The Simple Path

April... Spring has arrived according to our calendars, which means that the brutal cold weather of winter will soon be a distant memory. This photo was inspired by the AHA National Walking Day on April 2, 2014 and Andrew Whyte's Legography project. If you've followed this blog for any amount of time you are well aware of my love of toy photography, a practice that dates back to 2009 and can be blamed on a little stuffed dog called Snugg LePup on Flickr.

The real heart connection with this photo is to follow this path of life with passion and wonder, and to quote a fortune cookie "A truly great person never puts away the simplicity of a child".

Update: 1000 Cranes for Japan

77/365 Kimmidoll and Crane
Originally uploaded by maggie_gem

The movement and effort continue! In little over a week the Flickr Group 1000 Cranes for Japan has grown to 668 members posting 879 photographs, it's amazing to see such caring and unity in this community of photographers. In addition, the group founder has uncovered another group willing to make monetary contributions for Origami Cranes and/or photos of the cranes.

Students Rebuild is collecting 100,000 actual paper cranes, which will be woven into a piece of artwork.

The Bezos Family Foundation has pledged $2/crane up to $200,000! The funds will be donated to Architecture for Humanity efforts to help rebuilding efforts in Japan, you can read more here: studentsrebuild.org/japan/ they also have a Facebook Page Paper Cranes for Japan

So much can be gained.... Just Do Something!

I Can Get By...

31/365 I Can Get By...
Originally uploaded by maggie_gem

with a little help from my friends!

Friendship is a wonderful thing... to have just one true friend that sticks with you no matter what is the biggest blessing on the planet. They don't judge, they don't ridicule... they support and encourage. Sometimes they just listen!

“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Christopher Robin to Pooh” - A. A. Milne

Ordinary

5/365 Ordinary
Originally uploaded by maggie_gem

"Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well." ~ Jim Rohn

A simple salt shaker adorned with that extraordinary little mouse we've all come to know as Mickey!

Inspired by today's Daily Shoot ~ Make an interesting photograph of something mundane and ordinary today.

Speaking of Gems...

While browsing through TweetDeck yesterday morning, a contact posted a link to a wonderful presentation that we all can learn from Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids Video on TED.com.

Reminded me of this fortune I got a few months back and was the Photo of the Day 32/365

I really do enjoy my toys, that inner child is just trying to break through all this grown-up baggage!