Bless Her Heart

30 Days with a Grateful Heart ~ Day 10

Day 10 ~ The Photography Journey

I learn something new each time I pick up a camera. It may be something about my gear or the light, or something about composition, or it might be something deeper, something that is going on inside of me when I'm shooting....what lights me up, what moves me to want to take that picture? The world is rich with beauty and experiences just waiting to be noticed...and photographed. It has been a big year, personally with the launch of the website, and continued learning through several photography workshops like Now YOU, classes with Xanthe Berkeley and Kim Klassen. I've learned so much about allowing myself to feel vulnerable whether it's by publishing my work for the wider world to see or standing in front of the lens much more than I ever thought I would be comfortable with (see Now YOU). It has been nothing short of transformative for me. I feel grateful for my friends and family, and the community of artists and photographers that encourage me, teach me and challenge me to keep capturing the world around us through my lens.

I went away to an Oasis...

I was up late one night a couple of years ago, looking for online photography classes, when I discovered a class at Big Picture Classes, and subsequently signed up for several classes with Tracey Clark.  Her supportive instructional style and understanding and acceptance of each individual's creative path set me at ease immediately, and when I followed the internet bunnytrail over to her presence at Shutter Sisters, I immediately felt at home.  I mean, just read part of their philosophy statement: "Shutter Sisters is committed to honoring and celebrating the beauty that women behind cameras can capture. We embrace the belief that we are all creative equals, eager to share with one another our work; our art. It is in that sharing that we thrive and grow not only in our creativity but in all facets of our lives."  Reading this, I was hooked. I read back through many, many months of posts, traveling over to many contributors' blogs, often feeling overwhelmed while I was reading. So much beauty...beauty in the words and images that resonated with me through their simple honesty. Last year, Shutter Sisters offered their first retreat/camp at Asilomar.  I wanted in so, so badly, but I was also very nervous about whether I was 'worthy' of attending such an event. I talked myself out to the edge of my comfort zone, and clicked on the 'register' link, only to be met with the news that registration was full (after only a few minutes).  This year when registration opened for Shutter Sisters Oasis, I was determined to secure a spot, even going as far as clearing it with my director in advance to step out of our weekly admin meeting to register.  As soon as my registration was complete (and non-refundable) I started having second thoughts.  The doubts? They crept in big time.  I was going to spend a chunk of time in Palm Springs with 80 women I had never met, many of whom whose words and images I had been inspired by for years.  From our private Facebook group, I knew there were women that felt a common bond from attending last year's camp together and while in many ways this is beautiful, it felt like there might already be a community that I was standing outside of looking in. My deeply sublimated Jr. High self was quaking.  Well, this could not have been further from the reality...I couldn't even really tell the newbies from last year's attendees once we were all together.  So...I had butterflies the whole trip out to California from Texas, I had butterflies for the entire duration of camp, and I had butterflies on the trip back....but somewhere over the course of the trip, my nervousness about being worthy and valued shifted towards being excited and downright overwhelmed by the possibilities in my life as a creative human being. So overwhelmed in fact, that I had to retreat to my room on occasion and call The Man in tears or text with dear friends about the sheer unbearable pressure of feeling so inspired, and so stagnant all at the same time.
While the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs is *beautiful* and offered innumerable photo opportunities, and I did pick up some fantastic technical information in the workshops and play-alongs, my experience at the Shutter Sisters camp has to be measured in how personally inspired I felt by the women who shared their stories and the shift inside me towards a place that is more vulnerable, less certain, but absolutely more complete. I'm not exactly sure what it all means, but I intend to have some fun figuring it out....

More pictures from my trip to Oasis here if you're interested...

 

Two birds with one stone....

I'm learning how to use the video function on my camera, and I'm taking this great online course about creating visual time capsules. I created this little capsule as a homework assignment over the weekend. It's also 'Music for your Monday'.  The newest Kat Edmonson album has not left my player since it came out on the 10th.  It made perfect sense to use one of her songs in this project.  I hope you like it...

 

Wordless Wednesday: Corner light...

:: 30 Days with a Grateful Heart - Day 29 ::

Day 29 - The Camera...

This tool that keeps me learning. It keeps me chasing light, keeps me seeking, allows me to create an image when words are failing me.  It's a simple, little gratitude, but one that is oh, so important to me. 

Squeeeeeeeeeel!

LOOOOOK at what I got for my birthday!!!  I'll have to get the story about how it all came to be, but my Mama gave me this amazing camera strap from my homegirl Kathie over at Ramonsterwear.  How they managed to make it all work without me finding out is a mystery...especially since Kathie was galavanting up and down the west coast for most of the summer, and Mama was occupied with helping babies be born. It's so gorgeous, and of course the workmanship is freakin' top-notch...I just can't stop looking at it. Just. so. dreamy.

Potato Leek Soup

Um...I'm sure you are tired of soup collages by now...but the vegetable are so beautiful that I just can resist.  Also, I'm pretty predictable...so there's that.  My kids requested this soup yesterday, and the girl wanted to learn how to make it, so how could I resist?  Potato Leek soup is so amazing.  It has next to no ingredients and it is still so delicious.  Potatoes, leeks, thyme, bay.  And butter and cream if you so choose (yes, please).  This is another great gluten free soup...and can easily be vegan if you choose comparable substitutions for the butter and cream.  I use the recipe from The Art of SImple Food by Alice Waters (see below).  We were eating it as dinner rather than a starter, so I doubled the recipe below.  Also, we choose the variation that she lists below where we puree the soup and then add the cream.  Her main recipe is a rustic version that is not pureed.  But the kids like it pureed because it reminds them of mashed potatoes or something.  We served it with rosemary toast (from Central Market).  The girl chose to garnish with thinly sliced oven fries we made from the same batch of yukon golds.  That's my girl.  :)

 

Leek and Potato Soup (Makes 2 quarts: 4-6 servings)

Trim off the root and and the tough upper greens from:

2 pounds of leeks

Cut the trimmed leeks in half lengthwise and slice thin.  Rinse in a bowl of cold water.  Lift the leeks out of the water to drain.

