A new Direction...

If you've been reading my blog for the last few months you probably know that the company I've worked for, for many years was sold a couple months ago. In the merger my position was eliminated. In the restructure I was offered an option to commute to a new branch office.

Since learning about the changes coming my way back in May I began the process of rolling out my photography business. In like all new business it takes time to develop, expertise and funds to market. While working all of these things out I bought a new car and opted to try the commute to keep myself employed.  

The commute on average takes an hour and a half each way rendering a daily commute that is on average three hours, unless of course there's heavy traffic.  All the time on the road and in the office has been tough on me, both physically and mentally. I have wished several times over that nothing had changed. I wished I still worked from home and that everyday was still... just everyday, cookie cutter style.

I find comfort in the status quot but also in knowing that everything in life happens for a reason. That there is a much bigger picture and I'm in good hands. Challenges and unexpected shake ups to our daily life serve a purpose and hopefully make us better. So with that heart and mind I am am thankful for the changes coming our way.  Thankful for my faith and thankful that I can now fully go after a dream.

Such a great message from Marla Rae and shared by Hope Farms. 

After much prayer and conversations with the music man I am super excited and super nervous to share with you that as of today I no longer will be making the drive or have an office to go into.   While I don't know what tomorrow will bring us,  I do know that today is good, life is good and I am extremely blessed.

Please "like" my Facebook page by clicking here if you haven't already. Thank you everyone, our friends and family for all your support and amazing kind words regarding my work, it means SO very much.

I have this Dr. Seuss quote on my kitchen board right now, always has been one of my favorites.

"You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You're on your own. 
And you know what you know.

Oh the places you'll go!"

Happy Weekending, 

Jen

Growing Pains And Pizza

The five little chicks we picked up on Mothers day are no longer little babies. They grew so fast and have the funniest of personalities. The three Brahmas are hilarious and to watch them play is so fun. They are incredibly expressive and super fast as they fly, hop and charge each other. The two barred rocks emulate them although they are half their size. The music man and I love spending time at the end of the day watching them.  We open the back door, pull up a couple chairs and there it is... chicken TV.  It's great entertainment, relaxing and we don't even have to leave the property.  Perfect!

For the last few weeks the teens have been with the big girls for some daily supervised play time. I am hoping to put them all together permanently as soon as I figure out what to do with two of my girls who are bullying them.  The big girls and teens share a large area but are separated by a wire fence so they can see, smell and be close to each other without being in harms way and have been for the last month or so.

I am surprised to see my two docile and super easy going big girls continue to charge the newbies day after day. The brahmas stand up to them pretty well and are almost the same size but the barred rocks would get pummeled if I wasn't there... Perhaps we just need a few more weeks to let the barred get a bit bigger before putting everyone together?

While I was typing up this post a sweet little old brown dog of mine jumped up and grabbed Monkeys left over pizza off a tall table. Oh boy, I hope Pizza Bandits don't get tummy aches since I can't leave him outside at night....

Not one but three...

This weekend I packed my camera bag, shot two shows and a proposed marketing piece for a local winery.  Here's a couple shots form last nights gig with DSB. It was a blast shooting them and I can see exactly why they are the #1 Journey tribute band in America. They rocked a crowd of more than 6,200 and are expecting a larger crowd tonight. If you have a chance to see them as they tour around check them out you won't be disapointed.

If you want to see more photos from last night you can check them out here.

Of course it's not all rock and roll all night and party e v e r y d a y over here. Instead there was daily poop patrols, barn time, garden time and some down time today where we rested and enjoyed some quiet before kicking off another week.  I love my life and the balance between reality and dreaming BIG.

We have family coming to visit in a few days and I'm SO excited, even my Bug is coming next weekend.  I can't hardly wait!

Life is busy but so good these days and I'm feeling incredibly blessed.  I have much more to share with you but can't spill the beans for another week...

How was your weekend?

Storm clouds coming...

linking to Sky Watch 

sure make for a gorgeous sunset. These are Merlot vines across our street and I shot this with my new lens I picked up a couple days ago. What a busy week full of good good stuff, more on that later for now I wanted to pop in and wish you a wonderful weekend.

