I’ve often told my daughter that life is like a rollercoaster. It’s filled with lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, plus plenty of thrills, fears, and unknowns. Since moving into a house and selling the RV, an RV that we called home for eight years, my life has definitely felt like a rollercoaster. Although we chose the change of lifestyle, I found the change challenging at times.
However, if I’m being truly honest, I think like so many others, the challenges started during the pandemic but personally were exacerbated by our move.
This blog has always been about lighthearted fun, photos, travel, and adventures. I’m not one to write about anything too serious especially anything that might come across as being a Debbie Downer. That’s just not me, but life happens, and we all go through difficult times so I’ll leave it at that for now. Nonetheless …
When I realized I hadn’t picked up my camera in over a year and hadn’t written a blog post in almost that long, I noticed the things I loved turning to for enjoyment and using as an escape from the-every-day had been ignored. I had allowed my mental and physical health to get the better of me. Personally, I don’t feel comfortable talking about the subject of depression other than knowing it firsthand. There are far more articulate and knowledgeable people out there on that subject.
Perhaps, in future posts, I’ll share some of the physical issues I’ve been dealing with … nothing overly serious, more annoying than anything. Ah, the art of aging! 🤪
Suffice it to say, I am in a much better place these days. Instead of mourning the years of yesterday, I’m embracing the todays and the tomorrows. Hey, when you’re in the fourth quarter of life, every tomorrow is a gift and should be celebrated. Am I right?
Finding Inspiration
In an attempt to snap out of it and pull myself out of that dark hole, I joined the local camera club. I started attending meetings, and classes, and last week went on my first camera club outing.
AND I bought a new camera!!! Well, new to me anyway. A Panasonic Lumix GX8 with a couple of lenses. My beloved Lumix FZ300 had been used and abused and developed some glitches. So, this new camera has ignited a spark.
With a newfound passion for photography, I’ve been out and about in search of subjects. I find myself struggling with photographic compositions, but I’m working on it. After traveling full-time for so many years and encountering in-your-face photo ops, it’s going to take some practice to focus in new directions. I’m feeling up to the challenge and enjoying the new camera more with each outing.
At the end of the month, the photography club is going on an architectural tour in downtown Phoenix. I’ll let you know how that goes.
Friends
A couple of months ago, WordPress congratulated me on 11 years of blogging. Eleven years? Really? The best thing that has come out of starting this blog is the friendships forged over the years. The first blogger I met in person was MonaLiza and that encounter was right here in Phoenix, Arizona, at Cave Creek Regional Park back in December of 2012. Mona and Steve were in their first year of living in their RV full-time and Al and I were getting ready to sell the house in Colorado and join the community of full-time RVers.
Over the years, ML and I shared numerous RV adventures together including bird photography along the Texas Gulf Coast, and just a couple of weeks ago, we got together for a wildflower photography hike. Who knew back in 2012 that both of us would end up settling down in Arizona, selling our RVs, and remaining friends all because of a thing called a BLOG.
ML was just the first of many friendships formed from blogging. Last week I was included in a gathering of bloggers, and even though I’d taken a hiatus from blogging, I’m grateful this lovely group of gals reached out. This luncheon reminded me of why I enjoy blogging and perhaps it’s time for me to jump back in and reconnect with all of you.
Bloggers at the luncheon …. Nancy of Two Trails One Road, Terri of Second Wind Leisure Perspectives, Marsha of Always Write, Jodie of Jodie’s Touch of Style, Janet of This, That and The Other Thing. Thank you ladies for including me.
Blog post ideas are swirling in my head, and of course, I need to keep practicing with the new camera. I feel like I’ve finally adjusted to my new lifestyle and am embracing a new kind of adventure.
Take care,
Live Laugh RV 
112 responses to “Adjusting”
Yeah, I agree that life is like a rollercoaster. sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down.
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I’m a new blogger so reading this makes me want to keep at it! I related to your realization about not having done things that brought you joy in a long time. That’s my story with writing. I don’t know why I ever stopped other than life just got a hold of me, and I let it go by the wayside blogging, keeps me involved, because I’m always thinking about new things to blow them out. I don’t really have a niche. I do know that I spend a lot of time learning new things because I love to read so I found myself writing down subjects that I recently learned about thinking it would be a good subject. Call it overzealousness of a new blogger. I have like 15 different subjects I want to write about yet haven’t continue to research any of them. 🤣 thank you for getting vulnerable in your post.
