How very Seattle of you

Seattle series, Part 3

Just little snippets of life that seem to be typically Seattle

Because you should be able to get coffee no matter what kind of store you are in

All around Capitol Hill, there are little dance patterns, showing you the footsteps for some of the traditional dances. Because even waiting on the sidewalk can be an opportunity to learn something and try something creative and new.

You just would not see this in Durham.

Even the neighborhood library is artistic and interesting looking

Using rocks to create art and beauty. Everything can be turned into art out there. Love it.

Why wear a normal hat when you can wear one like this? 🙂

So in love with this little girl. Bright coat. Fun scarf, big tall rain boots. Yes!

 

Read Full Post »

For the love of light

Seattle, Part 2: Fun light fixtures, fun statues and interior art

I so completely love this shot, and loved the coffee shop it was in. They were playing super happy music, and the cafe workers were all singing along as if it was the most important thing they had to do that day. My kind of place.

Same coffee shop, a tree with blue glass bottles. I love how it looks like a painting, a little out of focus but still fun

 

Brother Aaron’s light and red wall. Just loved the colors, shapes, the kind of abstract feel.

One of my favorite statues, I think. Sure, I could get all  deep about the rich man who owns the world, and how he doesn’t even notice the men beneath him holding him up…but really…I like him because he’s cute. That’s as deep as I get sometimes 🙂

Big, proud moving girl statue = LOVE 🙂

It’s like a big giant ice cream light fixture. Maybe for the giant girl above.

I am a total glass ho. Love love love glass. This window display is happiness.

I wonder what he thinks about? He looks like he is contemplating something

Read Full Post »

Signs of Seattle

We just got back from five days visiting B’s brother in Seattle. It was my first time in the city, and I really loved it. We walked around a ton while we were there, something I miss living in Durham. You can walk around your neighborhood, but unless you live downtown, there isn’t really any destination walking. or going for a lot of photo walks. And even downtown, you walk for maybe 45 minutes, you will see pretty much all there is to see. We wandered for hours and didn’t even come close to scratching the surface. I love walking around a city with my camera, it is such a good way to really see the city, especially the parts that can be overlooked easily.

I love shooting signs. I find them fascinating, and you can get a good flavor for an area based on the signs you find.

I am going to break my Seattle adventure into a few different blog posts, starting with signs that caught my eye.

Yes they are, so much so that I want to do it as my job.

Seattle is a big foodie city. And even better, it is a city where it is relatively easy to feed a gluten-free, dairy-free, more vegetarian than not girl.

Shot with the 35mm lens, no flash. I love the lighting. But yeah, I also love the sign that says Rub Me.

Ha! I just liked this, although I admit I don’t know…are regular utensils designed for right-hand use? Most of what I have doesn’t seem to specific to one hand or the other.

Down below Pike’s Place.

Congratulations? This would never have been something I would have thought to aspire to.

What can I say? I thought it was funny and witty. And the other side reads Happy Spanksgiving. Ha!

Absolutely. What’s the point if you don’t?

If I were in Seattle, this would be my coffee shop. It looks like a coffee shop for spies. I would go in every time with my finger gun and walking all spy-like to the music from Mission Impossible. It might even be required to do that.

Other than “very carefully,” you have to admit you are curious.

I always do, Mr. Sign. I always do.

Read Full Post »

Walk the misty, morning path

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

Finding happiness

“It’s gonna be alright, no matter what they say, gonna be a good day, just wait and see”

Things I am loving, things that are making me happy, things that I am looking forward to, in no particular order

SEATTLE! Next Monday morning, we get on a few planes (3 to be exact) to spend Thanksgiving week with big brother Aaron. I’ve never been to Seattle, can’t wait to explore a gorgeous city I’ve always wanted to see, get to spend five days with Husband and Brother Aaron. We are going to go to the Seattle Aquarium, and my camera will be working overtime next week, I’m sure!

ShutterCal – I am LOVING playing with my camera every day, and making shooting a habit. This morning, the fog was thick, the world was quiet and I got some great mysterious fog shots (to be posted later today or tomorrow).

