Wednesday, December 31, 2008

hung by children


hung by children, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

love how the kids hang ornaments on on the tree and then more ornaments on the ornaments
a really layered feel with a lot of depth

Best wishes for the New Year!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

diner dessert (still liking the iphone)


diner dessert, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

it is chilly here
and for the most part I like it like that
especially on a night when I have to do something
called hill repeats as part of my running training
my eyelashes froze together
and my cheeks were numb
and my scarf like cardboard
I was pretty cold
but warmed right up going into the brightly lit pizza place by the university
that has been in business for 38 years
and having a fresh, hot Popeye pizza, peppermint tea and finishing with a choice of homemade tiramisu or a dixie cup of vanilla icecream
all served with a smile and a bit of friendly cleavage

Monday, December 29, 2008

he likes the snow


he likes the snow, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

and being with us

I like both of those things too

Sunday, December 28, 2008

fine weather for snowflakes


fine weather for snowflakes, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

the fur from my husband's ( hilarious ear flap) hat worked wonderfully at capturing the snowflakes

Saturday, December 27, 2008

me again on the rise


me again on the rise, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

This morning after my run
as I was stretching
I saw myself in my mirror
Looked into my own eyes and really saw myself-

not stretched and thin
not worn and fraying

but there it was -
That look

that I AM HERE look

and damn it
I AM

Friday, December 26, 2008

catchlight


catchlight, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

oldest daughter is pretty faithful about keeping the bird feeder full
our resident flock of sparrows seem pretty happy about it too
especially during the past days of cold, cold weather

**********************
for a little and wonderful taste of Canadian treasure
click on the link below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-PQbdmQRwc

Thursday, December 25, 2008

42 and 70-200 2.8 too


42 and 70-200 2.8 too, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

today is my birthday
and the sweet far outweighs the bitter
just like using the new camera lens outside
far outweighs the numb fingers


best wishes to all!

Bonus xmas day buzzword post 1a (photo post later)

Edupunk

A style of hands-on self-education that benefits the student without concern for curriculums or the interests of schools, corporations or governments. In other words, an autodidactic approach that spurns commercialism, mass-market approaches and top-down goal-setting. Coined by Jim Groom, an “instructional technologist” at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va.

whathomeschoolingmeansatmyhouse!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

elves work


elves work, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

the night the presents took over the living room!
gift bags are definitely the way to go
this year it took only two hours to make consumer goods for four kids, look like they came from Santa's workshop
last year, more like four hours....

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

accident not mine


accident not mine, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

the car was empty when we pulled over to check on it
but the flashers were still on
and the radio
and the coffee splashed all over the inside of the windsheild
was warm enough that the smell of it hit me when I leaned in the window

Monday, December 22, 2008

almost my birthday - cake - Dec 22

Growing up in my house
the cookbook of choice...
the only cookbook really,
was The Better Homes and Gardens one,
1965, slowly fading red and white plaid cover,
in it's pages was where I found out that the magical
new-to-me restaurant dessert CHEESECAKE
could be made at home!
so I did and so I do...
my favourite.. with 3 cups of sour cream and 2 packages of cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar and 3 farm fresh eggs,
and strawberries or what have you on top
a fine cake for an almost birthday or any time

Sunday, December 21, 2008

house at end of parking lot Dec 21

Despite the fact that it has been in the -20's (that's celsius)
for the last few weeks (my kind of weather)
and the fact that my husband HATES the cold (one of those things I don't get)
he has been talking a lot about how beautiful the quality of the light is right now and the gorgeous colours of sky and earth
(I think he is right and I think it is the chill that makes everything seem so crisp)

Saturday, December 20, 2008

farmers market detail Dec 20


farmers market detail Dec 20, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

we went to pick up one of my husband's early Christmas presents from the leather worker at the market,
a beautiful case for his laptop,
and I liked the stained glass quality of this painting on the window

Friday, December 19, 2008

solstice favours Dec 19


solstice favours, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

my church is big on solstice
so I wasn't that surprised, when I followed the rich pine sent to the building basement,
to find a group of people with clippers in hand,
bent over the prone form of a ragged Christmas tree,
snipping way to make these candle bundles
to give away at the service

Thursday, December 18, 2008

flurry of wings - Dec 18


flurry of wings - Dec 18, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

there is a trail that curves in the trees alongside the river
in the winter if you pause by one of the many birdfeeders hung from branches
you are suddenly surrounded by hopeful, fluffy chickadees sometimes with a few nuthatches sprinkled in
my friend the naturalist said, "you know, if you bring your kids down here with some birdseed, the birds will eat right out of their hands"
she was right.
it was worth the numb toes and chapped fingers
for the magic and the smiles

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

no climbing - Dec 17


no climbing - Dec 17, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

that is what the sign posted at the bottom of the massive, concrete bridge pillar says...
which I guess means someone has already tried,
wedging their fingers and toes in the cracks
not looking down at the asphalt
and probably without ropes..
my thrills really are less extreme

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

feather notes - Dec 16


feather notes - Dec 16, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

many birds on the wire
outside of the store
I was buying some last minute gifts in

Monday, December 15, 2008

a five year old shows his beautiful eyes Dec 15

kind of gross but hilarious

Sunday, December 14, 2008

against the darkness - Dec 14


against the darkness - Dec 14, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

we light the church chalice
during the child led service

Saturday, December 13, 2008

a time for all good boys - Dec 13

a friend hosts an amazing party each year
gathering in donations for the food bank and
having Santa visit with a nice present for each and every person who attends

