Flying

Something about flying.
i love it and hate it. i love being away, traveling and going to new places, but i always forget something, run out of clothes because i try to pack light, forget my backup battery, leave my back up camera at the last city i shot in, and usually forget to email my will to a friend until i am sitting in the terminal (which i will do as soon as i finish this blog).
i have my Chacos, comfortable to travel in, easy to take off so i can stretch my feet, might help keep me afloat instead of sink me if the plane were to go down (even though it seems i fly over land more than water), the down side being i am barefoot in the terminal during the security gate.
today i went to check in and forgot to put my toiletries in a ziplock baggie. i'll happily toss all my makeup and hair products but NOT MY LIPGLOSS! thank God they have ziploc baggies for those of us that hastily rush out of the house without.
i just heard about the Walla Walla Airport drama. planes leaving while passengers are still checking in! not me! i'm at the airport an hour and a half early! perfect! gives me time to remind my friend where all my things get distributed, if need be. sounds morbid. but i just don't get the whole plane staying in the air thing. i've even had a friend show me with a paper air plane, how the air holds it up. makes no sense. Hence the feeling when i am flying, and looking out the window, thinking to myself, "this shouldn't be happening".
i like flying out of Walla Walla. it's fun to look around and see just how many people in the airport i know, and the anticipation of wondering who i will be sitting by. hopefully not that guy! and Her loud gum chewing would become bothersome. also, i can tell she is chatty and i am not, when i am flying. i like to sit by myself and mind my own business. it's the only time i get to read magazines. i bought Runner's World (1/2 marathoner's edition)..i like to think that one day i will do that! and I bought Oprah's magazine. still hoping i have a shot at "A Day in the Life of Oprah." i probably wont read them this flight..i have so much editing to do! i hope i get to sit by this little elderly lady. she has a book and she won't take up more than her share of the seat, and i can tell from here, her perfume isn't too much. I'll let you know who i end up sitting by! which reminds me...i always notice that when i do sit next to a non talker, they always break out the "Is this your final destination?" question, just as the plane hits the tarmac...and now we start talking about our lives, why we are flying, where we are going, etc...and i think to myself..."What an interesting person!....i wish i had struck up conversation with them sooner."
Well, my plane boards in 20 and i still need to let it be known who gets my costume jewelry, who gets my clothes, what song to play..(it changes all the time) and to tell my family i love them one more time...just in case the whole Gigantic Metal Plane floating in the air thing...doesn't work!
side note: i never got this sent before my plane left and i decided on this trip i would make an effort to meet my plane partners. on the first leg of my trip, i sat by an interesting man who said he had been to Walla Walla over a hundred times for Macon Brothers Auctions. the second leg of my trip i sat by a girl who had just graduated from HS in Atlanta, Georgia, and she was on her way to Yellowstone Ntnl Park to work for the summer. she is also a Mac user, so we had a TON to talk about. shared photos and stories and made a new Facebook friend! and i'm happy to say once again, i lived through the miracle of being in a HUGE metal plane in the sky! that's pretty amazing.

Hot Air Balloon Stampede

Yesterday and today i woke up before the crack of dawn to go watch the Hot Air Balloons launch. something about them that makes me so excited. standing there watching them fill with air, the wind from the fans filling the envelopes, the sound of the propane gas lifting the balloon, the excitement of all the kids, running around aimlessly trying to watch every balloon go up, the goodbyes being yelled up and waves from up in the basket to all the family members on the ground. something about it... i tear up every time. it never gets old for me. I've been up once before and was so excited about possibly going up this morning. the launch was delayed due to weather. my last experience in a hot air balloon was so comical. our balloon came down behind LaQuinta Inn, in the back parking lot, along the railroad tracks. as the balloon neared the ground and the loud sound of the propane filling the balloon, people staying in the hotel came to their windows to see what the ruckus was about. I'm sure in their excitement they just forgot to put clothes on, or bathrobes, or forgot that even though we were in this larger than life balloon hovering next to their windows, that we could still see them. but they didn't seem to mind. we waved..they waved..they took pictures of us, and well, we took pictures of them. i'm sure as they saw the 3 of us in the balloon laughing and smiling they were thinking to themselves "what fun they are having!" it was truly an amazing experience! and the LaQuinta Inn experience definitely made the event unforgettable.

