The World Through My Lens 07.2026

Sweet shutterbugs, thank you for popping by today. Bringing you this month's photos taken for the 2 photo challenges I am participating in this year. They are The Everyday Images challenge hosted by my friend Kym at A Fresh Cup of Coffee and Sunday Stills, hosted by my friend Terri at Second Wind Leisure Perspectives. 

These gals share their photos several times a month but I can't seem to get my photo challenge posts together more often than once a month. You can find the June edition of The World Through My Lens, here, if you missed it.

Everyday Images #92

layers:  we stopped at this scenic overlook to take some pictures.  The guard rail was embellished with layers of stickers.

current season (quarterly):  beach season, baby.  Pensacola, the beach at Emerald Isle Condominiums.  

milestone:  most summers we try to get the family together to celebrate birthdays.  We have 3 in July alone!!  Cadence turned 16 on 07.28 and we had a very quiet celebration in Pensacola with pizza from her favorite pizza place and brownies for dessert.  

We took some beachside photos of Cady in a darling white gown.  She is very photogenic.

getting ready:  this post is Cadence-heavy.  I see her and Declan only a couple of times a year and I am a crazy loon about taking photos of them when they are around.  Cadence was getting ready for our first dinner out in Pensacola.

wings:  our hummingbird feeder at home sees very little traffic.  I probably need to change out the syrup - that might make it more enticing.  This feeder was hanging on the porch of our cabin at Lake Roberts.  It was like grand central station.  I caught as many as 5 or 6 birds feeding at one time.  But I really like the photo of this singular hummingbird with its wings a flutter.

entrance:  the entrances to different sections in the Gila Cliff Dwellings.

young:  my grands lined up from oldest to young(est)

Everyday Images #93

at home (monthly):  my favorite photo of our home on display in our living room.

in my cup:  pumpkin spice coffee.  Too early, you say?  Au contraire, I would argue.  

path:  PC walking the path from Lake Roberts back to the car.

Tuesday tranquility:  enjoyed a moment of peace and quiet while Bible journaling

summer:  summer = pool time with these mermaids.

golden hour:  early in the month, we spent a few days at Lake Roberts, New Mexico.  We stayed in the sweetest cabin and this was the view from the front porch at golden hour.

out for a walk (quarterly):  this summer, we have been doing drop-in visits with miniature poodle Brew.  His owner, Ellie, asks us to walk him 3 times a day when they go out of town.  In the photo below, we were walking Brew on the evening of the 4th of July.  The fireworks all around didn't phase this little boy.

Sunday Stills 07.2026

07.05.2026 Monthly Color Challenge: Red, White, & Blue (Single, or a combination):  nice to see the American flag flying over our bit of beach in Pensacola.

07.12.2026 Groups:  we enlisted the help of the hostess at Pedro's for this group family photo.

07.19.2026 Animal or Bird of the Month (Animals/Birds found on a farm or in a Zoo):  horses at Salt Creek Ranch, where we stayed for a little fishing getaway.

07.26.2026 Reflections:  beautiful Lake Roberts, New Mexico just before sunset with a storm approaching and Pensacola Beach pier in the early evening.

Looking over my recent photos for those that work for the monthly prompts always inspires me.  Or, maybe not inspires but boosts my mood, makes me happy and so appreciative for the wonderful life I am living.  I haven't shared many photos lately on IG or FB but will try to get back in the habit of sharing there between monthly photo challenge posts.  So much beauty in this world to share.  To look for and be thankful for.

Your Turn

If you find yourself in a bit of slump or down in the dumps, please try participating in a photo challenge of some sort.  You can check out the Everyday Images and Sunday Stills prompts even if you don't blog and just share your photos for them on another form of social media.  I promise doing so will have you look UP and at the world through brighter eyes.

Thank you, my friends, for spending some of your day here with me.  It is Saturday, 08.08.2026 as I finish this post and prepare it to publish.  The EP grands are coming swimming in a bit, I hope to scrapbook with my sister late this afternoon while we Facetime.  PC is at baseball - but just watching this week as he continues to have a great deal of pain in his hips.  We had rain last night and our world is GREEN and beautiful today.  The wild desert animals and plants are singing in praise.  

Hugs and kisses,