The Great Pumpkin

Dear Great Pumpkin,
I'm looking forward to your arrival on Halloween night. I hope you will bring me lots of presents. You must get discouraged because more believe in Santa Claus than you. Well, let's face it...Santa Clause has had more publicity. But being number two, perhaps you try harder. Everyone tells me you are a fake but I believe in you.
P.S. If you really are a fake, don't tell me. I don't want to know.

"On Halloween night the Great Pumpkin rises out his pumpkin patch and flies through the air with his bag of toys for all the good little children. Wouldn't you like to sit with on Halloween night in the pumpkin patch and wait for the Great Pumpkin?"

"Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere with presents for all the children of the world. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see."

Alien Jerky

I just couldn't resist stopping in Baker for this shot.  I knew it would probably be the last time I passed through (although, I just remembered one more trip to LA) so I figured I pick up some Alien Jerky, just to say I did.  If you know me, you know I love kitsch and this is about as good as it gets.  

FYI, I didn't buy the jerky (I've been spoiled by the local jerky boys at Jo Jo's Jerky, it's amazing), but I did by garlic and onion flavored pistachios (I used the bathroom, so I felt obliged).

Parting Shot from Irwin

Good-Bye, Ft. Irwin...this is the way I will always remember you.  It would have been nice to have working toilets while I was there but...whatever.

I'd Rather Be...Texting a Boyfriend

I sweet talked this awesome Marine into being one of my subjects for my thesis project!  She was so great!!!  :D
Thanks, Laura

Tank at Twilight

I was enjoying the magnificent twilight hour tonight.  The sky is beautiful shades of blue, vanilla and pink and suddenly this tank comes cruising through the desert leaving a dust trail behind him like a teenager with a new convertible.  It really is an image of boys and their toys because what you can't really see here is that it is two guys sitting in that turret.  I imagine they are smiling as they take this baby top speed, they probably don't know I'm even watching...

Hermit Crab Tanks

As I watched this endless line of tanks "moving out" today I squinted my eyes and imagined them as tiny hermit crabs running across the sand on the beach.  So, squint your eyes and try to imagine the same thing...that this dirt is really sand and the blue sky is really the blue ocean and these massive tanks are really hermit crabs, moving along, across the sand...

Cool Toys

Here's one of the MANY cool toys I've seen today.  I thought it would be fun to share.  I would have given anything to have had one of these in hot pink when I was a teenager...ok, now too...FUN!

Fitness Center

Yes, I'm still embracing banality...can you tell?  I constantly find myself looking at everyday places thinking about how it would look through my lens at different lights.  This particular image would be much less interesting in daylight, it's amazing how the lines pop in the darkness.  I really enjoy scenes like this, dimly lit, lots of rectangles and a destination that forces my eyes to travel down the sidewalk.  When you pass an everyday place tomorrow, imagine how it would look at night, or at sunset...would it be more interesting?  

Embracing Banality

As an artist I feel that it's important (for me) to explore every genre of photography as I also explore every part of myself.  I was researching banality in photography and found this great article, "Embracing Banality" and wanted to share: http://photoartsmagazine.blogspot.com/2012/07/embracing-banality.html
It's hard to take pretty pictures when you don't feel pretty...although, I found it rather easy to embrace my banal side today because I feel crummy.  I have a nasty cold, my eyes are tired, my butt is sore from sitting in a cheap rental car for 4 hours driving through the desert, it's windy and cold (did I say I hate wind?) and I am ready for my NyQuil and a junky magazine now.  When you're feeling crummy why not explore your own banality?  It's something...right?

Arts District The Attic

Here's another image from our local Arts District.  It's the original home of The Attic, before it was destroyed and left for dead by the local energy company (apparently).  What I find remarkable, is that in the year this has been here, no one has tagged it or graffitied it in any way (save the original sign on top).  In a town rich with graffiti artists, there seems to be a sort of respect for another artists' work.  Interesting...love it!

