Gawdess's Viewfinder 365

sweet peas on a blustery day Sept 3

2009-09-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

sweet peas on a blustery day Sept 3, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

feeling under the weather
isn't so bad
when you have a handful
of sweetpeas to lift you up

and there is the added bonus of unveiling my photography website too!

www.blueflowerphotography.ca

Please join me there, I won't be here anymore!

Gawdess says goodbye, but Kath says HELLO!

Morning light run Sept 2

2009-09-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

Morning light run Sept 2, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

two young dogs
giddy with speed
run to us
coats wet with dew

dandelion at sunset Sept 1

2009-09-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

dandelion at sunset Sept 1, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

sitting beside the skateboard park in the early evening
watching my oldest daughter practice with her new longboard
and noticing the night coming sooner
and the setting sun light up the fluffy dandelion heads in the field

snorting in sunshine Aug 31

2009-08-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

snorting in sunshine Aug 31, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

oh he is a pain in the a$$!
but what puppy isn't?
I love having him visit and sometimes I think it would be fine if he were mine
....but mostly I am also pleased when he goes back to his own loving home
and I bask in the relative calm

farmer's gold? Aug 29

2009-08-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

farmer's gold? Aug 29, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

one of the farmer's markets that we go to
is in a sprawling building that once housed city trollies and buses
and it still has the wide windows high up on the walls
through which light poured in and splashed down on piles of fresh carrots

hugs available when needed Aug 27

2009-08-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

hugs available when needed Aug 27, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

when your Dad is not around
and your Mom's hands are full with the twins
it is helpful to have another friend's Dad
available for a hug.

a galaxy of flowers (iphone) Aug 25

2009-08-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

a galaxy of flowers (iphone) Aug 25, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

on a back alley walk with my Mom
we found this bed of echinacea and globe thistle
it is one of those small, regular favourite places that I think we all have
and I always pause for a moment to enjoy it when ever I pass it

goat's eye Aug 24

2009-08-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

goat's eye Aug 24, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

this is not the goat we own
but possibly one of her sisters
anyway, all of the goats seemed to find us interesting,
as we, my youngest and me,
fed and watered the free range chickens
while the farmer was on her travels

not long Aug 23

2009-08-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

not long Aug 23, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

now, my husband has never been a fan of Michael Jackson
so I did find it funny to have him hold up this shirt and take a picture of him, all the while him not knowing what was on the front of it.

little toaster portrait

2009-08-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

little toaster portrait, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

Found on an alley wall on a day when I needed a reminder to be a "brave little toaster".

batty batty batty bat

2009-08-21T19:51:00.000-07:00

batty batty batty bat, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

hidden in the corner of the out house in the campground
my oldest son's sharp eyes found it
as we were packing up to go home
tucking itself up to wait the day out

pretty dock

2009-08-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

pretty dock, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

When we go camping at this place, I love getting up very early and taking my camera down to our private, little bay. In the past I have tried to work around the dock, never including it in my pictures because I thought it was ugly. On this morning, I tried to embrace it and see it as pretty instead.

wildlife

2009-08-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

wildlife, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

espite the idiots on the jetski, in the powerboats and even the beer can and trash strewing ones who had the campground before us
we were still graced with the presence of whisky jacks, squirrels and this deer.

gaudy

2009-08-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

gaudy, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

this is a place that can sometimes explain the startlingly vivid paintings of sunsets that are done -

butterfly finger

2009-08-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

butterfly finger, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

rescued from the lake water
my youngest child
brought the butterfly carefully over to the picnic table where I was sitting
so I could photograph it and also protect it
while it's wings dried

sanctuary (iphone)

2009-08-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

sanctuary (iphone), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

we have been lucky in our friends and where we camp with them each year, hopefully for many more years to come
pump water and pit toilets
bugs and no electricity
only the view from our private beach
the clean air
the stars and
each other
an excellent trade off

screen saver

2009-08-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

screen saver, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

snapped from the car window
on our way to camping
so unrealistically pretty
made me think of a computer screen

george (iphone)

