Author Archives: amypanfalone

Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreshadowing

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We arrived home today after a camping trip for several days in Indian Lake, Ohio.  While the weather didn’t always cooperate (rainy several times), we enjoyed seeing the boats on the water, kayaking, and biking in the State Park. When I returned home to see the weekly photo challenge – foreshadowing-I knew just the picture.  There were several rather large-sized squirrels in the campground and one in particular, that I named Rusty, was very friendly.  I think if I had really tried I could have had him eating from my hand.  Despite the abundance of nuts falling from the trees he didn’t seem too interested.  I snapped several pictures like this one of Rusty just chilling on the branch.  At one point he was actually sleeping.  I don’t recall ever seeing a squirrel sleep before.  They are always busily scurrying around and jumping from branch to branch.  So what is ‘ol Rusty foretelling?  A mild winter of course….why else would he be catching some Z’s instead of gathering food for the winter?  At least that is what I am banking on! 🙂

Rusty Squirrel

Weekly Photo Challenge: Masterpiece

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I must admit this week’s photo challenge was an exciting one for me.  As a life-long lover of the arts and art teacher by profession I can think of several examples of art that have had a profound impact on my life:  seeing Guernica in my elementary art class and learning about its meaning, visiting la Pieta and the Sistine Chapel in Italy, rounding the corner at the Salvador Dali museum in St. Petersburg Florida and seeing the Discovery of America by Chrostopher Columbus for the first time.

Yet, this is a camping blog, so I would be remiss if I did not mention the profound joy I get from camping and that is exploring the most marvelous masterpiece of all – God’s creation in the world around us.

The beauty of God’s masterpiece is that you can visit the same place over and over again and never see it exactly the same way.  Whether it be the change of seasons or the slow progression of elements over time, there is always something new to appreciate.  There is also an abundance of natural diversity if we are fortunate to be able to explore it.  Friends of ours just returned from a vacation in Sedona and commented how strikingly beautiful it was.  Just think about how many different terrains can be explored in our country alone.  And that is just the beginning!  What places have you visited where you have been awestruck by the beauty God has provided for our enjoyment?

“Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.” – Andre Gide