Mulberry Street

I have a fascination with decaying trees.  Until the layers are peeled back, you wouldn't know that insects had left their mark, chewing through the outer layers and boring holes into the inner layers. ISO 200, f /3.2 at 1/5000, 50mm So much texture and depth is revealed when bark separates from trunks or limbs.  Bark has a tremendous responsibility to protect the tree and I am amazed at its thin, papery feel in my fingers. ISO 200, f/3.5 at 1/500, partial metering, 16-35mm at 16mm It was fascinating to come across an old beaver lodge and examine the felled trees from long ago.  They say a beaver's work is never done and we found evidence that they were still hard at work before they disappeared. ISO 200, f/3.5 at 1/500, partial metering, 16-35mm at 23mm I love watching Benjamin discover nature, wander around, and let his imagination work in this element.  I hope he leaves a positive mark on nature, as it appears to be doing on him.  ISO 200,...

Each day I wonder how Benjamin's sweet countenance transforms into his belligerent self.  Ben seems to finally be growing out of the difficult two/three year old stage that makes every day impossible to get through with my sanity in tact.  I am grateful he's maturing and developing as he should.  His communication has improved drastically in the past year and between his vocabulary and skills, he speaks his mind.  

Genevieve loves to read.  She loves mysteries, comics, novels and everything in between.  This love is so strong that sometimes, it hinders her motivation to get anything else done - especially homework. Since their are worse obsessions out there, I won't worry too much about it and for now I'll enjoy Genevieve's bursts of giggles when she reads Calvin & Hobbes.  

Emory felt really sad after an interaction with a sibling and when I found him on the couch, he was hiding his face, trying his hardest not to cry.  I told him it was okay to feel sad and it was okay to cry.  He let me hug him and hold him for a long time and I relished every second of it.  Emory isn't an affectionate child and I have to ask to hold his hand or give him a hug so to feel him melt into me while I stroked his head was pure bliss.