Things that make me smile

VIDEO



i love waking up to the sound of my birds chirping and an airplane flying over. experiencing other people's worlds, music that makes me relax, a comfy pair of jeans and a new white t-shirt, flip flops, no make-up, clear painted nails. i love old books and fresh flowers. laying in a field watching the sky pass me by, listening to the trees in the wind. french press coffee and desert for breakfast. shades of green. moss, ferns, leaves and having Fridays off. walks with a friend, drives by myself. hugging my boys, watching them walk off to school, sitting on my porch, a good book. fields of native grass, old fence posts, goats, horses and cows. thunderstorms in the summer, empty rooms. abandoned homes and overgrown yards. clouds. clear lip gloss and warm vanilla sugar scent. sleeping in, and waking before sunrise. historical fiction and ridding of clutter. baby chicks, birch trees, creeks and sitting on bridges with my legs hanging over. the shadow of leaves dancing on the wall, and sun rays streaming through.

What the Japanese girls have taught me.

The girls leave tomorrow. We have had so much fun. I have gained knowledge from this adventure beyond culture differences. Having visitors from another Country for 10 days, and considering the possibility that this may be their only trip to the US, I have felt compelled to show them everything that I possibly could in this short time. Everything there is to do in Walla Walla, of course, and on a budget, of course. It seems that just as we are starting to communicate a little, it is now time for them to leave in 12 hours. Hopefully this trip will be all that they hoped for, and also rewarding for my boys. Jake was a trooper and gave up his room for 10 days, and I am so proud of what good hosts he and Nik were.
In the last 10 days I have allowed my work to happen between the hours of 8 and 3. Since I have been reading "The 4 Hour Work Week", i have been applying some of the things I've learned in the book to my daily life. Still not "only 4 hours", but closer! I haven't been coming home and working on the computer, and organizing drawers, and doing laundry every day. I haven't been trying to attack my "to do list" every single day. I have been flying kites, playing stick games, taking time off work for field trips, roasting marshmallows, bbqing, and instead of coming home and vacuuming, we have been moving the furniture to the corners of the room and playing badminton in the living room. I have been cooking foods I don't regularly cook, and pretty much enjoying every moment of every day. Even 8-3 work is pleasant. I know If I have less time to get my work done, I am more productive during those few hours.
Tomorrow the girls leave, but I am going to continue on with this "enjoying every single day" plan. I'm happier, the boys are happier, and you know what they say... "When Mama's happy....EVERYBODY's happy". So if you send me an email during the day, and you don't get a reply from me, stamped "10:43pm" rest assured, I am not just being lazy and procrastinating, I am sleeping because I am exhausted from running through the field with a kite trailing me! But I will get back to you just as soon as I can!
Sianara,
Kimberly

Japanese Students

I have been so excited to have the Japanese students here. i teared up at the host family meeting, teared up as i entered the airport, and again as they walked across the tarmac . know the excitement of entering a new Country, surrounding myself with a new culture. i thought this was going to be a breeze, but it's turned out to be more challenging than i anticipated. the google translator is not translating correctly, and when they do try to speak, it's so soft and un-prounounced that i really have no idea what they are saying. we spend our time going places and they just have to follow. i want to know what they want to do, what they want to see, and try. i don't even know if the things we are doing with them are new. who knows..maybe they fly kites at home. maybe their neighbors have horses. maybe pizza, pancakes, barbecuing hamburgers is old hat to them. and i realllly want to know what they think of all the bunnies, chicks and eggs everywhere around town. do they think americans are obsessed with bunnies and colorful eggs, like they are with Hello kitty? or do they know it's Easter coming up? I was hoping by the time they left, i would speak a little more Japanese, and they would speak a little more English. I asked the boys what they thought we should do tonight... "Sleeping Beauty" ballet, or the Firework show at Wildhorse? they thought the Ballet. i said..."it's just dancing in another country..." and Jake said "I'm pretty sure if they go to a dance production in Japan it would be more along the lines of their traditions and culture." i hope so. i just hope that i am exposing them to the kinds of things i should be. they both said they loved shopping in their emails, but today we walked the entire length of downtown, went into almost every store, and the girls walked in, sometimes found the nearest bench to sit in, or just walked aimlessly. i tried to find out what they like to shop for, but we couldn't figure it out. the only thing that really seemed to excite them was Starbucks. i couldn't tell what they were asking for, so i got out a peice of paper and pen, and they wrote "milk tea". i asked the barista if she knew what that was. she talked amongst the other associates and they came up with a steamed milk with green tea. they asked if the girls wanted syrup in the drink. i showed the girls the syrup and they excitedly said yes, smiling and giggling. once they took a sip, they both giggled...one plugged her nose and the other gave a look like i had put drizzled ketchup over her ice cream. Nik offered them to try his double chocolate chip with mint frappacino with whip, drizzled with chocolate. they LOVED it, so that is what they got. they both drank about half of it and then tossed it. the boys and i joked " NOOOOOOO....that's a $20 dollar drink you are tossing", but we just let them throw it away. o well. we tried.