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Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to share your blogging journey thus far. Sometimes it just takes diving in and posting to find your niche and style. Welcome to the blogosphere and happy blogging.
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Thank you so much!
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Great
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Reading this warmed my heart. As a new blogger, I am excited with the prospect of meeting like-minded people and enjoying the therapeutic experience of writing. Thank you for sharing, your newfound inspiration has inspired me!
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Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I’ve made a lot of friends via this platform … some in person but most remain cyber. Regardless, finding your community is a real joy. Keep writing!
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Great that you have build a community of bloggers… good going 🙂
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Thank you. I do enjoy my blogging friends.
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The photos are lovely and this was a very motivating blog for me. Thankyou so much 🩷
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Thank you. So glad you enjoyed.
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So good to hear from you and see your lovely photos again especially during this spectacular wildflower season. Glad you decided to pick up your camera again. Making adjustments from full-timer to sticks and bricks was a huge transition for me. It took me the first two years to finally be excited about heading back home after a MH trip. I finally enjoy the house more than the MH. Sounds like you are making positive adjustments to your life changes:) Looking forward to seeing all your new photos from your class. Interesting that your header photo was in the news the other week. I didn’t realize that this adorable wildflower has a nasty partner, scorpion weed. Here is an article that describes how to tell the difference between the two. It basically comes down to purple pollen vs yellow pollen.
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Nice hearing from you Pam. Thanks for sharing your struggles adjusting into a house. I think it’s taking me about the same time as it did you. My header photo in the news? Where’d you see that?
The downside to the beautiful wildflowers is the pollen. So many people suffered a really bad allergy season. Next time you’re in the area (Wickenburg or Phx) give us a shout out. I know, let’s invite ourselves over to ML and Steve’s 🤣 for a get together and of course include the Banks 🤣🤣🤣
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Oh, darn! I forgot to include the article about the “scorpion weed.” Getting old is tough some days…haha! Sorry! Here it is:
https://www.kold.com/2023/04/09/scorpion-weed-be-cautious-this-purple-flower/
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Thanks for the link.
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Great to have you back Ingrid. Life has a habit of knocking us down. Just keep on getting back up and making the most of it.
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Thank you! Great to hear from you. I’ll need to head on over to your site and see what you’ve been up to. Still caravanning?
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Yes, still caravanning. We lost our good travel buddy El Prado very suddenly late last year. That really rocked us, but made us more determined to keep on exploring while we can. Take care and whatever you do have fun!
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Oh no, so sorry for your loss. Loss of any kind reminds us to live life to the fullest. Keep those wheels rolling!
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Thanks Ingrid.
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Lovely photos 💚
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Thank you! 😊
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Hi Ingrid, it was great to hear from you. Sorry to hear you suffered last year from depression. When we lived in NJ and I worked for corporate America I was on anti-depressants the whole 20 years. Once we left NJ and hit the road I stopped the pills and never took them again. We are on Johns Island right outside Charleston. If you are near us please come visit! Hugs, Nancy
Sent from MailDroid
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Thanks for stopping by Nancy. Glad to hear you’re doing well. If we ever make it that far east, I’ll be sure and let your know. 😊
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Excited to see your post. They are always a joy to read! Take care and enjoy taking some new photos.
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Thank you! I am loving the new camera. Enjoy your travels and so nice hearing from you. 😊
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Hope the blooms are still out there when we come back. ♥
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Not sure when you’re visiting, but the poppies are fading in most parts of the valley. The lupines are still going strong and the cactus are starting to bloom. 😊
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OMG! Thanks for waking up from your blogging and you even mentioned me. Thank you! It is always a pleasure to bird, to shoot and just shoot the breeze with you. I know we are now both Arizonian and neighbors, how about that!
Great work on your flower photography.
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I think I finally feel like I know what I’m doing with the new camera and should get back out shooting before the blooms disappear. Yep, we always have a fun time and it was interesting to see how far we’ve come with our camera skills. Now I just need to catch up to you in the editing dept. 😁
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Beautiful photos, Ingrid! And what a cool story of you and your blogging friend!
