my new happy accidental find. spent too much time on youtube with these girls last night, but it was worth it.

slow day.

today was about snuggling with a sick boy and letting him escape into movies. a lot of them. it was about not caring if he took 3 naps because he was so feverish and tired. it was indulging him in super hero popsicles that i would not normally buy and letting him have 2 of them. today was relishing the calmness that his illness brought, as sorry as i am that he felt so horrible.



today was watching bea explore the house on her own and play her own games with out mimicking big brother. it was watching her stack towers of blocks, pick any cars she wanted, and see the busy work she so enjoys. today was watching her care for her brother and give him all the hugs he wanted with out telling him "NO!".

green.

so this week's assignment for the c & c photography workshop was all about telling a story with color. and if i thought i had a difficult time last week, i really struggled with this one. this week i had the ideas but i just couldn't execute them. i tried several things and just was not happy with anything. then i lost my battery charger for the camera and thought maybe i should bust out some (very valued) film. it was tempting, but i found the charger! and then i had an ordeal that i needed to tend that kept me on the phone and on the computer much of today. i didn't think i would be able to post anything, and i was really upset with myself for letting this assignment slip. and then it happened . . .

the garden expansion.


make a diptych.



use the colors complement (red). and add a person.


an unfocused one.




make one image a square.










it's been a busy day here, but i look forward to seeing everyone else's colors tomorrow!

favorite friday

i think it's been a while since i've done a favorite friday, so i think it's time again.



this boy. can melt my heart and push my buttons all in the same minute. he and i are a lot alike. and that makes me happy. i think he understands me pretty well and vice versa.



***thank you all for your words of kindness yesterday. they were very much appreciated. that funk is slipping away.***

and the pendulum swings.

the sunshine left today. it's dark outside. raining.
rather fitting for my mood.

lack of patience, inspiration, motivation, and creativity. mix that with some emotional upheaval and you've got my mood.

it's one of those days where i wish i could pack a bag and take off. not forever or anything, just enough time to regroup. a break from reality i suppose. the reality of bills, parenting, endless housework, and general adultness. (i'm pretty sure i just made that word up).




i have a few things pushing me out of my comfort zone right now. i know that being pushed can be a good thing, but it's rarely easy. lack of confidence is a big factor in this.
i signed on to be part of an art fair (that is raising money for a good cause) where i could potentially sell some photos. am i ready for this? i understand i'm not going to make any money doing this, but do i really want to put myself out there? can i ask people to look at my work seriously when i don't even know how to operate my camera on a technical level? it feels a bit absurd to be honest.
and the other stuff? pretty personal. pretty heavy (for me). there are people in my life who have had a negative effect on me for most of my life. i am sure they don't see it that way. and every so often i have to consider if it is worth it to me to have them in my life for just a brief moment. the older i get the answer becomes more certain, but i really do try not to be indifferent towards people. it's a situation where when it's not right in my face i am fine and feel as if i have dealt with it in a good mental health kind of way. then when it does pop up i get headaches just thinking about it, second guess my reasons behind my decisions, and revert to an emotional state i would rather not be in.

so today i am letting it out a bit (obviously). i am trying not to dwell on these things, and remember that by this time next week many of these feelings will have passed. but today they are weighing me down. i guess i need to pack these feelings in a bag and send them packing. then i can keep on with the good thing.



***no sooner than i hit publish, i kid you not, the sun peeked out and the rain stopped. really!***

i thought it was april.

this week has been a taste of summer, but with a little less humidity and much more pollen.

we've been spending a lot of time outdoors but with frequent breaks inside (i've already had a sunburn).



lots of exploring going on in the backyard. eating mint and wild onions. climbing of fences. mud pies.



bubble blowing. chalk drawing. seed planting. laundry hanging. bucket rides.



and even some slow moments for mama. though they don't last long.



i have been reading so much lately. a sure sign that the babes are getting bigger and more self sufficient. i think i've read 2 entire books in a week! that is some pre-baby reading there. it's been such a treat, though i'm not getting much else done. but i don't mind.

what's on your reading lists right now?

knitting in limbo.

i can't make it through this simple pattern. my stitch count is off. i keep making silly errors and tinking back. it's getting ridiculous. i'm to the point where i may just go get another skein and make the next size up, because bea is going to be too big by the time i finish this 'quick' knit.

then again, i am only off 2 stitches and will it really be that noticeable? for all i know i've been off the whole time!

what are you working on? if you are a knitter, does your knitting slow down in the summer? i know mine does. and since i'm already a slow knitter that basically means i stop. i hope to keep a few small project going this summer though. maybe a pair of socks . . .

compose.

i knew this assignment would be tricky for me. i'm not one to photograph still life's. well, not planned ones anyway. i had a few ideas for this assignment, but wasn't coming up with a good layout. then by chance, i took this photo on tuesday (when i was clipping lavender and then walked by my husbands sculpture stand on the deck) and recalled the part in the assignment about textures and shapes and decided to recreate the scene so to speak.

1) straight ahead.


2) bird's eye view.


3) up close.


4) off center.


5) out of focus.


6) out of focus. completely.


i really wanted to practice my shutter control on this assignment but i found so many different ways too shoot this set up and at different times of the day. not all turned out the way i wanted, but it was an interesting exercise. my original plan was photographing the lavender in a completely different setting and none of those turned out to my liking.

i had the hardest time doing the bird's eye view because i needed to use a ladder and i'm afraid of heights. most of those were blurry. the shot i ended up using i actually shot blind with both feet on the ground. i really enjoyed this assignment though i felt a little out of my comfort zone. it was nice to take my time and think about the angles and really see what i was photographing.


***i will have sporadic access to the internet this weekend, so if i don't get to visit your blogs this weekend, i'll be looking forward to seeing your work early in the week!***