Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense

On a trip to New York City in August 2010, I stopped in the Times Square Visitor Center. Each visitor was allowed to choose from the colorful squares of tissue paper provided and on each one, write a wish for the coming year. These wishes were placed in the box and saved for New Year's Eve. When the ball dropped to ring in 2011, the tissue paper confetti was released over Time's Square. I placed two wishes in the box. When I watched the ball drop on TV that year I felt connected to the celebration there, knowing that my wishes were floating around with so many others. 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Kiss

The majority of my photo challenge entries include pictures of pets. Usually I think of a specific photo or two right away upon seeing the new challenge each week. When I go to find the image, I often scroll through my others thinking "Maybe I should try to find a non-pet photo this week". But often I go back to my first instinct because it's usually the right choice. As I look back through  my previous challenge entries, it's clear that pets are a major part of my life and I like that I am able to show that. I thought of this photo immediately upon seeing this week's challenge. It's me receiving a smooch from one of my mother's dogs, who is no longer with us. She was a loving, energetic dog. She brought my mom a lot of joy in the short time she was in our family. I'm glad I have this memory of her captured and am able to share it. 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Home

I'm a home body. I always have been. I need down time to recharge. One of my favorite things about my home (no matter where that is) is my pets. I'm always happy to come home to them whether I've been away for days or just an hour. They are what makes my home a great sanctuary and they provide me with love and companionship in a way that people simply can't. This picture was taken on an afternoon I had come home early from work because I wasn't feeling well. My dogs always seem to know when I need extra TLC!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique

     I have a tattoo of a goldfish on my left arm. People ask "Why a goldfish?" and my answer is always the same "Because I really like goldfish". I've had a tank of goldfish in every place I've lived for the past 12 years. It's always the same breed, called Orandas. There's not much to say other than having fish has always brought me a lot of comfort and joy.

     This is a goldfish I currently own, named Brian. I've had him for two years now and he's unique because he's completely white and he's huge. Also, Orandas are typically different looking because of the"brain" appearance of their heads.  People often come over and say "What the heck kind of fish is that?". The answer: a very special one.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Thankful

       




             This year I've participated in what seems to have become a social media tradition. For each day of November, I wrote a FaceBook status describing something I was thankful for that day. Some days the post was long and meaningful, being thankful to have a loving supportive partner or being on a sports team that has encouraged my personal growth. But some days were simpler, like being thankful for my new tires after a big snow or at the end of a long stressful day being thankful for my hot tub or new pajamas. I typically write my post each evening so that I can reflect on the day and write about what I had appreciated most. There have only been a couple of days when I struggled to find one good thing, but there was always something there. I've made sure to pick a new thing each day. It was uplifting to see that I could recognize the good there is in my life, even after a crappy day. I've also really enjoyed seeing others posting what they are thankful for. It's inspiring to see my friends finding joy in their lives and realizing how similar we are, even at our most different. My friends are thankful for a nice glass of wine, a good meal, their child getting over a cold. Yet what I've noticed just as much as those posts are the people who aren't participating and instead are posting their regular updates, complaining about having a cold or a sore back or being called in to work on a day off. It's funny that I always can think of a response like "Be thankful that you have a job to be called in to" but I rarely share my opinion because I know it likely won't be appreciated. I wish I could help those people see the silver lining but I know from my own past that no one can force you to see it until your ready, and some people never do.
         So in this season of gratitude, here are some photos of the things I am most thankful for this year: My partner, my dogs, my roller skates, the beautiful place where I live and amazing home cooked meals.

     

Weekly Photo Challenge: Silhouette

I'm not ashamed to say that my dog Ritz is not a normal dog. His guardian breed instincts, combined with the fact that he grew up in a house full of cats, often result in odd behaviors. This is a perfect example of how he will do pretty much anything he has to, to be able to see out a window. We refer to him as "the neighborhood watchman" when he is in this position. You can rest assured that no solicitors make it to our door undetected.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Big

I usually like to choose photos that are meaningful to me or have an interesting story. This one is neither but it's fun! This is a picture of me with a giant stuffed moose in Cost-Co last winter. At the time I had a co-worker who loves moose so I knew I had to share this find with her. I had my boyfriend take the photo, much to his embarrassment, in the middle of the store, and my co-worker said she squealed with delight at the sight of me with this big guy.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy

       When I saw this week's topic, this photo came to mind immediately. It was taken a couple of summers ago on an awesome summer day when I had brought home a blue plastic swimming pool for Ritz and we were splashing around in it. I've always thought that if dogs truly can show emotion, this is a perfect example of a smiling happy face. 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Mine

