Photo Journal

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”

Theme song #1: “Secret Heart” by Feist

Theme song #1: “Two Hearts Are Better Than One” by Katie Herzig

I imagine our hearts with millions of itty bitty pockets full of soft whispers, secrets, dreams, loves, feel goods, affirmations, lessons learned, and inspiration… Every time something touches your heart it gets tucked away.  It is retrievable. Each time I feel so inclined, I can reach in and grab onto the feeling and rub it on my cheek like a silky blanket.

I was so glad when my beautiful inside and out friend, Marcel Walker, with more heart pockets than I can imagine, came to me awhile back and asked me to do a guest post on her blog.  This was my first time being asked to do this, and on top of that, I hadn’t even entered the scary blog world myself.     {Still riding with my training wheels on here people!} She asked me to share my thoughts on the beauty of life.  I cracked my rusty knuckles and whipped some quick thoughts out for a quickie deadline.

It went a little something like this…

“the images in our photography help slap us in the face or give us a little tap on the shoulder to awaken all sorts of wonderful feelings and emotions, good or bad tucked in the pockets of our hearts.  I honestly can say I embrace every aspect of life… the smile and the tears, the sun and the rain, including all of the  funky and whackadoodle times I’ve endured-it’s all good.  I love it all and wouldn’t change a moment of it.  In my awkward years, I thought I was so clever for saying, “I have a love for life and life loves me”, but truly that’s how I’ve always felt.  As cheesy as it sounds, I love life and it is so beautiful!

It became even more beautiful “A.K.” (after kiddos).

When I look at this photo it makes my heart get all “meltedy” as the girls say. There is nothing more beautiful and perfect when I look at my husband being daddy to my 3 little ladies.  {SIGH}  Can you say Daddy’s girls?  ALL three of them.  There’s nothing like that sparkle in their eye when he walks through the door, watching him at a tea party with his girls as they proudly place a princess crown atop his head and he doesn’t even flinch, or tickle fights until their stomachs hurt, baking cookies together and letting them eat the dough right from the bowl, or the kisses on their boo-boos. The quiet, soft, and tender moments of holding his girls in his arms, reading them a book, tucking them in, or all tuckered out falling asleep on his shoulder while sitting on a white sanded beach, are priceless.  The bond of a daddy and his daughter is beautiful.  If my heart could shed tears, it would. I plan on stuffing my pockets full of these “meltedy” moments through photography by stopping and inhaling those simple, yet vital times.  Life is perfect in all its imperfections.  It’s the simple things in life that make it so beautiful.   It’s the light and dark and contrasts that make life beautiful.  It’s a daddy holding his sleeping beauty in his arms.”

My heart pockets were born and my sleepy writer’s brain had a cold glass of water thrown on it.  I thank her for that little splash I needed to awaken my desire to start sifting through my heart pockets and rediscover things I’ve forgotten, like how much I love to write!  I love every new pocket that has been sewn and filled since I have picked up my camera and kicked up my typing fingers a bit.

The thing about the beauty of life, is that it is full of moments that would be seemingly unbeautiful, but that’s what makes life so beautiful, right… are you with me?!?  haha The unexpected is beautiful.  Well, same goes for photography.  I love finding the beauty in the seemingly unbeautiful and ordinary everyday things.

{Like messy faces.}

{Or old objects.} 

{Or seeing a tree differently than every other person that passes by it each day.}

My camera has made me stop and really SEE more.  write more.  engage more. play more.  And it has most definitely helped me tuck way more in those pockets than if I were empty-handed.  Like on Easter when I was feeling ill.  It was my camera that got me off the couch and filled my memory card and heart pockets with hunts and giggles and golden hair.  Ahhhhhh  Life lesson 101.  Take it all in. The good, the beautiful and the seemingly bad and ugly… it’s not.

What are you filling your heart pockets with?

My heart to yours,

Dana

xo

p.s.  Please go fill your pockets with more goodness over at Marcel’s new and improved and amazing blog here.  She is overflowing with wisdom, tips & tricks, humor, eye candy and friendship!

***THIS IS A REPOST FROM APRIL 1st, BECAUSE I COULDN’T BELIEVE HOW PERFECTLY IT FIT THIS  WEEKS “YELLOW” THEME AT IHEARTFACES AND BECAUSE NOT ONE PERSON READ IT BESIDES ME, SO THER YA GO!!!!  😉

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.”

– Louisa May Alcott

Theme song#1: “It’s A Sunshine Day” the Brady Bunch

Theme song#2: “Sunshine On My Shoulder” John Denver

Today was the yummiest of days, according to the sun.

It was yellow. it was warming. it was sunny-side-up and good enough to eat.