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Thank you, Lisa. Sometimes I wonder where the time has gone. It’s always fun connecting with fellow bloggers whether cyber-ly or in person.😊
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It’s lovely to see you back, and with such an inspiring post! Your flower photos are beautiful and I was interested to read about the new camera and camera club and the lift they’ve given you. I’ve toyed with the idea of joining my local club but so far not been sure it’s for me. Wonderful too to see the photo from your meet-up with the other bloggers, some of whom I know well 🙂 I wish I lived nearby, to gate-crash a future meet!
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Thank you. I am enjoying the club a little more with each visit. It wasn’t fun in the beginning because I was new and didn’t know anyone. It just took sticking with it, and I eventually started making friends and feeling more like I belonged.
We’d love to have you join us for the next get together but I’m afraid that may be a very long commute 🤣
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Welcome back…great pics as usual! Looking forward to future posts.
Cheers!
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Thanks! Hope you have a great summer. The PNW and BC eluded our RV travels. Perhaps one day we’ll still make it up there. Look forward to your posts.
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Ingrid, I was so happy when I saw your photo on Nancy’s blog post about the blogging get together! Now I am happy to see another post from you. Welcome back to blogging! You are one of my “blogging friends”. As always, your photos are fantastic. I’m sorry you went through a rough time. I’m glad to see you back.
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Hi Beth, we are definitely friends, albeit cyber. I wonder if your ears were ringing during the blogger luncheon because your name was brought up a few times. We wish you could’ve joined us, although that would’ve been a long drive to Scottsdale 🤣 Your blog is serving as inspiration for me as to how I might venture back to posting regularly. I enjoy how you share past travel tales as well as join the photo challenges. What is it that they say, “copying is the best form of flattery”? It’s always nice catching up with you. 😊
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Ingrid! Thank you so much for brightening my day with the news that you’ve picked up your (new) camera and are dipping your toes into photography again. When I first came upon your blog years ago, it was your amazing photos that first caught my attention. You have an excellent eye for beauty and composition, and it’s wonderful to hear that you’ll be putting that talent to use again. Fingers crossed that you’ll continue to share the results with us. I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been going through a rough patch, and I’ll take your reawakening interest in photography as a hopeful sign of peace and contentment ahead on the roller coaster of life. (That’s such a great analogy!) I’m already looking forward to seeing your pics from the upcoming architecture outing – have fun with that!
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Hi Mary, I didn’t realize how much I missed photography and blogging until I stepped back in starting with the new camera. Thank you for the kind words regarding my photos. Not only do I hope to improve my composition skills, but I’m also working on the editing process. That is proving to be even more challenging due to some vision issues …. ah, it’s that aging issue again 😏I look forward to meeting you and Alan in a few months when you roll through AZ.
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This was such a relatable and heartening read.. glad you are in a better headspace though sorry for the recent struggles which is all to familiar to many, and yayy to the long friendship with other bloggers! I love that you took up photography and your photos are really great… thanks for sharing
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Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I felt a little uncomfortable sharing my struggles but knew there are many who would relate. I do enjoy my blogging friends whether cyber or in person. Such a fun community!
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Great to see you back at Blogging Ingrid, we have missed you. No matter the subject your skills with photography and writing will always make for an interesting blog!! Keep them coming,,,,
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Thank you, Tim. That’s very kind of you to say. I’m glad you’re still posting and taking us on your remote adventures. I do miss our backcountry explorations. Al and I are actually talking about getting out the old camping gear this summer 😱 We’ll see if that comes to fruition.
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Beautiful
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Thanks!
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Ingrid, when I embarked on the RV lifestyle, I had been blogging for just a few months. I did a Google search for RV blogs and you were #1. I’ve missed your blog and your photos, but you’ve still got it girl, and I hope you’ll continue to share your skills with us. I love the wildflower picture with the perfect bokeh effect. Sorry we missed the wildflowers. Would love to join the blogger meetup, but you girls don’t need an old man hanging around. I’m rambling so I’ll sign off, but please give us more. Joe
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OF COURSE, we need an old handsome man to join us old ladies!!! 🤣 Actually, Terri, Marsha, and Jodie’s husbands were part of the get-together as well. So, you would’ve been in good company.
