Abstract view of window through a window
Terri Webster Schrandt

Sunday Stills: Looking at Life Through a #Window

What’s in store for 2024? There is something about a brand-new year that seems to motivate us to throw open a window (weather permitting) and tackle new things. I love seeing the winter light through my corner office window at home.

“Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.” ― Edith Wharton

Corner office and window
Corner home office view

Resolutions aside, which I don’t do, I like the idea of looking at a (sort of) blank calendar and dreaming of new experiences and places to visit. Gazing out a window feels like the perfect place for planning. Then I get distracted seeing birds and run to get my camera!

Robin on post
View of robin and neighbor’s windows

In my home, I have 24 windows. Many days I sit at my kitchen counter and from that vantage point, I can see through 5 windows to various scenes outside the house. Some are transom windows over doors.

Transom window decor


The morning sun shines into the window above our front door, illuminating a sunny spot on the floor. I’ve captured two winter scenes from this window by climbing up a short ladder to capture the view. I enjoy filling these windows with seasonal decor that lets the light through.

Green vase in transom window

Spotted in the grocery store parking lot, was this 9 Mile Proud sticker on the back window of a pick-up truck. I REALLY wanted one of these stickers!

9 Mile Proud Sticker

And since it’s winter somewhere, I couldn’t resist sharing these two images from 2022 again, from inside and outside!

white winter window view
Icicles

Windows Away from Home

“Your desire to be near the window is your desire to be close to life!”
― Mehmet Murat ildan

During the month of January, we are still enjoying the views and scenery from various windows in Scottsdale, Arizona. This view greeted us last week as snow fell on the nearby mountains. The weather has been a bit dramatic these last two weeks!

snow in Arizona
A little snow on Four Peaks

While we have enjoyed “wintering” in Arizona since December 29, where low temps have reached below freezing (yes, really!), back home in Spokane/Nine Mile, wind chill temps were reported at -30 below zero (Fahrenheit). Dramatic and a little bit scary. Oddly it is very sunny but who can enjoy it with the threat of frostbite? We’re super happy with Arizona temps now reaching the low 60s (F).

We were greeted with this view through the slider window on Friday morning.

desert sunrise
Dramatic desert sunrise from the window

Windows of Opportunity

“There’s a world out there. Open a window, and it’s there.” ~ Robin Williams

The town of Fountain Hills, Arizona, where my brother lives, is home to a man-made lake complete with a world-famous fountain. The lake consists of reclaimed water. Every hour, for 15 minutes, the window of opportunity presents dramatic views of the fountain’s 330-feet high plume. On special occasions, the fountain’s reaches its full height of 560 feet, higher than the Washington Monument!

Fountain Hills Fountain
15-minute window for fountain flow

Last spring we took advantage of another window of opportunity to visit Bryce Canyon National Park.

Wall of Windows from Bryce Point
“Wall of Windows” from Bryce Point

While visiting San Diego a few years ago, we spied this interesting door and window combination near the beach. This week, we’re headed to San Diego to stay with my daughter for a few days,

They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.

During visits to La Ventana Baja Sur, Mexico, in past years, I caught the sunrise in the window of a house…

fire in the window

… And Hans caught me looking down from what was left of an old lighthouse window on the beach. Can you tell I love the sun?

Framed in what's left of the Lighthouse window

“Sometimes you just have to jump out the window and grow wings on the way down.” – Ray Bradbury

Sharing for Lens-Artists: Dramatic and Marsha’s Wednesday Quotes: Activities that Inspire

How To Participate in 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. If you choose to participate with a link to Sunday Stills, please take a moment to also leave me a comment on my 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.

As we continue to travel in Arizona, I won’t be able to share round-up posts while on the road, but I will read and comment on your posts from my phone (thank you, Jetpack App). Normally I include your lovely post links in my round-ups during the week but I will not be able to take the time to work from my laptop in order to do this due to inconsistent internet connections. Please visit your fellow bloggers’ links in the comments section.

Please visit next Sunday as we explore the monthly color challenge theme: AQUAMARINE.

awesome week bitmoji

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133 comments

  2. Oh Nice. Brilliant and Exquisite blog post Terri. I agree that a new year can fill us with curiosity and the urge to try something new and fresh.

    I love taking pictures and one day when I have set aside money, I will visit and travel to Cape Town in South Africa, I always loved the view when seeing it on magazines.

    Anyways, Have a great weekend and a wonderful 2024💃💃🙌🙌

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  19. Your office looks like a great place to work, Terri. And a tidy desk, too. I have my desk near a window, too. Natural sunlight does so much to help improve the mind and soul.

    And I love how all your windows are so clean. Do you clean them yourself – inside and out? I only ask because we have a window cleaner who does the outside of ours, and I’d be lost without him cleaning them. Living near the sea means the salt makes a lot of stains on the windows when it rains. And it rains a lot.

    You’ve captured some lovely window scenes that span the seasons. The light coming through those holiday ornaments must be spectacular. I like it when we sometimes get the sunlight hitting glass or mirrors from a particular angle, making rainbows inside our homes.

    I hope you’re having a great time in Scottsdale and enjoying your San Diego trip.

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    • Thank you, Hugh! I caught my desk in a tidy moment! We clean our windows. I think our dry climate and rain keep them fairly clean. We have hard water and the windows can get spotty, though. As I type this, I am in Page, AZ, preparing for a tour of Antelope Canyon this morning. We head to San Diego Wednesday and it’s supposed to rain most of the time we’re there. It’s been beautiful and sunny in the Scottsdale area so far.

