Picture Window

We like to have a large window in the living room so we can connect with the world out there.  It is a must.  We gather around it like a warm campfire.  I like to take pictures near it too.  It casts a nice, soft light that can make it very easy to get great portraits.  The picture above though, was not so easy to get.  Modern cameras are great.  They allow you to take a decent picture in a lot of situations that were very challenging not long ago.  In the picture above, I knew that the camera would either expose for the tree outside, leaving a completely black subject, or expose for the subject leaving the outside almost completely white.  If I remember correctly, I focused on him, recomposed, and told the camera to overexpose by one stop.  What I was trying to do was not lose any detail outside, or on him.  I moved some sliders in Lightroom to pull the outside back a bit and him up a bit.  The result is what I was imagining when I took the picture.

When I was learning this, long before digital, I had to take the pictures, trying over and under exposing by what I thought was the right amount, and then wait until I had the money to process the film.  Next time you have a picture with both really bright, and really dark, try over or under exposing.  (It might be +/- EV on your camera.)  Just look at what you get on the back of the camera.  It’s free.

Eric

 

Tidbits

“MM l’mmcmfmcmfpkn”, Emerson’s typing in the “Notes” section of my phone.  He keeps looking at what I’m typing here, comparing.  Sunlight is streaming in through the east facing, sliding glass door.  Iliana is still sleeping.  It’s 8:24 am.

We had chocolate cereal for breakfast.  It’s Friday.  It’s healthy, chocolate cereal.  Do you believe me? I had like 4 bowls.  It was on sale.  Emerson filled his bowl to almost overflowing with just milk.  He’d already had two bowls of the cereal.  He practices more restraint (at least when it comes to the cereal I guess, but NOT when it comes to milk…all kinds, hence my need for 4 bowls of cereal.)

Today, we’ll maybe go to the big, library in the middle of town.  It has a much larger section of beginning reader, Berenstain bear books, current favorites.  We’ll try to find anything with a truck, tractor, or train in it, for Emerson.

I’ve totally gotten back into Instagram.  Hashtags!  Totally, old news for some of you (sorry!).  I’ve been so inspired by #creativeexchange, #DMlivingwithkids, #30minutesketch, #handmadestationary, to name a few.  You can now see me on Instagram, I’m instagram@blossomingtwigs, or view photos in the sidebar of my blog (for those of you new to it, click on a photo and it will pop into full screen.  You can only comment though if you’re an instagram user, so become one, it’s fun!).  Other news on the blog, I updated my about me page a couple months ago now (really, that long ago?), so check that out too.  I’m slowly working on redesigning the home page, hence just the title “blossoming twigs” for now.

I just got back from a short break at the “water cooler”, I mean front window.  It’s trash truck and compost truck day here in our neighborhood.  The guy had to get out of the truck to throw in the compost bags, an added bonus, to just the mechanical arm that grabs, lifts and dumps the plastic container with wheels.  Emerson found it pretty cool and imitated the man using his arms to throw the bags in.  Now we’re back to me typing, nursing and pretty soon, needing 4 more bowls of cereal.  Ah, motherhood.

We have spinach growing, it’s almost 2 inches tall.  We also have snap peas that are just breaking ground.  We’ve planted romaine lettuce, carrots, and endive.  I think some of the endive is coming up, but one day I forgot to water, and it was hot.  We may just have one of those.  I think the lettuce will fair better, it’s more protected.

I’m totally at a loss for things to cook for breakfast, so if anyone has any ideas, pleeeease send help, (in the form of the comment section below, please, I beg you).  If I eat one more piece of toast with almond butter I will never eat toast again or almond butter, just chocolate cereal, and that won’t be good for anyone.

It’s now 9:22 am.  Iliana is still sleeping, but surely not for much longer.  My computer power is at 21% (not plugged in).  I MUST bid you all adieu.

Have a glorious weekend.

Kristin

 

Personality

– Eric

Vroom!

Inspired by the auto racing we watched, maybe? Hopefully not inspired by the way I drive. Either way, when you are 2, you have to be fast to keep up with your 5 year old sister.

