We’re kicking off June with “Great Outdoors Month.” The National Park Service officially recognized the observance in 2019.

Partially inspired by Patti’s Lens-Artists’ post “subject focus,” the technique is written in the captions.

Throughout June, each week will feature a sub-challenge celebrating the great outdoors. This week’s focus is water, a fitting theme as summer begins.

What Exactly is Water?

Water, in its three forms–ice, liquid, and vapor–envelops us and our surroundings. Without water, we would not exist!

Ice’s frozen grip loosens, the mountain snows begin to melt, and the waters fall freely.

“Music comes from an icicle as it melts, to live again as spring water.” – Henry Williamson

Water also takes form as vapor in Yellowstone’s geysers,

or the clouds overhead during the last wild storm,

and fog drifting at our side.

Pelican Gliding over Ocean Waves

When we visited San Diego in March, the weather was warm enough to enjoy a day by the ocean.

Sharing these images for Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday.

Although I didn’t have my good camera with me, I managed to capture this pelican with my cell phone as it deftly winged over the waves.

“Sometimes peace is as simple as watching the waves and the pelicans glide by — no rush, no noise, just calm and beauty.” — Gerald Baniaga

Water Behavior in Monochrome

Sometimes water falls, then flies up again just for the sheer joy, mirroring the rhythm of nature itself.

Monochrome images are shared for Leanne’s Monochrome Madness

A lot of hiking and walking went into discovering these places; also sharing for Pepper’s One Step at a Time #12.

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. Please use your own original images, whether new or from your archives.

• Remember to title your blog post a little differently from mine.
• 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.

If you are participating in the photo challenge, I look forward to seeing how you interpret this week’s theme! Creativity is encouraged, so please share your own photographs (old or new), poems, original short stories, and music inspired by the theme. Join me next week as we explore shades of green for the monthly color challenge.

For my southern hemisphere friends who are enjoying winter, I know you have many ways to enjoy the outdoors this time of year; skiing, snowshoeing?? Tell us more, or show us your favorite summer outdoor places.

June is National Great Outdoors Month
June 7 Kicking off June is National Outdoors Month with WATER
June 14 Monthly Color Challenge: Evergreen and Dark Green
June 21 NEW FEATURE: Animal or Bird of the Month
June 28 FUTURE (celebrating parks and America’s 250th Birthday)

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