"I Can't Make You Beautiful"

I was disheartened last week when I got a message asking me to please take down a photo I had posted on Facebook. It was a shot of a family having fun together in their backyard. They were playing a game, laughing and enjoying their time together. But...the person sending me the message asked me to take it down because in the photo she "looked like a cow."

So when I came across this article by Anne Almasy (a portrait photographer/writer) entitled "I Can't  Make You Beautiful" I immediately thought of the above gal. I wish she was a reader of my blog because I'd like her to see this article. It feels like it was written for her.  

If you've ever felt like you were not skinny enough, young enough, pretty enough for photos...you are wrong. Go read Anne's article...it might be meant for you too!

Miscellaneous Summer Tips

I've been doing a lot of summer reading and have come across a bunch of interesting little tips. I thought I would share them with you... 

 *If you toe nails are stained by that dark polish you've been wearing, gently scrub your nails with an old toothbrush and whitening toothpaste. 

 *To clean your white leather purse, use a small amount of non-gel toothpaste on an old toothbrush and carefully scrub until any discoloration disappears.

 *To invigorate your scalp mix 1 teaspoon of sea salt into an ounce of shampoo. Gently massage the mixture into your scalp for a few minutes, then rinse. 

*Did you know that lip balm could be used to moisturize cuticles? Try some natural lip balms, the kinds with shea butter and vitamin E, as these work best. 

 *Strawberries are a well-known remedy for whitening teeth. They contain malic acid, which is a natural stain remover. You can rub the strawberries directly on your teeth or mash them into a paste and brush them on. Leave the paste on your teeth for about five minutes then rinse well and smile. I also read that it's a good idea to eat strawberries after you drink or eat something that stains your teeth--like wine.

 *Store your nailpolish in the refrigerator and it will last much longer than keeping it at room temperature. 

 *Run out of hair conditioner? Use some fabric softner to make your hair silky smooth. 

 *Before you toss that old tube of mascara, save the wand. Wash it off and use it to separate and de-clump your lashes. 

 *If you save the wand from volumizing mascara you can use it in a tube of cheaper mascara. It's the wand that makes the difference, not the mascara itself. 

 I haven't tried all of these tips. I'm not sure how you would really clean off a mascara wand so that you wouldn't be contaminating new mascara. Anyone have an idea how to do that? Have you read any interesting tips you'd like to share?

Wordless Wednesday

They made a beer just for us photogs!!

Wordless Wednesday

It's a family tradition for the kids to learn to ride the unicycle and perform in local parades.

Pillars of Good Health

Finding my joy--photography and gardening.

I was reading an article about five important facets of good health. It really hit home in light of the fact that my mom, dad and mother-in-law have been having health issues. Watching them suffer as they have grown older makes me want to really pay attention to my own health!



Food
Everyone has heard about the importance of eating whole grains, reducing your sugar intake, eating good fats, replacing soda with water and eating more fruits and vegetables. We care about what we put in our cars so shouldn't we care about what we put in our bodies?  Hippocrates said that we all have a doctor inside us--our food. Simply, we are what we eat. Eat healthy, be healthy.

Emotions
Our emotions can play havoc with our health too. Unresolved hurts, betrayals, violence and horrors we have experienced stay in our memories-- often time buried. When we remember these times we are forced to realize that although our heads have dealt with the experience our heart may not have healed. Studies have shown that unresolved trauma can weaken an individual's immune system. Stress can be very detrimental to our health. We need to find a compassionate someone who can listen as we express our pain and suffering.

Balance
Studies have shown that people who practice mediation and relaxation techniques have a healthier immune system. We are constantly bombarded by media, our cell phones and computers. We need to calm our hearts and breathing and this will calm our brains. Finding some quiet in our day will go a long way to help how we handle stress and improve our health.

Exercise
Getting out in the fresh air at a good pace can help not just our body but our heart, our brain and digestive system. When we exercise, if even it's just a walk outside it stimulates our metabolism--our body's chemistry. It can also help connect us to nature. I know from personal experience that once you start to exercise your body will crave it because it makes you feel so good. It can help you destress, maintain a healthy weight and healthy muscles and bones. David Servan-Schreiber says swap Prozac for Adidas!

Joy
This is the one I see having a big impact on my parents. As they have gotten older, I don't see them finding the joy in their lives anymore. Laughter and joy are part of the heart's energy. I try to find joy in everyday things like the flowers in my garden or a beautiful morning. My grandkids give me tons of joy! Learning something new (like photography), creating a new dessert or starting a new jigsaw puzzle bring me joy. I think my parents have been focusing on all the negative things in their lives, the things and abilities they are losing. It's like your heart light growing dimmer and dimmer. Everyone needs a receive a smile and give a smile.

There is one more that I am going to add:  Touch.
We are tactile creatures. When our bodies tense up and words are hard to find, touch can make a difference. Good health includes using massage, hugs and kisses to stay connected to others. Our social lives need to be healthy too.

So there you have it. Only you can take care of the light and life within you. You don't want to die without having really lived--a healthy life.
 

Be Different!

I don't have many tulips but I do have lots of zinnias--one of my favorite flowers.

Love this quote: 

 A tulip doesn’t strive to impress anyone. It doesn’t struggle to be different than a rose. It doesn’t have to. It is different. And there’s room in the garden for every flower. You didn’t have to struggle to make your face different than anyone else’s on earth. It just is. You are unique because you were created that way. Look at little children in kindergarten. They’re all different without trying to be. As long as they’re unselfconsciously being themselves, they can’t help but shine. It’s only later, when children are taught to compete, to strive to be better than others, that their natural light becomes distorted. — Marianne Williamson

 

Wordless Wednesday

Getting down low for that perfect shot!