{Hit and Run}

“If I never see you again I will always carry you inside outside on my fingertips and at brain edges and in centers centers of what I am of what remains.” ― Charles Bukowski, Living on Luck I call these hit and run tulip shots. Today I was dodging every single traffic closure and detour in St. Paul. Nightmare city...but I was convinced I could beat it. Funny how easy it is to lie to ourselves. And I was getting crabby and inpatient. So I took some deep breaths, said a little prayer and felt the need to make art immediately. Indeed not very rational. Pulled over to these beauties planted outside a quaint, somewhat run down house off 94. Again, I snuck over, careful not invade their lawn too much. Snapped this quickly. And....of course it is blurry and messy. And I'm fine with it. The color makes me happy. I can't wait to have a house of my own where I can go crazy planting tulips and flowers. It's a simple joy and I'm grateful for this life pleasure.

{Rain Forest}

“My soul is awakened, my spirit is soaring and carried aloft on the wings of the breeze.” ― Anne Brontë I have to think a Rain Forest would be a good place to live. The weather seems conducive to providing an atmosphere of vivid color and variety. Now mind you, the closest thing to this I have ever felt or experienced close to this was Florida. And I like that weather, except, now that I think of it...the humidity makes you want to nap all the time. And I wouldn't care for that too much even though I do enjoy a good nap. What would be the point since the goal would be able to enjoy it, not sleep it away. I'm more referencing the correlation between April Showers and May Flowers. It has been showering like it's going out of style here for the last week. And even more so, the trees have blossomed and everything has become so colorful. I LOVE it. It's that fresh, just opened a new box of crayons color. I can smell it. Just fabulous. The only bummer is that with this rain, it's been hard to get recent pictures taken. I can't seem to coordinate this too well with Mother Nature. Which is disappointing because the Tulips are insane right now. Oh so beautiful.. and I want to get this caught before the sweet spot has passed til next year. But right now, I just mindfully observe and say "Thank You Universe" repeatedly. Cheesy...but true:)

(The Other Side to Peace}

"That's the thing about pain, it demands to be felt."-John Green, The Fault in our Stars

{Straight Edge}

"She dances to the songs in her head,speaks with the rhythm of her heart, and loves from the depths of her soul" Dean Jackson I've been floating in between places, decisions, choices (good and bad) for awhile now. It feels like I'm in this spot where I'm stuck on hold. I pray, I meditate. I run so much and so long til all the cookoo for coco puffs jitters are gone. So that means I run a lot. And pray. Constantly. I've got God on speed dial and hounding heaven in a big way. I look for answers and I feel restless. I try to understand then I remember just to look forward. Don't look back. Struggling to fill my life up to what I know it can be instead of that comfortable stuckness spot....where the routine takes you over for 40 or so years. I can feel an answer and a direction is coming...this is just a period of waiting. And it's been challenging. And I've grown because I don't know how you can when your heart is being broken wide open. I want justice. I crave from something buried so deep a righteous justice that I feel I deserve. There's where I get into trouble. Those darn expectations. For awhile I just want life to feel light hearted and cheerful. I'm a very lucky and grateful person, I know that. Each day I feel safer, calmer, more in charge of life as opposed to flailing around like a jacked up monkey on crack. Amen to that. It is well with my soul. I'm grateful for good health, my incredible friends and family that wrap so much love around me, my sweet kids that I can wait to hug for 10 million years, good jokes and belly laughts...photography. AND photography!!! My biggest passion and love. My camera always stuck to my hip. Oh and flowers that are blooming everywhere right now. How can I can complain? I feel uplifted just writing about my blessings. HOW-ever...there is this tightness in my throat. I have so much to say...and I feel the need to move forward. A giant, joyful leap forward.... What to do? And I will still wait for justice. I know it will come.

{The Singular and Cheerful Life}

The singular and cheerful life of any flower in anyone's garden or any still unowned field- if there are any- catches me by the heart, by its color by its obedience to the holiest of laws: be alive until you are not... those princes of everything green- the grasses of which there are truly an uncountable company, each on its singular stem striving to rise and ripen. What, in the earth world, is there not to be amazed by and to be steadied by and to cherish? Oh, my dear heart, my own dear heart, full of hesitations, questions, choice of directions, look at the world. Behold the morning glory, the meanest flower, the ragweed, the thistle. Look at the grass. -Mary Oliver Welcome back Almost May flowers...you have certainly brightening things up a bit around here:)

{Tall Like a Tree}

"I’m such an incredibly, stupidly sensitive person that everything that happens to me, I experience it really intensely. I feel everything very deeply. And when you feel things deeply and you think about things a lot and you think about how you feel, you learn a lot about yourself. And when you know yourself, you know life." — Fiona Apple Yup...what she said!

