That Girl...

Have you ever driven by a scenic but not tourist friendly area and ached to pull the car over and marvel at creation and maybe take a photo or two? Well...I do...ALL.THE.TIME. And today I got over the social norms that tell me not to be so conspicuous and pulled over to take pictures of God glory in the form of water overflowing on a limestone rock face. I was finally that girl, who does that pulling over thing and let myself marvel through my camera lens at the work of the Creator.


I can't publish this post in good conscious without this fact. This waterfall was what made me okay with moving to Kentucky. This waterfall tugged on my heart in a way that I could not deny, and showed me that God is everywhere and in everything. I first stumbled on this sight back in April of 2009, my first trip here...looking for a change. I saw it again last March and was reminded that I did fall in love with this part of the world once and I could again. When I drove by today I was reminded of God's promise to see His purposes through to completion.

This waterfall always gives to my spirit and never asks in return. Today was the most active I've ever seen it and I rejoice at how full, like the waterfall, my life has become. Kentucky is my home now.

Hands to Work, Hearts to God

I grew up with Old Sturbridge Village and all its wonderful old world charm, so its no surprise that after I moved to Kentucky I was on the look out for something to fill the void. I found Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. I've been a handful of time in the past year and love taking pictures there. Everything from animals to artifacts offers itself as subjects to the creative eye. And on this trip I found a few surprises.

I suppose it was God's way of reminding me to recognize the details and not overlook the small wonders He puts in my way.

Now that the official calendar Christmas season has ended the refrain "Let heaven and nature sing" is fresh in my head. While walking around the village I had a special eye out for nature singing. I personally enjoyed watching a giant highland cow soak up the late December sun on a cold afternoon.

Now, I've taken the guided tour of the Center Family House at the village enough times to be well aware that the theology of the Shakers was more than a hair off gospel, but there is one part that was bang on, "Hands to Work, Hearts to God". They meant, your work is your worship...doing everything as onto the Lord. Just walking through the buildings you can see how much this group of people believed that and saturated their life with organized and purposeful beauty. A stair well, wooden pegs, a gate...all for the gory of God.

Honesty--Straight Up

So....I open the door to this long ignored mess of a closet that I haven't really known what to do with for the past 9 months, and all I can do it sit on the floor and stare with a big sigh.  Have you ever done that? Known you really should get going on a task, but just sit there and stare at it imagining what a wonderful world it would be if it just finished itself. When I started this blog I wanted a place to put my pictures and to do something a little creative with them. I had a pile of ideas and a love for the Anne books that I assumed would be a never ending well of inspiration. But I soon realized that my pile of good ideas was smaller that I hoped. And then my computer moved to an assisted living facility with little hope of recovery. And I was getting increasingly frustrated with my camera and its lack of "big-girl"ness.

Now, about a year after its birth I have a plan. I've decided it is enough of a creative outlet to just take the pictures. I will post them as I take them and let you decide if they are pretty or not.

Oh and I got a big-girl camera....so they should be at least a little bit pretty. Enjoy!

Being a Kid

“…my father always said that no child should be cooped up in the four walls of a school until it was seven years old.” Anne of Avonlea

This picture came from a summer I spent with three wonderfully imaginative children. Most of that summer was spent outside. Although these children were still a few years away from the modern school age, my memories with them and all the other children that have passed through my life makes the idea of preserving childhood all the more poignant. I guess all that can be said is that if a child can't stay home, I'm happy to know that as an educator I can make their childhood spent in the classroom as fun, rich and memorable as possible.

Only pretending

“Anne Shirley, you’re only pretending to be grown-up. I believe when you’re alone you’re as much a little girl as you ever were.” Anne of Avonlea

When I'm alone this is what I do. I play pretend with myself. I go to old places that have seen older times and I take pictures in an attempt to soak in the details of a former life. I try to become that time and that place.I go into the Knight Store at Old Sturbridge Village and pick out the cloth for my new dress and ribbons to match for my bonnet. And for those who have known me since girlhood know that nothing has changed. 

When I was young, to play was to play dress up...and I didn't even need a playmate. Stories of Ancient Greek maidens, Jane Austen heroins and Shakespearean beauties swirled in my head until they became my reality for the moment. My old pillowcase full of old bedsheets and tablecloths became silk gowns and heavy velvet cloaks. Do you want to know a secret? If it were sociably acceptable for me to still play pretend to this extent I would. I would find a field and some old sheets and create a world of historic romance and adventure.

What this all comes down to is....I'm a history nerd with an imagination who never grew up. And to be quite honest, I'm proud of that.

When I grow up...

“’What a nice month this November has been!’ said Anne who had never quite got over her childish way of speaking to herself. ‘November is usually such a disagreeable month…as if the year had suddenly found out that she was growing old and could do nothing but weep and fret over it. This year is growing old gracefully…just like a stately old lady who knows she can be charming even with gray hair and wrinkles.” Anne of Avonlea

When I grow up I hope to be just as fun, charming and beautiful as my Nannan. I want to be a stately November.

The Good Kind of Math

"Yesterday I was trying to teach Lottie Wright to do addition. I said, 'If you have three candies in one hand and two in the other, how many would you have altogether?' 'A mouthful' said Lottie." Anne of Avonlea

Who is this Lottie Wright and why isn't she my friend?