I’m starting a new adventure this week and I am can’t-stay-in-my-seat excited!!

I don’t know how many of you know but last year I bought my first ‘big girl’ camera (you should totally read that as, not just a point and shoot from the local Kmart, but a real bonafide DSLR with manual settings and everything!)

It is definitely not something one learns overnight, but I’m practicing and practicing and I’ve decided I want to pursue this thing a bit farther. Translation: I’m very seriously considering turning this into a full time career! I’m working on narrowing my niche (I love taking photos of so many things), but I figure, hey, snap away at a lot of different things for a year and then decide which ones are a great fit. I’m looking to get my photography portfolio  up and running any time now! (shhhh….don’t tell anyone, I can’t take that kind of pressure).

In the meanwhile, I thought I’d share some practice stuff with you, you know for feedback, constructive criticism, ooo’s , ahhh’s, and that sort of thing. I found this great little photo challenge from Hugh  on a blog I follow, Hugh’s Views and News and thought…”this looks interesting, lets give it a go” and here we are.

While the challenge itself is in week 20, this is my first actual photo  for the challenge. Who knows, maybe next year I’ll get in from the get-go!

This week’s theme is SOLITUDE 

What a lovely word. To me solitude means I am surrounded by peace and calm. It’s something or somewhere I can be quiet with my thoughts or simply sit and enjoy being alone (did you know there’s a huge difference between being lonely and being alone? Took me a long time to figure it out, but trust me when I tell you, figuring it out will change your life!)

I thought about this for a moment. What does solitude look like for me? When do I see or experience solitude?

I’m never still. Never.  (OK, well there was that one time when I was so sick I couldn’t move, but that doesn’t count  😉 )

Whenever I am still, I’m seeing or thinking about the next thing that needs to be done. I’m looking at the clutter (I hate clutter); I’m thinking about all the laundry that needs started and finished; I’m worrying about the bills getting paid; I pulling together next week’s menu within the confines of my tangled mind. Heck I’m even that girl you hear the joke about who is making a grocery list during an intimate moment with her husband (ouch)!

Solitude?

Solitude for me is a moment frozen in time; a moment when the clutter is under control; a moment when my house is clean and distraction free; a moment when no one is hollering my name; a moment when I’m not thinking about that next thing that needs to be completed; a moment when I’m alone; when it’s quiet.

A moment when I can feel every tense muscle begin to relax and my thoughts are clear.

For me, that moment is grabbing a great book, lighting a candle (yes, even in the broad daylight), kicking my feet up and experiencing someone else’s life for awhile through the pages of a book.

It’s this moment…

 What does solitude look like for you?