Photographer: Ceiri Thomas

This photograph shows Kim Nixon in action with camera. She will bring this sense of enthusiasm to her job. Enthusiasm is a strong quality, that spreads energy through your office and spurs a team to successful completion.

Job Hunting: Must involve a sense of service. Team atmosphere & independent projects. Team must be upbeat, creative & supportive. I’d share all my skills from patience under pressure, to writing, photography & computer abilities. I multi-task with ease! Health Insurance stellar! Vacation time. Walk/Bike distance from home a green benefit. Clearly defined breaks. Job cannot include inhaling/handling gluten. 8.50+ and 24-40/week.

Kim is a long- time Upper Peninsula resident with family roots who values ethical business practices and oldtowne feel with can-do attitude.

Dance Like No One is Watching--Take I

Photographer: Kim Nixon
Clothing Artist: Eclectique Art Studio, Catherine Brunet

While at the 32nd Annual Hiawatha Music Festival this past weekend I admired how the light was playing with these slips at a vendor’s booth. The wind would make the slips dance. The traditional music and sunshine had everyone in a playful mode. I was walking over to see the children’s parade when I passed the slips and had to turn back to take photos. I took this photo with the idea of playing with “actions”. It was the first time I can recall having these thoughts before taking an image. I framed it with post-processing in mind.

The image directly above is processed in Adobe LightRoom and no actions were applied, yet.

Dance Like No One is Watching--Take II

The clothing vendor is Catherine Brunet of Marquette, Michigan. She has a studio on Washington Street called Eclectique Art Studio.

I wanted to play-up highlighting so I used Optikverve’s Virtual Photographer and applied the “Cinnamon” action. I have Virtual Photographer as an add-on to my Adobe Photoshop Elements version 7.

Dance Like No One is Watching--Take III

In this version I added a gradient to play up mystery.

Hiawatha Music Festival is an annual event in Marquette, Michigan featuring traditional music the event is always the 3rd weekend in July and starts on Friday afternoon and runs thru Sunday night. Mike and I have attend 6 Festivals in 7 years. We camp, even though it is minutes from our home. We like the magical feeling of the event.

Dance Like No One is Watching--Take IV

In the final version of the post-processing I faded the image, bringing in the softer, sensual feel. This image looks magical, and private.

I have ordered it in an 8×10 from mpix.com and I hope to add it to my Etsy Store.

Which version is your fave?

Transitions…this image has different depths of field. My life has different depths of field. There is part of me that is faded into the background, there is the me that is in your face, and then there is the me that is coming forth.

Living Joyful! I started with a run at Blueberry Ridge on Sunday (5.4K) and picked blueberries. Yesterday, I rode my bike to do errands and get new books to read at the library for a total of 5.7 miles. Today ,Belly Dancing with Kate and I rode bike there with wonderful floral aromas all thru town and along the lakeshore for an additional 3.5 miles. Tomorrow is Yoga at Mukta with Lisa! Friday starts the Hiawatha Music Festival which last for 3 days. Each morning I will wake to Yoga and each night I will dance, dance, dance!

Photographer: Cindy Kochis

Not many photos of Mike and I exist! I just love this photo captured by Cindy Kochis of, One Giggling Writer. We were hiking the Lake Superior shoreline between Lil’ Presque Isle and Wetmore Landing. A family Hike with Mike’s brother Steve, Steve’s daughter Emma, and Mike’s cousin Cindy.

A little over 1/2 way I trail-ran back to Lil’ Presque and drove our vehicle down to Wetmore and waited on the beach for them to arrive. It was a hot 1-mile run back to the vehicle and I was carrying a pack. I was so glad for my extra water due to thirst and the red welts on my leg. While shooting green goo coming from the sandstone seepages I leaned up close to get the following macro. My allergic reactions are numerous since Celiac Disease went fully active in my body. I look a little rough after this weekend.

Photographer: Kim Nixon

Having three photographers on a hike is wonderful. The energy of nature combine with each photographer made for a playful zing. Where we took similar shots, each is unique in their perspective. It reminded me how I want to lead nature hikes for people wanting to explore being a naturalist with camera. It is a wonderful way to document your hikes and come home with images to research.

While we slid along a rock ledge at the water’s edge, Mike looked up. Looks dangerous. I was looking down at layers in the water. I should look up more often. As a photographer it is good to change perspectives. Look close. Far. Out. Within. We can learn from interactions with others on camera hikes. It’s a different rhythm. One will turn right when you wanted to turn left. One will think beach when another thought woods. You learn to flow with the energy, feel it and be it.

Photographer: Mike Hainstock

You might even see reflections. Aura. Refractions of light. Repetitions and waves. Luminous light on spider webs. The world is full of creative energy and we share in that creation. Each person on this hike, whether they had a camera in hand or not, were reflecting on our life. Our place at the edge of things. I saw Emma look out at the blue lake. I saw Steve look within and breathe in pine. We were honoring the passing of Robert Lee Hainstock this weekend. I felt him with us.

Photographer: Kim Nixon

“You can’t do it wrong,” Says Cindy. On Saturday morning we sit discussing life . Me with a cup of coffee and her with tea. Mike asleep with the cat. Yesterday was Bob’s Memorial at Prince of Peace church. Family gathered for dinner around the edges of the garden, good conversations and connections with nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Several photographers took in the beauty of family and nature. Life grows. And you cannot do it wrong. Everything is as it should be. Through tears, longing, sadness, and laughter.

It was a Holy Friday and Bob’s ashes were committed to the ground months after his passing. He has roots in the earth and on the railroad tracks of this world. All family gathered and celebrated. I think Bob would have been happy with the conversations around his mother’s garden last night. I imagined him, at times, sitting and talking with brothers and uncles.

The awareness that we can’t do it wrong. That we are right where we need to be on our own individual paths, and that the paths intertwine with everything and everyone. This can bring some peace as we deal with what we see as a separation. Bob’s passing.

As I ready to re-launch my healing practice as an energy-worker I find the world full of bright blossoming possibilities! I will be at People’s Fest July 31-August 1, 2010 in Marquette, Michigan. My photos will also be on display for sale. Drop-by and visit!

Today, I’ve been preparing the house for a guest! We have a spare room all cleaned out thanks to Mike’s hard work this past week. And made magical by a fun sprite (me)! I cannot tell you how excited I am in a simple blog-post, but I’m more excited than these two girls at the beach.

I’m in the kitchen tonight, gluten-free, dairy, egg, corn, and oat free cooking! I’m making my own “canned” fruit to avoid corn syrups and starches and using a gluten-free cake mix to make a dump-cake. To make the fruit I’m using either fresh or frozen fruit, some water, lemon juice, raw sugar and a bit of tapioca starch. I’m aalso making apricot glazed chicken thighs and apricot quinoa stuffing. I am taking these to a dinner tomorrow evening.It was necessary to cook tonight as I’m watching my grandson Liam in the morning. And of course Liam wants to play with Grandma :-)

I hopped on a Midnight Blue bike wearing a Red bike helmet. My backpack cradling my camera and a soft shirt. I went down Craig Street to Founder’s Landing and rode past Pink and White Roses, and Purple blooming milkweed. The Thai Bistro’s window had glowing sun. I dedicated my yoga today to Opening, and Openings. When we Open to the possibilities we relase our fears of Lions. We let go of pain.

Sometimes all we have is 6-minutes in the Garden–Sometimes that has to be enough.