Shopping was a flop. i guess downtown Walla Walla just isn't Tokyo. Although, i do have to say Inland Octopus was a hit. lots of money later, and we left with kites, frisbee, whistles and lots of laughs. priceless.

when we got home from shopping (eating, actually) the boys grabbed the frisbee and were ready to run across the street and throw it. i went to tell the girls and they were both crashed and sound asleep on their bed. i guess we wore them out.

tomorrow we are going horse back riding and they are going to make us Japanese noodles. this really is the most amazing thing for me to experience. i have been choking up for 4 days now, thinking of the experience my boys are having, and hoping that the girls will treasure their time also.

Sianara for now.

Being Healthy

6 months ago, i decided to stop drinking. it wasn't a dramatic step, more of a "i get more done when i haven't had a glass or two of wine" realization. it was a very busy month of photography and i really had no time to waste sitting around sipping wine. i had deadlines to meet, projects to complete, etc...and i just work harder, faster and more focused when i have not had a drink. after week one of no wine (wow that makes me sound like a wino), i approached the weekend, and i initially thought "yippee! it's the weekend, i can have a glass of wine!" then i thought to myself, "well, shoot...since i want to lose a little weight anyhow, maybe leaving the wine "for now" out of my diet, until say, a party, and i could save some calories in the meantime." then a party came along, and i thought "well, shoot...it's been a couple months now, and i really don't want to risk having wine tonight, waking up feeling dehydrated and therefore being less than 100% tomorrow, and i REALLY love feeling 100%." so i decided i would only drink on holidays. then New Years came along. i will just toast the New Year with a glass of Champagne!" i decided against that. what is the point after all? I can toast the New Year with anything! you see the pattern...? and there began the pattern of me not drinking. and i LOVE it. i feel so much better, i never have to pay a cab to drive me home after a fun night out with friends and drinking. i am saving money, i feel so much better. i love knowing i will NEVER have a hangover! NEVER have to have a glass of water with my wine, NEVER spend another $ on wine. (not that my wine budget was that much). i haven't noticed any change from the calories being cut out though. but that's probably because for the first few months, we were drinking hot cocoa with whip and drizzled chocolate every night. All it takes is one mouthful of sour whip cream to end that pattern. now i'm drinking tea every day. here is the recipe for my new favorite. change ingredients amounts based on your preferences. i really like the bite that the ginger gives, so i put a lot of it in.

Half of an apple (sweet) sliced

apprx 4 slices of fresh ginger

apprx 10 sprigs of fresh thyme

put in french press

pour boiling water in

steep for 10 mins.

sweeten to taste

Fishing, not Catching

I had a wonderful day fishing with my boys and my family. It was freezing cold and windy, but we had a lot of fun. We laughed till our bellies were sore, we ate till we were stuffed, told stories, made stories up, wrestled, piggy back rides, teeter tottered. Tim said it was the first time he had ever gone out fishing and not caught a thing. But no regrets were had. Fishing and campfires are a good way to force you to just "sit" and relax.

Photo shoot in Venice

Nothing brings more joy to me than traveling for my work. I've been to Montana to shoot "A day in the life of the Bledsoes", to San Franscisco to shoot "A day in the life of the Baughs" and to Italy to shoot "A day in the life of the Day Family". I'm looking forward to many more travels!

