My son and my daughter can squabble like nobody's business, but they also can be so sweet to each other, it makes me mist up. Case in point: My daughter is pictured above, making her big brother a "Welcome Home!" card...before he even left for summer camp. (And yes, she's wearing cat ears and a cat tail, which adds to the whole effect, no?)
Only two more weeks to sign up for my summer photography online course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." This is the last time I'll be offering this e-course until next year.
All digital cameras welcome (any type, including smart phones).
Even if you have a full-time job, you'll be able to take this course at your own pace.
This week's photos, just by happy coincidence, are all animal-related--even if they're not all photographs of actual animals. For example, the plant above is called "Hens and Chicks." I love Hens and Chicks! I would've bought two or three of these plants today, but the snooty florist had a bee in her bonnet. Bad service = no sale!
The little guy below was very attentive, though. We met him at a local farm. I think he was hoping that I was packing a few carrots in my purse. Goats have such interesting eyes, don't they?
For the last couple of years, my children have been collecting donations for the animal rescue organization that saved our wonderful dog, in lieu of birthday presents from their friends. (Yes, I am a proud mom!) My daughter is pictured below, delivering some of the bags of dog food that were almost as big as she is!
While we were at Eleventh Hour Rescue, some thoroughly adorable kittens were brought in for adoption. If I weren't allergic to cats (something I sadly developed in adulthood), we would have arrived home with two or three more whiskered friends, I'm sure. Just look at this precious little face...
We ended the week with monkeys! Dropping off kids' outgrown clothes and shopping for "new" camp clothes at Little Monkeys consignment shop. I love consignment shops! They're one of the greenest things around. If you haven't ever visited a consignment shop, look them up in your area and give 'em a try!
Hens, chicks, goats, dogs, cats, and monkeys...yep, I guess you could say it was one wild week!
There are very few things I enjoy more than getting lost between the covers of a book on a summer vacation. I still remember reading Stephen King's The Shining on a family vacation to Pennsylvania Dutch Country when I was 15, racing back from the pool and past Room 217 (the scene of intense creepiness in the book) at top speed, scared silly but exhilarated.
I can remember other hotels, other beach houses, shady hammocks, sandy-white beaches...and for all of those places, I remember the books I was reading while I was there.
Because summertime isn't just about the sand and the surf,it's about the books!
This summer, instead of being that person at the beach who is talking too loudly on the cell phone, unplug and read. Here are 20 books that I've enjoyed in summers past or read recently, all highly recommended for your summer 2014 reading list:
Modern Fiction: Drama
A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron. At times hilarious and at times heart-breaking, this is pretty darn close to the perfect novel, all told from a dog's point of view. (And I really loved that dog!)
Atonement by Ian McEwan. I saw the blockbuster movie before I read the best-selling book. (I love Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, and they rocked it!) This book helped me to better understand the main character, a thirteen-year-old girl who makes a highly questionable decision that irrevocably alters two people's lives during World War II. (Adult content and language)
The Tree-Sitter by Suzanne Matson. This book made me think long and hard about the logging industry and the real-life people who go to dangerous and sometimes radical extremes to fight the clear-cutting of old-growth forests. I don't buy any paper now unless it's marked "100% recycled" on the package, and this book is the reason why. (Adult content and language)
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. Aside from the original characters and engaging story, this book made me re-evaluate the simple act of walking. (Yep, walking.) It's not just a way to get from one place to another, it's a chance to deeply absorb the world, including your own inner world.
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. Wally Lamb is brilliant, plain and simple. He made me really think about the way our society treats people who struggle with obesity. (Adult content and language)
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I always love books told from a kid's point-of-view, and the precocious nine-year-old who narrates this story has a captivating (and really sad) tale to tell.
I Was Amelia Earhart by Jane Mendelsohn. This book is dream-like and poetic, an island reverie.
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. I cried throughout the last chapter. That's the mark of a good book!
Classic Fiction
I'm not going to add any notes about these choices because they're classics. If you don't already know the stories, I'm not giving away anything here!
