The Elegance of a Handwritten Note

November 6, 2015December 23, 2016 / Donna Robinson Photography / Leave a comment

This week, I’ve received two (2) handwritten notes. They weren’t Hallmark cards with pre-written messages, but real notes. Notes with personal thoughts of “welcome” and gratitude for a “home away from home.” The words for each note were few, but contained more meaning than any text, e-mail, facebook or twitter message could say. When someone takes the time to put their thoughts on paper, unable to be edited by the stroke of a backspace key….it becomes unique, special and personal to the receiver. The words, emotion and intent are never misinterpreted……..they are simple yet elegant.

The Nutcracker

October 30, 2015December 23, 2016 / Donna Robinson Photography / 4 Comments

At “SSI Casa de Playa” we have the most beautiful pecan tree which stretches high above our house.

The Pecan Tree Stretches High Above Our House

Our neighbors told us that when their house was being built all of the construction workers would come over to our yard and gather up the pecans….who wouldn’t want fresh and free pecans?!? So, you can imagine their disappointment when the “great wall of SSI Casa de Playa” was built tightly surrounding the mighty pecan tree!

The “Great Wall of SSI Casa de Playa”

All year, we’ve talked about how fun it would be to have fresh pecans………think about all of the things we can do with them! So, when September rolled around and we noticed the pecans building up at the base of the tree, we began to gather up what we thought was a bumper crop! Little did we know that most of what we collected were way past their ripeness.

The First Crop

A few weeks passed and the tree began to drop more pecans, fresh and waiting to be gathered by squirrel or human hand. At first, I was excited about the potential of everything I could do with the pecans (roasting, salads, gift bags, etc.), but my thoughts quickly turned to the work involved in cracking and picking each nut. It’s a slow and at times a painful process!

Still, not wanting to waste our first “bumper crop” I purchased one of those small hand nut cracker and pick sets. Painstakingly, I began the chore of cracking and picking each nut by hand. At times, I was successful in cracking and picking a perfect pecan half!

Then, I remembered when I was in high school, my father brought home a one of a kind, handmade nutcracker. It was supposed to make the job of cracking the nuts for the holiday baking easier and faster. Knowing my father is not one to throw many things away, I asked him if still had it. He didn’t remember it at first, but when he thought about it more, he said that “in his mind” he could see it tucked away in the attic. As my dad guided me up the attic ladder and directed me to look in the corner where he could “see it in his mind” I looked around and there it was! A little dusty, but after 30+ years it was still there!

On our next trip down to SSI, I brought “The Nutcracker” with me, ready to put it to work! One by one, I gathered up the freshly dropped pecans until I had a pile worthy of cracking. It took me a few times to remember the mechanics of how “The Nutcracker” worked. But, eventually the memories and the motions came back to me with each “pop,” “pop,” “pop,” “crack” of the sliding hammer! The fresher the nut, the more “pops” of the nutcracker it took, until finally the remaining shell pieces could be picked away, revealing the perfect meat of the pecan.

Throughout the weekend, I kept chipping away at my stash, quickly learning which pecans were ready for cracking.

And so, in the end while I may not have had enough for the pecan pie, salads or gift bags, I did end up with about a quart size worth of fresh pecans…..just enough to take home and share with Dad so he could relive the memory of “The Nutcracker” with me.

Hurry Up and Wait!

August 22, 2015December 23, 2016 / Donna Robinson Photography / 4 Comments

With Photography there is a lot of “hurry up and wait.” Grab the camera, set up the tripod, adjust the camera settings…… and wait. Wait for the sun to pop up in the horizon for the perfect sunrise……wait for the perfect ocean wave to crest…..wait for the lightening to strike.

And so, this is exactly what I did the other night…….I hurried up and waited. My husband and I were beginning our weekend when he noticed this hawk sitting on the ledge of the building across from us. I quickly grabbed my camera and “the big lens.” I quickly took a few shots to get my camera settings. And then, I quickly………WAITED.

If you have never seen a hawk in flight they have the most beautiful wingspan and graceful movements. I desperately wanted to capture this beauty taking flight from his perch. So, for 35 minutes I waited sometimes taking a break, thinking I would never capture him taking flight.

And while I waited this is what I caught:

Just taking a break

Stretching his feathers?!?!

Nope! I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go!

Finally, the wait was over! And, while I didn’t catch the actual “take-off” I was able to get a few shots of him in flight:

The title “Hurry up and Wait” may seem a little rigid for a post about the beauty of a hawk in flight. But, it’s really more about the process and patience that comes along with doing something you love. Like the fly fisherman who assembles his fishing gear and fishes (meditates) all day to catch the prized fish (or not), photography can also be about the experience and the memory created about the shot.

Watching the Storms Roll In

August 8, 2015December 23, 2016 / Donna Robinson Photography / 3 Comments

My husband and I live in a condominium which has a panorama skyline spanning from Buckhead to Mid-town to Down-town to the Atlanta Airport. It is a spectacular view that changes daily and often times with each passing moment.

