Taking a Second Look

Thanks everyone for your support about my Etsy situation from my previous post.  I'll keep you posted as to how it all turns out, but for now I'm just waiting in the wings to see what happens.

Instead of dwelling on not so nice people, I thought I would reminisce a little.  It was this time last year that we were preparing for our trip to Germany and France.  Oh how I wish we were in the midst of making preparations to go to Europe right now, but we bought a new mattress instead!  Who knew that a good night's sleep could cost as much as flying 2 people to Europe?!!  I better sleep like a baby when it is delivered in a little over a week, otherwise it's going back to the store from whence it came, and I'm booking 2 tickets to Paris!!!

I thought I might have some fun by re-working a few of the images I took in Germany and France last fall, and I have to say that I much prefer the way they look the second time around.  I know so much more about photo editing than I did back then, and I'm truly finding post processing to be like a little form of meditation for me.  I think it's the creative part that gives me such joy and relaxes me somehow.

I also love that you can do the same thing over and over again, or you can switch it up, and because I'm easily bored, this is a godsend for me!

Sorry for the obnoxious watermark in most of these pics, but it's there because some of these images will be for sale on an online gallery in the very near future...woohoo!  I will have ready to hang high quality wrapped canvases for sale and I can't wait to spill the beans on the whole deal but for now it's still hush hush.  It's been in the works for a LONG time, but it's moving forward a little more slowly than anticipated and I'm chomping at the bit to get it going.  I'll be sure to let you know just as soon as it's up and running.  There will also be a few giveaways, so stay tuned!

The image above is a great example as to why you never throw out those pics that might have the slightest amount of potential.  It's an HDR image of a cafe in Strasbourg, France taken late one night as we wandered home from a lovely meal.  I had never combined the images to create the HDR because it just never appealed to me, but after trying out some of the new software I've been testing, I decided to give it a go figuring I had nothing to lose.

I was not wowed by the original HDR after combining the individual images to create it, but as I began trying different things and playing with the shadows and light I fell in love with it.  I don't love it because it's the best image in the world, but I do love that it transports me right back to that evening and makes me long to stroll those streets and visit those cafes again...it makes me long for Europe.  To me, that is the magic of photography, it gives you the chance to take a second look at someplace you consider to be special!!! 

Falling in Love

 

Who wouldn't want to fall in love at a lovely cafe like this one?!  The magic of pictures is that in an instant you can be transported back to a place...maybe where you fell in love, where you realized a dream, where you just held hands and chatted.  I think we all need special places like that in our lives.

I hope you find a special place of your own this weekend!

Kelly Moore Love

I'm so glad to hear from the comments on my last post that I'm not the only one that gives directions based on old landmarks!  If we all stick together, we can convince others that our way is best! ;-)

I was going to wait and post this tomorrow, but after reading a post today (more on that later) I decided that the fates were telling me to post this tonight!  See that beautiful leather bag in the photo above?  Well that is my lovely new Kelly Moore camera bag.  The truth is that it's not all that new now, you see I bought it just before we left for Europe last month.

If you don't think that a trip to Europe, with the responsibility of carrying all of my camera gear won't break in a new bag in a big hurry, well you'd be very wrong, I put this baby to the test, and it passed with flying colors!

But there is more to this bag than just good looks...though it does look uber chic in the 2 photos above as it is enjoying the views of the Neckar River from the terrace at our hotel in Heidelberg, Germany doesn't it?!  Just me and Kelly, my gear, and a cool San Pellegrino...so worldly isn't she?!

Yeah, she's a seasoned traveler now, but before she flew across the ocean, visited lovely train stations, and learned a little French and German, she had quite a story to tell.

I think you can tell a lot about a company not only from their products, but how they treat their customers.  In my frantic, and frugal ways, I thought I would simply use my big camera backpack for our trip, but then in a moment of panic just days before we left I had a change of heart and went searching for the perfect camera bag which wouldn't be too bulky and could disguise itself as a purse...providing me with everything I needed to look cool while still being able to capture everything I wanted on our trip.

