I can still see the stars.

Two weeks ago, I went to the Hillsboro Farmer’s Market with my camera and a simple mission:  to take photos of people I didn’t know.  I didn’t really know how to go about it and felt some butterflies, but I knew that I wanted to be able to take pictures of life where I found it, and sometimes that’s in people I don’t know.

It was a hot morning and there was so much life and energy around the fountain, I started there:

And then this dad caught my eye:

There was something so alive and vibrant in these moments that I wanted to share what I saw with him.  So, I gathered up my courage and went over and introduced myself, telling him that I thought I had some fun shots of him swinging the girls through the fountain, and offering to share the images with him.

We struck up a conversation, and soon, instead of taking pictures of “people I don’t know,” I was taking pictures of Mark & Kristy & their adorable twin girls:

What says summer like small girls in big towels?

Thank you, Mark & Kristy!  I’m so happy that I took a chance, venturing out with my camera, and offering to share what I saw with you.

Life is good.

Full gallery here:  https://kathyattheranch.com/portfolio/mark-kristy-at-the-hillsboro-farmers-market/

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”  — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Brother David Steindl-Rast, in speaking on spirituality and mystery, said:

Are you living moment by moment  trying to grasp something  and take hold of it and having your plans and your own ideas and concepts? Or are you going into every moment and allowing life to move you deeply, to touch you? …if we are in the moment and open ourselves to life and keep our eyes and ears and all our senses open to ‘what is life giving me at this present moment? What is life saying to me? What is life expecting from me?’ That is living the spiritual life.

What life gave me this morning was the simple joy of watching Eleanor practice her cartwheels:

And the opening, for me to practice/play at photography as Eleanor practiced/played at cartwheels.

Thank you, Eleanor.  It was grand.

I knew early on that my only outing today was going to be a trip to the hospital, where my job was to look after Leah, while baby Carter had a weigh-in & once over.  So, I told Leah we were going to 1) ride the elevator, 2) have a snickety snack, and 3) take a picture.  We hit all three targets, and unexpected bonus:  still had time to watch people get on and off two different buses.

When I saw this doctor in his scrubs, with the blue umbrellas outside the window,  and his improbably tiny Starbucks cup, I knew he was the one.

I approached him, saying that he’d caught my eye, and asked if I could take his picture. He smiled and said “I totally get it.  I’m a photographer, too.”

Can you feel how much fun I’m having?

Whatever it is for you, that’s like practicing photography is for me, I hope you GO FOR IT.

I’m sorry that I didn’t get his name.  I had to chase down my assistant, who was leaving to feed the stuffed animals in front of the gift shop.

I did get his smile:

Two days ago, I wrote:

I have a modest goal for the next 4 weeks:  take one picture each day that I love.

I’m so glad that I wrote that because it inspired me to put my real camera in my bag this morning, as I went to meet up with my friend KD.  And do a tiny brave thing, that is, to ask KD if I could take her picture.

I love this picture, because I love this face:

KD is a friend who gets me.  In the little things, and in the big.  She gets me.

With her, joys are magnified, sorrows are held, and murky paths tend to grow more clear.

She gets me even if I only have time for a couple scrawled sentences from a hospital room in the middle of the night…

She gets me so well, that even when I am not actually ABLE to tell her what’s happening, I’m comforted knowing that she’s out there, has my back, will get it when I can tell her, and will always want what’s truly good for me.

Technically, this photo breaks a rule, with dappled light on her face, but you know what?

She shines with dappled light & I love this picture and this friend.

Days have a way of filling up.  Right now, two things are commanding my attention.

First, and without question the most important, is being there to support Jessie’s growing family.  At the same time, I *SO* want to keep practicing/learning/experimenting with my camera and with becoming efficient and proficient with Lightroom.

So, I’m lightly combining the two.  By lightly, I mean, I know my priorities, and in these early days of little Carter’s life, it’s people first.  There’s space for taking pictures of the littles, but the solid truth is that my presence with camera in hand is an observing presence, not an engaged presence.  And a two year old needs a lot of engaged presence, and only short intervals where there is a camera between her and me.

I will miss capturing the moment with the camera, to be IN the moment with Leah.

I’m trying, though, to find short slices each day when I can shoot a few photos.  My goal for the next few weeks is small:  to take one picture that I really like each day.

Today that was Leah baking cookies with Jessie, while Carter napped: