• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Patricia Sands

Author

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
    • Can I visit your Book Club on Zoom?
  • Books
    • The Bridge Club
    • Love in Provence Series
      • The Promise of Provence
      • About Promises to Keep
      • I Promise You This
    • Drawing Lessons
    • Les Villa des Viollettes series
      • The First Noël at the Villa des Violettes
      • A Season of Surprises at the Villa des Violettes
      • Lavender, Loss & Love at the Villa des Violettes
    • The Secrets We Hide
  • Travel
    • Photography, France & d’Ailleurs
  • Instagram
  • If it’s Friday, it must be France…
  • Contact me

A story waiting to happen …

May 23, 2013 by Patricia Sands Leave a Comment

There’s a story waiting to happen here. What do you say?

Through the gate- PSandsPhotos
Through the gate- PSandsPhotos

I passed this setting on my way to pick up my four-year-old granddaughter this afternoon and nearly drove off the road as my eyes were drawn to the shot with such intensity. Kate and I walked back up the street so I could take the photo. The fragrance that filled the air was almost overwhelming but so exceptionally beautiful.

Does that ever happen to you … where you simply MUST get the shot? Remember, you can click on the photo here to enlarge it and wander through that gate.

I just had to pop back in and add this comment – I took the shot with my iPhone! I didn’t have my trusty Canon SLR with me at the time but didn’t want to miss the moment. Gotta say, I’m lovin’ that phone’s camera! Thanks for the stories and thoughts you are leaving … lovin’ that too!

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Print
  • Email

Related

Filed Under: Blog, Photo blogs Tagged With: lilacs, Patricia Sands, photography, Spring

About Patricia Sands

Family, writing and travel are my passions ... okay, and chocolate ... and I'm seldom without a camera. I write women's fiction and keep in touch with readers by a monthly newsletter that also has giveaways and contests. Come and join us by signing up on the right. See you there!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. fransiweinstein says

    May 23, 2013 at 1:05 am

    Yes, absolutely. It happened to me ALL over India. I love this photo you’ve taken. Beautiful. Almost doesn’t look real it’s so perfect. I’d like to be laying out in that beautiful place, on a blanket, just soaking it all in.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:32 pm

      Fransi, I’m serious about seeing your photos from India. Do you have them on your iPad?

      Reply
      • fransiweinstein says

        May 23, 2013 at 3:54 pm

        Yep!

        Reply
  2. wordsfromanneli says

    May 23, 2013 at 1:09 am

    I see the gate is open, inviting us in.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:34 pm

      Honestly, it was hard to resist walking through that gate. That whole property was surrounded by lilac bushes that have been there for well over a hundred years as has the home. You can feel the stories in the air there …

      Reply
  3. Cancer in My Thirties says

    May 23, 2013 at 1:16 am

    Yes, it does! Great shot!

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:35 pm

      Wander through and escape for a while. I was thinking about you this morning and am going to visit your blog right now! So lovely to see you here!

      Reply
      • Cancer in My Thirties says

        May 26, 2013 at 2:00 am

        Aww, thank you for visiting! And I haven’t forgotten about your book! Life keeps getting in the way of having much quiet time to read, but I have enjoyed what I’ve read thus far! 😉

        Reply
  4. Carol Umfer says

    May 23, 2013 at 2:14 am

    Absolutely beautiful. The gate opening is for you to go through and soak up ideas for your next book. I would give anything to escape and be in such a tranquil setting reading The Promise of Provence.

    Reply
  5. Edith says

    May 23, 2013 at 2:34 am

    Absolutely gorgeous! The blossom is stunning against the green leaves and the pristine white, like a veil that’s pulled apart to reveal the hanging tyre in the distance – who uses it, a child from the past, or one from the present? Gorgeous! xxx

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:36 pm

      “Like a veil …” – beautiful imagery, Edith. The stories abound!

      Reply
  6. fatimasaysellf says

    May 23, 2013 at 3:49 am

    I would be the child swinging on that tyre! Great photo. There have been many times when I’ve seen a beautiful scene like this (a photo opportunity, as we call them) and come back with a camera to capture the moment.

    Reply
  7. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says

    May 23, 2013 at 6:38 am

    Oh, definitely!

    Reply
  8. photosfromtheloonybin says

    May 23, 2013 at 7:00 am

    Yes – all the time!! I would have definitely stopped for that one too :).

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:39 pm

      Oh yes, I know you would have! There’s something so visceral about images like that, isn’t there? You simply cannot ignore the compulsion to capture it one way or the other. I am still stunned that my cell phone caught it just the way I wanted. Of course, Mother Nature helped too with the lighting nothing less than perfect!

      Reply
  9. Amber West says

    May 23, 2013 at 8:56 am

    Oh my goodness, I love this.