I went online and searched for reviews or anything I could find on camera bags that would suit my needs and I kept coming back to Kelly Moore bags.  The reviews were good...check #1, and they were just so darned amazing looking...check #2...so I was sold!

I went online to the Kelly Moore website and found that the bag I wanted, the B-Hobo was out of stock in the color that I really wanted (Walnut), so I decided on the mustard color instead.  Off my order went into cyberspace, and then I realized that I probably should have opted for a faster shipping method...so I wrote them an email and asked if they could expedite my shipment...No Problem was the happy reply I received back, so I was already loving this company who would now have to scramble to help me out for being dumb and not ordering it the faster way to begin with.


 

I was content...well for a few hours anyway, but I really wanted that walnut brown bag, so I did a Google search and low and behold there it was, in stock, calling my name but on another website...Adorama's website to be exact.

Now I know what you are thinking, fickle me, just suck it up and get your mustard bag and quit being so picky right?!  Nope, I wrote Kelly Moore again, and instead of getting what I deserved...a nasty gram saying, "look lady, make up your *&%^ mind!"  I got a lovely note that said, "sure, no problem, we can cancel your order and let you purchase it from Adorama, and we will refund your credit card right away!"  Oh baby, can you say customer for life...of course that was before I had even checked out the bag to see if it was worth its salt.

After wearing, stuffing, re-stuffing, and hauling my beautiful walnut brown Kelly Moore bag from castles to opera houses, up and down steps, over cobblestones, through train stations (like the gorgeous Strasbourg train station pictured in this post), through airports and beyond, I can unequivocally say that this bag rocks!

It held my passport, cell phone, tickets, credit cards, money, lip gloss, perfume, brochures...oh yeah, and my camera gear too, which included a big honkin' L series 100-400 mm telephoto lens, my 5D Mark II body, my L series 24-70 mm go to lens, my remote, spare batteries, and both lens hoods.  And it was easy peasy to grab things when I needed them, change out lenses, and it made me look like I knew what the heck I was doing!

In all seriousness, I can't say enough good things about this bag, I love it and I would carry it as my everyday purse if I wasn't terrified of wearing it out...which I doubt will happen, but when you find something you love, you want to have it always!  Yup, that's how I feel about this bag.  

But what I love most about this bag is how nicely I was treated by the company that makes it.  I was given the royal treatment and that makes me love it even more!  Tonight when I went about my usual blog reading I came across a post on Di's Blog about Kelly Moore.  It seems that she is more than just a great photographer, bag designer, and accomplished business woman...she's a pretty special person too...click HERE and you'll see what I mean, good things really do come to good people!

And for those of you in need of an amazing and truly workable camera bag that kicks butt, go HERE and order yourself one, you won't regret it, I promise!

Look Up

While in France we visited the Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, a 15th century fortress, and a beautiful blend of French and German styling.

It is set high atop a hill in the Vosges mountains, and it has a commanding view of the surrounding Alsatian countryside and even the Black Forest region of Germany.  Throughout history the castle has served as both a French and German stronghold, but in 1899 it was given to Kaiser Wilhelm II von Hohenzollern, who set out to restore the castle to his ideal of what a German castle from the middle ages might have looked like.

As we wandered around the castle, trying to imagine what life must have been like way back then, I couldn't help but look up and take in the beautiful artwork and intricate woodwork that filled nearly every ceiling.

The walls were also adorned with interesting objects like the antlers pictured above as well as artwork.

In this room a carved dragon held court, hanging beneath a beautiful wood and plaster ceiling.

It was very dark in the castle, and not a good place to use a tripod, so some of the images are a little grainy but they still convey the beautiful and masterful artwork found on the ceilings and walls of the castle.

The colors still remain vibrant and look as if they were applied just months ago, and not hundreds of years ago.

My favorite room was the main dining hall which had an intricately painted ceiling.  It must have been magnificent to dine under that gilded ceiling when the chandeliers would have illuminated it with candlelight.

