It's the Little Things...

It's the little things. A smile, a laugh, the smell of freshly ground coffee, a warm fireplace on a cold day, crunchy snow under your feet, a nap in the middle of the day. It's feeling your muscles burning and lungs expanding and cold air on your cheeks. It's watching the mountains turn orange in the waning sunlight. It's reminiscing with old friends, laughing at yourself, seeing who we are through someone else's eyes. It's compassion and caring, it's seeing the innocence in a child's eyes. It's gratitude and acceptance. It's letting go and choosing joy. It's the smell of an orange as you peel it, and how a baby holds your finger. It's forgiveness, it's your favorite hoodie. It's losing yourself in the moment and loving the laugh lines around your eyes. It's tanned toes in the sand, a warm wind on your face. It's opening your eyes and your heart. It's the softness of a flower petal between your fingers, it's the ocean kissing the shore. It's being honest with yourself, and all of those around you. It's taking a chance, it's believing in ourselves and each other. It's full moons and dewy grass, it's chewy cookies and crunchy apples. It's the friends that are your family, and the family that are your friends. It's wanting to be a better person, it's inspiring those around you. It's color and passion and life and culture... it's that which makes us different... and exactly the same. It's the little things in your day... it's the little things that should be regarded as the big things, the important things... in your life. 

It's watching a bird in a fountain in Tuscany... xoxo.

 

Bon Voyage 2009 | Some of my Favorites Part 2

Once again, this selection is different each and every time I select my favorites... there are just too many wonderful moments and memories. I find I am drawn to those images that are imperfect, a spontaneous laugh or look... a moment caught off guard when you get to really feel someone. It is such an honor to spend time with someone with the intent of capturing something pure... it is a dance of sorts... one that I love and will never tire of.... xoxo.

Bon Voyage 2009 | Some of my Favorites Part 1

Instead of writing about my year, the ups and downs and what I've learned, how I've grown... where I've been and where I want to go, I decided to post some of my favorite photos. This group of images is more nature and travel oriented and changes greatly every time I review the thousands of images taken over the course of the year. But for now, I choose these... mostly based on how I was feeling at the time, or how they make me feel when I look at them now. Enjoy!

...xoxo

Food For Thought...

Wherever I am in the world, I seek it out. The local stuff. The exotic stuff. The fresh stuff. The homemade stuff. It's not something I will ever tire of... in fact, it gives me continuous joy and appreciation every time I eat it. I love that the same dish can never be made exactly the same, I love that it brings people together in a way nothing else can. I find that as I get older, my days get shorter... stacked with work and friends and family... commitments and travel... errands and obligations. It's easy to skip a meal or not eat as healthily as I know I should. But in the end, when I eat well, it translates into the rest of my life. I have energy to work and create, to laugh, to live... and what better way to do it than slow down and take some time to enjoy good food with good people. So next time you are eating a meal, savor the flavor, savor your company... don't take those small joys for granted when so many others around the world don't have this luxury. Live with gratitude... xoxo

I Love the Smell of Coffee...

I've never been a big coffee drinker... I've dabbled with lattés and cappuccinos, but it never really dug its talons deep. My favorite is peppermint tea with dried tea leaves from the garden and a dollop of honey. I think if you inhale deep enough, you can actually smell the sweetness of the summer garden...

In saying that, I love the smell of coffee. It makes me dizzy and stop in my tracks. Rich and deep and earthy... I love it. I think to me, coffee, and tea, for that matter, is more about about the act of it... of slowing down and sitting with a friend, or just taking time out for yourself. The past couple weeks have been insanely busy. So much so that I haven't had time for my morning cup of tea. As I sit here now, dark clouds outside, rain on the window, a cup of tea warming my face and hands... I realize that this... writing every day... has become my cup of coffee. In addition to not having time to drink a cup of tea, I have not had time to write... or reflect... and it has left me feeling that something is missing. I've barely acknowledged that this is a new year... I've yet to really consider the next 12 months, where I'm going to go and what I'm going to create...

Yes, I have a lot of tea drinking to do... xoxo

 

The Forgotten

Four years in the making, artist Pamela Masik has finally completed her 'Forgotten' Project, where she has painted the 69 faces of the Missing women from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. On January 29th, for the first time, the project will be available for the public to view in her 14,000 sq ft studio. MOA, the Museum of Anthropology, is showing the collection in its entirety in February 2011. This is one you won't want to miss...

If you would like to attend this exclusive preview, email forgottenpreview@gmail.com. For more information, visit www.masik.ca.