Goodbye doesn't always mean, the end . . .

by Kim

"I wanted a perfect ending, Now I've learned, the hard way,

that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a

clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing,

having to change, taking the moment and making the best

of it, without knowing what's going to happen next."

- Gilda Radner

Honestly, I'm having a really hard time finding the right words. What to share, what not to.

I too have learned the hard way, as all of us have at one point or another, that life doesn't always wax poetic. That sometimes the chapters we find ourselves in are, well, just not the ones we pictured ourselves starring in. It doesn't mean that the entire book isn't a good one, just that we might have to make some minor adjustments. Not to the book, but with ourselves.

As some of you may know, my son has a chronic illness, a rare type of juvenile arthritis (SOJIA). The last two years have been challenging to say the least, with its ups and downs and several hospitalizations due to complications. And right now I'm struggling to juggle everything.

That's why I've had to make the decision that for now I need to allow myself a little more breathing room. After over three years of sharing photography and thoughts about life here with this incredible community, sadly this will be my last regular post. There have been some recent developments with my son that are making it harder to show up with any kind of inspiration.

I went down memory lane this last week and read some of my posts from the last three years and am taking away with me some of my own advice as I exit stage left (or is it right?) and maybe something might speak to you as well.


To give myself permission to redefine choices of what is and what is not absolutely necessary.

That happiness is accepting where I am, and when I observe what is in front of me I will still be able to see joy dancing.

To make time for nothing, it's where peace and tranquility resides.

That in chaos, life depends on being able grow where I land (or where I'm thrown).

To pay attention to metaphors through my lens, life is constantly teaching me a lesson if I'm willing to listen.

To start out each day with something agreeable, like a rose, and not a thistle.

Focus on the gift of today, it has no shelf life.

Do not take for granted that gratitude can lead me through a day.

To remember that sometimes the more I chase things, the less likely I am to find it.

I am going to allow myself to be in the stillness of a space without a plan.

That art can be used for healing. That pain can be turned into something beautiful. To see the silver lining in the things that feel so hard.

To remember to look a little harder, to take a little extra time, to dig down deep, to find the good in the places that are the most difficult.

And I'm going to do my best to continue looking for beauty beneath the gray days, knowing that there is always something shimmering like gold somewhere.


"Never say goodbye because
goodbye means going away
and going away means
forgetting." -Peter Pan


To this fabulous community of creatives, and to my FOL sisters, it has been a privilege to be a contributor here. I am grateful for our time spent together and our friendships, and for your support. Focusing on Life continues to be such a great platform for sharing our lives and our art and I will still be one of your biggest fans.

So, I'm not going to say goodbye. Just see ya 'round.

Love, Kim xo

Rules, What Rules?

by Kim

"Artists are not followers of convention and no rules or rationale applies

in the pursuit of artistic fulfillment."  - John Cerlienco

(Sun flare can be a great leading line, lol)

About those rules . . . 

We are constantly told that it is about rules of thirds, and composition. Light, shadow, and shapes. What we leave in and what we take out of the frame. There is perspective and depth of field, shutter speed and ISO. Sharp focus and quality of light. 

We are told don't shoot into the light, or create sun flare. Don't go out in the midday sun, and by all means take great care not to make a blurry image.

I think that sometimes we can become so sidetracked by the rules when we are creating, that it becomes more about "the rules" and less about what we are trying to create.

It stops being about real stuff, and it stops being about emotion because we think too much.

(Low light - In camera movement, taking full advantage of a very overcast day)

Sometimes we can get so concerned with the "golden hours" we tend to forget that being creative uses all kinds of light - it is not exclusive.

(The essence of a mum)

(Impressionistic blur adds emotion and mood to an image)

If we are more concerned with the focus of our images, we can lose our own creative focus, and sometimes we can become more concerned with post production than trusting our intuition in the moment.