In the fall issue of Romantic Country I wrote an article about a guest house in Napa where the homeowner had commissioned an artist to paint the walls and ceilings of her French inspired kitchen.  It truly made a statement and was beautiful to look at.  

After visiting Haut-Koenigsbourg castle I began to wonder when it was that painting ceilings fell out of fashion?  Rarely do we see hand painted ceilings in decor anymore, yet they truly can add a whole new dimension to a room's style and decor.  Maybe it has become too expensive to create works of art on a ceiling, or maybe we have just forgotten to look up.  Somehow I hope the trend will find it's way back in, so that hundreds of years from now people can tour a home and marvel at the craftsmanship and artistry of the time, and not just gaze up to find a blank canvas.

La Bicyclette

Thanks everyone for your sweet comments!

And is there anything quite as lovely as a pink bicyclette?!

Missing Europe

 Castle Heidelberg Germany

We arrived home from Germany and France late last night.  Today I am dragging anchor a little bit, but not too much.

 View of Castle on the hill from the town of Heidelberg

To say we had a good time would be a gross understatement.  When we boarded the plane yesterday in Frankfurt, we were both excited to see our son and our puppies, but sad to leave all that Europe has to offer.

 Statue in the old part of Heidelberg

We got to see so many beautiful places, immerse ourselves in the cultures of two beautiful countries, and we even met some wonderful people along the way...and isn't that what vacation is all about?!

 View from the castle looking down on old town Heidelberg

While Mr. Tide worked in Heidelberg for the first few days, I wandered the town, taking pictures and drinking in its beauty, which was everywhere you looked.

 Cafe in Heidelberg, Germany

I stopped in cafes along side streets and sipped mineral water and nibbled on croissants as I watched the world go by.

Bridge in Heidelberg 

By night, the city took on an almost fairytale like quality, and I kept my tripod and camera with me at all times so that I could capture the magic of it all.

 Flower Market in Strasbourg, France

After our time in Heidelberg, it was time to take the train somewhere, anywhere...and just a day before we would leave Germany we agreed to go to Strasbourg, France...it was a very good decision!

 Flower stall Strasbourg France

The city of Strasbourg is a lovely mix of German and French cultures, and because flowers are such a part of the French lifestyle, the flower stalls on Saturday were a feast for the eyes.  I think I took 30 pictures alone of this one stall!

  L'ill Canal which runs through Strasbourg

Strasbourg is another story book city, and in the evening, when the sun is low, it is truly breathtaking. 

 Beautiful Doorway in Strasbourg

You can lose yourself here, and feel as though you've been transported back in time.  Can't you just imagine the people who have come and gone through this doorway for hundreds of years?  I took a whole series of door pictures while in France...so many amazing details!

 Ceiling above the altar in Strasbourg's Notre-Dame Cathedral

And speaking of amazing details...the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg is almost beyond comprehension!  I spent over 2 hours photographing it...both inside and out, on one of the days we were there!  I think it is one of the most beautiful and painstakingly intricate structures I've ever visited!

 Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle France

On our last afternoon in Strasbourg, we headed south to the fabled wine route in Alsace and stopped at the Castle of Haut Koenigsbourg.  I will likely do a whole post on this amazing castle, but above is a glimpse at some of the intricately carved furnishings which grace nearly every room.

 Riquewihr France

After our tour of the castle, we headed to one of the small towns along the wine route called Riquewihr.  It was as if it had sprung right from the pages of Beauty and The Beast!

 Flower box (with texture applied) Riquewihr France

Riquewihr is a charming village with narrow hilly streets and half timbered houses dotted with overflowing flower boxes.

 Wine cellar in Riquewihr France

We were lucky enough to sample 3 different wines in a family owned cellar which dates back to the 16th Century.  The wines were all delicious, and they are only sold in France, as it is a small winery...I wish we had had room in our luggage to bring back a few bottles.

 Fountain Riquewihr

Everywhere you looked there were beautiful flowers and bubbling fountains.  I hope we can spend more time on our next trip to France just visiting these charming villages along the wine route in Alsace.

