a day in the life (wednesday)

On Wednesday, I played along with Ali and her "day in the life" prompt. 

I decided to make it a day where I would use my (very much underutilized) 50mm macro lens all day long. My 17-70mm is my everyday lens, but it is seeing its last days (it is somehow chipped inside the lens, which I seem to only notice when I use video, but then Millie knocked my camera on the floor a few weeks ago and the lens now won't "close" all the way). I know I will replace it when I can since I love it so much but...I have this gorgeous 50mm lens and for some reason I have been telling myself that I don't know how to use it because I had trouble taking macro photos with it when I first bought it. And I am not one who likes learning curves when I am just trying to capture this everyday, which is how I usually use my camera.

But I honestly haven't used it since Viv has been teaching me one new thing about my camera each time I see her, so it was about time I tried it again. (I talked more about this in my interview over at 52 Photos Project...see the first question...)

And after I took this photo of me and Ellie just holding the camera with my arm extended, I fell in love with this 50mm lens for real this time.

Because we were both still under the weather Wednesday (and I still am...let this weekend please be about rest), I just tried to capture the nuances of our day together. I kind of love how it was just a quiet day...

By spending the day with this lens, I learned that it isn't hard to use at all. The one piece I was missing when i tried to take macro photos when I first bought this lens was that I could tell my camera where to focus. This simple piece was why I was so frustrated with the lens at first and why I haven't used it. (Wow. Isn't it amazing how we get in our own way so simply sometimes?) 

I am so so happy to have it in my bag of tricks now and will be using it as my daily lens for a while I think...

Also, I plan to use Ali's "day in the life" template to put these photos (and a few others) on one page to insert into Project Life. So thankful for the videos and other info Ali has on her blog so I can really learn how this weekend...

Here's to moments of ease and rest for you (for me) this weekend...

Blessings,

Liz

PS Those delightful hearts are available as a free download at my post over at Roots of She this week.

snow days

blessings

Jan 1, 2011 :: Jan 1, 2012

december 15

today was:

up early anticipating the arrival of grandpa and grandma

a little girl full of joy and happy and just one or two overtired meltdowns

christmas shopping and sushi and the gift of a new "go to" date night outfit 

today was:

listening to them read

a heart remembering so much

johnny mathis in the air

today was:

tulips in december just because

trying all the cheeses at metropolitan market and deciding the rosemary asiago is still beyond the best

a little girl who insists on drinking from a glass 

today was:

conversation and laughter

dinner with everyone at the table

an "oh my goodness you all have to try this" cupcake that tastes just like my sugar cookies

today was:

a deep tired from staying up so late cleaning (and the knowledge that you can't really even tell)

a titch of missing even though they are here for two more days

a heart healing with each breath

december 12

Inspired by Ali's December Daily and my past participation in Darlene's December Views, I have been attempting to take photos each day this month and then write a few words to capture just one story of the day. I am housing them in a set over on Flickr and adding to it as often as I can.

I am gently but firmly pushing myself to let go of capturing the perfect photos. So if I don't take any that I want to share or use on a given day or if I forget, I am not worrying about it. Because really, the guilt thing is not going to make this project fun.

I do love though that the thought to take photos is flitting around in my mind more often than usual, especially this time of year when we are so immersed in the darkness of the days and colder weather. This is pushing me to try to capture the real day to day living moments instead of just outside adventures that summer easily brings.

This is to explain how I found myself with my camera this evening as a little girl went from daddy to mama and back again. She seems to be a wee bit under the weather, which meant she was really quite cuddly tonight as she wanted to be held or at least attached to one of us in some way. (Usually she is on the move running from room to room.)

I had the camera literally sitting on my lap as I snapped this series of photos. Because I wasn't behind it, she seemed less distracted because my face wasn't hidden so she just leaned against me as I snapped. 

I love that this gives the first four photos a self-portrait feel because she isn't looking at someone "through" the camera but is instead looking at the camera and any reflections she can see, probably of the lights in the room. (And if you are connected with me on instagram, you know that she is already taking self-portraits. Yep.) And then in that last photo, she is looking up at me right before insisting it is time to come up onto my lap.

As I sit here tonight, I keep thinking this phrase on repeat: The little moments seem to hold the most living.

put the camera right on the ground (and discover joy)

autumn observations

well...

this was supposed to be a post where i was going to share some more about my current self-care...and a bit about rest and playlists and putting on a favorite old thrifted sweater.

this was the supposed to be the post i have been writing in my head today.

but it is so so late and i am so so tired and pretty much out of words after writing and typing in the inbetween spaces today.

so instead, i am sharing this photo i took yesterday when ellie and i went exploring in point defiance park.

i took a lot of photos, but this one, with the light just so and those eyes...well, this photo says enough i think.

sending love and light to your corner,

liz