Fall Splendor in Traverse Bay

Fall is a funny time of the year. We resist its arrival during the hot lazy days of summer -- not wanting to give up the luxury of continuous heat. Who can resist coatlessness and flowers blooming without effort? Summer is the time when we can justify a rest and rationalize a visit, but eventually fall forces itself upon us.

Fall is the conduit between the carefree days of summer and the harsh regiment of winter. In a lovely and gracious manner, autumn brings the message that fun cannot last forever. The colours are a sign that endings can be beautiful, and that the drabness in the months to come are only temporary. 

I hope you enjoy these pictures taken on my regular walks, as I snap pictures with my "little puppy," Snowball and my Panasonic Lumix bridge camera. All are from the Traverse Bay area. 

One thing I have noticed is that the colours of the trees are radiant and shine with luminance of their own. When the sun shines as well, the effect is glorious! With all the clouds lately, I was waiting for a sunny day to get the best possible light. 

Even the beach looks different in the fall: a bit messy, like it's getting ready for winter. 

The interesting thing about the forest is that there is always new growth right alongside of the old. You see baby trees and old trees dying. What a diverse community. One of the things we miss in our society is that young people are often cut off from old people, unexposed to their wisdom and tempering influence.

The woods have all ages. There is no discrimination here. The poorly dressed and the richly adorned all share the space. 

Finally, I love me some black and white photography. The beauty of this simple medium is that it shows the lines and the form with no distractions. 

Thanks so much for reading along today. I would love to hear your thoughts on fall, and how October is going in your neck of the woods. Take care and God bless you. 

Love Sharilee. Hey thanks so much for reading. I would love to hear your comments and input in the space below. Also, if you like what you are reading, sign up through my Facebook page. or receive posts by e-mail by joining here

Late Summer Days Lake Winnipeg

Hi everyone! 

It's me again! I have been gone for a long time, working on other projects. This blog has been pretty much abandoned, but I decided to ressurect it again. The primary purpose will be to share my photos, all from the beautiful East Beaches of Manitoba.

So, the last couple of days, we have been totally gifted with a few days of unexpected summer, and the beach was on the agenda. Here are shots from my walks the last two days. 10,000 steps today, baby! I am determined to break out of the coach potato mode I have been stuck in. 

Today, my husband and I walked all the way to end of the beach. For the first time in a long time, we forgot the time. 

End of the Day -- Late Summer Pelican Point

Sunset -- Pelican Point 

It was interesting that there were about 100 seagulls that flocked here, like relatives chatting at a family reunion. It was challenging to try to get some good shots of these birds without disturbing them. The birds seem to make this place their home. 

Seagulls soaring Lake Winnipeg

Flock of seagulls Lake Winnipeg

Seagulls on sandbar Lake Winnipeg

Here are a few more from the beach. Did I mention we went swimming today, on September 16th? Yes, we did. The water was as cold a snowbank but worth it. I was surprised to see that there were three other groups hanging out at the beach on this autumn day. And this was the beauty we soaked in. 

Lake Winnipeg Fall Day

Lake Winnipeg Fall Beach

Cliffs Lake Winnipeg

Have a wonderful day, everyone. What is the weather like in your area of the world? Are you having Indian Summer, too? 

Love Sharilee. Hey thanks so much for reading. I would love to hear your comments and input in the space below. Also, if you like what you are reading, sign up through my Facebook page. or receive posts by e-mail by joining here

She is Puppy

How can it be 

That I already love

This puppy so much,

Who's only a small

Ball of nonsense:

Messy and clumsy

Making a scene

Over every 

Little move we

Make, crying when we

Go to bed and 

Taking over our whole 

Lives, like a dandelion,

Conquers a yard in spring. 

How could it be 

That this small

Animal, born in a

Dark, stinky barn,
Just a farmer's dog,

Could bring such joy,
So that the world

Looks more bright and

Life seems a more

Doable task again.