(Go ahead, step in front of the light)

Honestly, I think we restrict ourselves and our freedom when we are compelled to always adhere to the rules and principles of photography, and when we think too much we limit ourselves and our own creativity. Because beyond all the rules are new techniques, and a different way to see things.

It's good to have guidelines, but it's also good to know you don't always need to use them, because let's face it, life already has so many rules as it is.

So go ahead, take the Tuesday plunge, and liberate yourself from too much thinking. . . let's ignore some rules today.

See you out in the field, so to speak...

Love, Kim

Music of the earth . . .

by Kim

"Flowers are the music of the ground
from earth's lips spoken without sound."
- Edwin Curran

A seed is planted, it sprouts, and a plant is born.

It continues to grow with the nurturing help of the sun and water and the nutrients in the soil. Stems will rise above leaves and the roots will reach further into the soil.  And as it continues to grow, a tiny bud will begin to form. The bud will continue growing until it matures enough to start opening. And as it begins the process of opening, petal by petal, its personality will finally be revealed. But at some point, it will lose its luster and the petals will fall.

A flower is born, a flower dies.

We, are like flowers. Each one of us a different color, shape and size. Some are playful, or mysterious, and while some are bold, others tend to be soft, like a whisper. We are all beautiful in our own right, but unfortunately some will go unnoticed altogether.

We, are like flowers. Except that we don't judge flowers. We accept them just the way they are, flaws and all. Although we don't call them flaws, we call it character.

We too, are like the flowers . . . we too are the music of the earth.

And each one of us holds the same importance in regards to making that beautiful music. We need to be careful though, that we don't make the same mistake as Pythagoras by discarding the fifth hammer. Because it is almost always the ones we least expect that are responsible for the harmony. They are the secret to the entire sound of the music precisely because they aren't perfect.

A seed is planted, it spouts, and a plant is born. With a few essentials, we all have the possibility of blooming, and we should remember that it takes all of us to make harmony possible.

Here's to a musical day,

Kim xo

A Measurement of Growth

by Kim

I was at my nursery several times last week, to check on milkweed arrivals, and for inspiration, and for some all around nature therapy. And a lot has happened in the two weeks since I've been there.

The peach blossoms are gone and in their place are now tiny growing peaches. The azaleas are in full bloom, and the camellia run is almost over. The bees are in full-on nectar gathering mode, and there are more and more butterflies fluttering around. The herbs are plentiful, although no egg sightings yet, the fragrance in the air is intoxicating, and, there is barely a parking space to be found. Wait, I forgot mosquitoes...yes it's March and we already have mosquitoes in Texas!

All sure signs that spring is well on her way (that, and the monarchs have left their overwintering site in Mexico).

But one of the things I really noticed, was what happened between the time I took the photo above to this one (below) . . . .

Real, tangible, evidence of growth!

But is wasn't until I was driving in the car with my husband over the weekend admiring all the new green on the trees, that I started thinking about this, because yes, leaf growth is riveting in my world.

It's something you can see, something you can measure almost like days. And I began to wonder, how do we measure our growth, can we? Sure when we are kids, through adolescence and up to adulthood, you can physically see the growth. Even emotionally through all those stages. And what about once we reach that stage of adulthood, what then?

But, personal growth is just that, personal on all levels. Some much easier to see over time, and some not so much. Sometimes we grow, and then sometimes we shrink. And the measurement is most likely not universal because it will vary greatly among us.

And even though the leaves are a sign of growth, it's inside the tree trunk in its rings where the real growth lies. Some years it grows more than others, and some years not so much.

And maybe the same goes for us as long as we are always in that process of looking [inside] at our life and changing who we really are to match our beliefs and dreams, while facing our fears. I know I have some courage to gather, and fears to face, as there are some things I've been feeling led to do.   

The trees are much more dependent on the elements they need for growth, and don't even get to choose the path they are on. We however, do get to decide what's necessary for us, to decide what is missing and how we can improve and what changes we need to make. And the biggest growth doesn't happen in just knowing this, but acting on it. And as always, so much easier said than done.

