A Day at the Lake

Photographs help us remember. They tell a story.

This is Ayla, Jeff, Kimbo and Mac's.

A picture really is worth a thousand words. :)

_________________

"I think the best pictures are often on the edges of any situation, I don't find photographing the situation nearly as interesting as photographing the edges."
-- William Albert Allard, "The Photographic Essay"

Picture Taking and Great Company

Summer finally hit the Seattle area yesterday - just in time for fall. Bright and buttery, the late morning sun spilled over Bothell Landing and infused everything it touched with a warm, shimmering glow.

Including Chena.

(Although, I think it's safe to say that Chena glows even on the cloudiest of days!)

_____________________

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within."
-- Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Sneak Peek: Chena :)

____________________

"If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere."
-- Marilyn Monroe

The Couple That Hikes Together - Round Two

Chris and I have always been close. Like, extra-special close. But, like any other couple, we're also guilty of getting stuck in a rut. Of getting so caught up in and hypnotized by the monotony of everyday life that we fall into an overwhelming state of the doldrums and forget to appreciate. There are days when we all too easily undervalue the little things - waking up next to each other every morning, watching our favorite television shows while curled up on the couch together every night, the half hour or so after Chris gets home from work where we shut off the TV/computer/phone and just sit, share a drink and talk about our day...

Like every couple, there are times when we just forget to appreciate... each other.

And then we go hiking.

Immersing ourselves in nature and sucking in the fresh air of the Pacific Northwest centers us, restores us and, without fail, reminds us what's really important in life. Our concerns and troubles suddenly become less burdensome. We feel positive, hopeful and - dare I say it - even expectant. We're a team, out there on that trail, and just knowing that we have each other's back draws us even closer together.

Yes, more often than not we do come home sunburned, tired, sore, and scratching more bug bites than we can count. But we also come home smiling. And that's really the important thing, isn't it? :)


** A glimpse of what we saw yesterday while hiking the Old Sauk River Trail.

_____________________

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."
-- Mignon McLaughlin

Lifestyle Portraiture: Family Time :)

_____________________

"A house is not a home until it has a dog."
-- Gerald Durrell

The Couple That Hikes Together

It's no joke.

The couple that hikes together, stays together.

Yesterday Chris and I embarked on a wonderful adventure - a hike to Snow Lake.

I honestly, truly, and hands down do not think a more beautiful Alpine Lake can be found - crystal clear blue-green water reflecting the surrounding peaks in its glass-like surface, a soft eggshell-blue sky lightly streaked with wispy, barely there clouds. It was... breathtaking. And the almost four mile trek up the mountain to get there? Equally amazing. Views of the neighboring mountains' snowy peaks broke through the thick forest after about a mile and tickled our vision the rest of the way up.

This hike made me fall (if possible) even more in love with my husband. Because without him, I think - er, actually, I know - that I wouldn't be here today.

Okay. So right about now Chris would cut in and say, "Lisa, stop being sooooo overly dramatic." (Hmmm... Sounds like he says this a lot, huh?) But, in all fairness, I'm not being overly dramatic. Not this time, anyway.

I have an overwhelming fear of heights. And this trail, with its steep switchbacks and narrow rock strewn paths, is almost more than a person with a height phobia can take. There were moments when I was mere inches from the side of a cliff, so close to the edge that I could actually feel the drop off. The vast emptiness just one wrong step away was practically tangible. There were several moments on that trail yesterday where I froze. Completely.

And then Chris offered me his hand.

With gentle and sweet words of encouragement, my husband graciously saw me down that mountain. He got me to laugh (many times!) in the face of my fear, and before I knew it I'd scrambled not only three and a half miles down, but well past my paralyzing phobia as well.

Chris and I have been through a lot together. Adversity can either make or break a couple. Luckily, in our case, it only makes us stronger.

Here are a few shots from our amazing day yesterday. We're so blessed to live surrounded by beauty such as this. :)

_____________________

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."
-- John Muir

Halloween Word Art

Okay, so I know it's a bit early, but don't hate. And please don't put me in the same category as the grocery and superstores that start promoting and selling their Halloween merchandise / candy at the beginning of August.

However, with that being said...

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday, and I usually start getting psyched about it sometime around... now.

That's right. It's only the middle of August, but already my mind is thinking warm and cozy thoughts: crisp autumn temps, falling leaves, fluffy sweaters, hot apple cider, roasted marshmellows over bonfires, hayrack rides, pumpkin patches and, of course, Halloween.

Because my brain has already checked out of summer and situated itself comfortly into fall, it's been focusing on and pumping out projects that relate to that lovely time of year.

This print is now available on etsy. More fun holiday prints to follow!

** Now I think I might stop by the grocery store and, uh, check out some of that Halloween candy... ;)

____________________________

"I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween."
--Author Unknown

Wisdom from Dr. Seuss

I'm a huge book nerd.

I'd rather read than watch TV.

I carry a book (or two!) with me wherever I go.

And I love words.

So it's not surprising that this quote from Dr. Seuss is one of my absolute favorites.

