every passing moment

"Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun."

2011-07-06T09:20:00.002-05:00

"Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun."
-- Kahlil Gibran

an old photograph of my mother holding my sister in her arms

and looking up to the sun, enjoying it's warmth. (May, 1974)

june was spent exploring

2011-07-06T09:16:00.003-05:00

was spent exploring.

May, you make me feel so...

2011-05-31T22:54:00.003-05:00

open the window

2011-04-20T22:37:00.001-05:00

i'm feeling...

2011-03-09T10:02:00.003-06:00

hope you are too! :)

you are the high in my noon

2011-02-28T18:43:00.002-06:00

inspires me to travel

2011-02-07T23:34:00.003-06:00

"I see my path but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I am going is what inspires me to travel it."
-Rosalia de Castro

love is a journey

2011-01-19T22:50:00.002-06:00

let there be music!

2011-01-18T13:40:00.001-06:00

listening to Rodrigo y Gabriela and this one in particular....WOW! i was moving, i was dancing, i was looking sorta crazy to mi gatos :)

** guaranteed to make you want to dance and perhaps you will and if at most it brings you energy, good enough!! ;)

three trees

2011-01-11T23:56:00.009-06:00

Three years later
in all there splendor

I spotted them in 2008, oh how I loved how they stood so bright, like the new year. On a drive by the lake a few days ago, my friend pointed them out to me, "those are your trees!" And so as luck will have it, three years later we meet again. This year I plan to visit them each season and take their picture because they are so pretty and they should be in pictures!

leap and the net will appear

2011-01-05T19:35:00.003-06:00

I just joined in on the project, "One Little Word" and I'm very excited to see what it brings out of me. I have chosen the word shine. This is the year that began with many good changes in my life. I have a rare opportunity of free time, reinventing myself, soul searching, of career change, of so many things sometimes it scary but mostly it's uplifting. I'm ready to take this leap of faith!!

Wishing you a 2011 full of courage & happiness.

"leap and the net will appear"

my life passing by

2011-01-04T11:28:00.001-06:00

My life in the past 2,000 images on my flickr. Don't Blink, you might miss yourself! :)

advice from a tree

2010-11-09T10:10:00.003-06:00

Advice From a Tree
By Ilan Shamir

Stand Tall and Proud
Sink Your Roots deeply into the Earth
Be Content with your Natural Beauty
Go Out on a Limb
Drink Plenty of Water
Remember your Roots
Enjoy the View!

wow

2010-08-17T16:07:00.002-05:00

.....did i really miss july?

It lights up the whole sky

2010-06-22T09:43:00.003-05:00

“The sun never says to the earth, ‘You owe me.’

Look what happens with a love like that.

It lights up the whole sky.

-Hafiz.

find your happy

2010-05-31T16:58:00.000-05:00

(this is a may post put in june) it was a busy month i guess :)

touching strangers

2010-04-16T09:44:00.004-05:00

much to my delight, i found this amazing project, "Touching Strangers" by Richard Renaldi in my inbox. haven't looked at all the portraits but what a great idea, i love it!!

grab a cup of coffee and observe his beautiful portraits.

suddenly i might

2010-03-31T10:57:00.005-05:00

oh, how did march (my birth month) fly by with no post, oh no!
i searched for a pretty quote to say so long march. (and its romantic)

"oh, that
i could
shrink the surface
of the world,
so that suddenly
i might find you
standing at my side!"

-wang chien

love is temporary madness

2010-02-12T12:21:00.002-06:00

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."

-St. Augustine

Looking at Pictures to Be Put Away

2010-01-12T14:37:00.001-06:00

by Gary Snyder

"Who was this girl
In her white night gown
Clutching a pair of jeans

On a foggy redwood deck.
She looks up at me tender,
Calm, surprised,

What will we remember
Bodied thick with food and lovers
After twenty years."

2010-01-08T10:25:00.002-06:00

"When the trees sing,
It doesn't really matter
If you know the song,
Or if you know the words,
Or even if you know the tune.
What really matters is knowing
That the trees are singing at all."

Mattie Stepanek, 1990-2004

American Poet and Peace Advocate

This picture was taken just a few feet away from Robert Frost's cabin in Middlebury, Vermont.We decided to walk the path, surrounded by tall trees and when a gust of wind came through, the trees started swaying in the wind, as if dancing, as if singing, and it was such an invigorating experience to witness such a moment. This is a picture of inspiration!

i hope you dance

2010-01-04T13:55:00.004-06:00

i began the new year dancing and dancing always makes me smile
and i hope through different forms; my camera, writing, poetry,
that i continue to dance and find new ways to experience life.
i wish for you the same, i hope you dance.

"I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens.
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance.
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I
h o p e
y o u
d a n c e!"

mystery to every other

2009-12-28T14:37:00.002-06:00

A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human
creature is constituted to be that profound secret and
mystery to every other.