Did you watch the Winter Olympics? Do you remember Amy Purdy, the snow boarder who lost her legs when she was about 19 years old to bacterial meningitis? Her story is so inspiring and to me she is the definition of personal growth.

She asked herself this question...."If my life were a book and I was the author how would I want this story to go." It changed everything for her.

And as the author of my own book, I'm asking myself the same question, while reaching for enough courage to play myself in some of the chapters.

Trust the process...

by Kim

"The poetry of the earth is never dead."

- John Keats

No, the poetry of the earth is never dead, but sometimes it may appear that way. Sometimes it just mimics a dead leaf that just hasn't dropped from the clutches of a branch.

But then, if you pay really close attention to the subtle details you realize there is so much to hear. So much that exists well beyond what we consider to be silence.

Because beyond that silence, beyond what we can see with our eyes, things are happening. A million beautiful things are going on around us. . . moment by precious moment.

Under all the layers, that stretch far outside the limits of our busy lives.

Beyond comprehension really. Awe inspiring, mind blowing stuff.

And the more time I spend observing, and not just being in it but living with it, the more balanced and at peace I become.

I know it sounds so cliche, but nature continues to be that place, that for me, is so miraculous just in the confines of how intricately it all works together, how connected it is to itself. A place of complete awe and wonder even if it's experiencing a butterfly emerge for literally over the 1000th time!

A place where life happens even when it appears there is none....and yet still teaches me to trust the process.

"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
  There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
  There is a society, where none intrudes,
  By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
  I love not man the less, but Nature more."
  - George Gordon

{This is a polydamas swallowtail that has been over wintering inside my house since late last August and just emerged a week ago. We can trust that Mother Nature knows her business, and this is indeed a sign that spring is arriving. You can see a video of this one emerging from its long winters nap on instagram - kimatpickingpoppies - I had trouble getting it to focus at a nano-seconds notice and as it goes with nature there are no re-takes}

Have a great day,
Kim

It's not that easy

by Kim

. . . being green. 

- Kermit

"Kermit"

My inspiration for today . . . Sesame Street, and my dear friend Kermit the frog.

Kermit says it's not that easy being green. That it's not easy having to spend everyday the color of the leaves. He thinks it would be nicer being red, or yellow or gold, or something much more colorful like that.

He feels like it's not easy being green because you blend in with so many other ordinary things and that people pass you by when you don't stand out like sparkly diamonds dancing on water.

But he doesn't know how cool he is . . . being green and all.

Because green IS the color of Spring, and hope and of things to come.

And one of my very favorite things about spring is the new green growth, the renewal, and re-birth of all things that have laid dormant over the winter months.

Green is the color of balance and harmony, and is all about vitality and restoration of our senses.

There is something very tender and spiritual for me about spending time in nature, where there is truth to be found, a vulnerability to be experienced.

Living in and among nature is what gives me the strength to cope with the adversities of this life and it's what has gotten me through some really difficult times. And there are so many lessons about life to observe and learn when we take the time. Nature has so much to teach us, but we must be willing to look beneath the surface. To pay attention, to engage.

"Love Abounds in All things Green"

What I want Kermit to know, is that green is anything but ordinary. It's the color of cucumbers, apples and broccoli. The color of leaping lizards and lily pads, and of the beautiful monarch chrysalis. The color of ferns and evergreen trees, of cactus, parrots, and praying mantis.

Green is the color of sustainability and of our future. It is the color of nurturing and of life. It's the color of chlorophyll, the pigment rich in enzymes and antioxidants and critical in photosynthesis. Green IS energy.

Green is the foundation of the forest, and it IS the color of nature. All we need to do is open our front door.

Green IS, extraordinary!

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves

of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something

infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance

that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter."

