this day.

 

on this day, we took an early evening august break and explored point defiance park (with the new rebel and the new "oh my goodness i love it" lens)

this and that

breathing in all of it (for the august break)

a few bits:

thank you for words and emails lately. i truly feel so blessed to be cocooned in so much support. i am happy to report that ellie continues to be doing well. the medicine she takes is working, and she is beginning to smile and coo and reveal a bit more of her personality each day. i wish you could come over for tea to meet her. she really is the bees knees.

we are having more days that feel like summer here. love getting out and soaking up a bit of sun and remembering that there is life outside of our little house.

i am participating in susannah's august break over on flickr. i really love this idea and am looking forward to trying to capture a bit of summer each day. some days i will be sharing the photos here too, but i know i will also be posting some other things in this spot (like [finally!] the cover of my book and some thoughts about the experience writing it, a little video i am working on, a collaboration or two, and a few other things). luckily, susannah is all about no rules (you should join in on the fun too!).

while the little one sleeps or entrances her daddy with her smiles, i have been working on some more jewelry for the shop. i am really loving the longer locket necklaces and the new soul mantra designs and have made a few for myself. a bit like betty in the above photo, i have been inspired to layer them with other soul mantra necklaces and a few others i have (especially my favs from jen, kelly, and the black spot books). new items listed can be found over here. if you are interested in a custom locket, just contact me through an etsy conversation or email (the email page is in the sidebar of this blog).

and here are a few links to things catching my eye:

maya's on the road with ten-line tuesday kickstarter project

viv's tease about her upcoming project

jen lee's poem "held." (each time i read it, i read it aloud. each time i read it, i cry. next week, i am taking it with me to the oregon coast and will add it to my pocket of poems i am collecting for my early morning walks on the beach.) oh and jen's new merch page pretty much = awesome.

really enjoying notes from the edge (a new to me blog)

this delightful blog of mila's daydreams (this link fluttered around twitter last week and made me smile)

playing along at exquisite corpse was all kinds of fun last week (thanks kristen! this project simply rocks.)

teuxdeux.com (thank you jenna...this just might save my sanity)

and since i just ordered this (and this) as my "the book is really done!" gift to myself, i am more than a little excited about dar's photography ecourse.

the faces of ellie jane (july 30)

(some scenes from our evening in this corner of the world. wish you could hear the cooing. it. makes. my. heart. smile.)

what is real (today)

 

friendship

love

understanding

a hand to grasp in the darkness

(this is today)

*****

i have begun taking a daily ::what is real:: mirror photo.

the series started the first night that we slept for a few hours at the tree house while ellie was in the PICU. in a few minutes of quiet when i was by myself in that room, i had this urge to document the real face of this new journey. in some ways, i wanted to feel seen by someone, and it turned out that being seen by myself was like a hand i could hold over those next few days. 

i have continued to seek what is real in a moment each day. before i take the photo, i think about what is real in this moment and let my face relax to wherever that truth lies. then i snap.

i am documenting the photos over on flickr but will share them here from time to time.

today . a through the lens (backyard) walk

*****

i took five minutes just for me
and went out to the backyard
for a quick artist date
to see what i could see...

what are you seeing in your world? i would love to know.

(and thank you. yes. thank you. for your kind words about my last post. thank you for getting it and reaching out to let me know you do.) 

senses. a lilac tree (before the wind storm).

 {see}

{hear}

{smell}

{taste}

{touch}

{and know}

seeking emerging things

an afternoon pause
(through the lens)
seeking emerging things

when blue sky beckons...

a quick visit to portland to stay with friends for one night. because quick visits to portland will be on hold for a bit soon. because sometimes you need to just be with people who deeply get you. the house is quiet this morning. the little one did not allow her mama to sleep comfortably this morning, kicking with insistence no matter the position i turned. so i am up, while everyone sleeps. and the blue sky smiled down on me through the windows and pushed me to find my way outside with my camera. in the crisp air i captured just a few pieces of this corner of the world. and i remembered to breathe in and out and hold the space for myself. and i wondered at the way spring returns with such specific hope.