Catching Up: Photography, Life etc.

It’s been three-ish weeks since my last post. Life got a little busy for a minute there.
I’ve also been enjoying the busy-ness and the summer.
So Danny is gone training, which I’ve touched on before, but he will be visiting over the 4th of July weekend. So that’s awesome.

I’ve launched my small business -> www.carolmariephoto.com

I’ve had a few session so far. They’ve been free but I wanted to build up my portfolio. And so far it has been good.
Of course I’m really enjoying it. It’s so fun trying new things and learning along the way.

I’ve been hanging with Annabel and I have seen some of my friends who I haven’t seen in months.

It’s been a good past couple weeks but I really do miss Danny and I know Annabel does too.

 

 

Summer Manifesto

read lots and lots of books

get my small photography business going

do lots of crafts

do some around the house DIY projects

take Annabel on adventures

spend lots of time outdoors

see my family and friends as much as possible

work on the wedding planning

here we go again

Today Danny must report for training with the Marine Corps.

Four months.

At least it’s not a deployment and at least it’s not for over seven months.

I don’t want to wish the summer away but I sure hope this goes by quickly.

summer reading

One of my favorite things to do when it’s nice out is to grab a book and go sit in the sun.
This winter has been absolutely horrible and I am beyond ready for some nice weather.
I’m going to get myself a nice lawn chair and spend as much time outside as possible.

So I have decided to come up with a list of books that for some reason make me think that they
would be great to read in my sunny back yard.
Some of these I have read before, years ago.
(maybe I read them outside before and that’s why they’ve made this list)

1984 – George Orwell
Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
Brave New World – Aldous Huxley

I find it funny that I named this post ‘summer reading’.
I always had to read required books in the summer for school and usually they weren’t very good ones.
One I fell in love with was Wuthering Heights. I know this ‘summer reading’ will be better than the previous ones.

I plan on really extending this list.
Since this winter has been extremely horrible I’m very motivated to spend a lot of time outside this summer.

Dear Spring/Summer:

please hurry

I’m ready for:

reading outside

hikes

bonfires

photography adventures

flip flops

dresses

tank tops

shorts

driving with the windows down

sleeping with the windows open

farmer’s market

walks with Annabel

flowers

happiness

summer mini book

Yes, I’ve already started putting together my mini album for summer.

I’m so anxious for it to start! I need sunshine and warm weather.
Danny will be gone this summer so I plan on spending a lot of time with Annabel, friends and family –
and this is how I plan on documenting it.

I’m going with a 4×6 size for this book (or 6×4 – whatever).
And 3 inch rings.
The rings are way too large for now, but I’m hoping I’ll add enough pages, memorabilia etc to make them work.
I plan on filling this up with memories from June-August.
Maybe with a little leeway if something happens in May or September.

I’m using small printable calendars that you can use for Project Life to document the month the pages
are from. They’re like little book marks.

The first page is a quote from The Great Gatsby and it is basically an introduction page
that will be detailing what’s going on with me at the beginning of the summer.

I used some paper I already had on hand but also used this book as an excuse to buy some more.

I can’t wait for summer. I am so fed up with this winter weather.

The Secret Garden

One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is
quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets
up at the tender, solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands alone and throws one’s head far back and looks up and up
and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvelous unknown things happening until
the East almost makes one cry out and one’s heart stands still at the strange, unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun –
which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. One knows it then
for a moment or so. And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear,
however much one tries. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark-blue at night with millions of stars waiting and watching makes on sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in someone’s eyes.

– Frances Hodgson Burnett

Is it summer time yet?

The holidays are over and I’m ready for some hot sunshine and long days.