I love it when the air is so saturated with yellowy sunshine, that I feel like I can take a bite out of its golden goodness.

Mmmmm.

Glorious.

My heart has felt like this lately:

“His heart was like a sensitive plant, that opens for a moment in the sunshine, but curls up and shrinks into itself at the slightest touch of the finger, or the lightest breath of wind. – Anne Bronte

I open up to the choice of happiness, then recoil when change seems too much.

Today the sun gave me solace.

Each time I stepped out the door, I was greeted with open arms by my old, jolly friend.

Meet Miss Allison.

she and Mr. Sun have a lot in common.

doesn’t it just look like all of its’ finger-like rays are tickling her so?

go see lots more fun yellow entries at iheartfaces!

I was hugged, when its arms enveloped me so tightly after a dragging-of-feet kind of morning.

I was loved when my 4-year-old invited me to sit at the kitchen table in its lovely rays; bursting through the window glass to have lunch with her. “Come sit in the sunny sunshine with me, mama!” she chimed, as she patted the seat next to her with her chubby little hand. And I smiled as I received warm and gooey kisses on my skin from the both of them.

That is my favorite kind of sun.

Giddy.

I, along with the earth, was bathed in its virtue as all around had new charm. new life. new beginnings.

I was healed when it curled its pointer finger at me, beckoning me to partake of the Vitamin D it so freely gives.

I was inspired when it whispered in my ear to grab my camera and capture something, anything. After all, the sun is my sidekick in this crazy passion of mine. Couldn’t do it without him.

I was a sunflower, turning my head to find it at every part of the passing day.

“Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman

I was reminded of how I shall not keep it to myself, but give it away.

God is good.

Oh, sun. It’s been so long.

I needed you today.

and you listened like a good friend should.

Next time don’t stay away so long.

Ain’t no sunshine when you’re gone,

It’s not warm when you’re away,

Ain’t no sunshine when you’re gone,

And you’re always gone too long,

Anytime you go away.

Well, then it’s like, you know… dark.

What kind of sun is your favorite???

warm fuzzies,

Dana

:::So many fabulous sunshiney songs! Some other faves: “Pocketful of Sunshine” Natasha Bedingfield, “Sunshine” Matt Costa,

“Walking On Sunshine” Katrina and the Waves:::

“In art the hand can never execute anything higher than

the heart can inspire.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.” -Confucius

“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart” -Kahlil Gibran

Theme song #1: Fly to Your Heart by Selena Gomez

Theme song #2: Little Wonders by Rob Thomas

Theme song #3: Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart by Kiki Dee

(because this song just makes me smile!)

Yesterday I had to finish a personal questionnaire for a photography workshop I will be attending in T-minus 14 days!!!

Wo-MAN alive I am beyond excited!!!

But don’t be fooled, my friend.  This is not yo’ mama’s ordinary photog workshop… oh, no.

This is the Heart Shop baby!!!

“A memory is a photograph taken by the heart to make a moment last forever.”

An ooey-gooey freaking Heart Shop with Becky Earl and Diana Palmer and an amazing and talented group of ladies that have already been pulling at my heartstrings as we get to know each other online pre shop.

Remember when I talked about 2010 being the year for change here and a little here (and my very first post ever about timing)… to get uncomfortable, go for it, and just D.O. it? Well, I am happy to say that I feel the time is right and this workshop was meant to be as part of my journey. Could I have picked a class that focuses just on technical stuff?  Yah.  But would that have served my purpose?  Nah.

I have already been stretched and hurt my already migrainefested head to think more about who I am  and where I am going as a person and as a photographer more than I have let myself in years.  Because I’m going there… all the way.  They promise to help me “discover what makes my heart beat fast, my goose bumps rise,  and my passion ignite”.

This is what I need and I’m grabbing my Heart by the horns… by the strings.

It’s on.

So, there was a question asking what inspires me.

A WHOLE LOT inspires me!

It can go a little something like this…

Today is the last day of school.  This morning it was solidified for me, that it is all the little moments, that may not look like much to others, that inspire my heart the most.  I watched my girls hand a simple gift and homemade card to the crossing guard lady they have waved to every single morning, and every single afternoon for the entire school year, from the car, rain or shine.  They have smiled, they have yelled lots of “have a happy, happy day”s, they have connected heart to heart without even knowing her name.

Her name is Miss Debbie. She hugged my girls and sincerely thanked them.  Tears filled her eyes as she told them how much their daily smiles and waves have meant to her and that she would surely miss them over the summer.  Her heart was touched… and so were ours. (Now if only I had taken a picture-duh!)

“What the heart gives away is never gone…It is kept in the hearts of others”  -Robin St. John

Hearts and little moments.

Inspiring.

