Circus Performers

I'm in love with these images of circus performers taken during the 40's and 50's. I wish I could sit down and listen to all their stories. I may hate circuses but I love the idea of adventure.

Via retronaut, from The Circus Book: 1870-1950.

Arrival of the Birds - Address is Approximate

On a whim I wanted to see if anyone had created anything with one of my favorites songs of all time, Arrival of the Birds by The Cinematic Orchestra. Well, they did... and it's pretty amazing. Grab a drink, turn the lights down, take a seat, and spend a few minutes seeing the world through a lonely toy's eyes.

Also pretty awesome, go to Rainy Mood and then play the song in another window. Amazing! I can't ever get enough of this song.

Address Is Approximate from The Theory on Vimeo

The Goodwin Project

I stumbled across The Goodwin Project through Elizabeth's blog The Littlest (who is partner to the The Flashdance). After living on the constant ebb and flow of the ocean in a lifestyle of simplicity and adventure, I'm always excited to see when people are chasing a similar quality of life. When I first started watching this I was in love with the filming style, editing, music, and words. Then I got jealous of the amazing adventure they're having, and then I became inspired that we have the ability to create whatever story we want to for our own family. It's something you just have to make happen, otherwise it'll slip away in complacency. 

They're traveling the world and documenting their story. Follow them by visiting their website here, and make sure to watch the below in HD. Mind blowing.

My children will have no youth spent experiencing a modern society through technology, instead they will explore the world around them through touch, smell, sight, taste, sound, and appreciation for the beauty it holds and the stories of the people that inhabit it.

Playlist for a Saturday

This playlist is so damn good! Mumford and Son's cover of Wagon Wheel? I'm going to be listening to it on repeat all day long. The cover of 99 problems may be a problem though in certain company, so don't play it around your grandmother. (Except mine, she's cool.)

8tracks delivers, once again.

Dribbble

I hadn't heard of dribbble before, but now I'm hooked. It's like a show and tell for designers, and you can browse tons of awesome work. It's perfect for finding inspiration for that next design, or finding someone to design it for you! Looks like I just found another way to procrastinate.... just what I needed.

(december, scoop, smog monster, alaska) 

Desert Morning

We went out to the desert with friends and spent the weekend relaxing. Even better, we didn't have to pick any cactus out of TBR. Score. He liked it out there, if you can't tell.

Finding Oregon

They just keep getting better and better. Which doesn't help my predicament at all. 

Missing Oregon again today, isn't she a beauty?

Portraits

I want to go back up north, travel around, and take portraits like this. Problem is, when I was up in Kodiak and had the opportunity to do it I was too shy. Gotta break that somehow. I want to make raw photos, without the fluff. Via here. Thanks to Callee for pinning it.

Sweet Potato (and Marshmallow) Biscuits

I'm trying to be very good about what I eat and how much of it. That's why I won't be making these anytime soon. But my GOD don't they look amazing? Sweet potato marshmallow biscuits. Check them out here on Smitten Kitchen. 

Okay, actually I lied. I will most likely be making them tonight in the kitchen with a bottle of wine. How can I resist now after looking at them AGAIN. Although I'm not sure if I'll include the marshmallow part... might be too sweet. What do you think, would you try it?

Shakey Graves

The southern twang, simple production, singing from the soul. I can't get this album out of my head. Now that I just found this live recording I'm in deep. Just watch it, you ladies will understand.



Head on over to bandcamp, listen to the album, and if you like it as much as I do name your own price to make it yours.

I need to start hooking up with awesome artists like this and to do epic photo shoots with them. I need to creatively shoot creative people! So I'm moving to Austin. Or Portland. LA just doesn't have my scene.

Kidding. Not moving. Obviously. 

Cinemagraph

via {here}

Why couldn't I have thought of this? Such a simple way to join two arts into one.

I will be making my own version, which is I'm sure just what they want to hear.

Yosemite Family Portraits

There's something about film that's so magical, the way it pulls colors out and puts a gentle wash of light over everything. This Yosemite family session is nothing short of amazing, it makes me want to make some babies and go running north for Jill to capture us. Go to her blog to see more!

all images via Jill Thomas

Dark Side of the Lens

"If I ever scrape a living, at least it'll be a living worth scraping."

Swing Swag

The perfect playlist for when you have your fanciest clothes on and are hitting the town.... a modern twist on the sound of oldschool swing. When I live in a city and can get back into dance, I'm totally hijacking the studio's sound system and plugging this in. So. much. fun. For now it'll accompany me with a bottle of wine, snow outside, and weddings to edit. Classy, I know. I was definitely born a few decades too late.

On the Edge of Insanity

"When I first started teaching her I remember telling her, you know, the rules of base jumping, the facts. You jump long enough, you will break bones. You're in this sport long enough, you're gonna watch people die. And then third, it's kind of a pointless thing to talk about but you're gonna die too. Do this long enough, it's gonna kill you. If you can't deal with that, don't get into BASE jumping."

-20 Seconds of Joy

Not sure if the rush would ever be worth the risk, but I get why they do it. The guy at 2:43 on the other hand has just completely lost his mind. Completely.

Super impressed at the quality of this video. Watch it fullscreen HD, the artist behind the lens would thank you.

Song for a Sunday

Manchester Orchestra released a new album this spring, and to be honest I hadn't really listened to them much beforehand. Their newest project, Simple Math, was created as more of a concept album. It follows Andy Hull, the lead vocalist and song writer, as he questions life, love, and religion. Apprehension is my favorite track, but this video is story to get lost in. You can listen to the whole album here or by using the player below.

 

*Seriously, watch this video. Two days later and I still can't get it out of my head.