-  Rachel Carson

Wishing you all a green kind of day,

Love, Kim

Convergence and a Crossroad

by Kim

"Above all, I crave to seize the whole essence, in the confines 

of one single photograph, of some situation that was in the

process of unrolling itself before my eyes."

- Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson was a street photographer. And although this is not about street photography, it is still about the essence we can capture in a single photograph in the moments that move through us if we allow them. 

It is about being able to see and fully experience the beauty beneath the exterior of life . . . because even beneath the surface of the grayest of days, both physically and metaphorically, there is something that shimmers, like gold.

For me, photography has always been a kind of spiritual practice. I've always felt that the photograph is secondary to my experience.

But there are some days that the convergence of my heart with the mindfulness of the present does not always become reality and I find myself at a crossroad of sorts.

Just being in the "right spot"isn't enough if I have disconnect between my head and my heart.

And honestly, there are days that I go out with my camera and have every intention of  "finding something" to bring home on my memory card. Those are the days that I find myself the most frustrated.

Because I've forgotten that expectations lead to disappointments, and that the process or practice of putting my camera to my eye is much more about a path of discovery, of myself and the world around me.

And then there are days like this one, where there were no preconceived ideas about what the sunrise should look like. Where I could feel the essence of the morning in a single photograph, and moments lingered like eternity.

"To us, the difference between the photographer as an individual eye and the photographer

as an objective recorder seems fundamental, the difference often regarded, mistakenly, as

separating photography as art from photography as document. But both are logical extensions

of what photography means; note-taking on, potentially, everything in the world, from every

possible angle."  - Susan Sontag

A little word fun . . .

by Kim

 "Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it

cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform

you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could."

- Barbara de Angelis

I spent some time over the weekend ( a ridiculous, lose all accounts of time ridiculous), having some fun with words... words of love. For this one I used a poem I wrote several years ago.

I have to admit it was a bit addictive once I got going. 

And once I started getting into the groove, all kinds of ideas just started flowing.

And then I remembered one I did last year with the word "FLY" and butterflies, that inspired this one. 

And, I've got a few more ideas I want to see if I can work out, with the help of some coffee and chocolate...of course! Both are part of my love language.

Now I need to go print some of these out, get a pen, and write a little love note on the other side. One I know will be sealed with a kiss.

Have a wonderful day!

Kim

Star light, star bright . . .

by Kim

First star I see tonight,

I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have the wish I wish tonight.

I am always up for a challenge to try something new, to expand my horizons . . . to just play.

In fact I've been wanting to try some nightscapes of downtown Houston, and missed the opportunity awhile back when my photography meetup, met up on a street corner downtown. And while I'm completely okay with going to the sunrise by myself, I'm not as comfortable at night by myself.

In the first image, I set up my tripod, set it to bulb mode, using my wide angle lens and an f-stop of 16. I had planned on light painting with a flashlight and then I had one of those aha moments. Instead of light painting words or squiggly lines, I would try to make star bursts instead. So using my remote, with my camera and tripod on my neighbors sidewalk, I walked back over to my front yard and simply stood in different spots flashing the light on and off. It's the same concept as getting a star burst with the sun during the day, only with a different light source and for a longer period of time.

Next time though, I would turn the lights in the house off and maybe enlist a few more people with flashlights in a few windows. If you look close on the left hand side you can see the red trails of a car that went by during this exposure.

This next image is a bit wobbly. Again using my wide angle, ISO at the lowest setting (100), choosing to start at 5 seconds with an f-stop of 10, I held the camera as still as possible. But that's pretty impossible to do in the car, especially in a smaller car. We were on our way to eat, and were driving our compact car so front seat it was for me. I would like to try this one again, with the tripod, in the back seat of my van (sounds like a game of clue for photographers). My goal was to get fairly straight light trails. I've tried this many times, only I used camera movement for really abstract images. I had a few that had the dashboard in them, but this was the best I could get of the trails. A fairly smooth road at a lower speed seems to work better.