-Charles Dicken

exhaust yourself

2009-12-09T16:27:00.002-06:00

find life experiences
and swallow them
whole. travel.
meet many people.
go down some
dead ends and
explore dark alleys.
try everthing.
exhaust yourself
in the glorious
pursuit of life.

-Lawrence K. Fish

the ocean inspires

2009-11-05T14:42:00.002-06:00

first day of my life

2009-11-01T19:17:00.002-06:00

this video is an expression of love, intimacy shared and it's simply beautiful.

where i'd like to be

2009-10-29T12:17:00.005-05:00

taken somewhere in maine.

rays of the sun

2009-10-23T11:48:00.001-05:00

Originally uploaded by Mary Palaskonis

"A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun, a bird settled on the fire escape, joy in the task of coffee, joy accompanied me as I walked."

Anais Nin

a camera

2009-10-16T15:03:00.001-05:00

“The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.”

- Ansel Adams

find love in your surroundings

2009-10-07T11:45:00.009-05:00

(sneak peak at a picture of my new england trip!)

you can always find love in your surroundings, especially when you carry it in your heart.

I recently came back from an amazing road trip through the beautiful New England. We flew into Boston, explored the city for 3 nights (and I love all the many places you can throw down a blanket and have a picnic or take a 15 minute nap) and then rented a car and drove through the east coast; stopping to enjoy the crashing waves of the ocean and walking up to a lighthouse (I must confess we didn't reach the lighthouse, it just seemed so far away and only a narrow walkway of stone, surrounded by the ocean, led us to it but the walk was very refreshing. We browsed the cute shops by the coast and I had a lobster roll for the first time! I also bought some cute gold dangling earrings.

Driving through route 1A, we finally arrived in Acadia National Park where we camped for 2 nights and I endured a grueling, scary, rainy, water pounding on the tent first night. Not a great experience. Luckily the following night was peaceful. We saw more lighthouses, traveled into New Hampshire, which awaited us with fall foliage that was simply amazing. (meanwhile sipping coffee & chocolate milk)

We stayed in some last minute "cabin" in New Hampshire which was very cute & then spent a night in Burlington, VT. We continued on our scenic drives (meanwhile missing our kitties, Avi & Pierce), visited ponds, waterfalls, covered bridges, farms and stayed in the small town of Brandon in Vermont at Cozy Cottages. The vintage 1930s cottage felt like I was stepping back in time and I loved it! We slept with the fireplace warming us through the night. The owners, who were the friendliest ever, have a cute dog, Gracie and she became my friend!

Our exploring also brought us to the Robert Frost trail sprinkled with poetry. Unfortunately part of it was closed due to damage but I loved the idea of reading poetry along my walk and it really made me take a closer look at the environment around me and it radiated colors with such glory. We also took a sneak peak at a cabin where he stayed at in Vermont and our walk brought us to the dancing trees. The wind caused these particular thin, tall trees to sway, something I've never seen before. It was truly magical.

I was happy to return to my hometown Chicago and I feel very blessed for this trip, my traveling partner and our safe return home.

I lived in the moment. I love when I do that. I mostly do it all the time. happy fall.

i'm at the ocean

2009-09-18T16:14:00.009-05:00

sometimes i feel
like i'm at the ocean
when i look outside
the window.

i dream of a moment
in time
that hasn't happened yet
that i hope
one day i find.

the little flower

2009-09-11T14:57:00.004-05:00

the little flower, with curiousity, peeked through the wood fence
to see the magical garden my mother showers everyday with love.
the flower looked around at all the colors, all the pretty shapes;
time stood still as she soaked in the sun. and her arrival
brought such a burst of happiness and stories that swayed with sunshine.

it's the simple moments in life that matter.

it reveals its story

2009-09-04T09:56:00.004-05:00

"Life is uncharted territory.
It reveals its story one moment at a time."

Leo F. Buscaglia

L

2009-08-14T16:12:00.004-05:00

a walk around the lake

2009-07-29T16:22:00.004-05:00

“Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake.”

Wallace Stevens

"Which of my photographs is my favorite?

2009-07-21T11:15:00.008-05:00

The one I'm going to take tomorrow."
– Imogen Cunningham

Black Islands

2009-07-13T16:14:00.003-05:00

by Martin Espada

for Darío

At Isla Negra,
between Neruda's tomb
and the anchor in the garden,
a man with stonecutter's hands
lifted up his boy of five
so the boy's eyes could search mine.
The boy's eyes were black olives.
Son, the father said, this is a poet,
like Pablo Neruda.
The boy's eyes were black glass.
My son is called Darío,
for the poet of Nicaragua,
the father said.
The boy's eyes were black stones.
The boy said nothing,
searching my face for poetry,
searching my eyes for his own eyes.
The boy's eyes were black islands.