Happy Friday Peeps!
Jen

Good Morning...

I found these yesterday morning growing wildly off the road on my into town. I loved the bright blue morning sky against the yellow flowers. They made me smile and think of the Jane Deer song wildflowers. So great for a warm summer morning!

Happy Tuesday!

A quick adventure

We threw on our flip flops, grabbed some sunscreen, a good book and drove to the coast for an afternoon of relaxation.

It was nice to spend some downtime with Monkey and a friend and the weather there is so much cooler than at home.  I adore the smell of salt in the air, it's good for my soul.

We ate fish n chips, looked for heart shaped rocks and explored the area looking for lost treasures.

We built rock statues and finished our visit by stopping into the local DQ for a blizzard, yum!

It was a great and much needed visit. I love the ocean.  The magic and power of Mother Nature soothes me.  Yep, life is SO very good!

How was your weekend?

45

So far this week...
I turned another year older. It was a great day, breakfast with a friend and dinner with the music man. 

I'm using five vacation days, I'm half way through them and it's SO nice.

I'm busting out moves on the photography front too. Business cards ordered for the 3rd time, fingers crossed it's a charm.

This week I've been thinking. Again. I know.

I've been thinking about how much I've learned in 45 years. About how being present in the small things,  friends,  family and surounded by animals is where my Joy lives. I know that in faith anything and everything is possible.

This week I've also hugged a few chickens, kissed a black horse once or hundred times and snuggled with a brown dog.

Yep, life is so very good.

Happy Wednesday!
Jen

Chancie Therapy

While my back hasn't allow me to ride the last couple weeks, I can give and receive hugs. I love my guy he's just the kind of medicine I need. Chancie Therapy, so blessed!

Happy Friday!

Phew we made it! Another week down and I am happy to report that I survived. Oh my gosh was it a bit of a challenge but I made it and am working on and hoping to travel in smaller circles in the days ahead.  Perhaps some new adventures done locally with my camera in hand?

For most of the week the house has been quiet. Both the music man and monkey have been out of town since early in the week so it's been Jack and I.  My sweet stinky brown dog who can't seem to stop farting since he turn 12 last week... Seriously bad, like peeling the paint of the walls and needing a gas mask kind of bad...Lets hope that that mellows out otherwise one of will be staying outside.

The music man will be home later today and we have several things in the works around here for the weekend. All good. All exciting and I'm a bit anxious to see which will come to fruition.

 

(another photo from the archives)

Yes things are looking up and I'm feeling very thankful..

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy weekending,
Jen

I've missed you...

Were you wondering where I went? I didn't fall of the face of the earth but I did take a few much needed days to rest and be quiet. The first days of my new commute and time in the office were much more challenging than I thought they would be.

The music man had a couple shows in Julian, a town in the mountains of San Diego over the long holiday weekend. This weekend was booked well in advance and we took our camping trailer. When planning for the weekend I had visions of adventuring their countryside with my hiking tennies and camera in hand

As it turns out I didn't hike or take many photos other than the band shots. There was no Internet.  I unplugged, rested and soaked in nature. On one side of this fence there was a pasture with horses, the other our campsite.  Exactly the kind of medicine I needed. Life is so good!

Since my last post...
The babies who are now teenagers have visited with the big girls in the play yard. It didn't go well so we'll continue to monitor them during play time. I hope they work it out soon, they are getting so big and will need more room.

I received a large print order of my photos, I am thrilled and very proud of how they turned out.  I plan on framing them for a showing later in the year.

My sweet brown dog had a birthday last Friday and is now 12 years old!  We sang to him all day and thought it was a real big deal. He didn't.

I sure love him.

I found some hidden Brussel Sprouts in the garden that the squirrels haven't demolished.   I have a few green beans that survived and the tomato plants are doing well too.  Apparently they don't like them, lucky me. Things are looking up in the garden and I can almost taste some Caprese Salad, yum! My favorite summer food.

How was your weekend? I am looking forward to catching up with you all.

Happy Monday!
Jen