    And yes, a story brews and develops the longer I look.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:41 pm

      Thanks, Amber! I feel the same way the more I return to the shot … I’m embarrassed to say how often that’s been. There were a bizillion lilac bushes in bloom all around the property and every time I revisit the shot the fragrance wafts around me. It was magic!

      Reply
  10. kitten18blog says

    May 23, 2013 at 9:27 am

    Yes, I have those moments! Luckily with camera phones, I now always have it with me at least. Before them, I hardly ever had a camera with me for spur of the moment photos. Although I would absolutely love to have a real good camera.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:43 pm

      Honestly! I just added to this post that I took that with my cell phone and am so thrilled with the shot. I have a very good camera but of course did not have it with me and … voila … ! So keep using your camera phone and capture those moments!

      Reply
  11. LaVagabonde says

    May 23, 2013 at 9:33 am

    Oh, yes. Definitely.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:43 pm

      I would love to hear what you would write and know it would be intriguing and brilliant!

      Reply
      • LaVagabonde says

        May 23, 2013 at 4:24 pm

        🙂

        Reply
  12. Patricia Yager Delagrange says

    May 23, 2013 at 9:49 am

    Such a beautiful shot. I can picture myself walking through that gate and sitting on the tire swing, breathing in the smell of dewed grass.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:44 pm

      Oh yes, I see you there … enjoy the moment!

      Reply
  13. Kitt Crescendo says

    May 23, 2013 at 11:05 am

    If I were more prolific with the camera, I’m sure it would. For me, I’ll see something like this and itch for a pen. I’ve learned to carry a notebook in my purse with me…or my iPad. You’re right…that’s a scene itching to tell a story. Lovely! Was that a John Deere tractor I saw in the background?

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:47 pm

      You won’t have seen the comment I added … that I took the shot with my cell phone … and am stunned with the quality. I didn’t want to miss the moment but did not expect the shot to be anything like it would have been with my SLR. I’m delighted … and am grateful to Mother Nature for providing the perfect lighting for the moment. Carrying a notebook in your purse is such a good thing to do too! LOL – I think the John Deere had just moved back to the barn but you are right: it must have been there!

      Reply
      • Kitt Crescendo says

        May 23, 2013 at 2:50 pm

        Today’s cell phones are capable of doing so many awesome things. 🙂 Either way, captivating shot.

        Reply
  14. susielindau says

    May 23, 2013 at 11:21 am

    I have almost been hit by cars racing down the highway because of that overwhelming desire!
    Great shot!

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:50 pm

      LOL – I can relate to that! Photography can be an extreme sport at times! Thanks, Susie! You have such a good eye with your shots, I can see you stopping for this one too!

      Reply
      • susielindau says

        May 23, 2013 at 5:07 pm

        I would have!! 🙂 Thank you!

        Reply
  15. filbio says

    May 23, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    Gorgeous picture! Spring is finally here and that that shot makes me want to sit in the shade with a glass of lemonade and smell the scented air!

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 23, 2013 at 2:53 pm

      Right you are, Phil! A glass of lemonade fits the image for sure … or a Long Island Iced Tea for the New Yorker, perhaps?

      Reply
      • filbio says

        May 23, 2013 at 3:30 pm

        Many this weekend!

        Reply
  16. Tameri Etherton says

    May 23, 2013 at 7:26 pm

    Yes! I love it when that happens. That picture is stunning. I want to walk through the gate and discover what magic lies beyond.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 25, 2013 at 12:48 pm

      I love it too! That old gate and rusty hinge really beckon you in, don’t they? I can just imagine what fantasy world you would conjure up!

      Reply
  17. vastlycurious.com says

    May 23, 2013 at 11:05 pm

    Love the scent of lilacs! What a beautiful photo. Could be a painting!

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 25, 2013 at 12:49 pm

      I love that scent as well and could just keep my nose buried in the blossoms. My husband is allergic to fragrances so I can’t bring them in the house.*whine*

      Reply
      • vastlycurious.com says

        May 25, 2013 at 3:18 pm

        But you can decorate the Veranda ?

        Reply
  18. lameadventures says

    May 24, 2013 at 1:33 am

    That’s a terrific shot, Patricia. I felt like I could practically smell the flowers. I carry a little Canon point and shoot in my satchel all the time, but it never fails that when I’m not carrying my satchel, that’s when I’ll miss a great shot. One of my great regrets was not having my camera on me when a pigeon wandered into my go-to grocery store. All the shoppers stopped. The pigeon stopped, too. I sensed it was thinking, “This was probably a bad idea. A very bad idea.” I don’t think after it was captured, it was turned into squab. I also carry a notebook in my satchel, too. One never knows when inspiration might strike. I like to be prepared, quill in hand.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 25, 2013 at 12:52 pm

      Thanks, V.A. (I think you have a beautiful name, BTW) I can just picture that pigeon incident! I carry a notebook too after running out of parking slips and purchase receipts to write on! Now I am truly in love with my iPhone and not just for Words With Friends now! I hope you are enjoying a fab long w/e!

