all i had hoped for.

all i had hoped for i kept inside your car the rabbit in the barn most of all i wait i wait beside the door i wait beside the door all i was wrong trembling in the cage i was diamonds in the cage in seven hours i consider death and your father called to yell at me you little boy you little boy found out you cheated me i ran behind the barn and cut my hands somehow blood in the meadowlark i punched your ears instead i punched you in the head you only laughed and laughed and laughed how i was wrong tingling from the kill tickle me until you devil bird you evil still slept on my arms i was sleeping in the sill i was sleeping in the room with you you little boy you little boy how could you run from me now the loneliest chime in the house the loneliest chime in the house you let it out you let it out come to me calvary still i'm weeding and raking until i'm bleeding in spite of my love for you it bruised and bruised my will counting alluvial plains the breathing inside of the range you touched me inside of my cage beneath my shirt your hands embraced me come to me feathered and frayed for i am the ugliest prey for i am the ugliest prey the owl the reckless reckless praise you said you'd wait for me down by tannery creek far out by the roadside where we used to kiss behind the sheets wrapped in a blanket of red the owl and the tanager said the owl and the tanager said one waits until the hour is death.

be still my heart.

i had the most wonderful surprise awaiting me the other day.  almost nothing compares to an unexpected package or letter on your doorstep. {and sufjan always amazes me with his cover art.}

"we were laughing, i think."

he broke his own heart and I watched as he tried to reassemble it.

Here are some recents of a couple of cute munchkins. I have continued to stick to just photographing friends and friends of friends. I keep saying I will "advertise" myself and try to really do this but I feel self-conscious about putting it out there that I think I am good enough to do this as a business. So, practice more I will.

Lately I have been craving some home-time. I seem to be so busy lately that I almost never just come home and breathe in the quiet. Part of this can be blamed on my running group. It is totally paying off though, my fastest run time this weekend was a 9.3 minute mile and tonight was 9.4. We were a little slower because Mondays are hill night {aka hell night}. My butt was happily kicked.

Oh, and I have to share my new camera bag. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. So girly. So me.

 {I will look great hiking around the wildlife refuge and tall-grass prairie with this the next couple of weekends}

Sufjan...

"Come with me my love to the sea, the sea of love."

I remember you sweet-talking to me beneath the strung up lights.

This mutt has been jumping the fence. The six-foot fence. She learned how over the summer at doggie camp. It is a good story I should share but the highlight is her hopping the fence and stopping to pick up her bag of food before heading down the road towards home. {I just see her as the kid with a bag on a stick running away} Now she just does it for sport or to show us she can. Thankfully all she does is run around to the front to sit on the porch. Love this dog.

I have super slacked on learning how to use Photoshop.  Now I have no excuses after my Barnes & Noble day.  I should be dedicating Christmas break to reading through these during the day.  I can't be legit until I really know how to use Photoshop.

And, I also got this journal to start keeping photography ideas in.  It has tab dividers and pockets throughout to keep me better organized.

last one...


what I love today:

• the snow on Christmas day
• my hair is now chocolate brown/red
• acoustic guitars
• Christmas break

"I didn't say my girl, I said my woman."

{another.}

"I'll never know the man who loved me."

let's dialog.

Yesterday I spent half the day at Barnes and Noble. I had my annual Starbucks hot chocolate {thanks Michael} and looked at books for hours and hours. I can't imagine a world without books, especially hardbacks.

The line for Nooks was insane. I am not a fan. I put a couple of books on my iPad and didn't see the appeal except maybe it would be good for trips.  I can't see replacing actual books with online copies. I would miss the feel, weight and smell of the real thing.

Books + Christmas Music + Books + Hot Chocolate + Books = Utopia

So, the other day I shared my favorite classic Christmas song. Well, this is my favorite non-traditional Christmas song. This song drips magic to me.



"How was I so lucky to have found you?"

{today I will breathe}.

And this is why I love Sirius.




"I'll do anything for you. I did everything for you."

where was I to get the training?

Lots of good information here... you always need a cape option.  ;)


"I'd swim across lake Michigan..."

What I'm listening to lately...

"I feel strange!" - Asian girl next to me when she realized her shirt was on backwards