Abundance from Ashley Thalman

"Because secrets do not increase in value if kept in a gore-ian lockbox, because one's past is either made useful or else mutates and becomes cancerous. We share things for the obvious reasons: it makes us feel un-alone, it spreads the weight over a larger area, it holds the possibility of making our share lighter. And it can work either way - not simply as a pain-relief device, but, in the case of not bad news but good, as a share-the-happy-things-I've-seen/lessons-I've-learned vehicle. Or as a tool for simple connectivity for its own sake, a testing of waters, a stab at engagement with a mass of strangers."
- Dave Eggers from A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

This post, along with the above quote, comes to us from Ashley Thalman, who is one of the most heartfelt and gracious people I know. She was my wedding photographer, and working with her was magical. She thought we would enjoy reading this on Pecannoot, and I couldn't agree more. For more from Ashley, check out her gorgeous photo blog, her personal blog, and her website.

I, like you, don't know what I'm doing all the time.
I, like you, cannot see this life from every angle.
I don't know how to do what I do sometimes and often after I do it, I don't like it.
Sometimes I surprise myself with work that I didn't know was in me.
I cringe when I think of everything I don't know about life and other times I feel like I know all I should right now.

I don't want to be boxed up so tightly that life and joy are kept out of what I do. I don't want to take myself, or my work as a photographer so seriously that I am more photographer than human, more business owner than friend, more editor than listener. What is the point in that? Is that really what we should be spending our time moving towards? To produce rather than to create? Is that why I left the cubicle? I want to make images that reflect something of love, tragedy, brilliance, and irony. I want to listen. I want my images to reflect intangible interactions and a part of life that my clients don't even realize is already gone.

*Thank you Ashley, for sharing your wisdom and joy with us.*

love: by aimee dolich of artsyville

You know what I think is amazing? That someone of I've never met in person (Aimee), who lives in Lawrence, Kansas, a place I've never been, saw this door with the word love scrawled across it as she was walking around her town, and she thought of me. Then, she took the extra step to email me the photo she took of the door, because she thought it was a perfect image for Pecannoot. WOW.

What would we do without the internet? There are so many people out there that I feel are my dear friends that I've never met in person! (Aimee is one of them, obviously.) :) And without the internet, the probability of my ever even knowing these wonderful people exist is pretty much zero. Amazing.

So, thank you to Aimee for sending this photo over, and if you don't already read Aimee's blog, Artsyville, I highly recommend it! It's one of the most colorful and inspiring places in blogland, in my opinion. (And if you remember from way back, Aimee did a fantastic illustrated interview for us here!)

*Big thanks and big hugs, Aimee! I hope to meet for real one day!*

We Are Indestructible: by Jeff Garban

We are all indestructible. We are strong, we are wise, we don't receive more than we can handle from the universe. Even when we think we can't, we CAN. We are infinite. We are here, then, now, forever.

{photo by Jeff Garban on flickr}

Decomposing Leaf: by Victoria Bennett Beyer

When I opened my email inbox to find that someone had sent me an image this beautiful, I was filled with gratitude. The detail in this decomposing leaf is astounding. It amazes me that things that seem so simple, like a leaf, are really so complex.

Victoria Bennett Beyer is the special someone who sent me this photograph. She says:

"I've been saving this leaf since last winter and I just photographed it yesterday.

The delicate patterns that nature riddled it with as it decomposed are overwhelmingly beautiful to me. But it is more than just that. I think this image, this leaf, reminds me that there is abundance always, even in the letting go and the leaving. What was left behind - the little bits of leaf that are gone - change its nature and make it even more beautiful."

Such insight. I like thinking about people this way-- as we get older, pieces of our youth fall away and our nature changes, but maybe what we are left with is more beautiful, just like this leaf?