The last image below was my husband driving in a circle in our cul de sac. I was just waiting for someone to call the police to report a crazy drunk guy turning his lights on and off and using his flashers! lol  I think this would have been a better image if either before or after he drove in circles that I used a flashlight for a few seconds to light up the car. This was a 30 second exposure on f16 . I feel it needs a little more interest and will work some more on this one too. I'll try the van next time and maybe even enlist my son to sit in the passenger side with a flashlight?  

So many possibilities, so little time! Go ahead, experiment, get creative. Share them with us and tell us how you did it.

"Night is not something to endure until dawn.

It is an element, like wind or fire. Darkness is its

own kingdom; it moves to its own laws. And

many living things dwell in it."

- Patricia A McKillip

A New Beginning

by Kim

"Every moment is a new beginning" - Elie Wiesel

Time is not a commodity that we are given to start and stop again on a whim. For the universe and for nature, there is no pause of time, and no clean slate.

And within that time things begin and end everyday, not just at the end of a calendar year. Every moment a gift and a challenge to manage well let alone the time you've not yet been given.

I think one reason I love going to watch the sunrise so much is that it's such a reminder that time does not stand still, that it waits for no man. If you've ever photographed a sunrise then you know that there are precious minutes in which to capture the sun rising over the horizon before it gets too bright. It's so easy to take time for granted unless we've paid attention to how swiftly it moves.

You may be wondering at this point what on earth this picture has to do with this post. It's kind of a two for one deal. The magic of the night and a tall ship that was lucky enough to get a new beginning. (fist bump)

Her name is "Elissa" and she is The Tall Ship of Texas. She is a three-masted, iron-hulled ship that was built in Aberdeen, Scotland as a merchant vessel at a time when steamships were overtaking sailing ships. She was originally launched in October of 1877 and is today, a fully functioning ship that continues to sail annually during the sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. She measures a whopping 205 feet from her stern to the tip of her jibboom, is 99' 9" high at the main mast, and displaces 620 tons!

But she didn't always look like this because eventually after 90 years at sea she found her way to a scrap yard in Piraeus Harbor, Greece. She was eventually rescued from being destroyed, in 1970 by preservationists, but still sat in a salvage yard until she was purchased in 1975 by the Galveston Historical Foundation. She finally took her first voyage as a restored sailing ship in 1985 and now calls Galveston her home.

Her new beginning was nothing short of miraculous really, and most of us will never be lucky enough to have that much time to wait for a new beginning of this magnitude. We will forget that we cannot hold it in our hands and save it for tomorrow.

Yes, time is incredibly swift and silent and it moves even when we're not looking. Having a child with a chronic illness, and treated with a medication that comes with the risk of lymphoma teaches you to pay attention to the small beginnings in EVERY. SINGLE. MOMENT. . . and call it hope and faith.

From a single candle . . .

by Kim

"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,

and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared."

- Buddha

Happiness simply multiplies, 

like love.

And has the ability to become a beacon to the world.

Ready.

Set.

GO!

A Festival of Lights

by Kim

"Christmas waves a magic want over this world, and behold,

everything is softer and more beautiful."

- Norman Vincent Peale

In the next town over is the most spectacular display of lights....really incredible. In fact, we probably spent (my hubby and I) three hours walking around. And, I'm pretty sure we were the only ones without kids, which meant we were able to pass the Santa line and go collect all ten halospex glasses.

I think I read on the sign that there were over 2 million tiny twinkling, white and colored lights. All for my photographic enjoyment. And seriously, if it weren't for those glasses I'm sure my other half wouldn't have wanted to stay that long.

And what's better than a free night of lights? Oh, the part where you park in a designated parking lot, load a bus and get driven to the festival! 

Once we stepped off the bus the fun began.. I shook, rattled and rolled my camera. Put it on manual mode, manual focus and threw every single rule out the proverbial window. So liberating!

Oh, and those glasses aren't just for your eyes. They worked like a charm on not only my phone, but on my big girl camera as well.

