A Healthy Start with a Bowl of Berries

Last year I lost 17 pounds. I gained a couple back over the holidays but I am getting back to better habits again. The Christmas cookies are gone! I have no doubt I will lose the last few pounds and be back to the weight I was in my twenties. No kidding! You may ask how I am doing this. The easiest answer is quality homemade food; no sugar, no white flour, no food in a box. It is satisfying, nourishing and weight reducing. And I could not feel more energetic. If you would like to know more details on how you can lose those excess holiday pounds I highly recommend the "South Beach Diet." It is a healthy plan and has worked for me. Now I'm going to make this luscious bowl of berries disappear!

Berries
A bowl of fresh red raspberries and blueberries splashed with milk
makes a healthy breakfast still life.
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Mountain Valley View - Colorado Rocky Mountains

It is the first snowfall. It arrived late this year and followed a sunny summery autumn. So imagine the shockingly cold surprise and sparkling white beauty of this season's first snow. As I breathed in the prickly fine air the world about me seemed new. The sun was catching the fine crystals setting off brilliant sparks on each tree and bush. As I looked down our mountain valley to distant peaks all the shades of winter's blue were around me. My favorite color. I hope you enjoy it too.

Mountain Valley View
The distant hazy blue Rocky Mountains of Colorado are seen through a picture frame of snow clad pines.
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Botanical Nature Abstract - Aqua Spray

As I gaze at the natural view of autumn grass I am inspired by the beauty and invent a playful landscape. In the magical world of imagination a tuft of grass is transformed into a fountain spraying aqua blue water reminding me of the jets of water skyrocketing at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Daydreaming can be great fun.

Aqua Spray
A tuft of grass bursts into a fountain of aqua color.
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Botanical Abstract - Midnight Sparkle

The moon turns the sky a cobalt blue as the stars wink above. Below delicate filaments catch tiny jeweled drops in the midnight air as if to catch the stars themselves and bring them to earth. The fluffy seed turns color and looks like a fireworks of frozen evening colors. Time passes slowly if you can catch a star.

Midnight Sparkle
A fluffy seed is transformed into sparkling midnight fireworks in blue, green, aqua and lavender.
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Venetian Gondola Serenade

O Sole Mio! I can not help but have this song run through my mind when I see a gondola. It is one of the most famous Italian songs in the world. I have heard that even though Venetian gondoliers sing this song for tourists it is actually a Neapolitan song. If my photo has gotten you in the mood for Italian serenades check out more Italian songs here.

Venetian Gondola
A romantic Italian gondola rocks gently in the aqua blue canal at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Vintage 1957 GMC Pickup Truck

The year was 1957. "American Bandstand," which featured teenagers dancing to Top 40 chart music hosted by Dick Clark, makes its network debut on ABC. The Volkswagen Beetle reached it's 2 millionth vehicle and a gallon of gas cost 24 cents. The first space satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched by Russia, then the Soviet Union. Kids played with Slinkys and Hula Hoops. Denim jeans were only $2.49. Jobs were plentiful and times were good. And fifty-three years later those good times continue to roll for this aqua blue beauty of a pickup.

1957 GMC Pickup Truck
A vintage 1957 aqua blue GMC pickup truck catches the last light under a pink sunset outside of a darkened Harbor Freight Tool Store. Fort Collins, Colorado
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Stepping out of My Steel Box

If you are familiar with my work then you know I tend toward natural images found in the Western USA. Today I am stepping out of my comfort zone. You might think I took this photo in a major city, but in fact, it was taken at a rural interstate rest area in Wyoming. It is what my eye saw when I looked at that reflective steel face shining like a beacon in the sun. Let me know what you think.

Steel Box
A wedge shaped building with a face of reflective steel shines in a blue cloud filled sky.
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Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Mountain Bluebell Snow

It is amazing that flowers and snow go together, but in the Colorado Rocky Mountains they are spring companions. When the heavy winter snows finally melt away the earth begins to awaken and the flowers burst forth from their winter slumber. The season is short and the flowers do not hesitate. Mountain Bluebells are among the first. The inevitable spring snows are heavy and laden with nourishing moisture and the bluebells are once again completely buried. But undaunted they emerge from the melting snow into the warm sun over and over.

Bluebell Snow
Mountain bluebells dangle above a fresh spring snowfall in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
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Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Graceful Resilience on Mother's Day

When you live in the Colorado Rocky Mountains you expect spring snows. I have long ago given up the notion to run outside and cover my freshly emerging spring flowers. They have to be tough! Grape hyacinths fit that bill perfectly. They gracefully bend low under the weight and then when the sun emerges to melt away the spring snow they slowly stand up again. They remind me that part of being a loving mom is graceful resilience with just a sprinkle of toughness. Wishing all you Moms out there a very Happy Mother's Day!

Snow Grapes
Deep royal blue grape hyacinths bend low under the weight of a fresh spring snow in the Colorado Rockies.
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Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Rising

According to astrology some of us are ruled by the sun and some by the moon, not to mention many other planets. The sun is hot, dry and masculine in nature; whereas the moon is associated with the feminine and dark energies. There are sun worshipers and folk that like to howl at the moon. We have early risers and night owls. Whichever group you prefer I hope that my photographs bring light to your day or your night. Tell me which of our celestial bodies brings out the best in you.