Lonely Lake

2009-07-07T15:57:00.001-05:00

by Joyce Kennedy

It was the name given it on our hiking map. Intrigued,
we followed a narrow, rising trail flecked with autumn,
aspen leaves beneath our feet, young trees leaning across
as if to guard the integrity of loneliness. At the end,
we found the lake, small jewel shining in space, not
obviously frequented, although there was a rickety
dock and on it, a battered rowboat and dented canoe.
No paddles. We sat, one in rowboat, one in canoe,
the loneliness of the lake pared down to bare essentials—
shore lined with thick, dark pine, intense and cloudless sky,
sun flaring on water's changing surface. A hawk dipped
down to startle the peace while two ducks rode the ripples
unperturbed. Stunned by beauty, we reached across—
boat to canoe, canoe to boat—to touch hands,
our own lonely selves connecting as lightly and effortlessly
as the dragonfly wing that earlier brushed against my face.

you will be missed

2009-06-26T11:30:00.003-05:00

i was told of michael jackson's passing during my workout class in a casual way. i was shocked and sad and my reaction was, 'it was farrah who died' as if only one star per day can die. i was shocked. a death like this needs a more powerful, strong announcement.

he is gone and the world is sad to lose him so suddenly. he is a part of my childhood and i will forever be grateful for his talent.

he is immortal. his music, his moonwalk, his dance moves, his smile will live on in all of us fortunate to have appreciated his talent.

Michael Jackson RIP

"Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold"

lyrics from "You are not alone"

gather up the words

2009-06-17T15:48:00.003-05:00

take me out to the ballgame!

2009-06-05T16:03:00.002-05:00

tonight i'm heading to the ballpark. comiskey park (now callled 'the cell' or us cellular field) home of the chicago white sox. and my second home for 10 years. i started working there as an usher (my first job) & my last role was being part of the park operations staff. i spent so many summers, long games, long evenings, people watching, even writing poems during the quiet times. my favorite part was all the people i met along the way.

it was great and boring at times but i'm glad i was part of it.
i plan to walk around and see what memories coming rushing about.

the best way to start the summer is with a ballpark hot dog, curly fries and maybe a beer!! :)
and a beautiful fireworks display at the end of the game is a bonus!!

have a great weekend.

I'm doing fine

2009-05-29T14:28:00.001-05:00

;)

blissfully we climb to three

2009-05-21T15:59:00.006-05:00

perfect orange mouth

2009-05-20T11:53:00.001-05:00

"Spruce Street, Berkeley"
by Naomi Shihab Nye from Yellow Glove.

If a street is named for a tree,
it is right that flowers
bloom purple and feel like cats,
that people are leaves drifting
downhill in morning fog.

Everyone came outside to see
the moon setting like a perfect
orange mouth tipped up to heaven.

Now the cars sleep against curbs.
If I write a letter,
how will I make it long enough?

There is a place to stand
where you can see so many lights
you forget you are one of them.

i was a ballerina

2009-05-08T14:55:00.004-05:00

in a past life i was a ballerina. i'm sure of it. so graceful and delicate, traveling the world performing. pouring my heart through movement and spinning and spinning and spinning until you'd find me and remind me why i should stand still and pour my heart into another soul.

(my 1st attempt at a 50 word story)

embraces of the sun

2009-05-01T14:33:00.003-05:00

"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly
received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the
results of their love!"
- Sitting Bull

with the new month, i make new efforts to focus back on my
2 projects, project 365 and 365 days (self-portraits) although
i have decided to do weekly portraits instead. taking a picture
of myself everyday was a bit too much.

happy may :)

in front of the camera

2009-04-24T12:51:00.007-05:00

"At our best and most fortunate we make pictures because of what stands in front of the camera, to honor what is greater and more interesting than we are."

--"Why People Photograph" by Robert Adams.

Is this true? Do we think our subjects are more interesting then ourselves? Something to think about.