2009-08-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

george (iphone), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

n the pottery studio there are blanks for people to buy and paint
this one caught my eye on the same day that we bought 1984 by George Orwell
which made me think of Animal Farm,
convoluted? Sure.

farmshare (iphone)

2009-08-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

farmshare, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

sa means community supported agriculture
and we are a part of that community at "our" farm - where the potatoes are so fresh and good they are almost sweet!

topsy turvy

2009-08-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

topsy turvy, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

giggling with delight at being up ended by her mama

the school of "Imeanttodothat" handstands

2009-08-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

the school of "Imeanttodothat" handstands, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

nearly the end of the handstand that went, unexpectedly, over backwards

unofficial guinea pig appreciation day (Aug 10)

2009-08-10T12:34:00.000-07:00

unofficial guinea pig appreciation day (Aug 10), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

snuggling with a member of her herd
the guinea pig wrangler is happy

dirt is best

2009-08-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

dirt is best, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

a final scene from the folk music festival
where this little girl thought the dirt was a bigger draw then the musicians on the stage beside her.

wildfire moon Aug 8

2009-08-08T21:44:00.000-07:00

wildfire moon Aug 8, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

although we are about a thousand kilometres away from where the fires rage through the forests
we could still see
as the smoke and ash painted the moon
with the colour of flames

the best camera to have is the one you have with you (iphone/toyphone) Aug 7

2009-08-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

the best camera to have is the one you have with you (iphone/toyphone) Aug 7, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

about twenty thousand people show up at the folk music festival every day
many of them struggle to sit as close to the stage at the bottom of the hill as possible
we gave that up long ago and climb to the top
and look waaaaaaay down at the stage
but the sound is good, the people are nice and views are spectacular!
(love my iphone camera still)

music to catch grasshoppers by Aug 6

2009-08-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

music to catch grasshoppers by Aug 6, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

our local folk music festival
is set in the natural amiptheatre
of one of our city parks
which is great for the music lovers
and for their kids too

*****************************

thirty two years ago - my youngest brother was born-it changed my life, mostly for the good!

I wish him the very happiest of birthdays!

ifolk Aug 5 (iphone/toyphone)

2009-08-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

ifolk Aug 5 (iphone/toyphone), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

high on the hill at the folk festival
the stage far below
I used my iphone to take a picture of someone using an iphone
and wondered if someone was doing the same to me

the view from nineteen years Aug 4 (iphone/toyphone)

2009-08-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

the view from nineteen years Aug 4 (iphone/toyphone), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

on my first "real" date
with the man who became my husband
he took me to a park bench
that overlooked the river valley
and the city and it's lights
then suddenly it is twenty years later
nineteen of them married
and he took me there again
I am a lucky woman.

Up Up Up (aug8 but using for aug3)

2009-08-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

Up Up Up, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

at the folk music festival
babies fall from the pink sunset sky

iso 100, shutter speed 1/1600 second, focal length 70mm, Canon 30d, exposure 0ev
****
This post is really about things that I have learned about photography in general and specifically about starting my own photography related business.

Why the baby? I was tooooooo busy to take pictures on the third (at least I haven't found any if I did) and I liked this shot so much that I wanted to share it. Partly because it is the shot I went after and I didn't have a very large window of time to get it. So I was pleased that I figured out how and did it.

