Birthday Girl!

This weekend is my baby niece's first birthday! Sadly, we don't live close enough for me to see them as often as I would like. Being far from family, and missing watching my nieces grow up are honestly the only things that ever make me want to leave Vancouver. I always hope that, despite the distance, I can be as close to them as I have been with my aunts.

So, Happy First Birthday Bear!! 

I love you (and those adorable little cheeks of yours)!!

Christmas 2009 - Olympus Pen F

Summer 2010 - Olympus Pen F

Summer 2010 - Olympus Pen F

Perfect Perfection

In my life, I have always been drawn to things that stand out, that are different, that "add character". I remember when I was a kid, there was a girl in my dance classes who had a very unique nose. While everyone else was making fun of it, I remember (even then), admiring it. I loved how different it was, how it looked like no one else's nose. It's the same with the type of men that I am attracted to... most would say that I have no clear "type" because I have dated (what seems like) everything under the rainbow; but actually, "my type" is men who have some character to their face... some "imperfection" that makes them unique. I especially hate those Gap ads about getting "Everyone in Cords" or "Everyone in Khaki"... I always think: "Why on earth would I spend that much money to look like everyone else??"

But there is a chink in my armour, an Achilles heel, a soft spot... it is my affinity for teeny, tiny, perfectly round berries! Especially if there is a bunch of them all clustered together, looking exactly like one another, no one standing out from the others. I just can't resist snapping a picture of those little spheres of perfect perfection.
Here, just a few of my favourite berry shots (just a few, trust me, there are more!)

Olympus Pen-f Shots

Pentax K1000 shots

This last shot is one of my absolute favourite photos

Lest we forget...

On this day of Remembrance we take a moment to honour all those who put their own lives in danger to save the lives of others. Those who left their families behind so that others could be with theirs. We say thank you to everyone who fought for freedom around the world. Regardless of your political or moral views surrounding war or the military, we all need to take a moment to appreciate the selflessness of so many people that have lived through and seen things that most cannot even imagine.
In honour of this Remembrance Day, a few photos of my brave and loving grandfather who landed in Holland on D-Day. I only wish that I also had a photo of my other grandfather who landed in France on D-Day, but who is sadly not with us anymore. On this day I cherish the memories that I have of both of them.

My Pa 

Pa with his great granddaughter

Spirit Day

In honour of Spirit Day today, and in the hopes that the irrational hatred and violence will stop, here is my purple...

Getting back to what matters...

I am facing some tough stuff right now at work that is taking time and energy away from what is really important and meaningful to me... teaching children. So when I am feeling like bureaucratic top-down decisions are taking away from my passion for my work, I need to take a moment to get back to what really matters... me and my students.
These photos were taken during a field trip last year that had no other purpose than to let us play and be together as a community. It was a spectacular day of laughter, learning, and discovery.
This group of photos also reminds me how this whole photography thing can be about more than just  learning to take good pictures, but also helping to stay grounded in reflection on myself and the world around me.

** This first photo was actually taken by a student who saw me playing around with my big old Pentax and started asking me questions (it looks so different than the mini digitals they are used to), so I gave him a quick lesson and this is what came out. Not bad at all actually :)

 All photos taken with my Pentax K1000

It's a small world after all...

Who doesn't love miniature things? They're cute, they can fit in your pocket, and they make for such great photo subjects! 

Dinosaurs in Portland! ~ Pentax K1000

Ghandi's mini-house ~ Pentax K1000

Public Art House ~ Olympus Pen F

Christmas Village ~ Olympus Pen F

The Secret Garden

This summer, I had the privilege of visiting the most amazing garden. A garden where flowers grow wild, and tower over you creating arches and secret passages. A garden where a crystal chandelier hangs inside an old wooden shed. A garden where gargoyles and Buddhas hide nestled among the bushes. A garden where cozy couches and over sized cushions create dens of conversation. A garden where it seems that, at any moment, a fairy tale may unfold before your eyes. A garden simply known as "Sue's Garden".

All photos taken with my Olympus Pen F