I sure am happy to be back with week’s Sunday Stills post. I had a great 1.5-week break while we traveled to Western Washington State to visit the town of Leavenworth and surrounding area.
April’s monthly color challenge features more of a lack of color, namely focusing on the “colors” of diamond and quartz. April’s birthstone is diamond. This image below may jog some ideas.
But First, The Gem of West-Central Washington
Leavenworth, Washington is a Bavarian-inspired town established in the 1960s. Situated at the base of the Cascade Range north of Wenatchee, it is a tourist destination all year-round. As you drive from Spokane on the Eastern side, you will travel through the agricultural city of Wenatchee to get to Leavenworth.
We wasted no time setting up the RV and then walking to the town with the dogs!
After a rainy Monday (spent shopping of course), fresh alpine snow glittered over the town on Tuesday.
Diamonds and Quartz
In Leavenworth, I managed to find many instances of diamond and quartz-colored objects. As we strolled the shops, we stopped in the Kris Kringle store—Christmas all year round! The ornament is clear but has diamond designs on it. I’m sure if it was really filled with clear vodka, it would sparkle even more so! Or someone would.
In nature, I also found the colors of diamond and quartz in addition to the diamond shape. We strolled (rather, held on for dear life) the WINDY shores of Lake Wenatchee a few miles north of Leavenworth. The waves, wind, and snow-capped peaks gave us awe-inspiring views through teary eyes!
A close-up of the quartz pebbles left by the diamond waves.
“See the raindrops on the grass now, just like diamonds lying there…” ~ Summer of My Dreams, Kathy Mattea
In case you missed it, I shared this wildflower plant earlier this week while walking in our neighborhood. Just down our street is a working farm/nursery, complete with transparent greenhouses filled to the brim with the promise of growing flowers and vegetables for sale later this month!
A coating of melting ice on the RV window leaves diamonds in its wake.
A Bit of Nostalgia
“Heading out this morning into the sun, riding on the diamond waves, little darling one…” ~ Dreamboat Annie, Heart
For over 10 years, mid-April was the time my hubby and I would pack up the RV and windsurf gear and head to the Sacramento River Delta to enjoy wonderful weekends on the water. It occurred to me this weekend that in my previous life we would likely be spending Easter weekend setting up our summer-long camp area.
Despite my lack of talent with windsurfing, I really enjoyed the camaraderie and days spent stand-up paddling and kayaking with friends and dogs. You can see in the windsurfing shots the clear sails, wind-whipped spray, and diamond waves.
“And I will call upon Your name
Oceans (Where Feet May Fail), Hillsong
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine.”
I am quite proud of this shot of a fellow windsurfer!
Back Home, It’s Easter!
For many, the beautiful trumpet-shaped white flowers symbolize purity, virtue, innocence, hope, and life—the spiritual essence of Easter.
The translucent quality of this beautiful lily leans towards the milky quartz end of the color challenge.
There are other ways to lift your spirits…with spirits, nicely bundled into clear glass bottles. Cheers!
Photo Challenges this Week
Each week I am inspired by my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I find it fun to incorporate these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.
- Cee’s Flower of the Day
- Dawn’s Spring Festival
- Hammad’s Weekend Sky
- Johnbo’s CellPic Sunday
- Lens-Artists Challenge: Colorful Expressions
- Marsha’s Writers Quotes Wednesday: Religious Holidays
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
Sunday Stills weekly challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
This Week’s Featured Bloggers
Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared their diamond and quartz-colored photos. I add to these all week as new links are posted.
- YOUR NAME HERE
- Always Write
- Between the Lines
- Bushboys World
- Cath’s Camera
- Cats and Tails and Garden Tales
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- The Day After
- Deb’s World
- Easin’ Along Image shared in comments
- Geriatrix FotoGallery
- Graham’s Island
- Hugh’s Views and News Image shared in comments
- Now At Home
- Philosophy Through Photography
- This is Another Story
- Wide Eyed Wonderings
- Woolly Muses
- Working on Exploring
- Zoe Haynes-Smith Photography
Between Easter church services and a family gathering, I will share links in my post as soon as possible and, as always, throughout the week.
For those who celebrate Easter, Happy Easter!
I am super-excited to see how you will interpret April’s color challenge (diamond/quartz).
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