Monday Mosaic and a tag from Mindy

This weekend I finally pulled my camera out of its bag after a week and a half in hibernation.  I haven't taken any pictures since my uncle's funeral and although I don't think I have been associating the lack of use with his death I really haven't felt much like photographing anything.  Plus my creativity right now seems to really want to find it's expression in words so I've put a lot of my energy into writing as opposed to picture taking.  But this weekend I strapped my camera around my neck and went for a two hour walk around the neighborhood (and by the way, alleys are much more interesting to photograph than streets and front yards).  Once home I pulled out the large sketchpad and created a makeshift seamless studio in the kitchen just to get in a little more camera time.  The above mosaic is just a handful of shots captured this weekend.

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I was very pleased to see Mindy's recent return to blogging.  Her blog and her sweet, honest words have always been an inspiration to me.  Today I discovered an e-mail from her letting me know she'd tagged me to play along on a meme.  I decided to take her bait because 1) well it's Mindy, 2) it's been awhile since I've posted a meme on this blog, and 3) it's about all I have energy for tonight.  So here is my list of 5 things I want to be when I grow up, because it's never too late to live your dreams!

when i grow up i dream of...

1. spending weeks, maybe even months, exploring Paris.  I traveled to Paris with my 9th grade French class years ago.  I was really too young to fully appreciate a trip of that magnitude.  But I've never forgotten it...and I often dream of Paris.  One day I'd like to return.  I'd like to spend my days exploring the back streets, the museums, the cemeteries, the cafes.  I'd like to write all day long and stroll through the moonlit streets at night...and then fall into bed exhausted from the sheet delight of it all.  Would you like to join me?
2. taking my son to see the ocean...and not the Gulf of Mexico...that doesn't count...I mean the Pacific or Atlantic ocean.  I saw the ocean for the first time with my grandparents when I was a child.  When I became a mother I knew one of the things I couldn't wait to do with my child was take him to see the ocean.  I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees so much water stretching as far as the eye can see.
3. being out of debt...no more credit card debt...no more school loans to pay off...i dream of being debt free.  It would feel so good to have that weight off my shoulders, to have some breathing room, and to live in that kind of sweet freedom.
4. bumping along the desert roads of New Mexico in a pick up, a little Lucinda Williams blaring, in dirty jeans, a worn t-shirt, and comfortable boots, my camera beside me on the seat, in search of interesting things to photograph.  I'd like to spend all weekend just roaming the desert looking for cemeteries, abandoned buildings, adobe houses, cactus flowers, and rusty things of all sorts and sizes.  I'd be a regular Georgia O'Keeffe...only with a camera instead of a paint brush.
5. writing my little heart out, getting everything that's stuck deep inside out on the page until there's nothing left and the only thing I can do is close my journal, put down my pen, and leave this life for the next one.

Usually with these tags I leave the tagging open and ask anyone to play along that would like too.  But tonight I think I'll actually tag 5 other lovely bloggers.  So I tag Stefanie Renee (one of my first blogging loves),  Erica (one of my favorite photographers, Jenica (one of my newest loves), CK Girl (one of my most loyal readers), and Kim (one of the bloggers I can't wait to finally meet at ArtFest in April).

Comments

[ai23Helen]

The brilliant article about this good topic would be taken by custom dissertation or in the custom thesis to buy papers from the essay writing service.

[le petit cabinet de curiosites]

Lovely pictures . i particularly like the little flowers . they are so cute

[Kim]

I cant wait to see you! xoxo

[Georgia]

I just love coming here. Every time I leave smiling. Your photo's are GORGEOUS! Your dreams are... well, dreamy! The thought of exploring Paris and writing all day... *heaven*

xoxox

[pink sky]

michelle, i heart your mosaic (and so partial to the *wish* photo ;). thanks for sharing such yummy dreams. i can see them all glowing like bright stars on your journey! keep on reaching.

[liz elayne]

gorgeous photos...

and i love, love these five dreams.

[--erica]

Oh you dollface!
Your photos.. rock!
I love reading your creams.. not to put mine out there.. scary.

[jenica]

you know that i love your mosaics... you are totally going to check all of those items off your list. ;-D

thanks for the tag. it's the second time this week i was tagged for that meme, i guess i had better get on it.

(((bighugs)))

[DebR]

Lovely mosaic and great list!

[gkgirl]

first of all,
i love your list...
i found myself picturing
myself in all of those places.
(except that i live on an island,
so i have "water as far
as the eye can see" thing down pat)
:)

and secondly,
thank you for the sweet tag...
i will be sure to play along tonight
after i daydream about my answers
all day at work.