Boy oh boy is Victoria talented. There are a number of places where you can find more of her gorgeous images:

*Victoria's website
*Her blog
*Her photography etsy shop
and
*her paintings etsy shop

*A big thank you to Victoria for sharing this beautiful photograph with us!*

heidi klum's halloween costume

I love love love Heidi Klum. She seems really fun and smart and friendly to me, and I was so excited to see her awesome and elaborate Kali Ma Halloween costume that's been splashed all over the internet. WOW! Now THAT'S how you celebrate Halloween. (I found these images via Ink & Wit.) I'm all inspired now. I used to get *so* into Halloween when I was younger (even all the way through college!), but now I let myself get sucked into my husband, Ryan's lack of enthusiasm for the holiday. Last year he let me dress him up, though, so I made us matching costumes, for FULL embarrassment on his part. Ha ha! WE were bears dressed as pumpkins, complete with homemade furry hats, mittens, and booties. It was awesome.

I think I'll take matters into my own hands today. Step one: buy some pumpkins to carve. Step two: track down "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and "The Worst Witch" to watch while carving pumpkins. Best.Halloween.Movies.Ever. Step three: costumes. I better get cracking!

What are you doing for Halloween?

spice and color

{from lux & pixel on flickr}

One day my travels will take me to the spice markets of India, Morocco, Istanbul.... until then I will admire these gorgeous photographs and dream about it in my head... I can practically smell the spices already!

{from dachalan on flickr}

{from matthieu aubrey on flickr}

{from matteo_dudek on flickr}

This is such a lovely story about appreciating the people that love us in our lives. Stephanie Freiss just started her first "real job" as a librarian at a grade school (a position for which she has no professional training and was hired on pure faith that she could do the job, because of a clear passion for books and her English degree-- she says it's been quite the challenge, full of ups and downs!) Here is what she has to say about her lovely photo above:

"Fall may not have arrived in the still hot and muggy Louisiana weather, but it was sitting on my bathroom counter this morning thanks to my sister/roommate, Kristen.

The sight of these gorgeous oranges and golds first thing in the morning opened my sleepy eyes wide and completely started my day off on the right foot. I only wish my sleepy brain had registered that the little packet to the left was World Market pumpkin spice coffee before I made my regular old cup o’ java! Oh well, I’ll thoroughly enjoy it the rest of the week. The card at bottom quotes You’ve Got Mail, “Don’t you just love the fall? If I knew your address I would send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils” and on the back tells me how proud she is of me, that she knows I can handle this job.

And I realized: in the past month and 2 weeks since I started this job, I have received so much support and encouragement from everyone important to me. My parents sent me beautiful flowers on my first day, and my mom emails with me daily and listens to my triumphs and despairs. My dad calls me at least once a week when we’re both up and driving before the sun to check on me, and he mailed me an engraved desk plaque. My sister talks with me every night and morning, and makes splendid gestures like sharpening 17 pencils by hand for this bouquet. My boyfriend texts with me all day long, staying abreast of my ups and downs, lifting me up or rejoicing with me accordingly. He’s also left a note on my windshield during one particularly down week.

With all of that loving support, how can I ever feel down and defeated? I still do, often, of course, but there one of them always is to love and support some more. It was good for me to realize all of this. Way too often, God's abundant provisions of love, encouragement, and support in the form of the people we interact with daily go unrecognized or under-appreciated. It's the old story of taking things for granted, but the truth is that the more clearly we choose to see the lovers and supporters in our lives, the more uplifted we are and in turn, the more uplifting we become to others. Look around you today and choose to see someone more clearly."

Great message, yes? It's so important to show the people we love how much they mean to us. Go give someone a big hug and thank them for being so wonderful! It'll make you both feel good.

*Thank you, Stephanie!!*

Go Ahead... Jump In: by Kim Creagan

Good morning, Pecannooters! Kim Creagan sent us a terrific reminder that I wanted to share with you at the beginning of this brand new week:

Since graduating school and not being able to find a job in my profession, I've been trying to piece together some other creative means of making a living. It seems I have a lot of ideas, but I am having a hard time putting them into action. I often get caught up in the planning aspect of making it just right or figuring out if it will work, instead of just jumping in and seeing where it goes. So, here's a little reminder, to all us planners or procrastinators out there, that sometimes all it takes is jumping in. You may get wet and flounder around a little, but at least you tried.

