She is pushing through..
Hopes finding their way through the hard ground
seeking warmth and headed away
from things that are cold.
Maybe she can see beauty in this transition. Maybe though, she simply knows she must do it. There is no other option but forward. Spring’s momentum isn’t choice, it’s necessity. Does that make it any less lovely? I don’t think so, and I wish you all to feel the same, no matter what this season is bringing you.
“Effie…I will not be pigeon-holed.”
Sometimes I like to imagine birds having conversations.
Especially pigeons. These were far off, but body language still talks.
Colorado Crocus, 2011
Beautiful sanctuaries that, when the light hits just right, make believers out of cynics.
The discarded things, the tiny moments.. how light hits, how hair falls.
How time outside is magic for anyone noticing.
Close to blooming
Maybe now, let us celebrate the mess.
It comes into itself,
Wild, free, full of light,
Able to accept the chaos
that some times exists on the path to purpose.
Small things seen at sunrise, are so easy to miss in the morning midweek rush.
Finding myself
who normally rejoices
in the darkness of winter,
never one to need anything to come alive
on my behalf,
begging for Spring
the hope of Seasons.
"There may be more beautiful times, but this one is ours."-Jean-Paul Sartre
I recognize I am air in varied states of holding and letting go. At times, too much is contained which forces the release. Other times I am light and free, invisible, having let go of the weight. Often, as is today, I am holding things, unable to rest, unable to release, a mist seen but not felt. The idea is there, but it is both too much and too little to transcend.
To end this fun series, I chose my favorite portrait, and possibly the most recognizable. Britt Lower (aka Helly R) playing “Queen” at the Shoestring circus, after filming season 2 of Severance. Dope that I am, despite being a huge fan of season 1, AND being very braggy about never forgetting a face, I had no clue who this was. My mind was in circus mode. I simply snapped this image of a pretty woman playing ukulele on a tent.
I may have even accidentally bumped into her while she welcomed people and showed them their seats before the show, but I can't be sure 🤣. Had I realized, I would have told her just how much I appreciate her work, because good art is good art, regardless of the medium. Still, I'm thrilled to have caught this portrait of an artist I admire.
For now, this concludes circus week. I’ve set the reminders in my calendar to purchase tickets April 2nd, and you can bet I’ll be attending again, camera in tow!
An acrobatical abstract,
where the performer isn’t
the only one holding her breath.
I have a sincere appreciation for people who commit.
Who are full in on what they’re doing,
be it swallowing a sword or making a sandwich.
Sending is sending, after all.
Being a pure spectator is difficult.
I spend so much time looking at the world in photographer mode, thinking about what I see and feel, and how to convey it to others visually. The process of shooting images is a process of remembering for me. In the age of everyone having a camera, living distracted, moving at breakneck speed to the next thing via a screen, that can seem counter intuitive.
Photography is a practice of slowing down. Of examining feelings, moments, and light. I struggle to do this without a concrete tool, something in my hands to remind my brain to calm itself and be in the moment..but I’m working on that.
ANYWAY, these ladies were amazing. This is looking directly up in the air, while they performed a gorgeous physical duet. The costumes, the smiles, the flawless execution.. Golly I love performance art!
One of the interesting things about living in a semi-small, liberal arts town is that you get access to quirky goings on. Many things have changed in Bellingham over the years, but thankfully there remains an undercurrent of artists, performers, creatives, and the like, people interested in making investments in our community through creativity, talent, and fun. I’m more than happy to support these events. Having kiddos makes it extra fun.
In honor of tickets going on sell in about a month, this week I’m sharing a few photos from the local/regional 2024 Shoestring Circus. A friend of mine invited our family to the inaugural performance two years ago, (thanks Teizeen) and we’ve been hooked. This year they’re expanding, again, because guess what? People love the circus. People appreciate exceptional talent, goofiness, cotton candy…Check out the link above if you’re in the PNW, looking for a fun summer activity.
Hopefully you enjoy this visual departure from my normal mood. It’s spring, after all!
Today I’ll let these branches speak for themselves.
What do you see?
the good juice is realizing it’s ok to be a part of a thing, and not the entire thing.
a single entire thing, is a lonely thing. but a thing made up of millions of parts
that’s where the magic lies.
—streams of consciousness while editing photos, listening to Coltrane 😆
Trying so hard to see the world in one way.
So many signs point to the lack of contrast within our station, the flowing, the nuanced dance of existence humanity attempts to learn. It makes sense we’d want more clarification on how to go about the act of living. We’d need rules, hard & fast, that dictate our steps.
And yet, enough of humanity rebels against these rules, especially when they aren’t our rules, our choreography. We’re such a messy bunch, plagued with a collective thought structure that doesn’t quite align. We need the self awareness of gray, but our contrast levels are turned way up.