September 16, 2013 by Cynthia
I can be a bit slow. It took me well over a year to visit and then participate in Cowbird. A friend had suggested I check out the site as a new creative outlet. I’m glad she did. It is a community of storytellers. I’ve posted a few stories — really a collection of simple words, rather stream of conscious, like diamonds in the rough or perhaps just gravel, but words I do not wish to lose. I am honored to have had one such collection featured today: plums. If you haven’t already, please check out the site. A source of lovely words and images.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes | Tagged colors, Cowbird, creativity, family, Inspiration, memories, online publications, Photography, storytelling | 4 Comments »
September 12, 2013 by Cynthia
Why “ethereal” as a title? Well, I recently chanced upon a very short video of ballerina Janie Taylor dancing in designer Chloé’s “dance-inspired spring/summer 2011 collection.” The dance was set to Philip Glass’s “String Quartet No. 3, ‘Mishima’: IV. 1962: Body Building.” I enjoy much of what Philip Glass composes. I have not been able to get the dance or the music out of my head. On this windy day, I went for a walk in hopes that the movement and music would inspire me to photograph something sweeping, cascading, flowing, etc. In the end …
… nothing. Not a single “sweeping” thing caught my attention. I put away the camera and headed home, pausing just long enough at a market to purchase a few pieces of fruit. At home, I placed the items on a side table figuring I’d put them away later. Back at the computer, I hit play and repeat on that darn video, and began to outline a writing project. But the wind kept rustling the plastic bag the fruit sat upon. Frustrated, I got up and went to the table. With Philip Glass blaring in the background, I looked down and thought, “That’s it! That’s the shot.” Anyway, that’s my story of this image and I’m sticking to it. If you’re curious, click here for link to the video.
Posted in Inspiration, Music, Nature Notes | Tagged beauty, dance, fashion, food, food photography, fruit, Inspiration, music, nature, nectarine, Philip Glass, Photography, storytelling, white nectarine | 7 Comments »
September 10, 2013 by Cynthia
a quick image while sitting by the fountain in copley square
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes | Tagged Boston, colors, Copley Square, feather, Inspiration, nature, nature photography, Photography, water | 2 Comments »
September 9, 2013 by Cynthia
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a function in Manchester, MA. A beautiful spot on the coast, with lots of sunlight dancing on water. 
With such white sparkle upon blue waves …
… I could not help but think of starry skies and their bright, colorful sweep across the universe.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road | Tagged astronomy, coastal, colors, imagination, Inspiration, manchester, nature, nature photography, Photography, seascape, water | 5 Comments »
September 9, 2013 by Cynthia
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, On the Road | Tagged colors, harbor, jellyfish, manchester, nature, nature photography, Photography, sealife, water | 7 Comments »
September 5, 2013 by Cynthia
That thought crossed my mind this morning as I did everything except the one thing I needed to be doing — write, write, write. But, eventually, I remembered that part of my creative process, especially when I am feeling stuck on a writing project, is to get up from the computer and to walk toward … something. In this case it was toward a small table in Steve’s kitchen.
On the table is an eclectic mix of items: an antique silver pitcher against which leans a postcard of Hiroshige’s Plum Garden, a small pot of basil, two pots of red peppers separated by a pot of Cuban oregano, lavender that needs to be replanted and some lemon verbena.
Nestled amidst all of these herbs are bits of pottery filled with fruits of the season, glass votives, an empty wooden basket, and another postcard, Romare Bearden’s Autumn Lamp (Guitar Player).
Deborah Madison’s Vegetable Literacy sits open upon the table, too. I think I have it for two more weeks from the library before I have to return it. It’s a good book that I think I am going to add to my Christmas list. I flipped through the book for a bit, letting my eyes dance over her words and images. And then guess what?
I closed the book (after marking what I intend to try for dinner tonight). I sat back down at the computer and began to put fingers to the keyboard, feeling just a little bit less stuck. 😉
Posted in Books I Love, Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations | Tagged colors, cooking, creativity, food, food photography, herbs, indoor gardening, Inspiration, Photography, writers, writing process | 3 Comments »
September 5, 2013 by Cynthia
I like to exchange seeds with family and friends. Mostly sunflowers or herbs but for Lorraine, there was “cat grass.” And here was the lovely result …
imagesandwordsbylorraine
I thought the “Cat Grass” needed water when it was mashed down but the next day I found out why. a tiny kitten fast asleep…
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September 4, 2013 by Cynthia
As a child, I loved all literary critters from Stuart Little to Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web. I also loved the feisty young heroes in books like Little House on the Prairie, The Black Stallion, The Secret Garden, The Swiss Family Robinson and so many more. I wanted to be those young people and see the places described in those literary worlds. Those young people and those stories helped to shape my initial views of my country, the world, and of myself. I think I turned out okay. 😉 But I do recognize as writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie asserts in the following TED presentation how stories — or the communication of “a single story” — can have unexpected consequences at many levels. In her eloquence on a thought-provoking topic, she raises both my awareness as reader and writer. I hope you have a chance to view.
Posted in Inspiration | Tagged books, colors, geography, identity, imagination, Inspiration, language, literature, Photography, race, storytelling, writers | 4 Comments »
September 4, 2013 by Cynthia
A friend’s gift from her garden — tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. Simple ingredients that produced a tasty salad once the items were sliced, layered, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt, pepper and other seasonings. The meal was accompanied by toasted bread rubbed with garlic. The bread was also provided by a friend, but I forgot to photograph the bread before I ate it. Next time … 😉
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations | Tagged colors, cucumbers, food, food photography, friendship, garden tomatoes, Inspiration, Photography, salads, sharing, vegetables | 1 Comment »
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Words + Images 