Every day she learns

Something new and

Every night she dreams

Of snow-covered slopes,

Millions of smells,

And the two people

Who now fill her heart -- 

And fill her bowl

Three times a day. 

She is puppy, 

Good girl, Snowball,

Loved and loving all,

Cuddles and mud,

Pee and Soft kisses,

Sticks and Bones Chewed,

A welcome home,

A new beginning,

Part of our lives

Now and forever,

The baby in the house.
She is the puppy
We love.

Good morning, everyone! Eight days ago, on a cold, April Sunday evening, we brought home a small, but rather big-for-a-puppy dog. She was bred by farmers who use the animals to guard their livestock and property. She was the runt of a family that included four sisters and three brothers.

The moment my husband spotted her, he knew she was the one for us.  She threw up in the car and barely moved when we first got her. A week later, she feels completely at home and is rapidly taking over every aspect of our lives. Her name is Snowball.

We already have two cats and they are very loved but a dog seemed like the next step for life here in the forest of Manitoba. Besides being great company, a dog is also a safety feature in this habitat we share with foxes, bears, coyotes, fishers and raccoons. Pyrenees are bred to be guard dogs and are noted for being patient, subdued and very good-looking.

She really is joy personified. I admit I was nervous about being able to keep up with the work required to have a small animal in the house and it has been a real challenge but the pure bliss she has for life makes it all worth it! I have uploaded a video I took of her below.

What about you? Are you an animal lover? Can you relate to some of the feelings in this poem? I would love to hear your feedback in the comments section below.

Love Sharilee. Hey thanks so much for reading. I would love to hear your comments and input in the space below. Also, if you like what you are reading, sign up through my Facebook page. or receive posts by e-mail by joining here

Ice Castles on A Winter's Day: A Series of Haikus

One cold afternoon

Long before spring and its blossoms,
We find a treasure.

Deep in the city,

We behold structures, made of pure cold,

Held together with ice.

A castle fantasy dropped

Into the middle of a

Dreary winter's day.

Lovers and children
Equally delighted, walk

Mitten on Mitten.

Strangers smile in joy,

Offering to shoot portraits

On each other's phones.

Pure camerderie:

Sharing this moment of magic 

We did not expect.

It's a hidden treasure 

In this dusty muddy town ...

Time stands completely still.

We feel as though we

Could stay forever, caught up in

A frozen fairytale. 

Do you ever get into a rut? I know it's very easy to do, but last month, my husband and I broke out of our rut by doing something completely different.  For a belated Valentine's Day date, we visited Ice Castles! 

I had seen pictures of similar structures, mostly from Europe, but never knew they were available locally. When I saw some friends posting gorgeous images on Facebook, I was intrigued and then thought, "what an amazing idea for Valentines' Day!" 

These are  some shots I took of these magical structures. At first, I wasn't sure if might be "too girly" for my masculine husband to enjoy but my worries were unfounded. He loved it as much as I did. 

I absolutely loved seeing the genuine smiles on everyone's faces. Just being there seemed to open people up and total strangers were all offering to take photos of each other. It was really moving. 

About the Poems

The week's poem this week is actually a series of haikus. Even if you aren't a student of literature, there is a chance you are familiar with form of poetry because almost every North American child ends up writing a haiku at one point in their school career!

As you may know, an English haiku is usually made up of 17 syllables and is usually focused on some aspect of nature. It usually features a "turn" around the second line. 

What you may not have known (I didn't) is that the Japanese, the ones who invented the form, do not even have syllables in their language and their poems were always centred on the seasons. 

As this writer explains in his site dedicated to Japanese culture,  traditional Japanese haikus were always related to their four seasons: fall, winter, spring, summer and New Year's! Each seasonal poem had certain conventions and images that were expected. 

Thanks so much for reading and I hope spring is soon on its way, wherever you are! Please feel free to comment below and share with others if you think they would enjoy it! 

*All photographs were taken by the author and are copyright-protected. 

