Arrowleaf Balsamroot wild sunflower
Terri Webster Schrandt

Sunday Stills: #Emerging from…?

Now that the pandemic is hopefully behind us in the rear-view mirror and restrictions have lifted for the most part, do you feel like you have finally emerged from some alien cocoon? Like this image of a molting dragonfly nymph emerging into its adult body… ?

Dragonfly nymph sheds into adulthood
Molting Dragonfly Emerges

I know I do and I am grateful that we can travel more without fear (but still be smart and careful), freely visit our loved ones, and simply be free to roam the Earth.

Last year, as we moved into our new home in March 2021, and while I was (im)patiently waiting for decent internet service, Marsha of Always Write graciously guest-hosted Sunday Stills for three weeks. Because I missed this theme, I wanted to explore this wonderful theme again, so perfect for spring and fall depending on your hemisphere of choice.

Spring Flowers are Here

Last week I shared various images of fabulous florals, many emerging from bud to bloom. As I also described last week, spring had a slow start, at least it has in the mountains, and many bloggers who participated in the challenge described a similar story.

Has spring finally sprung? Driving through a nearby parking lot tells me… YES!

Ornamental plums bloom!

I always love capturing flowers as they emerge from their buds. Below is the noxious weed (not my description), the Arrowleaf Balsamroot, or wild sunflower that grows beneath the pines. Stay tuned as I bore you share them in all their glory over the next few weeks.

Arrowleaf Balsamroot wild sunflower
Arrowleaf flower emerges

“The madness of spring is so enticing. I love it when things are opening up and emerging from the ground.” ~ Ross Gay

But there is more to “emerging” than just flowers.

Spring is Literally in the Air

Spring skies in Eastern Washington are wild, weird, and wonderful. But don’t let them open their maw and eat you!

Spring storm cloud
Emerging mouth?

A recent storm from February.

Winter Storm set in
Emerging late winter storm

What Else Emerges?

I do…from a slot canyon in the Valley of Fire (State Park) near Las Vegas, Nevada (in 2019)! Going into the short “narrows” as it is called, then out!

Entering the Narrows of Valley of Fire
Entering the Narrows of Valley of Fire
Slot Canyon Hike
Almost Antelope Canyon
Red Rock Cliffs
Emerging from the Narrows

In February, I mentioned I’m working on a “pet project,” a large totem pole that I purchased. I began painting this week now that our spring weather is warming some.

Totem Pole CLoseup Eagle face
Close-up View
Totem Pole Project
An eagle emerges from my totem pole project

A bald eagle is beginning to emerge as I add the white paint to his head. I started on the brown for his body and the bear’s body below. Next, I will add the yellow paint for the eagle’s beak and claws, with the eyes being a light yellow like Wayne’s eagle shown below. I still have a lot to do and I’m carefully choosing the colors.

Tofino Bay's The Daredevil Bald Eagle
Close-up of The Daredevil used with permission by Tofino Photography

Not-So-Emerging Author Toni Pike’s New Book

Fellow blogger and established author, Toni Pike, asked me to read her recently published book Linda’s Midlife Crisis available here.

“Linda’s character is authentic, and I believe any midlife woman (or man) reading this can relate easily to her situation. This is an easy-to-read novel detailing the ups and downs of midlife that ends with satisfying outcomes and with Linda getting her heart’s desires.”

My Goodreads and Amazon Review

Here is a brief snippet borrowed from Toni’s book description:

Pike Linda's Midlife Crisis

“Meet Linda Lockwood: fifty, fat, frumpy, and bullied by her horrible husband Ron and the vile students and principal at the school where she teaches English. But her life is about to undergo a total transformation. With her own determination and the help of friends and family, she starts to turn her life around. Her own success might be the best revenge, but life still has some more surprises for Linda.”

Pike deftly weaves a tale of one woman emerging from sadness and insecurity into a life full of joy, new experiences, and self-love. Toni writes a variety of entertaining books and I highly recommend them to you if you haven’t yet made her acquaintance!

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.

Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders

A huge thank-you to everyone who linked their fabulous florals to Sunday Stills this past week. With over 35 links, I see how much we all love our flowers! As you emerge into spring or fall, enjoy it with gusto!

  • 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 posts on the theme of emerging. I edit these all week as new links are added.

I look forward to your “emerging” posts and encourage you to be creative with images, stories, poetry, and music if you wish. Come back next week as we dive into May’s color challenge teal and aqua.

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144 comments

  4. Well Terri – you definitely covered lots of ground on this one!!! I’m sorry but once you put that totem pole in my attention was on it 100% !! Wow, what an amazing project – fabulous!!! And BTW, as you might imagine, spring has DEFINITELY sprung in my area of the woods LOL.

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    • Oh, I’m glad you like the totem pole, Tina! I have some google images of native totems and how they are painted. I hope I don’t obsess too much and just go with my artistic gut on paint colors. It was so nice of Wayne to share that eagle close-up–it really helps. He has bear pics too! I’m glad spring has emerged in your area–enjoy the wonderful outdoors!

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  5. Wow! I love that eagle. I look forward to your sharing the final image. Cool macro shots of the flower and dragonfly.
    I am most impressed with those sky images, however, especially the blue sky and clouds.

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    • Thank you, John! This week will be productive as the temps are conducive for painting. I took that dragonfly pic a few years ago with my cell phone and my Lumix. It was so amazing that it fluttered to the spot right behind me where I was sitting on the beach at the delta. Our spring skies are bizarre–do you get this kind of stormy skies in South Dakota?

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      • We do… but not often that dramatic. Usually more overcast. (oh, and it’s North Dakota where I live, though I’m but an hour or so from the South Dakota border. >grin<)

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      • Indeed… it’s really been rainy in North Dakota this year, either rain or snow (or both) almost every day since we got back to Fargo in early April.
        On the bright side, the farmers here are happy that our spring drought string has been broken.

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  12. Hi Terri, I love all your emerging images – what a glorious time of year, and it was amazing to see the canyon in the Valley of Fire and your wonderful totem project. I can’t wait to see it! Thank you so much for including Linda’s Midlife Crisis and your fantastic review – I’m over the moon that you found it so relevant to the theme of emerging. I’ll reblog in a couple of days. Have a wonderful week. Toni x

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  17. Beautiful photos of emerging, Terri. And I love those dramatic skies. Spring is a wonderful time for creative projects and it will be fun to see how your totem “emerges.” And I have Toni’s book, which I can’t wait to read. Have a beautiful week!

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  18. Terri,
    We have a lot of things emerging in Tennessee right now, but the Rhododendrons have taken the prize. I love the colors and they can brighten up a hiking trail like nothing else. Love your Totem Pole–can’t wait to see it finished. Have a great week! Joe

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  25. Terri, you have outdone yourself with your emerging photos! The dragonfly, the wild sunflowers, those clouds and then your totem – how amazing are you?? I also read Toni’s book and agree with your review, it was such a good story with characters I could relate to – and clever of you to use it in your ’emerging’ post 🙂
    I had fun sharing the emerging sculpture trail in our area and didn’t even give a thought to emerging from Covid. Great post again!
    Mine is here: https://debs-world.com/2022/05/01/the-emerging-snowy-valleys-sculpture-trail-sundaystills/

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  26. What a fabulous assortment of pictures you have for us this week, Terri! The dragonfly and arrowleaf flower emerging are super! The cloud was pretty cool too as long as it didn’t swallow you up! 🙂 I too am thankful we are finally emerging from a long 2 years of pandemic!

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  31. I loved this post on emerging, Terri. You even snuck in a book review, which looks like a lot of fun to read. Everyone loves a person that goes from being self-deprecating and in an abusive situation to being self-confident and headed toward a great new life. I have some amazing new photos from my trip for this theme. This is so inspiring. 🙂 Have a great week. Thanks for the mention, BTW

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  35. Reblogged this on Toni Pike and commented:
    I’m over the moon to have Linda’s Midlife Crisis mentioned in a wonderful article on Second Wind Leisure Perspectives today. Many thanks to the amazing Terri Webster Shrandt, who every week produces the most stunning photography you could ever see.

