Janet Brien's photos with the keyword: serenity

(big on black will fill your world with the peace this image provides!) It's a frosty, foggy, muddy, bone-chilling wasteland outside so I thought I'd add some warmth to the day! Here's a picture that glows with the luscious bright greens of springtime starring a lovely butterfly--a flower on the wing!--for us to enjoy. :) Tomorrow is the inauguration of a man who's actually capable of leading our country but it's hard not to feel a lot of anxiety about this otherwise fabulous day. What with promised riots and violence, the outrageous exit of the disrespectful, spoiled brat has the nation on edge. I'm doing what I can to virtually stick my head in the sand because I'd really like to let the next couple of weeks go by without a thought. Unchecked, my head reels with frightening images and leaves me feeling very off-kilter about our country and the people that make up its population. Thanks for your great comments about where you and your country are in line for a vaccine. I was fascinated to read of your experiences. Will we all get a vaccine before the growing number of mutations negate their efficacy? Let's hope so! Stay safe everyone and have a lovely day! Explored on 1/19/21; highest placement #3.

This afternoon I decided to wander around our meadow and see what I could find. Overhead, storm clouds rolled by, darkening the sky with forboding threats of rain. I want the rain but not when I'm out taking pictures! :D I found lots of subjects including some caterpillars, some beetles and bugs, and plenty of flowers too. But my pick of the day was an easy win, a tiny flax bud with blond grass seeds in a soft bokeh background. The seeds almost look like natural fireworks! :) Gautama Buddha or Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha, also called Sakyamuni, was a sage from the ancient Shakya republic, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. He is also referred to as "the Buddha" or simply as "Buddha." Wikipedia: Buddha

It rained late last night until this morning, and I had such a fantastic time taking pictures of droplet-covered flowers and leaves! It was really hard to force myself to stop because there were amazing sights everywhere I turned! In fact, I MEANT to take a walk down to our gate and take advantage of the cloudy conditions to take pictures of the yellow Oregon Sunshine flowers that are in bloom. However, I only made it about 25 feet from the front door! Rose buds drizzled with droplets, rose leaves covered with water pearls...I was DAZZLED! Just before I forced myself back into the house, I turned around and gasped at the traditional irises that are filling our garden with outrageous color. I couldn't resist taking pictures of these blue-purple flowers with their yellow throats, and when I saw this on my computer, it was an easy choice for my pick of the day! Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter whose work, notable for its rough beauty, emotional honesty and bold color, had a far-reaching influence on 20th-century art. After years of painful anxiety and frequent bouts of mental illness, he died aged 37 from a gunshot wound, generally accepted to be self-inflicted (although no gun was ever found). His work was then known to only a handful of people and appreciated by fewer still. Wikipedia: Vincent Van Gogh

Today I was determined to get across our meadow and into the lower forest to see if the wild sweet peas were in bloom. Alas...I was making my way across the field when I saw the beautiful faces of blue flax flowers staring up at the morning sun and I knew I'd found my subject for my 365! These tiny flowers are about 1/2" across and they live for just one day! The fibers taken from stems of these plants are 2-3 times stronger than cotton and flax is used to make cloth, paper, and its seeds are made into oil! Such a beautiful flower, such an incredibly useful plant! Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. King has become a national icon in the history of American progressivism. Wikipedia: Martin Luther King, Jr.