Love Sharilee. Hey thanks so much for reading. I would love to hear your comments and input in the space below. Also, if you like what you are reading, sign up through my Facebook page. or receive posts by e-mail by joining here

Trees Remind Us

Trees remind us 

That we are smaller

Than our creator 

And this knowledge

Lets us breath more easily,

Knowing that we are not 

God and do not need

To pretend we are. 

Trees remind us 

That no matter 

How the wind blows 

And the rain comes down

We can still stand strong

Even if we have lost 

All of our bloom.

Trees are the lions 

Of the forest

Who rule with majesty

The elephants 

Who remember everything

And the defenders

Of our air and earth. 

Hey everyone, I just wanted to thank you so much for reading my poems and looking at my pictures. I appreciate each one of you and would love to hear from you, whether through the comments below or by email. 

I also wanted to let you know that I am starting to sell some of my photos and would love if you would have a look and give me your feedback. I am offering the photos on prints, as well on some different products, such as bags, clocks and blankets. I don't have them all listed yet, so if there are any particular pictures that you are interested in, please let me know. 

For now, you can purchase my products at the following two sites:

https://sharilee-swaity.pixels.com

https://www.redbubble.com/people/sharilees

You can also ask me for a custom order and I may be able to get you a better shipping rate, depending on where you are. 

I would love it if you would be willing to share this page, as well as any of my product pages. Thanks so much and God bless. 

Love Sharilee. Hey thanks so much for reading. I would love to hear your comments and input in the space below. Also, if you like what you are reading, sign up through my Facebook page. or receive posts by e-mail by joining here

Dusk's Last Song

There is a time

Right before night

When the sun hangs

Barely in sight.

 When you feel a 

Sense of new hope

That no matter 

The odds, you can cope.

During dusk's last song,

The soft sky of blue

Reaches out and

Envelopes you.

I hope you enjoyed this poem. I think that dusk is my favourite time of day. It is not quite dark outside and the whole world has a romantic mood to it. I love the light and the way everything looks interesting and intense! These pictures were taken on my walk tonight. What is your favourite time of day? Talk to me below! 

All photos are the author's and are fully copyrighted and protected. 

Love Sharilee. Hey thanks so much for reading. I would love to hear your comments and input in the space below. Also, if you like what you are reading, sign up through my Facebook page. or receive posts by e-mail by joining here

Hoping She Never Went Away

I owned a cat who loved to roam

 She'd run and hide and jump and play

But one sad night it all went wrong.

I called and called for her come
And get some food without delay
Hoping she wasn't really gone.

Before this cat was even grown

We grew to love her funny ways

But one sad night it all went wrong.

For weeks, I sobbed and cried alone

Missing my friend who did not stay
Hoping she wasn't really gone.

We looked for her around our home

We searched the forest and prayed and prayed

Trying to right the night gone wrong.

She's been gone for far too long

I wish that I could hear her song

But one sad night it all went wrong

It's hard to believe she's really gone.

When you first lose someone, you cannot believe they are gone from this earth. I remember feeling this way when I lost my Mom. Sometimes it never completely goes away, although our logical mind accepts reality. 

I wrote this week's poem about my sweet kitty, Shiloh, who went missing eighteen months ago. We still don't know what happened to her, despite a massive search effort.


Her name means "peace," and she truly brought peace into our home. Her best friend, Grey Eye, misses her, too. The pain felt fresh today when my Google Photos feed brought pictures up of her from two years ago.

I know true animal lovers will understand the ache of missing a furred friend. This poem is for the animal lovers and for the grieving today. My prayers go out tonight for anyone who can't believe their loved one is really gone. 

This week's piece is written in the villanelle form and is meant to almost like a haunting melody that repeats itself. I first ran across this form of poetry in university, loved it, and thought it would be appropriate for my feelings about Shiloh, which I can never truly go away.

All photos are originals taken by the author and are fully copyrighted.

Love Sharilee. Hey thanks so much for reading. I would love to hear your comments and input in the space below. Also, if you like what you are reading, sign up through my Facebook page. or receive posts by e-mail by joining here