Some weeks I take pictures of buildings and places…but a look at this week’s collection of photos suggests…alive!

I love the way that springtime is all about new growth and flowering.  And while our persistent drought is far from over, about average rainfall this year means that things are blooming.  I spied this beauty peeking through the chain link fence at school.

With no kids or grandkids–or even my mom–home for Mother’s Day, my husband and I decided to visit the Birch Aquarium.  I had been a number of times with students on field trips, but my husband insisted he had never been!  It’s a small aquarium, but it is alive with interesting sea life. These jellies are so much fun to watch as they pulse through the water.

And I am always amazed at the size of this sea bass!  I love this kelp forest tank, it is such an accessible view of the intricacies of the kelp forest ecosystem that sits right off our coast.

I had a more eventful than usual walk on the beach last weekend.  In addition to spying some sandpipers in action in the low tide, I managed to step on a bee…ouch!  (It was alive when I stepped…dead after it stung me!)

I was greeted Monday morning by this fellow…just hanging out on my car door!  (Anyone know what kind of insect it is?)…and yes, it was definitely alive!  I love how it is also a selfie of sorts as I found myself reflected in the paint of my car.

I love the days when I get a chance to walk around campus when I’m at UCSD.  I was noticing the rows of eucalyptus trees.  I remember these trees from my years as an undergrad.  I wonder who decided to plant these trees on campus?

And today’s adventures took me out and about in Burbank with my son and grandson.  This yellow butterfly caught my eye…and I tried my best to catch it with my camera.

So, with so much life all around, what will you chose to represent alive this week?  You might choose plants or animals…or people engaged in something that makes you feel particularly alive.  Can something inanimate be alive?

You can post your photo alone or along with some words: commentary, a story, a poem…maybe even a song! I love to study the photographs that others’ take and think about how I can use a technique, an angle, or their inspiration to try something new in my own photography. (I love a great mentor text…or mentor photo, in this case!) I share my photography and writing on social media. You can find me on Instagram and Twitter using @kd0602. If you share your photos and writing on social media too, please let me know so I can follow and see what you are doing. To help our Weekly Photo community find each other, use the hashtag #alive for this week and include @nwpianthology in your post.

What is alive in your life this week?  I can’t wait to see what you find!