Deep and wide, Day 352

Today was one of those days where I felt like 1/2 the day was crazy and the other 1/2 was calm. The thing that broke the craziness was I received a letter in the mail today from a good friend. It was like a breath of fresh air that made everything a little better, a little more gentle, a little more calm.

Tornado watch, Day 351

39 days, Day 327

Like father, like son, Day 311

Just a sip, Day 294

Dream, Day 280

Last night I had a dream about taking my image of the day. I was on a bus and I asked two women who were identical twins sitting across from me if I could photograph them. I don't remember if they said yes or not. My dream was so much more interesting than my image for the day.

Every now and then, Day 159

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
My ears are still ringing.

Light drawing, Day 157

Earlier in the week I assigned a project to my beginning photo students to photograph light. The subject that the light is falling on is incidental. They have to shoot natural light inside and outside, and artificial light inside and outside. It has been overcast for the past several days so the light in my house has been quite dull. We have large windows in our dining room where the late afternoon sun usually makes this room come alive in the winter time. It's one of my favorite rooms to inhabit this time of year for this very reason and a common site for me to photograph. Today the sun finally showed itself, transforming the dead flowers I have been too lazy to throw in the compost. I was dazzled by the light entering my lens and I was reaffirmed that I gave my students the right assignment this week.

Thirsty, Day 147

I unexpectedly had dinner with friends last night after running into them at a grant coaching session. We spoke of our art, teaching and and life in between. I am in a transitional place in my career as an artist/educator so it was nice to speak with someone who is absolutely passionate about what he does. I am feeling thirsty for a change to everything that I have been doing and my approach to doing it. The glass in front of me is full, I just need to take a drink.

Peace and quiet, Day 113

A trip to the Denver Botanic Gardens yielded a stunning feast for all the senses. I am tired after several hours in the sun and chasing after two little boys. It was a lovely way to end a hectic week of teaching and getting back into the swing of things. I often forget what Denver has to offer even though I am so close to the city. I am just not a city girl anymore. I get overwhelmed easily and hate to drive in traffic. I just hope I don't turn into one of those old ladies who won't leave the house and still experience the world around me. In a couple of weeks I will begin commuting two days a week to teach in Denver. Perhaps my two bus rides and one light rail ride (one way) will reacquaint me with city life and I will fall in love with it again. Or it will have the opposite affect and make me want to move to an even smaller town. Only time will tell.

Past life, Day 104

When I was a kid I remember eating at a Chinese restaurant in Tahoe City, CA where I lived with my dad and brother. There was one potsticker left and I wrapped it up in my napkin to take home to eat later. Since that moment my dad has teased me that I must have been Vietnamese in a past life since I wrap up pieces of meat which he claims that I also store under my pillow for safe keeping. Why Vietnamese and under my pillow I never understood the reasoning, but the point being that I have always been obsessed with all Asian food and I can definitely connect with the idea of a past life experience. My favorite place to visit, which is a fairly new discovery, is the Pacific Ocean Marketplace located in Broomfield, CO. This shopping center caters to a large Vietnamese population with a massive Asian market and several Pho restaurants. I am happy to say that I have finally located a Vietnamese cultural center close to where I live and in my mind I fit right in.

Home, Day 95, (08.10.09)

Not the same river, Day 89, (08.04.09)

Water, Day 72

Frequently my son asks how water is made. One of my biggest environmental concerns is about water. We use and abuse this essential resource. Someday swimming pools, long showers, and lawns may be a thing of the past. Water will become the new "oil" and we will fight wars over it. Another thing to look forward to.

Energy, Day 71

Little kid energy...where does it come from and as we get older why do we feel the need to reign it in? My son is like the energizer bunny...he keeps going and going from early in the morning until the evening. I now understand why people have children in their early twenties. I just wasn't emotionally ready at the time.

Patterns, Day 70

I am always amazed when I look at the image from the day and wonder if the image dictates my life or my life dictates the image. The pattern over the last few days has been the same, and some patterns (habits) seem to be difficult to break. Spending a week at the beach with my family always sounds like a wonderful idea at the time, but last night old family dynamics were dredged up from the deep reestablishing themselves loud and clear. I didn't allow myself to get caught up in it but it still had an affect on me. It's time to reestablish a new pattern, which I think I was able to do in the way that I handled the situation, but it wasn't easy.

Slow time, Day 68

I have been staring at the ocean for 4 days now. The sound is a constant rhythm in the background reminding me to breath deep and enjoy the moment. I have been reminding myself that the present moment is all I have. This reminder has allowed time to slow down for me.

H 2 OH, Day 64

When I moved to Colorado I thought I would miss the ocean much more than I do. I think when you grow up near such a large body of water that it is a bit strange to live so far away from it. I do miss the sound, smell, and feel of the ocean air but at the same time I am happy with the stabilizing and grounding feeling that the mountains give me. One thing that I absolutely love about living in Colorado are the afternoon thunderstorms. Billowy clods that move over the mountains bringing rain and fresh air. It is very dramatic for maybe an hour or so, but wonderful. This summer we have had quite a few of these afternoon storms and they make me love the mountains just a little bit more.