Welcome to my blog!
My name is Melody M. Nuñez, and I’m an artist and a writer. Please look around my website and make yourself at home. I post new blog entries on Tuesdays & Thursdays, and hope you’ll subscribe to my blog and come back often! To learn more about me, please view the “About” page…SUBSCRIBE
-
Recent Posts
Archives
-
-
-
Category Archives: nature
From the Archives: some blogtastic posts you may have missed the first time around…
I’ve been a very busy girl! I’ve published over 135 posts in the last year, and since you may have missed a few – especially if you’re a newer reader - I thought I’d mention the ARCHIVES feature that resides along the right side of this page – just below RECENT POSTS. Simply select a month and go! You may start at the very beginning (August 2010) and read forward, or just skip around.
In addition, here’s a compilation of links, by category, to some of the more popular posts I’ve published in the last year. I hope you’ll all find something interesting (and possibly “new to you”) to enjoy!*
Photography
The Joys of iPhone Photography
Harvesting Bounty at the Farmers Market
Life in General
Letting My Inner Child Out to Play: Roller Skating
Art
Making the Most of a Travel Journal
Drawing a Blank? Prompts for Writers & Artists
Recipes
Something Sweet: Triple Chocolate Cake Recipe
Something Sweet: Blueberry-Lemon Muffins Recipe
Something Sweet: Almond Brittle Recipe
Crafts
Green Craft Project: Upcycled & Embellished Metal Cans
A Helpful Hint for My Fellow Paper Addicts: Making a Paper Swatch Ring
Paper, Glass & Wire Butterflies
Travel
A Photographic Tour: New Orleans, Louisiana
Haiku
Ethnic Markets
Little India: So Near, Yet So Far Away
*
Friendly Giveaway Reminder
My blog birthday giveaway winners will be announced on August 30, 2011 so please enter today. You could win a $15 iTunes gift card, a pack of my handmade photo notecards, or a $25 Visa gift card! (Giveaway details/entry HERE) I hope you join the fun…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, art journaling, art supplies, baking, crafts, ethnic food, ethnic markets, family, giveaway, haiku, inner child, inspiration, life in general, movies, photography, poetry, recipes, restaurants, travel, vintage, writing
6 Comments
A Photographic Tour: Kansas
I had the pleasure of traveling to Kansas two years ago, and really enjoyed my trip. Three Southern California friends and I converged on Lincoln, Kansas in August of 2008, and we met up with three other friends there – including a friend who actually lives in Lincoln. We were there to attend an art show that many of us had artwork in, and to see some of the local sights. Lincoln, Kansas may be a small town, but they’ve got a great art center, and an active arts community.
What a great trip! We visited, laughed endlessly, saw the sights, shopped, tromped through sunflower fields, and ate some yummy food. Oh, and attended the art show! It was a wonderful trip for me – one I’ll always look back on with fondness and a big smile. Thanks to my two friends who live in Kansas and hosted, we had lovely breakfasts – including a printed menu of what we’d be dining on each day. Many other special touches – like a surprise guest, scrumptious desserts, and handmade souvenir books – added to the “they thought of everything” glow the weekend took on.
We did a fair amount of rambling around the countryside and surrounding areas in a vehicular caravan, and did some sightseeing in Lincoln proper as well. Here are some of the photos I took – I hope you enjoy them.
Oh, and I found out well after my trip that my beloved maternal grandmother, Neva, was born in Lincoln. I was flabbergasted! Of all the places in Kansas, I ended up staying in the town she was born in?! I may share more on that in a later post, but in the meantime I’ll say that I think the six degrees of separation just shrank to about three degrees…
On our first morning of sightseeing we came across this field of “spent” sunflowers.
The blooms were dried, but the sunflowers were still beautiful.
And yep, the field was out in the middle of nowhere…
*
Our next stop was the town of Hunter, where I photographed a lovely, worn building.
*
This window was “compromised”, but was still beautiful to me…
*
We continued on to Cawker City, and saw the World’s Largest Ball of Sisal Twine!
*
They let folks add twine to the ball, so here I am – tying some on!
*
While on our way back to Lincoln, we hit the motherlode – a blooming field of sunflowers!
*
We jumped out of the cars and started wading into the field of flowers, armed with our cameras.
*
This experience was heavenly – pure bliss – for an adventuresome photographer and nature lover like me. And how wonderful to share it with friends!
*
The art show was fantastic, and the Lincoln Art Center is a jewel in Lincoln.
*
My submission was a series of collages that combined autobiographical sentiments with vintage images and ephemera. You can see five of the nine collages here, in my gallery.
*
Our second day of sightseeing started in Lincoln proper. I found some great bargains at the local thrift store, as well as some other goodies at one of the stores there on the main strip.
*
Another town we visited was Minneapolis, Kansas.
