Sunday Stills: The Many Moods of #Water

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.

SUP transportation
Me “walking on water.” (Get in closer)

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!

Icicle Close-up
Winter’s Icicle (Negative space)

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

Nine Mile Falls
Nine Mile Falls, first sign of Spring

“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,

bison and steam plumes
Thermal plumes envelop Rolling grasslands (leading lines)


or the clouds overhead during the last wild storm,

storm cloud
Cloud Eagle? Or Angel?


and fog drifting at our side.

foggy delta river
Delta Fog

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.

pelican and breaking wave

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.

Water sprays up
Airborne Ocean Water
Palouse Falls
Palouse Falls, Central Washington
geyser black and white
Old Faithful Geyser

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.

blue swatch

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)

graphic

© 2026 Copyright — Terri Webster Schrandt and secondwindleisure.com — All Rights Reserved

All content on this blog is copyrighted. Please do not repost or reblog without my permission.


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102 responses to “Sunday Stills: The Many Moods of #Water”

  1. […] Posted for Sunday Stills: Water […]

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  2. A great post with all varieties of water I can think of!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. […] Sunday Stills: The Many Moods of Water […]

    Liked by 1 person

  4. […] explores the wonders of water in her June 7th Chapter of Sunday Stills. John Steiner’s challenge, Cell Pic Sunday, fits with everything. Thanks, John! However, […]

    Like

  5. As you know, I’m not a friend of the water, even though I know it wants to befriend me, Terri. I dislike being on ships or boats, or anything that floats on water. As a non-swimmer, I may paddle up to my ankles, but that’s about as far as I’m comfortable going. However, I do enjoy walking in the rain, snow and fog.

    Strangely, I don’t drink much water either, preferring tea instead.

    I can hear the opening few bars of the music for ‘Jaws.’ But I know how much you love the water, Terri. And it’s great to see how much enjoyment it brings.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Are you sure you’re not a transplant from Mars trying to fit in on a water planet, Hugh? 😆😉 Luckily water comes in many forms that you can enjoy! As a kid, living in Oregon, I almost drowned in a pool area in a river. I grabbed the legs I saw dangling above me and pulled myself up. I’m glad I got a second chance and always made sure swim lessons were available to low-income families when I worked for parks and recreation for 30+ years. I lived in San Diego when Jaws hit the theaters in 1975. The beaches were a little quieter then. 😉 Thanks again!

      Like

      1. I couldn’t help but laugh at your last sentence about the beaches, Terri.

        I did have swimming lessons at school, but my teacher said that I wasn’t like a duck taking to water, but that I was like a brick in the water. Talk about giving me encouragement, but that was way back in the 70s.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Oh gosh, that’s funny but sad, Hugh. At least you know your self!

        Liked by 1 person

  6. […] Sunday Stills Many Moods of Water […]

    Liked by 1 person

  7. […] this week’s Sunday Sills Challenge, celebrating the #Great-Outdoors and #Water, I remembered a wonderful water feature we discovered back in our camping days at Silver Springs […]

    Liked by 1 person

  8. I love this topic! One could post a hundred photos and still not cover a fraction of the many aspects of water.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Debra! You are so right! I’ve been impressed with others’ posts and their endless varieties of waterscapes!

      Liked by 2 people

  9. Wow, you have some amazing water pictures! The Angel-Eagle-Cloud is phenomenal! I also love your capture of Old Faithful. Thank you once again for inspiring me to look back at a beautiful water feature near Mt. Rainier. Celebrating the Great Outdoors at Silver Springs at Mt. Rainier – Cats and Trails and Garden Tales

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Susanne! Last week’s storm was incredible, I have so many pics. Maybe I’ll have to include a storm theme!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. […] Terri invites us to share Water this week. […]

    Liked by 1 person

  11. […] Sunday Stills: the many moods of water […]

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Beautiful Terri. In response to your question, to me, it’s a definite black eagle. 😍

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Debby, my first thought was eagle also!

      Liked by 1 person

  13. […] Terri’s Sunday Stills: The Many Moods of #Water […]

    Liked by 1 person

  14. I love your take on the different forms of water – the cloud bird and the pelicans are my faves. Mine is about the way water forms around objects that are in the water…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Eliza! It helps to have snow and ice in the winter where we live, to show the different guises of water.