Day Trip

Yesterday Tami and I decided to take a day trip to Joseph, OR. If it wasn't for all the doubled over in laughter moments, I might have focused on the fact that there was snow, and i am currently in Spring mode. Way too much coffee was drank and everything from blogging and emarketing to business and relationships was talked about. Our conversations covered the gamut. The question of the day was "What do you think people in Joseph do all day?" that question was answered.

Joseph is filled with creative people. if we had decided to stay over for the night, we could have attended the local Indian dinner, gone to a movie, hit the ski hill (a surprise) taken a painting class, got a massage, a facial, and quite possibly have made a few more interesting friends!

By the end of store one, we had canvas, paints and paintbrushes in hand, (and a book on how to bring the creativity out of us). Store two, we had two new friends, the owner of Simply Sandy's and her Partner. Simply Sandy's is full of Anthropologie styled hardware and unique antique furniture and finds. We stood and brainstormed with them about the benefits of e-marketing, websites, photos, life and business. Before we knew it, Sandy was asking me if I would consider managing a store for her in WW. Then we went to BeeCrowBee. I walked into the store and was instantly in love with not only the space, but the jewelry, the paintings, furniture and his bath and body products.

We explored great restaurants, abandoned homes, side streets, trains, and down the paths of self enlightenment. By the days end, we were not only closer friends, smarter business owners, but also refreshed and ready to apply all our gains to our daily lives. And i have another great hat to wear!

The first signs of spring

These early signs of spring

give me so much hope, joy

& anticipation.

Walla Walla Valley

Girls

I love boys. boys are all i know. i have two boys. and i grew up on a farm with two brothers, playing in the creek, climbing hills, pretending i was a box car child. i don't know what i would do if i had girls. but i love girls too. several of my friends have girls and i just love being around them! i've always wanted to adopt a girl, even though i don't think i would know what to do with her. if i had had a girl, i'm pretty sure i would not have dressed her in girly clothes. she'd be more comfortable in brown then pink. cowboy boots instead of sandles, her hair would be red, curly and wild. she would probably talk back to me just like i did to my mom. she'd be feisty for sure. i remember when i was a little girl, and when we were in the car, i would gaze at the side of the road, in the ditches, just hoping i would see something, a stranded baby maybe, a little baby girl (yes, i was pretty dramatic then too), daydreaming that we would take her home and i would help take care of her.
last weekend i went and watched my friends little girl in her ballet class. here is a couple photos from the girls dancing, and after seeing them in their pink tights and tutus, i have to say little girls in pink are super sweet! to all the moms out there that have only boys, you HAVE to go watch the little girls ballet class at least once in your life.

reflecting on saturdays past

I grew up going to church every Saturday. and i liked it. all my friends went to church, so it was another place for me to be social. i also loved how after church each week, we either had company over for lunch, or if we got invited by friends, we made the trek into town and would spend the afternoon with them. Saturdays consisted of Church, potlucks, go for walks, drives, often to Whitman Mission, South Fork, or Jubilee lake, to name a few. i remember on the drives to South Fork (Harris Park), which was just three miles from where we grew up on the river road, my parents would let me and my brother sit in the back side passenger windows and we would try and reach across the hood of the car and hold hands, while my dad drove 20mph down the gravel road. we didn't watch t.v. from sundown friday until sundown saturday.....5 4 3 2 1. TURN ON THE TV! Fantasy Island is on! (just kidding mom...i know we weren't supposed to watch that). For my brothers and i it was a countdown to get back to daily life, but looking back it was such a quiet, relaxing, no stress time. other than the quarrels that happened while everyone was trying to get ready for church on time, or fight over who gets the window seats in the car, Saturdays were a day spent around family. I still remember the excitement of waiting for church to get over so i could go to Charmi's house to play, or have a friend come over and play barbies by the riverside, or picknicking at a park.

Saturdays now. alarm at 7. check my planner, my phone, both emails, respond to texts, make french press coffee and drink whole pot before 8. photo shoots, chores, make appointments, errands that didn't get done during the week. appointments with clients who want to look at prints, follow up with clients, deliver photo books, clothes shop for new basketball shoes, sports, snowboarding, boys doing homework, going to the gym, working on donations, marketing, blogging, trying to get my hour long walk in, farmer's market, and the list goes on.