I started this little project awhile ago. But, as I was in school at the time, I got so wrapped up in life and homework that I quickly forgot about it. However, thanks to a little reminder from Jen Sorbe yesterday, I revisited this long forgotten idea and had a ton of fun wrapping it up. I plan on wrangling Chris into helping me build a floating frame for the black and white one this weekend. (All I have to do is mention the words "Home Depot" and he's in!)

For anyone else who is as passionate about books as I am, these prints (along with others) will be available in my etsy store soon... :)

** Playing around with these yesterday has me super anxious to dive back into my graphic design classes this fall. *Sigh*

____________________

"Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book."
-- Author Unknown

Photo Bliss: Smooth Sailing

__________________________

"He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed."
-- Albert Einstein

Let's Go Back to the Beach :)

_____________________


"Life is too important to be taken seriously."
-- Oscar Wilde

A Song's Message

The day of my dad's funeral is mostly a blur. In fact, the entire week following his death is somewhat removed from my memory. I can recall tiny bits and pieces, fragmented images that flee from my grasp almost as soon as I think them - holding his limp hand in the hospital room, the tear that rolled down his cheek as he passed away. The relatives - most of whom I had never met - avoiding my eyes at the funeral. (Or, to be fair, maybe I was avoiding theirs.) A steady stream of creamy casseroles, sympathy cards, and phone calls that continued for weeks on end...

All of those memories are blurry, incomplete. Just momentary glimpses into an incident that wrung me dry, cut me open, and changed me from the inside out.

But there is one memory, one moment in all that mess that stands out vividly. Crisp and clear, it's this memory - or song, rather - that I cherish more than I can say. To this day, just hearing it fills me with an intense, almost overwhelming feeling of peace.

This song played on our car radio as we drove to the funeral. Strange, but the moment the car started, the radio clicked on, there was a split second of black silence, and then... This. I'd never heard the song before, and I've rarely heard it on the radio since. It started as we pulled out of the driveway of our house and lasted all the way to the church. As my mom tucked the car into a parking spot, the song ended, and a peaceful silence fell.

I knew as I listened to that song that my dad was with me - right at that moment. I knew then that he would always be with me. The voice on the radio wasn't his, but the message was.

"Just think of me, and I'll be there."

__________________________

"Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality."
-- Emily Dickinson

A Short Attention Span = A New Direction

Some would say that I have a short attention span. That I lose interest in things quickly. And that I jump - constantly - from one thing to the next.

And... they'd probably be right.

But I prefer to think of myself as, well, inquisitive. Maybe even plucky and spirited, adventurous and quirky. And above all else, I consider myself to be passionate. Passionate about life, love, and art.

To those peering in from a distance, it might seem like I don't finish a lot of the things that I start - and I admit that following every single project or idea through to the end is not my strong suit. However, I think it's fair to point out that I do take on and try out a lot of different things. Life, in various instances, has often pushed me down roads that I never would have considered on my own. Literally forced me to look in new directions.

And that's okay. I'm not scared to try something new and fail. My only fear is to not try at all. Period.

Yes, my resume (which contains employment in the automotive, banking, legal, and veterinary fields) may seem, at first glance, to point to someone who is flighty, indecisive, and hasty. But upon further inspection, I like to think that same resume describes someone who is loyal, hard-working, and passionate.

I may not be the Jack of all trades. But I am, at the very least, the Jane of quite a few.

I've been thinking about this flaw of mine quite a bit lately. With the decision to resurrect my previous desire to share my photography on Etsy, it's made me realize not only how far I've actually come with this craft, but how many detours I've taken along the way. When I first entertained the idea of pursing photography, the only thing I was interested in shooting was animals. Dogs, specifically. A year later, almost on a whim, I decided to give photographing people a try. Immediately I was hooked - people, with their vast array of emotions, personalities, and quirks provided for me unlimited inspiration. There can be, I thought firmly at the time, nothing else I'd rather shoot.

Well, that was roughly a year ago and, lo and behold, my thinking has evolved - yet again. I'm now completely, totally, and desperately passionate about shooting landscapes. In retrospect, this obsession was bound to hit sooner or later - what with living in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. (Yes, I'm a bit partial to the Pacific Northwest.) Chris and I have lived in this paradise for a little over four years now, and yet there are still times when we find ourselves struck speechless - absolutely and completely breathless - by our surroundings.

This life, this world, this universe, is so full, so ripe that it's absolutely overflowing with new joys, ideas, treats and pleasures. It's a literal Smörgåsbord of delights and surprises. It's juicy goodness is endless. And the paths to happiness - if you're daring enough to take that first step - are infinite.

Last night I listed my first photo on Etsy. (Click here to see!) I was so excited about creating this first listing that, after clicking the "submit" button, I actually let out a little squeak of excitement.

Hey, it's the little things, right?

** The first image is available now, the others will follow shortly... :)

___________________

"Growth is the only evidence of life."
-- John Henry Newman, Apologia pro vita sua, 1864

Puppy Fever.

___________________

"Puppies are nature's remedy for feeling unloved, plus numerous other ailments of life."
-- Richard Allan Palm