I'm so thankful that one of the LVR staffers- Maria, who is an aspiring photographer, nabbed this shot of me in the midst of a photo shoot with the wranglers. I love this shot because this shows off what MAKES. ME. HAPPY.
Well, these little punks are 3 good reasons wrapped into one set of brothers. Tanner, Walker and Landon are cowboys through and through. You can see it in their eyes.
And the horses. I know that there are horses everywhere, but I'm pretty sure that Lost Valley is the only place that you can find a horse standing under an American flag and a basketball hoop simultaneously... and I love it.
you absolutely CAN see it in their eyes. wow amy.
(08.17.10 @ 05:42 PM)Oh, I've been dying to see these pictures! I love the taste I just got of your time in CO. I hope it was wonderful and can't wait to hear ALL about it! Let's talk soon! xoxo
(08.23.10 @ 08:41 AM)- Mary Jean Iron
I got this quote from her site. Thank you Tara Whitney for the amazing, genuine and refreshing inspiration that you are. I love this quote because I feel like it reflects my heart today and the fact that I'm enjoying the simple mundane elements of my daily life more than ever and I hope that I can continue to cherish the simple treasure of "today" for many years to come.
So although, this photo was taken ages ago I have dug it out of my archives am loving it so much. Somehow I feel like it reflects this concept of simple beauty... simple, beautiful treasures. Thank you to my beautiful friend Lauren for making this possible :)
well what a nice surprise on a friday afternoon:) miss you ames!
(06.04.10 @ 04:28 PM)well what a nice surprise on a friday afternoon! love the quote. such a great reminder at the end of a week full of normal days. miss you ames, xoxo.
(06.04.10 @ 04:31 PM)In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule. About 4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk. At 6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. At 10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time.
This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly. At 45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. This experiment raised several questions:
- In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
- If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
- Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made how many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
You can read the whole article here.
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Like I said, I read this last week and have been thinking about it EVERY day since. I have sent it to several friends and one of my dearest friends wrote this back to me....
"I think we should start a pact of occasionally, and randomly, asking each other if we're "listening to the violins". keep each other in check."
I love this. How do you perceive beauty every day? Are you listening to the violins?
i have a chill amy. seriously love this story. makes me think.......... xo
(05.11.10 @ 10:07 AM)this is an incredible story... i love it. thanks for sharing!
(05.11.10 @ 11:21 AM)just beautiful. we rush so much. great story. this photo is breath taking too.
(05.11.10 @ 11:52 AM)Welp, looks like I have a new desktop picture.
(05.11.10 @ 12:55 PM)Gosh, I needed this today. Thanks for sharing it. Most days, I need to stop and listen to the violins!
(05.11.10 @ 04:07 PM)Gosh, I needed this today. Thanks for sharing it. Most days, I need to stop and listen to the violins!
(05.11.10 @ 04:08 PM)I remember hearing this a while back and it rocked me too. How can we be so blind to all this beauty around us. Thank you for the reminder and for your beautifully stunning photo!
(05.11.10 @ 09:16 PM)I LOVE this. I just found your blog today and this is so poignant. I can imagine my children wanting to listen and me rushing them along, thank you, hopefully I'll remember this.
(05.12.10 @ 04:44 PM)loved this. posted this story on my blog. give credit to blog.
(05.21.10 @ 07:59 AM)I read this a few years ago. Ever since I have carried change with me, so that my son and I can always take a moment and thank buskers for the beauty that they share with us. Thank you for posting this!
(05.22.10 @ 11:20 AM)Amy this is such an incredible and awe-inspiring photo. thanks for the story & your amazing talent!
(05.28.10 @ 11:17 PM)I've found the more I photograph, the more I stop and find the beauty in things. Everything is beautiful if you find the right angle, I think. It's just that some people are too busy to actually look for the angle.
That said, I think I do need to slow down. There are somethings more important than work or grocery shopping or schedules or bed time - Joshua Bell playing would be one of them.
(07.11.10 @ 12:01 AM)-or something like that!
Right now I'm in San Antonio and it's raining. Not just a little sprinkle, but a serious "everything is bigger in TX" downpour... and I'm so incredibly humbled and thankful for the good weather I have enjoyed throughout my travels. It makes me appreciate days like this, when I get to hunker down and enjoy the good excuse to stay in bed just a little bit longer than usual.
