Happy New Year

I wanted to take the time to say thank you to everyone who has visited my blog this year and to all of you who I have developed friendships with along the way.

Your heartfelt comments . . . .your love, encouragement, support and advice have all meant so much to me.

Happy New Year my friends, may the best of 2011 be the worst of 2012. xxx

Merry Christmas

I will be taking a short blogging break over the Christmas holidays.

Wishing you and your loved ones a truly magical time and I'll see you back here soon.

Much love.

Kathryn xxx

A Community I Love {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  A Community I Love

Online and in real life we're all part of a multitude of communities.  Tell us about one that moves you.

It may seem like an obvious choice but the blogging community is one that really moves me.  It really is like no other.  A place where people of all ages, all walks of life come together and share parts of themselves.

I love the diversity, the way this community inspires me, motivates me, encourages me, pushes me to be better and I love the heartfelt comments that people so generously leave for me each time I share a part of myself.

Teaching Moment {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  Teaching Moment

Sometimes we find teachers in the most unexpected places.  Who surprised you as a teacher this year and what did you learn?

I most definitely found a teacher in the unlikeliest of places this year . . . . . within me!

I would visit my favorite blogs and marvel at the images I saw there.  I knew I wanted to improve the quality of my own photos and it was these daily visits that eventually inspired me to get off my butt and try to do something about it.

Early in the year I treated myself to a new camera and then taught myself how to use it by reading the manual for the first time ever!  I read about Aperture/F-Stop Numbers and finally figured out what they meant.  It was a little scary at first but I took my camera off the auto setting, experimented with different settings and haven't looked back since.  Then I bought a macro lens and fell in love with a whole new world that opened up before my very eyes.

I still have a long way to go with my photography skills but I'm amazed at what I learnt this year and how much I improved . . . . .  all by being inspired and having the desire and the passion to try and figure things out.

Who surprised you as a teacher this year?

Gratitude {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  Gratitude

What 5 things are you most grateful for from 2011.



husband * family * blogging friends * nature * photography

What 5 things are you most grateful for?

12 Things {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  12 Things

What are 12 things your life doesn’t need in 2012? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 12 things change your life?

1.   Bugs

I almost had a heart attack when I moved from the UK to the US and saw the size of the bugs out here.  There are times when it feels like I'm living in the Land Of The Giants!  I thought they were bad in Connecticut but they are even worse here in Virginia.  I react really badly to mosquito and spider bites so at the very least I'd love to eliminate those two.



2.   Humidity

The humidity here in Virginia can be brutal during the summer months which makes it impossible to enjoy being outside during that time.  Unfortunately I can't control mother nature.

3.   Static

During the colder, dryer months I'm like a static magnet and find myself getting shocked over and over again.  It's extremely painful and it doesn't help that most shop doors have metal handles!  If anyone knows of any good static tips (other than static guard) I'm all ears.

4.   Clutter

Some people have this ability to clear out the clutter and live in such a tidy organized space.  I'm not one of them!  There are times when I feel bogged down by all the stuff that I've accumulated over the years and even though I do a mini purge every once in a while I feel I need to be more ruthless in clearing out the clutter.



5.   Negativity

I've said many times that I'm a glass is half empty type of person.  Most of the time I see that as being realistic but it does err on the sign of being negative.  I need to adopt my husbands more positive approach to things.

6.   Self Criticism

All to often we are our own worst critics.  I need to find a way to silence that inner voice when it's overly critical and not constructive.

7.   Housework

Oh how I would love to eliminate housework.  That's not going to happen any time soon but there are things I could do to help cut down on the amount of work I create for myself.  Like hanging some laundry straight from the dryer to avoid having to iron it rather than letting it sit there forever getting all wrinkled.

8.   Candy

Now I'm not saying that I'm going to give up all candy altogether but I am making a concerted effort to reduce the amount I eat which can only be good in the long run.  Quite how long this good intention will last though . . . . that is the question.



9.   Cold Calls

We receive an insane amount of cold calls and random calls from debt collectors chasing people we've never even heard one.  I have to giggle each time a debt collector calls for Jesus and pronounces the name in the biblical sense.

10.   Inertia

Illness has had me flat on my back this year which has left me feeling weak and unfit. I've really missed my nature walks so my plan is to get back outside, camera in hand, and try and build my strength and stammina back up.

11.  Pain

Most of you will know that I've been suffering with  some pretty excruciating nerve pain the past seven months.  My body doesn't seem to respond well to medication but through a process of elimination I'm hoping that we've found some meds to help alleviate the pain.



12.  Doctors Offices

Over the last year I've been inside more doctor and specialist offices than I care to remember (why is it that they are usually decorated so badly)?  I'm hoping to eliminate these visits by getting better this coming year.

What are some of the things you don't need in your life?

More {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  What do you wish you had done more of in 2011?



loved * lived *laughed

Beauty {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  Beauty

Describe a moment of beauty that you witnessed this year.

Exploring photography this year really opened my eyes.  As I searched for images through my camera lens I found myself noticing and seeing the beauty in things that I would have overlooked before.

Most of you know that nature and willdlife are a huge source of inspiration for me so it's probably no surprise that a particular moment of beauty that stands out in my mind this year was my visit to Yellowstone.  I was blown away by the diversity of the wildlife and the surroundings.  It was nothing short of breathtaking and the photos really don't do it justice.