It felt great to be back out shooting and I’m loving the new camera. Next time you and Helen pass through AZ, hopefully, we’ll be able to connect again. All the best to you and Helen.
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Nice to hear from you again. I know more than a few snowbirds here in AZ who struggled with the weather here since Christmas – especially those in trailers! What with the rain, wind and colder than normal temps, they didn’t really enjoy the lifestyle all that much!
As for us, we have a house – and though the weather was better than winter in Alberta, we sure didn’t spend much time doing the usual activities! It seems like the plants in my yard are just starting to wake up, green up and bloom – later than usual!
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Are you still in the valley? There’s talk of another blogger get-together on the 5th before some of the gals leave town for the summer. We’d love to include you if you’re interested. Let me know.
Yes, it was a colder and wetter winter than usual but sure made the desert pop with color. And I’m so glad we weren’t in the RV. 😊
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Thanks for the invitation but we should be well on our way home by then! Yes, the rain sure made the desert plants happy. We are at a bit higher elevation with naturally more plant life, so many wild flowers are just at their peak.
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I noticed the wildflowers were popping at different times throughout the valley based on elevation and location. Sorry you won’t be able to join us. Be sure and let me know when you return to the valley next season and we’ll try and get together. Maybe a photo outing at the Botanical Garden or Old Town Scottsdale?
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Welcome back, Ingrid! Your photos are stunning as always. I’m glad you’re feeling better now. When you wrote you hadn’t picked up your camera in a year, that made me swallow hard as that couldn’t mean anything good coming from you!
As a traveler with itchy feet, I can imagine that it isn’t easy to give up the nomadic lifestyle and settle somewhere. I’d like it for a few months – the luxuries, comfort, and convenience – but would want to get going again after that. I hope you find many new subjects to practice with your new camera!
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Hi Liesbet, Al and I were just talking about you and Mark. We discovered a grocery store called Food City, and if my memory serves me correctly, that’s a store you guys told us about.
I’m actually quite ok not traveling. It took a little soul-searching and a reality check for me to finally come to that realization. Sure, there are some places I’d still like to travel to, but I think I’m very content hanging around the four corner states (AZ, CO, UT, NM) The camera club has been very inspirational in showing me that there are plenty of things to photograph near home. Safe travels to you two.
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We’ve seen Food City around as well, but I think we told you about Grocery Outlet or the Mexican store called El Super, which is (used to be) really cheap for produce and they have a lot of different fruits and veggies. And a Mexican bakery section. For staples, they’re not cheap. It was our favorite place to buy produce in San Diego, Tucson, or Phoenix. 🙂
Here in Colombia, we don’t need El Super anymore as produce is available everywhere and for little money. 🙂
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Ah, thanks for the correction. Food City is definitely a Hispanic store, thus we thought that’s what you and Mark were referring to as the “Mexican store”. I’ll have to look up El Super and Grocery Outlet. There is no such thing as too many options. Enjoy all that fresh produce in Colombia!
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Welcome back, Ingrid. Your photos are besutiful as always!
Blue Rock HorsesFrederick County, Virginiabluerockhorses.com
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Thank you Mitzy. Feels good to be back out and about with the camera.
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Hello! Good things to come!
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Well said! Every Monday I’m a caregiver to my little Cupcake. She’s exhausting but I love every minute as I know you do with your little Meatball.
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You have not lost your touch when it comes to your photography. Your pictures are amazing. I agree that a new camera can inspire one to refocus (pun intended) on their hobby. Great to see your post, you have been missed.
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Awe, thanks Jim for the kind words. 😊 I am loving this new camera.
