Feeding hummingbirds
Terri Webster Schrandt

Sunday Stills: Feeling Well- #Rounded?

This week, we are exploring things that have a round or elliptical shape (circular, cylindrical, or spherical). This is a common shape in nature and in human-made things. It is also common for me to feel a little more rounded after too much good food over the holiday weekend.

appetizers from IFBC

As my post title suggests, “well-rounded” can also mean involving or having experience in a wide range of ideas or activities, or in education.

adults playing on water floats
Parks Management Students getting a well-rounded education

“I enjoy leading a well-rounded life. Believe me, I don’t take it for granted.” ~ Wendy Williams

Round Made By Human Hands

Architecture is a common venue to view objects that are round. The day after Thanksgiving, we visited Spokane’s Riverfront Park, on a sunny but COLD day.

Pavilion at Spokane's Riverfront Park
Pavilion at Spokane’s Riverfront Park
Buildings, bridge, blue water
Circular Views Washington St Bridge

Nature Loves Round

There are plenty of round shapes in nature. Most flowers are circular in shape.

layers of droplets on layers of rose petals
Rose Petal Close-up
Last teddy sunflower of the summer
Teddy Bear Sunflower
Light purple orchids Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve & Garden
Light purple orchids

A walk along the Centennial Trail shows Nature’s preference for round shapes.

Autumn Tree Rounded reflections
Rounded Tree Reflections
Round autumn tree
How many circular shapes can you see? Hint: some are man-made.

Home Decor and More

“There are patterns which emerge in one’s life, circling and returning anew, an endless variation of a theme.” ― Jacqueline Carey

Most of you know I love to decorate my home interior. A little Autumn flavor in the round.

Autumn decor display of pumpkins
Round Shapes in Autumn Decor
Sunlight in the Kitchen
In the Kitchen
Christmas Eve Table Decor
Holiday Table Decor
Merry Hallowgiving!
Autumn Porch Decor

Every Autumn on the Sacramento State University campus, the landscapers decorated the ginkgo trees with the fallen leaves in their own circular patterns.

Campus Decor For Fall
Ginkgo Tree
ginkgo leaf display
Ginkgo Leaves landscaped into circles

“I wandered with dear Autumn as far as I could go, and in the end, I didn’t leave. I kept her in my soul.” ~ Angie Weiland-Crosby

Ginkgo Tree Grove Sacramento State University
Ginkgo Grove, Sacramento State University

“God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road.” ~ Karen Blixen

Walking into the Slot Canyon in Valley of Fire
Hiking trail in Valley of Fire State Park
Freedom
I’m sur-rounded!

Inspiring Photo Challenges This Week

Each week I find inspiration from my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I enjoy incorporating these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes. I hope you can, too!

Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders

The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo 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, poets, artists, and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared their photos of things that are ROUND. I add these all week as new links are posted.

Themes for December are ready to view on my Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Page. This page is updated monthly. Join me on December 3rd as we explore the ever-elusive theme of PEACE.

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rust brushstroke
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114 comments

  13. Nature is full of round shapes, isn’t it? Much more than sharp angles. I love the reflections of the round trees in the water. And that well-rounded education looks like a lot of fun. I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving, my friend. Thanks for the fun. 🙂

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  23. Terri, it’s hard to decide which is more stunning, the reflection on the Centennial Trail or the foliage. I have never seen a Ginkgo tree and I really like how the landscapers created a circular pattern with the golden leaves – just beautiful. Was this an annual treat for the eyes at Sacramento State University, or just a one-time adventurous landscaper? I hate to leave Fall behind – sigh. My neighbor’s Red Maple looked like it was on fire and seemed to linger longer than usual this Fall. I took some photos of it. Now that Thanksgiving is over and snow has intruded into the tail end of our long holiday, it suddenly feels like Winter mode. Here is my “Rounded” post this week – I hope I found enough rounded criteria for this Challenge Post. 🙂

    Harvest days are a done deal.

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    • Thank you, Linda! I agree that some trees seemed to hold on to their colors longer this fall/ I caught many of the local images at the tail end of October. The landscapers at Sacramento State were talented and I saw the designs several years in a row. Yep, we expect next weekend to really snow–which seems right on track for a “normal” winter here. We lived three winters here and all La Nina ones so lots of snow.

