Dear Spring

Dear Spring,

Where have you been? They say you'll be here soon, but there are always rumors. I've seen you lurking behind the corner; looked for your footprints in the ground even. The birds have been making quite a noise, and they rarely spread idle gossip. You'll admit I've been patient, entertaining your friend Winter beyond what is deemed cordial in polite society. You have to agree that he's sometimes the reckless guest who stays too long at a party, wearing a lampshade on his head and making the hosts nervous about the china.

But for you, we're prepared, and even hope for a long visit. Linger a while, and we'll spend long evenings quietly discussing the latest blossoms, the cloud patterns, and even silently share a thunderstorm or two. Show me all of your latest projects; I promise we won't get bored.

So, we're waiting. I've had my hair done and painted my nails for you, and it isn't nice to keep a girl waiting.

All my love,

Rita

Rainy Day

It's a rainy day here, so my husband took me to the nursury where we could dream of spring a little.

And then he took me to Nazareth, where I had the best lunch I've had in weeks. The fries are amazing, and I've finally found a place that means spicy when they say spicy.

I hope you're having a splendid weekend!

Red

The good people at Midwest Photo Exchange have frequent contests on Facebook around a specific theme. I love red. I wanted to shoot something new, but ran out of time, so I went through the archives and found these contenders.

What exemplifies "red" for you?

The Food Issue

Well, my friends, I've been shooting a lot of food this week. You'd think I wouldn't be hungry anymore, right? Wrong. Here are some of the contenders for my final project.*

*Pie curtesy of my talented mother-in-law.

Patience

Over the holidays, when visiting my family in Vermont, I was chatting with my Mom while she washed the dishes (by hand; she likes washing dishes by hand.). I watched, mesmerized, as she washed each individual fork, spoon, knife and plate carefully, rinsed it, placed it in the rack, then rinsed it again while carrying on the conversation. She did this so patiently and deliberately.

I look at myself and wonder, was I adopted? Patience is not my finest virtue. And I'm learning this, one shot at a time, with photography. I see what I want in my head and rush things to get a less-than-perfect shot. And I'm learning that sometimes when you do things to simply check them off the list (and you know how fond of lists I am), that you scrimp on quality. I like my work to reflect harmony and excellence. I like creating things that surpass even my own expectations.

So, I can't do everything with an eye to perfection or I would accomplish nothing. Where's the balance?

More Food

Today is my sister Marie's birthday. An adventurer with an open mind and an open heart, she is also my friend. Marie, I made you a brownie. Happy birthday!

I'm also still getting ready for my final photography project. I had intended to shoot a lot of food over the weekend, starting with the brownies. I tried a "guilt-free" recipe, and when they emerged from the oven, I decided that the words guilt-free and brownies just don't belong in the same sentence. Rather than brownies, I made chocolate crackers. A second (very guilty) batch proved much more sanguine.

In any case, you can see my weekend diet was interesting.

Food Photography

I'm getting ready for my pre-final project in my photography class, which is a promotion piece for my portfolio. This could be either a postcard (which I love, because you can stick it on your refrigerator with a magnet) or a website slideshow (which is quite easy in the newest PhotoShop). I've been looking at my photos and trying to determine which could best exemplify my "style." But I'm also still working on getting the best shots possible for my final project, which is five big prints. My focus has been food, and while I eat every day, not everything I eat makes a beautiful image.

So I'm looking for some ideas again. What do you consider the beautiful foods? When you look at food magazines, what catches your eye? Is it the food itself, or the way it is styled? While I tend to prefer the more natural look (I don't plan on using motor oil for syrup), I'm open to ideas.

Breaking the Rules

I’m going to state the obvious here. Perhaps overstate it because it’s something that’s always interested me. I’ve always found comfort in this simple fact; there are right and wrong ways of doing things. All of Western Civilization is loosely based on this premise. Entire institutions of higher education have thrived for centuries based on it. Piles and piles of books are dedicated to the study of etiquette, electronics, economics, nutrition, canning fruit and getting dressed. We give high honors to those who have excelled in mastering and improving upon life’s little rules … and yet there are also those rebel geniuses who have risked life and limb, or maybe merely public ridicule, rejected the rules and created a new way of doing things. Not all of the rebels have been brilliant, but the ones who make it into the history books show us a new way of looking at the world with their art, poetry, cuisine, and music. This gives me a sense of cognitive dissonance. As much as I embrace the rules, I love those who break them from time to time. The calculating risk-takers. So, dedicate your weekend to breaking a few rules. Just don’t hurt anyone.

Begin

Have a happy St. Valentine's Day, everyone!