Tower Frankfurt Germany

After leaving France, it was off to Frankfurt to catch our flight home.  Frankfurt is an interesting city with a mix of old and new.  Historic buildings stand next to towering modern structures such as the space needle styled building pictured above.

Old Opera House Frankfurt Germany

The old opera house in Frankfurt is lovely, especially at night.  We dined nearby and waited for the sun to go down so that I could get some good shots after dark.

Cathedral Notre Dame Strasbourg France

One of the most interesting and beautiful things we saw while on our trip happened purely by accident.  I was taking pictures in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Strasbourg when a gentlemen approached us and asked us in French if we knew about the green light.  I studied french years ago in high school, and let's just say that my speaking skills are rather lacking, but I am able to understand at least some of what is said to me.  

The man went on to explain that each year during the equinox, the sun is at a perfect position to cast a green glow onto the Christ figure on a podium at the side of the church.  The green color is caused by the stained glass panel which is perfectly aligned to do this just twice a year, and we happened to be there on that very day.  He told Mr. Tide and me where to sit in order to get the best view of this special event.  Apparently it's quite a big deal as there was a video camera crew and a speaker who explained the events which were about to unfold.  There was a speech, and the organ also played several songs...very impressive as it's a huge pipe organ that reverberates around the entire cathedral.

I set up the tripod and waited, and at noon time the green light began to filter into the church and it began on one side of the podium and slowly traveled until it rested on the carving of the crucifix.  Then after a few moments, it continued down the podium and onto the floor.  It was a very moving thing to see, and I'm so thankful the man took the time to tell us, or we likely would have left, never knowing what we would have missed.  This same man went on to take us around the cathedral giving us a sort of private tour full of interesting details about the cathedral and its meaning.  I love these chance encounters which seem to happen to me each time I travel, they are so very special and will remain with me forever.

I took literally hundreds of pictures during our trip, and I will be spending the next several days trying to process them and choosing the best ones to send to the gallery and to share with all of you.

I hope each of you had a wonderful week while we were gone and that your week is going well so far.  

Tonight I will be dreaming of France and Germany, and missing those two beautiful countries.  I feel so very fortunate to live where I do, but also to be able to travel to other parts of the world and enjoy all that they have to offer.  

I believe that it is through travel that we truly find ourselves.

The Calm After the Storm

Life is funny sometimes, just when you are ready to throw in the towel, something wonderful happens that turns things upside down, or maybe right side up!

For the last week or so, I've been in the midst of a personal storm, sometimes it was just building with low rumblings and flashes of lightning off in the distance.  And other days it was the full on fury of a storm with hurricane force winds and rain blowing sideways.

It wasn't a storm which involved anyone else, it was all internal, deep down the way some storms have to brew before they can gather and rain down on you.  I was bummed that this little haven I call my blog wasn't living up to my expectations.  It all hit me when I decided to enter the Country Living Blog contest and for the first time in a long time I looked at my actual stats on here.

After a little digging, it seemed that my stats were pretty much abysmal for lack of a better word, and I have to say that it bummed me out to the point of not wanting to keep going.  Now I know on a logical level, and for much of the time, that those stats don't amount to a hill of beans, but for whatever reason it hit me like a ton of bricks.

My inner monologue went something like this, "why are you doing this, no one really likes your photos, no one will buy them from this blog of yours, so what the heck are you wasting so much time on anyway?!"  I hate when my usually cheerful inner monologue becomes sullen and pessimistic, but it happens folks, I can't deny it.

At first I thought, hey look, this is a rough time of year for me, it is after all the anniversary of the deaths of two very dear people to me this month.  My mom passed away 7 years ago on the 26th of this month, and just a few days later it is the 1st anniversary of my dear friend Dan's death.  So I wondered if that was weighing on me and making me feel down.

I also haven't been stopping to smell the roses like I should, and the guilt of getting so far behind on correspondence with people I "really" want to reply to has been weighing heavily on my heart too.

