Illustrate

Interesting phenomena occur when two or more rhythmic patterns are combined, and these phenomena illustrate very aptly the enrichment of information that occurs when one description is combined with another.

Gregory Bateson

We’ve spent the spring inside, unable to visit parks, beaches, wide open spaces.. This sudden onset of an unwelcome new-normal pushed me to reevaluate favorite views through a changed perspective, searching for new techniques to create images more appropriate to where we find ourselves. An artistic shift to renew, reuse and recycle as I view our natural surroundings through the surreal framing of present time and social distance instead of the past-normal habits of easy travel and casual conversations.

Representations of natural elements and the dynamics of family connections have shifted to focus on color and emotion instead of traditional photo realism. An opportunity to capture singular feelings of mystery, nature, freshness and color. We’re staying home together yet looking out to a new, changed future.

Filled with contradictions I have pages of ideas and images to share but these budding stories conflict with an equally sharp need for privacy. For safety in the quiet solitude of home, my carefully controlled space. I want to go exploring, leave the boundaries of my yard, but I also want to stay inside just a little longer. The desire to re-engage in public life warring with the desire for privacy. It’s hard to find a middle ground when everything shifts by the hour.

As I work through my own conflicting thoughts I’m spending time immersed in two different creative styles and techniques expressing different emotions. Green, lyrical and peaceful balanced with red, bold and loud. Moods and emotions complementing this time of intense change and growth.

Lisa25 Comments
Decatur Island, WA

2019 The Year of Sunshine, Soft Colors and Decatur Island: Week 3

Sometimes a look back at soft, summer pastels is a nice way to pass through the dark days of January.  Our warm winter continues but by this time of year the short days start to wear on me and I dream of long evenings outside until 10:00 pm enjoying the sunsets and visits with good friends.

Like this weekend in September on Decatur Island with Ryan, my friend Suzie and her daughter Naiah taking senior pictures.  Ryan and Naiah have been friends since daycare and we’ve shared more than a few vacations here in Suzie’s family cabin by the beach so when I got the chance to have the two of them together for official portraits I jumped on it.  They were great sports and we walked all over the island finding favorite locations and making new memories.

I you’d like to see Ryan and Naiah as little ones on Decatur take a look at one of my first posts here 6 years ago.  Forward

As for me this week has been a rush of working a few extra hours before attending to a long overdue matter followed by a stretch of enforced downtime.  I’m not one for quiet hours on the couch, or naps during the day so the thought of two weeks of doing nothing has been more than a little worrying.  I know plenty of people dream of something like this but I’ve actually been making lists of activities I can do while still following instructions and resting.  If anyone has a great book to recommend or a tv series/movie that I need to binge watch now’s the time to share!

As with past year-long photo challenges I don’t plan to post here every day, I’ll save that for my Instagram and Twitter accounts, but you faithful blog readers will get one weekly recap every Sunday.

 

Lisa13 Comments
Nightime at the Edmonds Fishing Pier

2019 The Year of a New Daily Photo Project: Week 1

Will 2019 be my year of living dangerously?  No that’s not it… a year of self-control, or reckoning, discovery, relaxation?  Sigh, I’m terrible with resolutions.  Honestly whenever I try to think of a theme or title for the new year all I come up with are overused movie quotes and sad memes.

In the end though while this leaves me with a descriptive problem it’s not really a feeling problem.  I always have an idea of where I want a new year to go even if part way through something turns in an unexpected direction.  Would a pre-selected 2019 theme effect any of this? Doubtful.

Why am I talking about this?  Well, if you follow me on Instagram I just posted my best 9 grid from 2018 and even though I spent the year sharing a variety of images the landscape and scenery photos were by far your favorites.  Which made me think, even though I felt overworked and tired all year-long there were plenty of beautiful days to remember.  Maybe I should look back and name the year at the end instead of trying before it’s even started…

Instagram BestNine

So I spent some time thinking about two year-long photo projects I shared in 2016 and 2017 and am now ready to give it another try.  My hope is that every week or month or season I can identify a theme among the shots to give me more of a picture of what really happened and where the year is going…  Are you up for watching my life unfold 365  images at a time?  There will be some fun times ahead, Ryan is graduating from High School and planning a gap year before diving in to college. We’re taking a family trip to Iceland and I have a big list of PNW hikes I want to explore so I know parts of the year will be pretty fun.  What else I’ll have to share, well we’ll just have to wait and see.

