F A M I L Y - Over The Years

Gifted from above with these 4 beautiful treasures, I cannot imagine life without them.
I have loved being a Mum, and raising these wonderful people; I am beyond blessed, favoured by God, my heart is full!

Daniel, Sarah, Rebecca & Ben. December 1993

Sarah, Dan, Ben (1st day of school) & Bec. January 1997

In 1998 my children's father left us and we became "The Denehy 5".

Creating wonderful memories together, loads of laughter, peace, loyalty, kindness, compassion, respect, gratitude and love were our strengths.

Hastings, VIC. January 1998

Flinders, VIC. January 2000

Surfers Paradise Beach, QLD. January 2001

When adversity challenged us, it only served to bring us closer together. Knowing that we had one another, strengthened our bonds.

January 2002

January 2002 with our beautiful Border Collie, Maggie

June 2003

Together we were stronger, together we were a family.

March 2004

December 2004

 

 

December 2005

November 2006

Siblings (and friends) July 2007

December 2007

December 2008

December 2009 at my wedding

March 2010 - with my parents, at Sarah & Oscar's wedding

"FAMILY like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one."

My hope and prayer is that my children will never forget where their roots are.

T R U S T

In the midst of impossible circumstances, I have been challenged to think about how I should respond and choose to move forward knowing that I am utterly helpless in changing the situation...

I thought long and hard, and I shed many many tears... And finally one word came to mind... TRUST.

TRUST means having faith. TRUST means believing. TRUST means letting go. TRUST means being grateful.

If God can create such a beautiful and wonderful world with such intricate detail, then He surely has the power to change the impossible...

Therefore, in having faith, trusting, believing and letting go, I am also choosing GRATITUDE. 

I am choosing to slowly rise above the difficult circumstances in my life journey. 

I am choosing to be grateful for all I have and for those who have chosen to walk this journey with me. 

I am choosing to allow the difficult circumstances of life to help me grow... I cannot change the circumstances, but I can certainly choose how I respond to them. 

I am choosing to TRUST and live in HOPE that one day things will be different. 

Finally, and most importantly, I am choosing to LOVE!

**All images take in my Mum's beautiful cottage garden on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.


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Wild Bird Wednesday: Common Blackbird

While holidaying on Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula over the Christmas/New Year period, we had some regular visitors to my parent's yard; a bird we don't see up in sub-tropical Queensland.

The Common Blackbird was introduced to Melbourne, Australia in the 1850s. The male is the 'black' bird, with deep orange to yellow bill, a narrow yellow eye-ring and dark legs.

The female is a brown bird, with some streaks or mottling, and has a dark bill and legs. Immature birds are similar to the female with lighter underparts.

The Common Blackbird, was originally confined to Melbourne and Adelaide, but has gradually expanded its range throughout south-eastern Australia, both on the coast and inland, as far north as Sydney, and including Tasmania and the Bass Strait islands.

It is most often found in urban areas and surrounding localities, but has successfully moved into bushland habitats. It is often seen in orchards, vineyards and gardens, as well as along roadsides and in parks.

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"A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words"

For me, one of the beautiful things about photographing nature is that an image, or series of images, can evoke a feeling or make a statement without the need to utter words.
The old expression "A picture is worth a thousand words", refers to the belief that a complex idea can be conveyed with just a single still image, or that an image of a subject conveys its meaning or essence more effectively than a description does.

I have titled the above image "Where Power Meets Serenity". My hope was to convey an idea without any further explanation.

There are times I feel compelled to share some of my personal thoughts or revelations on life with my image/s...

Sometimes we encounter "storms" in our lives, and we may have absolutely no power to alter or improve the situation. It is at these times that my photography has been a welcome source of therapy; my "happy place", as I like to call it.
Being surrounded by nature and photographing its beauty has the ability to instill peace, soothe my soul and calm my mind... My focus switches from the difficult circumstances of life, to the gratitude I have for life itself, for the wonderful people I share my life with, and the blessing of God's creation.

There are other times when I enjoy the challenge of seeking out a quote that may convey the message of my image...

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." ~ Denis Waitley

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S E R E N I T Y

Serenity

(noun)

The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. 

To me, the word serenity means maintaining peace within, even when circumstances are difficult.

I am convinced that sense of peace comes from being grateful for what we have, and knowing that we can trust God even in the difficult times.

Capturing serene moments of His creation...

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Skywatch Friday: Cudgen Lake

Just near the coastal villages of Cabarita Beach and Bogangar on the Tweed Coast, Cudgen Lake is a hidden wetland treasure surrounded by floodplain forest and rainforests. Looking out over the calm waters, you'll see majestic Round Mountain to the south and striking views of Mount Warning to the west.
Cudgen Lake's pristine water is perfect for canoeing, which is how I got these photos.

Mount Warning in the distance, zoomed in...

We weren't sure if the sky would colour up much, due to cloud on the horizon. But then, we saw a golden glow beginning...

And then, this happened...

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