Life's Pages

Because this blog is dedicated and written in memory of our grandmother, Dorothy Delilah Dale Tode, it is worth mentioning her passing. She died Sunday, March 13, 2011. Today I'm celebrating her life as I unpack boxes of her journals here in my study.

I'm thinking today of a road trip she and I took to visit her homestead near Ryegate, and I'm trying to remember what year it was that we set off on a whim and a full tank of gas to find her roots.

I'll never forget that trip, seeing the little blue and white clapboard church at Lennup, surrounded by a field of yellow mustard-seed weed with a fox and her kits playing at the steps; seeing the home where she grew up that still houses a hard-working ranching family, and the tiny tool shed next to it, that was her father's original homestead shack; meeting her childhood friend, Wallace, and helping him catch his horse, the hot summer wind whipping my long hair into my eyes; and discovering that were it not for the 52 years between us, we might have been the best of friends.

Dorothy with Wallace

I've not felt the strength to open any of her journals. Of course, I'm curious. So curious. But I don't trust my emotions. I'm so near to weeping as it is. Do I dare explore and let my emotions go as I wander through her life's pages?

Family Tree

I check Poppytalk Handmade daily, and this is where I stumbled apon these beautiful photo-leaves!

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Miranda van Dijk an artist based out of the Netherlands makes these intriguing fabric leaves from photos that have been scanned then printed on a muslin fabric.  It looks like she may involve wire to hold the shape too.  I have a very in depth family tree project on the horizon that these leaves would be wonderful to try!  What an inspiration!



A life well lived...

Dorothy Delilah Dale

March 20th 1920 to March 13th 2011

VW Beetle Fun

Most days I drive a 72' Volkswagon Beetle to and from work. 

I must emphasize that most days I try to drive Jezebel (as I affectionately call my bug..  She will love ya then leave ya).   Jezebel is a bit temperamental at best, other days she is a "NO GO" type of car. 

  

I have gotten used to turning some serious wrench with this car.  In her defense she is a vintage ride and she does need quite a bit of  tender loving care.  Owning this car has changed me, no really changed me.  I wave at all other vintage VW drivers (sometimes even when I'm not in my bug).  I take the long way every time I get a chance.  Folks know this about me now and realize that I take my sweet time.  And any air-cooled Vw driver will agree there is nothing better than rolling down the window sitting back and just cruising.  Now I can really appreciate this vintage car thing.  When is see a car no matter in what condition I can really see adoration and love in that car.

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How long did it take to create that look?

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Hold backs...

Have you ever felt so held back that you could not function?  I have felt that way for some time now.  I NEED a new camera.  Just like your car needs brakes to stop, and gasoline to go, I need a camera!  I am happy to announce!!! I ordered the Canon 7D! 

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 It should arrive this Friday!  I'm so excited that I have decided to revamp my entire camera bag situation and make my own camera strap too!  This is the camera bag I fell in love with about a year ago... I'm leaning towards the red one personally. 

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The thought being it, looks just like a purse, then I can carry my camera with me more often and get ALL the shots I miss cause all I have is my darn cell phone.  I recently made a special camera strap for my sis Laura (with whom I share this blog)  that looks just like this....

Sorry this photo is not the best... I took it with the iPhone, hence my point is only driven home by the fact that my current camera only has sharp photos every third shot (very un-full filling for a photographer).   Gosh!  The excitement is too much to handle!  

New Year's Resolutions

    Dorothy Delilah Dale has always been a strong inspiration...  At 90 years old she has maintained a daily journal for the better  half of her life.  As a girl I would see the burgundy journal sitting on a side table and wonder what she felt was important enough to write down.  It wasn't I was in my 20's and Gram and I struggled to remember the day I had picked out a kitten I named Tc.  No sooner that I could recall the year my grandmother opened up the special bookcase that housed all her 40 plus journals and pulled out the exact journal in which she made note on that very day I had gotten my kitten.  As she began reading a simple summary of the day, including the snowy weather, my eyes teared up.  I now realized that she was a simple family historian.  We spent that afternoon looking through her journals and reading about the day I was born, the day Gram & Gramps sold the old house on the lake, and all the days she felt were markers of my life she had penned simply in her own journals.  

     I have resolved many many times to keep a daily journal.  I had a remarkable stretch in high school that started in my 10th grade and ended in my 12th grade (although not daily).  I think the hardest part of a daily journal is finding the material to fill a whole page.  As a stare down at the blank page I struggle with a blank mind!  As I was poking around the local Borders Store I found this small Moleskine Daily Journal/ Planner in pink.  I had to have it! 

It is only 2 1/4 by 4 inches tall, it's teenie tiny!

My iPhone is larger than this journal!

The pages are soooo cute with a small little section at the bottom for the weather.

   I have been a BIG fan of the Moleskine journals for years now.  It is a strange day if I don't have one in my purse for notes or the simple quote I hear.  With this new one I imagine my New Year's Resolution to keep a daily journal with not be that difficult, smaller pages less content.  I'll get the big one next year...   

Suzanna's Belly

I'm so excited to have the opportunity to photograph my friend Suzanna tomorrow. This is my first maternity shoot, and just a month from her due date, Suzanna's belly is beautiful. And to make things more perfect -- yes, it gets better -- we're going to have the entire Red Lodge School of Dance studio to ourselves. On the second floor, with great big windows, the light will be enchanting. I'll post a photo or two when I'm done.

Oh, and by the way, I did get my website going and gave my procrastinating self a deadline of Jan. 1. It's already been a lot of work, but I'm so excited to have this project underway. I'm using a template from BluDomain, a Denver company that specializes in serving creative professionals. The crew there have been awesome to work with. Can't wait for you to see it.