A Collection of Small Moments

Today . . .

2012-01-06T17:07:00.001-08:00

December Days

2011-12-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

Light Studies, Autumn

2011-10-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

evening

morning

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:5

Welcome Autumn

2011-09-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

Summer Fades Away

2011-09-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

Friday morning at dawn . . .

2011-08-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

today

2011-08-22T22:11:00.000-07:00

Camping

2011-08-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Summer

film

Diana camera

Summer Sunlight . . .

2011-08-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

summer garden . . .

at least the part that is not wilted from the heat

Film

2011-08-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

I am not sure why, but in the past year I have found shooting film, quite addicting. I really love the colors and grainy texture that comes with different films. And there is always the surprise element of what you actually took when you get the pictures back. Stay tuned, there will be many more film posts in the future!

P.S. if you click on the pics they come up supersized! Awesome!

images of summer

2011-08-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

what says summer to you?

This Evening

2011-07-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

in my garden . . .
I am obsessed with deep black/red flowers right now

My Weekend

2011-07-25T09:11:00.001-07:00

it is pretty great living in Southern California . . .
you can be at the beach or a deserty trail in minutes from each other
and the light is amazing

Reflections

2011-06-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

when I took the top picture the other day it reminded me of this one from a few years ago of my dad . . . before he got really sick
and then I missed him horribly

The Sea

2011-05-31T07:51:00.000-07:00

Corona del Mar at sunset one night in May

Tennis

2011-05-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

just a moment to brag about my baby

Travels

2011-05-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

Some film shots from my vacation last week to the Pacific Northwest . . . it was my first time visiting and I loved it! Everything is so lush and green and the air so crisp and clean, quite a change for me.

Spring on Film

2011-04-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

taken with a Canon Rebel G, another purchase acquired on e-bay, I was excited to try this camera out as it fits most of my Canon lenses. These images are from my first roll, taken around my garden. I am heading to the Pacific Northwest next week so I won't be posting again here until after I return. I wish everyone a very Happy Easter, and enjoy the spring!

Let's Go!

2011-04-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

somewhere!

anywhere!

wherever your weekend takes you

I hope many adventures await

have a good one

Wanderings

2011-04-13T21:30:00.000-07:00

2011-04-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

Crystal Cove State Park

Centered

2011-04-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

2011-04-03T21:23:00.000-07:00

how I spent my Saturday morning

2011-03-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

SUNSET AT CAPISTRANO BEACH

2011-03-31T09:48:00.001-07:00

film

Canon Sure Shot

2011-03-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

2011-03-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

wishing you some beautiful sunlight and much relaxation this weekend!

p.s. I have been shooting film lately with an old canon Sure Shot camera circa 1980's! it is so fun and vintage and I am loving the pictures I'm getting.

The Last Few

2011-03-24T08:31:00.000-07:00

from my day at the Huntington Library and Gardens . . .
It was a beautiful day, everyone should visit here!

Huntington Gardens

2011-03-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

this group of photos is from the children's garden. . . .
after a long afternoon of viewing art exhibits the high school students ran around like little kids at recess here, it was so fun to see their youthful enthusiasm!

Over the Weekend . . .

2011-03-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

Spring arrived in the ugliest, drippiest, gloomiest, manner possible, a storm. This afternoon we turned on the heat, put on a wool sweater, lit a log in the fireplace, and curled up under blankets to watch basketball.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of chaperoning a field trip for my high school daughter. She is taking art history and the class spends several Saturdays visiting local museums to view the art they have studied. This weekend took us to Pasadena and the Huntington Library and Gardens. Despite the threatening weather we were able to tour the gardens, along with the art exhibits and enjoy afternoon tea.
This week I'll be sharing photos from this outing. The camellias were in bloom, and so beautiful in their color and variety!

turquoise

2011-03-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

have a lovely weekend. . .
Spring begins on Sunday!

Shadows

2011-03-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

The light here in the winter seems so strong. That being said it is now March and spring is truly just around the corner! I am so looking forward to it and the longer warmer days!

January Days

2011-01-26T16:44:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe they are drawing to a close . . .

spring is just around the corner.

A Wet Mess

2010-10-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

but so much happy joy!

Summer into Fall

2010-10-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

While my days are busy and full I attempt to take a quiet moment here and there to enjoy the beauty that surrounds me.

My Busy Season . . .

2010-09-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Being team mom for my daughter's tennis team. It is not easy and consumes most of my time these days but, is one of my greatest joys. The group of girls, this year, is so very sweet, and they make me so happy. I feel so blessed to do this job. And of course I am the unofficial team photog!