{Extraordinary in the Ordinary}

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another • Anatole France I'm not sure what this tree is but it caught my attention today. It was rainy and dark outside and the way the color popped against the dark bark was simply stunning. All over there are tiny glimpses of extraordinary things happening. Admittedly, I do get excited over the changes that occur with the seasons. It's fascinating to watch how it all comes to life. To think it's happening constantly but we only notice once in awhile. When all of the sudden, green is everywhere. It seems it just happened at once. Like magic. Mother nature magic! With these pictures, I'm attempting to capture the moments of my day. I work a lot so there isn't much time. And apparently, my life involves an obsession with trees. But I do enjoy this activity as it helps me stop and be intentional at least once during the day. And I need that immensely.

{Side of the Road}

“there is a place in the heart that will never be filled a space and even during the best moments and the greatest times times we will know it we will know it more than ever there is a place in the heart that will never be filled and we will wait and wait in that space.” ― Charles Bukowski

{People are Strange}

People are strange when you're a stranger 
 Faces look ugly when you're alone 
 Women seem wicked when you're unwanted 
 Streets are uneven when you're down 
 When you're strange 
 Faces come out of the rain 
 When you're strange 
 No one remembers your name
 When you're strange 
 When you're strange 
 When you're strange 
 -The Doors People are strange. And I'll include myself in there as not to offend. I enjoy going into this shop called Hunt and Gather over in the Linden Hills area. Literally, everything in the store is random pieces of shit. I don't know how else to describe this place except with little snippets from above. What I enjoy most about this store is just looking at the items people sell to the store. These items come from all over the place and from a wide range of sellers. I think to myself "Who ARE these people, that buy this stuff." Think about it, someone owned that crazy satantic looking wide mouth clown head. Perhaps kept it in their kitchen and put bananas in it's mouth? Who knows. It's possible. I think about this stuff. The shop is quirky and I dig quirky. My favorite items are the old photographs they have in piles randomly around the store. I notice that in the early 1900's or so, people were damn serious in their pictures. They looked so stoic and miserable. Barely touching each other in wedding pictures. Almost unreal looking. I also enjoy the old records, cameras and odd pieces of furniture here and there. AND, go figure, they have the best stock of succulents in the store. When I go to the store with friends, it's interesting to observe what grabs their attention as opposed to mine. I just watch and observe. This store is an excellent investigation into human anthropology....or perhaps anatomy too. The store does have poster among posters of the human digestive track and also the skeletal system. I have only purchased one thing from this store, a pair of old roller skates...Otherwise, it's just too much stuff and I don't like too much stuff. It makes me twitchy. So I just look around and it's all so very strange.

{This TIme}

“in time of daffodils(who know the goal of living is to grow) forgetting why,remember how in time of lilacs who proclaim the aim of waking is to dream, remember so(forgetting seem) in time of roses(who amaze our now and here with paradise) forgetting if,remember yes in time of all sweet things beyond whatever mind may comprehend, remember seek(forgetting find) and in a mystery to be (when time from time shall set us free) forgetting me,remember me” ― E.E. Cummings Today was a phenomenal, outstanding...simply divine day. Nothing in particular happened except the weather was just perfect. The sun and warmth. A light, warm wind. Elevated Mood. This is starting to sound like a circa 1970's tune...but that would actually fit this fine sunshiney day (Brady Bunch). Throughout the day I was trying to figure out what made this particular day so great. I thought long and hard. Collected and examined evidence along the way. Did a mood check..etc..etc I concluded it was the weather and that I should live somewhere that was like this daily. 75 is easy and breezy. I LOVE it. It's really hard to explain how weather, and changes of pressure effect my body and mood but it has a profound effect. It's odd I know. So, I'm moving to San Diego. Effectively immediately. So I can be happy and normal all the time. I've researched this and turns out San Diego has even, sunny, 75 degree weather most days. Ahhhh...I'm kidding. But it felt good to say. Maybe someday. Retirement or when the kids leave for college. I'll live on a boat and take pictures of the beach. Open a little gallery where I can make art and talk to tourist who come to visit and listen to their stories. How great would that be... Til then I trudge on and appreciate days like today with it's fabulous, high spirited energy and uplifting good mood. On another note, it turns out Ranunculus are in season right now! What a surprise as I was heading into the grocery store and saw these lovely flowers. (Yes I DO bring my camera everywhere. Including Cub Foods...because you just never know...) These flowers are just fun. The texture and colors pop and they remind me of popsicles. Or umbrellas. Depending on how you look at them. They also feel soft to touch and have delicate, tissue paper like petals. And as for tomorrow... Well, tomorrow is supposed to be just as lovely. Lots of sun and 75. I'll take it, I'll enjoy it. It will do:)

{Ever So Slowly}

“The thing I am most aware of is my limits. And this is natural; for I never, or almost never, occupy the middle of my cage; my whole being surges toward the bars.” Andre Gide Oh sweet spring, she seemed to want to get here early and February...but was shy these last few weeks. But today was simply perfect outside. The sun was shining, the sky was blue. I took a walk through my neighborhood, enjoying the weather and looking at the slow and deliberate work of mother nature. Honestly, I am always amazed by the transformations that take place this time of year. It's so well orchestrated and a miracle to watch. There still isn't too much color but give it a weeks time and I'm sure there will be more to capture. Today was just to feel the warm breeze and sun on my face. One of the best feelings ever....