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  37. Another fabulous photo essay, Terri! How wonderful to have so many windows and lovely vistas. I especially liked your cozy corner office, sunrise, sunset, and the fountain shot. I’m surprised Arizona gets below freezing temperatures. Low 60s would be wonderful right now! We’re in a deep freeze too, but not nearly as bad as Spokane. It’s 9F at the moment, feeling like -4 with the windchill. Still sucks! 🥶 Give my regards to beautiful San Diego! It was my second home for as long as my parents lived there (~40 years) and I miss it. Happy Trails!

    I took your prompt literally:

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    • Thank you, Debbie! I’ll be sure to wave at San Diego for you. My daughter can’t wait to see us and we’ll celebrate her birthday on Sunday. The Deserts in Arizona can get quite cold with the dry climate and certain winter conditions. People we’ve met suggest we brought the cold with us from Spokane 🤣 We’re hoping our journey back north will be drama-free in two weeks. Off to check out your post!

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  40. Terri, this collection for windows was fun. I liked the door and window combo and you peeking through the old lighthouse window. That fountain sounds awesome.
    I like your multiple windows to the world at your home since, despite your frequent travels, your home base is where you spend the most time. I would love to have that many windows in my home … right now I have a mere nine windows and complicating the view from those windows is the fact that I have metal rolling shutters which serve as an excellent way to prevent break-ins since the blinds can only be raised from the inside. It also keeps the rooms cooler in Summer and warmer in Winter, although I sure wouldn’t agree right now because we had a -25 real-feel here this morning and yes it is very scary as we had winds gusting to 50 mph. My weather alarm just went off – dangerous windchill to -30 tonight. I strayed a bit with my windows though because they are problematic. A few years ago, after a season of volatile Summer and Fall storms with high winds, to keep the blinds from being damaged, I kept them shut. I left them shut that Winter as well – the mechanisms seized up and can no longer be moved up/down. I’m torn between the protection they give me from potential break-ins or heavy debris being flung about in a storm and it’s a potential fire hazard and it would be nice to enjoy a sunny day. Having them removed and new ones installed would be messy and cost prohibitive. I hope after retiring this year to be out and about even more and spending less time sitting at the computer. Another item to dwell on for the future.
    My interpretation of your Challenge this week is a bit different. My walk was part of a 5K charity event at lovely Heritage Park and I did the event solo/virtually but borrowed a few “peeks into the window” pics from an early 5k event.
    https://lindaschaubblog.net/2024/01/14/strolling-for-dollars/

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    • Thank you Linda! I enjoyed dusting off some of these window shots, and adding a few more. I liked playing with the window of time subtheme with the fountain and Bryce canyon. Speaking of Windows, my husband helped his daughter install new window blinds while we’ve been here. Weird how these themes work. Hope you can work with your blinds when the time is right. I’ll stop by your post soon 😊

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      • You had some good ones in here Terri and yes, how coincidental that Hans was helping his daughter install her new window blinds the same day this post published. I do have to do something about the blinds, although I hope to be stepping away from the computer more and spending time outdoors (not in the short term – brrr).

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  44. Terri,
    Looking through your windows was a “de-light!” All of your photos are fabulous, but the desert sunrise is stunning. We began our snowbird trip to Florida just in time to escape an 8 inch snowstorm and five degree weather in Knoxville. Like you, I hope to store some sunshine for later use. Enjoy your time in Arizona. Joe

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  46. I’m sure you’re really enjoying yourself. We’re thinking of heading to AZ this year. We have friends who live in Phoenix. I loved your choices. I haven’t thought to count the windows in my house…hmmm…I should do that. I’ll be sure to scroll through comments a few times to hit everyone, and I need to check out that app you mentioned.

    https://troyerslovinglife.blogspot.com/2024/01/taking-in-life-around-mesundaystills_14.html

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  48. I’ve never thought to count how many windows I have in my house Terri, but might just do so now. I can’t believe the difference in temperatures from where you live to where you’re holidaying – that’s amazing but I’d stay where you are for a while longer if I was you! I love all your pics and quotes and the view from a window is a real temptation to get out there!

    My post is here: https://debs-world.com/2024/01/14/looking-through-the-window-but-not-in-a-peeping-tom-sort-of-way-sundaystills/

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  52. Great views, and they show off your decorating skills as well. I miss the views outside my CA house and Blooming Hills office. In Scottsdale, if I open the blinds, which can blind me, I have a view of a tree and a parking lot. Most of the time, I leave the blinds shut if I am working on my computer. Have fun on all your trips this week. Keep in touch. I already miss you! 🙂

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  54. I love windows, Terri, and the way they bring the outside in, especially the light. I like the way it shines through your sill decorations. I enjoyed those sunny pictures of Arizona and Mexico too. It’s cold here too, but won’t last long. Stay warm and safe.

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  55. That’s a lot of windows to clean, Terri, but I love letting the light in too. Your little winter decorations with the windows behind are gorgeous. I’ve spent far too much time compulsorily looking through the window this week, but hopefully am now on the mend. Just got to drag the other half along with me!

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  63. Terrific post Terri, and a great link to our challenge this week. Have a lovely visit with your daughter and enjoy the warm(er) weather. It’s been quite a winter this year and we’ve still got a long way to go!

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