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  37. Terri, I love all our selections here, and how cool that you are making a totem pole. That is so perfect for your move to WA .

    Emerging to and from, in and out. Happy spring. I love the pink blossoms.

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  38. A lot of good stuff in this post, Terri. Love the pictures, especially the totems. I’ve often thought I’d love one for my home. And Toni’s book–great review. She deserves the praise!

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  46. Those dramatic skies are lovely, Terri. I always enjoy watching emerging storms, especially when you can hear the roll of thunder as it gets nearer and hearer.

    I remember this challenge from when Marsha hosted it, so I’m cheating a little by leaving a link to that post.

    Emerging #WordlessWednesday #Photography

    However, I couldn’t help but also leave a new photo for the theme. I’m thinking out of the box again with this one. Can you think what’s emerging from this photo?

    Hope you’re having a great week.

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  53. You’re the perfect person to host these photography challenges, Terri. The topics are inspiring and the photos always attractive and spot on! I recently emerged from a slot canyon in Baja as well – quite the find.

    I’m glad spring has arrived in Washington and that Toni is doing her rounds. Her latest book sounds like an entertaining, easy read.

    By the way, we will be in your old stomping grounds tomorrow. Auburn, via Sacramento. I’d forgotten how busy the highways in California are!

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  55. Beautiful photos! I love the plum tree blossoms (although my allergies do not). I am not sure if I am grossed out by the dragonfly or not, but the science nerd in me has never seen a photo of one emerging before, so it’s kinda cool. Here’s my contribution for the week–I hope you don’t mind that I double-dipped with Tina’s LAPC. I have a few flowering plants and a tree that I thought would fit your topic of emerging. https://peacefulatdawn.com/2022/05/03/lens-artists-challenge-framing-nature-in-thirds-or-not/

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  57. Fantastic photographs, and love your totem project (mind you, I’m a big fan of owls and that’s what I saw first when I looked at the pole before you started painting it. I like eagles as well, so no complaints), Thanks for recommending Toni Pike’s novel as well. I’ve heard great things about her novels.

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  61. Hi – fun theme and your photos are amazing of the sky and trees – spring has sprung
    —
    and the totem pole is quite a unique piece of art and that will have your custom touch with the paint makes it nicer.

    The Tofino eagle made me smile.
    Last week – I was in a back alley (only parking spot I could find) and when I was leaving – an eagle flew by me. They always inspire to see them – but the only time I have seen them has been out of the city – yet right there – a somewhat small one flew by and not only was a I delighted for the beauty and because it is the national bird – but I smiled because the preservation efforts obviously paid off. We still need to protect these beauties but glad they are not so endangered as they once were – 🙂

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    • Hi Yvette, thank you for the lovely comments, good to “see” you! It was so generous of Wayne to let me borrow the Daredevil for my totem inspiration. Today is a nice warm day and a great day to paint the beak and talons. I’m glad you saw an eagle! If I had a spirit animal the bald eagle would be it. They are majestic and I am continually in awe of them. We are close enough to the lake that we see them often.

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  65. Your skies give me cause to pause Terri and yes the first one reminds me of an ET clip. I like how the flowers are beginning to open. Maybe at long last Spring has sprung for you (and me)?

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      • We’ve had a lot of rain too Terri and a long-awaited war-up is coming next week. It will go from 40s to 70s next week, so I’m thinking one day the leaves will unfurl and the flowering trees will blossom and it will finally look Springy.

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  68. I’m late joining in with this one – deliberately, because my chosen approach to your emerging theme also fitted with Patti’s proposed Lens Artists one, so I was waiting to link to that too! I too have a sense of emerging from the pandemic, although I’m glancing over my shoulder in case it has any more nasty surprises for us! I love your cloud formations and the arrowleaf flower. And it’s good to see how your totem pole is coming along :
    Anyway, here at last is my contribution: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/gallery-looking-out-from-the-shadows/

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