Since the rain is making shooting an impossibility today, I wanted to take the chance to share some iphone images from my travels over the past several weeks. I've tried to embrace Chase Jarvis' sentiment that the best camera is the one you have with you.
What? No picture of the kettle corn? HA! LOVE IT ALL! You are AH-Mazing!!!!! HI ROSS!
(04.16.10 @ 03:54 PM)
AMMMMMYYYY!!! So excited for you!
(08.23.10 @ 01:52 PM)now that's an awful long time to keep a secret!!!! congratulations lady!!! so excited for you!!!!!
(08.23.10 @ 01:54 PM)now that's an awful long time to keep a secret!!!! congratulations lady!!! so excited for you!!!!!
(08.23.10 @ 01:55 PM)I was wondering when you were going to announce that little bit of news on here! :) YAY!
(08.23.10 @ 01:59 PM)YAYAYAY! finally the secret is out :) i can't wait to meet your baby boy!!!!! xo
(08.23.10 @ 02:05 PM)YAY! Congratulations Amy! Soooo happy for you!!
(08.23.10 @ 02:06 PM)Congrats Amy! So happy for ya'll!
(08.23.10 @ 02:15 PM)GIRL!!!!!!! A BOY!!!!!! :) jk so happy for you my love! that picture truly embodies happiness!!!
(08.23.10 @ 02:30 PM)FINALLY!!! So glad the word is out! Can't wait to meet little Mr. Free. I'm sure he'll be tall, dark & handsome. Ok...maybe not so much dark, but definitely the other two.
(08.23.10 @ 02:30 PM)WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOOWW! Congrats Amy! You'll make a wonderful mother! So so HAPPY for you!
(08.23.10 @ 02:49 PM)YAY! Amy I'm so excited for you and Ross. Congrats Congrats! :)
(08.23.10 @ 03:00 PM)That is great news- you'll be a wonderful mom :)
(08.23.10 @ 03:07 PM)amy!!! so happy for you. congrats. you are going to be an amazing mother!!!!!!
(08.23.10 @ 03:21 PM)Congrats!!!! You will be a wonderful mom!
(08.23.10 @ 03:32 PM)I love this! I think I can just hear what is going through your head and how your heart is full in this picture. And the gigantic smile on your face when you turned around:).
(08.23.10 @ 03:34 PM)Congrats to you and Ross!!!!!!!!!!
(08.23.10 @ 04:26 PM)Oh my goodness!! I'm so excited for you two. You're going to make wonderful parents, and little boys are so much fun! Congratulations!!
(08.23.10 @ 04:29 PM)Oh my goodness!! I'm so excited for you two. You're going to make wonderful parents, and little boys are so much fun! Congratulations!!
(08.23.10 @ 04:30 PM)I'm so excited that it's a boy! And thanks for the photo credit, you're awesome! :)
(08.23.10 @ 04:36 PM)Thrilled for you!!! We want to see that sweet belly - :)
(08.23.10 @ 04:37 PM)yeah! congrats amy! i have two boys that i absolutely adore and cannot imagine life without. i am also prego with twins! congrats again.
(08.23.10 @ 04:38 PM)Congratulations!
(08.23.10 @ 04:41 PM)scream!!! congrats! :) so happy for you and ross!
(08.23.10 @ 04:43 PM)CONGRATULATIONS, AMY & ROSS!!
(08.23.10 @ 07:42 PM)we are so SUPER HAPPY for you!!
man oh man, how did you keep this a secret for so long?.....oh maybe because you're beautifully tall & still beautifully thin, you could hide it for so long....must be nice ;)
yay!
xoxo
We are so happy for you & Ross! You will be such great parents! What a blessing!
(08.23.10 @ 09:32 PM)congratulations. i'm so, so excited for you guys. xoxo deb
(08.24.10 @ 09:46 AM)Congratulations Amy!!! That is such exciting news - I know you will be such a wonderful mom!
(08.24.10 @ 09:56 AM)Congratulations!!!!! I'm so excited for you!!!
(08.24.10 @ 01:15 PM)CONGRATS! So happy for you and your hubs! Children are such a BLESSING!
(08.24.10 @ 01:56 PM)Congratulations! We are so thrilled for you both. Many blessings on the remainder of your pregnancy and the new arrival of Baby Boy Free.
(08.26.10 @ 02:12 PM)Congratulations Amy & Ross... I know you must be thrilled :)
(08.30.10 @ 10:24 PM)