Lately, I’ve found myself lacking inspiration. I feel like my daily life is very routine, stressful, and busy. I rarely have moments of actual relaxation. Among other things, I don’t feel like my usual self and I desperately want to get back to whoever I was and whatever I was working towards becoming. In an effort to find a muse or to bring back my inspiration, I am holding myself to a daily photo challenge. Whether it’s a photo with my iPhone, my SLR, or my DSLR, I want to hold myself accountable to make an effort to be something of an artist, to find that beauty in everyday life.

Monday, October 14, 2013: Marie and Alaska love to slink outside as soon I come home and open the door. My little stoop is small but paradise seems to come in the form of rolling around on the concrete for them. Also, Marie is getting really fat.

-k

A look at my past weekend. I learned about lions and hyenas, I’ve been challenged and convicted in my faith, and it was all so overwhelming but calming at the same time. Great things are going to happen in my life and I’m excited to see just what is going to happen.

-k

Alaska and I spent some time out on my little porch this evening. It was a pleasant distraction from homework.

I am ready for the fall season to get here, but I miss my long days of photo taking and living on the lake.

-k

I’ve currently got Alaska snuggled up next to me and Marie is at my feet. I’m still in my Sunday best and Etta James is coming through my speakers. It’s moments like these I hold onto when my days seem dark.

It’s so nice to be back at photography in an artistic manner. As much as I loved it this summer, taking photos on film have so much more of a creative aspect. And the fact that I have will have three showpieces by the end of the semester make doing this so much cooler (there really is no better word to describe that, haha).

Other things that are wonderful:

• I’ve lost weight. I don’t weigh myself for personal reason, so I don’t really know how much, but my pants fit looser and my belt is now too big. I’m going to beat this stupid condition of mine. I am.
• I’m FINALLY making headway on knitting a blanket. My goal is to actually finish it.
• I’m creating a website again this month. And doing a lot more design type things. It’s starting to feel like this life I’m working towards is actually happening.
• There might be a second job in my near future…which I desperately need.
• My talks with God each day reveal how great and loving He is.

I’m excited for this semester. Things are happening and I know that I’m gonna be great.

Also, this music is great. Check them out. Their sound gets right to my heart and fills my whole being.

-k

This is pretty much what my night looked like; sitting around the campfire, looking up at the stars while being in the company of some great friends. I saw the milky way for the first time tonight. And I also saw my first shooting star.

I don’t know why it took me all summer to do this, but there I was, laying on the ground, looking up at the sky, and scared to death what will happen after this last week of camp. Life is scary…did you know that? It’s full of wonder & mystery and sometimes that can get real frightening, not knowing what’s going to happen next, waiting for something to happen, or just plain confused. Sometimes we have so much to do, and we start to feel overwhelmed. And maybe, all of it’s happening at once and you have to keep reminding yourself to take your life one day at a time.

I always think I have this great plan for my life, then boom, out of nowhere something chances my life’s course and I’m having a hard time grasping that concept right now. It also doesn’t help that I really don’t want this camping season to be over.

Out here is a whole other world and my life back in Charleston seems so strange and foreign now.

I love these large open skies fill with clouds by day and billions of stars as far as the eye can see at night. My heart was made for the country.

-k

photo credit to Summit42 on flickr

These summer days have been reminding me of the hot and humid days in Iowa that I would spend with the Conrad’s as a child. Driving through the country side, getting sticky from the humidity, and having summer fun.

The kids are smelly, the days are long, the sun is hot, and it’s all great. Life just kinda happens and many of my weeks and moments are gone with a blink of an eye. I love seeing the smiling faces of children everyday. One camper last week told me I have the best job because I “get to ride around on a scooter and take pictures all day.” He is pretty correct on that one. I love this summer job.

Life tends to happen in ways I don’t plan. I should’ve realized that by now, I keep planning and thinking things are going to happen a certain way and then nope, something throws me a curve ball and my whole life suddenly become vastly different. Things have gotten complicated, exciting, and a little bit scary, but mostly exciting. I’m excited to see what happens in the next month. And for now, I’m just going to take things one day at a time.

I have over one thousand pictures to go through from this week. Plus probably another several hundred from today.
Bring. it. on.

-k

picture was taken out on Ron Smith Memorial Hwy by East Bay Camp. This is right after it rained and this photo just shows a glimpse of the humidity. yuck.

While in Kansas over the last few days, I had the pleasure of hanging out with my aunt and uncle. I got to experience and whole new slew of firsts: Cheesecake Factory, Trader Joe’s, breakfast out in the Kansas air, and getting classy while drinking wine at a sidewalk cafe. Marilyn and I did a little shopping and in her Marilyn way, she ended up buying me a cookbook.

I thumbed through Kitchen & Co. while we were in the store and I instantly fell in love. It catches your eye right away with it’s visual stimulating photographs. I’ve been looking through it while I’m riding the train back to East Bay and, oh my goodness, this cookbook is divine. I definitely cannot wait to try out the recipes.

As I’m going through it (I’m almost done with Spring. It goes by seasons! How cute!), I’m noticing that these recipes aren’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill, kind of recipes. They’re unique, fun, colorful, and I’m sure tasteful.

Kitchen & Co. is written by Rosie French and Elle Grace of Salad Club, a food blog that hails from Brixton, London. I had never heard of Salad Club until today, but I’m definitely enjoying their home on the internet.

Now…which recipe to try first…

-k

Follow my blog with Bloglovin. You know it’ll be great.

Also, what I wouldn’t give for some blueberries right now.

-k

image via

Oh hi. How are you, blog? I have to admit, I’ve missed you.

My life is being lived and it’s wonderful. It’s been rare for me to have moments to myself to think.
Some days I feel as if I’m living a dream, while other days, I feel so stressed that crying is the only thing to make it better.

But I honestly wouldn’t trade those tears for anything else. I am a camp photographer and it is the bee’s knees. My portfolio is growing as is my summer tan.

My confidence in myself has been increasing as well. My stretch marks are part of my beauty and I have a hips that don’t lie, a butt that won’t quit, and thighs like thunder. Overcoming my condition is hard work. But I feel good.

I love myself and all the potential that I have. Look out world.

-k

Photos are said to be worth a thousand words, but these are priceless.
I love my family, immediate and extended.

Also, check out my mother in that last picture, sitting on my Aunt Kathy’s lap.

-k