The Soft Collection

Something about soft photographs draw people in. They are peaceful and pretty. The locations range from Minneapolis to Duluth MN. Most of them have a high exposure and medium shutter speeds.

Peace :)

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There are no rules in photography. Do your pictures look to bright? Too dark? It's okay, you need to think of a way to enhance the mistake...

viola!

ART.

Real Simple?

You've seen the magazine...Real Simple.It's full of good ideas for the home and is targeted for women. ANYWAYS... they make life seem so flawlessly simple. Which is smart on their side because if they promoted cluttery messes and ugly ideas, they would go bankrupt. But life is not Real Simple. They should change their name to 'Real Pain in the Rear.' Let me explain:

If your heart is beating, you have passions. If you're human, you have dreams. Probably too many in reality- or maybe not? But there's the old "not enough time" excuse. It can be a real pain trying to find an efficiant balance!

I have dreams bigger than what my puny little hands could ever accomplish. Lots of them. And I plan on them being fulfilled, maybe not even in my lifetime...but with the life (the time) that we do have, why not work towards them?

After all, they are passions remember? Passions don't shove deadlines in your face. Passions don't wear you out. Passions won't fire you. A passions is something you think about all day, even after a long day of who knows what, there always seems to be just a few extra minutes for ______.

Facebook doesn't count.

After pondering this, it sort of boiled down like a pot roast for me.

Big goals are accomplished only when we first complete a billion little goals...CHOICES!

There ya go folks.

I truley believe that if we make time work for us and not work for time, we can accomplish crazy,nutsy,wild things. It can literally start from avoiding facebook for a week to focus on a passion during that time. For me it's blogging,taking pictures,hangin' out with younger girls,and learning about world changing people.

Side Note:

FB is seriously a drug. There is some weird addictive chemical laced in the alluring white and blue template I just know it...

Anyhow I'm going to borrow a lesson from the Great Chris Hodges from Church of the Highlands in Birmingham,AL on how to manage time!!

The Delicious 'Make Dreams Happen' Recipe (no grocery store run)

1) Understand you mission,purpose,dreams

2) Identify Current roles

-What is required of you now?

student,employee,parent,friend

3) Define for yourself most important activities

ie: school,relationships,work,church,working out

4) Plan life around 1,2 & 3!

Schedule time for the big focuses and everything less important (but still fun) will fall into place.

What if I told you that it wasn't the amount of things that we do, but the order that we do them? Maybe the big wigs at Real Simple got it after all...

relax, it can happen.

Let me share with you a few moments of one of my passions. Pictures.

Please comment some of yours!

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Passion Assessment.

People- Who are you most interested in?

Actions- What do you like to do the most?

Strength- When you are doing____ you feel strongest.

Serving- How can you help someone soley for their benefit?

Interests- What noble activity interests you?

Opportunity- Where do you have an opportunity?

Nostalgia- When in your life do you feel most fulfilled?

personality+gift+passion=calling.

Borrowed from material from Church of the Highlands

www.churchofthehighlands.com

Summer Lovin'

What's more fun than a local farmer's market?

Don't you get all sarcastic with me now...there may be a feeeww things a bit more fun. But you can't beat the vibrant colors, the friendly people, the fresh food, and the satisfaction of knowing you are being eco friendly.

(Pshh.)

It was a perfect summer morning. And I was with a perfect companion. My Mom and I went to the farmer's market.

Thank you Lord for summer. Maybe this year you could grace your northern friends with a few extra months??? Just a thought.

Enjoy the fresh,crisp,juicy,colors...

Good ol' downtown White Bear Lake.

Some hard working hands.

Some friendly farmers.

Oh my goodness can you believe that color??

Baby's Breath Flowers...love.

Lunch from some fresh veggies!

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My Grandma's recipe pictured above...

3-4 sweet onions

8 small zucchinis

4 medium tomatoes

(get them at your farmer's market for an optimum tasting experience :)

sauté onions and zucchinis together until soft with a dash of olive oil and fresh garlic, add tomatoes last. Crumb feta cheese or parmesan to taste. Serve over brown rice.