*
I found this gorgeous, rusted car in between a few buildings when I was roaming around and taking photos.
*
Proof that the post of a simple street sign can be beautiful…
*
After lunch and some more shopping in Concordia, we stopped at this INCREDIBLE brick mural. Look at the surface texture, and the movement of the brick. It undulates – undulates, for God’s sake!
*
A detail shot of the custom mural, that was painstakingly created – brick by brick. AMAZING.
*
I only had two days to sightsee in Kansas, and it wasn’t nearly enough. I know there are many things yet to see and do there. However, I’ll always be thankful for all that I did see and do on this first trip. Hopefully it won’t be my last. I hope to visit the state and town that my sweet grandmother was born in again, and soon.
*
Warm regards,
Melody
*
p.s. Have you entered this month’s giveaway yet?
Tweet
Also posted in art, life in general, photography, travel
Tagged art show, Cawker City, Kansas, Lincoln Art Center, Lincoln-Kansas, sunflower fields, World's Largest Ball of Sisal Twine
4 Comments
Haiku: A Santa Barbara Morning
Pelican flying
glides above a glassy sea
such tranquil beauty…
I hope you’re all having a tranquil and beautiful week, dear readers.
Warm regards,
Melody
Haiku: Nature’s Lace
Sunlit gossamer
A spider’s diligent work
Delicate beauty******
***
Speaking of beauty, have you entered the hand-dyed ribbon giveaway? You could be one of two winners, and you just have to leave a quick comment to be in the running! Thanks to those of you who have already entered…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, haiku, photography, poetry
Tagged Japanese poetry, nature photography, spider web in sunlight, spider web photo
10 Comments
My Week in Cambria, California
As you may recall, I spent a week in Cambria last month. After a crazy and stressful start to the year it was a much-needed break, and I’m so thankful I was able to recharge my batteries in such a beautiful place. Though I really just needed some down time, I was also very productive creatively. I completed three art projects, redlined my novel draft, took tons of photos, and enjoyed some local attractions. Nice!
If you’re not familiar with Cambria, it’s a small coastal town in Central California. North of San Luis Obispo and south of Monterey, Cambria’s slogan “Pines by the Sea” is very appropriate. The scenery is gorgeous, and pine trees do abound. The scenery in and around Cambria is an incredibly beautiful combination of mountain, country, and beach-y elements. It’s heavenly!
Cambria is a quiet town with population under 7,000, so if you’re into nightlife and a fast-paced vibe you’ll need to go elsewhere. However, if you’re looking to relax, slow down, and enjoy a gorgeous piece of California, Cambria is for you. Cambria may be a two-day destination for many, but if you’re an artist or a nature lover, the way I am, you’ll be able to pass a happy week – or more – in this charming town.
The Beach
I went to the beach nearly every day, and took photos as far north as San Simeon Cove. Moonstone Beach is my favorite, though. With gorgeous beaches and wildlife (I saw birds, seals, and ground squirrels), it’s a real treat. I made sure to visit Moonstone Beach for a sunset, and wasn’t disappointed. It was stunning! (The photo at the very top of this post was taken at Moonstone Beach)
San Simeon Cove
*
San Simeon Pier
*
Rock formations at Moonstone Beach
*
Sunset at Moonstone Beach
*
Shopping
Cambria is full of darling shops, and makes for a great day or two of shopping if you’re interested in some retail therapy. Some of the stores I shopped at included:
Red Moose Cookie Company - Yum! Their “Cinnful” cookies and “Naughty Rods” are particularly fabulous. I also liked and purchased the “Oh Joy” cookies.
A Matter of Taste – a great store for foodies
All the antique stores in town! I found two great vintage photos, including one of an incredibly dirty and rumpled little girl. Most of the people in old-time portraits look carefully primped and dressed, so she piqued my interest. Price? $1, so I had to adopt her!
*Bonus shopping experience: I was lucky enough to be in town for the big, twice-yearly thrift store event put on by Community Presbyterian Church, and got a bag full of art supplies (and two framed pieces of art) for $13 – major score! Some of the things I bought (like fabric squares & playing cards) will be included in the art supply kits for this fall’s art journaling class. I think finding inexpensive supplies for my students made me happiest of all!
Dining
There are several great places to eat in Cambria, but two of my favorites are definitely Robin’s and the Sea Chest Oyster Bar & Restaurant.
Robin’s Salmon Bisque is scrumptious, and so was the garlic bread and Lemon Poppyseed Cheesecake.
When I went to the Sea Chest for dinner I had some oysters, calamari (the best calamari I’ve ever had – the Sea Chest is the only place I’ll eat calamari), and garlic bread. So good!
