Spring Chickens::April 29

Last week, our final duck died leaving only the rooster and a bantam hen that only lives part time in the coop ~ she is tiny and finds ways out!

I decided to ask around and find some adult chickens. I was looking for 2 or 3, but I got lucky and got 9 hens.



1 Barred Rock, 1 Golden Wyandotte, 1 Buff Orpington, a few that appear to be Arucanas, and 1 Rhode Island Red.

At first, all of them were fighting the rooster and bantam to find pecking order, but everyone seems more settled today.

Also today: I got an egg!! :)

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Momma Bird Gathering Supplies for Her Nest::April 28

Today I captured a picture of a momma bird gathering supplies for her nest and then flying away....then I cartoonized it:

the pictures that got away::April 27

We just got back from a drive to find the eagle we photographed last year. I wanted to try it again with my telephoto lens. Matt and I walked out into a field, found that the bird in question was a hawk, not an eagle, but the wind came up and the hawk swooped down, flew back up, and hovered for a minute as it tried to fly against the wind. I got amazing pictures as it held still for me with its wings outstretched in mid flight.

I took pictures of an ugly bird with an ugly nest with long pieces of grass woven through the nest that streamed out in the breeze.

I took pictures of the train that blocked our road for about 5 minutes, timing the shots just right.

Then I looked at the back of the camera and for the first time since I'd been shooting for about an hour paid attention to the message that came up after each shot that I hadn't seen earlier: "NO CF CARD".

And this is my equivalent of the big fish that got away story. So sad!! (and very real & not made up.)

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Learning something new::From Brene Brown's book, _Daring Greatly_::Subject~Vulnerability and Fear

I've been reading Brene Brown's books and watching her TED talks.

As I was reading "Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead" last night, this excerpt really struck me, and I wanted to share it:

I looked right at her and said, “I frickin’ hate vulnerability.” I figured she’s a therapist - I’m sure she’s had tougher cases. Plus, the sooner she knows what she’s dealing with, the faster we can get this whole therapy thing wrapped up. “I hate uncertainty. I hate not knowing. I can’t stand opening myself to getting hurt or being disappointed. It’s excruciating. Vulnerability is complicated. And it’s excruciating. Do you know what I mean?"

Diana nods. “Yes I know vulnerability. I know it well. It’s an exquisite emotion.” Then she looks up and kind of smiles, as if she’s picturing something really beautiful. I’m sure I look confused because I can’t imagine what she’s picturing. I’m suddenly concerned for her well-being and my own.

“I said it was excruciating, not exquisite,” I point out. “And let me say this for the record, if my research didn’t link being vulnerable with living a wholehearted life, I wouldn’t be here. I hate how it makes me feel.”

“What does it feel like?”

“Like I’m coming out of my skin. Like I need to fix whatever’s happening and make it better.”

“And if you can’t?”

“Then I feel like punching someone in the face.”

“And do you?"

“No. Of course not.”

“So what do you do?”

“Clean the house. Eat peanut butter. Blame people. Make everything around me perfect. Control whatever I can-whatever’s not nailed down.”

“When do you feel the most vulnerable?”

“When I am in fear.” I look up as Diana responds with that annoying pause and head nodding done by therapists to draw us out. “When I’m anxious and unsure about how things are going to go, or if I’m having a difficult conversation, or if I’m trying something new or doing something that makes me uncomfortable or opens me up to criticism or judgment.” Another annoying pause as the empathetic nodding continues. “When I think about how much I love my kids and Steve, and how my life would be over if something happened to them. When I see the people I care about struggling, and I can’t fix it or make it better. All I can do is be with them.”

“I see”

I feel it when I’m scared that things are too good. Or too scary. I’d really like for it to be exquisite, but right now it’s just excruciating. Can people change that?”

“Yes, I believe they can.”

“Can you give me some homework or something? Should I review the data?”

"No data and gold stars in here. Less thinking. More feeling.”

“Can I get to exquisite without having to feel really vulnerable in the process?

“No”

“Well, shit. That’s just awesome."

.....

I have spent my entire life trying to outrun and outsmart vulnerability. I'm a fifth-generation Texan with a family motto of "lock and load," so I come by my aversion to uncertainty and emotional exposure honestly (and genetically). By middle school, which is the time when most of us begin to wrestle with vulnerability, I began to develop and hone my vulnerability-avoidance skills.

Over time I tried everything from "the good girl" with my "perform-ferfect-please" routine, to clove-smoking poet, angry activist, corporate climber, and out-of-control party girl. At first glace these may seem like reasonable, if not predictable, developmental stages, but they were more than that for me. All of my stages were different suits of armor that kept me from becoming too engaged and too vulnerable. Each strategy was built on the same premise: Keep everyone at a safe distance and always have an exit strategy.

All of this is still liquid in my head. I'm waiting for it to gel before I discuss it.... Until then, I'll let you think on it too :)

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Violets::April 10

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This Moment::13/52::April 4

♥52 Photo Project♥
"A portrait of my child (Michael), once a week, every week, in 2014."
+
{this moment}
A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

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