I like this little quote that goes along with it too:

"Doing is a quantum leap from imagining. Thinking about swimming isn't much like actually getting in the water." ~Barbara Sher

Let's DO this week, instead of just imagining doing! I sometimes get stuck in the not-doing stage, and the excuse-making, and the time-wasting, and this week I want to jump in, get down to business, and drop the fear. How about you?

For more from Kim, check out her etsy shop and her other etsy shop. Photographs and artwork galore!

*Thanks, Kim!*

circular rainbow

I saw this image on the Telegraph website this morning and thought you would all like to see it, too. A circular rainbow! That is a rare sight, my friends! Wouldn't it be amazing to look out the window of an airplane and see this shining in the clouds?

It's just one more reminder of how lovely and beautiful and wondrous our world is.

(via Telegraph.co.uk)

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! If you are in the Atlanta area, I'll be at the Candler Park Fall Festival all weekend, selling my art. Come see me if you are here! Otherwise, I'll meet you back here on Monday.

It's Never Too Late...

Sometimes I get myself down a little bit when I see really young people doing really amazing things. Like, 23 year olds doing things that I would kill to do. OK, well, that's a little dramatic-- I don't think I would kill to do anything. But you know what I mean. :)

So I'm happy for this reminder from the My Life Imagined blog this morning.

It is nice to know that there are people of all ages doing incredible things. What rock star thing do you want to do right now, today?

I hope you all have a magical weekend! I'm driving to Mississippi to go to a dear old friend's wedding, so that is sure to be an adventure! I've never been to Mississippi before, AND I get to drive all the way through Alabama! Excitement. I'll see you on Monday with stories to tell and photos to share!

xo

Your choices...

Just a friendly reminder this morning.

[via prettyfnmess's flickr photostream]

i love you cards

Happy Monday to you, my dear readers. I wanted to share this project with you, which I first came across a while back, but I just rediscovered it last week.

Heidi Geldhauser created iloveyoucards.org. You can order 20 cards for $5.00, and then she urges you to leave them around the world for people to find, to give them to friends and family-- in general, to spread the love far and wide!

Her website is full of images of how people have used the cards-- it's quite inspiring.

I'm going to order some. Yes indeed. I want to be a part of this love spreading.

ps- Heidi has the cards available in a multitude of languages. How cool is that?

And Just Like That They Were Gone: by Nessie Noodle

I love this photograph. I love how it's blurry on the left side and very focused on the other. I love the texture of it. It's making me hungry, too.

Nessie says:

At first glance this photo might seem like a strange submission for a website that focuses on "abundance", after all it is an empty bowl. How is that abundant? But think about it for a second, let your mind imagine the big, round, juicy black berries that filled that bowl, the hands that picked them fresh from along the river bank, the earth that grew them with out the help of any human- I would say that looking at this empty bowl with those images in mind make it not so empty . (Plus look at that color that is left behind, beautiful!) Sometimes it isn't what is left that matters, it is what we got to enjoy that does.

Makes sense to me. It's hard not to appreciate your food when you think about all that it took to get it to your hands and mouth. Pretty incredible, eh?

Check out Nessie Noodle's flickr photostream here and also the blog!

*Have a great weekend, my friends-- if you are in the Chicago area, I'll be at the Renegade Craft Fair this weekend-- come on by and stop by my booth-- I'd love to meet you in person!!*

Berries: by Susie Lubell

I love fruit. In particular I love summer fruit. I don't eat berries nearly often often, though, and this gorgeous photo is reminding me of that. I love a good berry. :)

Susie Lubell says this of her photograph:

"I took some pictures this weekend while I was solo with my kids and I just feel like this one of my son is magical. He's holding olallieberries. Not exactly an abundance, but to him it's a lot. Because they're not even ours! They grow from a neighbor's bush over our fence so whenever we get a few we feel like we won the lottery."

I can completely relate to this! My husband's parents live in southern California, and their neighbors have an avocado tree. Whenever we go to visit, they pick a few off the tree for us to take home, and I feel like the luckiest person in the world. Free avocados, direct from the tree? Yes please.

