It was an all night celebration of a long time love affair. And party they did! On a brisk Antelope Valley evening, T and T pledged to love, to honor and to cherish. To work with and support each other, and to walk with one another for all time.
May you with tenderness adore and hold precious each day you have one with another. May the love you share continue to spread and overflow into your family and friends. May you always have a ready laugh Mr. and Mrs. P.
I was off in my imagination as I am prone to be from time to time, thinking of the time early in our marriage when My Fav brought me home one tootsie roll to help me kick my chocolate habit, I was going through withdrawal don’t judge me, and there was a question posed to me. “Why don’t you like flowers?” And here begins the lesson.
Why don’t I like flowers? I do like flowers. I have flowers in my garden and I love them. But for someone (like My Fav) who wants to bring them to me, well, I’d just as soon have fabric or yarn. It’s not that I don’t like them. Really they are beautiful.
These are my favorite.
It’s just that they don’t last. They die too quickly. To enjoy them for a very short while, you have to go through strange interventions (putting aspirin or bleach in the water…), and then they are gone.
Once they are disconnected from their source, they are susceptible to all manner of ailments, they become limp, and lose some the of their luster, they need to be kept in hospice like situations to hang on with constant nursing, at a constant temperature and they are outside their original purpose.
But plants, flowers in a field or garden. They are different. Do they die? Yes. All things living will someday die. But when they do, because they are connected to their source, all of their energy, their life essence, is returned to the root of the plant feeding that next generation of flowers. While the flower is connected to the plant, the glorious sunlight it receives feeds the root, enriches the soil, provides nourishment for insects, birds amphibians etc., and in return it’s life span is extended and it glistens so much more brilliantly.
As are we. When we are connected to God, The Source of All Life, we never really die or cease to exist. The essence of who we are remains in the generations that come after us. When we are connected to God, The Source of All Life, our purpose, that which brings us glory, enhances and enriches the experience of all connected to God, The Source of All Life. And all who are connected with us benefit from our shine. When we are connected to God, The Source of All Life, our living experience is rich and full and long we are satisfied with long abundant life.
“I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who stay united with me, and I with them, are the ones who bear much fruit; because apart from me you can’t do a thing.”
Sooo the time has come for these wee ones to move on to their forever homes. I absolutely ADORE them and would keep them if I could. If you are interested in a dog to love, let us know asap. They are getting their first shots on Saturday. They are 8 weeks old. All girls. Super cute and loveable. They are German Shepard mixed, highly intelligent, easily trained, protective and friendly, and they will be big dogs.
First Born (aka Little Black)
Second Born (aka Chunk)
Fourth Born (aka the fitness guru or 4)
I love the way my family loves! We may not see each other every day, sometimes years may pass before our faces meet again, but there is no denying the love that flows freely when we are all together as was the case in the wedding of my brother and brand new awesome sister in love, James B. and Vanessa.
Family and friends on both sides travelled from near and far to celebrate their union, with a purpose and desire to be a blessing. As this couple embarked on their life journey together, we brought our 'A' game. We got our smiles and got our groove on!
And you would not believe what I had to resort to to get this shot!
It was nothing but love. You all make me glad!
All the events of the day conspired to manifest the romantic love inspired union of JB and V on Saturday November 1, 2014. After much anticipation, a host of witnesses gathered to participate and bless this couple. Family and friends transformed into a community honoring JB and V with their presence. They came from far, very far and near to bless this gorgeous couple and all received a blessing in return.
Oh and this happened too!
May your joy last always. May you always treat each other tenderly.
You have been teased!
In 2011, My Fav and I and some AMAZING people set out to produce our very first 168 Film Project Short Film.
First our intended script writer, was underage which I was unaware of and we could not get permission from her parent… sigh. So I ended up writing the script and what was supposed to be a fantasy fairytale type of film, turned into a period drama about a couple of orphans!
Soooo after having securing costumes (THANK YOU DAISY’s on the BLVD, I hope you reopen soon!) and location permits fees… I find out we cannot use the cabin we initially wanted to use, as it was being rented for the week by a camp for a retreat. The owner was so sorry for the scheduling mix up, and allowed us to shoot on the exterior for a flat rate and use another cabin during the early morning hours. She was amazing!
Plan CDEF… lol! We could use a friends place for the interior spots. We had purchased some oak wood flooring for a personal home improvement project, not perfect but we can make due. THEN along came some unexpected help from some more AMAZING people who allowed us to use their home which had dark wood flooring already! AND the Jenkins Family had EVERY prop we could imagine needing ON HAND! SCORE!
Some of the actors would not be able to make it. I asked others to join, or refer and guess what? They DID! I LOVE YOU TAS and DS! You are my heroine’s.
Finally the day of shooting arrives. Sigh. Some of the actors and crew got lost not having printed out the directions we provided, some gave up and went home, one even ended up near Las Vegas! We had to scrap our whole shooting schedule and make one up on the fly. Then we began shooting, AND it began to snow.
Management warned us there was a weather warning and if we did not leave soon, we would be snowed in. I lost over half my actors. No worries. I sent our caterers to our second location (OK THAT WAS SOME AMAZING FOOD LET ME TELL YOU! A fabulous friend of mine catered for us at cost, out of love, and it was the HIGHLIGHT of the day. People STILL talk about the food lol!)
I know this is long thanks for hanging in there. I need you to know this before I post the film because otherwise I‘d NEVER post the film! LOL!
Now where was I. Everyone, and I mean everyone got parts! If you stood around you were IN the film, my sister, the boom mic operator, the production assistant, you get the idea. Let me say this. Our film was butchered BUT the experience of overcoming adversity AND turning in a completed project, though not perfect, taught me so much, making me a better story teller and really a better person.
I learned that I don’t have to depend on myself to get things done. That good people out of the good treasure of their hearts will pour out their gifts, time and talent ,if given the opportunity. I have hidden this film away all these years out of embarrassment, but today I am proud of it. Of what we all accomplished under some truly extenuating circumstances. I thank everyone who had a part in the making of it. You hold a special place in my heart (AND if you want your copy email me your address they are ready for you here on my desk.)
I have stalled enough. Here it is. If you read all this you deserve the viewing. Enjoy. OH And let me not be remiss! These images are courtesy of Yolanda Davis. My sister is also an amazing photographer!