In point form (and in no particular order and by no means complete ) some of the things I have learned:
- when handing out business cards do not tell people that they don't need to take one if they don't want too
-workflow is a very important word - it means how you manage the digital information from your camera from the moment you download, how you download it, edit it and how long it takes to get to your final product.
-I usually need at least a day before I can look at the pictures from a shoot after I have downloaded them because I am at first staggeringly overwhelmed with how much they are not as good as I want them to be (nothing to do with subject) and I need time to have a more realistic perspective, shake myself and just do the job This is harder than it sounds though. Possibly one of my biggest challenges...
-emailing each edited picture to the client as I finish with it, is a nice idea but not a practical one (it takes too long and I send too many) nor a constructive one (I overwhelm the client with images/and being in the middle of the workflow is not the right time to ask for what changes the client would like made)
-I need time to practice printing out images so I am comfortable with doing it and also having them printed out so that I am comfortable with a service and what they offer and can recommend it to clients
-beautiful, handmade albums to give to clients at the end are a lovely idea but not at all possible to do if I buy the ones I want ready made (they start at 275 US)
-talented, beautiful friends and family are amazing resources for all kinds of things, letting me take pictures, waiting while I figure out the rest of the process, encouraging me, providing me with mockups of beautiful, handmade albums that we can make for picture presentation...etc.
-if I need a few minutes to iron out a problem with one of my cameras or the lighting, I should say so and just do it - that is more professional than attempting to forge ahead and brazen it out and losing images because the quality sucks (painful lesson)
-I also need to take a few minutes during shoots to review and use things like that the focus is where I want it on a subject, the f stop is right for the subject, and the iso and the metering etc. and to not worry about that not coming across as professional
-I have about a ten percent return on my shots (i.e. shoot 400, get 40 pretty good images) and that is not bad at all
-the best shoots take from 1-3 hours
-have a plan, stuff never goes the way you think it will but having a plan is comforting and professional
-there is a reason photographers cost so dang much!!!!!! And it isn't just because they can and I have to suck it up and come up with some kind of pricing-but I feel weird about it
-editing is a whole different ballgame and skill set and I need to research more about it because it is worthwhile
-getting the right picture onto the memory card from the beginning is the very best way and my biggest goal
-jpegs can be a very useful format
-raw format means I can save a picture I might not otherwise have been able too
-I love my 5d but wish I could make it shut up and be quiet instead of noisy when I am shooting (maybe I can, I have not read the manual all the way through yet)
-there is NOT enough time in the day........
-taking pictures for other people is much more intense in some ways than taking pictures for myself and yet it is very much the same and I LOVE it.
-being a professional portrait photographer is about a lot more than just snapping some pictures (Duh)

each moment is precious Aug 1 (iphone/toyphone)

2009-08-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

each moment is precious Aug 1 (iphone/toyphone), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

she and our other old dog can make it for about two blocks
one out and the same one back
and then they are tired
and I think with a lump in my throat
when we would run and run and run
and gratefully run my hand over the soft fur of their heads
and slowly follow them home

acreage lane Jul 31

2009-07-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

acreage lane, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

I don't live in Northern Ontario
but a part of my heart does
gravel roads and ditches filled with wild flowers
takes me back there

my business card Jul 30

2009-07-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

my business card Jul 30, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

my littlest niece looking at one my business cards
a picture of herself from three months ago!

puff of light Jul 29

2009-07-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

puff of light Jul 29, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

this just goes to prove that dandelions are a beautiful thing

same spirited Jul 28

2009-07-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

same spirited Jul 28, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

not our dog
but my youngest daughter would certainly like him to be...
because of that
I can see a springer spanial might figure in our future at sometime

Imagination is everything...Jul 25

2009-07-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

Imagination is everything...Jul 25, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

found in the drawer of the coffee table at our Saturday morning Cafe
lots of notes and stories and drawings and poems written on napkins and tucked away

sweet peas Jul 25

2009-07-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

sweet peas Jul 25, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

father and son
but I think that is pretty obvious

lazy in the haze Jul 24

2009-07-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

lazy in the haze Jul 24, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

happy when family comes to visit!

mmm popsicles Jul 23

2009-07-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

mmm popsicles, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

on a hot day
every melting drop counts
and must be caught in any way
with fingers and shirts

found and then lost Jul 22

2009-07-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

found and then lost, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

nearly every week
my husband and I meet up with friends to go for a long bicycle ride
exploring the different areas of the city
on this particular evening
I stopped when a little, golden bunny darted across the road in front of my bicycle and into the front yard of a house.
It was a baby and obviously an escaped pet - so I spent a few minutes
trying to catch it so that I could try and find it's home and if not, get it home and it would live with us. My children would not have minded.
It was very tame and I was very close to getting it, when the door of the house opened and a very young women leaned out and asked me to leave the wild rabbit alone. I asked her if she was sure it was wild and she was very firm that it was. I was dubious but felt uncomfortable pushing the issue and reluctantly climbed aboard my bicycle and pedaled off. Not before I took some pictures though. Looking at it again. I don't think it is a wild rabbit at all.

