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30 Day Project

I finished my personal challenge to photograph the river birch tree in my backyard each day for 30 days. 30 Day Project On this rainy Monday in September I’m feeling a sense of accomplishment and also relief. While working on this project I made more than 375 photographs of the river birch tree. I wish I could say that I felt that I made some beautiful art during this project. Or that I gained some deep insight into my photography practice. But I can’t. My purpose was to commit to doing this one thing every single day for 30 days. Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

No Escape

The seasons keep turning no matter how much I cling to the wish for summer to last longer. Today I realized that I’ve been feeling sad and that my sad feelings are based in my imagining and dreading what the coming winter will be like. Instead of appreciating the present moment I am getting lost in picturing the long cold winter ahead. There is No Escape from seasons turning or from this body of mine aging. That is a simple truth. But I can learn to be kind and gentle with my foibles, accepting my feelings and thoughts and making Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Falling In

The signs of fall are all around us. And as I see the colors of the season I begin Falling In love with the season once again. Though the days are shorter and cooler the beauty that surrounds us is awe-inspiring. Tuesday morning I spent some time at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum looking to see how the fall colors were developing. And while there was much green still to be seen in the treetops and bushes, colors were popping out here and there in most beautiful ways. Though the tall sugar maples have not fully turned I could see bright Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Gratitude for Ordinary Days

What do lap cats, crescent moons, and window and mirror reflections have in common? Mainly that they are things in which I saw ordinary beauty. Today I’m feeling Gratitude for Ordinary Days. Life often feels like riding a series of waves. Some of them are huge and crashing. Others are small and enjoyable. Last week was filled with many small enjoyable waves. And I am still savoring the simple beauty of it all. It has taken awhile, but I certainly do know it now ­­– the most wonderful gift I had, the gift I finally learned to cherish above all Read more…

By Marilyn, ago

Right Timing

Over the course of my life I have learned to listen to and respect my instincts for Right Timing. Sometimes I have an idea that seems like a great idea but every time I move towards acting on that idea all kinds of obstacles or surprises keep me from acting. And other times it’s just a subtle feeling humming in my brain that says, “This is not right timing. Wait,”  or maybe it’s simply that something just doesn’t feel right about moving forward with an activity or plan. When I receive one of those fuzzy feelings or a sequence of Read more…

By Marilyn, ago