I definitely believe it's true when your subject is nature. I also think as photographers we are trying to express and share how we feel about the beauty that's in front of us without using words, instead showing it through our images.

~~~~~
it's a summer day in chicago and a great time to stroll the city with my camera.
happy weekend!

body made poetic

2009-04-17T11:59:00.004-05:00

Dancing
is
the
body
made
poetic.

- Ernst Bacon

feelings of flowers

2009-04-06T15:17:00.005-05:00

Perfumes are the feelings of flowers.
- Heinrich Heine

could be why i always feel so cheerful when i put on perfume! and i love to
be able to smell the scent throughout the day.

everything dances.

2009-04-03T12:42:00.004-05:00

this year i find myself dancing more and more and loving it.

any place becomes my dance floor.

the story continues

2009-03-31T15:50:00.005-05:00

a small chapter has turned into volumes and volumes
of growth, of awakenings, of moments i wish i could bottle up,

of
love

and the story continues and every day is still a sweet surrender.

I travel your length

2009-03-31T15:26:00.002-05:00

"I travel your length

like a river

I travel your body

like a forest."

Octavio Paz

(from 'Piedra de sol')

Today is the birthday of the Mexican poet and essayist Octavio Paz, (books by this author) born in Mexico City (1914). He wrote a book of essays on Mexican culture, The Labyrinth of Solitude (1950), which became standard reading for students of Latin American history and literature. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1990.

brief moment of friendship

2009-03-27T15:37:00.004-05:00

yesterday this little boy came on the train and caught the eye of this playful boy
seated with his mom. from a few rows apart they played a game of noises.
one made a noise and then the other one tried to echo it back.
it was a unique form of connectivity and i observed with curiousity.
watching the shy boy's frown slowly fade, i was reminded of how we are more
alike then we are unlike.

slowly the game changed, the boy's smile creeped slowly on his face and they
started to play a game of shoot and duck. they still remained in their seats while
i sat in between the battle zone shielding myself with a smile.

back and forth, they aimed their shooting hands at each other, their excitement
intensifying. and i found it interesting that no one told them to hush and be quiet.
the moment concluded when the playful boy and his mother reached their
train stop.

witnessing a brief moment of friendship.

when you laugh

2009-03-21T10:48:00.004-05:00

My lover asks me:
"What is the difference between me and the sky?"

The difference, my love,
Is that when you laugh, I forget about the sky.

-Nizar Qabbani Syrian poet

please don't steal my sunshine

2009-03-20T12:16:00.004-05:00

I have 2 new roommates, Pierce & Avi (pictured above)
They have been with us for 4 months.

Pierce is Mr.Curious boy. He has expressive eyes, gentle
paws & is always looking to play. He loves to look out
windows, hang out in the tub & he will steal your heart
when he rubs his head on you. He is precious.

Avi is Mr. grumpy. He walks around bickering if he doesn't
like the food. He is always wrestling with his brohter.
He likes to play for the first minute & then he
likes to chill. I think he was a doggy in another life. He
wishes to go outside and explore. He is adorable and it is

because of him and his cuteness that I realized how beautiful

it is to live & share a bed with kitties.

What She Was Wearing

2009-02-23T13:50:00.001-06:00

by Denver Butson

this is my suicide dress
she told him
I only wear it on days
when I'm afraid
I might kill myself
if I don't wear it

you've been wearing it
every day since we met
he said

and these are my arson gloves

so you don't set fire to something?
he asked

exactly

and this is my terrorism lipstick
my assault and battery eyeliner
my armed robbery boots

I'd like to undress you he said
but would that make me an accomplice?

and today she said I'm wearing
my infidelity underwear
so don't get any ideas

and she put on her nervous breakdown hat
and walked out the door

from Illegible Address. © Luquer Street Press, 2004

Asking for Directions

2009-02-14T15:35:00.002-06:00

by Linda Gregg

We could have been mistaken for a married couple
riding on the train from Manhattan to Chicago
that last time we were together. I remember
looking out the window and praising the beauty
of the ordinary: the in-between places, the world
with its back turned to us, the small neglected
stations of our history. I slept across your
chest and stomach without asking permission
because they were the last hours. There was
a smell to the sheepskin lining of your new
Chinese vest that I didn't recognize. I felt
it deliberately. I woke early and asked you
to come with me for coffee. You said, sleep more,
and I said we only had one hour and you came.
We didn't say much after that. In the station,
you took your things and handed me the vest,
then left as we had planned. So you would have
ten minutes to meet your family and leave.
I stood by the seat dazed by exhaustion
and the absoluteness of the end, so still I was
aware of myself breathing. I put on the vest
and my coat, got my bag and, turning, saw you
through the dirty window standing outside looking
up at me. We looked at each other without any
expression at all. Invisible, unnoticed, still.
That moment is what I will tell of as proof
that you loved me permanently. After that I was
a woman alone carrying her bag, asking a worker
which direction to walk to find a taxi.

from Chosen by the Lion. © Graywolf Press, 1994

