Blue and purple hydrangeas
Terri Webster Schrandt

Celebrate #Blue with Flowers

Blue and purple hydrangeas

These blue hydrangeas have inspired me to share their loveliness for not only two photo challenges today, but to introduce a daily journal challenge for the month of July.

Journaling in July

Journaling has been a challenge for me most of my adult life. I did keep a journal when I was between 18-20 years old and still have the books. Nowadays I like to think of blogging as a way of keeping a journal, as I share thoughts about photography, fitness, and leisure.

With that said, I am joining other bloggers for Sue’s Journaling in July, with 31 days of journaling prompts to inspire our creative ideas. Each Saturday, you can link up with other bloggers and share your journal prompts. Please visit Sue’s post for more information.

Journaling in July

How Will I Do This?

Each week as I post for Becky B’s Blue Squares in July and my weekly photo challenge Sunday Stills, I intend to share within those posts, the journal prompts that inspired me that week. We can all use some extra inspiration, so for me, combining these challenges into two posts a week sounds like a great way to spend the month of July as I continue to (impatiently) recover from surgery.

This week I share the journal prompts that resonated the most with me.

July 3 What Makes Me Feel Happy

At our ladies retreat in early May, we also had opportunities to journal over that weekend. A similar question “What feeds your soul” had me answer similarly that I love photography and usually take a picture of something when I see it. The hydrangeas pictured above symbolize my happiness as I enjoy a bit of gardening and can see my potted flowers grow and thrive in the warm California sun. Of course, I will shoot the flowers with my phone or camera so I can enjoy looking at them throughout the day, week or month.

July 5 What I Did Today

Since I’ve committed to gardening, the simple act of watering my flowers and plants daily is gratifying while I am staying close to home. The things we do each day needn’t be glamorous or electrifying, and I am rather grateful to have this downtime. But I admit that watering the front and back yards with a hose while walking with crutches is probably the most challenging thing I did all day!

If I had been asked this question this time last year, I would have written that my hubby and I spent the weekend at the Delta playing on the water, on our windsurf- or stand-up paddleboards. I am counting the days to July 26th when my cast comes off!

4th of July Weekend 2018

If you are craving some blogging inspiration, visit Becky and Sue at their links in the post. I’ve also submitted the hydrangeas for Cee’s Flower of the Day photo challenge.

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49 comments

  3. Terri, your hydrangeas are spectacular.
    I like the idea of photo journaling – adds a layer of context that words can’t quite capture. July is going to be a long month with that cast cramping your style but you manage to fill your days with other creative outlets.

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  4. Our hydrangea was a lovely deep pink when we moved in 14 years ago, now it’s deep blue. I enjoy watering the front garden tubs and pots with watering cans from the water butts and dead heading etc – while having a good nose at what’s going on in our road – simple pleasures.

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    • Hi Janet! I had just commented that one of my plants has olive green blooms at the moment. These blue ones are now pink. The one in the pic was a potted plant my daughters gave me for Mother’s Day 4 years ago. When I planted it in the large pot, it has grown very large. Just checked out out blog–looks lovely!

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  8. The blue hydrangeas are gorgeous Terri and what a great way of joining in with two challenges! I love what you say about blogging being like a journal as I use it like that too. Your answers to the prompts tell us about what’s going on with you at the moment and it’s always good to hear what others are thinking. Hope your recovery continues to go well. Thanks for joining in with us.

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  11. I adore blue flowers! I have white hydrangeas which look nice close to the house. I always look for blue flowers when I plant something. I love delphiniums but they are difficult to keep alive here.

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  12. The hydrangea is spectacular! I’ve always loved them, and been terribly good at killing them! Unfortunately..I had a friend growing up that always had the loveliest hydrangeas, and she sometimes gifted me some, that I always accidentally killed. Yours are gorgeous! Blue is my favorite color.

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  18. […] Terri from Secondwindleisure blog has a weekly Sunday Stills photograph prompt. This week the theme is blue. I don’t join in that often as I am not that good at photography but I liked the theme and so this week I am giving it a go. You can join in here: https://secondwindleisure.com/2019/07/05/celebrate-blue-with-flowers/ […]

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  24. Wow! I do not have the words to truly describe the beauty of these flowers. I had a diary which became a journal as a young girl. Unfortunately, my Father disapproved of me writing personal thoughts down about daily life and one day the journal disappeared😢The writing “bug” is still a part of me🙂I enjoy reading the prompts and mentally responding. I enjoy following your journalling. I am sending you good, healing vibes, Terri:) July 26th will come quickly:)

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  25. Those prompts look interesting and inspiring, Terri! I’m glad you’re enjoying your time in the garden during your immobile days. Sitting inside all day would be depressing! Are your hummingbird friends back as well?

    As you might already know, I’ve been keeping a daily diary since I was about fourteen, so every evening since then (almost 30 years!) I spent (a lot of) time, journaling. It’s one of the reasons I barely have time for anything else at night. I still have all the handwritten notebooks and the last four years, I’ve created the diaries in digital form and in English instead of Dutch.

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    • Wow, Liesbet, what a legacy you are leaving for your life! Makes sense that you have collected all those thoughts and data for your memoirs. Dedication for sure. And yes, I’m enjoying the backyard and will be blowing up Instagram with my month of sunflowers!

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