Nature
In addition to the wildlife along the coast, I saw horses and cows (in the hills outside town), deer, a wild turkey, tree squirrels, woodpeckers and egrets. Though I live in the city I think I’m a country girl at heart, so seeing all these critters was a real treat for me! Many of the trees in Cambria were draped with a soft green moss, and I was bewitched by the sight.
A ground squirrel at Moonstone Beach
*
A flower I photographed at the local nursery
*
One of the moss-draped trees
*
Hearst Castle
I didn’t go to Heart Castle during this visit, but fondly remember my visit in 1998 and definitely recommend a visit. I hope to get there again on a future visit, as there are different tours and hubby and I only saw a small little bit of the property.
I did see some of the Hearst’s “residents” on this trip, though – I saw five zebras on the Hearst acreage as I zoomed past on Highway 1. What beautiful animals…
I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek at some of my photos from Cambria. Please let me know if you have any questions – at present I personally answer each and every comment posted and would be happy to hear from you.
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in antiques, life in general, photography, restaurants, travel
Tagged Cambria, Pines by the Sea, Red Moose Cookie Company, Robin's, San Simeon, Sea Chest Oyster Bar & Restaurant
8 Comments
Haiku: Often Overlooked
Shining in the light
Dew-dropped jewels – nature’s gift
Just look and you’ll see
*
I hope you’re having a wonderful week thus far, dear readers. I’m blogging from a “remote location” this week and will share a bit more about that on Thursday…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, haiku, life in general, photography, poetry, writing
Tagged haiku, simple pleasures
2 Comments
The Joys of iPhone Photography
But I really don’t NEED an iPhone…
*
I have an iPhone, but I was a late adopter. As recently as last August I was resisting hubby’s suggestion that I get an iPhone. He already had one, and loved his, but I thought it was too much phone for me. After all, I wasn’t on my phone much and just did a bit of texting. Why bother with a more expensive phone and data plan? I appreciated the suggestion, but was trying to be frugal and to keep things simple.
I finally caved for you, dear readers. Yes, I got a smart phone in order to serve you better. I enabled comments on my blog a week or so after I launched it, and an iPhone would allow me to approve comments on my blog and to respond, no matter where I was. I could also respond to blog-related emails on the spot. Yippee!
Then came Twitter. I really and truly never thought I’d tweet, but soon realized tweeting could be more than sharing what you were eating for lunch. I embraced the networking capabilities of Twitter, and am thankful for the personal connections, information, and opportunities Twitter has brought my way. Tweet tweet!
*
Yes, I’m technologically challenged.
I recently had an iPhone photography epiphany. I’ve been snapping pictures with my iPhone since I got it, and though hubby said it was a five megapixel camera, I didn’t quite grasp that the resulting photos would be digitally rich enough to include on my blog. (Yes, I can be a little slow where technological details are concerned.) After all, photography is one of my “things” and I wouldn’t want to post any inferior-looking images.
I was pleasantly surprised with images my little iPhone camera snapped, but didn’t know how they’d look when I took them into Photoshop for the basic treatment I give images used on this blog: auto levels, crop, and image size reduction. The iPhone photos I took at Lisa Engelbrecht’s class, and then used in my blog, proved I could go from phone to blog – that my iPhone pictures weren’t just a digital photo album.
*
Where do the joys come in? Here!
*
The iPhone is the Swiss Army knife of phones – multiple tools tucked in. That includes a camera, which allows me to snap a photo when I didn’t plan to – when I haven’t brought one of my “regular” cameras. Nice!
Great quality for a phone camera! I won’t be giving up my digital SLR any time soon, but as a blogger I love that I can use phone images on my blog in pinch. Low-light images aren’t great (they’re either too grainy, or too bright if the flash fires), but the shots I take in standard lighting conditions do suffice.
The iPhone camera gets up close and personal. Given my propensity for macro photography, I love that this built in camera gets up as close as it does. Getting within two inches and still holding focus? On a camera phone?! FAB!
So, now that I finally get that my iPhone photos are bloggable, here are some of the images I’ve snapped over the last eight months:
Cabbage: Artistry in the produce department of the grocery store: bejeweled cabbage.
*
Palm trees & clouds: A break in the rain allowed this image of palm fronds and clouds. How convenient – I have a camera right here!
*
Bird: I think this little bird allowed me to get within inches to take its picture because of a recent run-in with the glass door it was standing by. He was either stunned or feeling super friendly that day. I didn’t witness the collision – just an educated guess – and was really glad to see he’d flown away after I came back outside. No broken bones, just a few ruffled feathers!
*
Turnips: More artistry in the produce department of the grocery store: beautiful bands of purple.
*
Sundae: Some days are sundaes!
*
Flower: I spied this bloom growing at a local shopping center, and was able to take a quick picture before going about my business.
*
Chili peppers: This is another photo snapped in the produce department while I was grocery shopping. Hot stuff!
