It’s been a good week. A GOOD week. That’s nice to say. Both kids have been even… not up, not down. No big emotional meltdowns, no big behavior issues, they are both having good weeks at camp. Curtis LOVED his new office. We hosted a party with some new and old friends. Dominic started a new camp focused on science and technology. Anna went back to ESY and we found out her teacher from last summer came back, woohoo! I got a new shot for my nature portfolio (see Flights of Fancy below!). Curtis and I get a night away this upcoming weekend. All is good. I’m feeling grateful. Very very grateful.
Day 190 ~ Infused
I’ve been part of a collaborative blog called Ivory and Grey for several years. We had gotten out of the habit of posting frequently so one of our members suggested some themes for us to shoot. This week was light. Curtis, Mom, and I took the kids to Wimberley Friday night for dinner. We ate at an Italian restaurant that we had never tried before called Marco’s. The food was good and the setting was beautiful. When we walked out, I knew this vignette would be the perfect subject for this week’s theme.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2.5 | 1/250 | ISO 100
Day 191 ~ New Friends
Saturday was spent cleaning the house while Curtis ran errands with Anna. Saturday evening we had two couples over, one Boy Scout dad and his wife, and one old friend of Curtis’s with his wife and kids. Dominic made fast friends with Mia and Zach and they spent the entire night in the pool. The adults had a great time, very laid-back since one of the ladies had recently had surgery. I may or may not have drunk an entire bottle of wine… I was so pleased to find the red wine Curtis and I had in Paris that we loved. I found it at the new HEB-Plus in the Italian section. It’s called Liotro Terre Siciliane Nero D’Avola. It’s delicious. I normally do not drink at all, maybe once every other month. But this wine is so good, I kept refilling my glass all night.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2.5 | 1/250 | ISO 1600
Day 192 ~ Color Cacophony
Mom’s friend, Danielle, sent her some hair chalk… an inexpensive and fun way to play with hair color. Mom got up Sunday morning and saturated her hair with every color and I think it turned out so cute! Curtis brought me the most robust and beautiful bouquet of flowers for our party the night before and I thought they would make a pretty backdrop for mom’s hair. Of course, we were coloring too. <3
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2.8 | 1/250 | ISO 1600
Day 193 ~ Makerspace Camp
One of Dominic’s friends told us about this fun, week-long, afternoon summer camp and we got him signed up. It’s called Makerspace and focuses on 3D printing, electronics, coding, games, science and technology. Dominic was most excited to check out the 3D printing… he’s been wanting a printer for a long time now and we are waiting on a Kickstarter campaign called Tiko to hit production. The first thing that Dominic printed was a Pokémon figure. He was sad that we had to leave Monday night before it finished but he was excited to return on Tuesday. It turned out so cute! It’s much denser and more substantial than I had expected.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/1.8 | 1/160 | ISO 800
Day 194 ~ Backyard Staredown
I love that we get deer in our backyard. We bought the lot next to us so no one can ever build there and we want to keep it natural so the wildlife can continue to flourish. Every day I put out a bucket of deer nutrition (Antler Max Deer 20) and a trough of fresh water for our deer. They are fed in raised homemade troughs that my FIL and Dominic made so that they don’t get CWD (chronic wasting disease, acquired by eating near their own feces). We want to be responsible and educated about our impact. Many people will say that we aren’t being responsible by feeding them at all, that we are contributing to the overpopulation and dependence on humans. We have a small herd that lives on our property; a mama, her 2-year old males (that aren’t with her year-round), two 1-year old does, and a new fawn. At any one time, 4-6 deer total. They know us, we know them. We enjoy their presence immensely and want them to stick around. This is one of the does and she is totally asking me for dessert.
Nikon D750 | 105mm | f/4.5 | 1/250 | ISO 1600
Day 194 ~ Flights of Fancy
This is one of those “ahhhhh” photos for me and it’s going into my nature portfolio next time I update it. There is a compositional guideline called the Golden Triangle where the lines follow a diagonal the subject falls at a 90-degree angle to the diagonal. This image is almost a perfect example of a GT. The barn swallows, parents and young, are all flying around every evening. I captured one getting ready to take off from our roof. I LOVE this photo.