      Like

  15. […] A photo exhibit in Siem Reap had images of activities that took place in water; the photos were held down by stones with fish swimming above them. Swimmer in the turbulent (and dangerous) river at Lynn Canyon in North Vancouver, BC.Swimming in a silvery ocean in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.Al swimming just below the surface of the water in Huatulco, Mexico.Fish swimming in the water very close to shore in Huatulco, Mexico. Old-fashioned method of fishing for shrimp by a fisherman in a yellow waterproof jacket and a net by the beach at Dunkerque (Dunkirk) on the French northwest coast. Red salmon spawning in Yard Creek, BC, Canada. I was inspired to make several paintings from the way the fish images were broken up by the water ripples. Cleaning the sand off the fish by rinsing them in the ocean water at Hoi An in Vietnam. Students playing in the water at the beach on Pangkor Island in Malaysia. Swimming in Koh Rok Marine Park, just off of Koh Lanta, Thailand. That’s a traditional Thai long-tail boat in the background.More on Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge: Water. […]

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Fantastic post, Terri! The variety is impressive but my favourite has to be the icicle!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Sofia! I’m rather partial to that icicle as well!

      Liked by 1 person

  17. So many great images Terri! I love the fog over the water, the geyser and the airborne!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Lisa! You’re a true fan of water!

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Gorgeous photos, Terri, and you’ve captured water in its many forms, beautifully. I love the photo of the dramatic storm. What an impressive photo! ❣️

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Eugi! The cloud formations in that storm were fantastic and ever changing.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. You’re welcome, Terri.

        Liked by 1 person

  19. So magical, Terri x

    Liked by 1 person

  20. My niece said:” is this true? Where does the water come from in the Palouse falls?” She didn’t see where it came from.🤩 Any landscape with water brings me joy, as long as it’s not dangerous or burden to people. Great images.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I love it, Hazel! The Snake River winds from Idaho to Washington, then there is the offshoot of the Palouse River that feeds the falls. Isn’t it a cool-looking waterfall? Thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Very cool waterfall! My pleasure, Terri.

        Liked by 1 person

  21. Great post Terri and I like that you concentrated on water, especially flowing water, the monochrome ones are stunning too.

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    1. Thank you, Leanne! I appreciated the extra inspiration from your prompt this week!

      Like

  22. Water is a great theme Terri and clearly you like to photograph water in its many forms, just as you enjoy being outdoors in it. The best water for me is when it is NOT encased in ice or even twinkling down as snow or rain droplets, but a body of water is preferable (not swimming in it as you know I’m not a swimmer). I will not be joining you this week, but will do so for your other themes later in the month. Tonight I am taking a long stroll down Memory Lane from the year 1976.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Linda! I grew up swimming in San Diego’s neighborhood pools and the beaches. I would welcome an opportunity to shoot some underwater scenes if I can go snorkeling some day. I always appreciate your support!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. A few years back I remember a Facebook friend and his wife went snorkeling and he bought a throwaway underwater camera and his pictures came out well. He took a lot of other photos with his phone and decided just for kicks to try this camera and was pleased.

        Liked by 1 person

  23. A wonderful variety of water photos Terri. I like how you included all aspects of water. The Old Faithful is quite amazing as is the icicle 😀 Well done on covering all those challenges as well

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Brian! You know I love a good double-dip when possible. I was so happy Leanne’s MM was water-themed! Lots of extra inspiration last week!

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Fun pictures! Water in many different ways. Very cool. Old Faithful is soooooo cool! And Nine Miles Falls is impressive. You knocked all the challenges out of the ballpark!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much, Nancy! I’ve been fortunate to see some great waterscapes in the Western US…but so much more to see! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  25. Fabulous photos and a great theme, Terri

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Well done, Terri. It’s a lovely post.

    Liked by 1 person

  27. Fantastic pictures, Terri. It’s so soothing to see water, whether it be a waterfall or a hot spring. I can’t decide which picture I love most. The ones in monochrome are powerful images, I like the colours in nine mile falls and there’s something about the icicle image that’s captivating.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Aww, thank you, Smitha, I always love your generous comments! I enjoyed putting the post together and finally shared the pelican soaring over the waves.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I saw your caption under the pelican and it gave me hope – that I could take pictures like that with my mobile phone, too! Your challenges are giving purpose to my pictures (even though they’re nowhere close to yours) 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Thank you, Smitha! Half of cellphone photography is luck! I must have had 5 pics of the pelican’s foot or tip of its wing in the shots. Delete! My Samsung S23 Ultra has a decent zoom, too. Photography is fun!

