SOTC 354/365

So, it turns out five of my SOTC contributions are squirrels, and frankly, I'm surprised it's not more.

Bad Days

I've had all the tests.
They say I'm fine.

I am not fine.

My gut had holes
--has holes?

Food once familiar, now foreign
My body attacks
any traces that enter it.

A list of enemies
The full extent of which I am still learning
The list seems to keep growing

Please stop growing

Misread labels,
risky restaurants,
unknown triggers

Sometimes "may contain" is safe
Sometimes it's not

It wraps me up in ache
screws with my body
and messes with my mind

Coming to terms with something
that is chronic--
even if not permanent

(Dear God, please not permanent.)

I'm trying to repair the damage
Trying to convince my body
and mind
that food is not the enemy.

And so, in all this, I
sometimes
have bad days.

A coil of pain wraps itself around my chest
Slowly, repeatedly,
Until everything hurts, and it's hard to breath

And as long as I don't move--

A smoothie for supper.
Ginger for the nausea.
Hot water bottle,
comfy PJs.

I crawl into bed,
wait for it all to pass

wait for sleep.

SOTC 335/365

I always appreciate a willing model.

SOTC 316/365

It's been a long, cold winter. Finally risking coming out of hibernation like...

SOTC 314/365

Photographing her for the Princess that she is.

SOTC 312/365

Tree pose. Seemed like the thing to do.

SOTC 309/365

[Insert "Life Direction" quote here...]

SOTC 308/365

SOTC 307/365

Right on Time

As a photographer, my knowledge of seasonal timelines is pretty good. I know that the tulips poke their noses through the earth by Spring Break always; that they'll be in full bloom by the beginning of May. I know the canola is at its best right in the middle of July. I know that November sunrises align well with my morning routine (and they are specTACular!).

And I know that autumn in Edmonton generally reaches its peak in the last week of September.

With not one--but two--snowfalls before the autumnal equinox, I thought for sure that any colour left after so many trees had lost still-green leaves would be a very short sight indeed. And since September is my busiest month work-wise anyway, I wasn't paying much attention.

But today I had a different commute than usual--one that took me over the river valley--and I could not help but catch sight of the colours.

Turns out autumn showed up right on time.

SOTC 302/365

#NoCaptionNeeded

SOTC 301/365

How to be in the river valley and not in the river valley at the same time.

SOTC 294/365

Warrior!

SOTC 278/365

He is certainly not the toddler he once was... but he is still one of my best models.

SOTC 277/365

Probably my cutest SOTC photo to date!

SOTC 272/365

#IAmGrateful 28 (Also, SOTC 263/365)

Kindness

"Throw kindness around like confetti!" - Unknown

I am so grateful for the kindness I encounter in this world. It makes the hard days a little gentler, and the great days even better.

SOTC 239/365

SOTC 234/365

SOTC 213/365