2009-02-09T23:09:00.002-06:00

we decided to walk by the lake, yes it's in walking distance from home, on a crisp, sunny saturday afternoon. the first day of the year that felt very spring-like. the walk was full of many puddles from the snow melting but it was very peaceful & beautiful and i made a friend along the way (cute puppy in photo). he walked up to us and stood near me to be petted. i fell in love. i fall in love easily. actually i dont.
then we saw a kite in the sky. wishing i had one to fly. it was a lovely day.

when will spring arive?!!

2009-01-27T15:52:00.002-06:00

i miss the days of wearing sandals but that is what i love about chicago, you have another beautiful season to look forward to. meanwhile i enjoy the cozy evenings at home keeping warm.

i really am having trouble with my self-portrait project. it is extremely challenging trying to take a picture of yourself everyday especially when you are not feeling photogenic, which is everyday to me! but i will continue to do so. i'm sure i will like the results at the end of the year.

thread blossoms

2009-01-23T11:18:00.005-06:00

grab some coffee & head on over to my new etsy shop. i'm selling my mom's crochet hats & sweaters. there pretty, see for yourself.
browse ---> thread blossoms!

drink the universe

2009-01-09T15:55:00.003-06:00

i feel like dancing!
don't you love it when happy moods
creep up unexpectedly.

"Unknowingly,
we plow the dust of stars,
blown about us by the wind,
and drink the universe
in a glass of rain."

Ihab Hassan
American Author and Literary Theorist

deep caves

2009-01-09T15:31:00.000-06:00

VII by Wendell Berry

I would not have been a poet
except that I have been in love
alive in this mortal world,
or an essayist except that I
have been bewildered and afraid,
or a storyteller had I not heard
stories passing to me through the air,
or a writer at all except
I have been wakeful at night
and words have come to me
out of their deep caves
needing to be remembered.
But on the days I am lucky
or blessed, I am silent.
I go into the one body
that two make in making marriage
that for all our trying, all
our deaf-and-dumb of speech,
has no tongue. Or I give myself
to gravity, light, and air
and am carried back
to solitary work in fields
and woods, where my hands
rest upon a world unnamed,
complete, unanswerable, and final
as our daily bread and meat.
The way of love leads all ways
to life beyond words, silent
and secret. To serve that triumph
I have done all the rest.

("VII" from the poem "1994" by Wendell Berry,
from A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979–1997)

my camera and i

2009-01-06T15:53:00.009-06:00

photograph by Mary Palaskonis

my camera and i are going to get to know each other better this year.
i'm participating in 2 projects, both involving taking a picture
a day. one is a self-portrait a day (which is proving to be difficult!!
but forcing me to get creative!) and one picture of whatever catches
my eye. already there is trouble as my nikon is very heavy. so my
solution is my smaller canon during the week. we'll see.
but there you have it. my new best friend. and this whole
experience is making me cheery. looking forward to the challenges.
(and i really hope i do it all 365 days) i think i will.

something about the new year that opens the world to so many
opportunities & when hope is more visible then other days.

feliz ano nuevo

2008-12-31T00:32:00.005-06:00

photography by mary palaskonis

“Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and
you do not know what it will bring back, a new life,
a new friend, a new love, a new country.”
-Anais Nin

wishing you a year full of love & happiness....

dance

2008-11-26T14:35:00.001-06:00

“Without music, life would be a mistake....
I would only believe in a God who knew how to dance.”

~ Friedrich Nietzsche

-----
i was dancing when i took this or didn't have
enough time to work the settings on my camera...
i'll stick with the first :)

wish i was driving you

2008-10-24T11:44:00.002-05:00

Originally uploaded by Lorena Jurado

a perfect afternoon

2008-10-23T10:31:00.004-05:00

a perfect afternoon with a kindred soul,
sharing a laugh, sipping coffee, observing
others pass by. lost in a moment of
"did i tell you what happened when i tried..."
ah, (inhale, exhale) here's to life!

(yes, i'm having a happy day :)

follow your heart

2008-10-08T15:26:00.010-05:00

i followed it all the way to the west coast.
first stop was seattle. i visited the first
starbucks and had plenty of coffee. our hotel roof top
had a beautiful view of the city. we spent a lot of time
exploring the city, browsing antique stores and all the cute
shops in pike's market. we took a ferry to bainbridge
island. the people were friendly though i'd still rather
live in vancouver.

afterwards we headed to mt rainer and if i knew
the roads would be this crazy i wouldn't be so fearful of
traveling to mexico to visit family. they were just as steep!
it is the mountains i guess. our campsite was right by a
stream, amidst beautiful tall trees. the night was peaceful.
i love the sound of water when i'm falling asleep.
and i would have enjoyed it more had it not been for my
fear of BEARS stopping by :) my favorite camp site to date.

continued our road trip to portland where we visited
the funky hawthorne district and had dinner. the next
day we drove down the oregon coast, visited cannon beach-
the fog prevented us from seeing the haystack rock- but it
was a cool experience when we saw it's silhouette as we
were walking along the shoreline!
poor mary who has always wanted to see this rock in all
it's glory. we stayed in coas bay before arriving in the beautiful
