Nimavenl - Nicole's Random Ramblings

A photo posted by Lee Weissman (@abraham_tent) on Aug 20, 2015 at 9:01pm PDT

"Remember, each one of us has the power to change the world. Just start thinking peace, and the message will spread quicker than you think."  ~ Yoko Ono

The Tunnel of Change | Nimavenl This photo of a wall, some grass and a few trees was taken coming out of a tunnel. It's a tunnel I walk or bike through several times a week, a tunnel that always makes me smile as coming out of it (on either side) provides one with an amazing view of the world. On one side is a very Dutch polderscape - water, a bridge, a mill and a beautiful view of nature. On the other side is city life - a train station, buses and cars, flats and houses and people rushing around living their lives. For me, going through this tunnel signifies change, which is probably why the setting inspired me to write the following words: It may be dark, you may be going through a tunnel or a valley. Your life may be changing in ways you can't imagine and never thought possible. Whatever you're going through, whatever's happening in your life, whatever changes you're facing - Remember to stop every once in a while, to smile and cherish the journey life is t...

Having decided that I'm going to assign myself Photo Challenges on a weekly (perhaps bi-weekly? perhaps fortnightly?) basis, the time has come to investigate Challenges. The whole idea is that I want to challenge myself to take photos based on themes and ideas or photograph certain features such as trees, flowers, buildings, windows, doors, playgrounds etcetera. The first Challenge was to walk a route I normally don't take my camera on and photograph what I see every hundred or so steps. After completing that Challenge and posting a set of eight photos of nature and the Dutch landscape, the next challenge is... To decide on the next Challenge. While  I want to challenge myself to take photos of new and different things, to look at the world in a new way and to go 'hunting' for photos (something I don't usually do), I don't want to pick challenges that are too hard or difficult and don't want to lose interest in the whole concept. The whole idea is to have ...

As they say, "Smile and the world will smile back at you." Sunshine, spring weather, colours all around - I'm certainly smiling! Pretty in Pink

Took this photo a year ago on what I think was my first solo outing after surgery. Post by Nimavenl .

"Once More, With Feeling" is the title of an episode of popular US television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was the only musical episode in the shows's seven seasons with the cast all singing and dancing and experiencing life differently through their singing and dancing. While the episode was by no means my favourite Buffy episode, the title stayed with me. It will be no secret to anyone who's ever visited my blog (or my Twitter or my Facebook or... you get the idea) that I enjoy taking photos, enjoy sharing the beauty of the world I live in; that I love sharing with the world some of the amazing scenery I see when I look out the window or go for a walk outside. Photo by @Nimavenl I take photos of that which I see around me, however what I see isn't just visual. It's influenced by what I think and feel and experience and hear and smell around me, it's not just a static image but a feeling, an impression, a sense of wonder and amazement and...

A very positive thought (or well, a few of them) to start the week with! :-) On a not at all related yet also very positive note - we are heading to Malta for a holiday a week from now!!! Yes, I really am only human which means that I *will be* counting down the days and the hours until our holiday starts! ;-)

Being grateful. Sometimes it sounds very easy, at other times it sounds quite hard. When life seems to be going well, being grateful feels easy. We love our job, enjoy spending time with friends, attend interesting courses, we're fit and healthy - whatever makes us feel happy, satisfied and content, those are all things to feel grateful for. When life throws you curve balls and making ends meet or staying sane feels impossible, being grateful can seem pointless or futile. Life sucks - why should I be grateful for that? Yet even in the face of disappointment, curve balls, stress, grief, loss or hardship, we are alive and able to think about whatever may be happening in our lives. We are able to examine our lives, to look at what is happening and to find ways to get through whatever it is we're going through. One of the many perks of the way our minds work! Focusing only (or mostly) on negative thoughts, feelings and emotions like Life sucks / I'm a failure / Nobody love...