http://www.theindiebride.com/real-weddings/real-couple-tiffany-and-demetrius-at-riverview-country-club/
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
A Lesson Spiritual Gardening...
Anywho :)
This past week I have been doing a lot of soul searching and re-reading one of my favorite books:
"All the Joy You Can Stand" by Debrena Jackson Gandy...
Now inspirational and self motivating literature may not be your "thing" but I really felt like I needed to share this one section because it is something that I am forcing myself to live everyday - and I have come to lean on this philosophy in everything I do...
This past week was rough for me and I even found myself breaking down a couple of times... But I know that everyone has a set of cycles and seasons in their lives and everyday (no matter how rough) is just part of this journey and ultimate adventure :)
Becoming a Spiritual Gardener...
1. If you are not reaping the size, quantity or quality of the "fruit" in the form of results, outcomes, or goals you'd like, you must better prepare, cultivate, and fertilize your soil. Remember, manure is "waste", but it makes for great fertilizer. A masterful "gardener" can take waste and transform it into something that supports growth. You recognize that the quality of your soil determines the quality of the 'fruit" you bear.
2. Faith and patience are necessary in spiritual gardening because all growth is not above ground. God works in visible and non-visible ways.
3. You have to understand that God has placed the "blueprint" for success within the seed. It is up to you to activate it.
4. You understand that you will always be given other opportunities to plant. There are no mistakes, only "learnings" with spiritual gardening.
5. Death is a part of the spiritual gardening process. When something comes to an end, it is transformed and the process continues. In the mind of the spiritual gardener, death is not inherently bad or negative. it is a part of the process. It can signify a rebirth or set the stage for a powerful new beginning.
6. When the seed, season, soil, timing, and conditions are "right", the seed takes root, pushes up through the ground and bears "fruit".
7. The spiritual gardener is able to take manure and transform it into fertilizer. You know that all that smells and looks bad can be used for good if you know how to transform it.
8. The spiritual gardener knows that even if all of the conditions are right, the unexpected can still occur and wipe out what you've grown. You are not in control ultimately. You also know that you can begin again. This, too, is part of the process.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
done!
After much inner turmoil...the photos were FINALLY selected and the album is finished!!...(at least we got it done before the one year mark :)
(Photography by Joshua Black Weddings - www.joshuablackweddings.com)
www.joshuablackweddings.com
(Photography by Joshua Black Weddings - www.joshuablackweddings.com)
www.joshuablackweddings.com
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Mosquito Plant
The Mosquito Plant is a genetically engineered geranium hybrid with a unique characteristic: it repels mosquitoes! It is easily grown as a potted patio plant, and easily enjoyed for its attractive foliage and sweet lemony scent, as well as for its mosquito repelling powers. It produces a leafy, attractive, foot-tall plant during its first season.
The Mosquito Plant was created by a Dutch botanist, who genetically incorporated traits of the Chinese citronella grass into a scented African geranium. The resulting cultivar still had the growth and habit of the geranium, and its sweet lemony citronella scent. Citronella is the substance in citronella candles, which have long been used to deter mosquitoes. It doesn't harm them, but they don't like citronella and avoid it. It is most effective as a repellent if you crush a few leaves and rub them on your skin. This releases the citronella and a sweet perfume.
Like most geraniums, the Mosquito Plant is normally potted and grown outdoors during the warm season (after last and before first frosts). During the colder seasons the plants can be wintered-over indoors. In the warmer southern zones Mosquito Plants can be grown outdoors year-round where the plants can reach a mature size of 3 to 4 feet high and wide.
http://www.allwoodwork.com/tips/mosquitoplant.htm
Garden Update #1
(1)feeling.
(1)thought.
(1)seed.
(1)root.
(1)sun.
(1)water.
(1)love.
(1)spirit.
(1)life.
(everything's growing great! here are a few pictures from the garden today :)
For more Photos go here:
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Facade.
Every once in a while a little project comes along that you can call you own...AND be proud of...
The client wanted a new identity for their "dated" office facade. The challenge was that the budget was very tight and the existing storefront facade could not be removed or altered in anyway. I decided that the best option was to split the facade up into planes and give hierarchy to the entrance. The main material used was EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System) due to the fact that its relatively inexpensive, flexible in terms of design, and it would be able to add insulation to their ridiculously frigid office space. (They sometimes call it out-silation...) We also used zinc at the main entrance...(That was the money piece :)
WELL - The construction of this office facade was just completed and the owners could not be happier!
(Don't you love it when a good plan comes together?)
Here is a little photographic time-line of the project...
Original Rendering.
Existing Conditions.
