walking at sunset.

"Open my heart," I prayed.  

"Help me to feel, see, experience the present.  Help me to be right here, right now."

New and renewed.

Just sprucing things up a little bit, indoors and out.

Sometimes I think that Fall is my favorite season, but no, it's definitely Spring.  Spring brings new life, new beauty, renewed hope and things to look forward to.

The sentiment is obviously nothing new--it's been said many times before.  I don't have any grand or eloquent words about it.  I'm just experiencing it and enjoying it for myself.

Being outdoors and doing yard work these past two weekends has felt great.  Some new flowers (rieger begonias).  Our normal herbs.  Some fresh flowers (ranunculus) for the dining table.  Feels special.  Makes life feel slow.

work. and flower excitement.

I just don't talk about my work-life on this blog very much.  If ever.   But, I'm very fortunate.  I've been blessed with two completely different types of jobs... and I actually enjoy both of them.

I've been teaching private piano lessons in the evening hours for years now.  It's what I consider to be my "real" job--the thing that I am most passionate about--and it's always my first answer when asked the question "What do you do for a living?"  For a while, teaching piano lessons was my only job.  However, last year, I decided to take on a part-time office job to give us some extra wiggle-room in our finances.  The office job fills up my morning hours and then I go home and teach piano lessons for the remainder of the evening.  Sometimes it's tiring and sometimes I wish that I could just go back to solely teaching... but I actually do enjoy the office work.  It's teaching me to take joy in being a servant and taking care of the needs of others.  It's very fulfilling work.

A few months ago, our office moved locations.  As "Office Manager," I was in charge of packing up the whole office (quite the feat) and figuring out a portion of the logistics.  The move was right smack dab in the midst of my recent health problems.  It was difficult, but I made it through!  And now, we have a brand new, shiny office space.

For the past few weeks, our "Community Manager" Allison has been planning an Open House party for our company.  She did all the party planning (and she did such a great job), but she asked me to take care of the flowers.  I think they turned out so beautifully!!   (The front desk is my desk!)

gifts coming together.

This past Saturday was my piano studio's year-end recital.  It was such a wonderful day and I'm so proud of all of my students.  The morning of the recital, our neighbor Danielle knocked on the door and brought in a bouquet of flowers that she had picked from her garden, specifically for us to display at the recital.  It was such a beautiful bouquet and an even more beautiful gesture.  There were a few little sprigs of lilies that were too short for the vase, so we stuck them in a mug and they're finally opening up today!

What I love about this picture is how nearly everything pictured is a gift from someone special.  The flowers from Danielle.  The mug was a wedding shower gift from my Aunt Di.  The Lumberjack Bookmark was made by my cousin Jon (& was gifted to Christopher).  The blue/green fabric napkin was from my mom-in-law.  The yellow frame, I actually bought from a thrift store many years ago, but the red matte was a "gift" from my mom!  That covers just about everything!

I wonder how many corners of our apartment or how many corners of our souls come together from/through the "gifts" of others.

Visiting Longwood Gardens: hands for scale.

Visiting Longwood Gardens: the flora.

Christopher & I have been fortunate to spend so much quality time together this whole week!  It's been such a rare and unique time for us.  Christopher has the week off (no work, no gigs for the first time ever!) and we've decided that we will live with "no TV" and "no movies" for an indeterminate period of time.  Every day this week, I've arrived home to a "fancy" lunch either ready to eat or already in the making.  A girl's so lucky to have a husband who loves to cook.  I am so thankful.

Last Saturday, we made the "long" trek out from Philly to the suburbs of Chadds Ford, PA to visit Longwood Gardens.  Although we had been told time and again that it was such a beautiful place to visit, we had no idea just how magnificent it would be.  And how large (1,077 acres)!

Next time, we'll plan on spending the entire day.

Every Spring, I remember why and how much I love this neighborhood.

glare.

Fall is beautiful--both in color and black & white.

been busy.

Somewhere between starting a new part-time job and enrolling in my first-ever photography class, the pace of life has picked up dramatically over here.  No longer do I have those sacred mornings-afternoons to myself.  No more can I consider myself a completely free agent.

Having spent this past year solely teaching piano lessons in the evenings, I've gotten used to living slowly and adjusting my schedule according to my own wants and desires.  I had gotten used to mornings without the alarm.  Taking a leisurely walk before taking a shower.  Cooking a delicious breakfast every day and eating outside whilst reading a good book.  Talking to my mom every morning at 9:30am as she drove to work.

Those days are gone.

I'm in the midst of a small time of mourning.  Being a perfectionist is stressful when you're put into a completely new situation with completely new tasks for completely new people.  But I'm starting to get used to things and can hopefully feel really good about it.

Besides that, I just started a Black & White film photography class at the University of the Arts here in Philly.   I've been spending what little free time I now have shooting with the Holga 120N (though the above photo is digital).  I'm excited to get into the darkroom and to start learning about the whole film process.  It's going to be completely new territory and I can't wait to get into it!

So, here's to being busy.  Or making extra money.

Or to plastic cameras.

Or something.

daisies in the wind.