Make sure you check out Susie's etsy shop, her blog, become a fan on facebook, and you can follow her on twitter, too!

*Thank you, Susie, for sharing your photo with us!*

lucky

I promise I'm not going to post wedding pictures here every other day, but I just couldn't help myself with this one. Would you just look at how Ryan is looking at me? I'm the luckiest.

I hope you have a terrific weekend, friends!

found love

i couldn't NOT post this here today. i popped over to please sir yesterday (one of the best blogs, in case you don't yet know of it), and i was stopped in my tracks by these photographs.

diana, please sir's lovely author, saw these signs posted on her drive to work yesterday. she didn't know who they were for or why they were there.

i got a little teary just looking at them on a computer screen-- imagine what would've happened if i'd been the one seeing them in person! i wonder what would happen if signs like that were posted around here in atlanta, the land of road-rage and maniacal drivers....

you can find diana's original post on please sir right here, and make sure to browse the rest of her blog, too-- it's one of my favorites!

i'm back from the wedding + honeymoon

hello, my friends! i missed you! i'm back from our wedding and honeymoon, and i just wanted to share a few quick pics with you-- i haven't gotten any of the photographs from the photographer yet, so these are just shots from various guests who had cameras with them. i love them.


the wedding couldn't have been more wonderful-- it was crazy and stressful the couple days beforehand, but everything turned out beautifully, the weather cooperated, and everyone had a good time. phew!

the top photo is my younger brother walking me down the sand aisle, then the next is ryan and i kissing (obviously!) and my dear friend caroline who married us, the next is a photo of my sisters, cousin, and i (it's blurry, but i love it for some reason), and then a photo of me hugging my brother after the ceremony. i'm not sure why the coloring is as it is, but don't you love it?

if you want to see some honeymoon photos today, to, head over to my other blog! i will be back to regular posting soon- i hope you all had a delightful 2 weeks while i was away!

you will have everything: by samantha spitzer

First of all, sign me up to go to those mountains in the photo above! Whoa, holy gorgeousness.
Second, wait until you read the story about what happened after Samantha Spitzer took that photograph, in New Zealand, where she and her new hubby were honeymooning. Here it is:

This submission contains one of my favorite mantras. The mantra spewed forth a couple months ago while I was chatting with my friend and colleague Heather Villars (yes, the same Heather featured on your site just a few days ago). I have been using ever since. During moments of depletion, during moments of doubt, during moments when I am so overwhelmed by being a human-DOING that I forget to be a human-BEING. Yes, those moments. I share this mantra with my yoga students who report that it brings them comfort and relief. I'm so happy to share it now with your readers. And then I found the perfect photo to use as the backdrop for the mantra. I took this photo in February 2004. My husband (Stephen) and I honeymooned for a month in New Zealand, where we rented a car and fit everything we needed into our little yellow tent shown in the photo (that's Stephen setting up the tent). The photo was taken on our first night camping, hours before experiencing the biggest thunder/lightening storm ever, which coming from the Midwest meant it was a serious thunderstorm! We were flooded out of our tent and escaped to the car where we spent the night cuddled in sleeping bags. It was one of the best nights in memory - I was okay, and I had everything I needed. I could never have imagined that I would arrive at the future I am at now. And my future will indeed look different than I imagine. But from this moment on, I will always remember that I am okay, and that I will have everything I need.

Don't you think many people would've just gotten really grumpy, thinking their honeymoon had been ruined by the weather, and being miserable all night? Not Samantha-- what an inspiring way to find the beauty and happiness in a situation, while living in and enjoying the present moment just as it is. (I imagine her yoga practice has something to do with this, don't you?) I can definitely learn something from this story!

And to read more from Samantha, check out her blog (note: she has an awesome list of 32 things she wants to do before she turns 33-- i totally want to do this! I think I'll do it when I turn 29 next month. 29 things to do before I turn 30!) and also her yoga website.

*Thanks so much, Sam!!*

Have a fabulous weekend, everybody, and I'll see you on Monday!