{Before & After}

“There is no exquisite beauty… without some strangeness in the proportion.” ― Edgar Allan Poe It's been too long without city bokeh! Not sure what happened but it's been fixed effective today. These two shots remind me of the test the eye doctor does when fine tuning your vision prescription. Same place, difference focus. Imagine how that works..... Not too deep or anything-

{It's all I have to bring today}

It’s all I have to bring today— This, and my heart beside— This, and my heart, and all the fields— And all the meadows wide— Be sure you count—should I forget Some one the sum could tell— This, and my heart, and all the Bees Which in the Clover dwell. -Emily Dickinson

{The Moment}

The moment when, after many years of hard work and a long voyage you stand in the centre of your room, house, half-acre, square mile, island, country, knowing at last how you got there, and say, I own this, is the same moment when the trees unloose their soft arms from around you, the birds take back their language, the cliffs fissure and collapse, the air moves back from you like a wave and you can't breathe. No, they whisper. You own nothing. You were a visitor, time after time climbing the hill, planting the flag, proclaiming. We never belonged to you. You never found us. It was always the other way round. Margaret Atwood

{Adobe}

Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.” ― William Martin, The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents Continuing with my let's trespass and sneak around other people's neighborhoods in search of a good photograph... or maybe a nicer term would be the "Yards of St. Paul"....I was ecstatic and intrigued when I found this corner art nook. This person has to be an artist. Or at least an eccentric. I'm pretty sure that it would've been fine had I gotten caught by the owner. The yard itself was a museum filled with junk pieced together finely into exhibits. My favorite had to be the license plates. Enjoying the art, I was struck how brave and bold this person was to just let it out there. I'm always impressed with people that hold such originality, vulnerability and bravery. It pushes artists like to rise up and join in the fun.... And it also, importantly, reminds me of the power of art to inspire and mold and mind, a mood. What a wonderful home. I'm curious who it belongs to. And what the inside might look like.

{Just Monday}

Understand, I’ll slip quietly away from the noisy crowd when I see the pale stars rising, blooming over the oaks. I’ll pursue solitary pathways through the pale twilit meadows, with only this one dream: You come too. -R.M. Rilke Practicing gratitude always makes a difference in the momentum of my day. I was so happy to come across this beautiful bush of forsythia. The day was gray and as drove down the street, lost in thought, my eyes caught these beauties. I love forsythia. It's color is stunning. Reminds me of stars. Delicate and bright. Honestly, it turned the day around. I popped out of my car, and studied the bush for awhile. I prayed the owners of this home didn't think I was a creeper. No one was home. These minutes of zen in my day are becoming more frequent which is just awesome. And I thought, well how could this day get any better...and it did because I saw this! Yarnbombing! This is where my inner 7th grade nerd came out and wanted to ask these people to be my friends. But I held back. It was quite the day this Monday...which started so grey:)

{Only Words}

“A poet is a world enclosed in a person.” ~ Victor Hugo April is National Poetry Month and I thought it a good idea to delve into that deeper. I adore poetry and the way the words, it seems, blend together in a beat or equation that form into something or someplace new. Magical, Simple and Lovely.

{Being Green}

That's pretty dangerous building a road in the middle of the street. I mean, if frogs couldn't hop, I'd be gone with the Schwinn. -Kermit the Frog I did not get any pictures taken today, despite my goal so I'll post instead this one that stuck out to me from the Lightroom archives. It's really the color green that drew me in. Very peaceful. And I'm really OK with not having reached my goal of taking a photo a day. It's totally F-I-N-E. No perfectionism issues here whatsoever. And then I thought of Kermit, that funny, sweet and wise little frog. Yesterday on my way home I saw a rainbow. And when I see rainbows I always think of Kermit the Frog. I was and still am a huge Muppet fan. When I was a kid I must have watched Muppets Take Manhattan well over too many times for a kid to watch a movie with puppets as the main actor. My dad kept a Kermit the Frog stuffed animal in his office and I used to play with it and the blocks to his WISC IQ testing kit all the time. Sometimes apart, something together. It was fun and brings back fond memories. I still keep a polaroid picture of my dad sitting in a chair with a pen and paper, pen in mouth and staring intensely and listening to kermit seated in the chair next to him. The white portion of the picture is what is now a blurred caption titled "Psychotherapy." It's cute and sums up my dad to a tee. This post is rather random but it's Friday after all and April Fool's Day. Which is always a great excuse to be more on the wacky and silly side!