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      • I think those landscapers were very talented Terri. Late October has the best leaf colors here as well. I won’t whine about our piddling amount of snow then – we have some freezing rain which won’t be fun and a no-walk day for me.

        Liked by 1 person

  28. From the comments, it looks like the Ginkgo Grove photos were a big hit. I’m interested in knowing if it was an installment that was kept up for as long as the leaves lasted or if it was a one-day deal in an area that doesn’t get any wind. 🤔😉 I adore the sunny day reflection photos. So well framed. I smiled at the autumn front doorstep decorations, in the fall, snow and pumpkins can share the same space. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and daughter. Glad you were well enough to enjoy the food and festivities. 🥰

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    • Thank you, Shelley! I read your comment and googled it and voila! Turns out the landscaping is done by a local Sacramento artist, whom I actually know! She used to work for the City of Sac in the recreation department with me. She is now a counselor at the university and rakes the patterns by hand. Her name is Joanna Hedrick (article was from 2017), and she began doing this in 2013 during exam week as a gift to stressed-out students. I’m glad you asked–apparently I gave too much credit to the campus landscapers.
      Anyhoo, Thanksgiving was amazing and seeing my daughter during the time was awesome!

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      • You’re welcome! That’s so interesting and fascinating that you know the artist that rakes that all by hand! WOW, that’s very impressive.
        I’m so happy to read you had a wonderful time with your daughter. My oldest was home for Thanksgiving and I can relate to how it felt to have an awesome time hanging out with her. It’s so fun to see how much they’ve grown and to see glimpses of them as children. So heart-warming!

        Liked by 1 person

  33. Ha! Got it done! Sheesh! Love your thoughts Terri, the quotes, photos. The gingko one is so neat. Wow, the time it must of taken, knowing that any second it could all be messed up. And I love the ones of you hiking. I would not last long on that obstacle course in the water. Haha! Though I have good balance, just not the running part.

    https://troyerslovinglife.blogspot.com/2023/11/taking-in-life-around-mesundaystills_27.html

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  35. I enjoyed your various takes on your theme… both actual circles and that kind we humans sometimes find ourselves in. And, as usual, I liked to see how others approached the challenge. Those Gecko trees and the artistry of the landscapers is (are? I never know) amazing! I love that it is an annual tradition.

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    • Thanks so much, Janis! Round was an open theme and I love the creativity I’ve seen. If you didn’t read a later comment I discovered that a volunteer hand rakes the ginkgo leaves into the patterns. I’m glad I got to enjoy seeing these a few years ago.

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  36. Hi, Terri – I love the varied and thought-provoking prompts you continue to come up with for Sunday Stills. You are very creative! I also love how you often use nature as your inspiration. I greatly enjoyed this well-rounded post and look forward to your next one on Peace.

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  38. Hi Terri,

    I love the photos of the reflections on the water. And I’d have tucked into those hors d’oeuvres too. They look so mouth-watering. I hope the long walk the day after Thanksgiving helped.

    Sadly, our trees have lost all their beautiful colourful leaves now. But at least some folk have their Christmas decorations up, including some well-rounded Santas and snowmen.

    For some reason, I don’t seem to be able to leave a link to my entry this week, so I’m trying via the pingback link (which this whole sentence is). I hope it works.

    My fingers are crossed.

    I hope you had a lovely time celebrating Thanksgiving with the family, Terri.

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  46. I love your pictures this week, especially the ginko leaves at Sac State. How cool! That bright orange and yellow tree, and all the circular shapes is spectacular, too. What kind of tree is that? I’m sure I should know, but it is gorgeous! The reflections also made me drool with envy, both at not being there, and at taking such magnificent pics! Fun post. Mine’s coming tomorrow. I’m back!

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  47. Terri,
    I saw your recent moon shot and thought you might include it here; nevertheless, it was good. Like everyone else, I enjoyed the Ginko Tree, but the rounded tree reflection was just as good. My contribution is a picture of my grandchildren bathing their tortoise in a very well-rounded bowl. I just thought it was cute! Hope to see pictures of the snow if it comes in. Joe

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