Mabel Dodge Luhan House

Entrance to the grounds of the Mabel Dodge Luhan House

During our trip to New Mexico in January, we drove over the mountains to Taos, as we do every visit.  After visiting our favorite places, Scott took me to a "lodge" that he and our son found last Summer.  We only stayed long enough to shoot a few pictures, but I could tell it was extra special and I KNEW I wanted to return and stay for a while.



The Sitting Room

This wasn't just a lodge, this is the Mabel Dodge Luhan House.  We grabbed some information on the way out and it turns out this house was written about by D.H. Lawrence himself!  Others who were guests of Mabel and her full-blooded Taos Pueblo husband, Tony,  include, Georgia O'Keefe, Ansel Adams, and John Collier, to name a few.



Dining Room

While we were there, we were allowed to wonder around and were even offered tea and cookies.  I was struck by the absolutely beautiful ceilings.  And once we made it back to the kitchen, I was completely in love with the place.



Isn't it charming?  I can't wait to go back.  I'm thinking maybe this summer, when Texas gets SO hot I'm ready to move away.  That usually happens around late August, early September.

Bird Houses



Aren't these fantastic?  They're giant and they're in the courtyard.

Go here to visit their informative website.  And go here to read a post from their blog that features an essay written by a guest (who happens to be a photographer) that captures the feeling of this beautiful place.



Found in the courtyard.

What a beautiful place.....

A Light Just Went On

"What if loneliness was simply a feeling of impatience, telepathically sent to you by friends you've yet to meet, urging you to go out more, do more, and get involved, so that life's serendipities could bring you together... Would you still feel alone?

What if illness was just the signal a healthy body sent to urge clarification of your thoughts, feelings, and dreams... Would you still, at times, think of yours as diseased?

What if feelings of uncertainty and confusion were only reminders that you have options, that there's no hurry, and that everything is as it should be... Would you still feel disadvantaged?

What if mistakes and failures only ever happened when your life was about to get better than it's ever been before... Would you still call them mistakes and failures?

And what if poverty and lack were simply demonstrations of your manifesting prowess, as "difficult" to acquire as wealth and abundance... Would they still cause you to feel powerless?

Well, whatever you feel, I still consider you my only begotten, my champion, and my equal.

Are we close, or what?"

- The Universe

This is from a daily email I just subscribed to called "Notes from the Universe" by Mike Dooley.  I've had some pretty stinky thinking going on lately and this was just what I needed to hear.  You can subscribe to the "Notes" here and learn more about Mike Dooley here and find his website here.

Things I Love Thursday

This week I thought I would share some vintage snaps I found at the Cattle Barn Flea Market in Fort Worth last weekend.  Because I do love me some vintage snaps.

I give up.  Who?

Isn't he sweet?  What a cool harness, too.

Cracks me up on so many levels!

Magic.

I first saw the photo with the bird a few months ago and came across it again so I couldn't resist it this time.  It's now one of my favorites.

Speaking of vintage snaps, I was contacted today by The National Building Museum for permission to use two of my father's snapshots from the 1939 World's Fair in New York City for and exhibition entitled "Designing Tomorrow: America’s World’s Fairs of the 1930s" which runs from October 2, 2010 through July 10, 2011.  He would have LOVED that!  Go here to get more info the exhibit.  To see the photos, go here and here.

Until tomorrow.....

Things I Love Thursday

Click Here to See More

Time to take a look at some amazing photographers on Flickr.  So much inspiration here.  I have SO MUCH to learn!

Old Time Music Love

Last night my cutie and I snuck away to Dallas to The Granada to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops.  They were so fantastic I can't stop humming and dancing barefoot in the grass.  Here's a peek.



And another:



And another:



And if you can't get enough, here's their website.

Can you tell I'm in love?  Some music just hits me to the bone.  It takes me back to the Summers of my childhood spent in the Tennessee countryside catching fireflies, chasing grasshoppers and making mazes in the tall grass with my brother and sister.  And the long walk to the mailbox with my great aunt.  LOVE it.