It always comes down to this . . .

2010-09-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Big Big Sky

2010-08-31T18:02:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it is the end of August! Where did the summer go? I have been reluctant to greet the Autumn, although it is usually one of my favorite seasons. This was taken on our summer vacation, a road trip through Texas. I think it might be my favorite photo from the whole trip as I keep coming back to it in mind. The sky in California, does not ever look like that! I miss that big sky, and the vacation to a state I had never been, yet has wrapped itself around my heart.
Oh, and more photos from the trip are here!

Cherry Tomatoes Jubilee!

2010-08-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

The gift from my garden on returning from vacation!

A Morning Walk in Black and White

2010-07-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

It has been a strange summer. Our little family has been battling a lingering virus that refused to go away despite doctor visits and medicine. My daughter and I are sharing a car, and what that really means for me is that I have no car. All this has left me feeling out of sorts and very house bound. Anyway this morning for the first time in many weeks I had the energy to go on a walk. I was amazed at all the contrast and texture I could see shooting on black and white mode. Hope you are enjoying this beautiful Sunday!

Today I . . .

2010-06-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

Admired the blooming flowers in the courtyard . . .

cleaned the kitchen . . .

took a quiet nature walk

saw baby bunnies playing

and enjoyed the scenery

What did you do today?

In the Woods . . .

2010-06-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

the ferns begin to bloom . . .
I am mesmerized by the shapes they create as their tight buds begin to unfurl.
In the woods it is quiet and peaceful a place where you can do little else but notice the details as you escape from the chaos of daily life.

Mountain Views

2010-06-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

Wildlife . . .

2010-05-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

we took a little road trip over the weekend. . .

some of the amazing sights we saw!

Evenfall . . .

2010-05-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

A Day by the Sea . . .

2010-04-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

By mid morning the sun came out. . . the headache that I woke with disappeared and it was time to meet my sisters for lunch. I headed to the beach, we were visiting locations for the wedding of my nephew happening late summer. I am so grateful to live a short drive from the beach. Each time I go there and the sun is out, it feels as though someone has taken me on a holiday. I can never get tired of blue skies, golden sand and the sound of waves crashing against the shore.

Gray . . .

2010-04-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite colors is gray perhaps that sounds a bit odd, but when you see it in nature it has such subtle and delicate variations in shades. I really love how soft it looks in these plants. It is gray and rainy here today so it seemed fitting to share these. Enjoy your Wednesday!

Spring!

2010-04-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

A Beautiful Day!

2010-04-14T17:16:00.000-07:00

in the woods.

Weekend highlights . . . (part two)

2010-03-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

an urban hike along a river bed . . .

chocolate sugar cookies

watching the sun sink into the sea . . .

and a great dinner out, just the two of us!

Weekend highlights . . . (part one)

2010-03-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

Friday was kind of a busy day . . . I made six trips up and down the freeway.

I had sad thoughts. I hate when I have sad thoughts. But on this day they would not go away too easily.

In the end, I needed a break, some time to clear my head.

So I walked a long a dirt path, through fields of grass and slowed down enough to notice tiny bits of yellow. It was not long before the gentle breeze soothed my head. My spirits lifted. The frustrations of my day sank with the setting sun and I was ready for the weekend!

On the Street Where I Run.

2010-03-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

Do you remember that I set a goal to live more healthfully at the beginning of the year? And I promised to keep you posted as a way of being accountable?

Well I just wanted to let you all know I have been running faithfully since December 27th.

And since then I have logged 125.6 miles, and burned 15,456 calories!! It has been a lot of hard work. I have run in the rain. I have run in the cold. I have run in the warm sun.

I have run slow, because I am tired or sore or fighting off some kind of germs. And always, always I run uphill ( and sometimes have to walk the steep part) because my neighborhood is not at all flat.

In the past few days this particular stretch of sidewalk and road has come alive with color. Green, blue, purple, orange, red, yellow. I am so grateful for where I live. I am grateful that I can run. And that my dog loves to run with me.

And I am so happy for this time of year.

Happy Almost Spring everyone!!

Projects . . .