Nikon D750 | 105mm | f/5.6 | 1/250 | ISO 1600
Day 195 ~ Hunting Pokémon
So I’m not sure if you’ve heard of Pokémon Go? Snort, if you haven’t, then you’ve been living under a rock. It’s been in the news and everywhere on my Facebook news feed. Some friends are playing, others are blasting it (sorry to disappoint you, Pamela!). Of course, Dominic had to try it out. We’ve had so much fun exploring our neighborhood (and even our city!) looking for Pokémon. Here I caught Dominic catching a super rare type. I love seeing families playing together and getting out and about.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/5 | 1/320 | ISO 50
Day 196 ~ The “Before”
Finally, I’m ready to show off all of my hard work in Curtis’s office. I didn’t get formal “before” pictures with my professional camera, but did snap this one with my iPhone. He had framed photos that were a mishmash collection of pictures on those built-in shelves. His desk had no drawers, he had no storage, and honestly, his office was a mess all the time. All the furniture in it was hand-me-down: a hodgepodge of old bookcases that I inherited from a job I had in my 20s, an old old old torn-up loveseat in front of the window that the dogs had claimed, my grandfather’s trunk, an end table (far left), a TV tray where he laid out expenses (next to the end table), the desk, and this lateral file cabinet. I gave one of the bookcases to my mom and refinished the other one… perhaps I’ll show that to you next week. I had already started packing his office when I took this picture, but you get the drift. It was a sad space and totally not worthy of my hardworking, professional husband.
iPhone 6+| 4.2mm | f/2.2 | 1/15 | ISO 50
Day 196 ~ The “After”
Ta-da!!! I am SO freaking proud of this. Curtis’s office turned out exactly how I had envisioned. It almost looks magazine worthy! I had help finding the office furniture from a neighbor who does interior design. Stacy Boatman, Interiors did a consultation with me and brought me many wonderful resources. I was able to find less expensive options and I think the space turned out beautifully. I got the desk and bookcases from Home Click, the rug, pillows, art, and decor from Joss and Main, and the leather chair from the Facebook Marketplace. Total cost was under $5000. I told Curtis that with his next commission, I was doing this and he couldn’t argue. We saved for it and budgeted for it.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2.8 | 1/125 | ISO 400
Day 196 ~ Grown-Up Furniture
I designed the space after Curtis’s Herman Miller work chair that our very generous neighbor, Dana, gave to him. She works for a high-end office furniture company called Workplace Resource and she had this chair at home not being used. It’s the most comfortable chair Curtis has ever owned. Every single piece of it is adjustable and customizable. Since he works from home when not traveling, he sits in this most of time. I wanted to find him a masculine desk with bookcases and storage. I customized this modular unit from Home Click… it’s from the Samuel Lawrence Lexington collection. I did get some help from some neighbors with getting the desk in the office, but Dominic and I moved and put together the rest of the furniture ourselves. The gorgeous blue and green rug, the world map canvas, and other decor is from Joss and Main.
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2.8 | 1/125 | ISO 400
Day 196 ~ Wall of Pride
Opposite the desk is the wall where Curtis’s old desk used to be. Now a beautiful gently used leather chair and ottoman from John-William Interiors graces the space. His bridge climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the flag that flew in honor of his birthday at the nation’s capitol adorn the wall. Instead of a mishmash of small photo frames, Curtis’s diplomas and awards fill the built-in shelves. Lots of memories, professional and family, surround him as he works. He loves it. <3
Nikon D750 | 35mm | f/2.8 | 1/125 | ISO 400
Thanks for looking! I just want to take a moment and let you know that I appreciate you. Dear reader, family member, friend… I’m so grateful that you’ve found your way to my little blog. I truly believe that people cross my path because they are meant to… that I can learn from you. I’m feeling especially nostalgic and grateful today. Please love each other. Love fiercely and love deeply. Our time together is far too short.
