About play

This is the real secret to life--

to be engaged in what you are doing

in the here and now.

And instead of calling it work,

realize it is play.

Alan W. Watts

Some folks find it very curious or strange that I have found so much enjoyment in toy photography. I call it play and my husband thinks I am really off my 'rocker'. 

I know I've written before about toy photography. It started with an on line class in still life a few years ago. I was really intrigued by the arrangements I could make with old tea cups, flowers, and old tools. 

I had decided much earlier that when I picked up a camera again, I was going to be a 'Landscape' photographer and become someone famous. 

Still Life? It really sounded boring, but it was a challenge and I learned so much.

Anything went as long as it was odd.

I started trekking through the woods with tea cups and baubles. It was fun. It was not what was common place. 

One day my neighbor's little boy gave me a lego person and told me to put it in a picture.

And I kept experimenting.

A whole new genre of photography opened up. By golly I had sworn never to do still life. But I was playing. I was having fun.
I was challenging my brain waves. [Or lack there of..]

Hah.

Now I can be found with assorted items in my backpack while I hike the woodlands. 

Some folks think I've

lost my 

mind...

Nope, I just love being challenged by

imagination...

This is what I do for self care. I realize that now. I can immerse myself in gardening which is pleasurable for me. But sometimes I have to add something to my daily walks.

Hobby finds slime molds!

This guy fears nothing! 

And of course, there is always kindness involved. 

Experimenting with toys, Still Life, photography, and of course Infrared Photography seems dumb right? One should just concentrate on one thing and get very good at it.

One thing never holds my attention for ever. For me photography is Play.

And apparently play is great for adults.

Play helps to reduce stress.
Improve brain function.

Stimulate the mind...

Well, you know...in my case the lack of mind?

I could take up learning how to bake or be more domestic. 

But for now? 
I'm going to take those opportunities to play.

So I can still keep my sense of wonder...

Up and at 'em

The alarm rings and I grab for it. Some mornings of course I am awake before that 4:30 ding a ling.

I consider not getting up but then I remember the CrossFit thing I've committed myself to.
And I get up and smile through my first cup of coffee.

Some folks around me don't voice it but I'm sure they may be thinking...
"Has she gone daffy?"

During the WOD or workout portion of rowing, burpees, rope jumping, lifting, or pull ups [each workout is modified to my ability as a beginner...] ... I feel my parts saying NO NO! And my mind is saying please yes!

My workout mates gather around and cheer me on if I am doing something hard, or I find myself cheering another on, or helping him/her put things away or set them up.
I've found a clan of nutty people.

And suddenly that alarm is no longer intrusive in the morning, but awakens me with a smile.

And then when I do drive home...
I get these views...

And yes, I even do that early workout before driving to Madison for appointments.
Well, as long as the appointments for Rich aren't too early themselves. It is a 2 hr drive and I have to get him up and awake which is a job in itself.

This week is no piece of cake in the appointment department. But the all day endorphines seem to help.

Oh yes. I do give myself breaks. The other morning I slept in until 6:30. However my day felt off somehow.

Rich is doing okay. Speech Therapy is proving to be extremely frustrating for him and he can't let go of the fact that language and writing used to be so easy. And now some days it is impossible or he feels it is impossible.

Those mornings though are something else.

I have a purpose with each waking day.

I can handle the difficult issues that keep coming up each day with a bit of a better tempermant. This is why I get up and do CrossFit.

And ...
why not?
Tomorrow we get to RUN! OHHH my favorite!