"How could there be a day in your whole life that doesn't have its splash of happiness" Mary Oliver

Monday, August 31, 2009

31st of August, 2009

Flowers from our Walk
These beautiful flowers were collected by my daughter on our walk home from school. She arranged them beautifully and without walking around it and seeing it from every angle, as I did all day, you can not appreciate the beauty of her arrangement. Very three dimensional with yellow wattle and white feathers (hidden in this photo).

Sunday, August 30, 2009

30th of August, 2009

Mottled Light
This is the beautiful wall of mottled light that seperates us from our neighbours on one side. I love watching the golden light come through the leaves making them translucent. I am trying to enjoy  it as much as possible while it is still here without feeling the sadness as I know it will be going when the neighbours renovate shortly.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

29th of August, 2009

Treasure
A visit to Paddington Markets today revealled many treasures especially chatting with artists about their techniques such as fusing silk and felt together or pouring porcelain into watermelons, but this was the only treasure I bought home, very restrained. The design is beautiful and the colour and shape so delicate.

Friday, August 28, 2009

28th of August, 2009

 
Cookies & Strawberries
So we're about two weeks into this challenge and I'm starting to realise that the parameters of the challenge may need adjusting. The aim of the challenge is to take the time to notice the beauty all around us everyday, to see "the light that dances through our lives". The natural beauty that nature provides and the beauty that we create ourselves. To notice the simple pleasures, the little gifts and joy. In essence to stop and smell the roses in images. What I have discovered is that stopping to smell the flowers is not something that can be scheduled, rostered in, rushed, grabbed or snatched. To do that in order to merely meet the daily image quota is somehow contradictory of the whole point of doing it in the first place.
Fridays seem to be my main downfall. The day I work right through. Friday, the day where breathing seems like rather a luxury. The day begins, as usual, early and my partner wakes me, coffee, and then I curl up in my special corner with pen and paper for an hour of where I work on my writing. So far so good. Then a shower, wake the children and the day begins. L claims to be sick and I'm thinking she just doesn't want to go to fitness so a mad hunt for a school uniform begins and I swear she's hidden it out of desperation. A compromise with other clothes is made and she's dressed just in time to throw up. O.K. she's sick and she's staying home, guilty hugs and kisses on the couch (never a mothering day goes by without some form of guilt- this one would be good). Still got to get A to school. Still got to prepare studio for clients, still got to check out bootcamp for 6 year olds at the school (don't ask).
Watch bootcamp, talk to Vice Principle, talk to head of infants, ok task done. Bailed up by Principle over son's failure to conform to uniform requirements. Explain how I pick my battles with son and that ain't one of them, blah blah blah. Head home two minutes before clients arrive. L throws up again, door bell rings (are you getting the idea). Open door to next clients while seeing first out. It's twins. All clients today are second timers, thank god, and a relationship is already there and the pretense of professionalism is allowed to slip somewhat. Abandon clients briefly to check messages and make some quick calls (which of course are not quick). Standing in the street with a baby in each arm (helping twins mother) when next client arrives. See last clients out, make some more calls, tidy studio for the forth time today and finally head upstairs around 5.30 for a rather belated breakfast and a glass of wine (just to clarify, I normally don't have wine with my breakfast, but today was an exception). Then I watch Nanny McPhee with my daughter feeling guilty for not being there for her today when she was sick.
So what was I grateful for today, because I did have time for that, even if not to shoot. I was grateful - that my partner was here to look after my daughter, that the VP knows I'm not a neurotic mother and listens to my concerns, that my clients were all lovely families, that my partner cooked a delicious meal, bought wine, that my son had been a delight and helped all day, that someone had loaded the dishwasher. But the treasure of the day was when I escaped late in my last session to make a few calls to find my son (& partner) had left a cup of coffee (the one I should have had in the morning) and a plate of cookies and strawberries on my desk. I didn't get to eat them until later but it was bliss to see.
So the point is that some days are to hectic, to full of life, to busy and a rushed image is a compromise. I shot the plate after the event but the sentiment is there and the challenge itself has helped me to really notice the plate on a deeper level in the first place and I'm happy with that. I kissed my son extra. It was an exhusting, busy day but a good one.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

26th of August, 2009

Gooey Chocolate
A delightful consolation for growing older each year is a wicked chocolate cake to drown your sorrows in. Even better is someone elses birthday when you get to have your chocolate without the aging. This cake is Hazelnut Chocolate Mouse ummmm, I miss it already. Chocolate really ought to be a food group.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

25th of August, 2009

Camilias in Rainbow Light
OK, so this is two images from that beautiful natural light that dances through my lounge room, and those beautiful Camilias from my garden. They are both so beautiful and have such different moods to them that I couldn't decide. Besides, whats the point of having rules if you can't break them.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Sunday, August 23, 2009

23rd of August, 2009

BBQ with Friend

Saturday, August 22, 2009

22nd of August,2009

Morning After

Thursday, August 20, 2009

20th of August, 2009

Candlelight Magic
There was another beautiful series of images for today but this one represents the magic of the day. We had a blackout and after cooking the kids a simple meal of scrabled eggs on our gas stove we played charades by candle light. It was the best fun, so much laughter and delight as we all played together in the dark. I always love the way the blackouts bring us all together to amuse each other. Priceless.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

19th of August, 2009

Shower Power

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

18th of August, 2009

Rainbow Shadows
Can you believe this is the natural light that graces my lounge room in the mornings.

Monday, August 17, 2009

17th of August, 2009

Bloosom

Sunday, August 16, 2009

16th of August, 2009


Shimmering Reflections

Saturday, August 15, 2009

15th of August, 2009

 
Bowing Heads 
These beautiful flowers sit in my reading corner inviting me over to sit and read for a bit in the afternoon light or beacon me over to write in the morning.

Friday, August 14, 2009

14th of August, 2009


Simply White
This is the first flower of my Camelia tree that I have wanted for a long time but only now found. I love the simplicity and purity of these beautiful flowers. All the more precious as though I am surrounded by bush, I only have a very small patch for planting the flowers that I want. I'm certain these flowers will feature a lot here.