sweet spot on the midway Jul 22

2009-07-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

sweet spot on the midway Jul 22, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

this makes me think of a shot that might have once been used for a postcard

happy boy Jul 21

2009-07-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

happy boy Jul 21, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

a moment in the shade
leaning against Mom

tiny dog, huge eyes Jul 21

2009-07-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

tiny dog, huge eyes Jul 21, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

scrap of a dog
adored client of my oldest children's pet and home sitting business

sometimes in the summer Jul 20

2009-07-20T19:43:00.000-07:00

sometimes in the summer Jul 20, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

I sit on the deck by the public pool
hopefully it is mostly empty
and the snack bar is not too tempting
and the children whine at me
instead of splashing in the pool

his garden Jul 19

2009-07-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

his garden Jul 19, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

I am drawn to the statue of the peaceful buddha
smiling into the green leaves and yellow blossoms

rain falls, wind blows Jul 18

2009-07-18T20:42:00.001-07:00

rain falls, wind blows Jul 18, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

rain did come down and so did hail
but it was what the wind brought down
that was the most startling
large trees uprooted
building fronts pulled off
and then all quiet

rain falls, wind blows Jul 18

2009-07-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

rain falls, wind blows Jul 18, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

rain did come down and so did hail
but it was what the wind brought down
that was the most startling
large trees uprooted
building fronts pulled off
and then all quiet

the happy cow Jul 17

2009-07-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

the happy cow Jul 17, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

I was so very lucky to do a shoot at a small, working family farm.
What a lovely place and a truly magical family who live there.
This is Rosebud, settling in happily at her new home.

in the grass Jul 16

2009-07-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

in the grass Jul 16, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

Sometimes I have to just sit and really appreciate how lucky I am.
This is little fish, the utterly engaging son of a fellow blogger. My youngest daughter and I spent a wonderful morning playing and photographing him and his equally delightful sister and Mom. Talk about a photogenic family!
I will talk more about them in a post I have planned about everything I have learned so far.

view from canoe Jul 15 (iphone)

2009-07-15T07:57:00.000-07:00

view from canoe Jul 15 (iphone), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

a friend of great fortitude
wrangled two vans, four adults, six kids and three canoes
for a trip out to Elk Island National Park
on a jaw droppingly beautiful day

there was just the one close encounter with the huge and highly dangerous wildlife
which I dealt with in a courageous and mature fashion - no matter what anyone else says -
(leeches are gross, and that one was at least a foot long, and it was TOO chasing the canoe and if not for my new world record in speed paddling would very likely have jumped bodily into the boat and wrapped us all in it's blood sucking coils - if I had not been there, I shudder to think what would have happened, at least listening to the delusional babble of the ones around me - "oh it is only a few inches long!" "you do know that these ones actually only feed off of cold blooded creatures right?" "MOM! (eye roll) They cannot jump into the canoe! For pity sakes, how nuts are you?"
Sad, little people but I saved them anyway.)

twixt grass and white sky Jul 14

2009-07-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

twixt grass and white sky Jul 14, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

soccer is played here in the summer
not many rules, not much organization
no matter how hot, how sunny, how cloudy
the only thing that stops them is the rain
and there hasn't been much of that around

in the clear blue Jul 13

2009-07-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

in the clear blue Jul 13, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

from a wonderful shoot I did with a beautiful young family -
a great experience for me with a lot more information to remember and file under "important stuff I learned!".

blue over podersky's Jul 12

2009-07-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

blue over podersky's Jul 12, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

in one of the old parts of town
there is an ART WALK
where you walk
and look at
(and silently critique)
and possibly buy
paintings
or jewellery
or photos
or sculptures
or you look up
like me and take
pictures of the
red brick
laddering up to the sky

velvety rabbit Jul 11

2009-07-11T21:11:00.000-07:00

velvety rabbit Jul 11, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

the oldest kids have had a pet and home sitting business for the past few years, this summer they have been the busiest they have ever been and some of the jobs they are not able to do have fallen to the youngest - including this unbelievabley cut and soft bunny

wholesome summer reading (Jul 10)

2009-07-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

wholesome summer reading, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

pride and prejudice and zombies
not great
but fun
what more is needed
when sitting in the sun?