Forgive me God, for EVER giving my poor mom grief because i was "bored" on occasional saturdays. I realize now, she was doing everything in her power to give us a family oriented day, filled with food and wonderful friends and for teaching us about you, a day with no business phone calls, no extra haircuts during the weekends, to make extra money. she sacrificed and worked hard, long hours during the week, so that we could have the family and friends time together on Saturdays.

THEN there were SUNDAYS. ugh. chores chores and more chores. after all, we had ALL day saturday to play.

It's not often that i get to see photos of me, taking photos of others, but i always find them intriguing when i do! I would love to have a photographer come along with me on all my ventures, capturing all the interesting things I've encountered. Here is a photo taken on assignment by me, followed by a photo taken by Denise Shives capturing me. A great thank you to her for sharing it with me!

what a gorgeous day. i opened all my windows and doors first thing this morning to let the fresh air and sunshine in. well, and to let the smoke out. it's not the first time i have put something on the stove to boil, and like clockwork, i leave the house. once, i mean 3 times, it was eggs. boy do they put out a smell before they explode! usually i set a timer, but today, i put water on to boil for tea, and an hour later when i returned, the house filling with smoke (and WHY wasn't my fire alarm going off?...they were just installed a couple months ago!) the tea pot, my fav from an antique store, was glowing, and the plastic lid was dripping into the pot, creating sparks and flames inside. there was a towel about 6 inches away from the burner, and believe it or not, the edges were browning and on the verge of charring. needless to say, it was a perfect day to throw open all the windows and doors, and while i was at it, i did my spring cleaning. even got the baseboards wiped down. I feel very lucky to still have a home today. i hope everyone had as great of a day as i did and hopefully got outside in the sunshine.

Misbehaven Spa & Salon video

A Legacy

Misbehaven Spa & Salon

I was lucky enough to get to shoot Misbehaven's "Bare Minerals" class the other night. I didn't let on that I was not only taking pictures, but also mental notes! I've always gone back and forth between appreciating the smoothness of rich make-up, to appreciating a bag of Covergirl & Maybeline and having only spent $40+. I really enjoyed the class and I completely appreciate the fact that Bare Minerals truely is just that....minerals. I'm trying to be healthy in all other areas of my life...so I should probably consider purchasing mascara that doesn't have tar or plastic in it....it only makes sense. Here are just a few photos from the event.

I had the pleasure of flying into San Francisco last weekend. I was the photographer for Brent & Olivia's wedding. They are now expecting a baby in February. They flew me down to capture "A Day in the life of the Baughs". What a fun, but fast trip! We drove through the redwoods, down the coast on Pacifica Hwy and right into the city, over the Golden Gate Bridge, and wrapped up the day with hugs and thanks, knowing that the next time I see them, they will be parents.

oh, and I can't end this story without telling you about the "Hospitality Basket" Olivia had waiting for me on the guest bed. She put the "W" to shame. Anything you could imagine needing, or forgetting, she had in the basket! I thought about leaving my own amenities in my bag, and just indulging in her offerings, but again...my "etiquette training" (hahaha) got the better of me, and I resorted to just trying out the shampoo and conditioner. I did have bad hair that day, but I am not blaming the products, Olivia!...it was probably the moisture and the wind in the air.

This video makes me sooo excited to travel to other cities, capturing people's lives!

Impress Salon

Last week I had the privilege of taking photos for Impress Salon! I had a great time, and trust me by the time I left, I almost had a manicure, pedicure AND a facial scheduled! It is a very friendly salon, and I found myself asking what kind of hairspray would make my "growing out" bangs stay off my face, and taking a seat in the pedicure room with the pedicurist and her client. I almost asked if I could enjoy a cup of the coffee (I noticed some of the clients were endulging) to sip on while I was chatting it up with the two of them, but I figured that with the soft low lights, and the relaxing atmosphere in the room, I should probably snap the photos I needed and let the client fully enjoy her relaxing foot massage, besides the fact that I once read in a book on "Wedding Photography Etiquette" that as photographers, we are supposed to turn down all offers of delicious, fresh brewed coffee, once-in-a-wedding lifetime food, and hold our ground on professionalism. WHO created that rule? And besides...Impress is the kind of salon that photographers CAN enjoy the yummy coffee even when they are working!

