A Day in the Kitchen Sink #22

50s wife, portrait, creative portrait, green eyes, red, writer, mystery, secret, phone call, kitchen sink, hat © www.ingekathleen.com/blog50s wife, portrait, creative portrait, green eyes, red, writer, mystery, secret, phone call, kitchen sink, hat © www.ingekathleen.com/blog50s wife, portrait, creative portrait, green eyes, red, writer, mystery, secret, phone call, kitchen sink, hat © www.ingekathleen.com/blog

Here are a few images from my photo shoot with Sarah Vied, traveller and writer of the travel blog. Check out her work at http://uncagedtraveler.com .... She is currently in the Czech Republic, but soon she'll be in moving down the road to Taiwan... Don't you just love her green eyes??

The Creature is Sleeping #19

“People say, 'I'm going to sleep now,' as if it were nothing. But it's really a bizarre activity. 'For the next several hours, while the sun is gone, I'm going to become unconscious, temporarily losing command over everything I know and understand. When the sun returns, I will resume my life.'If you didn't know what sleep was, and you had only seen it in a science fiction movie, you would think it was weird and tell all your friends about the movie you'd seen.They had these people, you know? And they would walk around all day and be OK? And then, once a day, usually after dark, they would lie down on these special platforms and become unconscious. They would stop functioning almost completely, except deep in their minds they would have adventures and experiences that were completely impossible in real life. As they lay there, completely vulnerable to their enemies, their only movements were to occasionally shift from one position to another; or, if one of the 'mind adventures' got too real, they would sit up and scream and be glad they weren't unconscious anymore. Then they would drink a lot of coffee.'So, next time you see someone sleeping, make believe you're in a science fiction movie. And whisper, 'The creature is regenerating itself.”― George Carlin, Brain Droppings

Present, Past and Future #17

Thailand, Karen Family, Grandmother, Mae Hong Son, Travel in Thailand, Ethnic People of ThailandI remember spending a sweet afternoon with this grandmother and her family in Thailand. If I remember correctly, they are Karen people who relocated to Thailand from Myanmar a few generations before. It was a multigenerational house. The Karen people are so caring toward their aging parents, both the children and grandchildren take care of them by welcoming them back into their homes and giving them constant care.Looking at this image and reliving that afternoon, it makes me think of what the future holds. A million thoughts of hopes and doubts fill my head instantly, but I'm learning that it is not too healthy for me to just focus on the future, because when I do, I get impatient with the me of today. When I just look at the destination and not living and resting in today's journey, I get impatient that I'm not working fast enough, learning enough, doing enough. I spend my present feeling like I am just not enough.Instead of this madness, I want to learn the delicate balance between resting in joys of now, being thankful for the past and hopeful for the future. There in this balance lies happiness and strength to enjoy each day that God has given me. The future will come, but it tastes much better if I live this day well and soak in its very essence.

Sunny Farming in Mae Sariang #14

Mae Sariang Field, Mae Hong Son, Thailand Rice Field, Farmers in ThailandI was zooming through the country to make sure that I got to church on time, but I got distracted by the farmers. They always seem to make me late for church. I will have to talk to them about this character flaw. :) Perhaps I will get them to take the Time Management course that I'm taking on Lynda.com... Or at the very least, they should schedule properly and not be out working in the fields when I am trying to get to church. So distracting!But when I finally got to church, I saw this sweet baby. So I guess God, didn't punish me too much for being late to church once again. :)Mae Sariang, Smiling Baby, Blurry Photography, Happiness

The Market Place in Vientiane, Laos #12

I was exploring the traditional marketplace in Vientiane, Laos, with my good friend David Smith. We looking for pretty light and interesting faces. We found both. This little girl and the boy behind her were hesitant to allow me to take their picture. I think they were a little unsure of me and camera shy.. but with a little persuasion, a smile and some begging on my part. Then I pulled out the big stop.. I kissed my heart and crossed my elbow and said that I was a kind-hearted soul! However, they remained unimpressed with my amazing 'kissing heart' skills... ::wait....I just realized something.. Do you kiss your heart or do you cross your heart and kiss your elbow??? Oh, I did the honesty-swear backward! My what a problem,. This may have been why they were thoroughly  unimpressed by me.. :-) :: But in the end, they must have felt sorry for me, so they let me take their picture.Sometimes you just have to be brave enough to ask. Most of the time people will oblige your photo request, especially if you smile and show your kindness to them. And if they don't, there a millions of other photo opportunities in the world so don't let a few "no's" ruin your bravery. Keep asking and eventually you'll receive. This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible, that I am trying to put into practice more often, with photography and in life in general.

Matthew 7:7-12 (ESV)

Ask, and It Will Be Given

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Colors of Life #11

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.Life is beauty, admire it.Life is a dream, realize it.Life is a challenge, meet it.Life is a duty, complete it.Life is a game, play it.Life is a promise, fulfill it.Life is sorrow, overcome it.Life is a song, sing it.Life is a struggle, accept it.Life is a tragedy, confront it.Life is an adventure, dare it.Life is luck, make it.Life is too precious, do not destroy it.Life is life, fight for it.”― Mother Teresa