About three months ago I joined a roller derby team. I was looking to enrich my life, round it out a bit. I needed something in my life that wasn't my job or my home. It's something that has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember but I never thought I had it in me and didn't know how to go about getting started. This past spring, the universe starting sending me little messages and I decided I was going for it. So I talked to a couple girls who are on the team, checked out a practice and then signed up. In just a short time, roller derby has pushed me and challenged me more than anything else ever has. I've never been an athlete, never played a team sport. But I do now. It's been a bit slow going. I've watched some team mates breeze past me to pass the skills tests and move on to advanced levels but I'm still chugging along, and I know I'll get there when the time is right for me. I have an entire new group of friends, a new skill set and a new wardrobe. It's all mine alone and has already made me a stronger person in so many ways. 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Solitary

When I was first learning to ski, there was a day when I was riding the chairlift alone. As I took in the scenery a thought occurred to me "Oh this is why people want to live here and do this". Skiing is an exciting, invigorating sport but it's punctuated by moments of stillness and quiet. Even if I spend the day skiing with friends, there's still an independent, solitary element to the activity. There's nothing else quite like it.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Everyday Life

I've often joked that in my next life, I want to come back as a dog with a life as sweet as the one Ritz has. This photo was taken on an afternoon when I was asking "Where's the dog?" and finally found him sound asleep like this.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Near and Far

This spring was the second time I've run the same 5K race that takes place just outside the borders of Yellowstone National Park. It's a challenging course but I enjoy running it because the views are amazing and quite honestly it makes me feel strong and very proud of myself. I love this photo because it places something sweet and simple, my boyfriend pinning my number on to help me prepare for the race, against the historic Roosevelt Arch in the background. It's ordinary yet scenic at the same time. 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Free Spirit

This is one of my favorite photos of myself. It was taken a few years ago at the Columbia River in Washington state, when I took a trip to see Dave Matthews Band at The Gorge. It's fitting for this challenge because it represents to me a time when I did something sheerly for my own enjoyment. At the moment this photo was taken, I was feeling pure joy, far free from my day to day life & obligations.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Merge

 

 

 

      Winter in Montana can be beautiful and enjoyable but it can also feel overbearing and endless at times. This photo is a perfect combination of all of the above. Sometimes on a frigid snowy day it can be hard to tell where the earth ends and the sky begins.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Growth

       Last year, my boyfriend and I went a bit overboard in our excitement to have a large garden. We started planting seeds in early March when it was still cold and snowy. We provided artificial light and tended to the seedings daily. It was a lot of work and we couldn't wait to get them outside. Our intention was to spend Memorial Day weekend transplanting our young plants and establishing our garden, but in typical Montana fashion those three days were gray, rainy and chilly. So what we ended up with were couple hundred small plants covering every flat surface in our home that got direct sunlight until mid June when we were finally past the danger of frost. This photo shows some tomato and corn plants in my laundry room.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Purple

    I didn't fully understand "purple mountain majesties" until I moved to Montana. I live very close to the Bridger Mountain range and even though I see it all the time, I'm constantly amazed by the beauty of the mountains. I took this photo one evening early this year as I was walking in my neighborhood and feeling particularly stunned by the scenery.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside

      I like to play a game with my dog that I call "Let's See What Ritz Will Get Into". My boyfriend jokingly calls it cruelty. Usually it's boxes, suitcases, once a gigantic laundry bag. It makes for some pretty memorable photo opportunities. It was hard to choose a favorite but this was probably one of the funniest things he's done. Being a Shar Pei, Ritz has skin issues and so I feed him high quality food with supplements. I had a roommate who fed her dog a different, likely better tasting food and this empty bag was sitting in the living room waiting to go out with the trash. At least we thought it was empty but there were a few delicious morsels left and no matter how far back in the bag I pushed them, Ritz would scoot in to get them.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Movement

         My dog, Ritz, is a Chinese Shar Pei  so he has an excessive amount of skin and wrinkles. Because of this, he often does what I call a "full body shake" when he gets up from resting, as if he needs to get his skin back into the proper place. It's a flurry of noise and motion. This photo captured Ritz "mid shake" in our back yard.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting Moment

                                        

             Two summers ago, I traveled with my boyfriend and two good friends to see Dave Matthews Band in Idaho. It was the first time any of them had seen the band with me. The whole trip was a pretty trying experience for us but once we got into the venue all the hassles went away. This was the first time I'd ever seen the band in a general admission setting and the closest I'd ever been to the stage. My friend Jake took this photo as he stood behind me and that's my arm in the air. I love this photo because every time I look at it, it brings back the sheer joy I was feeling at that moment.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Create

            

          Initially I drew a blank for this challenge and wasn’t sure I had a photo to use. When I got to thinking, I realized that if there’s one thing we’re good at creating in my house it’s lovely meals. My boyfriend is what I call a “food snob” and he loves elaborate fancy meals. Lucky for me he likes to cook them as well and we are often trying new recipes and taking photos of our (more like his) creations.

            Last spring when his sister graduated with her masters degree, she wanted a home made sushi meal as her celebratory dinner. The two of them spent several hours in the kitchen preparing all the food and it was a lovely family meal. I was tasked with setting the table so I feel like I can take a little of the credit for the creating this time!