2010-03-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

We have been hard at work for the past few weekends on refinishing the dinning room table! We purchased it about 10 years ago from a trendy home store, and while we loved it, after living with it realized that it bugged us in certain ways. It was the kind of table that you can add a leaf to, and with out the leaf the center never met perfectly which left a gap that drove my husband crazy. It was also not a standard size so I have never been able to use a table cloth with it. And because of that the top began to show some signs of wear. And that awkward size was just to big not only for the room but for the three of us to sit comfortably. So we decided to fix it. How little did we know what we were in for. The "finish" was not a standard stain and varnish but rather some kind of thick spray on coating from the factory. It took a combination of stripper + heat sanding and scraping + belt sanding + rotary sanding + breaking a sander + purchasing a new sander + ruining the belt on the sander + getting a new belt + very sore muscles and too much standing/ sitting on the cold garage floor but we got that blasted finish off. And behold there was cheap pine underneath! Anyway, my husband cut and rebuilt the table and then we distressed and applied a stain and now I LOVE the table!!! We are not yet finished as we intend to add a few coats of polyurethane but it is so much better than before! I am sure you will be seeing it in many pictures here to come. Oh and here are a few more!

2010-03-02T20:21:00.000-08:00

If March were a color I think it would be green!

First

2010-03-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

In honor of March the first daffodil bloomed in the garden!

Keeping it Real . . .

2010-02-24T09:07:00.000-08:00

this is what happens when I ignore the dishes for a few days! Have a great Wednesday everyone.

2010-02-23T17:01:00.000-08:00

hello spring, I am ready for your annual visit!

Hello!

2010-02-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great long weekend! I sure did! We went to the Getty Center on Saturday and spent the day being inspired in so many ways. After strolling the gardens and taking so many pictures I was motivated to work in my own garden. These are some new things I got at the nursery. I am hoping they do well. The bottom two are helleborus, I've not grown them before but they had some gorgeous ones at the Getty. Anyway we are having beautiful spring weather here and the fever has hit me. I want to be outside all day.

Wishing you all a great week!

Happy Valentines Weekend Everyone!!

2010-02-12T13:52:00.000-08:00

I have two new posts up here! Check them out!!

Signs . . .

2010-02-11T09:46:00.000-08:00

of spring are in the air!!

Storms

2010-02-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

yesterday I watched the storm clouds roll in . . .

it suited my mood, heavy with sorrow, missing my dad

when the raindrops started so did my tears . . .

and finally the peace, that comes with such a release of emotion, comforted me

Taking it in

2010-02-09T08:27:00.000-08:00

it was a day in which people and flowers alike, chose to soak in the golden rays of sun

2010-02-04T10:23:00.000-08:00

in the end

the many varied parts of her day

swirled into one colorful blur

Citrus Love

2010-02-02T14:44:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time I fell in love with an orange, it had a horrid sounding name but given it's chance it captivated me forever. I cannot resist it's ruby red color or the tart ~ sweet taste, I await it's arrival every year with anticipation. . .

and then I savor its goodness for as long as it lasts.

2010-02-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

I try to make a habit of pausing to notice tiny details in the world around me.

A weekend walk

2010-01-26T09:41:00.001-08:00

after 5 days of heavy rain is was so wonderful to get out and soak in some sunshine as we wandered around our neighborhood.

summer dreams

2010-01-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

it is hard to imagine that last saturday we sat on the beach all morning and let the sun soak us with its warmth . . .

since then it has been nothing but rain almost with out stopping . . .

so I will dream of warmer days and sunshine this weekend,

what will you dream of?

note keeping

2010-01-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

my food journal . . . it really helps to keep track of what I eat.

Rain

2010-01-21T08:35:00.000-08:00

we are on the fifth day of rain here . . .

the water makes its own kind of beauty

2010-01-14T08:13:00.000-08:00

yesterday the rain came . . .

today the wind is howling fiercely

it is time for many cups of warm tea

and the comfort they give

2010-01-08T12:30:00.000-08:00

Just some moments from this week. I was in a pink mood!

I hope you have a good weekend.

2010-01-05T20:46:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful day to spend outdoors pruning the roses. It is a hard job to do as I will miss the blooms yet I know it must be done in order to keep the plants healthy and encourage better flowers. It is a reminder of how we are gently "pruned" in this life by circumstances for our own good and betterment.

Glowing Moments

2010-01-04T17:44:00.000-08:00

I have never been a fan of winter. As a child, growing up in the North eastern United States, I hunkered down in front of the fire place with pillows and blankets and a good book until it was over.

Even here in Southern California, where we don't really even have "winter", there is something about the lack of daylight that takes me back to that hunker down mentality. But THIS winter I have made a change, I have opted in my better moments to embrace the dark. I like the warm golden light in the restaurant, and the soft magical blues of the sky just before dawn and just after dusk.

Sweet Deer

2010-01-02T18:48:00.000-08:00

Well, my husband and I went on our first hike of the year this morning. Not a very difficult one, just enough to get us going on our resolutions. ( I promised I'd share how we were doing.)