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I was happy to see a new post from you. I continue to love your photos and artistic eye. Virtual hugs
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Thanks for stopping by Karen. I’m loving your posts on FB and am glad to see you’ve made your dreams a reality. We still have thoughts of a truck camper (had one before the 5th wheel) but still unsure how often we’d use one. For now, I’m actually ok being stationary. Keep those wheels turning, and if you roll through Phoenix, be sure and let us know.😊
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I am so happy to read this post, Ingrid! Your images are always so amazing and well-composed. It was absolutely wonderful seeing you again at our get-together! You have been through a lot and endured a major life change from being nomadic to stationary. As you said, when you traveled full-time “encountering in-your-face photo ops,” I’m sure it felt weird to not have a purpose for snapping photos. While hosting a photo challenge, I always have motivation which really sparks my creativity and gives me that rush of pleasure to find that perfect image for the theme.
Nothing like a blogger meet-up to continue to inspire each of us and solidify these important online-IRL relationships!
I’m so happy you are busy with your photo club and are giving your new camera a workout! I look forward to reading more posts and seeing more of your fab images. Hans says hello to Al.
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Thank you so much Terri for reaching out and including me in the blogger luncheon. It was great reconnecting with you and Hans. Change always takes. Moving into the house was exactly what we “needed” to do and I’m finally finding my footing.
I’ve always enjoyed your photo challenges and think I may jump back in from time to time. Like you said, it provides a level of motivation and creativity. Enjoy the rest of your journey north, and I look forward to your travel tale posts.
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I’m so glad you’re going to continue to blog! I love your posts, and having great content to read is always welcome. Your photos look great and sure do make me miss those beautiful springtime dessert flowers. I miss you guys (and all the RV group down there, of course.) Big life changes are very disruptive even when we cause them ourselves, but I’m happy to hear you feel like you’ve hit your stride. The photo club sounds like a perfect fit for you, too. Keep on keepin’ on, my friend, and we’ll see you on down the road even though our roads have diverged ❤
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Thank you Joodie. I didn’t realize how much I missed photography and blogging. Somehow I had allowed life to get the best of me and forgot to take care of me in the process.
You would’ve have loved the desert this year. The wildflowers were insane. Now we’re waiting on the cactus to show us their stuff.
Even though our roads sent us in different directions, I have a feeling we’ll meet in person again someday. 😊
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I check your blog almost daily and was happily surprised to “find” you here today. Welcome back!
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Thank you Sue! Hope you guys have a great summer of travel.
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Thanks for sharing this. I love these images.Anita
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Thank you, Anita. It feels great to be snapping photos again.
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It’s so wonderful to see you back here. You are an inspiration to me and I know to many others as well.
It was so good to see you with the other gals at our lunch.
I’m happy that you are feeling better…
This is the last quarter of our lives, just like you said, so let’s ENJOY it to the fullest!
See you soon beautiful friend! 🥰
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It was wonderful seeing you again. Let’s not allow time to get the best of us. If we can’t get the four of us together before you head east, hopefully, I’ll see you at another blogger’s luncheon. Hugs to you and RL.
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Indeed! 😊
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Great to see you blogging again and hear that you feel you’re in a better space right now. Your photography is amazing – I’ve really enjoyed it over the years. Taking courses, new camera ! …you’re inspiring me to pull out my actual camera again – this totally inadequate phone camera is so unsatisfying.
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I don’t think I could ever give up a real camera and rely totally on my iPhone. I did take a course on the iPhone and it can produce amazing images, but it’s just not the same as my mirrorless, especially in the great outdoors. So, I tend to shoot mostly with the Lumix and then a few shots with the phone. It’s fun to compare the two. Always nice hearing from you. 😊
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What beautiful poppy pictures – thank you! And glad you are feeling better and joined a camera club. Life is always full of ups and downs, that’s for sure – hang in there!
I was reading there is a superbloom in Arizona this year. How lovely! Since you spent time on the Texas coast in the past, you might enjoy reading a classic book I am reading now. It’s about a wonderful lady who essentially started birdwatching in the Rockport area and met with the greats of the day such as Roger Tory Peterson. She documents seeing thousands of hummingbirds in a meadow in those days! If you are interested, it is on Amazon and is called “Life History of a Texas Birdwater: Connie Hagar of Rockport”. I read it at bedtime and enjoy dreaming of birds.