We Learn Nothingby Tim Kreider, my favorite essayist from The New York Times. He's funny, smart, and insightful, and I wish I knew him in real life so we could hang out and discuss everything under the sun. (Adult language and content)
Bringing Up Bebeby Pamela Druckerman. I remain fascinated by how the French manage to raise a nation of unfussy eaters with sophisticated palates.
The Daily Spark: Poetry by Spark Publishing. Technically, these 180 prompts are designed for students to explore the craft of poetry, but adults also will be inspired to pick up a pen and try their hand at some verse.
Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn. "Mindfulness" is one of the biggest buzz words around, but being a mindful parent in the age of 24/7 streaming technology is a formidable challenge, no?
Trees Make the Best Mobiles by Jessica Teich and Brandel France de Bravo. I tend to shy away from parenting advice books because every child is different, but this book shares low-key wisdom about how to relax into parenthood and stop fretting about all the stuff your child supposedly "needs."
Silence: How to Find Inner Peace in a Busy World by Christina Feldman. Soul-soothing. On nearly every page, I found something that resonated with me about seeking out the quiet moments and learning from them.
How's that for overloading your beach tote?
Your turn: What book would you add to this summer reading list? Let's hear it in the comments section!
Don't miss out on a super online course to improve your summer shots! Less than three weeks to register for my July 2014 photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Click here for details!
All digital cameras welcome (any type, including smart phones).
Even if you have a full-time job, you'll be able to take this online class at your own pace.
On Friday night, my son's Little League team lost the championship game. Truth be told, after a thoroughly amazing season of 13 wins and 2 nail-biter losses early on, they were in a state of shock to be so far behind in the first inning and they never really recovered. But in the end, they lost respectably, 7-4.
The next day, at the team picnic, the coach (with his Louisiana drawl so pronounced up here in the North) told the boys that although he'd coached many teams before, this team was his favorite team ever. It was easy to see why. I had never been a "sports mom" before. Like my friend Connie who wrote about being a bad soccer mom, I'd never really mustered up any enthusiasm from the sidelines. In previous years, I had ticked off the games on the calendar, perfectly content (and even relieved) with any rained-out games. But this season was different. The boys were funny and fun. Each one contributed something to the game and we were never quite sure who would save the day. The coach was tough with the kids, but in all the right ways, the ways that helped them grow as players and as people. And yes, they won an awful lot of games, which was a refreshing change from years past.
After the game, when the team gathered at the ice cream shop for the largest cones we had ever seen (aptly named "Skyscapers"), my son was already asking if he could have the same coach and the same team again next year. Within an hour of losing the championship, he was happy again, already looking forward to hitting the diamond next spring.
They lost the championship game, but they had a perfect season.
* * * * * * * * * *
Your turn:Do you embrace kids' sports or muddle begrudgingly through all of the games and practices? Let's hear it in the comments section!
Would you like to learn how to take your own Monday snapshots--or better photos any day of the week? Only three more weeks to register for my July photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Click here for details!
All digital cameras welcome (any type, including smart phones).
Even if you have a full-time job, you'll be able to take this online class at your own pace.
Okay, it's time for another confession: I just cannot stand the scent of roses. (There, I said it!) They certainly look pretty, though, don't they? I had a lovely time with them today, meandering around our garden with a camera, snapping away at them while trying not to inhale!
On Saturday night, my daughter hosted her first big sleepover at our house, inviting every girl in her first grade class. Let me tell you, those ten little girls stayed up alllllllllll niiiiiiiiight loooooooong! Luckily for them, they're super-sweet. Just like the cake I made for the party...
I know that I included a photo of peonies last week, but we have them in vases all over the house right now (saving them from collapsing from their own weight on the bushes), and they're just so fluffy and pretty! I couldn't resist including another peony shot this week...
Also pretty, and so full of poise: our dear friends' daughter (pictured below) at the school talent show today...
I noticed something funny at this talent show. All of the girls sang melancholy songs about heartbreak, and all of the boys rapped silly songs while break-dancing. (Hmmmm....just a coincidence? You tell me!)
My son's Little League team made it to the Championships! (Those are some of his teammates, below--such a great group of boys this year!) They play their final game of the season tonight. Wish them luck!