Things I Love Thursday - Strange Dreams

Things I Love Thursday
Originally uploaded by Anna Dykema


More fantastic photographers on Flickr. All but one of these is Polaroid, it IS Roid Week and I just can't get enough....

However, the portrait on the bottom right is a "wet-plate" process.  Go here to see more of this photographers amazing portraits.  They are all quite haunting.

Monday Inspiration

The Layers

by Stanley Kunitz

I have walked through many lives,

some of them my own, and I am not who I was,

though some principle of being

abides, from which I struggle

not to stray.

When I look behind,

as I am compelled to look

before I can gather strength

to proceed on my journey,

I see the milestones dwindling

toward the horizon

and the slow fires trailing

from the abandoned camp-sites,

over which scavenger angels

wheel on heavy wings.

Oh, I have made myself a tribe

out of my true affections,

and my tribe is scattered!

How shall the heart be reconciled

to its feast of losses?

In a rising wind

the manic dust of my friends,

those who fell along the way,

bitterly stings my face.

Yet I turn, I turn,

exulting somewhat,

with my will intact to go

wherever I need to go,

and every stone on the road

precious to me.

In my darkest night,

when the moon was covered

and I roamed through wreckage,

a nimbus-clouded voice

directed me:

"Live in the layers,

not on the litter."

Though I lack the art

to decipher it,

no doubt the next chapter

in my book of transformations

is already written.

I am not done with my changes.

Weekend All Stars

Go here to find out who all the wonderful photographers are.

Can't wait to see these guys tonight at The Granada Theater in Dallas!!!!



If you can't see the video, go here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rQzq-LnlVE

Learn more about the amazing Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars here.

News about my new shop next week.

Happy Weekend!!!

Midwinter Dreaming

Stumbled upon this today and had to share it.

(If you can't see it, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az3SHeMHC6c)

It's Yo La Tengo.

Gosh, I can't wait till Summer.

Print available in my shop.

Simple Pleasure

This shadow only appears on the window over my kitchen sink at a certain time every day. I just love it so much and am so happy when I happen to see it. A simple little thing that makes me happy.

Here's another:



If you can't see this, go here. Happy Weekend.

Too Beautiful

Too beautiful to not share also:



If you can't see this, click here and smile.

Freaky Cool

This is making me SO happy right now:



If you can't see this, click here and smile.

CocoRosie has a pretty freaky cool website here.

Yes! Fun!!

Some good stuff here.

Happy Monday!

Shared Happiness

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,

and the life of the candle will not be shortened.

Happiness never decreases by being shared.

~Buddha

There's a new print in my shop called Shared Happiness. Happy Tuesday!

Abandon

Feeling grateful today for art and freedom.

There is no must in art. Art is free.

- Wassily Kandinsky

Visitor

Today I am grateful for all those who have come to visit.

The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand;

the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.

George Elliot

Birth

The beginning is always today.

Mary Wollstonecraft

All this month I am participating in a Flickr pool named 30 Days of Gratitude. Hop on over to see some beautiful photographs that just may give you inspiration to list all you are grateful for. FYI, the Shutter Sisters One Word Project's word for the month of November is Gratitude. Check out their pool here.

Emanation

Daylight, full of small dancing particles and the one great turning,

our souls are dancing with you, without feet, they dance.

Rumi

All this month I am participating in a Flickr pool named 30 Days of Gratitude. Hop on over to see some beautiful photographs that just may give you inspiration to list all you are grateful for. FYI, the Shutter Sisters One Word Project's word for the month of November is Gratitude. Check out their pool here.

Reverence

...my cup runneth over.

Psalm 23:5

All this month I am participating in a Flickr pool named 30 Days of Gratitude. Hop on over to see some beautiful photographs that just may give you inspiration to list all you are grateful for. FYI, the Shutter Sisters One Word Project's word for the month of November is Gratitude. Check out their pool here.

Grace

No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.

Saint Ambrose

All this month I am participating in a Flickr pool named 30 Days of Gratitude. Hop on over to see some beautiful photographs that just may give you inspiration to list all you are grateful for.