February 2014 Favorite

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     Keeping up with my Photo a Month project, I chose this photo in part because I love it as a photo and in part because I love this pretty, little succulent. Succulents have always held a special place in my gardening heart. I admire friends who have lovely, overflowing displays of succulents growing in pots on their front porches, those who have them beautifully placed in their homes and nurseries with wonderfully crafted displays that I only dream of having in my own yard. I have found some success in ignoring my plants as too much attention usually makes mine unhappy. I have also found that too much neglect also makes them unhappy! Perhaps I have them in the wrong location or have yet to figure out the perfect balance of attention, but sadly most of my succulents don't last for more than a season. Usually they wither away, grow tall and fall apart or just disappear! What's that all about?? haha! There has been one exception to this though. I found this lovely succulent last year, it was a beautiful, plump, silvery grey-green with hints of pink. The perfect little specimen for my grey and soft color loving heart. It flourished in a spot in my living room for many months and then one day (clearly after a while of neglect on my part, whoops!) I looked over and it had transformed from one beautiful specimen to another. In it's withered state this little one became just as beautiful, just in a different way. I couldn't bring myself to throw it away and had no idea how to revive it. So I left it, walking by it daily thinking about how much I loved the colors it had turned and that I needed to photograph it. February rolled around and it remains the same. Inspired by the blue-grey dresser I painted for the baby's room, I finally got around to photographing it! 

Do you have any secrets or tips on growing succulents successfully? I'd love to hear from you!

January 2014 Favorite

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     Every year I think to myself, I am going to do a 52 or 365 project this year, you know... where you take a photo a week or a day (if you're super disciplined! PS you're also my hero) and share it, somewhere... be it a blog, Facebook, Instagram, etc. And every year I fail, horribly. Like I never even start. I take and make photos all year long, but I never share them. Perhaps because in my head I'm doing it, so no need to take it that extra step and share... but really, it seems better to share and have a place to look back at one image and see what inspired me at that time. It's also a great exercise in being a self editor. This is my attempt to do a monthly project. The idea is to post a favorite image from the month. I know January isn't quite over. But this is truly a fave from this month. I don't know where my fascination with cows (and farm animals in general) stems from. It may be that they can be seen almost every time I get in the car. And the environment they are in is constantly changing and sometimes can be quite picturesque. It always seems those moments are the ones I leave my camera at home, when I'm on my way to the grocery store or running an errand. I think the universe is telling me I need to bring my camera to all of my daily activities. Haha... I might need to get a smaller camera... or a bigger bag, I can hear my shoulder protesting already ;) 

Early Morning

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     These days, I greet the early morning light with a warm, albeit sleepy, hello . Sleeping in 2 to 3 hour intervals has made me appreciate the daylight and the ability to actually do something productive with the time I am awake. We are eagerly awaiting a little bundle of boy, coming in April and it seems every moment I can do something to prepare, feels like an accomplishment. And then there are moments when I know I need to take the time and do what I do - go out, ramble and photograph what inspires me. My favorite person to call to adventure with me is my dear friend Crystal. We didn't go far this particular morning, the light was flat and grey, but then the clouds broke a little, the sun made a short but spectacular show and I felt complete.