the weekend

so I'm rested, rejuvenated, inspired... it's a great time! I was introduced to this great little sushi buffet in Natick, Minado, what a fabulous place! (even their website is kind of fun!) I could have spent my whole time photographing, luckily I didn't, because the food was so yummy, and I only had my camera phone with me! Between the Natick Collection with their divine shopping and fun art exhibit (a cool collection of dresses made out of soda bottles, eggshells, poetry and twine!), and Minado, and a weekend full of inspiring seminars and good company, it was hard to come home!

school vacation week...

The studio will be closed this week so that I can spend some time with my beautiful daughter, Adriana, my sister and niece will be visiting for a few days too... the end of the week will be spent at a seminar where I'll be being inspired...

What's your favorite vacation memory?
One of mine would definately be our first trip to England as a family, Adriana was nearly 3, and we spent a week exploring the Cornish countryside, searching for stones (circles, quoits, standing stones...) We were out in the beautiful country, away from all of the hustle and bustle of life, it was so peaceful, even all of these years later, I can still feel the peace... Being in nature is true happiness to me...

This image is Carreg Samson, from our next trip, and is actually in Wales on the Pembrokeshire Coast (which is spectacular!). Also, a wonderful journey, many hours spent exploring... My sweet family:

"come along darlings, mommy wants to find some stones..."

and off we go... How lucky I am! It's no wonder I want to spend every moment I can with them!!!

Enjoy your families, treasure every moment with them...

Happy Valentine's Day

wishing you all love...

the baby moose

I had an amazing weekend, it was one of those times where life is exactly the way you hope it will be... (okay, except for Sunday evening of course, but we'll ignore that for now... )

I was in New Hampshire, living life... skiing, snow-shoe-ing, enjoying friends... the scenery... the relaxation... the laughter...

While we were snow-shoeing along this lovely trail through the snow covered trees - birches, pines, etc., we were told there was a baby moose up ahead on the trail... and as in all of life, sometimes we choose to take a journey or path, and sometimes we don't... I choose the path of following the moose. I'd never seen a moose in the wild, and knew if I didn't try, I would always be sorry that I hadn't... After hearing he was running in the same direction I was going, I was getting ready to give up, and photographed his tracks in the snow as a consolation, but I couldn't quite let go... I knew I had to keep trying a little longer... About 20 minutes later I saw him up ahead, and my breath caught... He was young, and scared, and trying to get off of the trail but I think he was afraid... Everytime he came our way, we got off the trail to allow him to pass, but he'd see us and go back the other way where he'd meet up with some cross-country skiiers, and change his direction again... he didn't know what to do... My heart was going out to this enormous child, trying to make his way... Eventually, one of the times he came toward us we were well enough hidden that he came our way, when he was not 10 feet from me, he saw me and and heard my camera, and ran off up the hill through the trees... It was such a beautiful sight seeing him where he belonged, watching him galloping through the trees with such grace for such an enormous creature, I was happy that he was free of the path he was following and of the people he was afraid of... He found his courage to go where he belonged... What an honor it was to be in the presence of such a magnificent animal...

sometimes the journey is such a magical one...

edamame

here's my th0ught for the day... next time I'm invited somewhere, I am so bringing edamame... my friend, Sue, came over today with the Love Cats, and she brought edamame (/ay-duh-MAH-may/) . So not only is it absolutely delicious, but really, it is such fun to say! (go on, give it a try). What will you bring to your next gathering?

(if you can't think of anything, I've still got Girl Scout cookies!!!)

Photo (c) Setsuko Yoshizuka

more Unity

in October, I photographed all of the students at MMEHMCPS (I think, don't quote me!) spelling out the word Unity, a job I loved... (see October 25th for pix) A day or so ago, (the mom of) a sweet girl sent me a drawing she had done of me taking the photo, how much do I love that? So thank you Samantha, I LOVE my drawing...

being a photographer is the coolest!!!!!

the kissing booth

the PPA convention was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so inspired, and am loving being a photographer in this day & age... I saw some fabulous speakers, learned some very cool things, and found out some good tips... I cannot wait to start the season, I've got so many ideas, my head is ready to explode! I am exhausted still, but ready to start the year off right... (I had a bit too much fun in the kissing booth, but that's what it was there for!!!) The Marriott in Tampa was lovely, I had this great corner room with this fabulous bed, feather pillows, feather comforter & feather mattress topper, I'm lucky I made it to any of my 7am classes!!! then there was the lure of the pool... ('cause unlike further in this post, after Ray & Adriana went home, it was gorgeous & in the 80's every day!!)

We went to Disney before the convention, it was freezing cold, but what a great time we had... Adriana loved all of the water rides, she went on Splash Mountain 3 times, of course when it's not even 40 degrees, there's no line at all!!! Gotta love the photo of us all bundled up, just how you normally see visitors to Fla! We had to buy it (like we had to buy wooly caps & gloves!!) Now we're all back home together, we've just finished putting together a puzzle as a family, we've never done that before, and man I hope we do it again, it was so lovely & relaxing, I do so adore my little family!!

If you haven't already, make sure you visit Self Portrait Cape Cod at the Cotuit Center for the Arts, this year's Arts Foundation of Cape Cod invitational show... It is really fabulous, Adriana and I spent a good couple of hours doing the scavenger hunt they had for the kids (I'm 2 of the answers! but I won't tell you which 2 so it's not spoiled for you!!!) Adriana loved the fact I was the answer, she wrote on her paper "Mama Jane Thornington", pretty funny. Her favorite (& one of mine as well) was Salley Mavor's portrait, she made a doll for every year of her life, it is outstanding, worth going to the exhibit just for that one! There were a few that really stood out for me, Salley Mavor's, Cherie Mittenthal did a very cool, quite tongue in cheek encaustic, and Jim Peters did a fabulous collage type print, where he combined rooms from different places he lived into one room, very, very, cool... Picasso asked, "What do you see when you look at yourself?" I've answered the question, can you? Visit before Feb 9th to see my answer...

oh, and by the way, it's Girl Scout cookie time... Call me if you need cookies!!!!