Capturing Life and Chasing Zen

A Life Coach? What?

I went out and got a Life Coach. I shit you not. I really did. And so far, she is doing EXACTLY what I had hoped she would do. She is pushing my ass to get out of my comfort zone. So much of my wanting to be perfect regarding my photography (so not ZEN) has prevented me from putting my photos out there, anymore.  I still post to Flickr, but never on a regular basis. 

Anyway, so the Life Coach has given me many homework assignments, but now she has given me a photography assignment. Here's what I was told to do: Print photographs that I think are good, print photographs that I think are NOT good, print photographs that I think are so-so and print photographs from photographers that I admire. 

I started the assignment. We shall see what happens. 

Balloon Fest - Part 1

Awhile back, I took the girls to the Hot Air Balloon Festival. I have been wanting to go for a few years now. But, every time it came around, we already had something else going on. So, I was excited when this year, we were able to make it. And my sweet sister-in-law (Rachel) offered us a place to stay. (She & my brother live nearby). 

While waiting in line, this man starts talking to us. I didn't get a picture of him, but I was tempted to. He was drunker than Cooter Brown. And aggravating. We made polite conversation. Thankfully, the line moved quickly. 

We're in! Loving it. :) Felt like a kid in a candy store with my camera. So much to see and capture. 

The girls with Aunt Rachel, taking pics on their phones. 

 Hey, guys, can I get a pic? 

I got fussed at for getting close to the flames. But I stuck my pouty lip out and asked, "Pleeeease?" and...he took pity on me.   

Again, pouty lip and pleading worked. I really felt the heat with this one. Wow. Very cool.  

 We had a really great time. It was a cool experience. Then, we went to Golden Corral and had bad steak. Ha! :) :) 

 

on feeling the fear

This picture is pretty, yes? But wait…there’s more.

This picture represents something to me. It’s like a diary entry. Yes, there are beautiful landscape  scenes that stir our souls. We capture sunrises, sunsets, beaches, water…things that make us sigh from their beauty. But this picture…it does more than make me sigh. It makes me remember.

Last year (May 2012), I was feeling so fearful about so many things. I won’t go into detail, but I was hurting. I had a heavy heart. And I pulled out a notebook and just spilled every worry, every fear out onto the page. Oh, and I cried the “ugly cry.” I felt such relief.

After getting all of that out, I changed gears. I felt all “Jerry Mcguire” and decided to write a mission statement. Yep, a mission statement. Or really, just a letter to (insert drumroll)… “The Universe.”  I was so determined, too. I wrote 2 pages on how I was tired of being fearful and from now on, I was going to feel the fear and DO IT, ANYWAY…whatever IT was. And I somehow determined that all I had to do was keep shooting pictures every chance I got and I would be shown the next step. Yep, that was it.

Shortly after that, I was invited to go on a boat to take pictures. Um…what? This was not what I had in mind. I had been on boats in the past and had bad experiences that made me FEARFUL.

 No, no, no…I was not doing it.

But then, I remembered what I wrote a few short nights before. Ok, so I had to decide…keep doing what I’ve been doing and get the same results? Or face the fear and do it, anyway?

Anyway, the bottom line is…I went. And I’ve gone on a boat several times since then. And I love it now. It makes me feel more alive…more present.

Lots of changes have occurred in this last year since I wrote that little letter to The Universe. I’ve faced quite a lot of fears. It has not been easy. But I did it.

This picture was taken this past weekend. The first time since my “feeling the fear and doing it, anyway” anniversary that I have been on a boat to take pictures. And while I was pressing that shutter button, I was remembering the woman I once was. And I was feeling grateful for the woman I am now. 

Yes…I am grateful. 

 

On the way to bring Cy to a sleepover, the sun was setting. And my girls both noticed the beauty. Cy said, "Mom, look. Do you have your camera?" I did. I parked the van and the girls couldn't get out fast enough. They know that every minute counts when you are trying to capture a sunset with your camera.  

This is what I captured. 

It's beautiful. I never tire of sunsets. 

While I was taking shots, my girls were taking their own. 

Seeing them trying to get sunset pictures with their phone cameras was better to me than the actual sunset.

I love that they noticed the sunset in the first place. And I love that they wanted to stop and savor it.

Sigh. :)

because i love it so

Just wanted to post this shot because I love it so.

 

the weekend

The weekend was lovely. Beautiful weather. So many things we could have done. I thought about taking the kids to the park. I thought about taking them to the bookstore. We didn't do either of those things.

On the way home Friday, I stopped on the side of the road and took some pictures. Of buttercups. And weeds. And later that evening, pictures of my girls, the sunset, my backyard swing, the horses in the pasture behind our house. I took all of these pictures with my phone. And it filled me right up. :) 

Friday night, we went to the home of some dear friends to celebrate. The celebration was for Cy's best friend, Lora. The reason? It was the anniversary of the day her adoption was finalized. Lora Day. What a great reason to celebrate! We were so honored to be invited.

Saturday, Cy sang in the Choir at the local Arts Awareness Festival.  We went to Walmart. We came home and there was plenty of laundry, etc. to tend to.

Sunday, glorious Sunday. I started the day sitting on my front steps with coffee in hand and my journal. I love the mornings like that when I can have some quiet time to write, think, pray, read and listen to the birds. Yes, the birds.

Later that day, I was in one of the bedrooms with the window open. I heard something outside and looked toward the azalea bush right by the window. There were two blue jays. I watched them for some time and loved every minute of it.

The best part about Sunday was that me & my Cy girlie went outside and sat at our backyard table in the sun and painted our toes the colors of Easter eggs. :)

We didn't do lots of things or go many places. I didn't get everything checked off of my TO DO list. But there was ZEN. There was present moment living and I was happy.

 

just because

I like this image. Just because. 

she makes me smile

My youngest girlie & I had a photoshoot recently. I had been telling her that I wanted to take pictures of her with her cowboy boots on before she outgrew them.

I also wanted to take a few shots of her while she still had her braces on. 

I love this girlie.

She makes me smile.

 

fog love

Sometimes, I see lots of fog on the way to work in the mornings.

Sometimes, I bring my camera.

Snapped this shot recently and wondered if anyone who drove by the river that day thought it was as beautiful a sight as I did.

 

 

sometimes

Sometimes, the things I see while driving home after work can take my breath away.