Story Behind the Picture: Rain Boots

Life with young children makes an otherwise sane human being accept certain things as "normal" that the rest of the world views as "odd."

Like buying pants for your child specifically because they have extra pockets to hold all the treasures he's always finding.

Or walking through the aisles of the grocery store accompanied by children dressed in Halloween costumes. In April.

And, finally, going to the pool (and the beach, and the boardwalk) for an entire summer with children who insist on wearing rain boots.

One gets many strange looks from other adults when one is spotted calmly escorting their rain-boot-clad child in cloudless, 90-degree weather. To the pool. These looks are usually followed with a laugh and an understanding nod, as if to say "ah, I see you chose not to battle over the choice of footwear this morning."

Half of parenthood - motherhood, especially - is about knowing when to let go. Yes, my child's pants are laden with little toy cars, rocks, leaves, and a random plastic barrette of dubious origin. Yes, my child wore a full-body dinosaur costume to Acme last week. And yes, my child will probably once again insist on wearing rain boots to the pool this summer. He's not screaming, crying, or having a temper tantrum, is he? No? Then it's all good.

Parenthood is about learning to let go and realize what our children have know all along: rain boots aren't just for rainy days.

Midweek Update: From Scratch Indie Market

Anyone in the Allentown, PA area on Saturday is welcome to come to the From Scratch market! It's indoor (yay, no weather worries) and will be full of wonderful gifts for all the upcoming celebrations like Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduations, or even a little something for yourself. Visit the site to preview all the vendors, and be sure to find the "mkc photography" table and say hi!

Story Behind the Picture: We Fly

Last night my computer died: literally crashed, burned, and lay in a pile of fragmented-hard-drive-rubble on my desk. The last back-up was four weeks ago, but as you all know, I create a lot of new work in the span of one month. I was particularly heartbroken because I thought this little collage that I created six days ago had been lost forever. Imagine my dance of delight when I realized I still had a copy that I emailed to my dear friends for consideration in their new nursery (is there any higher compliment than to have a friend choose your artwork for their home, especially for their new baby?).

I still haven't decided if the children have captured and are pulling the hot air balloon toward them, or if they are flying it like a kite...the details don't matter as much as the inspiration: don't let a tiny thing like reality get in the way of your dreams. Why settle for a little red balloon when you could capture and fly an aeronautical adventuring machine? Go and fly amidst the twinkling lights and enjoy every moment.

Story Behind the Picture: Go Green!

*Phone rings*
Me: "Hello?"
Colleen: "You HAVE to enter this contest."
Me: "What contest?"
Colleen: "The one I just emailed you about. If you win, Bloomimdale's will sell your design as a tote bag. Go come up with something!"

This is my friend Colleen. She calls/emails/Facebooks/tweets with all kinds of crazy ideas for me. She's like a one-woman brain trust for all things creative, and I always nod my head and do as she says, having long ago learned to trust her incredible judgment about these things.

So, Bloomies wants a design for their "Go Green" campaign, do they? I happened to be standing outside, barefoot in the grass, at the time she called me. As Sheba, the resident crazy dog and professional paw model galloped passed, this image popped into my mind.

One problem.

Have you ever tried to get one dog, two boys, and seven Scrabble tiles to sit/stand/lay nicely in the green grass on a beautiful sunny spring day? Let's just say I'm happy there are multiple "R" pieces in a Scrabble game, because Sheba nearly ate one (and wet, dog-saliva-covered wood tiles are not the same color as the nice clean, dry ones). The boys were, of course, complete angels and never once poked, prodded, or pushed one another. At ALL (please read that last part with all the sarcasm it implies).

I took about five or six shots before Sheba collapsed in exhaustion on top of the words "go green," Lucas discovered there were far more interesting things to do (like dig for ants at the base of a tree), and Danny informed me he had to take a call. On his cell phone. Which was really a twig he discovered in the yard.

Now it seems this little memoir of one sunny day and three marginally cooperative models has reached #4 in the country in the polls. If it wins and you see random women wandering around carrying my bag as they shop at Bloomingdales, you can tell them that the "R" is a replacement letter because Sheba slobbered all over the first. Then, please do come back here and tell me if they enjoyed the story. Or if they called mall security. I'd love to know which one it was.

Midweek Update: Bloomingdale's Tote Contest

The tote bag above is a design for the Bloomingdale's contest...the winning bag will be selected based on both on votes and design quality, and will be sold in their stores! You can vote for my "Go Green!" tote here (you'll see my bag appear as the largest thumbnail on the far right).

Thanks so much for your votes, and I'll be sharing the "story behind this picture" on Friday. Yes, those are my dog's paws and boys' feet, so you know it will be a good one!

Story Behind the Picture: Sing a Little Song

This was just a little creation that came from bits and pieces of other photographs - a collage in its truest form. I made it because I'd like to think that birds take a moment to enjoy each other's company, that their lives aren't solely about scurrying after worms and avoiding the cat sitting in the garden below.

My husband finds this piece very funny, as I'm always begging him to stop singing (if you've heard him, you would know why). I wonder if any birds out there have less-than-perfect voices, and if their mates ever ask them to stop? In any case, these two seemed quite happy with one another, and I'm grateful for their inspiration.

Story Behind the Picture: Capture the Moon

I had a dream about a moon and a solitary tree. Yet, finding a solitary tree in the city of Philadelphia (and the surrounding suburbs) proved to be a wee bit of a challenge. There are plenty of trees to be had of course, but none that sit quietly unobscured without neighboring buildings. Or power lines. Or "No Parking" signs.

I finally found this tree in Valley Forge Park. I wandered for quite a while, hunting for the perfect tree from which to hang my moon. The acres of grass were heavy with water, and I was grateful for having thought to wear my Wellies. I loved searching for, and finally finding, this one perfect tree. All that was left to add was a dusky sky, a few stars, and a sleeping moon caught unaware.

So then, for whom would you capture the moon?