31.365

January 31, 2011
Because I brought my camera to a friend's house... and left it sitting peacefully on the counter while I drove away... the photo of today was not in my plan.  The message, however, describes how I feel today looking back on the first month of this new year: Psalm 92:4, "You thrill me, LORD, with all you have done for me!  I sing for joy because of what you have done."  If this month is any indication of the rest of the year, sign me up!

Yes, I am a terrible underliner; I'm not trying to cross the words out, but it sorta happens sometimes. Oops!

30.365

January 30, 2011
God has a way of hushing my frantic cries and halting my feeble attempts to slog my own way through life.  He says, "Quiet down, rest here awhile. Let me take care of you."  Like a daddy loves, protects, and holds close his newborn daughter, so God watches over you and I.

To God be the glory for this little baby girl!

29.365

January 29, 2011
New mathematical equation: new coffee shop + lots of Sleepy Monk coffee(the effects of drinking said coffee)= discovering a restroom with a moustache on the mirror. 
Okay: Moustache on the mirror + Me + my camera(a very difficult composition)=

28.365

January 28, 2011
Warning: the following photo looks a bit gross.  I like cottage cheese.  I don't like congested sinuses. My beautiful coworker Ms. B told me to eat raw garlic and mix it with some cottage cheese to... well, I guess "spoon-full-of-sugar" it down.  Super immune boosting foods: salmon, spinach, garlic, and add to that some cottage cheese, asparagus, and french fries.  I will do almost anything at this point to be able to breathe again, so any other suggestions?  You can email it to me so you don't have to smell my breath.

It really wasn't that bad.

27.365

January 27, 2011
Have you had one of those moments where something you thought you knew to be the truth since childhood suddenly gets blown out of the water? I had that happen to me today.... I read the original "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."  Dorothy wears silver shoes and the story doesn't end when Oz goes up in the balloon and leaves Dorothy behind, so Glinda can help her home.  No.  From there, Dorothy and her friends go on a journey across the country and meet little China dolls; tigers, elephants, and bears (oh my!); Hammer Head Men; and are brought to the witch Glinda by none other than the Winged Monkeys! What! And a Golden Hat had everything to do with it?  Dorothy didn't even sing The Song.

 

p.s. www.openlibrary.org 

26.365

January 26, 2011
This photo is how I feel today for the following reasons: 1. After a lovely weekend with my mom, she headed home this morning and I feel sad; 2. Mr. Kleenix box is my new best friend as of yesterday and I feel... disturbed about that; 3. There is an "Air Stagnation" warning in the valley until Saturday, and I feel... like Eeyore (that's an emotion, haha); 4. I didn't feel like taking a pretty photo of anything and some days that's just going to happen. So, this is a photo of what stagnant air smells like:

25.365

January 25, 2011
A pristine day at Cannon Beach, walking along the sands near Haystack Rock, with my mom and my camera. It truly couldn't have been a more fabulous winter day at the coast!

24.365

January 24, 2011
Sometimes when you least expect it, a poem is written in front of your eyes.  Sitting at the Rock Creek Tavern for a BBQ Backyard Burger this afternoon, a young spunky feline decided to dance along the fence outside the window.

23.365

January 23, 2011
There's nothing like being Moonstruck... with chocolate on a relaxing Sunday afternoon with Mom in downtown Portland! 

"Share if you dare"

22.365

January 22, 2011
So much fun came my way today, that it was so hard to pick just one photo! Mom and I sauntered through Hoyt Arboretum this afternoon, and then to Tooallshun to eat amazing French fries with Vickie and listen to Tim & Jim play some fantastic tunes! Nothing like a front-table seat! (This is Tim... or Jim--I don't know which.)

(threw that ISO puppy up to 3200, no flash, 50mm, 30s 1.6f)

21.365

January 21, 2011
Mom traversed the country to come see me today! The hands of mothers are so wonderful, so helpful and kind.  In honor of my mom visiting and us eating sushi, here are my mom's hands and my sushi.

20.365

January 20, 2011
The beautiful women I spend everyother Thursday night with! The Financial Criminal Investigator, the Woman with the...Artistic Hair, and the Hot Mama with an Upside-Up Baby! Love you girls! (no tagging, I promised)

19.365

January 19, 2001
Twice a year an event occurs in my life.  Today was the day... for a haircut.  It was nothing drastic, but I always feel so much better after being a bit pampered! Self-portrait.

18.365

January 18, 2011
The photo of today is like taking a look through my eyeballs.  They say eyes are the windows to the soul (I think "they" were right) and so the following photo is a reflection of my soul and what's most important to me.  I would not be the woman I am without the unconditional love, grace, and healing of my God, who cares so much for you, too! If you're reading this and you're going through something heartbreaking or painful, know that God heals all things. In Exodus, the Israelites had just escaped from slavery, were chased through the desert by their Egyptian captors, watched the Red Sea part in front of them and they crossed over (a million bucks says they were running!), watched the sea wash back over their pursuers, wander through the desert for a few days without water, then... an oasis in the wilderness. Healing, rest, refreshment, springs of water!  Ready for the journey ahead.

(p.s. I just got my new 50mm lens in the mail yesterday! This photo is taken with it.)