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Hi Pam. Connie Hagar is well known around Rockport and there’s even a park with a birding platform named in her honor. I’ll definitely ck out the book. Thank you. Yes, there is a super bloom happening around here. Unfortunately, the blooms are starting to wane, but what a sight it has been. Now it’s time for the cactus to bloom. I didn’t get out on the trails nearly enough for the poppies … darn ankle. 😏
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Welcome back, Ingrid! Many of us are still here on WP. Your photos are fabulous, and congrats on your new camera too! The summer heat will be back soon, stay cool down there!
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Hey John. Yeah, that heat is just around the corner but I’m not complaining. We don’t have to shovel heat, and after this winter’s snowfall in many areas, I’ll take the heat. I’m glad to see many of my cyber friends showing up here in the comments. Now I need to set time aside to catch up with everyone.
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Well said, let’s not shovel heat! 😂 It was a very weird winter here too, much cooler than normal. I hope next winter will be normal.
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Weather across the country was unusual, but I didn’t mind the extra moisture especially if it’ll help add water to Mead and Powell.
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Exactly! Lake Mead did come up two feet over the winter from so much rain from the atmospheric river flows which are wonderful but so much more is needed. The lake hasn’t been at full pond since the 1980s. I hope the massive snows in the Rockies last winter will help fill Lake Mead further. 🙏🏻
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Fingers crossed 🤞
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Ingrid, I have the GX7 and love it. I’m sure they found a way to improve it with the 8. Enjoy. I was in a photography club for two years – in fact, I started it because I needed to be with like-minded folks who I might draw inspiration from. I took some of my best photographs during that time, and I made some great friends.
I think that is what blogging does for many of us also. It provides us with a place to ‘belong’ and to seek inspiration. The photographs you shared today certainly make me want to grab my camera and find a field of flowers.
I love hearing about bloggers getting together, especially when they are all as talented as this bunch. I hope you guys solved the problems of the world, or at least had a good laugh or two over cocktails. All the best to you and welcome back!
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Glad to hear you love the GX7. Funny thing is, the guy that I bought the 8 from also had the 7 and gave me that one as well. Now I have a GX8 and a GX7 😁I seriously didn’t need two cameras, but wasn’t going to turn down the offer for a free mirrorless camera. Plus, the differences between the two cameras make it worth owning both.
AZ had a cold wet winter which resulted in a super bloom here in the desert. The wildflowers have been insane. I wish I could’ve gotten out more to photograph them, but now it’s time for the cactus to show off their beauty.
The camera club here has been around for a very long time and has a little over 200 members. The talent and knowledge are inspiring and at the same time, intimidating, but that won’t stop me. 🙂
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So good to hear from you. I understand the issue of depression completely. Medication has been my godsend and I just recently started to see a therapist to smooth out the (hopefully) last of the rough spots. I wish the best for you and hope to connect in person one of these days. We leave for Minnesota May 5, but perhaps next season we could meet up for lunch and catch up. I don’t even know if my blog is active anymore, haven’t looked at it forever.
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Hi Cheryl, nice to hear from you. When you return to the valley in the fall, give me a call and we’ll get together. Al’s WI sister just moved here full-time last month. They sold the lakefront property in Hayward leaving us without a super retreat 🤪 Oh well, I don’t think I could go the whole summer away from my new granddaughter. I’m loving my Mondays with her. Have a great summer up north!
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It most certainly is a roller coaster and perhaps that’s a good thing. Imagine how boring it would be otherwise.
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Ah, you do have a point. However, I’d welcome a tad boring in lieu of too much negative excitement 😆🤪😁
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True
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Hi there! It’s sooooooooooooooooo good to hear/read from you again. I’m happy to hear that you’re still “alive and kicking”. 😉 Or, in a more serious way, that you’re doing good – after some ups and downs. I’m really looking forward to seeing more in your blog again.
All the best, and take care,
Pit [at present on a month-long Ireland trip]
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Good to hear from you Pit. Although I’ve been a bit quiet, I have kept up with your posts. Your trip sounds amazing. Enjoy and I look forward to reading all about your latest adventure.
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I’m glad to hear, Ingrid, that you kept following my blog. 😊
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Good for you, Ingrid. It sounds like you’re finding your feet and rediscovering the joy of living. I understand a bit of that, although for slightly different reasons, because we moved here in 2029 to be with my parents who were aging. They both passed away last year, and the subsequent year has been filled with dealing with their passing, dealing with the estate, and so many other things. At times it just seemed overwhelming, but I’m coming through to a better place too. I’m also in that last quarter of life where you start to think you should make the most of it. So here’s to making the most of it!