Would you like to learn how to take photos like these? Just three more weeks to register for my July photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Click here for details!
All digital cameras welcome (any type, including smart phones).
Even if you have a full-time job, you'll be able to take this online class at your own pace.
P.S. The photographs of the roses in rain and the pink peonies in the vase are now available as art prints (framed or unframed) in my Society 6 web shop!
Today was the first day of the year that the thermometer hit the low 90's, so even if the calendar doesn't say it's official (and with three more school days to boot), I'm calling it: It's summertime!
Summertime, at its essence, should be an easy-lazy-breezy time to take things lighter and freer. But, is it just me, or did summers seem a whole lot less complicated when we were younger?
Before the internet, cell phones, and email kept us wired to the world 24/7...
Before kids' summer camp cost as much as college tuition...
I'm feeling downright nostalgic for my childhood summers! So, here are 20 effortless ways to simplify your summer and get back to the way it was meant to be:
Make your own lemonadewith just lemons, sugar, water, and ice cubes.
Read a real paperback book at the beach (not an e-book). Check it out from the library or buy a few selections from a second-hand bookshop.
Thou Shalt Not Text at the Beach.
No sending emails or checking headlines from the beach blanket, either.
No chit-chatting on the cell phone when you could be chillaxing outdoors. Save your phone for emergencies and let the calls go to voicemail. Just close your eyes and listen to the surf and the seagulls.
Make your own iced tea or sun tea from regular tea bags. Add a few sprigs of mint.
Re-read a few books that you enjoyed during your childhood summers. I'm going to re-read The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh, which I remember reading when I was ten years old, in a hammock, in my backyard.
Make your own popsicles. Fill an ice cube tray with fruit juice and a few berries, cover it with waxed paper, and poke a toothpick through the center of each square. Freeze for a couple of hours, remove the wax paper, and pop out the pops!
Stop fretting, just for today, about the state of your thighs. Put on a sarong or tie a towel around your hips and "fugettaboudit!"
Don't blow-dry your hair. Just slick it back with some hair creme (Kiehl's Silk Groom is top-notch, but you could use any leave-in conditioner) and put on a big, floppy hat.
Put on a baseball cap instead of makeup. The brims are great for hiding undereye circles. Complete the incognito look with big sunglasses.
Bring some old kitchen utensils and Tupperware you don't care about to the beach and let the kids play "outdoor restaurant" in the sand.
Build a sandcastle that is The Mother of All Sandcastles.
Have a slimy seaweed fight with a friend.
Collect shells and identify them later with a shell book. (Again, from the library.)
Take a long stroll looking for hidden treasures. Pick up some trash along the way.
Bring a cooler to the beach, but buy ice cream cones on the way home.
Re-read your old diaries from summers long-gone. Marvel at how kooky you were as a kid.
Finally learn how to skip rocks. (Hold a flat rock between your index finger and thumb, parallel to the water, and flick it!)
Take a guilt-free nap. Under a big, shady tree. In the cool grass.
Wishing you a sweet and simple summer!
Your turn: How do you simplify your summer routine? Let's hear it in the comments section below!
Make this summer the one that you learn how to take "insanely gorgeous photographs"* of your vacation and beyond! (*That's a quote from my friend and former photography student, Dale Rogerson at A Delectable Life.)
Just three more weeks to register for my July 2014 photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Click here for details!
All digital cameras welcome (any type, including smart phones).
Even if you have a full-time job, you'll be able to take this online class at your own pace.
On Sunday, we met up with high school friends in the city for lunch, where we also met this affectionate and adorable chihuahua having a water break outside the restaurant. Scout gamely posed for several pictures in between belly rubs. I liked this profile shot, which captures the spark in his eyes.
Isn't it funny how we can spend just moments with a furry, feisty little creature and it can completely captivate our hearts?
Want to learn how to take better pictures of animals and nature? You can, for less than $10 per lesson! If you have a digital camera (any type, including a smart phone) but don't know how to really use it to its fullest creative potential, registration is now OPEN for my July photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Even if you have a full-time job, you'll be able to take this online class at your own pace. Click here for details!
