{Upward Bound}

“Soar, eat ether, see what has never been seen; depart, be lost, but climb.” ― Edna St. Vincent Millay

{Blooming on Eat Street}

“Someday you're gonna look back on this moment of your life as such a sweet time of grieving. You'll see that you were in mourning and your heart was broken, but your life was changing...” ― Elizabeth Gilbert I walk past this garden most days of the week and have never seen it in good shape...but I haven't seen it in spring yet, and I have a feeling it will be a tangletown mess (a good thing!) These are the winter days when I spend a lot of time in the happy places of my imagination. Which include, first and foremost not winter...alas it's almost done. The last few miles of the race are always the toughest. Legs want to fall off, stomach wants to puke itself up and most importantly mental toughness is touch and go. However, after years of conditioning...I know I've got it in me to cross the finish line. To spring! To spring forward-ness...and blooming gardens that are real, not just in my happy place.

{Let's think about this}

"Who are the people in your neighborhood? In YOUR neighborhood?-Sesame Street I've noticed at times my perspectives on the photos I shoot will change depending on my mood. I uploaded this one a few weeks ago and it just was...blah. Not doing it for me. But today, it stood out. I cannot tell you why. I love how the light hits the frost. And how the branches look like a hand, inviting me for a walk. Now this will be a huge jump, but later today, I was driving through downtown Minneapolis and having done this a lot, and not noticed, I was struck about how many people there were around. Up above me in the skyway, next to me on both city sidewalks and on the street corner waiting to cross and close to being hit by a moving vehicle. I really looked at each person, best I could at least as I was driving, and thought to myself...every single person here has a story. I never knew you exisited, but have a story... and all of this is influencing my world and community. I don't really even know why this hit me today....It's just that gut feeling observation thingy I do. I'm sure I'll figure it out later....but it certainly makes you wonder...who, indeed are the people in your neighborhood. Maybe one is a spy, or a doctor...or a check out guy at Costco. Who knows...the possibilities are endless.

{Inception}

“There is nothing else than now. There is neither yesterday, certainly, nor is there any tomorrow. How old must you be before you know that? There is only now, and if now is only two days, then two days is your life and everything in it will be in proportion. This is how you live a life in two days. And if you stop complaining and asking for what you never will get, you will have a good life. A good life is not measured by any biblical span.” ― Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls

{Peface}

“first of all nothing will happen and a little later nothing will happen again” ― Leonard Cohen, Book of Longing These are the kind of shots one gets at the end of February on a 40 degree day. I searched for something that didn't look brown (as in rotted earth and worm holes brown) and dead and nothing caught my eye. That's how winter rolls and it's not supposed to technically be this warm so I'll take the weather, be patient a few more weeks and wait for the surroundings to liven up.

{Seasons}

The secrets inside her mind are like flowers in a garden at nighttime, filling the darkness with perfume. Fumiko Enchi, Masks

{All and All}

“I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till i drop. This is the night, what it does to you. I had nothing to offer anybody except my own confusion.” ― Jack Kerouac What I have to offer, another I'm stuck in an abstract use my camera as a paintbrush, think I'm all that and Picasso bokeh sunrise photograph...And I think it is just perfect.

{Take a Walk with Me}

“There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer: no disease that love will not heal: no door that enough love will not open...It makes no difference how deep set the trouble: how hopeless the outlook: how muddled the tangle: how great the mistake. A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all. If only you could love enough you would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world...” ― Emmet Fox It's Valentine's Day, and I don't have enough to write about that except I'm eating a insane and lovely amount of excellent chocolate. Courtesy of a love package from my parents, I have Erie's finest Romolo chocolates and enough Peppermint Patties to make a girl happy. They melt in my mouth, and like a good book when it's done, I don't want the flavor to go away. But the topic of Love I could write about. I love...well love. It's a beautiful gift to extend to those I love and meet. I confess, these days, I have to make a concerted effort in my morning meditations to choose love and forgiveness over anger and anxiety. But when I do walk that path, I feel lighter and see clearer. I'm rambling so I'll be done and go have myself another yummy peppermint patty. Happy Valentine's day to all those I love and haven't had the chance to meet just yet!

{First Ray of Light}

“I dream of lost vocabularies that might express some of what we no longer can.” ― Jack Gilbert, The Great Fires

{Glaze of Glass}

“Serenity is when you get above all this, when it doesn't matter what they think, say or want, but when you do as you are, and see God and Devil as one.” ― Henry Miller So here is the thing, I'm a serious people watcher and eavesdropper. I like to observe and listen to what is going around me. Not because I am a gossip. I keep most things to myself, but because there is so much to take in and it's all extremely fascinating. Today, I overheard a woman on her phone talking about her roommate. Clearly I should have left it alone but when she started talking about Satan and evil spirits I was hooked. A roommate of hers creeps her out and she has had enough with their living arrangements. Apparently she crossed the line when she approached her at bedtime and mentioned the Devil was in bed with her. Of course, being the concerned roommate she told this woman she would pray over the evil spirit. She was a pastor, of course...? Needless to say, the woman told her "she was f(&*(^&* crazy and to stay the BLEEP BLEEP away from her"...End quote. The rest of the conversation was venting about little stuff such as restraining orders, eviction and the police. I felt the my skin crawl and I got somewhat nervous so I stepped away from that chaotic energy. That is always a sign that is time to reign it in to my own life. I have had my time of crazy and I'm done with that thank you very much God... I actually talked with the woman a bit as we were both waiting at the same store. She was extremely nice and had an adorable seeing eye dog named Sunshine. I mentioned that the dog had a wonderful name especially since today was full of sunshine despite the cold. Then I felt stupid because, she could not see. Instead, she turned to me and remarked that indeed, sunshine would make the day much better. I agreed and thought that it wasn't so stupid. She in fact had named her dog Sunshine. So all this happened this afternoon. People are remarkable with all their stories and all their devils.

{Capturing Snow}

“Drink from the well of yourself and begin again.” ― Charles Bukowski Home sweet home...this is the view from the front yard. A quiet snow covered city street. Cities which are normally so busy become beautifully serene when storms sweep through. With this inspiration I attempted to capture how soft and delicate the snowfall was the other day. It took many attempts, playing with shutter speed, metering right for the highlights, cold nose...numb fingers. But with perseverance and patience I plowed through (pardon the pun:)..)And I'm pretty pleased with what I captured. It reminds me of a painting...and dead on for how I picture winter and snow. Ever so much snow.

{Destination Ahead}

“Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration's shove or society's kiss on your forehead.” ― Susan Sontag

{Dust}

“This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight, the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath…” ― Margaret Atwood, Eating Fire: Selected Poetry 1965-1995 Yes I did it! On my home from work, in the midst of a snow drenched streets, passive aggressive tailgaters and blustery wind...I stopped by Lake Harriet and took some shots. It was very windy and hard to see but in for five minutes I shot from the hip and was pretty pleased with what was captured.