Pointing My Camera in the Direction of Delight

Where to begin?

I don’t know what you would call the pickle I’m in right now. I’m caught between having too much information in my head and writers block. Hmmm, how ironic. Most the time I overthink what I’m writing/creating instead of just letting it happen. So instead of typing a million sentences and immediately hitting the delete button, I’m just going to let myself have a go of it without my censor interfering.

Synchronicity

Everyone has their story. I seem to think my story/life is less significant than others. I don’t know why. And quite frankly I hate this way of thinking. There are times when I actually do feel important and feel like I’m contributing something positive to this world, and I feel so alive when I allow myself to think I am part of something greater. Then the topic of God enters my mind. Ugh. How silly I feel when I even type the G then the O then the D. This is because my brain is still trying to recover from past habitual ways of thinking. The bulk of my life I was atheist, or something like that. It wasn’t until a series a synchronicities occurred that I allowed the idea of God back into my life.  Some how events, resources, and people came into my life at the right moment, one after the other. Teaching me lessons along the way.

Two Words: Gregarious Peach

I found this awesome resource in a time of need. It seems to happen that way. I’ll be at my wits end, and magically HOPE appears in the form of a blog, book, song, phone call, a visit from a friend, etc. I came across this woman’s words on her blog and it was like I was reading my journal. Words like: “Being a mom is hard”, “It’s very difficult to quantify or see the work we do. Often at the end of the day the only tangible thing I have of hours past is a huge mess and pile of washing”.

This is where I was at. In-fact, I was past this. I felt I was going nowhere fast, like I was drowning in a pool of chaos. I had nothing to show for my efforts. So I stopped. But this woman had given me a life line. She shared her 365 photo project she did of her children. Georgia wrote, “This project gave me the commitment and time to reflect that – THIS is what I’ve been doing. I’ve been raising these incredible people and here are the little moments and letters of love to prove it. I don’t really need a photo to see my children, but I really need the committment and reason to stop and look for the delight”. Her words inspired me to take action and I am so grateful for that. Thanks Georgia!

My Story

This is where I’m documenting my story as a wife, mother, animal lover, and photographer. Life is all about perspective. And I’m pointing my camera in the direction of delight. Happy New Years peeps!!

Turning Point…

Today is a day I hope to never forget. Nothing particularly special happened, but yet it did. This morning I came across a pasture with sheep huddled close together to keep warm in the chilly morning air. It made my heart happy to see them all snuggled up. It’s officially fall, my absolute favorite season. I love the change it creates in nature and in ourselves.

I went on a drive through the mixture of mountain and dessert landscape that surrounds my hometown. The leaves are turning spectacular colors and the weather decided to be spontaneous while I hiked up the canyon. I just got done taking some landscape pics when it decided to give me a second shower for the day. And I loved it!!! I wanted to dance in the rain and feel the cold fresh water on my skin and take in that wonderful smell rain brings with it. But I had my art maker with me that needed to seek shelter ASAP!

The air smelled so good and I was alone. I’m really enjoying me some alone time. I have certainly evolved through the years and understand the importance of taking time to just be by yourself, take in your surrounding, and do some serious pondering about life. It’s lovely. Today I came to a turning point in my life. Like the leaves on the trees, I’m also changing. Evolving. I made a deal with God. I hope I can live up to it.

Wild Wednesday: Because Our Cat is That Cool + Some Photog Philosophy ;)

Peppa

Do You Know Your Purpose?

Do you feel anxious? Like you need to do something, or you forgot to do something, but you don’t know what!? I get that feeling when I’m not involved in some photography project or if I take a break from the many books I read at the same time. But even when I’m doing those, there is still something I feel is missing.

Like most people, I wish I knew my purpose in life. Cause if I knew, I could finally get on with it! But I’m coming to the conclusion that the time I spend figuring out my purpose, just may be as important as when I do.

Photography has been one crazy adventure that has led me closer to many things: my hubby, myself, nature, and God. Yes I said the G word- lol. And I’m loving every moment that I allow myself to be who I really am, and nudge the door open a lil bit more.

Crazy Passion for GrrrAnimals

The reason I do these Wild Wednesday features is because I not only have a passion for photography, but [M]eye O [M]eye do I have a passion for animals! To put it simply, they make me HAPPY. And when I see any type of suffering or mistreatment, well to put that simply, it makes me sad. I have this attachment to nature I can’t explain. It’s so bad that if I see a dead deer on the side of the road, it ruins my day. Oh, and my hubby is getting real crafty at distracting me. He can handle “car” breakdowns, but not his wife’s “emotional” breakdowns over deceased bambi’s- lol.