Melt over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pot:

3 tablespoons butter

Add the leeks along with:

2 thyme springs

1 bay leaf

Salt

Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add:

1 pound yellow potatoes, peeled, halved or quartered, and sliced

Cook the potatoes for 4 minutes, then add:

6 cups of water

Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer.  Cook until the vegetables are tender, but not falling apart, about 30 minutes.  When done stir in:

1/3 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream

Do not boil one the cream is added.  Check the seasoning and adjust to taste.  Remove the bay leaf and thyme before serving.

Variations:

-Garnish with fresh-ground black pepper and some fresh chives.

-For a heartier soup, use broth instead of water

-Remove the bay leaf and herb sprigs and puree the soup before stirring in the cream.

-Omit the cream, puree the soup before serving, and garnish with a pat of parsley butter.

 

30 Days with a Grateful Heart - 27

 Day 27: Yogi tea

The weather today in Austin was so grey and dreary.  We woke up to a cold rain and looks like we'll be heading to sleep with it still raining.  Days like this are perfect for making a huge pot of Yogi Tea and letting it just simmer on the stove on and off throughout the day.  The house smells fantastic and cozy and like I'm 7 years old running around after Gurudwara with my friends. If you frequent Yoga Yoga here in Austin then you have probably been served a similar recipe.  Yogi Tea has become a trade name of sorts for a style traditional Indian chai. I've been drinking it since I was wee, but I didn't start making it from scratch myself until about 15 years ago.  I used to buy the teabags occasionally, but if you've ever had the freshly made chai, you know there is no comparison.  The teabags taste hollow to me. They are the fast food of the tea world if you will.  I still have the business card that I scrawled my papa's recipe on as he dictated to me what he thought made a perfect pot.  I happen upon it every so often, and I always think to myself that I wish that I had used my 'good handwriting' when I wrote it down.  Weird huh?  It's odd what becomes a permanent part of your history once a person is gone and there are no do-overs.  Anyhoo...I use my papa's recipe, which I'm sure is actually my mama's interpretation (we just liked to humor him sometimes).  I always use a little more ginger and a little more cardamom than the traditional Yogi Tea recipe.  I also seldom add black tea.  I want my kids to be able to drink it...and Lord knows I get my caffeine in a myriad of different ways throughout the day, I don't need another one.  

30 Days with a Grateful Heart - 24

Day 24: The Sleep In 

I snapped this picture as I was rolling out of bed this morning at the lazy, crazy hour of 11:15 a.m!  I think everyone was enjoying their post holiday quiet, because there was not a peep in our house, which is unheard of at this time of day.  It's a good thing that the boy needed to be delivered to a friend's house or I may have slept away the day.  There is such things as too much sleep.  When I sleep too long I usually wake up feeling a bit on the cranky side...slightly irritated with myself that I have let the potential of the day go by.  Sleeping through my first cup of coffee adds to the irritation I'm sure.  This morning the man and I slept in late and then I crept downstairs and made us each a latte with the fantabulous latte machine that we were gifted by my MIL and her husband. I am feeling well rested and fully caffeinated...I think I'll tackle the mess that is my desk...

30 Days with a Grateful Heart - 21

 Day 21: New Traditions

Last night we had my family over for part one of our Christmas get together.  We'll tackle ornament night tomorrow night I think...but for last night we tried something new.  Inspired by a project that the Girl has done for a couple of years at school, we decided to give "gingerbread houses" a whirl.  I use quotations because we used graham crackers instead of gingerbread. I absolutely love watching my family come together when the creative juices are flowing.  The outcome is across the board.  We had a dream cottage, Frank Lloyd Wright inspired architecture (Falling Frosting?), mobile home, train, Golden Temple (complete with turbaned guards), abstract homes, trees...and you can't discount the 'gingerbread' teepee...

It was great to watch the frosting fly as the sibling rivalry started to kick in.  I'm not even talking about our kids...I'm talking about my adult siblings.  Nothing makes you strive for greatness like scoping out your sib's progress across the table.  It was all in good fun, and by the end of the night we had quite a village.  The coolest thing is that not one of them really like a typical gingerbread house even though all of the materials for adornment were the same.  It's been a while since we added a new tradition to our normal holiday routine as a family.  I was so giddy by the end of the night, because it went off without a hitch, and it seemed like everyone had a blast.  

So hooray for trying new crafts and hooray for my family that is up for giving my crazy ideas a try even at the end of long work days.  

On a side note, the closer we get to the end of this year the easier it seems to see the blessings around me.  I don't know if it's just the pervasive holiday cheer or the fact that my man has a little more time to chill with us around the house, but it feels so...right.  Even amidst all of the craziness if I take a breath and sit for a second, the underlying feeling is one of joy and love for one another.  The anticipation for Christmas morning is building, as to be expected. We'll spend most of tomorrow trying to make the time go faster, filling the hours with baking, wrapping and ornament making.  Just. Can't. Wait.