Saturday, March 31, 2012

Destruction


Evelyn: I took the man-boys to the beach, and unexpectedly Justin decided to participate in the building of moats, and tossing of sand-balls. I loved watching them goof around, and played right along, digging up a moat that formed a wonderful pool. As the boys tossed themselves to the waves, I watched as a couple jumped into our pool and proceeded to dig it deeper, building up the walls and pouring liquid sand into fabulous spires. I loved having Austin visit.

Monica: I knocked our DVD player off of its shelf while I was cleaning and it crashed upside-down onto the floor. I immediately knew it wouldn't be good and when I turned it on and pressed the eject button, it made a horrible grinding noise and the door opened only a half-inch. When Michael got home, I showed it to him and he set to work trying to fix it. When he opened up the case to reveal its inner workings, I flashed on some of my earliest childhood memories of watching my father at his computer desk, an array of motherboards and chips laid out before him, piecing them together. I remember being fascinated by what looked like miniature cities with tall buildings and small houses and tiny little cars traveling the streets of circuitry. I remember wanting to touch the little rubber-capped pieces that looked like M&Ms and my father exhorting "No toques!" (Don't touch it!), one of the few things he knew how to say in my mom's native tongue. I don't see these inner workings of technology so much anymore, so I was filled with a renewed sense of awe at the complexity and detail residing inside my DVD players. Who knows whose hands put this machine together, with what care and precision? It's good to be reminded that even inanimate objects carry a bit of the souls of their makers. 

Friday, March 30, 2012

Cracked & Swung


Monica: One of the maintenance guys was weeding around the Red House when the weed whacker kicked up a pebble and shattered one of the double-glass sliding doors on the patio. Over the next hour, the glass crackled outward from the original point of damage, creating a beautiful web of crystalline cracks. By the late afternoon, the bottom half of the glass had shattered into a myriad glittering bits while the top half held on. I've been feeling half cracked myself, what with the overwhelm of learning a new job and adjusting to a new lifestyle. This reminds me that there's beauty even in the broken bits.

Evelyn: I went out to a live band (I think they were called the Red Hot Hornets) for a live swing thing in downtown St. Pete. I had the kidlet and Austin along, and found myself up until 1 am waiting for them to emerge from the 10pm showing of "Hunger Games." A win-win for all, as I got to dance under the stars.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Is It Time?

Evelyn: Gizmo is notorious for letting us know when it is time for bed. He sneezes at you, and stares back at the bedroom or bed until you "get the picture" and join him for "nite nite." If you neglect listening, eventually he crawls in without you.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Matchbox


Evelyn: I picked up these little matchbox "wish-boxes" at Ybor's Nude Nites earlier this month. Inside it is filled with trinkets and sparkles and a small message of fortune. I loved them, intending to bring one back to Monica in April. The curator of the show made hundreds of them, for purchase, and I loved walking away with a momento of the experience and the delicate small images of women, real, imperfect, and round.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Little Bird


Evelyn: Monica and I have been sharing an art book in which we write and play and mail it back and forth. I have had it for quite a while, and spend more time looking through it than adding to it lately. I have a trip planned to Wilbur to see her, and I think I will save the postage and bring it along.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Brussels

Evelyn: One of our favorite foods, brussel sprouts in a roasting pan, seasoned with garlic and onions. Brussels are beautiful.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Hearts and Webs


Moncia: Starting from here. It's been a little over a month since we moved here and to be honest, it's been a challenging transition to this new life. Ever since packing up and moving from Caspar, I have neglected my daily photography practice, maybe out of a need to just be in the present moment rather than capture it. I've been missing my practice, though. My life feels out-of-sorts, unsettled, disorganized, drifting. It has been too many months living out of boxes, not having a space to settle into and make my own. I see the beauty around me, this new landscape of rolling hills and vast golden valleys. There are incredible vistas and colorful flowers I've never met before, an infinity of stars in the night sky and a jackrabbit who crosses our path and leads us home each night. I will do what I can to settle myself and practice going with the flow.

Evelyn: Hiking during the mid-morning through John Chestnut Park. These colorful, iridescent, and busy spiders were strewn about along paths and foliage. Quite lovely, really. The company just as colorful and curious.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Kiss Through the Fence


Evelyn: Leaving my dad's place, returning home, I was stricken by the grazing cows just outside his community. As soon as I walked up with my camera she wanted to offer up a kiss through the fence, galloping toward me, with a look of eager enthusiasm. I felt bad I hadn't brought a carrot or apple.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Chluck, Chluck


Evelyn: I like peppers, but they don't like me. I can appreciate the crisp beauty of a succulent warm pepper. Jamie had me over for hugs and conversation. I watched as she carefully prepared her meals for the next day. These peppers sounded yummy while she chopped and talked.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Three


Evelyn: I am sometimes amazed at the resilience and tenaciousness of these tiny blossoms between rotting grass and curbside cement.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Warm


Evelyn: It's late. At my desk I give myself a shot or two. I see the slow process of aging in my face, the shifting texture of my skin, the small lines around my eyes. Regardless, it doesn't change the internal, warm, moving spirit under my skin.

Monday, March 19, 2012

A Little Prep


Evelyn: I had left Justin everything he needed to start a pot of Lentils when he got home. I have had some LONG days, and he is home mid-afternoon. Spices, bay leaves, lentils, pot filled with chopped veggies and water.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Yumminess


Note: there is definitely a challenge with working from the past... I somehow missed posting the 18th diptych, and so here we are out of order, in order, in the past!