17.365

January 17, 2011
This morning started out in the best possible place: a coffee shop (where else is there?).  My coffee companion was the most delightful beautiful woman named Mayrene.  I want to be like her when I grow up!  She giggled when I said I wanted her to be my "Photo of the Day."  What inspiration she is to live life to the fullest!

16.365

January 16, 2011

The combination of a rainy day, busy city traffic, classic style of Portlanders (including the big plastic glasses), and a classy, yet eclectic coffee shop with heavy metal music drifting through the background makes for a fascinating and delightful Sunday afternoon.  Let alone the lattes. This is from Public Domain coffee shop... but... been there, done that.  

15.365

January 15, 2011
I knew this would eventually come-- my dream job! Barista! Now all I need is to open my own coffee shop called... Foam & Scone, or C'ya Latte, or Mocha is Just Hot Chocolate with Espresso, or Where've Ya (Coffee) Bean? or Espressions... (ohhh!)

Look out World.

Day 14 of 365

January 14, 2011
Sorry, this photo had to be removed for professional reasons!

Day 13 of 365

January 13, 2011
It's a beautiful thing to have taste buds, and it's perhaps something that we take for granted.  Today, my delight was not only learning how whip up some fabulous hot drinks in the coffee shop, but also to make and drink for the first time ever... drum roll.... a Breve! Irish Creme Breve. That's it folks. Wow. I'll be in the coffee shop at Al's on Saturday, so come on by and I'll create something for you! By the way, I drank half of my cup before I realized I needed to take a photo of it.

Day 12 of 365

January 12, 2011
Besides taking photos of people, flower macro photography is my favorite!  Took a chance to whip out my camera this morning at work to photograph some orchids for AGC's FB page.  My photos weren't used, but I still enjoyed the opportunity to snap the following photo.

Day 11 of 365

1.11.11
What a great day to be alive!  As I sit here at my laptop, I am watching the first few white flurries flitter down from the sky.  I'm going to go start my second pot of coffee, hold on... Okay I'm back.  I had a spurt of inspiration this morning and promptly hammered out two paragraphs of a new story.  Whoever said, "The pen is mightier than the sword" never met my gray laptop with the wavy cover.  Therein lies my future!  Here's to new dreams, new worlds, new friends, new adventures, new creativity!  The following scene is going to change my life:

(and just for the fun of it):

Day 10 of 365

January 10, 2011
In stark contrast to the day on Saturday, the sun rose sharp and clear, leaving me feeling as though I just put in new contacts.  The air smelled fresh like new life and the sun was full of radiance!  In honor of sun in my eyes...

Day 9 of 365

January 9, 2011
Today I went with my beautiful roommate to a new coffee shop in town called Edge Coffee.  The brew is the best in town and I'll take you out for a cup if you book a free photo shoot with me in the next two months!

 

(Sorry Tarah, I forgot to ask your permission...!)

1/8/11

January 8, 2011
Today was eerie, like a shroud of mystery settling upon the hills.  I took my lumbering canine on a stroll to a nearby wooded nature path and it was as if the real world dissolved into some other dimension.  We could have been breathing the same heavy air as faeries or elves.  The forest smelled a combination of moss and wood smoke, the birds spoke quietly as though they might disturb the still air, and the lichen covered oaks stood ridged, listening to the whispers.  I was enveloped in the enchantment.

1/7/11

January 7, 2011
Last night I made Baked Pecan Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon, and the bacon juice dripped to the bottom of the oven and... Yeah.  So tonight I made Baked Pears with Raisins. But it smells like burnt bacon.

1/6/11

January 6, 2011
Today I read the Constitution. As in the Constitution of the United States of America. Have you read it? 

"For the first time in the 221-year history of Congress, members of the U.S. House today read aloud the U.S. Constitution (www.foxnews.com)." Here's where you can read it: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html

1/5/11

January 5, 2011
If ever I'm having a bad day, I go to Trader Joe's.  Today wasn't a bad day by any stretch of the imagination, however a trip to TJ's was in order.  It always makes me happy and I always find something I've never seen there before.  Today I bought a can of Chicken Curry Simmer Sauce, a bag of cooked lentils, and some peppers.  Yummy! I would post a photo of the meal, but decided to post the happy shopping cart.

1/4/11

January 4, 2011
At work at 6:45 this morning to make it down to the Woodburn store by 7:30 for inventory! So cold outside counting trees that I needed a nose warmer.  While recording the deciduous specimens, I came across this astounding knarly bush!  The entire branches were curly!  I don't know what kind of shrubbery it is, but perhaps the Knights of Ni would like it. (p.s. phone camera)

1/3/11

January 3, 2011
Today was the official first day of my new position as Customer Service at AGC!  After a couple weeks of enduring a crazy black crow pounding at the store windows and cawing his feathers off, we named him Carl.  This is a photo from today looking up from my desk to the ceiling and front windows with Carl sitting on the roof.

1/2/11

January 2, 2011: Booked a senior photo shoot at George Fox U today with a fabulous young lady, and while we were capturing images on campus, I found my knight in shining armor!

1/1/11

This is the first day of the rest of the year 2011!  I intend on beginning a creative photography project for the year called A Photo Every Day. This will be like a daily journal entry and creative discipline! Here's to healing, wholeness, peace, and the beginning of new dreams!

1/1/11 Have a dream house in the country...