this month’s theme was beautiful ugly. i struggled with finding things to shoot…i think photography has warped me to the point where i look for the beauty, or at least interesting perspective, in everything. so, this is what i came up with this month…dying flowers to grated gutters! check out my friend deb’s take on beautiful ugly when finished…and remember to make the full circle!
right after my daughter’s communion, i flew to colorado springs for work. behind our hotel was a lake with the mountains behind it and ducks and geese everywhere. i used my lensbaby lens (sweet 35) to capture this moment as some geese swam by…i love the calming feel!
one of the benefits (or diet downfalls) of hotel living is the freshly baked cookies they put out each night at the front desk! i’m happy to report that i did not eat this last one…i am unhappy to report that i may or may not have eaten all of the other cookies to get down to one on the plate!
i was fortunate enough to witness the warrior games basketball gold medal game between the army and the marines. this moment just called to me! these men were absolutely amazing to watch! what a phenomenal game and phenomenal people involved with the warrior games! plus, i’m happy to report that army beat the hell out of the marines!
there is just something about the clouds in the colorado sky…i don’t know what it is, but i absolutely loved watching them while i was in town. i suppose it is entirely true to say that my head was in the clouds for a good portion of my time there!
after a long (but gratifying) week at work and a night out with friends, my bed was calling to me!
i went on a hike through one of the valleys in the colorado springs area with some friends from the past. even though my friend tried to kill me by taking the path less traveled (pretty much down the side of a mountain), my camera and i both survived! and i got this picture of this awesome tree…while it looks creepy, it really wasn’t- just felt like that was the direction i needed to take when editing!
visited the lake behind my hotel again to look for inspiration. i continued to play with my lensbaby, but i took it a step further and played with an out of focus image. i love the lights, the color, and how it is somewhat symmetrical (appeals to the libra in me)!
We weren’t really trying to kill you; we were just trying to make your day exciting! And didn’t know you are a Libra too! 
Think I’ll be getting a LENSBABY soon!
and exciting it was! you should definitely get a lensbaby! i have the composer pro with the sweet 35…i hear great things about the 80 as well!
on our way home form our weekend in savannah, my kids decided that they wanted to sit together on one of the flights. this was huge for my son who wants to hold your hand the minute you get seated on the plane until you are well up in the air. thankfully, he has the best big sister in the world who was there to keep him safe during take-off. proud parent moment as i just sat in the row behind them and watched them hold hands and be there for one another!
so, this is what i returned home to…a broken down minivan! not how i wanted to start the week. i must admit that i felt partially responsible because i have kind of been praying for it to die so i could get a new car…i guess i just wasn’t ready at that particular time! be careful what you wish for!
yes, my son is eating ramen noodles- packed full of sodium and other bad things, but it keeps him happy. yes, i feel like a failure as a parent at times when this is a large portion of his diet (in addition to the pepperoni, bacon, chips, and any other salty food)…but then i remind myself that at least he is eating something, and we are avoiding the hunger crankies that sometimes can consume a child who will not consume anything at all!
this is my Goddaughter. she flew in from virginia with her parents- and did not sleep the entire way! needless to say, after a quick round of hellos and hugs, the couch was calling her name! one ticket to bunkytown!
this shot was taken after a stroll through the candy store…and of course, the kids left empty handed! yes, i feel slightly guilty, as their mothers left with new shoes from the store across the hallway! sometimes life is just not fair!
our friends and family traveled from the other side of the country to be there for my daughter’s first communion. i was incredibly grateful to catch this moment of my mother-in-law giving my daughter a picture of her from her first communion and the book and Rosary that she was holding in the picture. there are gifts that people give just because the occasion calls for it, but then there are the gifts that truly mean something and come from the heart…this was one of those gifts! thank you!
this is my daughter following her first communion with the book and Rosary from her grandmother. i love this moment of solitude before we were joined by all of our family and friends. despite the dress, this is a big part of who my daughter is…she is incredibly introspective, spiritual, socially intelligent, and just all-around a good girl! i just love her to pieces!
the day after my marathon, and i dread walking down the stairs!
just a quick capture of my three together on the couch…they don’t stay that way for long!
go figure…the night before a flight cross-country, my son complains of ear pain! off to the ER and drug store we go!
my son looking for our plane to head east for the weekend!
at the rehearsal for our friends’ wedding, i had to capture this moment. it does look like he’s praying, but in reality, he’s pouting! i suppose he could be praying too…and perhaps that’s how i should view it!
i was so excited to witness our friends marry each other…i think it was well worth the wait for both of them! i’m also pretty sure that he got the better end of the deal! heehee! congratulations to them both!
i call this testing the water, but i really should have titled it “testing their mother”…i’m not sure how many times i told them to not get wet (other than their feet). in the end, i suppose i let some things go just to get a decent picture…compromising?
this is pretty much how i find my son every night as i head to bed…sitting quietly at his desk playing with an assortment of toys- actively engaging his imagination! i love how he can get lost in his own world sometimes.
i had dinner with the ladies down in pacific grove. i don’t get out often by myself at night, so i decided to take advantage of being alone- and yes, spy on people!
not the most technically correct picture, but it is still very meaningful for me! my husband and i celebrated 14 years of marriage! i’m not going to say it’s always been easy, but i will say it has been worth it! i am looking forward to what the future has in store for us! here’s to celebrating our someday today!
i almost went to bed without taking a picture…needless to say, i was very excited (and grateful) for the full moon and one of my little trees…love the feel of this one!
no, this is not my son crashed out one night…this is how he looks when we wake him up in the morning before school, and we lug him down to the couch…still asleep! thank goodness for bacon- it seems to wake him right up!
my daughter participated in her first 3k. she ran with her dad- for which i am extremely grateful! we were estimating a around 22-25 minutes…she smoked it! she ran a 15:19! i think we have a runner on our hands! proud of my fast girl!
i set out to run the big sur marathon again this year. last year, i was in awe of the course and somewhere in the middle of it decided i should run it again this year…so i signed up! unfortunately, my training was not quite up to par with the previous year’s training, and allergy season was horrible! around mile 13 (after i told my running partner to head on without me), i had a “come-to-Jesus” moment…for the next two miles! a lot more walking than running during those parts! however, i made the decision to keep going. i won’t lie, it was painful, but i reminded myself of all of the things i should be grateful for in my life, as well as repeating the cliched “pain is only temporary” phrase. i managed to finish (with the promise of beer, sausage, and velveeta cheese post-race)- and even sprint in with a smile on my face and friends and family waiting for me across the finish line! it doesn’t get better than that!
I think this is my very favorite collection to date. So proud of you and your wonderful ability to both capture pictorially and add such pertinent comments to a wide array of life events!!!
thank you! hoping you’ll benefit from these pictures as well! lala
Deb M - Sure doesn’t look like you struggled, these are awesome! I love your conversions – the images look so moody and mysterious. I don’t know why, but the light pole image really draws me in. I always look forward to seeing your work!
Mickisha - These are so interesting Joanna! There are so many of them that have amazing light and texture. Some I’m not even positive what they are but it doesn’t matter because they are so beautiful and interesting to look at! Beautiful stuff!