What moment of beauty did you witness this year?

Disappointment {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  Disappointment

What was the one disappointment that has turned out to be a blessing in the last 12 months? How will this affect how you deal with disappointment in the future?

I'd been anxiously watching the weather forecast all week, it was looking good . . . .  cold but dry. 



Then Saturday morning came and as my husband and I headed off to attend an outdoor Art Show, the rain started and my heart sank.

We were cold, we were wet and it was looking like it was going to be a non event.  Pretty disappointing considering all the preparation we'd put into getting there.

As it turns out the folks of Alexandria didn't let a bit of rain dampen their spirits and while the show may not have seen the number of attendees that it normally does it ended up being the best show that we've done so far!
 
It just goes to show that for a girl who usually views the glass as 'half empty' things aren't always as bad as they seem.
 
Tell me about your disappointments that turned out to be blessings in disguise.

Forgiveness {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  Forgiveness

Who have you forgiven this year and what was the journey like that brought you to forgive them.



There have been no big acts of forgiveness this year just the small everyday kind like. . . . .

 

  puked up fur balls

*****

dirty dishes in the sink

 *****

litter tracked through the house

*****

cat fur that seems to attach itself to everything

*****

the dirty socks my husband leaves in little piles on the floor

*****

or when he leaves the kitchen cupboards open

*****

letting the laundry accumulate

*****

my lack of cooking skills

*****

ironing piles

*****

being ill

 

 

Who have you forgiven this year?

What Made You Laugh {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  What made you laugh this year?

Animals and insects have this uncanny ability to make me laugh, especially with some of the poses that they strike.  I love that this prompt encouraged me to look back through my old photos and have a good giggle all over again . . . . .

Praying mantis usually scare me but I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this guy doing what can only be described as some kind of irish jig!

Then there was this Elk expressing her feelings on motherhood . . . . .

and this deer who clearly had something to say . . . . .

. . .  but the ones who continue to make me laugh day in and day out are my two boys!



Who or what makes you laugh and why?

Five Things {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  5 Things

Describe 5 guilty pleasures.

Mmmmmm guilty pleasures . . . . we all have them.

One of my biggest guilty pleasures is being fortunate enough to work from home and having the freedom to create whenever the mood strikes.  I have the most amazing husband who continues to make this dream a possibility.

Other guilty pleasures include copious amounts of candy and the numerous pieces of camera equipment that I splurged on this year.

Two of my all time favorites though would have to be eating dessert for breakfast (what can I tell you I have a sweet tooth) and midday bubble baths {sigh}.

What are your guilty pleasures?

Addition Through Subtraction {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  Addition Through Subtraction

What have you let go of this year and how has it affected you?

This year has been great in terms of artwork sales.  I've seen many of my favorite pieces head out of the door but feel as though I have gained so much in the 'letting go'.

There are certain pieces I've created that I feel a strong bond with in some way.  It might be because of the amount of time I spent working on a piece, it might be an emotional connection, it might be the color combination or the subject matter.

Seeing people have an instant reaction to something that I've created . . . knowing that they love the piece as much I do . . . that it will find a spot in their homes and give them many hours of pleasure, fills me up in ways I struggle to put words to and inspires me to continue creating.

Gobble, Gobble

There used to be lots of turkeys that would stroll through our yard when we lived in Connecticut but we typically don't see that many here in Virginia.

That's why I was surprised when I spied this little guy and a few of his mates making a beeline for the woods the other day.

It would seem that they avoided the Thanksgiving dinner table this year!



A Moment In Time {#Reverb11}

Prompt:  A Moment In Time

Tell us about one moment that you lived in 2011 that you will never forget.

Our trip to Yellowstone was a phenomenal experience, from the breathtaking scenery to the most incredible wildlife.  There was, however, one particular moment that stood out from the rest.

We'd left our cabin early one morning when barely a mile up the road a large shape caught our attention . . . . .

. . . . . a MOOSE!  I could hardly contain my excitement, especially as they are one of my favorite animals.  I'd always wanted to see one and now here one was right in front of me.

Magical, magnificent and majestic doesn't even begin to describe these animals.

A truly memorable moment.  It felt like an incredible priviledge and one that I will most certainly never forget.

One Word {#Reverb11}

Prompt: One Word

Encapsulate the year 2011 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2012 for you?

If I had to sum up the past twelve months in just one word it would be 'CHALLENGING'. Let me explain . . . .

I started off the year feeling generally unwell. I saw doctors and specialists but wasn't really making much headway. Span to June and things suddenly got a whole lot worse. I found myself in excruciating pain with no relief.

I've been treated for migraines, sinus infections, toothache, ear, nose and throat problems but nothing checked out. I've also had MRI's, CT Scans, I-CAT Scans, X-Rays, Blood Tests, Sinus Surgery and been on so many different drugs it's enough to make your head spin.

After months and months of unsuccessful treatments it turns out that I have Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia (a rare form of facial nerve pain that is often misdiagnosed). It seems that there is no clear cut treatment and tends to be a case of trial and error.

To give you some idea of the pain it's like having a migraine, toothache, earache, sinus pressure, cheek pain and neck pain all at the same time, every day.

If you'd asked me last year what my word for 2012 would have been I'd have probably picked something creative but today . . . . in the here and now, I would have to choose 'Healthy'.

What one word would you chose to describe your year and what word would you chose for 2012?