As with past year-long photo challenges I don’t plan to post here every day, I’ll save that for my Instagram and Twitter accounts, but you faithful blog readers will get one weekly recap every Sunday.  My week in all its glory. 🙂

After a long introduction, this weeks recap will be short and sweet.  We always start our new year on the beach and even though I had to work this year we made it to the waterfront before sunset.  There were several more early evening walks to enjoy as we continue a warmer than usual winter and my week ended with the company of a great friend and a nice glass (or two) of wine.  How was your first week of 2019?

I know my blogging has been light in the past year so many of you aren’t used to seeing much activity here but I’ve missed you all! If you feel like reconnecting and would like to follow along, or even post your own weekly images with a chatty recap feel free to share and link here.  I’ll update each post to include mention of your lovely photos.

Lisa19 Comments

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas filled with love, light and happy memories.

John, Ryan, Finn and I are enjoying the surprise snow and lighting candles. Presents are wrapped, dinner is cooking and Santa is on his way…🎅🏼 🎁

Lisa4 Comments

My Year In Pictures: January Week 2

If we say a New Year shows it’s colors in the first weeks of January I hope my 2017 is filled with shades of a pastel rainbow.  Fingers crossed that these photos start a positive trend leading to more time with family, more time in the outdoors and a chance to create some new things for our Etsy store.

The first two photos are the last of my cold winter beach walk with Ryan and John followed by our year-end recap of monthly selfie shots. 🙂  If you’d like to see how we’ve changed over the past three years check out my wrap up posts from 2015 and 2014.  I used my day off to photograph some new baskets and a blanket I completed at the end of the year and I finally tried to capture one of my favorite winter morning moments, sunrise reflecting off snow capped Olympic Mountains.  Cheers to you all from the wintery Pacific Northwest!

Lisa10 Comments

My Year In Pictures: January Week 1

Hello 2017!  In Kennedy family tradition our year began on the beach and as you can see we’ve been trapped in a cold but beautiful weather pattern all week.  I’m a native Pacific Northwesterner so I don’t let a little cold (or wet) weather keep me from enjoying the great outdoors and as long as my fingers are warm enough to press the shutter I’m ready to snap photos along the way. If I take this set of images as a preview of the year to come, remember stormy skies lead to beautiful sunsets, set aside plenty of family time on the beach and appreciate Finn watching out for any dangers ahead  we’re all set!

There are three more weeks of this daily photo project so I’ll be back with seven new pictures soon but if you don’t want to wait please join us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. If you’d like to learn more about any of the images but you don’t follow me on these accounts please feel free to click here for IG, here for Twitter and here for FB or select a photo from the Instagram previews in my sidebar.  You don’t need an account at either place to view my photos, everyone’s welcome.

Lisa6 Comments

My Year In Pictures: October Week 1

Processed with Snapseed.
Processed with Snapseed.

October is here, the weather is changing and my thoughts are turning to late garden color, cozy accessories, movies and spooky lights.  My week in a nutshell!  After ignoring our yard for much of the summer I had fun at some end-of-season plant sales and shipped my first warm scarf of the season from our Etsy store.  John’s favorite tree turned from a soft green to brilliant orange and red within 24 hours, Ryan and I enjoyed a matinée of The Magnificent 7, the wet Seattle sidewalks are back and John has started decking out the house for Halloween.  How did you spend your week?

I’ll be back with a new post in a few days but if you don’t want to wait please join us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. If you’d like to learn more about any of the images but you don’t follow me on these accounts please feel free to click herefor IG, here for Twitter and here for FB or select a photo from the Instagram previews in my sidebar.  You don’t need an account at either place to view my photos, everyone’s welcome.🙂

Lisa14 Comments

My Year In Pictures: June Week 4

Processed with VSCO with 4 preset

Strawberries, flowers, sail boats and lazy days at the lake – this week’s set of photos is all about summer memories new and old.  The week started with this pretty shot from my parent’s garden followed by one of our tiny wild strawberry plants caught in the middle of an evening sunbeam.  Next is a scan from an old film photo of our sweet dog Maxi who was the perfect combination of black lab and border collie meaning she was smart as a whip, devoted to her pack and always ready to play.  This was taken about 15 years ago at a lakefront party when Ryan was baby and Max took a few minutes off from nanny duty to enjoy the sun.

