Glimpse of Sunshine

Monica: My parents attended the wedding and now are visiting us for a few days before they head back home to San Diego. I love sharing the favorite aspects of my life here with them—good food, scenic hiking spots, fun shops to explore, and the beauty of this rugged coast. Their presence is like sunshine to me, a nurturing warmth I can bask in.

Evelyn: Peeking sunshine, brightening up the world for brief moments between thunderous clouds and treacherous roads. It was a pleasant discovery as I climbed steps to a friend's house, watching yet another wet front barrel into Orlando.

Paused....

Between Evelyn moving to another place in Florida, and Monica attending one of her best friend's wedding, we are currently "paused" with our pictures. Rest assured we will be back with likely a weeks worth of images and thoughts... and we will space them out over several days. Check back Friday!

Behind the Scenes

Evelyn: All this work, and I couldn't help but to eat out. Exhausted, cooking didn't sound like a task I wanted. Instead, pancakes to get me on my way, and enormous gratitude for the friends who love me and took time in their day to help me get moved in, for the friend who stuck out 4 days, trapped in Clearwater as I unpacked and organized, for the breakfasts that nurtured the start of my day.

Monica: The bride with her bridesmaids waiting in a train car minutes before the wedding. She was calm, radiant, and so beautiful, anticipating the smiling face waiting for her at the end of the aisle. We all got to be there to shower her with love and laughter. It was a beautiful day.

Priorities

Monica: It's the day before the wedding and it's down to the wire. I've always teased Adriana about her "spreadsheets"—the pages of lists she keeps to stay organized and efficient, useful skills for an attorney. Today was no exception. As we sat in our spa pedicure chairs at the salon, she had her lists on hand to review and check off the things she'd done. She's always said that there's nothing quite so satisfying as scratching things off her to-do list. This is her way to relax before the wedding.

Evelyn: Priorities—what needs setting up before anything else in our new home—within the boundaries of the teenage cave? Computer and Rubik's cubes. 

Slants

Evelyn: I spent the night at Les & Delene's—enjoying the quiet—and eager to get to my place Thursday morning to unload and start putting all the pieces back where they belong in my new space. I couldn't quite get there until after beignets and coffee from the Dairy Inn. Yum!

Monica: I'm in Petaluma a few days early for my friends' wedding. This morning I helped the bride's mother with some decorations, then walked downtown for lunch and errands. I noticed this painted Coca-Cola ad on the side of a brick building, a sign of other times still lingering in the present.

Little Critters

Monica: A game of Wahoo! tonight and Ralphie fell fast asleep in mama's arms in the middle of the game. I couldn't resist snapping a photo of his sleeping little fox face.

Evelyn: Moving day spent filling the truck with boxes and furniture. While gathering up my chimes and patio ware, Nicole spotted my froggy friend—the one who loves to hang out on my office window when I work late at night, eagerly munching on the bugs that are attracted by the light over my desk. He has gotten fat, his round fingers long and cheery. I took a moment to wish him farewell—moving away from the late night lake sounds that have often put me to sleep. I will now have to make new froggy friends in Clearwater.

Bits of Glass

Evelyn: Wrapping up my life in Orlando, gathering hugs and farewells and last minute computer support for the road. As I take in my clients lives one last time (or what feel like a last time) I notice all kinds of little things that are picture worthy. While waiting for one of my favorites, I held the space to enjoy her gardens, full of little hints of her energy and world...literally.

Monica: Michael's daughter, Jesse, and her two adorable babies, Ralphie and Pearl, are visiting from Oregon this week. We took her to Glass Beach today, where we spent several hours sifting through beach glass and talking. Jesse has her dad's smile and gentle demeanor. I really enjoyed getting to know her better, and getting to know another side of Michael through her.

Ghostly

Monica: This evening I convinced Michael to join me on my photo walk, intending to take a favorite trail out to the bluffs north of Caspar Creek where we could sit and watch the sunset. He reminded me that there was an abandoned house hidden by overgrowth we had discovered a few weeks before, but hadn't explored yet. We headed there instead and were delighted to discover a treasure trove of eerie beauty. Mother Nature was slowly taking over the old house, tree roots unsettling its foundation, vines and foliage wrapping its frame. A collage of pages torn from fashion magazines papered the walls of an outbuilding which once might have been someone's art studio. The whole place had that wonderful wabi-sabi quality I love so much, the beauty of natural decay and disorder.

Evelyn: There is a spirit tree behind the Spiral Circle that has me intrigued. Hung with colors, ribbons, stones, yarn, and small ghostly colored cloth squares that are bundled at the end like fat, moaning faces, I have wondered just what that tree is really about. I want to unwrap those hanging men, check what is hidden in the bundles that look like heads, and listen for the whispers and wishes that put them there. Perhaps I should add my own bundle to that tree, with my own wishes for new connections and growth, before my parting from this little haven for creativity.