******
I've not stopped taking pictures - in fact I take even more now that I have gone "professional" but I did stop posting and that was on purpose.
I was waiting on having a blog added to my real life website and thought it would take less time then it is. Now I have hired a web designer and hopefully in the next week or two, until then - I am here.

up close b ball

2009-07-09T21:56:00.001-07:00

up close b ball, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

Mom - are you sure lying down there is a good idea when we are playing basketball here?
Yeah sure, just pretend I'm not......aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!

blue memory

2009-07-08T22:14:00.000-07:00

blue memory, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

in their life before me
my youngest children
lost many precious things
not least of which
were a blue dog
and a smokey cat
and we have been
looking far and wide
for small but solid
statues that would turn
our garden into a place
where memories are nurtured
and tended to
just like the flowers
today we found them
a concrete cat
and an iron dog
marked down!
and yet precious beyond description

safety yellow fresh

2009-07-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

safety yellow fresh, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

the overcast skies bring welcome rain and unexpected sunshine from the yellow paint in the parking lot

cinnamon and chocolate

2009-07-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

cinnamon and chocolate, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

this handsome fellow stayed with us for two days
while his family was away
he and our resident 10 year old child
became touchingly attached to each other in that short time
the similarities between them are striking
both with gorgeous, wavy dark hair
eyes that shine with arresting light
and both full of absolutely, glorious bounciness
she cried when he left
and has said yes to looking after him again

silly at the photo shoot

2009-07-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

silly at the photo shoot, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

we have a BIG summer theatre festival in our part of the north
this is an out take from a shoot I just did
promo pix for one of the plays in it
working with the actors was very cool
and sometimes, like this one,
not unlike working with my kids!

finally peony

2009-07-04T18:34:00.000-07:00

finally peony, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

my husband fell in love with peonies
the first summer
in our first house
when he kept mowing over the weird
purple sprouts in the grass
and they kept pushing back up
and he finally let them be and
startlingly they grew and bloomed
into peonies
this year has been a very late spring
for us here
May came and left
without them
and finally as July came
the buds showed and began to swell
and we all waited and watched
as they came
with the rain

the dog next door

2009-07-03T22:18:00.001-07:00

the dog next door, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

sweet face stares over the six foot fence at me
gone entirely the barking mad fence thumper
who plays a cacophonous duet with our smallest weiner dog
as they fling insults and themselves at the cedar boards that separate our yards

************

All that is left is the writing.
That is what my husband said.
And then we load the pictures and my web page goes live.
I am supposed to do the writing.
About me and my pictures, how I make them, why I make them
that I can make them for other people...
and I don't know what to say....

and this is where tenderness comes in

2009-07-03T21:58:00.001-07:00

and this is where tenderness comes in, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

when things are shaky and nothing is working, we might realize that we are on the verge of something. We might realize that this is a very vulnerable and tender place, and that tenderness can go either way. We can shut down and feel resentful or we can touch in on that throbbing quality. There is definitely something tender and throbbing about groundlessness ~ Pema Chodron from When Things Fall Apart

Happy Canada Day July 1!

2009-07-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Canada Day July 1!, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

142 years old.
We became a country on July 1 1867.
The fireworks were spectacular and my family was lucky enough to be invited to watch from the enclosed patio of one of the large buildings that have a very good view!
This was taken with my hand held 5d - i like it better than any of the ones I took using my tripod! It was a great evening and I was so thrilled to have the opportunity!
Now I want to go to the International Freedom Festival that is the joint celebration of Canada Day and U.S. Independance Day held by Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario. A massive fireworks display is held over the Detroit Rier, the strait separating the two cities. Hundreds of thousands of spectators attend. Or, maybe I could got to the Friendship Festival, a joint celebration between Fort Erie, Ontario, and neighbouring Buffalo, New York, of Canada Day and Independence Day.
Or both, I love fireworks!

