For a person who loves color, winter in Central Kentucky is a real challenge. The grey skies with cold temperatures create an unhappy scenario for me. Fortunately, a few years ago I discovered one way to beat the winter blahs: photography. In particular, photographing colorful things and what could be better than tulips from the supermarket.

Here I am with my latest exercise in color therapy. I’ve added some Kim Klassen textures to these photos. Textures are layers of artwork and designs added to the digital images in order to enhance the original photos, making them more artistic.

Since I happen to be taking Kim’s current class, Beyond Layers, the appearance of tulips in our home is a welcome happenstance. And since this week’s assignment is “less is more” I decided to have some fun.

The first bunch of tulips were these lovely yellow ones.

This is a lone, red tulip, well past its prime but still photogenic.

And finally, the tulips that I have in my work space.

Yes, I indulge myself in the winter, even in my work space, with flowers for color therapy and candles for light therapy. Spring with its color and sunshine can’t get here soon enough for me!

Dotti

What do you do in the winter for color therapy? I buy flowers at the grocery store and bring them home not only to adorn our house but because they are great to photograph. And tulips are just about the best thing in the world to photograph indoors during the cold and grey of winter. They're great to photograph outdoors in the spring, too, but that's another post.

I've said for years the thing that bothers me most about winter is not the cold (although I don't like it) but the absence of color and sun. Thus far this winter, we've had an abundance of sunshine, moderate temperatures and no snow but, of course, there's no promise how long that will last! Typically our winters are full of grey skies. So a few years ago I began the practice of importing color into our house with supermarket flowers.

During the winter, the late afternoon sun shining through our kitchen window is mesmerizing. The angle and the light are magical. When there are flowers sitting on the kitchen table (which is often), I can't overcome the temptation to grab the camera and snap the shutter. Again and again. This afternoon I was inspired to do a light study with my tulips.

That's my prescription for winter color therapy. What about you? What do you do to infuse some color into your life in winter?

Dotti

There's a new trend that's been emerging the past few years on the internet, one that I heard about this time last year but didn't pay much heed to. To be honest, I thought it was hokey. The idea is that instead of making resolutions (which I don't do either) you choose a word to guide you through the year on a journey to personal growth. It just didn't resonate with me.

But life is funny. I was doing some mindless shopping while on our family vacation in June when I came across a little pile of small, polished, enamel stones inscribed with words. I looked at them, read them, fingered them, walked away, came back. There was one word in particular that seemed to call me: INSPIRE. On a whim, I bought it. When I got home, I placed it near my computer where it still sits. My idea was that it would remind me to try to inspire others (particularly Campbell) to be all that they can be, to find the joy in life. But I think the stone has done more to inspire me then it has propelled me to inspire others. I've used it a number of times in photos over the past months.

Fast forward to December 2011, Christmas Day, to be exact. I hadn't given any thought to choosing a word for 2012, in fact, I was still working on "Inspire" since I'd only had it for six months. But the "word gods" had other ideas.

While hanging around on Christmas morning, camera in hand, of course, I spotted Krista's coffee mug. Because I find mugs an interesting subject to photograph, I snapped  a few shots. It wasn't until later in the day when I was downloading my photos that I spotted the word on the mug: RENEW.

My heart beat a little quicker and my mind started working. Renew. That's exactly where I considered myself to be at this time in my life as I enter the retirement phase of my life story. December 28 was my last day "at work". I would become a stay-at-home person after more than 26 years, I would become primary daycare provider for Campbell when she was not at school and her parents were not at work, and I would become a "photographer". This was indeed a time of renewal for me.

And so, my word for 2012 found me. It inspired (ah! there's that word again!) me to write a prompt about words for our Flickr photo group and it propelled me to take a year-long online course, One Little Word. This is all new territory for me but the skeptic in me is being hushed and I find myself eagerly joining my photography pals in exploring the word renew and the possibilities that it might bring to me in 2012.

What about you? Do you make resolutions or do you choose a word each year to inspire you through your journey?

 Dotti

All of us here at Camper wish all of you

the happiest of new years.

Krista, Campbell and Dotti

After 26 plus years in my job at a small liberal arts college, I have retired. Today was my final day. I've pondered this day seriously for the past year and early in August, after I'd decided on the date, I informed my supervisor of my decision. For the past five months, I've been preparing myself mentally and emotionally for this day.

How would I feel when I walked out of my office, out of the building where I'd worked 14 of my 26 years? The building I'd played such a key role in designing and furnishing? The office that was built to my needs and specifications? How would it feel to turn all that over to somebody else?

I was surprisingly dry-eyed, no doubt due in part to the fact that there were only two other people there working with me today, one the person I've been training to replace me and the other was the only person still in our department who was working there when I started my career at the college in 1985.

In my heart and in my head, I've known that I was ready for this moment but before I departed that space where I'd spent so many hours, I snapped a few shots to hold in my memory and to share with you.

The  scene before me every time I entered the door of my office.

The beautiful face that greeted me the last few months every time I turned on my computer and countless times throughout the day.

The  view as I sat in my chair, often looking at pictures of my family. I kept a lot of photos in my office. Not only did they inspire me and calm me, they reminded me of who I am and what's important on those all too frequent occasions when the stress of work seemed overwhelming.

And finally, the window behind my computer monitor that I've looked out of thousands of times to watch the scene below unfold. Today it was deserted because of Christmas break but often it was filled with college students running to and fro.

My daughter and son-in-law graduated from this college. Maybe someday their daughter will attend this college, and again, maybe not. I spent more than 26 years of my life here buying things and designing interior spaces in every single building on this campus. I'm proud of my work. I'm grateful for the many good people I've worked with on campus and off, colleagues from other schools.

But, I'm ready for the next chapter. There's a life outside Centre College waiting for me. A life spent providing quality daycare for my granddaughter. There are countless photos out there to be taken. So much to learn to help me be a better photographer, a better artist. There are so many places out there yet to be visited with my husband, daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law.

Yes ... I'm ready.

Dotti