Very very very fine house, Before

People keep telling us we should take lots of pictures as we work on the house. Honestly, we don't have many; we're busy working. These are from when we first got the house. They don't really convey how it felt to be in the house because you can't smell them, if you know what I mean. There was some grime. It's funny how someone else's dirt feels different from your own. If we moved out without cleaning, there would be some dirt. But we live with it, and it's cozy because it's our dirt. I know what it's from. It's the result of lives well-lived. Someone else's dirt feels icky just because it's not ours. We've known and appreciated several families who lived in this house before it came to us and we are thankful to them, for caring for it, for contributing to it's peace. Peace was the first thing I noticed about the house. You can't see it in the pictures, but it suprised me how peaceful it felt.
Also, the house had been unoccupied for a time, with some plumbing issues that led to damp and mildew, and some vermin issues; these may have contributed to the mustiness.Just a few things I like about this house: space, possibilities, freedom, a sense of peace, good light, oldness, the chance to make it our own, our neighbors.
Ahhh--what a gift!
I realize how great having a house to call our own is, in light of how many people have no home at all tonight or tomorrow or maybe ever, in this life. I hope ours can somehow become a haven for the harried, a refuge for the weary.
Thanks abounding to all the beautiful people who have helped already in its transformation.

take two

Because I had about four minutes to write that last post, I never got around to addressing it's title. This spring Paul mentioned that he read G.K. Chesterton writing about how we treat Easter as the climax of Lent, when really Lent is just supposed to be the prelude to the real show, Easter, which is a celebration of our great joy and hope. Therefore, he says we should be drinking champagne for breakfast. The thought inspired a much longer and freer and funner celebration of Easter at our house this year.
I love this picture of my mom, "Oma" to the kids, leading Gibbie, cousin Fiona, and Ezra in a little song and skit they put together for our family.


And then we have two little bears finding easter eggs their big cousins hid around the yard for them. Costumes are some of the best playthings; they get so much wear and delight out of them. What, you don't dress like bears for Easter?

Champagne for breakfast

It's been a while, so I'll pick up where we left off. These are breads I made for Easter. If I do say so myself, the cheesy one turned out garlickalicious!
I roasted garlic till it was all sweet and soft, then mixed it into my dough the day before I baked. Then I kneaded in big cubes of cheese and I think also roasted potatoes. It seemed that putting the garlic in earlier in the process deeply infused the flavors. Oh, and generous with the salt.
We've been absent because we've, by the unbounded and unearned gift of god, bought a house! We're pretending we're busy beavers and repairing it diligently, with the help of many friends and families. Oh bright skies ahead!
If you'd like to be one of those friends, let us know--a little help goes a long way!

Long Live Black and White

Back when I used a real camera, I shot black and white exclusively. This wasn't just because I could develop it myself. I've done color developing at home before, but it's not as fun or easily flexible. I love the look of a hand-crafted black and white print.

I hope to get back into the darkroom someday, but have been only shooting digital for now. I've not thought much of black and white in the context of digital photography. My camera doesn't have a black and white mode and more than that, the concept of "digital black and white" seems almost sacrilegious to my old safelight sensibilities.

I was inspired, however, after looking at the first few photos on K-Saki's flickr page. They're beautiful black and whites, and completely digital. Even the "film grain" effect is purely from the low light exposure mode.

I decided to try a little myself and have been pleased with the results. I little contrast tweaking with gimp and I think Mary looks much better in black and white. Specifically, the distracting background is much tamed and I love the dark tones of her shirt.

I can almost smell the Dektol. Maybe doing a little digital black and white will spur me on to start doing the real thing again.

Downtown Treasure

I love downtown St. Paul. I got to know it when I worked at the big public library there several years ago. The skyway system is such a wonderful mixture of new, old, vacant, and glorious.

Walking through one building in a abandoned restaurant exterior you look up and see this:

Anyone know what building this is?