Festive construction site decor

2009-06-30T14:09:00.000-07:00

Festive construction site decor, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

Unsual but fun ornaments for the construction site
caught my eye every time I drive past so I made a special trip to go and take a picture not even realizing that I would run right past it on Canada Day.

Jun 29 09 puppy dog eyes

2009-06-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

Jun 29 09 puppy dog eyes, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

iphone, toyphone - wire haired dachshund on her way to agility - her eyes really are that beauitful

silver under lilac

2009-06-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

silver under lilac, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

my two oldest kids have a thriving house and pet sitting business - this month they are looking after a sunny golden retriever in a shady house. I found this silver pot gleaming softly under one of the many bushes and trees that are in the yard.

Hold these precious moments close

2009-06-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

Hold these precious moments close, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

my first ever real baby shoot
beautiful Mama and intoxicating 7 and 1/2 week old
I learned so much!
I am so lucky!!!

Holding Still

2009-06-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

Holding Still, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

looking for these moments
and freezing them
while everything else keeps moving

Safe?!?

2009-06-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

Safe?!?, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

I doubt I will ever be an out and out fan
there is too much sitting
for too long
but there are moments
that my breath catches
and my camera catches
and the catcher catches
that will keep me coming back
from time to time

*****
Having my camera with my 70-200mm lens
really does make baseball much more doable for me
but I laugh at myself
when the foul balls pop with crazy high speed into the crowd
and I shriek a little under my breath and then inform my family members
that I full expect them to use themselves as human shields to
keep the canon safe.

here and gone iphone Jun 25 09

2009-06-25T20:11:00.000-07:00

here and gone iphone Jun 25 09, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

twenty years ago
popeye pizza
spinach and feta and mozzarella
was the order for our dates
when we could stop looking into each other's eyes
we would look around at the other booths
laugh at the vintage decor
dig for quarters for the slightly
out of place, newfangled cd jukebox
picking the the most insipid and synthesized pop music
to play
and then following that with "oldies" from the sixties and seventies
and laughing at the juxtaposition
over the years we didn't go as often
but still sometimes
and always knew it was there
and would be
because it had been
but now it is not
that land it sits on
that rims the university
is 'valuable'
and PIZZA SPAGHETTI
FULLY LICENSED
is not

******
I am often pleased and somewhat astonished by what my iphone can do.

splash up jun 24

2009-06-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

splash up jun 24, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

dry days are not rare
but hot, sunny ones are
so we went to the pool
and so did everyone else
there was much splashing
and swimming
and for at least one
some flying

birthing of the art gallery jun 23

2009-06-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

birthing of the art gallery jun 23, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

the old art gallery
a beige concrete box
is encased inside this gorgeous new shell

bearing down Jun 22 09

2009-06-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

bearing down Jun 22 09, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

watch out Ball!

***********

LOVE playing with TV (shutter priority)!
I can freeze people and things in mid air....

pink stemware Jun 21

2009-06-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

pink stemware Jun 21, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

tiny pink calla lily
seems to glow with an inner light
as it catches a few drops of
precious, elusive rain

******
soccer is filling our evenings, soon it will be done!

elvis with beard Jun 20

2009-06-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

elvis with beard Jun 20, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

a remarkably cuddly pet for a lizard
and such a beautiful gem for an eye
fascinating creature
but I am happy he lives where he does
and his cage is not ours to clean
****
Despite how quickly the days are passing, many things still seem to move very, very slowly because of how full our schedule is.
Still working my way through my photo library and editing and deleting, as well as doing the same with all the new pictures I am taking - business cards are not yet ordered - and web page almost ready - but I did do a baby shoot!!!!! It was fabulous.

treasure in the grass

2009-06-19T20:42:00.001-07:00

treasure in the grass, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

a broken glass finial
from an old curtain rod
looks like something
dropped from jewelry boxf
when the evening light
shines through it

****
still taking pictures every day
just not finding the time to post them in anything other than clumps
-gardening-ferrying the kids around- and everything else takes precedence
hopefully will go live with my website next week
then will order the business cards -
did a great family shoot of a mom and her 3 daughters
last week - the pictures will be part of a Father's day gift!
Fun, exciting and mostly - I knew what I was doing!