Wednesday I stopped to laugh at this set of fridge magnets, there’s one for every situation, and Thursday night I made a quick trip to the nursery for a few more flowers so we could finish our deck pots.  Friday evening John and I took a walk around the marina instead of working out at the gym and Saturday I couldn’t resist one more shot of this beautiful view.

Coming soon I’ve got a great set of new photos almost ready to share here from our latest adventures and if you’d like to follow along in real-time don’t forget I post my daily photos on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. If a once-a-week blog read is more your speed my weekly recaps will continue here along with caption notes containing editing information for each photo.

Lisa10 Comments

My Year In Photos: June Week 3

Processed with VSCO with 4 preset
Processed with VSCO with 4 preset

What a week!  The third week of June flew by in a flash only slowing to note Father’s Day, the first day of summer, the last day of school and the start of Ryan’s trip to spend some quality time with his Grandparents.

We enjoyed a quiet Father’s Day and loved our picture perfect start to summer the next day with sunny skies, 70 degrees and just enough time to relax outside before dinner.  Tuesday morning Finn and I walked past this sad note on our street and Wednesday was Ryan’s last day of school.  With everything he’s been through this year and more than 2.5 months of absences after his injury I am incredibly proud of him for finishing his first year of high school on a strong note.  The occasion called for celebration and he chose Mod Pizza for lunch with Mom. 🙂

Thursday morning I found this colorful snail resting on some rocks, Friday afternoon I stopped to snap a shot of these pretty red berries in a forest of green and Saturday was the start of Ryan’s long-awaited solo vacation and major spoiling time with Grandma and Grandpa.   Mom’s garden looks much nicer than mine these days so I’m ending the week with a pretty shot from her backyard.

Coming soon I’ve got a great set of new photos almost ready to share here from our latest adventures and if you’d like to follow along in real-time don’t forget I post my daily photos on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. If a once-a-week blog read is more your speed my weekly recaps will continue here along with caption notes containing editing information for each photo.

Lisa10 Comments

My Year In Pictures: May Week 2

We’ve turned the corner into the middle of May and as spring fades to summer our family focus has been on growth and new beginnings.  A quick scroll through this set of seven images really highlights what’s captured my attention:  pretty, soft colors, natural science and good health.  We’ve enjoyed fresh new flowers growing in the spring sun, Ryan’s hip continues to heal through hard work and physical therapy and his favorite school subjects are always natural science.

I went out alone for a pretty walk on Mother’s Day morning while John and Ryan cleaned the house and Monday morning Finn and I stopped by this plant to capture one pretty bloom.  Tuesday afternoons mean it’s time for the first of Ryan’s twice weekly Physical Therapy sessions and Wednesday I had this beautiful view as a reward for making time to go to the gym for my own good health.

Thursday was a stretch for me as I helped Ryan catch up on some missed Biology homework and Friday night I snapped this photo of the final day of my beautiful Mother’s Day Peonies.  Saturday brought rain but these red maple leaves look pretty in all weather conditions.

Coming soon I’ve got a great set of new photos almost ready to share here from our latest spring adventures and if you’d like to follow along in real-time don’t forget I post my daily photos on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. If a once-a-week blog read is more your speed my weekly recaps will continue here along with caption notes containing editing information for each photo.

Lisa26 Comments

My Year In Pictures: April Week 4

Looking at Ryan’s 1000 piece puzzle spread out on the desk is a lot like searching through my photo files filled with tiny images that tell the story of our lives.  It takes 1000 little pieces to show every known atom in the universe and at the end of this year I’ll have 1096 photos to mark key moments from the past three years.  A lot has changed in that time but plenty has stayed the same as well – just the way I like it. 🙂

The week started off cold, wet and gray but pretty green leaves brightened the view and kept the rain away when Finn and I took a walk.  Monday’s photo looks like a shiny silver rainbow in front of the library and Tuesday this baby narwhal rode with us in an elevator.

Wednesday and Thursday’s photos are of a clematis and strawberry patch in our backyard and  Friday night we took our monthly selfie for my other photo project (a family picture once a month).  Saturday afternoon Ryan and I enjoyed a few hours together working on his birthday puzzle.  I sorted through the box looking for edges and corners while Ryan told me everything he knows about each element in the photo.

Coming soon I’ve got a great set of new photos almost ready to share here from our latest spring adventures and if you’d like to follow along in real-time don’t forget I post my daily photos on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. If a once-a-week blog read is more your speed my weekly recaps will continue here along with caption notes containing editing information for each photo.

 

Lisa22 Comments