Stolen Moments.

 Life can get pretty hectic. This is when we can get lost and lose sight of the simple things that bring happiness and balance to our lives. It is essential to take time for oneself and reset. Find a moment to delve into something that will help clear the cobwebs from your mind and your body. Planning these moments for yourself can sometimes be complicated and even impossible. That is when it may become necessary to “steal” a moment for yourself. And that is precisely what I did recently. I had an afternoon with nothing that needed my attention, and I decided to head down to the lake and look for one of my favorite things. ICE!      

The ice patterns along the north shore of Lake Superior are unique! I love to explore the tiny pools that are literally frozen in time and the endless variety of patterns that can be found in them. I can get lost searching for shapes and forms in the ice for hours. And that is what I did. I had a little stolen moment when I walked along the rocky shore and looked for patterns in the rocks and ice. I could have stayed on that small section of the shore all day, but I only had a short time before life would demand more of me. It wasn’t the amount of time I spent photographing the ice that mattered. It was that I was doing something I enjoyed. Something that engaged me and my mind differently that was important. This was a time to reset my mind and body and create art. To explore a familiar but constantly changing landscape and get lost, even for a moment. To enjoy this “Stolen Moment” for myself.

I composed four different images on this quick two-hour outing, but this is the one that sums up the afternoon for me. I saw a “ghost,” a spirit trapped in the ice, if only for a short while, just waiting for the opportunity to grab that stolen moment for itself and to escape.