Every Day Things

 Thank goodness for Shutter Sisters! I'm not sure I'd ever get the pics from our trip blogged without their prompts the last two days. Today's theme is "every day things." Certainly the expected highlights of our trip were the wildlife but while "hunting" the elusive creatures of the wild, I found my eye drawn to these images. I imagine they are "weeds" and "pests" to most but since they don't live in my backyard, they are beautiful!

 I love the delicate curling lines and the feather softness of the "fluff." Wish I was more well-versed in plant parts so I can better describe what I find so alluring!

This last was a capture on the side of the road at Custer State Park in Montana. We stopped just for this flower . . . if you've been to such a place where people expect to see some amazing animal around each bend, you'll remember how people pull over just to see what you might be seeing! Kinda made me giggle. :)

I hope to tell the story of the "epic road trip" in the next couple of days. It was such a amazing experience as only a family trip across five states and 3,000 miles can be!

New Resolution for Summer Time Photography Fun

I have a new resolution . . . I want to recapture the fun and enjoyment of taking and sharing pictures! No "bad" thing has happened to prevent my doing that -- just a full and busy life. A life that I want to capture and hold on to. Just look what I would have missed if I hadn't deliberately brought my camera to this fun play date with friends!

My resolution is to take and post a picture most every day . . . in a couple of weeks, we'll be taking a massive road trip across the country with stops at Yellowstone and the Black Hills. I want to be well in practice with my camera so that I can document our adventures!

No pressure. No expectations for these daily opportunities for practice. I used to say in college when I'd drag my cold self to the pool at 6:00am that I was "forming a habit." Just had to go through the actions so that it became more natural and fluid . . . so, I'm forming habit of creating images and sharing. It's one I've fallen out of but I'm banking on "muscle memory"and the desire to create!

Love to have some tips on "documentary" kinds of photography. I find that I rarely get the results I want when I shoot candids of my kiddos. Posed or stills are one thing but actions when it is happening. Help!

City Walk

 Had  wonderful day yesterday! Enjoyed yummy coffee and a good conversation with a friend and then strolled along the streets with her, looking for photo subjects. I really want to take more urban pictures but get a little "stage fright" when out on my own. Isn't that silly? My friend has no such hang ups and helped me be a braver gal!

 We both agreed that we should have begun our photo-walk earlier in our visit and snapped more pictures. Most of mine were disappointing. It was a cloudy day and I struggled with the right balance of shutter speed and aperture. Blur, blur, blur. I've been away from my camera too long . . .

 I'm happiest with this pictures of a telephone (power?) pole that has succumbed to years of stapled adverts and flyers. Layers and layers of multicolored papers and rusted staples. The texture was just so interesting.

Today is a big day at our house. Big D has a report on an Asian country to give in class. May I ask, since when to 7 year olds do research and write reports? Hmm. Anywho. Sis has kindergarten Round Up. Not sure she'll appreciate a photo-happy mommy so pictures may not be forthcoming!

What's coming up in your week?

Close to Home

How fortuitous that the Shutter Sisters prompt for today is to look Close to Home for photo inspiration . . . I think this is the first photo I've taken in at least two weeks. Just busy life, busy brain and busy children to keep me otherwise occupied. As I was cleaning up in the kitchen, I was struck by how pretty my faucet seemed. There was a bit of rare winter light coming in through the window. Much to Sis's amusement, I got out the tripod and fiddled around with a few pictures before returning to stove cleaning.

This morning, I am meeting a friend for chocolate and a camera talk and walk. I hope to have pictures to share or at the very least, bring home a little dose of inspiration to get me snapping this week!!

Perspective

Oh, I'm not sure I have many words to share. Just pictures snapped after school one day this week. I love that I got to pick up both of my children because I'm my own boss and take them to the park to play -- and then home for homework and dinner and night time routines. I love that we've eaten together as a family every day this week. My perspective has shifted . . .

A part of me worries that without the structure of a job, I won't be as driven. Maybe I need the pressure and demands in order to be effective in my role. Then I realize that is the voice of fear speaking. Of course I'm motivated and though this building up time is slow, the pace will accelerate. Now is the time to establish the balance I and my family need so that I can hold that line as the business grows.

There has been a tension between what I believe families need and how I help families in my work and how I've managed my own family . . . now I get to bring these two things more in line. Attend to my own children's needs before I turn to those of other families. Ah. This is good. This is right!

Grow

Ok. Moment of truth. Shutter Sisters posted a challenge for the New Year of picking ONE word to "influence" and "shape" the entire year. Picking the word was easy -- grow. I want and intend to grow in so many ways! Of course there is the new practice that I want to grow. And there are friendships and community that I want to grow. And I want to grow my skills in creating balance for myself and my family. 