Serves 3-4.

NUM!

Robert

Land of the Free, home of the homeless.

It rained today at the beach.

I work at the beach.

Rainy day=day off...

Despite the cut in my paycheck, I was alright with the shortened day because I had been craving going on a little photo adventure in the city. I slapped on my hat,strapped on my backpack,slung my camera slyly around my chest, and squeaked down the sidewalk in my wet (bedazzled) crocs. As I begun this impromptu venture I felt adrenaline pumping. It was like I was about to steal something. And I did. I stole captured images on my trusty camera.

HOLD-UP,

this journey actually started first thing in my car after leaving work. I turned on the camera, and immediately started shooting drizzly pictures. As I drove I had one hand on the wheel and the other on the shutter button on continuos picture mode.

(Mom, I promise it's not as bad as it sounds.)

I stopped at a light, where a homeless man was standing on the corner. Nothing new. Forgetting that my windows are completely see through I tried snapping a few pics of the man. I thought "hey, the light is red, i've always wanted to document this sort of stuff." I did a few sly ninja shooting moves and got some not-so-secret shots of him.

I should get a job at Jiffy. I'm nuts.

Thankfully the light changed, I was almost sure he saw. I quick turned the corner and parked a block down.

Now the story returnes to the squeaky crocs. Feeling bad about stealing this homeless guys mug...I took the two bucks in my pocket and bought two double shmeezers from Micky D's. I headed towards the corner. I gave him the shmeezers and introduced myself. His name was Robert. I quickly gathered that Robert was very intelligent under his unshaved beard and scronny limbs. A war vet, he has no family, no home,no transportation, and no friends.Robert hitchhiked to Minneapolis from Arkansas in November and misjudged the Minnesota winters. As I listened to a little more of his story he was quick to joke and squashed our idea of the hopeless "homeless". He had a good chuckle after seeing my camera," Hey, are you the one that tried to sneak my picture in that car??"

"Yes Robert,I can't lie to you, it was I that took those pictures." I couldn't help but join in at my silliness. He shared of the surreal difficulty of living with nothing. I lost track of the times he said,"it's not easy." I asked Robert what makes him happy, he was quick to say young people having a good time, with no one bothering them. I asked Robert what is it that allows him to get up in the morning, having nothing. He said with a smirk, "the birds." Can you say good attitude? Or maybe sick sarcasm? But funny.

Robert continued to fill me in on his experiences in shelters. They sound like terrible places. After asking him how he would help people without homes, and without hope...Robert gave a beautiful answer as if he had thought of it a thousand times. If he was a millionaire he would build a huge buildings with different levels. The first level he would open would be for women and children. Security would be enforced to ensure its resident's safety.

In awe of his insight I asked if I could take his picture on his terms this time. He gladly complied. Honored at what he shared with me, I thanked him for sharing with me and promised to tell his story, and ensured him that his openness and ideas would make a difference. Anyone...ANYONE can make a difference.

He enjoyed his Micky D's, we prayed together, and I bid Robert farewell.

The photos of him are simple. I felt rushed and a little awkward blatantly taking his photo on the corner of a busy metropolitan street. If only I could obtain a script of the thoughts running through peoples thinkers as they drove past in their shiny cars (by the way my car is shiny, it's okay.)

I will never forget his face. These pictures are significant, because it's the start of something fresh. In ten years I will say," it all started with Robert." Thank you Robert!

'Common, dream big with me muddy people :)

I couldn't get him off my mind while I was trying to snap for the next thirty minutes. But I gave it a shot. Here's to Robert, dreams being fulfilled, and a splendid day off...

this is reality.

i couldn't fit my hair products in that backpack...but it's his everything.

drip drop.

i hope Robert finds a bike.

i can't resist boots.

After stuffy city smog, a breath of fresh air...

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Don't donate to homeless shelters, buy them shmeezburgers and chat a bit.

If you're really interested in local homeless here's a great ministry to get plugged in with:

http://urbanhomeworks.com/