redwoods national park. we camped for 2 nights.

and finally made it to san francisco. i call it san fran.
we're cool like that :) i got to ride the roller coaster
trolley, it was fun!! the streets, the climbing, the driving,
it's out of control. mary fell in love with this city. i still
love chicago.

might i add we had plenty of cafe.
i love the freeway 101's java drive-thru stops. mary
says this was a coffee trip and i happily agree.

i'm so thankful for my adventure and my traveling partner.

i embark on another adventure

2008-09-10T17:26:00.008-05:00

"Today, like every other day, we may wake up
empty or frightened.
Don't
open the door to the study and begin reading.
Take down a musical
instrument.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of
ways to kneel and kiss the ground. "

Jalal ad-Din Rumi13th Century Persian Poet

tomorrow mary and i embark on another adventure
to the west coast. i'm looking forward to traveling again.
we will visit Seattle, Portland, Crater Lake, Redwoods
and San Francisco!! yes it involves a road trip :)

i promise to be back with plenty of photographs. in the
meantime, hope you find some magic in the days ahead.

2008-09-01T21:13:00.002-05:00

i can't believe that september has arrived!
summer is not officially over though.

this past week i was blown away by this group.
mary was filming the show and i took some
photographs. here is a little glimpse of there
music. guarantee to make you move :)

Bajofondo Live

a snap quiz on body language

2008-08-07T15:57:00.000-05:00

by David Wagoner

We can't hear what they're saying, but that man
is holding that woman in his arms. Your assignment
is to deduce their thoughts from what they do.
They've left no apparent space between their bodies.
It could be called a close embrace, but notice
her arms are at her sides, her hands relaxed,
her face impassive, while he's whispering
something in her ear. His upper torso
is tilted slightly forward. Hers is yielding
but not in a way suggesting sweet surrender.
Is this a seduction scene? Is she being held
for questioning? Should she call a lawyer?
He's looking into her eyes now. How wide open
would you say they are? What does he see in them?
If he were to let her go, class, what would she do?

Can You

2008-08-04T16:33:00.003-05:00

by Christian Barter
from The Singers I Prefer

Can you love the dawn and hate the day? I do."
Addicted to the beginnings of relationships,"
as I've been told. And told. And told. The new
light looks as something else when it first hits,
something more like Catherine standing up
across a strangered room, that promising look
she had before the promises, still stuck
with sweetness to her face in my notebook
of pre-day ecstasies. I love the feel of gray
seeping into black—what it represents:
the casting-out that could occur—and the real,
truant world opening, before it grows dense
with light and the need for endings, setting free
that inkling some lasting love might come to me.

water balloon fights!!!

2008-07-15T11:58:00.004-05:00

i love water balloon fights!!!
i can't remember when i had the last one.
it probably goes back to when i was a kid. WOW!
i should change that soon :)

photograph by Mary Palaskonis

tonight i'm heading out to grant park for
the first outdoor film, All About Eve. i have
never seen this and i'm looking forward to it.
it's in the 90s today. a steamy day in chicago.

i now have a small digital camera so i expect
to take pictures daily, maybe join in those
challenges of a picture a day. i found the results
from this makes for some very interesting photographs.
although i have a beautiful slr, it's sometimes to
heavy to carry everyday!! there is something
beautiful to be found in everyday.

chase the summer blues away... go bike riding.
i love this poem i read:

The Rider
by Naomi Shihab Nye

A boy told me
if he roller-skated fast enough
his loneliness couldn't catch up to him,
the best reason I ever heard
for trying to be a champion.
What I wonder tonight
pedaling hard down King William Street
is if it translates to bicycles.
A victory! To leave your loneliness
panting behind you on some street corner
while you float free into a cloud of sudden azaleas,
pink petals that have never felt loneliness,
no matter how slowly they fell.

magic moment

2008-06-19T09:30:00.002-05:00

The magic moment is that in which a "yes" or a "no" may
change the whole of our existence…

--Paulo Coelho

what we want

2008-05-28T13:32:00.002-05:00

by Linda Pastan
from Carnival Evening

What we want
is never simple.
We move among the things
we thought we wanted:
a face, a room, an open book
and these things bear our names—
now they want us.

But what we want appears
in dreams, wearing disguises.

We fall past,
holding out our arms
and in the morning
our arms ache.
We don't remember the dream,
but the dream remembers us.
It is there all day
as an animal is there
under the table,
as the stars are there

happy birthday to you

2008-05-11T12:55:00.004-05:00

Happy birthday kindred soul,
A sea around my heart:
Part shelter, part enduring word,
Part mirror of my art.
You are the calm that drains my rage,

Bliss upon my shores,
Immensity immutable,
Rush that life restores.
To you I wish to be a welcome
Harbor for your ocean,
Destiny and origin,
Aim of your affection,
Yearning of your motion.

By Dimitri Shostakovich

it's beautiful

2008-05-01T12:20:00.002-05:00

I do my thing, and you do your thing. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you, and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, it's beautiful.

Frederick E. Perl

exploring

2008-04-20T22:26:00.002-05:00