after the cloudburst

2009-06-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

after the cloudburst, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

it lasted less than five minutes
and left the parking lot
gleaming like a mirror

littlest soccer player

2009-06-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

littlest soccer player, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

it is so dry that the grass does not stick to the ground
running and kicking a ball over it
makes the dehydrated yellow blades fly up
and stick to everything else
still the kids play in the heat
stopping to gasp in the shade under the umbrellas
wet their chins with tepid watermelon
and race off again

***********************
the time is sucked up so quickly
doing the kid's things
the house things
(or not doing them very much or very well because of the other things that need to be done first)
like
TAKING PICTURES!
doing photo shoots!
figuring out websites and hosting and business cards
and processing all the pictures
and learning
always learning

in the giant hammock

2009-06-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

in the giant hammock, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

it holds something like 420 lbs.
or three kids and a dachshund or two
or two adults (the size of my husband and I)
and those two little dogs again
or instead just one of the smallest kids

as an extra

and that just barely

but sometimes it is perfectly full with just one,
and lots of pillows, a splash of sunshine

and of course

filthy feet!

not the only one who can't sit still (iphone/toyphone)

2009-06-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

not the only on who can't sit still (iphone/toyphone), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

meetings are tough
even the ones that I find interesting
that I am there for on purpose
that I want to be there for
and there is good food
and it is held in a beautiful garden
despite all that
I get rrrrrrrrrestless!
fortunately there was a child
better behaved then myself
who played with my iphone
and me for a little while

happiness is....

2009-06-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

happiness is...., originally uploaded by gawdessness.

my daughter's little dog
is good at dog agility
despite her short dachshund legs
she is wiry in both
body and fur
and will do whatever she can
to make her girl happy
even on a hot, hot day
with plenty of dandelions
to snuff and sneeze at

Proud in the Pride Parade

2009-06-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

Proud in the Pride Parade, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

My family marched
with my church
through the busy, downtown streets
of my city
and we were bursting
with PRIDE

a glory (iphone/toyphone jun12)

2009-06-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

a glory (iphone/toyphone jun12), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

ong bicycle ride
new bicycle seat
made my...
not quite my bum
or ass, or butt...
but the part just below....
the tops of the backs of my upper thighs
....
so damn sore
but even that did not take away
from the beauty of the evening sky

thinking on my feet (iphone/toyphone jun 11)

2009-06-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

thinking on my feet, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

today they hurt
but still felt strong
maybe that is what
being a grownup
is all about
when you feel hurt
and yet stil strong
at the same time

seriously, gloriously dirty

2009-06-10T20:08:00.001-07:00

seriously, gloriously dirty, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

and then...
she put those fingers in her
MOUTH!

over my head

2009-06-09T20:49:00.001-07:00

over my head, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

sometimes I see things
no one else seems to
and sometimes
I don't see very much at all

the air up there

2009-06-08T17:50:00.001-07:00

the air up there, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

seems to be full of surprises!

New

2009-06-07T09:08:00.000-07:00

New, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

there is a sense of miracle in the word "new"
and not just in the new babies
that should always be celebrated and marked
with wonder, awe and a sense of honour in being in their presence

there is the new green of spring
the giddy new of many mornings
and even the sad new, marked by life
being so different because someone or something has ended
and the world will never be the same
that can call for a very different celebration
but there is celebration all the same

a time to let go

2009-06-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

a time to let go, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

after the rain
the seed hangs by
a nearly invisible thread
dancing in the wind like
the tiniest of kites