My parents have lots of good ole stories they can tell you of me adopting every homeless pet in the neighborhood from cats and dogs to injured wood peckers. And it’s not ironic that the first pictures I took were of my animals (and their eyes) with my handy dandy Polaroid camera and later of an infamous Blue Heron that took my breath.

Peppa

So this week’s feature goes to our BAD A$$ kitty cat, Peppa, who I am so grateful for. We didn’t adopt her, she adopted us. It’s a great story that makes me smile every time I remember it…and how she won Bill over. She’s awesome, and we love her. She even greeted our new pup Maggie with a smooch. And even though the picture sucks because it happened so suddenly, I’m posting it anyways. It’s a fabulous moment I want to remember forever, and I’m letting go of perfectionism…it gets me nowhere. So I’m now calling these kinds of pictures CRAPTASTIC! Yes I make up words. It’s my thing.

Hello new friend, I think I'll kiss ya! Muah

This is what I found when I went to check on Kloe during a night of relentless high fevers.

I'm here for ya chica.

And I'm not leaving until you feel better.

Peace Out

Wild Wednesday: Wild Horses on an Island + Hurricane Irene

My Mom & Kloe enjoying the Wild Horses of Corolla

A Modern Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who loved horses… like absolutely loved horses beyond infatuation! She didn’t really like to ride due to her first, young, lazy paint horse that preferred to buck when it was asked to trot. But she loved horses nonetheless, and found peace just being around their awesomeness.

When that little girl grew up and went to college, she would dream up of ways to fit a perty mare named Lady Bug into the elevator of her apartment. It never happened, but a girl can dream can’t she?

The city made her crave country life, and every night she would look at hundreds of horse pictures so that they would be the last thing on her mind in hopes of dreaming about them. And then one special night, the stars aligned just right to cause a series of “synchronicities” to occur.

One particular picture she came across got her eye’s attention for more than a moment. An image of horses on a beach that she thought only existed in some far away land that she would never be able to venture to.

4 years later, she was pleasantly surprised to come across this picture again while randomly researching the internet for a personal project. Call it luck, or call it destiny. But 6 months later, she was on a dream vacation to visit these Wild Horses that live on the coast of North Carolina… of all places. Yes it was across the country, but the magnetism this place had on her was strong enough to get her there.

Corolla’s Wild Horses

These horses have an awesome history. They have been surviving on the beach terrain and enduring hurricanes since the 1500′s! And recent reports indicate that they did alright through Hurricane Irene, thank goodness!!!! If you want to learn more about them, go here. There is also a video that shows these brave beauties after the storm, walking on the flooded island and providing a place for birds to rest (on their backs of course). Check out the video here. If you skip to minute 4:54, it shows the beach house we rented. It doesn’t look too shabby for witnessing a hurricane!

I hope the best for everybody (including all the critters) affected by the hurricane!

Meet the Larsens :)

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So I have had this special location picked out for like a year now, just waiting for the right kind of shoot to use it for. And to my delight, I had an opportunity with a rock’n family who wanted to use it. Wahoooo !!! And thank goodness we did this back in July because the poor wall’s beauty was sandblasted off. Bugger.

I had so much fun with this fam, and they did such a great job. As a photographer, you forget how hard it is to be in FRONT of the camera. I had so many favs, it was hard to narrow them down!

I heart these peeps!!

Lifestyle Course Week #4: Little Bo-peep & Self Portrait

Poor lil' Bo-Peep

Do you believe in synchronicity? Well I do. Thanks to Brooke’s suggestions of her awesome reads, I picked up The Artist’s Way…finally! I’m only on week one, but already I’m feeling the creative juices a flowing. I’m finding that my current style isn’t doing anything for me anymore, and for months I felt creatively blocked (like really really blocked). But then I realized I was doing it to myself. Darn you Tori! I did have ideas, and I did want to shoot different things, but my censor was being a total nay sayer and telling me that I couldn’t create them and that nobody would like them.

Well hallelujah because I don’t give a crapidy crap crap anymore. I’m so grateful for all of the events that have led up to today because I finally feel liberated to create [m]eye art, [m]eye way. And even though it took a lot of time and work with affirmations (with some help from the awesome hubby of mine), I’m finally allowing the idea in my head that I’m an artist.

Brooke, I’m so very thankful for you. I conquered a huge goal, that not so long ago felt unattainable. Shooting in manual- holy smokes! And everything in this and the Pro class has fed my creativity, confidence, and so much more. I don’t know what’s in the future for me, but whatever it will be wouldn’t have been possible without you. Lady, you’re in my “Hall of Champions”. A big big THANK YOU to YOU

M-eye Self

Wild Wednesday: From Gin & Tonics to Animal Activists

Back in my Westminster college days, Wild Wednesdays came to be because I had a stressful late night class, and an awesome friend who had a gin & tonic waiting for me when I got home. I never drank much (for a college student) because I can’t stand the taste of alcohol, but after that damn presentations class, my mental health required to partake in one drink… or two. Who’s counting?