Friday, December 12, 2008

chalice from the palace - Dec 12

homeschooling play date takes on a whole new feel when combined with a cinnamon martini

Thursday, December 11, 2008

bauble begins - Dec 11


bauble begins - Dec 11, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

this hangs in the window of my friend Trailwoman's house
the view beyond it is even prettier but
sometimes, like this one, I am caught by it

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

when an iphone is dropped in the snow - Dec 10

and although I really liked the effect
of the overlapping river valley scenes
I don't like it enough to try it again

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

ba tending scoo - Dec 09


ba tending scoo - Dec 09, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

pass this window
almost every week
as it is not far
from the play therapist's office

Monday, December 8, 2008

what the sign says - Dec 8


what the sign says - Dec 8, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

but it isn't actually true
this is a pond in a city park
and the ice is thick enough for a pick up truck with a dozer blad to drive on it
but not for a large and really heavy water truck which they use to flood the ice and make it smooth
so the sign could rightly say
"danger thin ice tanker trucks keep off"

Sunday, December 7, 2008

promise of solstice - Dec 7


promise of solstice - Dec 7, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

golden and hopeful in the snow
what I needed to see

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Word PIcture


Hard drive is dead.
If it had eyes and it was a cartoon character, it would have little x's where the pupils should be.
On a shelf at the service centre, it is waiting for the transplant...
pictures are in the camera
where they will stay
till my happy laptop reunion...
well into the future...
then I will bend time to my will
and post as if there were never a gap.
(Voila! Faded rose petals on the snow is a perfect illustration for the feeling of this day.)

Friday, December 5, 2008

hyacinth begins - Dec 5


hyacinth begins - Dec 5, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

I can't get over
how the paper of the bulb
seems made of a dull gold foil

Thursday, December 4, 2008

callas fading - Dec 4


callas fading - Dec 4, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

last of a spectacular bouquet
from a lovely mate
on a dark day

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

smattering of snow and light - Dec 3

I love winter reaching for me

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

as frozen as my hardrive Dec 2

(sigh)
self explanatory

Monday, December 1, 2008

next to a paper moon Dec 1


next to a paper moon Dec 1, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

every year a friend teaches us how to make these little stars
they always seem to make the short days a little longer and brighter
but maybe that is just spending time with her...

(first in my series of bending time to my will - especially when I had no obvious effect on my stone cold dead hard drive)

Friday, November 28, 2008

tentative


tentative, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

the ground under my feet isn't always firm
sometimes it buckles and shifts and
I find myself sliding into dark depths

Thursday, November 27, 2008

first ice skating pond


first ice skating pond, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

it doesn't feel like skating weather but the mirror glass of ice on the pond in the woods said otherwise

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

many things this heart is made of

pieces of my garden
shaped on the ground
under our sapling apple tree

an act of living

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

scrawl


scrawl, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

like golden frost flowering against glass

Monday, November 24, 2008

november sunshine


november sunshine, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

glinting sun off the frozen pond silvers the guitar strings

Sunday, November 23, 2008

sunday in the morning


sunday in the morning, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

on the way out the door to church
stop and crouch and snap the green light

Saturday, November 22, 2008

homeschool craft fair


homeschool craft fair, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

cute bunnies were among the many kid-made crafts for sale on Saturday

Friday, November 21, 2008

she nose


she nose, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

weiner dogs are art!
my oldest kids continued their adventures in dog/house sitting
this past week
and this was one of their charges
holding still
very briefly

Thursday, November 20, 2008

atmosphere


atmosphere, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

billows of steam
and pipes running into the sewers
just around the corner

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

the gold dances


the gold dances, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

my blood sings
as pieces of my heart
walk around outside my body
on the legs of my children
their strength shining
at me from their beautiful eyes

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

down hill


down hill, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

through dry grass
under sheltering bushes
there are blankets and pillows
a different kind of rabbit hole

Monday, November 17, 2008

twirl


twirl, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

what can you do
with a puffy, filmy layered skirt
besides dance and spin and pose?

Sunday, November 16, 2008

button bracelet in the tree


button bracelet in the tree, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

today I
on purpose
by request
took photos
of a beautiful
family
we met on the grounds of the university
and one of the things we found
as walked about
and took portraits
was this unlikely garland
hanging from a branch

Saturday, November 15, 2008

light on the rowan berries


light on the rowan berries, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

because the dark comes so quickly now
late afternoon is filled with the
compressed golden light of evening
and slides away so quickly
it pays to be quick with the camera

Friday, November 14, 2008

looking through the lens


looking through the lens, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

have worn glasses for a long time
almost all of my life
when I was a kid
I wore them because I had to
now I wear them because I need them

Thursday, November 13, 2008

my garden waits for winter


my garden waits for winter, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

he winter weather is late in coming
but that doesn't mean that my garden
is any more prepared for it
than any other year

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

ice bloom


ice bloom, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

the morning after
freezing rain
can be treacherous
and beautiful

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

peace - remembrance - Nov. 11


peace - remembrance - Nov. 11, originally uploaded by gawdessness.

paper bag votive on our home schooling walk

About Me

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gawdessnessatgmaildotcom

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Photo Quotes

www.photoquotes.com
When I ask to photograph someone, it is because I love the way they look and I think I make that clear. I'm paying them a tremendous compliment. What I'm saying is, I want to take you home with me and look at you for the rest of my life.
- Amy Arbus