Messy Little Details: A few thoughts

Carolyn, over at Mess, Muddle, and Fun has started a weekly photo meme she calls Messy Little Details, where photographers can share those photos of little things that catch our eye. You can see this week's photos and learn more about the project at this link.
I was attracted to the project because I often do find myself captivated by messy little details.  While out back, for instance, I found myself drawn to these two images:

I like the garden weasel photo because of the color and shape, as well as what it suggests about activity in the garden.  I like the tennis ball on the grass because it suggests a story as well, but it is not clear what the story is. It's a bit of a mystery, isn't it?
When I first read Carolyn's description of her project, I think I focused too much on the term messy little details and thought my photos had to be dirty, grungy, etc. After having seen Carolyn's most recent stunning photo of a rope tied to pier, I realize that the emphasis is really on life's messy little details and the "messy" part is just a cute tie-in with her blog name. 
That freed me up to work with the rhododendron photograph at the top of today's post.  It is a little messy, a little soft-focus, but I really like the light and the details and the depth of field (as always, you can click on any image on my blog to see a larger, clearer version).  I used pic-monkey to add a frame and a quote (thanks again to this fantastic list of quotes published by skinny artist). I went back and reread Carolyn's post about her project and loved it when she said that she "just wants people to enjoy their photography."  I am enjoying reflecting on and writing about why certain details catch my eye. It's a lot like what I do with my "My Photographer's Eye" series, but with photos beyond those taken on instagram.
This week made me realize how much I enjoy working with picmonkey to do something a little special with my photographs. These creations feel like a departure for me; something new; an evolution in my style. I used the same process to create the Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt badge, which, to be honest, I kindof  really love. Carolyn's messy little project really is helping me discover some details of my secret self. Just like Godard suggests it should. How cool is that?
Have a great weekend, and maybe I'll see you tomorrow for Sian's Storytelling Sunday.