Anyway, we were so surprised to see this deer! She was quite close to the path and lunching contentedly on some fresh green growth. She was not at all disturbed by our presence or even the noisier bikers going past. And I could not stop taking her picture. I just wanted to share with you all, as I happen to love animals, at least the ones with fur, and this just melted my heart!! Be sure to click on them to see them larger!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

Hi friends!

I have been absent, and I thank you for understanding. As the year drew to a close I found it hard to verbalize my thoughts and feelings. I needed some quiet space.

I am looking forward to the newness of the year, the fresh start, the clearing of my mind, and blogging again. I am continuing this space as a photography blog and revisiting this space to share some recipes. I hope to have a post up there next week some time.

I am curious if you have any resolutions? I hesitate to say any, because does anyone ever really keep them?? Anyway, my husband and I are committing to focus on healthier living. For both of us this means loosing 10 pounds of weight, becoming more active, and eating less junk. Perhaps I will share bits of this journey, as a way of holding us accountable.

I wish you a wonderful New Year in 2010!

December Roses

2009-12-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

"all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon - instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today."

-Dale Carnegie

2009-12-08T07:05:00.000-08:00

holiday time!

2009-11-23T17:02:00.000-08:00

Hi friends!
I wanted to share a little holiday decorating tip with you today. I love having fresh flowers in my home, yet in today's economy I have a hard time justifying the expense. I made these arrangements with a large bouquet of grocery flowers, I spent around $12 for the whole bunch and it was loaded with fall colors. What I did after bringing it home was to first gather up some vases and then separate out the like items from the bouquet. I grouped all the greenery in one vase, seen in the back of the top photo. Then I just matched the flowers to different vases, taking in to account color and shape and style of flower. The little left overs, the orange gerber and small yellow daisy, I just snipped and placed in a jar and set it by the kitchen window. Now I have quite a bit of "thanksgiving" cheer spread around the house, and no guilt over spending too much!
Hope you all are having a festive week!

2009-11-19T08:32:00.000-08:00

I made a little slideshow for you. I hope it brings you some quiet rest to your day.

2009-11-18T08:21:00.000-08:00

Hi friends!,
Sharing some bits from my kitchen this week. My daughter's busy tennis season is at an end. . . bittersweet for me. It seems all consuming while we are in the midst of it, but sad that it is so short and quickly to an end. I hope however it affords me more time for blogging, and working on my photography. Oh, and finally replacing the shabby curtains in my bedroom that have been driving me crazy for weeks. . . : )
Hope you enjoy your Wednesday.

2009-11-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

Some words that hold meaning for me today . . .

"They told you life is hard
It's misery from the start
It's dull and slow and painful

I tell you life is sweet
In spite of the misery
There's so much more
Be grateful

Who do you believe? "

~ Life is Sweet by Natalie Merchant

I hope you find reasons to be grateful and savor the sweetness of life this weekend.

2009-11-09T18:38:00.000-08:00

I have been soooooooooo busy lately, at times my head wants to explode. But, I am pausing this month to share my gratitude you can find it here, and the gratitudes of others here.
I'll try to pop in again this week.
Blessings to all.

Leaf Crunching

2009-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

I had some brief moments to get out this week and do some leaf crunching.

One of the mornings was particularly chilly for Southern California, and there is just something about that cold wind blowing through clothes, and against my cheeks that makes me feel alive.

We don't have the autumn display of other places but I cannot tell you how happy I was to find an orange leaf tree in the nearby park.

As for feeling like I completely missed summer, with my dad's illness and such, I had a slow start into this fall, I was not ready. Somehow the autumn days are creeping into my soul and I am beginning to savor their moments, the warmth of the afternoons, the chill of the evenings, the golden light, the busy-ness that is life with my teenager, the comfort foods.

It is a strange and different place I am in. It is a good place, a place where I miss my dad so much it hurts, yet I know he is not apart from me. It is a place where I must begin to move forward on my own and carry on. And be strong.

Blessings to your weekend friends!

2009-10-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

I shouldn't have, but I did. Sometimes you just need to have a pretty dish of candy in your life. I promise not to eat them all at once! Happy Monday friends!

The colors and flavors of autumn . . .

2009-10-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

When the going gets tough, the tough head to the kitchen...

I am not sure why but all the chopping, mixing, stirring, baking, tasting, and even the washing up, go a long way to restoring my sanity. Its not that I love to cook, honestly somedays it is an unbearable chore, but when I have the time and can relax, it is one of those places I find my ground.

Hope your weekend is filled with good eats!