        Like

  28. LOL, you are so clever at posting for multiple challenges Terri!! Thanks especially for the images for this week’s L-A focus challenge. Tons of fun this week!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Tina! I had all but finished crafting the post with water images, but Patti’s theme popped up early enough on Saturday, I could make a couple changes! It was fun and inspiring! I love when I can quadruple dip! 😉

      Like

  29. Love the icicle, Yellowstone and the monochromes, but they’re all really good watery images! As you might have guessed, I’m in the water for this one: https://grahamsisland.com/2026/06/07/whats-going-on-down-there/

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Graham! I also enjoyed finding photos for Patti’s challenge!

      Liked by 1 person

  30. Beautiful photos, Terri. Great for the challenge.☺️

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Patti, this was a great challenge!

      Like

  31. […] week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Water.’ See more responses here. Let’s see what’s happening below the surface. Here are some photos from my swim […]

    Liked by 1 person

  32. Totally Tubular! 🏄‍♂️

    Liked by 1 person

  33. Love this challenge! No ending to the ways to photograph water as your great examples prove. 👍🏽

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Pepper! I’m really drawn to waterscapes and all its forms.

      Liked by 1 person

  34. Terri, water is a great topic for June. Your water images are all incredible. My favorites are the water icycle and the Delta Fog.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you so much, Beth! I usually share waterscapes for May but I had another idea in mind. That icicle hung around all day last winter from our metal patio cover.

      Liked by 1 person

  35. Terri,

    My guess is that the cloud formation HAS to be an angel. What do you think? Have a great week! Joe

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Joe! I’m going with angel too, because our power stayed on during this three hours spectacle! But I thought my watermark with the eagle mirrored the clouds’ shape too.

      Liked by 1 person

  36. A wonderfully wet collection, Terri!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Indeed it is, thank you so much, John!

      Liked by 1 person

  37. Water in all its forms is beautiful. Love your shots

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, dear Sadje! I was happy to capture the three elements over the last couple of years.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. You’re most welcome. The old faithful is really a sight to behold.

        Liked by 1 person

  38. I love your selection of images to showcase water in many guises, Terri. Old Faithful is amazing! We don’t have anything like that here. Great job capturing the pelicans too!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Cathy, and for noticing the pelicans. Believe me they were lucky shots because I had my phone on zoom. Yellowstone’s landscape is beyond anything I had ever seen.

      Like

  39. Water brings to mind, for me, a sense of calm. Wonderful photos and theme of the moods/modes that water offers, Terri. Brilliant photos all..The fog image brings to mind moodiness par excellence!

    Thank you for your inspiring photography skills and your generosity to share them, Terri. Blessings!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Suzette! I had the idea of the three states of water, but of course the moody fog image had to have its day. I’m glad Patti’s theme helped inspire more pics to share. The soaring pelican was a last minute addition!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sorry, Terri. I replied to this comment in the wrong thread a few moments ago.

        Well done! It’s a lovely share.
        And you are very welcome.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Thank you, Suzette! I saw both comments, my friend!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Apologies for any inconvenience, Terri.

        Liked by 1 person

  40. Wonderful picture and a fun subject. Looking forward to joining

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hi Lisa, thank you, I loom forward to what you will share 🙂

      Like

  41. […] Terri SundayStills – 7 June 2026 – The Many Moods of […]

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  42. Our world is truly a water world. 😎

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Have a great new week!

        Liked by 1 person

  43. Fabulous photos of water in its many guises.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Darlene, ..guise…that might have been the word I was looking for! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  44. Beautiful pictures did you take them except for the picture of you LOL 😂?

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Yes I did, thank you, Crystal!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. You did a great job with pictures love them

        Liked by 1 person

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About Me

I’m a former university adjunct Professor and retired recreation & parks practitioner living in North-Eastern Washington State near the Idaho border. Second Wind Leisure Perspectives is my blog about living a leisure lifestyle, including photography, friends, fitness, and fun.

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