Snowflake shaped bokeh, equals . . . pure magic.

The toy soldiers even came to life in 3D with the right movement of the camera.

And a little zooming in or out with the camera to pull the lights. People walking by always make it a little more interesting and I do love the partial silhouette effect.

Three hours seems like a long time to spend taking photos of lights, but I don't think I've had my fill of light fun quite yet. So many possibilities! 

Like faux star trails . . .  

This may not be your cup of photography tea, but I encourage you to find somewhere by you that has something similar and take your camera. Experiment, have fun, drink hot chocolate.

May your Christmas season be merry and bright, and this day . . .  electrifying!

Peace, Kim

Something handed down . . .

by Kim

tradition

noun

1.  the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to          generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.

Thanksgiving is a tradition in itself, but within this tradition there are many, many more traditions. 

Traditions create bonds, they can give us comfort, and they connect us to our past. They also help to define the uniqueness of our families, no matter how small.

Ever since I've been old enough to remember, there has been a tradition in our family that I look forward to during Thanksgiving, with great anticipation. It goes back at least 3 generations to my Great Grand Aunt Tillie. She always brought the coveted homemade egg noodles, all lovingly done by hand. When she passed my grandmother made them and when she could no longer make them, my mom did.

Unfortunately I have no way of knowing just how long this tradition has been passed down and we don't have her original recipe, but after starting my own family over 20 years ago I think I have it pretty darn close!

My husband and I have continued this with our kids, and have always included them in the process. When I was too pregnant to get close enough to the counter to roll the dough, he took on that job. After the dough rests, I then carefully roll it up and cut them, and the kids unroll them and lay them to dry overnight...it's not only a family tradition, its become a family affair.

Honestly, I could probably do Thanksgiving without a turkey, but it just wouldn't be the same without those egg noodles, which we cook in chicken broth if you were wondering.

So tomorrow, we will be covered with flour (and most likely the floor too), making new memories with an old tradition, and strengthening bonds that comfort not only our senses but our connections to those who came before us.

For this I am very grateful!

Do you have any interesting Thanksgiving traditions?

"What an enormous magnifier is tradition!

How a thing grows in the human memory

and in the human imagination, when love,

worship, and all that lies in the human heart

is there to encourage it." -Thomas Carlyle

Focus on Gratitude

by Kim

"Do not take anything for granted - not one smile or one person or one rainbow or

one breath, or one night in your cozy bed." - Terri Guillemets

Not for friends who are willing to meet you at the sunrise at o'dark thirty since the time change because they know you've had a bad week.

Or for your coffee date after the sunrise with those same friends at your "spot" and playing with your shots in instagram.

Not for the belly laughs that are medicine for your soul.

And especially not this . . .  or for getting to personally express my gratitude, for the impromptu hug or that it landed in the parking lot where you were having that coffee date.

No, do not take for granted that the day can lead you by the hand if you let it.

Or for good timing, or shrimpers and their fresh catch.

Or for the pelicans that do a fly by...super close!

"At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets."

- Steve Maraboli

Have a fabulous day!  - Kim

The art of getting lost . . .

by Kim

"There is an art to wandering. If I have a destination, a plan-an objective-I've

lost the ability to find serendipity. I've become too focused, too single-minded.

I am on a quest, not a ramble. I search for the Holy Grail of particularity, and

miss the chalice freely offered, filled full to overflowing."

- Cathy Johnson

For me, there is nothing more satisfying than to stumble across or into something enchanting, that was unplanned. With . . . or without my camera.

No expectations, no disappointments.

To be in the right place at just the right time, via the universe.

Sometimes it's being lost in a place, sometimes it's being lost in a moment.

Instead of searching, receiving.

And sometimes, it's just allowing myself to be in the stillness of a space with out a plan, and that absolute feeling of delight when something or someone unexpectedly crosses it.