It rained every single day this week! Bad for dining al fresco. Good for photography.
I love how the water droplets on the plant above (a Spirea Lemon Princess--how's that for a name?) look like crystals on the leaves, and the flower colors deepen to rich, gem-like tones under the darker skies.
I'm happy that June begins Strawberry Season...
It's also the (very short) season for peonies. Peonies have such a peculiar life! They sprout up in tall stalks within a couple of weeks; explode into the puffiest, fragrant blooms; and then, right when they're at the height of their beauty, they keel over to the dirt. The stems just cannot support the weight of the fully bloomed flowers. (Yes, I've tried staking, but our peony plants are now very large.) I'm not typically a flower-cutter (because I'd rather let the flowers continue to live outside) but peonies are practically begging to be cut and brought indoors. Otherwise, they look so sad and defeated, flopped over in the dirt.
I'd much rather they continue to look joyous and victorious. Just like my daughter looked at her first ballet recital on the Big Stage (i.e., the local high school).
So, that was my week! Rainy, yes. But all the better for blooming and sparkling, don't you think?
Want to learn how to take pictures like these? You can, for less than $10 per lesson! If you have a digital camera (any type, including a smart phone) but don't know how to really use it to its fullest creative potential, registration is now OPEN for my July photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Even if you have a full-time job, you'll be able to take this online class at your own pace. Click here for details!
1. Search Google for "images of African women carrying water" or just click on this article. While we can turn on the tap mindlessly, it's pretty sobering to realize that over one billion people in the world lack access to fresh water. Many of them struggle every single day to find clean water, or carry that water for miles in heavy jugs, or carefully ration its use until the next rare rainfall. Show the images to your children and discuss the very real value of water in the world.
2. When you boil water for pasta, put frozen vegetables in the colander. When you drain the pasta, pour it right over the frozen veggies, toss the pasta and veggies together, add a simple sauce and seasoning, and voila! Dinner is served.
3. Keep a watering can (or two) on your deck. After it rains, use the rainwater to feed your plants and flowers.
4. Put a clock in your bathroom to keep track of how long you're showering--preferably, a clock with an annoying alarm so you'll become more efficient with your rinsing time to avoid the horrid noise.
5. Add ice cubes to your pets' water bowls to keep their water fresher and cooler for longer.
6. Keep a large pot or basin in your kitchen sink with dish soap in it. Angle the faucet right above the pot so that any tap water used during the day goes into the basin. After meals, put your dishes and utensils to soak in the soapy mixture. They'll be all set for the dishwater later, without extra scrubbing.
7. When you boil water for tea, use the excess water for steaming and disinfecting your sink and sponges.
8. Curb mindless hand-washing. Have your kids aim for singing "Happy Birthday" twice while washing their hands with soap. When they're done, off goes the tap!
9. Invest in a rain barrel with a hose attachment for watering your lawn and garden. Yes, they can get pricey, but you'll save on your water bill.
10. Have a rain sensor installed on your lawn sprinkling system. How many times have you driven by a yard with a sprinkler system going off in a rainstorm? Don't let that next yard be yours!
Your turn: How do you save water at your house? Let's hear it in the comment section!
If you have a digital camera (any type, including a smart phone) but don't know how to really use it to its fullest creative potential, registration is now OPEN for my July photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Even if you have a full-time job, you'll be able to take this online class at your own pace. Click here for details!
As the weather gets warmer and warmer, the bugs keeping us company are growing in number. My advice: Snap a macro lens on your camera and study them up-close. They just might surprise you. This tiny fly looked plainly green until I looked at it through a macro lens. And then? This guy was ready for the disco!
Here's to a week full of beautiful surprises!
P.S. If you missed Christy King's interview with me at The Simple White Rabbit last Friday, you can click here to read it.
If you have a digital camera (any type, including a smart phone) but don't know how to really use it to its fullest creative potential, registration is now OPEN for my July photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Even if you have a full-time job, you'll be able to take this online class at your own pace. Click here for details!