Now that all sounds well and good, you say, but what's with the pictures? Well, there was this other Shutter Sisters entry about allowing yourself in front of the lens rather than always being the safe and invisible photographer in the scenes you shoot. Guilty. I have a love/hate relationship with my body. Don't we all? Some lucky gals are comfortable in their skin and have a certain confidence that makes them beautiful and sensual. I want that! I want to grow into loving myself and living whole hearted.

So the first photo was my not-so-courageous self-portrait. And then I took a day or two to work on my nerve and tried again. I like it. It makes me nervous that I like this second photo. And more than a little nervous to share it. This is what it feels like to grow. Uncomfortable. Nervous. Wanting to go back to safety and the known.

In what ways do you want to grow and stretch this year? I'd love to hear :)

New Beginnings

I've been away from this blog and photography for quite some time. So many distractions. Good ones! Exciting changes and new beginnings under way!

I've begun my own private practice and just before the holidays, I left my job so that I could concentrate on my own enterprise full time. It is exhilarating and terrifying. Inspiring and exhausting. For several months, the details of finding an appropriate space, establishing the business part of the practice and beginning to develop referral sources was all-consuming. And now I can feel the energy building and the practice is growing, bit by bit.

One of the many reasons that I took this step was to nurture balance in my life. Already I've attended field trips with my children that previously I would not have been able to! I look forward to actually sticking to the weekly menu I outline and family dinners at the table. Oh, and photography and creativity! So much to look forward to. An adventure to be sure!

What have you been up to while I've been away? New adventures of your own?

Lazy Rainy Day

I'm sitting at the kitchen table listening to Little Sis tell herself stories and play contentedly in the other room. There is a light rain and a chill in the air. Dramatic shift from the sun and warmth this past weekend. Spring in the Northwest. It has been a long couple of weeks with sick kiddos, prep to give a two-day training and general upkeep and maintenance. I'm plum tuckered out and am having a heck of a time motivating to do the Friday chores. Perhaps I won't fight it. Perhaps I'll sit down with the stack of magazines that have accumulated over the last few weeks, a cozy blanket and drift in and out of a lazy afternoon. This assumes, of course, that the wee one will cooperate and that I can tolerate the dust bunnies! In all likelihood, it'll be the dust bunnies and empty fridge that will motivate me out of this chair. 

Color and Creativity

Life has been full and busy. Work has crept into the edges, taking the bits and pieces left over after a long day . . . next week a coworker and I will give a 2 day training for our colleagues. It is a lot of work to pull together the materials and what-not for such an event! I'll be relieved when it is done and I can spend my spare time on more creative and rewarding activities. Well, that's not entirely true. I am a teacher at heart and I have enjoyed creating the presentation. Its the age-old dilemma: Choosing one thing means deferring another.

Yesterday the family and I basked the in the sun, playing at the park, walking and taking pictures. It could be true that I mostly appreciated that last activity! Little Sis had been sick this week with croup. Sunday night found Hubby with her at the ER while I stayed with brother at home. She hasn't slept well all week and of course, neither have we. My father in-law came down from Seattle on Wednesday night so that he could watch us on Thursday. So grateful. 

Yesterday we laid low. Played at the park. Walked. Took pictures. We had warm, sunny weather and all of Portland seemed to be outdoors. I kept up with my training and ran 6.5 miles at pretty good clip. Funny how my legs are feeling a little wobbly today!

Clouds are expected today but not before some yard work and planting. Sundays are such a hodge podge of activities. Laundry, yard work, errands, prep for the work and school week. 

Fix it Friday #54

Yea, for I Heart Faces and Fix it Friday! This Christina is the proud mama of this blue-eyed boy. So here's edit #1. . . 

And here's edit #2. Only difference with #2 is that I changed one of the texture (a gold bokeh) from "screen" to overlay to deep the contrast rather than lighten it. I think I like the second better. You?

Hoping to have some time this weekend to take and play with pictures. It has been a crazy couple of weeks. Today it is warm and bright. I have flowers to plant, a warm spot on the couch waiting for me to nap and a promise to fulfill to make a "treat" with the kids.

Oh, man just had to add another edit (few hours later . . . ). Added a blue fill layer and masked his skin excepting his eyes. Soft light and adjusted opacity. I think I like this one . . .

Reflect and Anticipate

Sunday evening seems like a good time to reflect on the prior week and begin to anticipate the next. I almost said something about resolving to do this and that in the coming week but I'm trying not to become attached to outcomes. Tricky as I'd still like to get a few things done:) 

This past week's triumphs were completing the requirements for licensure, meeting my triathlon training goals and reducing, though not eliminating, media time. Of course, photography and editing excluded! 

