Colorful September.
A myriad of tones in leaves and skies.
An end to Summer. The gateway to Fall.
One of my favorite months.
365- Month Nine
365- Month Eight
On Fire
August, the month of fires. A fire burned in us to capture everything left of summer, pull it towards us, and never let go. We were outside as much as possible, as much as the air quality would allow. We had a dog get super sick on us, we bought groceries, we stressed, we worked, we parented, we drank coffee of course. Life happened.
And fires, in our state, to the North in Canada, to neighboring states in the south and to the east. So much has burned this year. And it continues.
I worry that one of these years it’ll touch our city. Will it be a nudge, or a full on assault? They say so much land along the west coast just needs to burn. That the population here has left forests who once regulated themselves through burning, out of whack. Its understandable. And with the change in our climate, there are conditions where fire would be (and currently is) devastating. The human desire to exist and live in beautiful places isn’t wrong, but these consequences are hard to watch.
And ideas, spreading like fire. Good ones, and some really bad ones. Ignited, people are acting on these ideas, horrendous things are being said and done. A lack of empathy seems to have caught hold of so many, too. And I worry how long that particular fire is going to burn.
So everything around us feel like kindling. And what can be done? You douse things with as much watery love you can, donate your extra garden hose, manage your own fires so surrounding growth stays healthy. You hope, once the heat is over, things can calm down and you are able to breathe again. And in the interim, you learn to breathe smoke.
Fire is a powerful, destructive force. But it can also be a catalyst for change, and even more beautifully, regeneration. I hope we start to see more of the later.
365 Photo a Day- Month Two
Our February was
2 Birthdays, lots of Treats,
Several Archival posts, and a new place for my work on Etsy.
This Month's 28 images:
365- Month One
On the first of January, I started my second 365 project this time on Instagram. The first was derailed 6 years ago by pregnancy symptoms, and since there are no more littles planned for us, I figured 2018 was as good a time as any to hone in on my skillz every day.
So far, it's been a successful one. I've had a few days where I need to pull from my archives, and sometimes I double up if we have a particularly hectic day in the world of parenting and life. Overall, it's encouraged me to keep thinking photographically, especially since I'm not full-time in my photography work.
Here's the January bunch!
Change, Even in the Smallest Form
Some years you can feel it. The atmosphere asking, even begging, for a new beginning. This one of those years I think.
Sure. 2015 was the year. 2016 was the year, 2017 was the year...BUT how about 2018 actually being the year for us all. The year we each grasp our desires and do the thing. Where we each take a brutally honest look inward, disassemble what we aren't proud of, and reshape it. Make a new beginning, for real this time.
Or don't, and choose to be truly content. Because that act is a movement of progress in itself. Honest introspection on what you have, or who you are, coupled with acceptance, can bring about a profound change. Sometimes, "to have what you want, you must want what you have." My husband said that. (<3 him)
Either choice is difficult, but this resistance can help us grow in ways we wouldn't otherwise. Either choice can mean a rebirth, if that's what you're looking for in the coming months.
My best to you in 2018, whatever you decide :-)
Halloween in Bellingham 2.0
Get ready, this is a long one, folks. ;-)
Bellingham does Halloween right. It's been a while since I could get excited about the holiday, but now that we have a safe, fun, simple, family-friendly place to take the kids, I'm hooked. I've always loved this time of year. Trick or treating in Fairhaven is like going to a neighborhood where everyone knows each other and gets really into the holiday. And it starts pretty early, which is super helpful for those of us with young kids.
Eliza was very funny with the whole event. She didn't quite understand what was going on, but about halfway through, she looks up at me after getting something in her bag and says, "more?" She had a great time. Don't worry though, didn't give this little owlet any of the candy. She doesn't even have all her teeth yet.
We saw several of our friends out this year, some pictured, some not. Charlotte, of course had a fantastic time, but seeing so many of her friends was icing on the cake.
Charlotte and Charlotte (aka Goldilocks).
A fairy and skeleton share a hug!
David S. Pumpkin's everybody! If you have any questions, look up SNL season 42, Episode 4.. I can't guarantee any answers, but that entire episode is pure gold.
Eliza thought our neighbor-friend's skeleton costume was hilarious. She wasn't bothered by it at all, the little hoot.
A carebear brigade, made up entirely of middle school aged boys.