Because it seems Murphy's law says, the more we chase things, the less likely we are to find them.
Because in the chase, often times the very things we are looking for, cross the very path where we were too impatient to wait. (Even if we were unsure of what it was we were waiting for)

( Our own Kelly, lost in a moment at sunset in Galveston before she thought she was in my way - are you kidding - for me it was total serendipity!)

How to make a lemonade stand GLORIOUS!

by Kim

"Hunter, the Great Dane"

"If life gives you lemons, don't settle for simply

making lemonade - make a glorious scene at a lemonade stand."

- Elizabeth Gilbert

In September of 2008, just 5 weeks after we moved to the Gulf Coast, hurricane Ike ravaged through our communities leaving devastation in its path, with the eye of the storm going straight over us.

Fast forward to a year later and nearly half of Galveston Island's trees (almost 40,000), would be declared dead because of the saltwater from the storm surge. And ironically, many of these trees were planted after the great storm of 1900. The majesty of these great oaks nearly a century old, that had provided a beautiful canopy of shade to the Victorian homes of the Historic District . . . just gone. But if there is one thing I know about the people and the community of Galveston Island, is that they are resilient by nature and when handed a bowl of lemons, they know how to make the best lemonade. They have, after all, had a lot of practice!

In an effort to pay tribute to the service of these fallen warriors, a member of the Galveston Island Tree Conservancy came up with a very creative idea. She petitioned City Hall for permission to turn a dead tree in front of her house (not on her right of way) into a sculpture. And this was the beginning of a grassroots project that has now become one of the most popular tourists attractions on the Island.

I love how they used art as a way of healing. To transform a disaster into a thing of beauty. To find a glimpse of the silver lining in a tragedy. Sometimes it's not until well after the storm has passed (pun intended) that we can begin to contemplate just what to do with those lemons.

In Galveston, not only do they know how to make lemonade, but they know how to make a glorious scene by carving their lemons.

Stitching Together Moments

by Kim

"After nourishment, shelter and companionship,

stories are the thing we need most in the world."

-Philip Pullman

We are all storytellers, all of us, in one way or another. It may be passing on family legends, or sharing our own experiences like Cathy shared with us. We use spoken words, written and with music, interpretation through art and sculptures and even with our cameras to relate these stories.

Stories help to define who we are and the world we live in and its been going on since the dawn of time. The way in which we tell these stories may change over time, but I think our purpose will always remain the same...to pass on traditions, to entertain us, and by sharing our own experiences hopefully to help us understand each other and ourselves better.

I've mentioned here before that for the past several years I've had the privilege to be on the sidelines at the high school football games. Not just to tell their story through my lens, but to be part of it.

I no longer feel like the awkward stranger on the field with a camera. The players have incorporated me into their story even though I'm not in it visually. . .with high fives and sweaty hugs, and they graciously make room for me and my lens when I need to be in just the right spot.

My goal isn't to just capture a contact sport. . .

Because football is much more than touchdowns and tackles,

much more than a win or a loss.

Football is being part of a team whether you are a player, coach, fan, the band or the dance team. And it goes without saying that it takes a whole lot of volunteers even though they may not always be seen as characters in the story.

Stories have a beginning, a middle and an end, and for a Friday night football game that relates to about 5 fast and furious hours. And trust me, divert your eyes for just a second and you will miss something spectacular (like your sons tackle.)

With 5 seconds left in the game, tied at 44 we kicked a 37 yard field goal for the win! That would be why you see one of the offensive coaches on the ground (above) tackled at the end of the game.

In the image above I combined two images to help me tell a story. The boy not in uniform is a student trainer and just recently went through treatments for leukemia. The team dedicated the game to him and wore gold laces in his honor. 

I'm not sure I've ever considered myself a storyteller, either verbally or visually. But each week I find myself trying to find ways to tell the story better. New perspectives and fresh eyes to capture and relate the emotion...to tell the stories about the people I know, doing the things they love.

And I'm honored that they allow me to share in their story!