The client wanted a new identity for their "dated" office facade. The challenge was that the budget was very tight and the existing storefront facade could not be removed or altered in anyway. I decided that the best option was to split the facade up into planes and give hierarchy to the entrance. The main material used was EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System) due to the fact that its relatively inexpensive, flexible in terms of design, and it would be able to add insulation to their ridiculously frigid office space. (They sometimes call it out-silation...) We also used zinc at the main entrance...(That was the money piece :)
WELL - The construction of this office facade was just completed and the owners could not be happier!
(Don't you love it when a good plan comes together?)
Here is a little photographic time-line of the project...
Original Rendering.
Existing Conditions.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Ohio.
After much kicking and screaming...
It was great.. we rented a Volvo (we would have driven my car - but it's still a little damaged from my accident...) It was awesome. It took us about 8.5 hours - no traffic... we just encountered some rain on the way up. Slightly stressful - but not terrible.
First of all - I must say that I think Ohio must be the friendliest place i have been to so far... hands down.. Everyone was just so nice, pleasant and welcoming.... Such a comfortable energy :)
We stayed in a hotel in Port Clinton... Very nice, and conveniently located by a few state parks and an African Safari.... (yeah, I said it... a damn African Safari in Ohio, USA).
Ok - a few words about the African Safari.
1. The hotel manager told us to go there. She said it was great - we can drive through the "safari" and feed the animals.. We should just go to the grocery store and buy about 6 bags of carrots and hide them under out seat when we get there... Apparently, they make you buy the food at the gate at a whopping $6.00 a damn bag of carrots juxtaposed to about $1.00 or so at the grocery store. 
So we head over to Cedar Point on Monday...
The weather was perfect. The healing ankle was behaving...
(Side note: Deme is a good guy and all - but after i got hurt, he had this brainchild idea that i could ride in a wheelchair while we were in the park so that we could get to the front of the lines... stupid.)
Oh - and we couldn't have picked a better week to go... on a Monday - before the holiday.. the longest wait we had was about 30 minutes for the Maverick. AND well worth it.
Sooo.....
Lesson Learned: Every now and then you really need to step away and take a break.
This past weekend I think fed a moose with a carrot on an African Safari & I rode something called a "Strata Coaster" for it's unprecedented height... It was the first coaster to top 400 feet... it was the tallest and fastest coaster when it opened & launches riders from 0-120 mph in less than four seconds.
(Ok so - I usually don't like going on vacation because I can never justify the money or the time spent away from tending to the house)
...we were on our way to Ohio to ride the biggest and fastest roller coasters in the world (i think...).
It was great.. we rented a Volvo (we would have driven my car - but it's still a little damaged from my accident...) It was awesome. It took us about 8.5 hours - no traffic... we just encountered some rain on the way up. Slightly stressful - but not terrible.
First of all - I must say that I think Ohio must be the friendliest place i have been to so far... hands down.. Everyone was just so nice, pleasant and welcoming.... Such a comfortable energy :)
We stayed in a hotel in Port Clinton... Very nice, and conveniently located by a few state parks and an African Safari.... (yeah, I said it... a damn African Safari in Ohio, USA).
Ok - a few words about the African Safari.
1. The hotel manager told us to go there. She said it was great - we can drive through the "safari" and feed the animals.. We should just go to the grocery store and buy about 6 bags of carrots and hide them under out seat when we get there... Apparently, they make you buy the food at the gate at a whopping $6.00 a damn bag of carrots juxtaposed to about $1.00 or so at the grocery store. 
2. We start to drive through the "Safari" and are bombarded by about 2 alpacas..3 llamas...a host of deer and a partridge in a pear tree.... EVERYTHING and ANYTHING besides an animal that should be on an African Safari. (Okay okay... so there were also a zebra or two...) BUT It was hilarious...gross...frightening and sad all at the same time.
So we head over to Cedar Point on Monday...
The weather was perfect. (Side note: Deme is a good guy and all - but after i got hurt, he had this brainchild idea that i could ride in a wheelchair while we were in the park so that we could get to the front of the lines... stupid.)
Oh - and we couldn't have picked a better week to go... on a Monday - before the holiday.. the longest wait we had was about 30 minutes for the Maverick. AND well worth it.
Sooo.....
Lesson Learned: Every now and then you really need to step away and take a break.This past weekend I think fed a moose with a carrot on an African Safari & I rode something called a "Strata Coaster" for it's unprecedented height... It was the first coaster to top 400 feet... it was the tallest and fastest coaster when it opened & launches riders from 0-120 mph in less than four seconds.
What are YOU going to do when you take your break?
more photos here :)
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