*
Sunlit leaf: Lunchtime on a weekday, and this weed was glowing in the sunlight – standing proudly, as if it was a prized orchid.
Sunset at top: I snapped this photo when I spied the sunset peeking into the windows of the office building I work in.
If you have an iPhone (or a good camera on another type of smart phone) but haven’t used the camera feature much, please give it a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in art, inspiration, life in general, photography
Tagged blog, blogger, iPhone, megapixels, smart phone, Twitter
10 Comments
Haiku: It’s the Little Things
Take a closer look
“Little” blessings all around
Make these days worthwhile
*
Always mindful of the many blessings in my life, big and small, I’m particularly focused on the little things right now. When life challenges you, why not try to endure with grace and gratitude? That’s what I’m working towards, and though my results are mixed, and some days are better than others, this goal does help – and it certainly doesn’t hurt!
I hope there are many “little” blessings in your lives, dear readers. Please comment and share the little things that make your days worthwhile, if you’re so inclined…
Warm regards,
Melody
Also posted in haiku, life in general, photography, poetry, writing
Tagged flowers, grace, gratitude, macro photography
4 Comments
Bend, Don’t Break…
This might sound strange, but I really admire this tree. It’s not perfectly upright, but it’s a survivor. It was beaten down, but still shares its beauty with the world. And like most people, this tree has a story.
This particular tree resides on the property of a nearby high school, and I pass it almost daily on my way to work. Approximately two years ago the school began construction on a new building in the corner of the property. This tree was within the “construction zone”. Apparently a decision was made to try and leave the tree intact, where it was, despite the intense activity and heavy machinery swirling around it.
The construction went on for about a year, and all was well for a time. The tree stood vigil within the fenced-off construction zone. It seemed oblivious to the huge tractors, the mud, and the sawhorse tables utilized by the men in hardhats. It looked as though it was minding its own business, and it just kept on growing.
One morning, while driving past and glancing at the construction site, I gasped. The tree was down – nearly flattened. Though I don’t know exactly what happened I imagine a piece of mobile machinery knocked the poor little tree over, and I was truly saddened. I was worried they’d uproot the tree after the damage it sustained, and was very happy to see it each subsequent work day. Though the builders left it alone, despite it being vertically-challenged, much damage had been done. Would the tree slowly wither and die? Only time would tell, and I kept a close watch.
When the dust settled and the building was finally completed, I was thrilled that the tree made it through and was thriving. Though it’s not as upright as it was before the construction, it’s regained a bit of verticality since the accident – and without the crutch of a wooden support post. It’s not quite the tree it was before its injury, but it prevailed.
Despite its’ scars it gives us oxygen, and shares its’ soft green leaves and beautiful pink flowers with all those who take the time to look. I look at that tree and admire it nearly every time I pass, thankful that it fought to survive and that it continues to share its beauty with the world…
Top to bottom:
The scarred trunk – probably the point of impact.
A lovely, pink blossom.
Branches reaching to the sky.
I see beauty in the small, leafy details.
***
Blogger’s note: I wrote this piece approximately two weeks ago, blissfully unaware that dueling tornadoes would touch down in my life – unaware that I’d really need to take this piece’s title and message to heart. So here I am, bending – striving to embody grace despite challenging circumstances. Trying to keep my face to the sun and to offer good to the world despite the clouds looming overhead. Wish me luck…
Warm regards,
Melody
p.s. Does anyone know what kind of tree this is?
Tweet
Also posted in inspiration, life in general, writing
6 Comments
Words from the Wise: Some Favorite Quotes
Floral
I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.
Emma Goldman
I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.
Claude Monet
I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty.
Georgia O’Keeffe
Character
Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.
Winston Churchill
Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
Abraham Lincoln
We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world.
Helen Keller
Happiness & Gratitude
Happiness is a direction, not a place.
Sydney J. Harris
Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.
Emily Dickinson
Having a wider heart is more important than having a larger house.
Chen Yen
Art
Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.
Thomas Merton
An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one.
Charles Horton Cooley
Without art the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.
George Bernard Shaw
Giving
There are those that give with joy, and that joy is their reward.
Kahlil Gibran
If you have no charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.
Bob Hope
If you have much, give of your wealth. If you have little, give of your heart.
Arab Proverb
Writing
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.
William Wordsworth
Writers are the exorcists of their own demons.
Mario Llosa
The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, brain surgery.
Robert Cormier
Making Your Days Count
Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.
Robert Louis Stevenson
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
Anne Frank
Better well done than well said.
Benjamin Franklin
______________
I hope you like these quotes as much as I do!
Warm regards,
Melody
Tweet
Also posted in art, inspiration, life in general, writing
Tagged character, floral, giving, gratitude, happiness, making your days count, quotes
4 Comments
Follow Me