So what about this week? Not really over the hump of figuring out how to routinely meet training goals. It is so hard to get out of the bed early before work and nearly impossible to force myself at the end of the day. I've been cramming all the training into the four days I don't work. Doable at the current level of intensity and duration. Not so much in a few more weeks. And then there's balance and my children and . . . stop. Focus. I'd also like to spend a few minutes each morning while hubby is showering to meditate. This would be a new practice for me. I'm a little uncertain how to get started and will be glad to have the kids sleeping and husband behind a closed door! 

What's on your plate this week? 

Lovely Day

It was a busy, busy weekend. Little Sis celebrated her 4th birthday with family on Saturday. It was quite the "Fancy Nancy" affair. Pics to follow shortly . . . and that afternoon, after dropping my dad off at the airport for his return flight, we headed to Forest Park for some picture taking. 

I wanted to see what kind of light I might find at that time of day as the next day, I was to take pics of a coworkers newly three-year old son. What I found was lovely! Apparently I'm a little partial to sun flare. Though I can imagine some well-meaning person thinking some terrible accident had marred the photos!

Big D was in fine silly form as usual. Initially both of my children played hard to get while mama tried to take their pictures. I was getting a wee bit huffy! Then some running and rolling down the hill seemed to joggle their helpfulness back into position.

I wish I was a better person when life becomes chaotic and unpredictable. This was a beautiful weekend - celebrating a sweet girly girl. I so enjoyed baking her cake and fixing her birthday lunch. And I enjoyed seeing her grandparents and brother join in the fun with her. But I also watched myself become more edgy and irritable. Why is that? Oh, I know why. I just don't like the answer. It's my struggle to stay present in the moment. To be responsive and flexible to what the moment demands without getting sucked into thinking and feeling the demands of what the next moment might present. 

I'm working on it. Right now in this moment, I'm enjoying my cup of coffee, listening to the dryer and appreciating the spring rain falling outside the window. In a moment, the kids will pop out of bed like energizer bunnies and we'll be off . . . 

More B&W and Catching up a Bit, too

Oh, I'm feeling inspired to continue playing with B&W images! Before I began dappling with photography, I always admired black and white shots. There is something clean and uncluttered about a well composed photo -- it allows you to really see the expressions on the subject's face. I personally find it much more challenging to create an interesting image that is equally powerfully without color!

And now for the catching up portion of today's entry . . . Big D had two weeks for Spring Break. A great idea for older students who use the time to participate in mission trips, etc. but for the younger set, its a headache for working parents. I took some time off last week and my mom (Nana) came for a visit. A wonderful time was had by all. We took a trip to the zoo one day. A gloriously sunny day. The next was an adventure to the mall to restock tennis shoes for the summer, get Little Sis' hair cut and finally, dinner and a movie for the grown up girls. Perhaps my favorite day was when we went down town to browse a fantastic toy store, road the street car, ate pizza and spent time reading in Powells. Ah. Perfect. The above picture is of Big D sucking up his portion of the 100% apple juice while waiting for his pizza.

My mother had a birthday just before her visit and it is my tradition to make the birthday person's choice of cake from scratch. Her choice was a mocha chocolate case with a glaze on top. Little Sis, in the first pic above, is licking every last crumb off her plate. It was rather tasty if I say so myself!

Drama in general -- Black and White, specifically!

This week's challenge at iheartfaces is DRAMA in black and white. I haven't spent much time playing with B&W images but I've certainly got more than my share of experience in the drama department. Oh. My. Goodness. Little Sis has found her inner Princess and she's a yeller. But rather than elaborate on the chaos that has recently descended upon my home, I'll share a little about the making of this photo.

I get a great deal of my photo editing tips from Rita at CoffeeShop. About the time we were putting up our Christmas tree this year, she gave a wonderful tutorial on using natural light. Feeling inspired, I grabbed a black blanket, my hubby to hold it, a string of white lights and the kids. They were generally good sports but they really wanted to get back to the tree . . . The photos turned out a little overexposed, so I opened them in Camera Raw and fiddled around a bit. Further editing and several months later -- Ta Da!

I'm inspired to work with B&W images now that I've gotten a taste!

Kitty Love

This is our other kitty -- Odyssey is her name. I'm feeling inspired to share some of my childhood memories by Georgia's post today.

I remember the litany of kitties that joined our family at various times -- our very first kitty was Tinkerbell and we would play doctor with the poor dear. And swing her around by her front paws. We were not cruel children, my sister and I. We just thought she'd enjoy that as much as we did when our dad swung us in the yard! She was a patient puss. Never scratched or bit. Though she did hide her litter of kittens from us -- repeatedly. Hmm . . .