I've felt a little like the house pictured above...neglected, overgrown, lost among the vines and weeds.  So Mr. Tide and I had a long talk about this whole blogging thing, and I also sought the advice of some trusted blog friends...you know who you are, thank you!  And it was Mr. Tide who posed several questions that let me really evaluate the situation and put it into perspective, like only someone looking from the outside can.  He said, "Is it the numbers, or lack thereof, that bothers you, or is it something else? What do you enjoy about blogging, and what do you hate?"

Ahh, wise questions, kind of like Yoda only cuter I'd say.  It turns out my answers were fairly simple.  Yes, I do sort of care about the numbers, I feel like if I put something out there, I want it to be well received or why have a public blog to begin with?  This kind of rocked my world a little since I've always thought that I blog for me, when in fact if that was the case I would simply have a private blog.  I blog for those who take the time out of their day to stop by "my" blog when there are a sea to chose from.  So if no one comes, well that means I'm not producing what makes them want to stop, right?

In answer to his other question, what I like and dislike about blogging it was simply...I love taking pictures, seeing the world in a way that I hope translates to my blog.  I find I wander around and look at things and think, wow, I want to share that with others.  This, I feel, is the gift of blogging, the need to share, to connect, to find oneself through the giving of a little piece of me.  What I hate...replying to comments!  Oh I love them dearly, they touch me and make my days bright when someone takes the time to reply.  But there are times when I feel like people are replying not because they really want to, but because they feel they need to.  I know, I know, you are all confused now because on one hand I said I don't care about validation, but on the other hand I said I care about numbers...it's a complicated emotion my friends!

I think that it's like having your play make it to Broadway.  If you create the work and the theater is packed opening night of the show, it means people are curious.  If they keep packing the theater night after night, even if the critics say it's not good, it means you are touching someone, giving them something that brings them back and makes them want their friends to share in the experience.  That's the best analogy I can use to describe the mixed signals I feel on this topic.

I know this all sounds wishy washy and as though I'm down in the dumps, but trust me I'm not, really nothing could be further from the truth.  I've now entered what I like to call the calm "after" the storm.  Sometimes you have to have that storm, the one that tosses you around and rocks the blue skies of everyday life to get you to the other blue skies on the other side.

I have some amazing opportunities coming my way with art and with life.  I have a very bright future as a photographer right now, and I feel so blessed to be very close to having some of my dreams come true!  And I booked a ticket to Germany (reason for the Beck's Beer Pic, the only German thing I had in my house...for shame!) and France just a few days ago, where Mr. Tide and I will spend 8 glorious days drinking in all that those 2 countries have to offer us!  So life is good my friends, very good, but there needs to be some changes around this place...things I realized a long time ago but ignored.

This blog will no longer focus on home stuff.  Now I'm not saying there won't be home stuff on here from time to time, I love my home, but it won't be the focus.  So sadly, if you started reading my blog for my kitchen reno (still my #1 post of all time), or some other home stuff, well you might need to pack your bags and move on down the line to the hundreds and thousands of other wonderful home design blogs...take a look at my sidebar for a few of the best out there!

And I will no long have comments enabled.  I want this blog to be a place where you pop in and read if you want and then move on without feeling the obligation to comment.  I still welcome emails, especially if you have a question or just want to say hi...I love hellos!  But this will eliminate the guilt that plagues me, and that I tried to ignore, but simply could not...it's in my genes!

I want you to feel like you are picking up a magazine...not a very consistent or focused one, or one that features beautiful houses or pretty things, but one that gives you respite, if only for a moment from the daily grind.  Like with a magazine, you take what you want from it and then turn the page...no guilt, no obligation, just something to look at!

And if some of you think I'm unappreciative in doing this, I apologize, but only a little.  Those who know me, know that it's because of my appreciation for you my readers, and also for myself that I'm doing this, so I hope you'll understand.  And I hope that I will never look at my numbers again, but simply create and enjoy the act of creating and sharing even if just 1 of you visits each day!

And if you don't believe that a picture can touch you in ways unimaginable, check out THIS website my daughter sent me a link to today...it made laugh, it made me cry, it made me want to do this!  Now that is what photography is all about!

xoxo Kat