I also got to watch Jeremy Gonzales at work, filming Impress Salon's latest make-up tip, which you can now watch on their Facebook page. If you listen real close, you can hear my camera clicking occasionally in the background. It made me smile every time I heard it. (: Become a fan of theirs on Facebook: Impress Salon!

Here is a little background information on Impress that I pulled from their website www.impresssalon.net.

Impress was founded in 1988 and continues to be dedicated to over-the-top service in a relaxing and creative atmosphere.

They take pride in being committed to advanced training and education, and remain at the cutting edge of the lasted techniques and innovations. More than just a hair salon, Impress specializes in indulgent head-to-toe experiences. They offer services ranging from hair, skin and nails to special occasions and weddings.

Soulumination.org

I am one of the photographers who donates their time and photos to families that have a loved one who is facing a life threatening condition, through an organization called Soulumination. It is an amazing organization. I found the organization on Facebook, and felt compelled to help. Unfortunately, or fortunately (?) I have not had many opportunities to help. If you know of someone who could be of a resource for me to contact, to get the word out, I'd really appreciate it, and I'm sure the families that would like to participate would appreciate it also. Below is an excerpt from Soulumination's website. Soulumination's focus is primarily children, but they will help with adult illness's also.

I donate my time to take the pictures, and they donate (and have donors who give product and help) making beautiful albums and gifts from the photos.

www.soulumination.org

Soulumination, founded by Lynette Huffman Johnson, celebrates the lives of children and parents facing life threatening conditions by providing professional photographs--free of charge--of these special individuals and their families. The life-affirming photographs of Soulumination are an enduring, positive record of the child's brief life, and provide a loving legacy for the children of parents lost to terminal illness.

Snow in the year 2010

When it snows i feel as though i am transported back into time, into the 1940's. Even more strange is the fact that i feel connected to the 40's...why not the 1800's? or 1987? or the 70's? it snowed then too! nope. it's the 40's. It makes me want to put my vintage sweater on, clip my bangs off to the side, with a little finger wave touch to my curls, sip hot cocoa, and even daydream about tobogganing. It's not just this past week that i felt that, when we had a touch of snow, it's been that way for me for as long as i can remember! it makes me want to watch old movies, ride in old cars. i don't even mind that my place is 50 degrees inside, because to some degree, i feel as though i am again, transported back into time, during a less fortunate time for some. wood or coal may not have been as accessible as the local 7-11 bundles down the street.

maybe it's partly due to the fact that the snow softens and quiets things. rush hour sounds like an ocean. the engines are quieted, and all the modern day clutter and trash in peoples yards are neutralized in white. it's hard to say what year that car covered in snow is...

i've always been nostalgic, an old soul of sorts, but for whatever reason, when it snows, i daydream of that time, of a simple, less complicated, and less rushed life.

my new blab, er blog.

I am one of the lucky few business owners that the PR/Media dept. at WWU used as sample businesses to promote. Thank you, to Jeremy Reed, Shauna Plummer, Melissa Reynolds & Caitlin Morgan for all the work they did designing brochures, postcards, radio ads, viral ads, a business facebook page and this blog!

Where do i take this blog from here? hmm. that will be determined on a daily basis i guess. For now, I only have one follower, and she is the one who created it (: so i guess it doesn't really matter what i say. lol.

Thanks Shauna for being my first follower! you guys did a GREAT job!

Allow me to introduce myself.

Hi! My name is Kimberly Miner and I am a photographer in the beautiful Walla Walla valley in Washington state. I love photography.
There is nothing so rewarding as sharing in someone elses' life experiences. I don't focus on posed pictures as much as capturing what is naturally happening, and much prefer to get out and take real pictures of my clients living their real lives. You can't buy authenticity like that.

I believe there is more beauty in any one moment of reality than all the airbrushed posed pictures in the world.

Life is an impermanent thing and as such must be grasped with both hands and both eyes wide open. This is mine: Through my lens.