This time of year finds the prairie grasses blooming with the splendor of the season. Children of the prairie, I believe, lead somewhat of a “charmed” life filled with textures beneath their toes, fireflies lighting up the night and the soothing sounds of frogs croaking in the night.
Lens flare added in Photoshop CC 2015
Attach a GoPro Hero 2 camera (Redneck style) to a Turtle shell and you have a whole new way of looking at life. Images and video captured with the GoPro camera mounted on the turtle during the Gary, South Dakota July 3rd, 2015 Turtle races. 
Below is a short slide show put together on iMovie and uploaded to Youtube including a video clip featuring the results…
Click, click, click, the sticks
Rhythm of the path while walking
Lost yet found in thought
Click, click, click… walking sticks
The rhythm of the path and breath
Lost yet found in thought
Image by Joyce Meyer along the Camino de Santiago between Roncesvalles and Zuburi, Spain.
Blend of mother/child with clouds and prairie grasses.
Blend of mother and child with flowers that grow wild in southwestern Minnesota.
Blue tone adjustment. First one was a little too pink for a boy.
https://animoto.com/play/11nQyumaDdmvR0AZrv5Dbg
Planning, details, organization… and the day just flies right by.
A wedding celebration is wonderful, but we also need to remember that every day is a gift from God. May their love grow deeper with each passing year.
I’m reminded of that as my husband and I approach our 27th wedding anniversary. Our days may not be glamorous but are filled with laughter, love and adventure. Yes, each day is a gift…
Dandelions, like all things in nature are beautiful when you take the time to pay attention to them.
― June Stoyer
Dandelions… What? You call this beautiful aromatic flowering beauty a weed?
Children say it best as they run up to you with a fistful of freshly picked dandelions and say, “For you, Teacher!” Meanwhile the rest of the afternoon may be spent itching the eyes and wiping a runny nose, but how can you refuse a gift.
While many people think of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as a pesky weed, it’s chock full of vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, and teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make wines.
In the past, dandelion roots and leaves were used to treat liver problems. Native Americans also boiled dandelion in water and took it to treat kidney disease, swelling, skin problems, heartburn, and upset stomach. In traditional Chinese medicine, dandelion has been used to treat stomach problems, appendicitis, and breast problems, such as inflammation or lack of milk flow. In Europe, it was used in remedies for fever, boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea.
Source: Dandelion | University of Maryland Medical Center
Dandelion wine, believed to be of Celtic origin, is regarded as one of the fine country wines of Europe. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was not proper for ladies to drink alcohol; however, dandelion flower wine was considered so therapeutic to the kidneys and digestive system that it was deemed medicinal even for the ladies. Source and wine recipe: Commonsensehome.com
Image by Joyce Meyer
Even the fluffy seed heads have a majestic, symmetrical pattern as they sway in the breeze, waiting to let loose the next generation. The result? A never ending supply of dandelion wine…
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