owl felt like the beginning of the season change. The warm, inviting colors that surrounded this necklace felt like something new. A new day. A new season of life. All begun with a smile because of a simple, wide-eyed owl.

All photographs show snippets of life. They all are moments that have been frozen in time. They show happiness and sorrow, joy and pain. They show the change in life but with bits cut from the center. Photographs are forever silent and still, even as the world races around them.

But be still with a photograph. Wait. It is easy to be transported back in time. It’s possible to hear, smell, feel, and even taste the past. It’s possible to feel the wind bite against skin in the storm. It’s possible the hear the ice crack together like glass preparing to shatter. It’s even possible to smell the approaching snow. Because yes, even snow has a smell. Photographs have tremendous power. For they always are a moment, frozen in time.

Dogs are like small children. You love them to pieces but they can get into so many things and test your patience. They are inquisitive and just want to explore the world around them. They eat things they shouldn’t  and are quite often a bit sneaky about it. When you take them overnight you have to take food, and toys, and bowls, and treats….all the comforts of home. They normally know when they’ve done something wrong and have a very guilty look.

But then there’s the other side. The unconditional love they have. The cuddles they give. The adoring, “you’re my hero” looks. The sense of calm and peace you feel as they sit on your lap at the end of a long day. They remind you to focus on the present and not always worry about the future. Tomorrow will come and with it will come new challenges, new questions, and new explorations.