Life’s Sweet Ordinary — through my lens

Some of you, rightfully so, have convinced me to come clean about this mysterious news I mentioned yesterday. It’s all about a fresh start.

I will be re-launching my website with a whole new look! I’m so excited about the vastly improved online presence! It will be a welcoming space where I can proudly display my work. If I had more time this week, I would have had it up by week’s end but other commitments plus an upcoming few days out-of-town are keeping me from completing the new look. This is an important step for me and it feels so invigorating. You all will be the first to know — I’ll announce the official re-launch next week. I promise it will be special!

In the meantime, I’m trying to figure out how to move my logo onto a transparent background — if I don’t figure out how to do that, I may have to re-launch my site without my logo. UPDATE: Thanks to some instructions on eHow, I managed to fix that problem. Also, I am VERY sick with the flu so I’ll be out of communication for a while.

I mentioned that I’ll be out-of-town so I won’t be online from Thursday afternoon until Monday. I’ll be driving to Edmonton and while there I’m giving a writing workshop at a conference, arranging to have some furniture delivered, my granddaughter’s birthday, checking in with a potential client, and several other to-do’s. A busy few days once I get there.

“She kept asking if the stories were true. I kept asking her if it mattered. We finally gave up. She was looking for a place to stand, and I wanted a place to fly.” ~ Brian Andreas, Story People.

I’ve begun to take flight. There is an excitement in the air, plenty to anticipate, my spirits are high. Next week there will be news to share.

Today Shutter Sister Karen Walrond has a post titled “Up Close and Personal”. She talks about how she (like me) is not so fond of roses yet loves the beauty of other flowers. Her husband asked her to plant roses in their garden and now that one of them is in bloom, she photographed it up close. She talks of how she’s shocked at its beauty when looked at up close.

I love lilies. Copyright © Diane M. Schuller. All Rights Reserved.

beauty found within a single cell of a chain link fence. Copyright © Diane M. Schuller. All Rights Reserved.

 
My Friday offerings are a response to her question, “…show me some everyday things that stun you with their beauty up close.” May you look at everything up close today and this weekend and may you find beauty in the most unexpected places.

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

The top one was desaturated with some copper tones and some soft blurring added. The bottom one is a simple black and white conversion (though I always play with the blacks, the clarity, point curve and such) — after fiddling this is my black and white version. Do you have any preferences for which processing you prefer on this sister portrait?

Today is Earth Day around the globe. Being responsible stewards for the environment is not a one-day event; living responsibly every day is how we really make a difference.

Web of life. Copyright © Diane M. Schuller. All Rights Reserved

“This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” ~Chief Seattle

The environment column I write for one of the local newspapers goes online a week after it appears in the newspaper. For a list of some of my recent columns dedicated to making a difference to the environment, with a focus on simple everyday changes, visit the Everyday Earth Wise archives index. Perhaps you will find some small way you can make a big difference — in your life and to the environment. If each of us makes an effort to make small changes, each of these small changes add up to make big changes. Consider talking to your children and your grandchildren about the environment and being responsible stewards. Help them grow a garden this year, learn to compost, and go for walks in nature. If we teach them now, they grow up learning the important habits of a responsible earth steward. Although it’s best to get outside with them, visit Eco-Kids Canada or Eco-Kids (World) for some great online resources and teaching tools. I’ve listed a few books below for you or the kids but there are many more available at your local library or bookstore. Turn a new leaf starting today!

Before you head off to take some green action, here are links to two of my archived environmental columns. Please note that the newspaper does take these down after a time so if you find either or both of these helpful, I’d recommend printing it out. Here are tips on Repurposing Around the Home and a Do-it-Yourself Eco-Clean Kit. Print them out and put them to use — you’ll be surprised how easy it is to be green and how much money you will save too.

Earth Day is (also) for the Dogs.

Earth Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays)

The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time

Everything Kids’ Environment Book: Learn how you can help the environment-by getting involved at school, at home, or at play (Everything Kids Series)

Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

Invigorating: giving strength or energy to
 

Canada Geese in Spring near Valhalla, Alberta. Copyright © Diane Schuller. All Rights Reserved

Yes, that is the best word to describe my weekend. There are two reasons why it was invigorating: I spent the weekend with people and interacting with them plus I was able to get away from the farm and being tied down by the dogs. Don’t get me wrong, I love the dogs but because of them I can’t go anywhere unless my husband is home to take care of them. As for the former reason, a reminder that I often go weeks (very literally) without seeing another human being. So, this weekend was fantastic! Saturday I was in Grande Prairie all day attending a workshop where I also led a session on goal-setting for writers. Sunday I spent several hours driving through the spring countryside heading north of Grimshaw to meet a woman for a writing consult. We spent a few hours together talking about writing projects and I helped get her started on setting writing goals as well as other writing-related discussion.

Spring calves, northern Alberta. Copyright © Diane M. Schuller. All Rights Reserved

Just being around people, interacting with them, plus the time away from the farm was so invigorating. What invigorates you?