Feb 6, 2015
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In the early morning darkness I felt my way into the living room, piled pillows into our giant bean bag chair, plopped myself down, and crossed my legs. I popped a couple of ear buds into my head and waited for the soothing Australian man to guide me into a more aware state of mind.
This was my daily practice for nearly two years before I became involved in rescue. Unexpected, full face, doggie kisses made it harder to breathe deeply. My open arms became an invitation for my guests to partake in lap dog practice. One foster kitten who stayed with us never hesitated to jolt me with simultaneous gnawing and clawing on my feet.
It wasn’t long before meditation transformed into longer morning walks and sleepy snuggles stretched through the last minute I had to give. I didn’t mind the change, and it was probably just as good, if not better, for my mental health.
The more I dive into this series, though, the more I want to bring meditation back into my everyday life. Thanks to my teacher, Joy Baum, I know to embrace the chaos now; just let it flow all around me.
What are these numbered posts all about? Read the introduction to my Photo & 100 Words project and find out!
Aug 29, 2014
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Last year I noticed a bush covered in these alien-looking bunches of buds. Every day I looked out the window and imagined going outside and picking a few of them for a photoshoot, and every day I didn’t do it. As the days passed, the buds bloomed into some not-nearly-as-interesting flowers and my idea rotted away with them in fall.
I started out with a brilliant idea for this series that fizzled out into this single photo. It’s the closest I got to my original vision before I gave up and let myself spiral into the wonderful world of the abstract.
I got excited as I abandoned my original idea and moved towards the unknown, all the while the lyrics from the song “Mad World” repeated in my head, “look right through me, look right through me-e-e.” (hear my favorite version of the song on Youtube – skip ahead to 2:00 to hear the part that inspired me)
I looked right through this bulbous specimen to the leaf, and I think that’s where I fell into the bunny pit… fall with me some more next week =)
What are these numbered posts all about? Read the introduction to my Photo & 100 Words project and find out!
Jul 25, 2014
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I was strolling around the lake with Nick when I caught a glimpse of this deadly nightshade, aka climbing nightshade, flower.
I wondered how many times I had marched right by this beautiful flower. I’ve passed this very spot hundreds of times in the past 20 years and I’ve never seen anything like it before. Naturally, I plucked it, and photo possibilities danced through my head the whole walk home. As I’m sure you figured out, this is the result.
It amazes me how many things go unnoticed in our worlds. Beauty is often close enough to kiss you; you just need to stop and take a look around every once in awhile. Click to tweet this!
What are these numbered posts all about? Read the introduction to my Photo & 100 Words project and find out!
Jul 18, 2014
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My friend JP likes to remind me that the sky is purple in my world. Ok now before you click away thinking this is some reference to my acid tripping days, be assured that I have not ever taken that particular drug.
This is just JP’s way of saying “ok weirdo” and it’s a reference to something I once told him. I wonder sometimes if my perception of color is the same as your perception of color. Someone points to the sky when you are very young and teaches you to call it blue. Everyone knows that the sky is blue, but who’s to say that what you perceive as blue from my perspective isn’t actually what I would call purple?
Ok so maybe it is a trippy idea… that explains why he stared at me for 30 seconds like I was popping imaginary bubbles in thin air. Now he won’t let me forget it!
What are these numbered posts all about? Read the introduction to my Photo & 100 Words project and find out!
May 23, 2014
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I imagine walking into this photo would be like entering the set of Alice and Wonderland as tiny Alice. The underside of these teeny, tiny flowers seem so foreign – it’s not a view you come across without looking for it.
Typically, we tower over flowers and look down on them like some kind of superior being, but it’s so much more exciting to become a bug for a minute. Isn’t it?
Sometimes I feel small when I discover something so beautiful. If the flower doesn’t do it for you just look at the stars one night and you’ll totally get how I feel.
What are these numbered posts all about? Read the introduction to my Photo & 100 Words project and find out!
May 16, 2014
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Shallow is
a smile at a stranger.
Shallow is
my “good, fine, and you?”
Shallow is
just inches of water – you can see right through.
The less I say, the more it’ll mean.
The more you see, the less you’ll dream.
No darting eyes allowed in this scene.
Shallow is
a face painted flawless.
Shallow is
a high-heeled shoe.
Shallow is
this photograph – you’ll see what I want you to.
P.S. What does this have to do with my photo? I have many photos of this particular bud, but this is the only one with such shallow depth of field (how much of the photo is in focus). Having too much depth of field can make a photo busy and take away from the subject. Of course, it’s all subjective – but I find myself shooting shallow most days.
What are these numbered posts all about? Read the introduction to my Photo & 100 Words project and find out!
May 9, 2014 |
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I felt like Snow White. Every. single. day. was so open to possibilities during my escape to Antigua.
Well… it was like being Snow White if the forest was replaced with a beautiful city with cobblestone streets and volcanoes in the distance. I walked to the market, got lost in its endless pathways, and emerged with a bundle of fresh flowers and fruits.
It wasn’t until I wandered home that I realized this little stowaway had come with me. He lived on, and ate, all my flowers but it was nice to have him around.
P.S. I sat down to write this post and went crazy. I was WAY over the 100 mark, and I realized this, but I just couldn’t stop writing. When I finally checked the word count I was at 500 and I hadn’t even mentioned the photo yet! So the result got its own blog post and you can read it here if you want to. Here’s a teaser:
“I can’t mow the lawn,” screamed 16-year-old me, “do you know how many bugs I will kill?!”
I was serious, I mean, it wasn’t just an attempt to avoid a new chore, I really never killed bugs. That is… until this week… Read the rest of my story