Little Seal: Notes From a Dragon Mom

img found here

I would walk through a tunnel of fire if it would save my son. I would take my chances on a stripped battlefield with a sling and a rock à la David and Goliath if it would make a difference. But it won’t. I can roar all I want about the unfairness of this ridiculous disease, but the facts remain. What I can do is protect my son from as much pain as possible, and then finally do the hardest thing of all, a thing most parents will thankfully never have to do: I will love him to the end of his life, and then I will let him go.

Ronan has Tay-Sachs disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes the body to slowly regress into a vegetative state. He's expected to die before his 3rd birthday. Emily's strength is something I can't even begin to fathom.

Everyone needs to take the time to read this, you can find the entire piece at The New York Times. To read more of Emily words, you can find her blog at Little Seal.

Bear in a Grocery Store

So... where I grew up there's an abundant amount of wildlife. No lack of it, at all. We were a little town with less than 40 miles of road put into the Alaskan wilderness, so it was a pretty common interaction. But I never thought I'd see this happen. This video was posted on Facebook a few days ago by my grade school teacher, and I was just able to find it on youtube. A little bear cub walked in to one of Ketchikan's grocery stores and headed straight for the produce, and the poor thing is tiny. Really small for this time of year, but at least he knows where to get the good stuff. They put him outside and let him go, so here's to hoping momma bear found him and they're traipsing through the woods and getting into peoples garbage as we speak!

Tiny Houses

I can't help it, lately I've been caught up in the idea of owning a home and the dream land we'd have it on. I'm a fan of the Tiny House Blog and they're always finding the best ways to live off the grid. Granted, the homes are small and most of them would require a huge change of lifestyle, but finding a happy medium is something both E and I are searching for. This one for example, who wouldn't want to make a cozy little home in this space? Put enough windows in and I don't really care what size it is. It's nowhere near in the future (it would help to live in a place we were going to stay put in first), but I'm crossing my fingers it's not too far off. It's strange when where you live is completely dictated by who you work for. Isn't it normally the other way around?

P.S. Did I mention my sister already lives in a tiny home? She's rad like that.

via treehuger

Sunday's Song + Playlist Poll

Some songs are created just right to sooth the soul. This (in my opinion) is one of them, and is on top of the list for my favorite October tunes. Since I work from home I'm always on the hunt for new music to keep me company during the day. If anyone is interested in hearing my favorites, let me know in the poll below! Otherwise, I'll continue to keep them to myself and share only by singing to Tucker all day long. Believe me, he could use a break. 

Quizzes by Quibblo.com | SnapApp Quiz Apps

Bon Iver: Part II

I know I've posted about it before, but Bon Iver put out a new album a few weeks ago and it's been singing me to sleep and waking me up ever since. If there's a time I'm not listening to it, then I'm probably listening to remixes like this one. Here's one of my favorites, just discovered the video and can't believe I haven't seen it before. Pretty magical.

Idyllwild

We went over to Idyllwild for the weekend to celebrate and photograph a friends wedding. It was pretty incredible, and I can't wait to share their campground bash with you. This week I'll be editing, sleeping inside so I'm warm and cozy, not drinking (at all.), and doing nothing else as often as I can. Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend as well!

Brutal Hearts

  Bedouin Soundclash - Brutal Hearts (ft. Coeur de Pirate)

Trust me, it's worth the listen.

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Umm... this Lauren Moffatt collection was inspired by Little House on the Prairie? I'm in. 

*Psh... who am I kidding? I don't even do fashion. Discovered via Frolic.

To my southeast AK girlies.

I can't tell you how much I love the cleverness.

If you don't get it, click here.

Etsy Love: Little Owl Design

I want to buy this and put it on my wall. One of my white walls, because the walls that have wood siding in living room are horrendous and were a serious lapse of judgement when chosen by the home owner. Our ceiling, on the other hand, is gorgeous. Vaulted, beamed, the whole nine yards. Too bad I can't put pictures on that.

Typographic Map found here.

Dream Office

found here

I'm just going to pretend I'm sitting at that desk all day editing. Would it be a dream? I hate editing at the little desk in our dark living room, but it's really the only spot for it. Maybe this winter it'll seem cozy... until then I'll just keep staring at this picture.

Shotglass Lens Set

Found at Photojojo Store. LOVE them.

Such Singing in the Wild Branches

Such Singing in the Wild Branches

It was spring
and finally I heard him
among the first leaves -
then I saw him clutching the limb

in an island of shade
with his red-brown feathers
all trim and neat for the new year.
First, I stood still

and thought of nothing.
Then I began to listen.
Then I was filled with gladness -
and that's when it happened,

when I seemed to float,
to be, myself, a wing or a tree -
and I began to understand
what the bird was saying,

and the sands in the glass
stopped
for a pure white moment
while gravity sprinkled upward

like rain, rising,
and in fact
it became difficult to tell just what it was that was singing -
it was the thrush for sure, but it seemed

not a single thrush, but himself, and all his brothers,
and also the trees around them,
as well as the gliding, long-tailed clouds
in the perfectly blue sky - all, all of them

were singing.
And, of course, yes, so it seemed,
so was I.
Such soft and solemn and perfect music doesn't last

for more than a few moments.
It's one of those magical places wise people
like to talk about.
One of the things they say about it, that is true

is that, once you've been there,
you're there forever.
Listen, everyone has a chance.
Is it spring, is it morning?

Are there trees near you,
and does your own soul need comforting?
Quick, then - open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song
may already be drifting away.

-Mary Oliver

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This little bird put me to sleep every night of my childhood in Southeast Alaska.

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Chalkboard decal found here.