      Reply
  19. Jane Risdon says

    May 24, 2013 at 9:40 am

    Patricia, thanks for visiting my author blog today and for your kind comments. Really appreciated. I see we have lots in common, the writing, photos for a start….not chocolate, but I am a licorice lover. I use photos as visual aids/notes and so love your photos and can think of stories looking at them. My husband is in India at the moment and he has taken some lovely photos. I have lots of India photos from the 1920’s-late 1940’s as my Dad was born there and his father was in the British Indian Army so he grew up there. I have my camera with me all the time too. Good luck with everything and thanks so much for visiting me….come again and we can chat. I shall be back too.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 25, 2013 at 12:54 pm

      Oh … India … I can just imagine the great photos your husband is taking now, but what a treasure to have photos from those past days. How special! And yes, let’s keep up the chat.

      Reply
  20. Brenda Moguez (@BrendaMoguez) says

    May 24, 2013 at 10:49 am

    It happened to me almost everyday I was in France last week, only I didn’t drive off the road I ran into people or came close. My mind is still processing what I saw and experienced.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 25, 2013 at 12:56 pm

      I hear you! I only saw your lovely post about England and didn’t realize you were in France too. I’ll check your FB page … I hate to miss photos! Welcome home!

      Reply
  21. Kathryn Chastain Treat says

    May 24, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    Very secret garden feeling. I need to get out more.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 25, 2013 at 12:56 pm

      LOL – love your comment! Do it!

      Reply
  22. Angeline M says

    May 24, 2013 at 10:55 pm

    Stunning! And I am so loving my iPhone camera, I’m having to remind myself to go out and practice with my Canon. This photo is definitely the cover for a book.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 25, 2013 at 1:00 pm

      Thanks! I’ve been admiring your iPhonography shots recently! I just didn’t expect mine to turn out so well for some reason. I love my Canon too but … this is soooo easy …

      Reply
  23. thephotoseye says

    May 25, 2013 at 5:59 am

    What a beautiful photograph!…I can almost smell the lilac! There are more times than I can count that I have been without camera in hand – spotted something so fabulous – missed it – only to think about it over and over. It happened last week and the shot would have been fabulous – an antique car with a driver and in the back seat a young lady dressed in her wedding dress – guessing on the way to the church. The car sat there for a few moments and I kept turning around – thinking how fast can I run home and get my camera – but as I turned one more time they were gone.

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      May 25, 2013 at 1:02 pm

      Thanks! That’s such a complement coming from you and I feel the same way about the scent of those blossoms … smellography! Now you have to make sure you at least have your phone with you! Do those missed shots haunt you for a while? I can recall some I missed years ago!

      Reply
      • thephotoseye says

        May 26, 2013 at 2:49 am

        Thank you for your lovely words. Oddly I did have my phone with me and it did not even dawn on me to use it! I have sort of trained myself – camera in hand!

        Reply
  24. totsymae1011 says

    May 26, 2013 at 8:47 am

    It is a captivating scene. A lot of laughter in that little nook but it also rains there and get dark. Those would be other parts of the story.

    Reply
  25. lesliehobson says

    June 13, 2013 at 8:10 am

    Oh Ontario. Never lovelier than in the Spring!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Join Me Here!

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Tweet
YouTube
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share
Instagram

Follow Me on BookBub

Follow Me on BookBub

Follow me on Amazon

Follow me on Amazon

Available from Amazon!

Available from Amazon!

Available Now!

Available Now!

Available from Amazon

Available from Amazon

Join me and 9 of your favourite women’s fiction authors

Join me and 9 of your favourite women’s fiction authors

The Good Life France Magazine

The Good Life France Magazine

Categories

Archives

Footer

Copyright Disclaimer

© 2020 by Patricia Sands. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided a link back to this page and proper attribution is given to me as the original author. All photographs on this site are copyright of Patricia Sands

Follow Me!

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Tweet
YouTube
Pinterest
Pinterest
fb-share-icon
LinkedIn
LinkedIn
Share
Instagram
  • Privacy Policy

FTC DISCLOSURE

The Federal Trade Commission requires that I disclose any relationship I have between a product manufacturer or service provider when I write about a product or service. I may receive a small commission for purchases made via affiliate links on this site such as Amazon. The above does not affect my opinion of those products and services. I am committed to sharing the work of other authors with my friends and readers.

Copyright © 2023 By Patricia Sands · Theme created and maintained by Bakerview Consulting