it's the most beautiful time of the year.

These days there are a lot of folks wandering the streets with cameras. This is a good thing. (Though, slightly dangerous at times. I have seen a couple of people standing in the middle of the street, looking for that perfect shot. I admit that I was honked at by a car trying to enter it's driveway.)

Though I don't like the weather turning colder every day, I do love the fall. The colors are what make it. (One time they actually took my breath away. I was walking under a tree that shed many of its burgundy leaves. It felt like I was walking through a burgundy tunnel, and for a moment I couldn't breath because it was so beautiful.)

I'm teaching a group of kids digital photography one afternoon per week these days. Every week I assign them to take three photos of different things. Most days one of the assignments entails taking a photo of a leaf, using different techniques. You can't go wrong taking photos of leaves. They are just so pretty.

I was feeling a bit sad this afternoon, so I went out and wandered through my neighborhood and took photos of leaves. (I feel much better now. But I do wish this would have also cured my headache.)

little details.

This past weekend I went back to Alberta to visit my family and friends for Thanksgiving. It was so good to be back briefly, since it had been four months since the last visit, and will be at least another four until the next one. I also so enjoyed seeing my family, the farmer's market, and the farm again. It was a welcome break from the busy-ness of Vancouver!

On Sunday, I went for a walk around my parents' house and greenhouse, taking in all the details with my new 50mm lens, which I absolutely love.











I come from a pretty amazing place.

excuse my absense.

I've been busy lately.
I've been doing some pretty big things, for me.

A few weeks ago I lead Art Therapy at Camp Kerry, a camp for families who are grieving.
http://www.campkerry.org/
I would have posted pictures of this, but at the only spare moment I had to take photos I found that the batteries in my camera were dead.

This past weekend I catered an event, for the first time. It was for the Ride for Refugees, a bicycle ride in support of refugees living locally and internationally.
Here is a clip about it that was on the news:
http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/index.html?releasePID=Q2F386eNhNyEU4D2i8BP2gAIQ5dRAjuX
Feeding (and figuring out the logistics of feeding) 350 people is ridiculous! Especially when you don't have a foodsafe kitchen to serve out of!

I've also been making a quilt with my clients at the Day Program for the Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts. http://www.decentreforthearts.com/
It is now finished and hanging in a gallery, to be auctioned off at the end of the month. Quilting is a whole lot of work! Good thing I had my mom here for a little while to help me out with that.

Also new is a weekly job teaching digital photography to a group of kids from low income families at an after school program. This is fun, but again quite a lot of work!

I suppose these are all good and exciting things, and I have been learning a lot through all of them. But I must say that my favorite moments in recent times have been little things.

Like when Leanne was visiting and we put dreadlocks in her hair. And there was a giant wolf spider crawling across my floor. (though, this was not fun the entire time it was happening.)
Also, one day I learned how to make Scott Sled kites out of Kinko's paper bags, and did this all day with my clients and friends. It was delightful flying them!

My parents visited for a few days. My father enjoyed reading the paper and walking around the neighborhood, fetching me a few things.


My mother spent so much time helping me out with with that quilt. Thanks again, mom!

The bulk of the busy-ness is behind me now, and it feels good to relax and catch up on a few things.
yes.