Depending on the time of year, you can experience some of the most amazing sunrises and sunsets, each one unique in their own beauty.

The cooler temperatures of the Fall bring some of the most mesmerizing sunrises with vibrant colors of the sky and mist hovering over the Chattahoochee River which seems to almost mirror the brushstrokes of the clouds.

Sunrise coming up behind Buckhead

In the Summer, the shifting angle of the sun oftentimes will paint the city with a soft, muted pallet as it begins to set.

Pink Sunset over Atlanta

But to me, even more unique and spectacular are the storms as they roll in. In a matter of minutes the weather and the view can change:

Sunny skies turn dark and gloomy;

Or, showers and rainbows will cover a portion of the city while the rest of the skyline shines brightly;

The dry, humid summertime weather can also bring heat lightening dancing across the city;

One weekend morning, I was up early and decided to have coffee on the balcony to watch the sun come up. Looking Eastward (towards Buckhead) as the sun was beginning to make its appearance the sky was turning a pinkish/orange color. When I looked West (behind me) the clouds were starting to build and I could tell we were in for a little rain. In a matter of minutes this was my view……..a sunrise rain shower:

“When life seems to be so ordinary, I step out on my balcony to see what I can see; And, take in all it’s beauty whether sun or brewing storm may be.”

A Hard Place to Leave….

April 5, 2015December 23, 2016 / Donna Robinson Photography / Leave a comment

We closed on SSI Casa de Playa in early January and there have been very few weekends we haven’t made the drive to the house. We don’t need much persuading to go……all it takes is for one of us to throw the idea out there and within an hour we’re on the road, punching our way through Atlanta traffic. We pretty much have the timing of the commute down, 4 1/2 hours door to door (when the traffic gods are on our side)…….and if we’re lucky we can make it without stopping. Knowing that the weekends pass by way too fast, we are very diligent about the time we spend on SSI. Whether it’s completing our projects list for the weekend, exploring the island or taking long morning walks we make sure that every moment is purposely spent. While there is so much to do and see on the Island, it’s the walks on the beach I enjoy the most (well, the jeep rides do come in a very close second). During low tide the ocean resends so far out it opens up expansive sandbars to walk on and to take in all that it has left behind. Seagulls can be seen taking a dip in the pools of water left behind….. Or taking flight………. Shrimpers can also be seen dragging their nets offshore, working for their daily catch. When you live in a large city like Atlanta you become conditioned to crowded roads, the sounds of police and fire sirens and traffic helicopters hovering above. Which is why I especially appreciate how freeing walks on the beach can be and why SSI Casa de Playa is a hard place it is to leave.

SSI CASA de PLAYA

March 7, 2015August 20, 2022 / Donna Robinson Photography / 7 Comments

“Life is a journey, not a destination……….you are the artist, paint what you will.” This is a combination of my two (2) favorite sayings and very appropriate these days as my husband and I embark on a new adventure. We have always wanted to move to a coastal town where life is simple, the people are friendly and everyday is a new beginning; a place that beckons our inner souls to do the things we always wanted to do, but were held back by the demands and commitments of life. We recently found that special place on St. Simons Island, Georgia (known as SSI by the locals). It’s a neighborly place where people smile and say “hello” with the genuine sincerity of a long time friend; it’s a simple place of no demands or stress which comes with city living; it’s a beautiful place of ocean breezes and streets lined with large oak trees draped in Spanish moss.

Spanish Moss drapes the overhanging trees of Old Demere Rd.

We first visited SSI in 2012 when some dear friends invited us down over the 4th of July. I had never experienced the true meaning of small town America until that first visit. As we arrived on The Island and headed down Kings Way, we immediately found our blood pressure drop…. the large oak trees lined the road with their canopy arching high welcoming us to the enchanted village. It was like a page out of history or a scene out of Mayberry R.F.D. (for those of you old enough to remember the T.V. show). July 4th was straight out of a movie. The streets were lined with locals anxiously waiting for the parade; their golf carts festively decked out in stars and stripes fanfare; and fireworks bursting over the Pier.

Patriotism

Fast forward to 2015, after many visits to SSI we finally purchased a second home where we can escape, relax and begin living the next chapter of our lives. Thanks to a wonderful suggestion by our dear friend, Meg, we named our new home “SSI Casa de Playa.” There’s not much to SSI Casa de Playa. It’s a simple place, a clean canvas that beckons us to fill it with our personalities. We’re both excited and cautious about this journey; excited because everything we have dreamt about is finally coming to life; cautious because every time we visit our new home we have to pinch ourselves to make sure it’s real; and a little humbled because all of the years of our labor are finally paying off. I have no idea what will unfold from here, but I do know that every time we visit it becomes more difficult to leave.