"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."
-- T.S. Eliot

my blog is refreshed :)

2008-04-09T16:01:00.003-05:00

and going green.

"Walk in the rain,
smell flowers,
stop along the way,
build sandcastles,
go on field trips,
find out how things work,
tell stories,
say the magic words,
trust the universe."

-Bruce Williamson

happy spring!

2008-03-28T15:51:00.002-05:00

before this beautiful month is over ~ my birth month- happy birthday to me :) ~
i figured i'd post something so i decided nothing would be better than
this beautiful video my friend edited and that we both filmed. it's of our
canada trip (vancouver-whistler-banff, alberta).

hope you are enjoying the arrival of spring, although for us winter is being very persistent. happy spring!!

watching images passing by

2008-02-21T15:23:00.005-06:00

"I will not be just a tourist in the world of images,
just watching images passing by which I cannot live in,
make love to, possess as permanent sources of joy and ecstasy."
~ Anais Nin ~

Today would be Anais Nin's birthday. She is best known for her diaries,
which she began writing at age 11. I read her volume one and fell in love with her words, her observations. Now I am reading volume two. She is like the friend you wish you had. So full of life, of wisdom and such magic with words!

This is a photograph taken with my diana.

oh Diana!

2008-02-19T16:20:00.001-06:00

Originally uploaded by mary.p

i got this cool camera as a christmas gift from mary. i went out with it sunday afternoon and took some photographs. i'm very excited to see how they turn out. the camera had caught my attention for it's old fashion look. it's cute and so light compared to my nikon!

i want a light of some kind!!

2008-02-19T16:09:00.004-06:00

hurray, our etsy shop is open! i'm so excited to be selling my most favorite photographs. you will find some of mary's work as well. we are a team :) for a light of some kind, click here

i have been buying so many things on etsy. it's such a cool place.
i already have some lovely photographs for my future bedroom from courage my love, my most favorite being this beauty

and if you want to adorn yourself with some lovely jewelry, visit my most favorite, mud and mint. She made this beautiful bracelet which i can't wait to wear!!

opening this shop is one of the many ways i hope to encourage creativity everyday. i'm excited!! :)

Love is the answer.

2008-02-14T15:49:00.001-06:00

Now, what is your question?

Author Unknown

trees bend to caress me

2008-02-01T15:04:00.003-06:00

Alone with myself
The trees bend to caress me
The shade hugs my heart.

Candy Polgar

Chicago is having a very white winter. It's fun to play in it but it's not so lovely to walk in the slush to work. I want to go tubing. I have never done that but it looks like so much fun. Hope you are warm and safe wherever this day finds you :)

never stop reaching heavenward

2008-01-06T13:25:00.000-06:00

"We can learn a lot from trees: they're always grounded
but never stop reaching heavenward. "
~Everett Mámor

the new year in chicago was blanketed with beautiful snow.
we drove to the lake and took some photographs of the
stunning trees adorned with snow. it was amazing to
see all the other people taking pictures. it was a very cold
day!!

the beginning of the new year is always full of so much hope
and inspiration. it forces me to re-evaluate my goals and dreams
and one of them is to continue to take photographs and learn
some new skills. i'm very excited about the new year.
i hope you are as well!

may you be true love

2007-12-31T14:07:00.000-06:00

May peace fill all the empty spaces around you

And in you, may contentment answer all your wishes.

May comfort be yours, warm and soft like a sigh.

And may the coming year show you that every day

is really a first day, a new year.

Let abundance be your constant companion,

so that you have much to share.

May mirth be near you always,

like a lamp shining brightly

on the many paths you travel.

May you be true love.

~Author Unknown~

----------------------------------------------------

Photograph by Mary -thats me running :)

Feliz Ano Nuevo!!

shall we dance?

2007-12-26T15:14:00.000-06:00

i love dancing. i took several salsa classes and learned a few others like the cha cha but i never took tango. it's a very intimate dance and i'm to shy to get close to anyone i'm not already kissing.

this beautiful video is amazing in it's interweaving of dancers and body language and music and i'm left with smiles everytime i watch it :) if i can borrow the words from madelyn, "as if the editing is doing it's own little tango"!

the best way to see this video is on mary's site click here

the city, she loves me

2007-12-17T23:10:00.001-06:00

Mary and I braved a very cold and WINDY night in Chicago
to capture the beautiful skyline. Why I'm fortunate to live
here, let me count the ways :) ...

portrait of mary

2007-11-21T11:31:00.000-06:00

i love this photograph i took of mary.
she loves to be with nature and it is
in being with her that i have experienced
camping, hiking and love of photographing
mother earth. i also talk to birds because
of her :)

“One of the most wonderful things in nature
is a glance of the eye;it transcends speech;
it is the bodily symbol of identity”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

what makes me speechless.......a sky full of
fluffy clouds, a sky full of dazzling stars in
mexico, awaiting a luminious sunset by the
lake and admiring it's parting gift of beautiful
colors.

What in nature makes you speechless?

the important novel and I

2007-11-20T10:21:00.000-06:00

