Patricia Sands

Author

Photo blogs

A story waiting to happen …

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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!

Travel theme: Beaches

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I love the photo challenges … getting lost in memories …

The travel theme this week at Ailsa’s Where’s My Backpack is beaches and she has some enticing shots on her page. There was no question in my mind as to which beach I was going to invite you. Our favourite, bar none: Plage de La Gravette in … need I say … Antibes, France.

Plage de La Gravette-PSandsPhotos
Plage de La Gravette-PSandsPhotos

Even on a crowded day in August like this, it was a treat to be there, floating in the Mediterranean. Those boats in the background are privately owned by one person. One very wealthy person. Seriously.

Plage de La Gravette-PSandsPhotos
Plage de La Gravette-PSandsPhotos

We liked laying claim to our little patch of beach and staking our umbrella.

It’s not lined with swaying palm trees. There aren’t endless miles of golden sands.  In fact, although sand has been brought in to cover the pebble shore, as soon as you get to the water the flat rocks (galets) begin again which prevent any sort of graceful entrance or exit – at least on my part.

We kept meaning to buy beach shoes but never got around to it so I simply stumbled in and out each time.

les galets -PSandsPhotos
les galets -PSandsPhotos

The sand beaches begin immediately on the west side of Antibes and continue through Juan Les Pins and Cannes and all along the coast into the Var region … I still have to look up why that is …

This beach ‘restaurant’ is not exactly a gourmand’s delight … never mind, the baguette sandwiches are delicieux.

LeSnack-PSandsPhotos
LeSnack-PSandsPhotos

This little gem is tucked into an incredibly picturesque protected cove overlooked by the 500-year-old castle that houses the Picasso Museum and the remains of the original centuries-old ramparts. The atmosphere is fantastique. Only a ten-minute walk from where we were living, it was a siren call to us on the sultry summer days …

Plage de La Gravette-PSandsPhotos
Plage de La Gravette-PSandsPhotos

Oo-la-laaaa …

Where is your favourite beach? Do you like to swim or simply find a cool spot and soak in the atmosphere? Sunscreen and umbrellas are part of the drill these days but a day at the beach is still one of my favourite summer pastimes … especially when it’s in the south of France.

CBBH Photo Challenge: Framed

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Instead of writing a blog post here today, you can find me over in the LoveAHappyEndingLifestyle Ezine talking about tennis. Who knew? This new online magazine is a great resource for all sorts of topics, book reviews, recipes and interviews. There’s something for everyone so pop on over because you may just want to bookmark it. I know the smoothie recipe page is one I’m going to be printing. Hmm – I think I’ll go make one right now!

YUM! I went shopping today and just happened to have all the ingredients for The Big Brain Booster. It sounds like something I just might need … on a regular basis! I used vanilla yogurt instead of coconut. My husband thought it needed a good shot of rum but I resisted … for now, anyway.

Okay, back to the blog.

I love participating in some of the fabulous and fun online photo challenges. The best part is  taking time to visit other sites and getting to connect with other bloggers who post some wonderful photographs. One of the other great things about being involved, for me, is that this also gives me a chance to browse through my own pictures and relive memories. It’s the best kind of break, IMHO.

This week’s theme on Marianne’s CBBH Challenge is “Framed”. If you go over to see her  awesome “Framed” shots, be sure to say I sent you. Here are a few ‘faves’ from my travels.

The first four are part of a series I took in Venice. (That’s 4 out of the 800 + photos I took in 7 days in Venice! It’s a photographers’s dream destination.)

Venice-PSandsPhotos
Venice-PSandsPhotos
Venice-PSandsPhotos
Venice-PSandsPhotos
Venice-PSandsPhotos
Venice-PSandsPhotos
Venice-PSandsPhotos
Venice-PSandsPhotos
Venice-PSandsPhotos
Venice-PSandsPhotos
France-PSandsPhotos
France-PSandsPhotos
Antibes-PSandsPhotos
Antibes-PSandsPhotos
Alhambra,Granada-PSandsPhotos
Alhambra,Granada-PSandsPhotos
Alhambra,Granada,Spain-PSandsPhotos
Alhambra,Granada,Spain-PSandsPhotos
Antibes,France-PSandsPhotos
Antibes,France-PSandsPhotos

What sort of special techniques do you use in your photography? Do you like to frame shots?Do you dabble in black and white? Are you a point and shooter or do you like to  take your time and set up your shots? Do you find you are taking more and more photographs with your phone? I used my Canon Rebel SLR for these but I have to say I’m seeing some terrific phone shots by others.

Here are a few of my favourite sites from this challenge. I hope you drop by to see their work:

Julie Dawn Fox – http://juliedawnfoxphotography.wordpress.com/

Travel with Intent -http://travelwithintent.com/2013/03/02/collioure-framed/

Iphoneography? Take a look here – http://thismansjourney.net/

Would you rather be somewhere else today?

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If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Here’s where I would rather be today. And you?  Let’s meander up the road for a brief visit to St. Paul-de- Vence, perched on a hilltop north of Nice. Another day we’ll spend more time here but right now it feels like the perfect spot for a quick break.

St. Paul de Vence-PSandsPhotos
St. Paul de Vence-PSandsPhotos
St. Paul de Vence-PSandsPhotos
St. Paul de Vence-PSandsPhotos

Wander up the lane to La Colombe d’Or. Visit the website for more photos and details of the extraordinary history of this superb inn and restaurant, owned by the same family since 1920. 

La Colombe d'Or-PSandsPhotos
La Colombe d’Or-PSandsPhotos

Settle in the bar … one of my favourite spots … order your beverage of choice and drink in the atmosphere too.

La Colombe d'Or-PSandsPhotos
La Colombe d’Or-PSandsPhotos

POP! ~ back to reality ~ so much for that fantasy.

Let me tell you where I really am today. Does this ever happen to you?

Things pile up and the next thing you know a week has simply flown by!

That Tuesday blog post? Oops!

That backlog of e-mails and blogs I follow? *hangs head in shame*

The final details I need to clear up to move on with publishing my next novel? I’m working on them …

But then Mother Nature steps in with a major snowstorm that provides the perfect opportunity to stay hunkered down at home, cancel meetings, and get caught up. It definitely looks like “The Great White North” here in Toronto today and the view from our balcony appears rather like I have felt all week i.e. SNOWED UNDER.

So today has been a gift! I’ve accomplished more writing-related work in the past five hours than the past five days and the load is beginning to shift. By this evening I may be close to completely caught up! YOWZA!

Before we leave France altogether, here’s something else to eagerly anticipate if you are fortunate enough to be in the area.

CARNAVAL DE NICE 2013 – February 15 to March 6. If you are there, get ready!

Carnaval De Nice 2013
Carnaval De Nice 2013

Click here for  a previous post of mine about this annual celebration that brightens up winter on the Côte d’Azur. Is there a winter festival where you live and do you join in the fun or patiently wait for it to be over? I hope wherever you are, you are safe from the storm.