2009-10-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

a quiet moment . . .

Friday...

2009-10-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

inside

outside ...

I am enjoying these autumn days

here is a bit of inspiration

for you

and I hope you make the best

of your

October weekend

I've Been Busy . . .

2009-10-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

Working on a project . . . 48 girls, four teams, coaches, practice, matches . . . hundreds of photos soon to be a book. I am really excited about it. But it is a HUGE task. And challenging for me as I am learning quite quickly how to shoot sports photography (with out all the fancy lenses), and overcoming some of my shyness in approaching the girls.

I hope you all are well!

It's October

2009-10-01T21:05:00.000-07:00

happy leaf season!

Hello!

2009-09-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

I am back . . .

I know it has been a while, September has been a difficult month.

Very, very slowly I feel like I am surfacing from the loss of my father, the worst cold I've had in years, and the start of a busy school/tennis season for my daughter. The funeral has passed . . .

it was delayed to this past weekend for various reasons. Perhaps that was the closure I needed to begin moving on. I am beyond tired. I wake in the morning after sleeping all night and feel like I could use another eight hours. . . and then I remember that I was the same way after my mom passed. I needed a lot of sleep. I am learning to go easy on myself . . . but it is hard.

In other news, my old oven, that was at its best unreliable, is gone, and replaced with a shiny new one. It is no secret to you, that I bake and I have been making my husband happy with some treats. Today is his birthday and I am putting all those apples to work in a pie, his favorite!

Good wishes to you all!

heaven

2009-09-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

must be a glorious place

Struck Silent

2009-09-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

three years ago . . .

yesterday.

I have no words right now, just tears.

Change is in the Air

2009-09-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

taken while riding in the car on the way to dinner. . .

Walk Through My Garden Part III

2009-08-21T07:34:00.000-07:00

Last year my tomatoes didn't take . . .

perhaps it is the cooler weather, or maybe my neglect, or that one dose of really good fertilizer I gave them at planting, but they just keep coming and coming.

My dad had always grown tomatoes, I don't remember a childhood summer with out them. He would sit down on Saturday at lunch and slice them thick, the beefsteaks as round as the plate, salt and pepper, knife and fork that was his lunch plain and simple.

It is my dad who taught me how to grow tomatoes, in my first place with just a patio we planted them in pots. It was like magic to watch them grow.

I feel a bit of that magic again this summer. I prefer the smaller tomatoes, diced up with oil, balsamic vinegar and sitting upon toasted bread, or in a BLT, or slow roasted in the oven and poured over pasta.

What is your favorite way to eat them?

Walk Through My Garden Part II

2009-08-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

delicate . . .

Walk Through My Garden Part I

2009-08-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hi!

We have been enjoying such cool gray mornings here this August, very unusual for us. I have been compelled out to my garden to watch it gently waken as the sun makes its way slowly out beneath the clouds. Join me on this little stroll to find the hidden joys of summer.

2009-08-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

It was one of those glorious days . . .

blue skies, fluffy clouds, sun, warmth, a gentle breeze. . .

we simply had to get out and stretch our legs.

Up and down hills, across bridges, a dusty path beneath our feet. . . it is at these moments when I feel at my best.

Have a great weekend friends!

2009-08-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

I am grateful for the blue that is the sea and the sky

I am grateful for the tiny rain shower

we had this week

and how it so surprised me

and that smell of rain on hot pavement

that took me back

to my childhood of humid east coast summers

for just a moment

I am grateful for the sun

and the warmth it brings

I am grateful for quiet moments in my day

and for fresh baked cookies cooling on the counter

I am grateful for the beach

and the wet+sand+fur covered friend

with whom I spent the afternoon.

what are you

grateful for

this week?

2009-08-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

I have been absent . . .

I can only say that it's been a difficult summer. Any one who has journeyed alongside someone with cancer knows what I mean. One minute it's looking up, things are better, recovery will happen, we are fighting. The next moment your very soul is dashed to the pavement. Things are bad, what has happened? How could a person change so quickly? Why? What is really going on here? Can anyone give us an answer? And then you turn the corner again. A new day, a new hope. Things seem better but are they really? This is how it has been. All summer. My emotions are fragile, wanting to hope, yet fearful and uncertain.

Last night we took a walk. A moment to breathe, in the midst of this chaos. The night comes gently does it not? Cloaking us in the calm. Whispering with delicate shades of purple and gold. Reminding us that it will not always be as it is now. Peace will come. We must continue to hope.

2009-07-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

mornings

are a beautiful

thing

that should be treated with delicacy

and not wasted.