-Eric

Lost and Found

These sunglasses were sitting on the bench where we had our snack, before going to the hardware store on Sunday. They look like they might fit her in ten years.  Or twenty. It was difficult for Iliana to leave them, but she did. The candy in the checkout line is a different story.

-Eric

He turned 2

He turned 2 a couple weeks ago now.  He makes me laugh everyday, this morning it was his (kind of) play, intense embrace and stern face when I said I would need to leave for a few hours.  Later I smiled as we released him to walk with his sister a few doors down, to see if her friend was home.  Oh, the freedom and confidence he felt, and how his big sister held his hand.  We stayed in the front yard watching them go.

Having reached the 2 milestone, I see shifts happening in him and me.  He’s surprised himself by saying or extending certain words.  “Lou lou”, our cat, is now “Louie”, as in he points to a scratch on his knee and with a look of concern says “Louie” (though I’m pretty sure Lewis did not scratch him).  When I offered him crackers the other day, he communicated with “ah, ah” and “mm, mm”, a movement of his hand and then out came “bowwl”.  I was delighted as was he, and I could see in his face that he’d just said what he was thinking, and how satisfying it was to communicate what he wanted.

Emerson’s birthday sign. He pointed to it and smiled.

In myself, I’ve noticed little bits of clarity arising and naturally stepping back (a bit).  When both my children reached the age of 1, I experienced such relief that they made it, I made it, we all made it.  2 definitely incurs another level of deep breathing but introspective rather than survival.

We read car and truck books every night.  He points them out in the background of books, in places I don’t notice at first, and he hears them, his ears so attuned to their sounds.  He quickly runs to the window.  Today, he asked me about the “guc” that had been on the street for the last 3 days, the blue truck belonging to the arborist working on our neighbor’s tree.  He did that same face of concern, showing that he missed that truck and why was it gone?

I find myself smiling lately.  I watch him run out the door, right behind his sister, running to meet their Papa at the car.  I see him running with his sister down the sidewalk, his bright, blond hair flying.  I see him jumping, dancing, hitting the table in time to a folky and sweet musical video in which a family plays music altogether, he’s feeling so moved that he’s got to express it anyway he can.

I’m happy he’s 2.

Rrrrrrrrrrr!

This one’s a tiger.  Watch out!

Have a good weekend (and look out for wild animals!!!!!)

Kristin

I See You!

(Trying something new, hopefully a post once a week from Eric, of a photo he’s taken over the weekend or from the last week.  Enjoy!  Kristin)

Yes, hiding, and being found, is VERY fun for an almost 2 year old!

Eric

Taking stock

Catching up a bit about the end of 2014.  OVERWHELM.  The long saga of moving house and an intense multitude of events leading up to 2015:  my 40th birthday, Christmas, a 5 year old who truly understood the nuances of the holidays (Santa!), the start of Eric’s new job, the 10 year anniversary of my mother’s death, and the surprising, but not unexpected, passing of my 87 year old spiritual teacher.

Shri Parthasarthi Rajagopalachari passed away on December 20, 2014.  He became my mentor in 2000, during my first trip to India, when I went in search of a living Master.  He has been a constant source of inspiration, guidance, and love for me all these years.  I’ve traveled to India many times to be in his presence, as well as to other parts of the world and within the US.  He is and will continue to be greatly missed.

August 2013 – Mannapakkam, India

I almost have nothing to say after that.  The above photo brings back such tenderness for me.  The opportunity to have my children be with him, remarkable.  It’s true that once you become a mother, all you want is for your children to do well, be whole, confident, and have the best start in life.  Giving them spirituality as something that can comfort them in times of need, support them in the material aspects of life, oh, all this provides me some reassurance that life may be a little easier for them.

As the end of January quickly approaches, I have yet to really take stock, sit down and envision what possibilities are ahead, soon soon.

Now let’s go unpack one more box, shall we?

Hot Chocolate

“May I have more marshmallows?”

“No.”

“Just two?”

“No.”

“One?”

“No.”

“A half?”

“No.”

Laughter and then I gave her two.

 

Happy Friday everyone!