So glad you were able to make the meeting of the bloggers and hope that you’ll be able to meet again with us.
janet
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Janet, it was great to finally meet you in person. I can totally relate to what you’ve been dealing with since 2019 and glad you too are in a better place. Yep, we’re at that stage in life when it’s time to make the most of it while we still have our physical health. I’m so glad Al and I did the nomad thing when we did. There’s a time and place for each chapter in life. Hope to see you again soon. 😊
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Can’t wait to see what you and your new camera will come up with!
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Since we aren’t traveling these days, I’m trying to find photograph inspiration in other ways. Hope you enjoyed your winter in the southwest.
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I’m sure you will find things to observe around where you are! We had a good time in the southwest, although the weather wasn’t great. We will be staying put for some time too as we wait for our first grandchild 🙂
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Dear Ingrid, thank you for sharing your story, including the parts that are painful. I appreciate your honesty. As a blogger I often hesitate to share parts of my life that are very private.
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Yes, it can be a difficult road to navigate regarding what to share and not to share here in the blogosphere. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I’ll be checking out some of your recipes on your site.
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Oh how I can relate. The pandemic definitely changed the culture in the good ol’ USA.
2020 was one of our hardest years ever – and so I had to let my doc prescribe a pill to keep me out of the dumps. Thankfully, it was diagnosed as situational and it soon past. But, some Continued. We are now at our 30 year since March 2020 when the unimaginable began to happen in our family. When we sold the RV and bought the sticks and bricks house, Bill asked if we could at least still travel some. We now have about mastered that craving. My blogging is very sporadic, as well. I’ve been able to focus on so many other wonderful things and that has helped.
Arizona is still on our list, we must make it out there for me to see my last connection (other than my sisters) to my mom, who passed in March 2020.
You’re blogging plus ML, were two of our favorites, and we had hoped our paths will cross at some point. We had much in common as far as hiking, and exploring went. We never did master of the fine art of beautiful photography. But we sure did enjoy all of yours and her pictures!
Take care and looking forward to hearing some more from you!
PS Bill hit 70 and I’m closing in on it….ouch it is a tougher decade already!
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Yes, 2020 sure did bring about a lot of change. Between the pandemic and normal aging stuff, it has been a struggle for many. Oh, my husband has surpassed Bill on birthdays. Besides, it’s just a number. We never made it east of TX or WI with the RV. It’s a big country, and we only had so much time and thus needed to prioritize.
I’ve learned a lot from ML regarding photography. When we first met in 2012 we were shooting the same camera and have both grown in our skills. It was fun to go on the photo hike with her and discuss how far we’ve come. Thanks for stopping by 😊
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Nothing more energizing than kickstarting your creative side. I just came out of a bump-on-a-log phase by tossing myself into art groups. There’s just something special about the companionships of fellow creatives.
So glad life is looking up.
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Thank you Kelly, and I believe you are spot on about the special companionships with fellow creatives. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
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Dear Ingrid:
It was great to hear from you. We have settled on Johns Island, SC right outside Charleston and are 5 miles from the beach. We are in the process of selling the Winnebago and are enjoying the Salt Life. I am still working but Lewis is retired and enjoying Rotary and fun times with neighbor guy friends. We enjoyed our coach travel for 3 years but landed in a great place in SC. I was depressed for 15 years in NJ while working the corporate scene. I have applied to 2 non-profit groups with both concentrating on protecting animals. Hugs to you and Al, Nancy
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Great to hear from you Nancy. Five miles from the beach sounds lovely. I’m so glad you found the perfect place to settle and call home. 15 years is a long time to deal with depression … sorry to hear that, and glad you made it through those tough years. All the best to you and Lewis.
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Great post! Keep them coming.
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Thanks, neighbor! 😊
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That’s great you got yourself going again. Lovely photos. And there you are with the group of beautiful bloggers.
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Yep, it was great connecting with the blogging gals and was just the inspiration I needed to get back to blogging.
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