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” – Mother Teresa

“If you see a friend without a smile, give him one of yours.” -Proverb

Theme song#1:  “You Gotta S-M-I-L-E to be H-A-P-P-Y”  Shirley Temple

Theme song #2: “Smile” Nat King Cole

There are so many things that make me smile lately… my children, little blue eggs, rain washing away the pollen, the smell of my 4 years old’s hair, playing games with my girls, taking pictures, telling silly jokes, chin dimples, and the list goes on forever.  I’m glad I was able to go back and reflect on so many images that make me smile.  This was a very hard choice.

What elses makes me S-M-I-L-E?…

Spending time with my family, ice cream cones, and seeing my girls be girls in their Matilda Jane Clothing.

Go enjoy more beautiful smiles at iheartfaces.com.

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

smile,

Dana

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”  -Maya Angelou

Theme song:  “Three Little Birds”  Bob Marley

Theme song #2:  “Bird’s Eye View”  Amy Kuney (LURRRVE this song!)

Theme song #3:  “Turn! Turn! Turn!”  the Byrds

Was it just me, or did everyone seem to turn into zombies this winter?

Myself included.  Spring has sprung and all who have been in their long wintery sleeps, are rising from the dead.  Good thing.  I was beginning to worry.  And now that the sun is shining, souls are coming alive and stuttering to remember the shiney side of things.  New beginnings are taking place and inspiration is all around.  Even the birds are playing along.

We felt like the luckiest ones two Sundays ago, as we found a perfectly constructed nest… filled with 3 perfectly blue Robin’s eggs… in a camellia bush… in our backyard.  I mean, are you kidding me?

::Please click on image to view larger::

{when viewing large, check out the blonde clump of hair in the 5th picture!  My girlies like to clean out their hairbrushes and throw it in the backyard so the birds can use it in the structure of their nest.  The birds loved the offering and now my toeheads are a real part of the wonderment!  How cool is that!!!}

“Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.” -Rabindranath Tagore

(Check out more awesome collage entries at www.iheartfaces.com)

If you haven’t seen a Robin’s nest up close and personal, add it to your bucket list. I am serious.  Seek out this wonder of all wonders for it is a sight to behold.  My 3 girls and I gasped and giggled and broke out the camera of course. And my littlest lady asked to be hoisted up over and over to get a gander at the prettiest things we evuh laid eyes on (we’re suddenly Southern, ya know).  The prettiest shade of blue we evuh did see. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams ain’t got nothin’ on mother nature, that’s fo’shizzle.

Well, shame on mo’nature for taking all of the credit.

The first thing we thought of after gazing at the perfect, circular intricacy of the round nest, and the perfect blue of blues of the 3 little eggs, was how can there NOT be a God!   Too much perfection and amazement to be looked upon so flippantly.  Did you know the birds take around 180 trips back and forth over several days to build their nest, only to eventually abandon it?  A-Ma-ZING.  Life is a miraculous thing. Mama Robin gets off easy though if you ask me, 14-16 days and her birdies are there.  Mine were in the mama oven for 9 months.  Phew.  But if you saw the nest,…  you truly understand the meaning of “nesting”.   They clean it meticulously by removing the doodie, egg shells and stuff that would make it a poopfested abode.  We’ve been observing her closely and hoping some of it rubs off on us.  😉

The 3 little eggs reminded me of my own little ones I have to hold, and sit on to warm when they are bad… I mean cold.  They are tough like that.  They are the wonders of wonders in my life and I’m grateful for their shiny faces and that I am privileged to nest for a spell.  They are beautiful and smart and make me excited to see what kind of birds they’ll turn out to be.  What I really wanted to say was I want to clip their wings so they can’t leave me ever-ever-ever! But of course, I do wish the best for them and to fly … That is the bittersweet part of motherhood, no?  Give them wings only so they can leave.

We’ve been carefully checking on our babies everyday and still getting as giddy as the first day we found them.  I need to record the endless awwwwwws from my itty bitty – too cute.  So cute in fact, I gobbled up her face after a peek.

She said, “Mama, stop it!  Stop it!  You’re eating up my face!!!”

This is what life is all about.

Seeing wonders through my children’s eyes, is the sort of shiny and refreshing thing I need to wake my soul.

I remember someone saying the early bird get s the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.  That’s me-the second mouse.  I’m getting my cheese, uh, wings a little late, but heck if I don’t wake up and sing and sing and sing!

’cause that’s what good eggs D.O.

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg.  We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg.  We must be hatched or go bad.”  – C.S. Lewis

be a good egg,

Dana

::more good songs to sing::

“Blackbird”  by Collin Haye,   “New Soul” by Yael Naim,  “Birds” Emiliana Torrini