And while we are on the subject of gin & tonics, NO I do not drink them nor am I allowed to make them anymore. That’s a funny story… don’t mix them half and half y’all. I learned that ratio lesson the hard way. Ugh. Anywho, I have always treasured the sacred Wild Wednesday because it reminds me of my great friends in SLC, and now I want to evolve it into something that is a tad more productive.

Because of my childhood dream and some great inspiration that I was fed recently, every Wednesday I’m going to have a ”WILD FEATURE” giving credit to the heroes that are actively changing the world, one (animal friendly) good deed at a time!

Heres the first!

Katherine Heigl, the most fantabulous actress ever, started  The Jason Debus Heigl Foundation and animal rescue group, The Heigl Hounds of Hope, in memory of her brother who loved animals. Their mission is to “eliminate the needless suffering inflicted on animals by human cruelty, indifference, and ignorance”. Go check out their awesome efforts here. They also have a facebook page that has the cutest pics of some of the animals that got to go to an Angels baseball game in an effort to get them adopted. 

Peace & Love Peeps  

Have a Cup of Monday Media Mojo

Daily Inspirings that Invigorate my senses:

Sight:

Lately I have been watching Mad Men on Netflix. It took a few episodes to get into, but it’s awesome!! I find it ironic that the main character is head of Creative at an Ad Firm- lol. Yup, it totally fits into my theme of the month. I’m not a fan of TV, but I like how you can escape your world for half an hour. I call it BRAIN BREAK.

Hearing:

Music that’s been making me dance in my computer chair is “Metric” radio on Pandora. Pandora rocks my house 24/7! I’ve been finding my ear to prefer different kinds of music than I use to listen to…and I LIKEY.

Taste:

Bill and I have been making our own freshly squeezed orange juice every morning. We use 2 oranges and a few slices of cantaloupe, and oh taste-bud heaven! And the crazy thing is, it gives you a ton of energy like you just drank 3 Red Bulls or something. If you want to watch a very ENTERTAINING documentary that inspired Bill and I to start juicing, go watch Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. It’s on Netflix instant. Everybody rolls their eyes at me when I tell them the title of the movie, but the documentary is one of the best I have ever seen!!!!! And I’m so grateful to have been inspired by it because I get to drink some awesome tasting, energy boosting juice every morning.

Touch:

This week, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron has been in my hands. And along with it, my Morning Pages notebook. I feel like this book has given me so much peace. I also don’t think this book is only for “artists”. It’s for everybody, even if you don’t consider yourself an artist or creative. It’s got a “Bible” status in my home, and I think I will forever carry that book and journal every morning. It’s that good!!!!!

Smell:

For people who know me, you would be so proud of this one! I have actually been able to breathe in EARLY morning air. I didn’t know I would enjoy waking up early, but it’s becoming addicting. I find myself wanting to go to bed earlier every night, just so I can have more early morning time to myself. I give credit where it’s due, and The Artists Way and Morning Pages get the cred for this achievement. Mmmmmmm morning air where have you been all my life.

Lifestyle Course Week 3: [Conceptual Contrast] and [The Decisive Moment]

You Know a Book is Good When…

Just got done reading The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, and holy snap crackle pop, this book is good! 

You Know a Book is Good When:

• It’s the first thing you think of when packing for a trip.
• It looks like hizzelle from being everywhere from the tub to the mountain.
• As you finish it, it makes you say, “holy snap crackle pop”.- lol
• There’s more highlighted parts than non highlighted.
• And the poor thing has been doggy eared, which I think is a compliment to the author.

So what’s this book about? Yeah, I’m gett’n there. It’s about the 10 lettered word…RESISTANCE and it’s many manifestations, and how to identify and defeat creative blocks. But it’s better than that. It’s a slap in the face to get back to who you really, truly are as an artist and to start doing your work that you were destined to do. A few of my fav excerpts:

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, BEGIN it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it now” -W.H. Murray

“Angels are agents of evolution. They are like muses. They know stuff we don’t. They want to help us. They’re on the other side of a pane of glass, shouting to get our attention. But we can’t hear them. We’re too distracted by our own nonsense. Ah, but when we begin. When we make a start. Angels assist us as we give birth to ourselves, to that person we were born to be, to the one whose destiny was encoded in our soul, our daimon, our genius.”  -Steven Pressfield

Yup. It gets a fantabulous rating from me