Sunday Flowers

Evelyn: I feel like I am saying goodbye to lots of things lately...and a trip to the Enzian for a movie and meal felt nostalgic. I will miss this theater, tucked into a little jungle of plants and oaks, where I've had a chance to enjoy foreign movies, something my family was good at exposing me to when I was a preteen, building a deep appreciation for entertainment that doesn't fall under the wings of "Hollywood." While admiring the oaks, the sun settling lower in the sky, I saw the little flowers attached to the spider plants in their gardens and let my mind climb down the small bulbs of blossoms, into the vegetation, and simmer myself in this little niche that houses one of my favorite theaters.

Monica: When I was in Spain last summer, there were fields & fields of sunflowers in bloom across the countryside. I regret not having had an opportunity to wander amongst them with my camera. I love how they are bold in color, fearlessly facing the sun and gentle in spirit, humbly bowed to the earth.

Whirl & Twirl

Monica: Every time I come across a banana slug, I simultaneously cringe with revulsion and lean in closer to get a better look at its intricate, slimy, malleable body. This one was twisted on the stem of a fern leaf, munching away.

Evelyn: I have held steady to my swing dancing and Saturday nights at Whirl & Twirl provide an evening of dancing with people I am now getting to know. Dancing with friends makes for a more lighthearted experience, trying out moves we have learned in previous weeks, fumbling through kicks and connections, and sometimes tripping on my own toes during a spin or two. What I notice is that what once felt like a great lead feels too routine, and what once felt like a weak lead—with all this practice—feels like a more playful and stable dance partner. I feel safe to try things out and make mistakes, and best of all, learn to trust in the hands of different people, each swing out, each turn, and each swivel, rock, triple, and laugh.

Disarray

Evelyn: Things are coming off the walls, the rooms a mass of tape and towers of cardboard... the process getting more serious and better organized. I am sure there is a light at the end of the tunnel—not sure how much more to go. As I look at the barren walls I am aware of just how much my art has made my space a cozy cocoon, vibrating with self expression and color.

Monica: I was blindsided this morning by a sudden fight with Michael that materialized out of nowhere and escalated into a riot of anger within seconds. He took off in the car and headed to town. I put on my hiking boots and headed into the forest. We so rarely fight, it's unsettling to us both when we do have an argument that sends us hurtling in opposite directions, stewing in our resentments. The stillness of the redwoods and the speckled light filtering down to the forest floor calmed me and cleared my head. Three hours later, I returned home ready to make peace; he was one step ahead of me. There on the dining table was his peace offering, a single giant sunflower in a blue vase. 

Outside

 
Monica: We took the day off and headed to Noyo Harbor for lunch on the wharf and a kayaking adventure on the Noyo River. It was a perfect day, sunny and (relatively) warm. We made our way up the remarkably quiet and serene river surrounded by redwoods, spruce, and fir trees. I soaked up the sunshine, the beauty, and the peace of it, trailing my fingers in the cool water, smiling all the way.

Evelyn: Tonight I went barreling into Crave for the Jaguar Club meeting, in place of my dad who is still traveling with Justin this summer. The breeze was picking up and it was obvious a storm was working its way closer, the light getting close to that warm evening yellow, and I was shocked that I could capture these tree blossoms despite the breeze.

Portraits of Sunshine

Evelyn: This is Adam. He is part of my Soulcare crew—someone with whom I can "share water" (comes from my Robert Heinlein days) and I love the way he articulates his world—his face a canvas of feelings and expressions that make him just fascinating, fun, playful, real, and connected. I am going to miss having easy access to my soul-group and I am excited for the ways they will continue doing the Artist's Way in Orlando. Meanwhile, I will take in the hugs till I have squeezed every last drop into my heart to carry to Palm Harbor.


Monica: I happened upon the Farmer's Market in Fort Bragg today, which I haven't visited since we first moved here. It was crowded and overpriced then, so I never made it a point to return. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the market had moved to a more open location and the produce and products were more reasonably priced. I enjoyed strolling through the market, checking out what's in season, the colors and shapes in baskets and bundles. I didn't think to take photos until I came across the sunflowers, my favorite. They are big, yet modest, and they radiate pure sunshine and joy.

Cherry Red, Sky Blue

Monica: Summer is at its peak, bursting with color, scent, flavor. My favorite fruits  are abundant at the market, and I've hardly washed them and set them in a bowl before they've nearly disappeared.

Evelyn: Something about the clouds and the warm sun through my open car window brought a trickle of tears to my eyes. The days have been pleasant, with blossoming clouds in the afternoon, and intermittent bursts of sun as the sky shifts and moves. I had a lot of help today to pack my kitchen and bathroom, but I still feel frazzled. The sun feels familiar, something that will follow me no matter where I go, dependable and consistent.