Guys^^^^ The mom was a golden ticket, unfortunately hidden behind Wonka in this candid shot. Don't know these people, but based on the costumes, I kind of wish we did!
Candy from a storm trooper. Umm, YES!
She's done with trick or treating, and we got the photo to prove it!
This Halloween was magical. Watching The Great Pumpkin, trick or treating in Fairhaven, pizza delivery when we got home, pumpkins painted (instead of carved, because 4 and under) and Stranger Things 2 after the girls went to bed.
A fantastic way to start the holiday season!
PNW Kids
In this season of our life, there's space for them to explore. And if this place didn't give us anything else, this would be enough.
Being a kid in the Pacific Northwest has its perks.
...
It's windy, or sunny, or overcast, or all of the above. This place has many emotions. Lots of things it may or may not choose to reveal through light, texture, and color. Last Sunday, for example, was a beautiful variable. A misty, wet morning, which gave way to a cerulean sky and mild temperatures. The northwest can't decide some days. This is a place that changes, shifts, and grows as much as we aspire to. It's mysterious, and uncertain, but at ease..
Larrabee State Park
Galavanting in Larrabee State Park on a day when it wasn't raining.
Fresh Air is a Key
to a short but fulfilling
Time on this Earth.
Solitude or, 27 Ways to Photograph a Sunset
A couple weeks ago I took a solo outing to Boulevard. I needed to think in the quiet, eat a treat, and drink a coffee. I also wanted to stretch my photography muscles by adding variation to a scene I've seen over and over again the last several months. (Not a complaint, by the way).
Hopefully these images are different enough to post without boring anyone. Sorry, they're aren't 27. Or maybe, you're welcome? With the sheer amount of content online, and all of the various pictures, stories, comments we consume daily, I try to limit how much I'm throwing out into the internet.
Also, if I wasn't careful, this blog would just turn into one big document of Boulevard Park, established summer of 1980. ;-)
^^^^^this was AMAZING^^^^^
Our Month
We've been coughing, hacking, sniffling, breathing heavy all of December. Oh my goodness are we tired of this. I cannot stress enough the bummer that occurs when you go from a person who is never ever EVER sick to constant congestion, runny nose, and nastiness. People have told us it will get better. New place=new germs. Gosh, I hope so.
We've gotten out quite a bit despite sickness, on good days when symptoms aren't as bad or things seem to turn a corner. I hate how inconsiderate this seems, but we try to be careful. Cabin fever is real, especially when the world outside your door is so awesome. I hope we haven't spread anything. Maybe we aren't contagious anymore, just adjusting to a new location.
So, here's a mash up of random photos from late November and December. Christmas is almost a week away, which is pretty incredible. I love this time of year; despite sickness it's always a magical time.
Notice my husband can levitate snowballs in the last few photos. Kind of amazing, eh?
Shuksan in the Fall
These photos are from our last trip up to Picture Lake before the snow set in. We weren't there too long, and it wasn't the smoothest of visits, but it was definitely beautiful. Looking forward to seeing this area covered in snow. Hopefully we can get out there soon!
BOO! 2016
I'm not sure how October passed without a single blog post. All I know is, we were sick for about a third of it, and now it's November. Yikes.
Yesterday was Halloween, and Charlotte was completely into it. She talked most of the month about trick-or-treating and "spooky stuff."
We took her and Eliza to Fairhaven for a local business-sponsored trick or treat. It was kind of magical. Growing up in the 90's, I watched all those seasonal movies, like Casper and Hocus Pocus. These movies were set in fictitious small towns decked out in Halloween paraphernalia, with a backdrop of beautiful fall colors, and a chill in the air. Being from the South, I figured towns with this atmosphere were a Hollywood myth. Halloween in Alabama was warm and not a big deal. The people, in ever-lingering flipflops, didn't think too much of afore mentioned "spooky stuff" for various cultural reasons I won't go in to. It really just wasn't a "thing". Fall festivals and trunk or treat, yes. Halloween "stuff," no. Which is fine, I'm not saying good/bad either way.
BEST costume ever.
Fairhaven though. The stuff of movie legends. It was so neat to see this little historic district so colorful, the shop owners completely in costume, laughter, excitement, and fun in the air. It sounds corny I know, but really. It was too cool. I'm an adult and I was excited. I think Charlotte had a pretty great time too.
Bike
Shout out to this girl, who after only two months of a push bike is demanding a "purple bike with petals."