We moved around quite a bit as children. Our parents were church school teachers and generally made a move every 3-4 years. When we moved across country to Nebraska, Tinkerbell found a home with an elderly lady. Actually, she was cat-napped. The woman refused to relinquish our kitty because our new home was in the country and she feared that coyotes would gobble up our little friend. So, my sister and I got new kittens. Cinders, who was an all black kitty and the runt of the litter, and Frisky. Poor Frisky met her fate under the wheels of the family car . . . but Cinders was a spry, unstoppable kitty that stayed with our family for 16 years.

Cinders was a resilient and tough. She treed tom cats and chased dogs out of our yard. Apparently no one told her she weighed maybe 5 pounds! Her devotion knew no bounds. She followed us on walks, a little shadow  at our heels. She brought gifts to the back door and was never put off by our squeals and disgust. Nothing made her happier than finding an empty lap or sharing our popcorn with us.

Staying with the theme of worthiness -- pets love us unconditionally and without expectation. Well, I supposed they'd like to have regular feed and water! But barring that, it amazes me how loyal they remain when our life circumstances shift, new children join the family and our pets get short shift. They continue to sit at our feet, purr when we pat their heads and follow us with their eyes. Its no wonder that pets are so good for our mental health!

My mantra for today, who I hope will shadow my moves on kitty feet, is that I am worthy of this love and devotion. Not just from my pet but my family and friends. That I can accept it with open arms and gratitude!

Worthy!

Today in my happy blog wanderings, I came across Brene Brown's blog, Ordinary Courage . . . it is kismet. It is inspiring! I'm at risk of gushing and embarrassing myself. She is a smart, educated and articulate woman talking about being authentic and about whole-hearted living.

There are days on this quest for balance and self-acceptance when I feel as if my equilibrium is constantly threatened by fearfulness, worry and a general sense that I'm not good enough . . . these are the dark moments. In these moments, I remind myself that good enough is good enough. That the voices that would convince me that being bravely and vibrantly myself isn't safe are likely feeling scared and small themselves.

I'm grateful to women, such Tracy, Robin, Georgia and many others who have inspired me with their words and art. Who have consistently celebrated the present moment, the beauty of connection and joy of discovery. Who have insisted that we are worthy just as we are!

What's Your Play #85

Ah, so nice of Laura to inspire me with something on a Tuesday morning. I had nothing, nothing and some more of the same to offer all on my own. No new pictures. No new inspiration. Just kinda needed a poke and a prod to get going.

And here's my make over. A little of this (crop, contrast, some filter thing that accented the edges) and that (warming filter, a texture, a dash of salt) and ta da.

I began the edit this morning, over coffee, deliberately disregarding the mad dash that is morning in our household. The kids were meandering upstairs (as opposed to getting dressed!), the clock was relentlessly ticking and so, I put it aside until this evening. Ah, rather nice way to end a chaotic day . . . kids are tucked away, hubby is getting supper, dryer is running and I'm working my way towards balance.

Sun and Blossoms

It's a miracle! Multiple days in a row of SUN. The trees and bulbs are confused. Blooms and shoots can be seen everywhere. This is such news that its in the news . . . Yesterday afternoon, we packed up the kids bikes and went to an amazing park with everything that a young family could desire. Trails for riding and walking, playgrounds and swing, gardens for photo-happy mama. There still isn't much color which was a bit disappointing. Found exactly three blooming daffodils but someone had manhandled them. Not pretty for photos. And then I found two blossoming cherry (?) trees. And the sun was low in the sky. Be still my heart :)
I have to confess that the lens flare in the first photo is an after the fact addition. Let's just say it was the way the photo should have been taken;)
Ah, happiness.

The sun is still with us this morning though there was a frost. I wonder what the return of freezing temps will do to all the new green life. I'd be ok if it reduced the awakening spider population but that's just my irrational phobia speaking. Today we will work in the yard and I will meet a friend for a trail run. All of us waterlogged Portlanders are soaking up the sun in desperate doses. You never know when it'll return for good. This is a sweet anomaly.

Playing with Fire

Valentine's night, hubby and I stayed home with yummy Thai take out, Dexter and a fire in the fireplace. I was struck by the patterns the chain mesh created and the beauty of the shifting flames.
Today's post is going to be a bit of a hodgepodge. This past weekend was unstructured, relaxed and there was SUN!! My only regret was not taking more pictures. I took my camera in the car yesterday when I friend and I went on a trail run in Forest Park (urban park in PDX). My plan was to take it out when we met our families for hot chocolate in a very fun part of town -- more of those urban pics I crave. Alas, I did not do it! But I did call a fellow photog friend of mine and asked if we could set a date to take pictures together.
The collaborative blog is still in the works. I think we're serious about it! So keep a look out. And I'd like to share this week's goals with you -- a little accountability, if you will. I am going to take my first ever Yoga class on Wednesday night and I will read as much as I watch TV in the evening. Seems doable. . . . I'll keep you posted!

Happy Tuesday!