{aqua}

the sea faded by afternoon sun. 

turquoise stones sold roadside by an ancient yokut.  

blue skies tinted green from exhaust or old film. 

the tile mosaic in the mission fountain.

a girl's hair on melrose.

from the airplane, the backyard pools look like teal polkadots.

the color of california. 

the color of home.

grateful for bella's 52 photos project.

circles

believe me when i tell you i am obsessed with silver balls.

for bella's 52 photos project:  circles.

p.s.  looks like i'm going to be shooting with the iphone for the next few weeks.  major computer crash and canon issues at the same time.

it's the truth

the sweat:  bikram yoga.  try it.  my body and spirit can't live without it.

the tears:  i prefer dying-of-laughter tears, but the other kind does the job as well.

the sea:  to this day, my "happy place" is exploring california tidepools with my dad. 

the writer:  she's one of my heroes.  with her moody adventurous storytelling self.

{for bella's 52 photo's project.}

august break {№8}

upon reflection it appears i am indeed one lucky girl.

and quite grateful.

{for bella's 52 photos project.}

august break {№3}

old and long forgotten:  a girl's dream of being a writer.

for bella's 52 photos project.

le chocolat

so here's a weird thing:  i don't prefer chocolate in the summer.  (i went for the basil.)

i do like bella's 52 photo project all year long.  it's yummy.

outside the window

the sudden summer storm raged.  shoppers scrambled for shelter in the toy store, urban outfitters, whichever was closest.  we waited it out snuggled on a cozy sofa in the gelato shop.  just him and me with our little family of cameras.  and 23 other people.

{for bella's 52 photos project.  it's good to be back!}

{color}

it really does rule my life.  for the most part, i like it bold, alive, non-matchy-matchy.

bella's 52 photo project rules too.

{nourish}

*

the prompt for this inaugural week of bella's 52 photos project is "nourish".

when i first read the prompt, i got all giddy with plans of photographing luscious images of food.  but the more i thought about it, the thing that has nourished my body and soul the most over the past five months is bikram yoga.

i started doing this challenging class (90 minutes, 105°, 40% humidity) five months ago and now i'm hooked like so many others.

bikram yoga nourishes me in so many ways during class; what i love the most is how what happens in class translates into life outside the very hot room:

• it never gets easier, just better
• there are endless opportunities for awareness, growth and improvement
• the unique relationship with the mirror in a bikram class moves me to previously unknown levels of self-awareness and self-acceptance
• it's true that my body is different every time i walk in the door, this knowledge has brought me to a new understanding of "go with it"
• i greet and dismiss resistance before each and every class, practicing peaceful warfare with this thing that cripples me most in real life
• following directions and relinquishing control and authority is fun
• the only decision i have to make is "try the right way"
• my nemesis posture, ustrasana, the heart-opening camel, has become one of my favorites
• tense does not equal strong
• the gallons of sweat and the many many exhales of breath empty my body, allowing space for health and newness

in may, i am starting a 30-day challenge:  a class a day for thirty days (if i miss a day, i get to do two classes in one day!).  i'll post my progress here.  i'm sure there will be setbacks as well.  i'm a wee bit daunted by this challenge (and the thought of all that laundry!).  but i can't wait to meet the girl staring back at me in the mirror on june 1.

*my classmate isabelle, totally rocking dandayamana-bibhaktapada-paschimotthanasana.