Tonight I made dinner. I realize this is neither extraordinary or newsworthy. I didn’t make anything complicated. Just homemade calzones. Strawberry (and blueberry and blackberry) shortcake. Garlic breadsticks. Simple stuff. But I put it together. We were all home to be able to sit down together at the table and eat. And I’m happier than…
Category: Random
Fairy Tale Tea
“Never look back. If Cinderella went back for her shoe, she would never have been a princess.” This past weekend brought a unique experience for this mother of boys. I got to take my Little Sister to Fairy Tale Tea with Cinderella. My Little was so excited that she called me the night before to…
Hey…and Other Random Surprises
“From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.” – Dr. Seuss Every now and then, when I rummage through my photo library, I notice that my recent photos follow some sort of pattern or trend. Lately, that pattern seems to be random moments of surprise while going about my daily business. Moments…
This Won’t Happen Again.
Uh oh, look out. I’ve learned how to turn my photos into memes. Okay, in reality, I won’t be doing this often. But it’s always fun to learn new stuff — and even more fun to merge one of my favorite Dalai Lama quotes with one of my favorite photos. Something else I don’t do…
It’s a Mystery
“Life is a mystery, not a problem waiting to be solved.” — Albert Einstein Very recently I’ve taken two photos with very similar – and unusual – subjects. Two separate occasions, miles apart. Black and white glasses with varying levels of damage, sitting on concrete walls by parking lots. I am a big believer of signs from the universe…
Distracted Churchgoer
This is what I noticed sitting next to me at church this morning. It was 16 degrees outside. Bare knees and feet. Why? This photo set off a stream of thoughts that I can only describe as feeling like my brain was live-tweeting throughout the service. Here’s a sampling: “Hun, it’s 16 degrees outside. Put some real…
This.
“To help heal others, you must first heal thyself. To do this, you must practice being gentle in all areas of life. Release all emotions that no longer serve you. Replace guilt with acceptance, swap fear for love. Have a warm and caring heart. Every cell in your body radiates peace and, because of this,…
Filling the Tank
“Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe. No less than the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.” — Max Ehrmann, writer My running buddies and I, after numerous failed attempts to coordinate schedules, were finally able to get together for a long walk…
God Winks
For the past few weeks, for whatever reason, I’ve been thinking a lot about a story I wrote and photographed for a dear friend’s magazine a long time ago. The story was about a local business called Seeds of Happiness (Seeds shown above), but it was never published. It’s bothered me from time to time that I…
Some Thoughts On Connecting
Round 2 of MRIs tonight, this time with my older son. Keeping myself occupied by taking advantage of the free wi-fi — and keeping myself feeling seasonal by rummaging through my existing Christmasy photos. This is so weird. We’re in a world-class cancer center and not a single hall is decked. There are a few…
Where Do I Begin?
“Every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.” — Pablo Picasso What an interesting day. At the end of a work trip, a brief window of time allowed for a quick run through at the Hallmark Visitor’s Center before catching the flight home. This was a stop that…
Message Received
“Look in the mirror. Appreciate yourself. Celebrate your capacity for simple acts of generosity and gentleness.” – Chogyam Trungpa Today I noticed this little yellow leaf had settled perfectly on my front porch’s potted plant when I got home from work. I was completely fascinated. It certainly didn’t look like this leaf had floated here randomly on some gust of…
Not Your Farmers’ Pumpkins
Even though I studied art in undergrad and I’ve worked with a wide variety of mediums over the years, I’d never tried glassblowing…until today. For starters, it was never offered at school. But mostly, it just seemed a bit intimidating. But I signed up for a class at Third Degree Glass Factory in the hopes of creating…
Oh. Em. Gee.
Whatever makes you weird is probably your greatest asset. – Joss Whedon, screenwriter This was a photo I took several years ago at an art fair — and it’s still one of my favorites. From the dog’s pink tongue that matches the girl’s hair to the zebra boots, I love the fearlessness of this whole…
New Proverb
The person who lives in a straw house should not strike matches. (Photo opp courtesy of a work trip to Mt. Vernon, IL, yesterday.)
Unusual in the Typical
One thing that fascinates me about running is that, even though I usually take the same routes most of the time, every run is different. Different sights, sounds, weather, seasons…it all makes for a unique experience almost every day. Since today was a long run in the middle of summer, I wasn’t expecting it to be much fun. But…
Heroes Among Us
“There is a superhero inside all of us. We just need the courage to put on the cape.” When I first posted about the holiday weekend at the Cardinals game, I forgot to mention that I bumped into Batman in the stadium merchandise store. I also glimpsed but couldn’t manage to get a picture of Batman’s buddy,…
Life’s Short. Do You.
“Note to self: None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an afterthought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There’s no time for anything…
What I Know For Sure
During my last half marathon, I discovered the joy of listening to audiobooks. Andy Cohen narrated his own (hilarious) book and it kept me company through 13.1 miles of some brutal hills. Recent I’ve been listening to Oprah Winfrey’s What I Know for Sure via audiobook. It’s inspired. And honestly, it’s what I’ve needed lately…
Lately I’ve Learned
– Sometimes the relentless pursuit of something completely frivolous is totally worth it once you finally get to toss it into your shopping cart. (Or, in the case of Minion tic tacs…tossing six of them into my shopping cart.) – Below seasonal-average temperatures create above-average moods. – There are few things I look forward to more…
Happy
In light of Beecher’s observation, here are a few common happiness-inducing things as of late: – Funny co-workers – Rice Krispie treats – Sleeping with the windows open – Flowers that look just like popcorn along my path – Big balls of purring kitties sleeping on my feet – May sunshine and cool breezes –…
Non-Negotiables
“Refuse to let anyone, or anything, repress your vivid energies…that means your opinions, your thoughts, your ideas, your values, your morals, your ideals. Let your own innate cycles dictate the upsurges and the downward cycles of your life, not other forces or persons outside yourself, nor negative complexes from within.” — Clarissa Pinkola Estés Daily I…
Easier Said Than Done
If you’ve read this blog for a while, this photo might look familiar. It’s a favorite and I’ve used it before. I always seem to come back around to it. Its message never gets old. I also seem to seek this out when people or their behavior make me sad…which seems to be happening a…
hey there, friends 