Way Too Cold For Snowcones

2009-06-06T12:05:00.001-07:00

Way Too Cold For Snowcones, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

baseball featured in my childhood
summer weeks at my grandmother's
a small town in North Ontariou
revolved around fast pitch
one of my uncles was an umpire
(his eyesight was good)
another a pitcher
(not a belly itcher)

and I loved to play
I had my own bat, ball and glove
not a great catcher but I could usually pitch
maybe because I figured I should be able
to
because of my lineage
my uncle, the pitcher, was GOOD
probably better than many
I think there was talk of him
maybe moving in to a different league
but I don't think he wanted to move
anywhere that wasn't where he already was -
anyway-
my bat was good too
and although I couldn't always figure out where the ball was
and I swung a lot without connecting
when I did hit, I HIT it Hard
and far
once I threw that bat
at another kid
but not during a game
he was an obnoxious, grabby 11 year old
hands touching me where they shouldn't
even if he had asked permission first
and my 12 year old outrage
already fanned by my body
betraying me and taking away the shape
i knew and leaving behind shapes I
didn't think I wanted
made that club of wood fly
hard after him
as he took to his heels
to flee my shrieks of anger
-now I am happy that his running start meant I didn't hit him out of the park
but then, I was not so generous,

all of this in my mind last night
as I crouched under a blanket
(and a togue, and a hoody!)
huddled next the rest of my family
June, where I live is not always a temperate affair
and I was astonished to see
that unlike the rest of the hardy souls
in smatterings throughout the park
one brave boy walked past
with a bright red and blue snowcone
probably the only one they sold that night

real life photography

2009-06-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

real life photography, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

my kids are hilarious
and helpful to practice with
but I hope I am more successful
with other people's children
I don't think most people
expect this as a the result of a professional shoot!

antenna Animal - iphone toyphone

2009-06-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

antenna Animal - iphone toyphone, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

7k walk
first time out since 50k
found Animal grinning in the parking lot
of a downtown park

what the little birds say

2009-06-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

what the little birds say, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

he cedar tree
is full of sparrows
raising sparrow families
and sucking back
all the seed that
can be shoveled into
the bird feeder
and then chirping for more

pink riot

2009-06-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

pink riot, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

take one pink crabapple tree, in full bloom
mix in the golden light of late day
invert a bowl of sky over top
open eyes wide
and b-r-e-a-t-h-e in deep

Mariglowed, May 31

2009-05-31T07:40:00.000-07:00

mariglowed, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

theses marigolds
(two one behind the other)
gleaming in the evening sun
beckoned me off of the porch swing
where I had been slowly rocking and slowly recovering from my 50k run the day before

I Ran, I ran so far away....

2009-05-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

My 50k run ended, as I told my friends, like this:

I was yelling "I,m going to have a bath!" (loudly) as my mantra to make it to the end of my 50k run on Saturday - after TEN hours on the trail. So tired going in, barely made the cut off time, a humbling experience and a wonderful one! Great people, volunteers and other runners - ruby throated sapsuckers, dragonflies and butterflies swooping over the path, gorgeous vistas and weather, all worth the price of 4 toenails!

and I was lucky enough to do through land that looked like this:

polaroid polaroid (May 29)

2009-05-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

polaroid polaroid, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

mingling old and new
the polaroid impulse cost a buck
at a church rummage sale
(and the good news is that film is still readily available!)
I used my iphone and the camera bag app
to take the picture

(slowly catching up on posting)

Hairy Watermelon (May 28/09)

2009-05-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hairy Watermelon (May 28/09), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

on one of our first really gorgeous, warm spring days
my friend and I decided to cut my son's hair
out on her deck
he was fine with the idea
the only thing is
he wanted to eat watermelon
while we were doing it
not surprisingly
the watermelon became less appetizing
as clipped bits of hair began to stick to it
but I think it made a pretty picture

crayon world outside (iphone/toyphone)

2009-05-27T20:59:00.001-07:00

crayon world outside (iphone/toyphone), originally uploaded by gawdessness.

having so much fun with the toyphone application still
- this was the view outside the restaurant window
still taking pictures with the other cameras
but enjoying myself by pushing myself to make good pictures this way too.
Slowing down a little on the photo business and learning stuff otherwise,
at least until after the weekend!

Uploaded by gawdessness on 27 May 09, 8.55PM PDT.

take these broken wings

2009-05-26T20:55:00.001-07:00

take these broken wings, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

found: wings on road
fairly sure previous owner cannot claim

made me think of how many of us think we have broken wings when we really don't.

sleeping/ napping as much as possible before the 50k this saturday
hope my "wings" will be in the right shape to fly me over the woodland trail