For Your Entertainment, the new Adam Lambert single, ohhhmydoggg so incredibly fun to listen to, especially if you crank it in the car.

Bright colored polymer clay beads

Pinups, especially redhead pinups

Swoony color beads

Ferocious monsters (note, not really ferocious)

Too cute for words accessories

Brave, dear souls who set off onto bold new adventures of their creation

Pumpkin smoothies, yerba mate chocolatte lattes with almond milk,  raw vegan chocolate pudding, plain, with pomegranates, or mixed in a smoothie

 

What are some things that are making you happy, things you are looking forward to?

 

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

Care to play chess?

I feel like things have become a chess game…do I move to the side? Do I try to move forward even though the path seems blocked? If I stay where I am, the game will crush me, defeat me.

Read Full Post »

Where fairies dwell

In the misty morning light

Among fields of white fluffy sproutlings

In little nooks and crannies in moss and lichen covered roots

In leaves that catch and hold onto sunshine

 

Where do you find fairies and magic?

Read Full Post »

Creative writing prompt

prompt: Make the following the first line of your story

Catching the signal from one of her friends, Angela brushed her skirt, took a deep breath and walked towards where he was sitting. She threw one last look over her shoulder to where her friends were standing across the park, walked up and said, “Excuse me?”

“Yes?,” he said, looking up from the newspaper he was reading. Angela noticed it was the lifestyle section and decided to consider it a good sign, as it was her favorite section behind the travel section.

It was now or never. Everyone said the first time was the hardest.

“Duck.” She tapped him on his head, and promptly sat down on the ground near where he was sitting.

“What was that? Did you say just say duck? What is the meaning of this?”

But according to the rules, Angela couldn’t say anything further to the young man with the slightly windblown hair and the retro, almost 50s style leather jacket. If he figured out the game and started playing, Angela would also continue playing. The goal was to get a group of strangers to play duck, duck, goose, without telling them what was going on. If he got annoyed and left without playing, well, then Angela had to continue sitting there till her friends told her her part in the game was done for the day.

Read Full Post »

Life I love you, all is groovy

Time for a photowalk, with images that caught my eye and made me happy today.

Gray morning, after a windy, rainy week, but a few leaves are still clinging on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fuzzies and bright leaves on one branch

 

Would you like an apple, little girl?

The WonderPup, although she makes me happy every day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why, yes, Bliss is spelled Cupcake! And the other sign…Books. Cats. Life is Good. Why, yes it is, especially when you have all those things!

 

I can not properly explain how much I love streets like this!

Top of a birdhouse. I would be pretty darn psyched if I was a bird.

Ha! A rather ineffective sign, it would appear

Free wireless with hookah session. Good to know.

The writing is on the wall. Even if it is a very small wall.

MUST. EAT.HERE.

Side of the wall of the above restaurant

Yes, please. Times 50,000.

Ha!!!!!! You want a piece of me? David’s ear, $29.99 Ha!(my father-in-law, shouldn’t that be van gogh? Double Ha!)

Fresh pita from local, organic ingredients. Just because I can’t eat this doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the awesomeness.

The sign is empty, but still so beautiful!

Thanks for coming on my happy trip today!

Read Full Post »

Ready? Aim…and shoot!

Meet ShutterCal – a really awesome day-in-the-life social photo calendar site. The goal is for people to shoot every day, post it on the site, and see what your year looks like. There is no general theme, just to keep shooting, and share what you find.

I’ve wanted to get in the habit of shooting every day, and always having a camera on me. The iPhone, and the built-in camera, definitely help, but I want to just get in the habit of playing with my camera daily. It will help me grow as a photographer, and I really love photography, why not make it part of my daily life?

So, I joined ShutterCal and will be posting daily photos there.

Now, this week (when I started), I cheated slightly because not all these pictures were taken this week. But all of them were photo-edited this week in some way. The pumpkins, cranberries and light fixture were all taken this week, and the San Pedro and mermaid pictures were modified using iPhone apps this week.

I’m excited for this, and to see what I find when I make photography a daily habit 🙂

My ShutterCal page is here:

http://shuttercal.com/calendar/FlyingMermaid/

 

Happy clicking 🙂

Read Full Post »