Evelyn: Tonight was a half/half single scoop of Captain's Butterscotch crunch and dark chocolate at the Sweet Spot, our little dive that lets us order until 10pm. I took the boys for a long walk with Gizmo along Honeymoon Island, and after our walk we ran ourselves over to sweet yumminess!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Start of Something Beautiful


Evelyn: I took myself outside today, and started in on a canvas. I haven't painted in months, and the feel of paint under my brush, the long strokes and bright colors, the burbles and hiccups of a tube being coaxed to let just a bit more out... all filled me with a warm hum of self gratification. This piece is headed with me to work, to hang on a wall in a VERY big, WHITE, artless, windowless, florescently lit office. I can hardly wait.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Fallen


Evelyn: My flowers are quickly coming to their end, and the fallen petals, a colorful reminder that every moment holds something to be taken in, tasted, savored, enjoyed. I didn't realize how extraordinary Tulips were until I got two dozen of them.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Roll Over and Wake Up!


Evelyn: First storm clouds I have seen in MONTHS! I took this in the dark... the sun's final splash of light on a few clouds and a LONG exposure. Looks like those thunder clouds are rolling over and waking up in the distance. I was pleased to fall asleep to the sound of drizzles and rumbles.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Long Dry Spring


Evelyn: I have to get to work early. This is what I call the "butt crack of dawn." We have had a fairly uneventful winter... more like a long dry spring right out of autumn. What I notice today is the gentle draw of humidity that makes the world look like the dry ice machine has been humming along in the fields on the way to work. I like the early morning drive, cool and peaceful before the pang of cars eagerly compete for asphalt and distance.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Hammering Time


Evelyn: He sits at the kitchen table, a remnant of a "crappy meal" I was inclined to grab with my program directors as a desperate meal. Every time I sit down and even slightly bump the kitchen table I hear, "Uuuughaaaargh.. It's hammering time!"

Monday, March 12, 2012

Speckles of Beauty


Evelyn: New friendship... two sets of flowers, each to a different campus, and I am awash with speckles of beauty in the space I find myself in more hours of the day than not.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Scattered



Scattered. I know that is the feeling Monica has right now, unsure of which direction, a winding, plummetting, mass of learning and movement. Yet, nothing stays scattered, as things eventually need to come to a place of rest and knowing, and those birds will settle themselves and take in the rest of the world.

 (This is Monica's image) - Somehow I failed to take a picture (goodness! I ACTUALLY MISSED ONE!!!)

Friday, March 9, 2012

Friendly Faces


Evelyn: I would have titled this one "Bar Friends." I attended the "Quit This Job" party for a co-worker and enjoyed the banter, antics, singing, and general drunkenness of her friends (and even a few bystanders).

(So grateful for one of Monica's pictures - I recognize that her adjustment has been a bit hard, but she still never ceases to amaze me with her photographs)

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Monica Update - April 9


It's been awhile now that my voice and vision have been absent from this blog. I just wanted to post an update to let you all know I'm alive and well and working my way back to being present here. Michael and I spent the first two months of 2012 traveling across the country and down to Mexico before we returned to California at the end of February to begin the transition into our new life as General Managers at Wilbur Hot Springs.

It has been a particularly challenging transition for me thus far. I've been experiencing a sort of culture shock all around: moving to a remote off-the-grid location, learning to manage a big operation, living out of boxes indefinitely, and generally feeling like there isn't enough time in the world to do everything that needs to get done. It's all very new to me and a huge shift from my relatively predictable and tranquil life in Mendocino. Thus, in all of the upheaval of this transition, my camera has been gathering dust in a corner.

I realize that I need to maintain some kind of creative outlet in order to keep my sanity, so I've dusted off the camera and have been taking photos again every day since April 1.  I'm doing my best to maintain my practice and being kind to myself when I just can't do it. I am still very much in a state of adjustment to this new life and trying to figure out how to keep my balance.

Thank you, dear readers, for your patience and support of this little blog. And thank you, Evelyn, for keeping up the blog on your own while I've been learning out how to ride these waves of change.

~ Monica

P.S. The above is a photo I took of the Wilbur valley from a mountain above. Isn't it lovely?

Stunner


Evelyn: I get quite a response from this necklace pretty regularly. It is a stunning little swirl of glass and I finally found a great black cord to hang it from. People often think I spent lots on it, and Michael's carried for less than $5 - little Miss Frugal!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Sitting On a Wire


Evelyn: Full moon, huge and low in the sky. I love when I have the opportunity to see it before it rises high and bright in the sky. It sat between the wires, like a night bird, balanced and quiet.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Ybor Glass


Evelyn: Once again, enthralled with the details of Don Vicente in Ybor City. The colors and details a lovely distraction when I need a moment to rest.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Warm Sun

Evelyn: Sometimes I barely get out of work and have a glimpse of the subtle beauty of a trashed out back lot at that warm sunset moment, and I gasp just a little. Nature sure does paint a pretty picture, regardless of how we choose to decorate.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Bite of the Day


Evelyn: Justin and I took the day to go to New College in Sarasota and check things out. I fell in love with the school, its way of functioning, the flexibility to follow ones interests, and the hippie-encouraging-bare-footed-free-love feeling of the staff and students. Going through the marine biology labs I was drawn in by endless oddities.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Humanity

Evelyn: Eventually I wrote on his wall... an invitation to share ways in which labels have impacted me personally. I wish I had photographed my message, as the following night the board was clear of all messages and a fresh face and topic stood. However, what I remember in that heartfelt moment; "I fear the judgement and scrutiny of others, however I am more fearful of my own self-judgement. It takes more courage to face that fear and love myself just as I have been created... than to live with the judgement of others."