Poem by George Bilgere

Once Again I Fail to Read an Important Novel

Instead, we sit together beside the fountain,
the important novel and I.

We are having coffee together
in that quiet first hour of the morning,
respecting each other's silences
in the shadow of an important old building
in this small but significant European city.

All the characters can relax.
I'm giving them the day off.
For once they can forget about their problems—
desire, betrayal, the fatal denouement—
and just sit peacefully beside me.

In the afternoon,
at lunch near the cathedral,
and in the evening, after my lonely,
historical walk along the promenade,

the men and women, the children
and even the dogs
in the important, complicated novel
have nothing to fear from me.

We will sit quietly at the table
with a glass of cool red wine
and listen to the pigeons
questioning each other in the ancient corridors.

make it that way

2007-10-09T13:35:00.000-05:00

The wise
don't expect
to find life
worth living...
they make it that way.

Author Unknown

there is something about getting on the swings that makes me smile and aim to go higher then my friend. it makes me feel like a kid again and everytime i am having a good time i get the giggles. it's weird.

especially loved swinging on the beach this day. my lovely photographer friend, mary took this picture of me and i love how she captured the sheer emotion of the moment.

i'm trying to get back to blogging. i miss the sense of community here and i miss my blogger friends and writing and sharing.

don't pass the swings without getting on! :)

its tone is mellower

2007-09-25T20:11:00.000-05:00

"I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like best of all autumn, because its tone is mellower, its colors are richer, and it is tinged with a little sorrow. Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and it is content."

Lin Yutang Chinese Author and Inventor

morning light

2007-09-06T21:30:00.001-05:00

summer days exploring

2007-07-31T10:51:00.000-05:00

the light dances

2007-06-04T14:58:00.001-05:00

the light dances on the waves
inviting me to stay...

make it meaningful

2007-05-21T15:12:00.000-05:00

Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend or a meaningful day.

Tenzin Gyatso
14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

happy birthday kindred spirit

2007-05-11T11:10:00.000-05:00

i wonder if i'd met you then, would we become the best of friends.

we'd help each other with our assignments and when class got boring i'd pass you a note asking how you were doing. you'd tell me,with fascination in your eyes, of the dreams you had last night. and when lunch would come around, your big appetite would ask me for some of my doritos,of course i didn't mind sharing and you'd offer me some of your mom's delicious cookies. when the bell would ring and school would let out we'd agree to meet up after we finished our homework. we'd round up two teams and play kickball and when the sun would set i'd suggest playing barbies and this would be the time you'd hop on your bike and say see you later.

"When I grow up I want to be a doctor." I'd be so excited because I want to be a nurse, "maybe we will work at the same hospital together!!" and finally, one things for sure, i'd find you playing with the neighbors kitty and look through my camera's viewfinder and find you, say "smile, say, cheese" and you'd look so pretty.

i wonder if I'd met you then, would be we become the best of friends.

happy birthday to my kindred spirit.

to shout against loss and change and motion

2007-05-02T15:14:00.000-05:00

I'm almost done reading "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" and it's such a lovely book. One of the main characters, David is a photographer and I wanted to quote this part of the novel regarding photography,

"David's desire to fix the world in place. You couldn't blame him, no, you couldn't fault him for wanting to go deeper into every fleeting moment, to study its mystery, to shout against loss and change and motion."

I can relate to this. I also love photography for its power to conjure up so many stories and emotions from past memories. I especially love taking candid photographs of my friends and family.

"Photography is all about secrets....The secrets we all have and will never tell."
- Kim Edwards

Kore Films

2007-04-19T14:35:00.000-05:00

Launching of Mary's website Kore Films!!

I've been away from blog world working on building my friend a website Korefilms.com which features her film and photography. This collection consists of some of her most prized work over the years. We hope you enjoy it and encourage any feedback or comments.

www.korefilms.com

Meaning behind Kore

Mary chose this name because she identifies with it. Kore (kor-ay) is Greek for daughter and embodies the idea that women are a vehicle for change. In Greek mythology, Kore also known as Persephone, was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Below is a short description borrowed from Britannica:

Persephone was gathering flowers when she was seized by Hades, who carried her off to the underworld to make her his wife. On learning of the abduction, Demeter was so distraught that she allowed barrenness and famine to spread over the earth. Zeus commanded Hades to allow Persephone to return to her mother, but because she had eaten some (or, in some versions, just one) pomegranate seeds in the underworld, she had to remain one-third of the year with Hades, spending the other two-thirds with Demeter. This myth accounts for the change of the seasons and the annual cycle of growth and decay.