Color, poached eggs, and spring!

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Happy Tuesday friends!  Are you kicking the snow off your boots or knee-deep in mud?  This little early spring totally snuck up on us.  I guess we should have seen it coming.  While others of you have been wading through the snow drifts we've been desperately praying for a big snow.   Still, nothing.  We've lost hope for any snow days this year but with days in the 70's who can be too mad?  I used to think the weather was such a boring place to begin a blog post but the truth is, it very much dictates the rhyme and rhythm of our home.  

We are outdoor people.  I admit, when I meet someone who says they don't like the outdoors I just can't fathom what they mean.  We eat outside most of the year, live and play.  Just last week we went on an adventure and discovered these little gems, which we took to be eggs at first but unexpectedly found seeds inside!  What a lovely surprise!  You can step on them and they crack, their shell is quite hard.   Anyone know what they are? (Grandma? Papaw?)

THAT is exactly one of the millions of reasons we love to explore outside. 

And for a laugh-my girls thought they might be dinosaur or crocodile eggs!

I had the honor of photographing a local family in their home last week.  This is my second time to do an in-home photography session and each time I have that sliver of time where I wonder if I can capture the same essence of life in someone else's home as I can at mine.

But, fear is a bully and I pushed it aside and confidently let my eyes and heart do the leading.  It paid off.  The client was very, very pleased with her photos and said they made her cry.  

Like in a good way. That is the measure of success for me.  If I make you tear up with your photos, I have captured you well.  

With the start of spring comes plans for even more photo sessions, my new online class, gardening, reading books, and the list goes on.  Things just simply feel better and energized.  I usually have more ideas than time so I'm trying not to go too crazy with all my "wants" this spring.  Just focusing on a few things I can say a really good "yes" to! I am excited to set-up a booth at Springdale's newest Farmer's Market, called the Mill St. Market.  For now I'll just be there opening day, but possibly may set up more often.  I'm excited to meet some lovely folks!  Opening day is April 30 and I'll be there from 8-1!

One of the biggest delights ever ?  Seeing our first rainbow! 

It had rained one day and right at dusk the sun came out.  Around our house that means we totally stop what we're doing and go from window to window, looking for this striped sign of hope.  At least, we spotted this tiny sliver of rainbow across the street at the farm. Probably put there by God himself for the three eager faces pacing at the windows.  

We squealed and went running outside to get a better look.  

We live amazed and delighted and it almost always pays off.

All this color popping up everywhere just set something right in my soul I didn't know I was missing.  Looking at the green clovers, grass, and succulents made me feel better.  I think I'd been a bit color deprived during winter!  We have succulents potted on our back deck, which we've spruced up a bit.  I need to show you more photos soon!  The succulents are my absolute favorite because of all their interesting textures.  Plus they're easy to keep alive!  Come to think of it, I'd like to try and draw a succulent.  Sounds like a good challenge to me!

As you can see we've continued to eat really, really well at our house.  This must be the spring of the poached egg, as we've eaten so many already.  I used to eat poached eggs as a kid and didn't start again until a few weeks ago.  Now they're a staple around here.  Throw in some kale and maybe a few shreds of good quality cheese and I just can't imagine anything better. 

Brett was off work for a couple of days last week and we enjoyed having him home more than words can say.  We did a whole host of small, really fun things like fish the pond, take a family field trip to the new Whole Foods, go out for pizza, and explore a dirt road/creek.  That is my idea of a perfect vacation!  Then with the time change and him going back to work, yesterday was a very rude wake-up call!  But we are making it and determined to live amazed, delighted, and appreciating the small things this week. 

How are you?  How is your spring so far? 

Take care.