“We are like children building a sand castle. We embellish it with beautiful shells, bits of driftwood, and pieces of colored glass. The castle is ours, off limits to others. We’re willing to attack if others threaten to hurt it. Yet despite all our attachment, we know that the tide will inevitably come in and sweep the sand castle away. The trick is to enjoy it fully but without clinging, and when the time comes, let it dissolve back into the sea.”
~Pema Chodron~
In my quest to support “all things local” I have joined my first CSA this year. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You buy into a farm before they start their growing season and they give you a share of what they grow each week. Fresh. Local. Delicious. Driving out to the place where my food was grown and meeting the people who put so much care and hard labor into growing it has upped my appreciation for what I’m eating this week. One of my regular clients recommended the Hurst Family Farm to me – saying they grew the best veggies she’d ever tasted – and I have not been disappointed. The farmer let me wander around a bit to take photos and what attracted me that day were lots of cute birdhouses, friendly livestock and the textures on the fence. Can’t wait to see what I’ll get to eat next week. :)
Dear Cousin –
I’m breaking all the rules with this post. It’s a day early for one. Wednesday already feels like it’s going to get away from me – so I’m grabbing this free moment and squeezing every ounce out of it to make sure I blog my photos. For two – though I initiated the “let’s shoot with the same lens” idea and agreed to shoot with my 50 – I didn’t do it. My 35 came in the mail and I just had to give it a test run. I’m really loving it – and am so glad you nudged the project a bit because it totally rejuvenated me. Thanks lady!! :) My photo walk wound up being a few different days – from the first image made with my 35, to a trip to the beach – the one summer thing I’ve done this year!!, and one from an inspiring portrait shoot I did today. Here you go! Love you. Can’t wait to see yours. :)
The first image from the new 35 …. yay!! Wide open and sharp.
Beach cottage playfulness. Love the fluff container turned flower vase. When is the last time you had fluff? When I lived out West I met people who had never heard of it.
Photographer HEAVEN!! The perfectly blue sky turned cloudy and I began to salivate! Can you relate?
I bid so long to my beach buddies and moved on down the road. I just had to chase the stormy moodiness.
Lastly, and respectfully – one image from a recent portrait session. Carey just had a double mastectomy and we are going to document the changes, the scars, the recovery. She’s given me permission to share all the images – which I will do one day. It was an honor for me to do this with her – and she said it was very cathartic for her. ♥♥♥
Lydia is a photographer in NYC and I’m in CT. We decided a while back that we wanted to work on a project together – and we’re still figuring out what that is. Here is a LINK to my first post which explains the idea and here is a LINK to Lydia’s last post in the project.
I realized the other day that I don’t know the CT shore very well. Growing up, friends and I always drove to RI – and family and I always went to places like Delaware and North Carolina. With a desire to explore, I took a drive towards the shore recently and happened upon this peaceful spot. Where is your favorite local get away?
The next few days in the studio will be spent finishing up some gift items and various projects. I get so many requests for these photo coasters – which can also be used as art tiles – that I’m making up a few dozen sets. They are so perfect for housewarming presents, thank you’s, teacher appreciation …. anything really …. that I sell out of them almost as soon as they are made. They are all handmade from my original photos.
I’m just loving when I can close the studio before dusk …. grab my camera …. and chase the sun. I’ve been exploring a trail that is part of an old abandoned farm. Parts of the land have been leased to a local farmer …. and the corn is getting high. A fellow trail walker last night told me that George Washington once camped here.
Corn … in CT … at the golden hour. I think this would be a beautiful spot for a portrait.
A friend of a friend – Ro Colegrove contacted me about the possibility of doing a “house concert” in the studio. Her intention is to ‘foster community through music’. I’m so excited to host her and her friends Meredith Pollack & Jeff Butcher on May 10th from 6-8 pm. Come support these talented, independent artists. FB Event Page
While you’re here, take a look around the studio – we turned “1” on May 1, 2014!
There is no cost for this event but donations are encouraged to help support the artists. The music will be available for purchase as well.
Check out the artists here:
Ro Colegrove: http://www.bethcolegrove.com/home
Jeff Butcher: http://friendlypeoplemusic.com/
Coming soon to the studio – “the vintage 8”. Eight handcrafted, mix and match 8×8 prints of a handful of nostalgic items.
Coming soon – some fun, flirty photography that will be great for any space in your home that needs a little cheeriness. I’ve ordered some 8×8 prints today, along with handmade, white frames from a seller on Etsy. Come into the studio later in May to check them out.