Sunrise
A brilliant red sunrise is an abstract explosion of bright red with a silhouette of the horizon and will look perfect as an accent piece in your decor.
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Moonrise
A glowing blue moonrise is an abstract explosion of color with a silhouette of the horizon and will look perfect as an accent piece in your decor.
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Sunrise Moonrise Photo Set
Two different presentations of a rising glowing sun or moon against a dark horizon. One brilliant red the other illuminating blue.
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Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

March 2010 Calendar for your Computer

It is almost March. That means spring is just around the corner for most of us. The cold winter snow will be gone for one more year. But before it is totally gone the mists will surround the pines and flow like water down the mountain slopes in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Here is your new desktop calendar for March 2010. If you would like to purchase this photograph you can find the information on the archival quality fine art photo of Evening Fog here. I hope you enjoy your free calendar!

download your free desktop wallpaper calendar for March 2010 here

Easy Instructions
After clicking on the above link
you will be at my Flickr page. Simply click on
"Download the Original size"
at the top left of the page.
The file will then download to your desktop!

Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Natural Objects of Art

Nature is my inspiration. Do you remember when you were a child and every little flower and bug in your backyard fascinated you? It is still that way with me when I allow it. That is when I pull out my camera and recapture the natural world of my childhood. My recent photos have sparked a debate in my family as to which one is the "best" or a personal favorite. Tell me which one you prefer.

Mahogany Winter
A mountain mahogany bush with its russet winter leaves contrasts with the soft tones of a fresh snow in Colorado.
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Winter Blues
Bare winter branches thrust up through the snow in a spot of sunlight filtered by green pines.
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Frozen Granite
A large snow covered granite boulder shelters a lone golden stem of mullein, a remnant of summer past.

Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Sunrise Snow

Sleepy eyed I peeked my head out from under the warm covers. A rosy glow was painting the ponderosa pines outside my window a lovely blush. I slowly crawled out of bed and grabbed my robe. On my way to fix coffee I noticed that the room was flooded with the early eastern light casting pink glows and purple shadows across the room. Fortified with a cup of coffee I threw a coat on and ventured out into the front yard. Last year's dried flowers were pushing up from under a blue blanket of snow in the soft pink light of sunrise. I hope you like this wintry picture too.

Sunrise Snow
Last year's dried flowers look lovely under a blue blanket of snow in the soft rose light of sunrise.
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Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

A Mountain Home in the Colorado Rockies

The cold arctic air continues to dip down into the Colorado Rockies and sprinkle us with snowfall. One thing that is different for me from most people is that I live five miles from a paved road. Much of this dirt road is private and does not get plowed by any government entity. So anyone that lives on this road is responsible for keeping it passable in the winter months. My husband typically plows about a mile and a half of steep treacherous terrain with his sturdy Ford F150 and an attached snowplow. The other three neighbors pitch in for the remainder. That is another thing that is different for us. We really do rely on our neighbors.

Many of you know I live in a remote off-grid home and I thought I would share a bit of my lifestyle with you. There is too much to talk about in one post so I will try to mention just a bit at a time. If any of you have questions, please ask. I may even do a post about your question.

Stellers Ridge Snow
A winter wonderland of snowy pines greets me when I walk down my mountain top drive in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
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Snowy Home
This is a textured artistic interpretation of my off-grid home on a snowy winter day.

Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Snowy Trees in a Winter Landscape

My boots crunched as I walked the dogs in the frigid morning air. Their breath puffed out in jets of steam as they charged ahead. The fresh snow outlined everything in lacy sparkling white. I had to pause and soak it in, the cold forgotten. I am the "Winter Girl." The cottonwoods on the valley floor remind me of old oil paintings of the romanticism period, with pastural meadows and large trees. It would have looked the same to a passerby one hundred years ago. My contemplations are abruptly ended by dog noses nudging me forward. It is time to continue our walk.

Mesa Cottonwoods in Winter
Snowy cottonwoods line a creek at the bottom of the towering western mesa pointing to a water source and creating layers of subtle color.
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Snowy Cottonwoods in Blue
The western landscape turns a subtle shade of blue under the intense azure winter sky and highlights the stark row of cottonwood trees.
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Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Columbine in Blue

The faded background resembling Grandma's worn apron, perfectly highlights the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain Columbine. This original fine art photo was taken in the foothills of Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Visit here for additional information.

Friday Favorites - Desert Color

I have always loved vibrant desert color. The color of a Sedona sunset, coral and turquoise jewelry, and the giant red mesas in the old John Wayne movies of my childhood send a warm happy feeling right through me and down to my toes. Enjoy these gorgeous pieces from some very talented artisans. Please visit their shops by clicking on the piece's title. Enjoy!

CEREMONIAL HEADRESS
by Original Art Studio

Robin's Egg Blue Semi-precious Stone and Copper Earrings
by TK Designs

Enlightened
by Kenna Foster

Desert Oasis Necklace
by Kelley Livingston

The Horseman
by Uncle Lee

Sunday Morning Gallery - Splash!

I am an earth mama with a water spirit heart. I guess that makes me mud! Living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains gives me sustenance for my earth side. Their solid permanence gives me strength. But once in awhile my water spirit thirsts for salty oceans, serene lakes, and rivers wet and wild. I have not had my ocean fix recently but instead have found untamed waters and calm shores right here in Colorado.

The first two photos were taken in Rocky Mountain National Park on a summer hike next to the St. Vrain River. It has been my favorite river in the park since I first discovered it in 1975. And as the surrounding terrain changes from fires and natural selection, the river still rages down the steep mountainside careening over the same rocks. I find timeless energy there.

The last photo is of Horsetooth Reservoir just west of Fort Collins, Colorado. It is about four miles east of my mountain home and I can see it out my windows with the morning sun reflecting golden off its surface or a full moon making it a pool of pale light.