Meet Dolly

Who doesn't love a petting zoo?  This is Dolly, the very fat but adorable sheep.  She was one of a dozen of friendly animals at a birthday party today.  I wish adult birthday parties had baby animals, ponies, sheep, goats and funny looking chickens, no fair!  The people who ran this gig truly loved their animals and I can tell you that the animals loved them too.  As soon as the woman stepped away, Dolly here began to bleat as if to say, "come back, where are you going?"  She stared at her just like my dog stares at me when I walk away, it was pretty sweet.  Enjoy an animal near you soon, they make you smile!

Bowling

I'd Rather Be....Bowling!  That was today's assignment anyway.  I think it turned out great, I love how Casey looks like she's actually having fun here, in spite of the fact that her fingers are killing her after 20 takes with a 16lb ball!  I have the most amazing friends.  ;)

Wishes

Photography really is capturing light...not much more than that.  Art is capturing light with intention.  I saw this dandelion in the setting sun tonight and it actually grabbed me.  I felt so compelled to photograph it, with all the intention it deserved.  What a beautiful thing nature is, so sweet and so strong in the same wind.  In case you're wondering, I didn't pick it, I wanted to leave this wish for someone else.  I have so many fulfilled already, it felt greedy.

My Distraction

What do you do when you "should" be doing something else?  I do really cool things like clean house or read...oooooh, I'm living by the seat of my pants, I know it!  Ok, sometimes, when I'm really feeling wild, I cook.  Here's my reading pile du jour...yes, I have devoured each one this week alone and I'm hungry for more...in spite of my workload at both um, work, and 3 classes, shit.  But, it's reading, how that's a good thing, right?  What's your distraction?

PS. I have even contemplated taking a bath to avoid schoolwork but just can't bring myself to enjoy that level of relaxation.  It's too decadent!  

Buy Local

I love the Farmers Market in the Fall.  The weather is perfect to sit outside and enjoy some yummy local fare.  After a delicious, fresh salad we rocked out the hulu hoops for a while and then she got a shave ice to go...and we happily walked home.  Tonight, she said, "Thanks, Mom, for the best day ever."  How awesome is that?

Sandcastles

Shane woke up to a view of Haystack Rock this morning, which inspired me to post an image I took the last time we were at Cannon Beach, OR.  I love a cool beach...the kind that you inhabit year round, even if it's cold, you just throw on your slickers and rain coat and go walk the dog anyway.  You can sit around a bonfire at night and enjoy the sounds of the ocean...I long for it.  Here's an image I want to share, I'm not the only one who loves wet sand!  

I'd Rather Be...Swimming

What would you rather be doing?  To be completely honest, I love being in my kitchen with my little cherub.  It is one of my happy places.  However, for the sake of my homework assignment, I chose to be swimming instead.  Too bad there's no water around here!

Art District Vacancy

It might be cheesy, but I love the posterize effect on this one.  It's the arts district, what better place to posterize?!  This is a sad but strong message that resonates from the local artists..."Never Stop Fighting" is what is felt among so many "off the strip" artisans.  It's sad to see vacant galleries, but when you drive around the corner, many more appear to be opening.  One block away sometimes can mean the difference in this town (in any town, really).  I hope these folks keep fighting and find their bliss eventually.  For now, I'm still a fan.

"Playing Tennis"

Here's yet another image for my "I'd Rather Be..." series called "Playing Tennis."  I'm not loving it but it's a good test shot for what can be...  In all honestly, this one should be called "behind the camera" instead!  Ha!

6 Going On 16

Isn't life funny, your whole childhood you ache to be older and most of your adulthood you long to be younger...aren't we ever happy?  This is the perfect example of 6 going on 16...what's next?  The years fly by and I truly embrace every minute of it (now that we are past that sucky 3 and under phase).  It's fun to watch your mini-me reveal more about yourself each day.  It's eerie and remarkable all at once.  Here she's talking to her grandma instead of a boy...but I'm sure that time will come soon enough.  For now, I'm enjoying the 6 yr old moments, they are pretty awesome.