natalia365

On the Way to D.C.: Knoxville

2008-06-25T21:04:00.004-06:00

On the Way to D.C. we stopped in Knoxville to show the kids where Mark and I met. Revisiting your old stumping grounds can be dangerous: you realized that 20 years is a long time.

It is on this couch (well, one similar to it) where it all began 20 years ago. Actually it was kind of disappointing. The UT campus is completely different that I remembered it. In my mind I had this beautiful story to tell about how met and now we were back to show our kids. The problem was there was nobody to tell. Not a single soul!

On the Way to D.C: Cades Cove

2008-06-25T20:53:00.002-06:00

Two Nicolas(es)

2007-12-06T18:31:00.000-06:00

We celebrated today the feast of St. Nicholas, who is my Nicolas' patron saint. Some years I have baked special homemade buns, this year with had donuts(not very ethnic but all I had time for). The kids woke up to find mugs filled with chocolate coins and other St. Nicholas related candy by their places at the table. We read the story The Miracle of St. Nicholas by Gloria Whelan and, I got a lot of teasing from the children because reading the story I cried AGAIN.

The Season for Purple

2007-12-04T21:42:00.000-06:00

or how to solve a difference of opinion. Mark always complains of Christmas starting too early and Advent getting the short end of the deal. True to his beliefs, he always has refused to get a Christmas tree until the third Sunday in Advent (Gaudete Sunday). Until this year. Torn between his opinion (which I share), and the kids, who want to have the Christmas tree up when everybody else has theirs, I came up with a compromise: An Advent Tree. I found some purple lights ( I promise they are purple, however pink they might look in this picture)

some purple ornaments

And made it into an Advent tree!

Gabi added some more touches of purple throughout the house

And now we can be festive without forgetting that the waiting is not over, and the time to celebrate is not here yet.

Obviously, I am NOT Going to Make It

2007-12-03T14:46:00.000-06:00

The goal was picture a day, 365 pictures total. Well, somewhere along the line I fell off the wagon and never got back on.
One of my readers have encourage me to continue. He even sent me so pictures to spur me on:

Maybe I'll pick the camera back up.

Tourist in my Own Country

2007-08-26T21:09:00.001-06:00

These in no particular order are some of the pictures taken during our trip to the DR. It was a great month!

Sunset at the beach.

Fortaleza Ozama against the bright blue Dominican sky.

At the top of the tower.

Going down.

A. racing his cousin with Diego Columbus's house (El Alcazar de Colón) in the background.

Inside the first cathedral in America. This is one of the many side chapels.

Cannons. I assume the trees weren't there when these were place there.

Another shot at the top of the tower.

Another colonial building.

Umbrellas are great when the Caribbean sun hits and the temperature rises.

The modern side of Santo Domingo.

Ant in a Jar

2007-07-02T10:17:00.001-06:00

Reading by the Pool

2007-07-02T10:14:00.000-06:00

Just Two

2007-07-02T10:12:00.001-06:00

The only two strawberry worth eating on my strawberry plant.

A Toast to Me

2007-06-24T11:09:00.001-06:00

Life has been busy. Since my last post I have:

work for an internet news service as a translator for 9 days. Fun job but very intellectually intense.
had a birthday. It was a great one! Mark and the kids pampered and made mefeel so special. It made turning 44 a lot easier :-).
de-clutter my kitchen (still have to do the rest of the house)
prepared my two oldest children to go to a People of Praise camp. This involved some shopping and some emotional preparation (on the part of mom). They flew (their first time flying without us) and are going to be in Buffalo for a week.
booked tickets to go visit my family in the DR.
given hospitality to teens coming to work in the Allendale project of the People of Praise.
Lost the habit of taking pictures. This is a habit I plan to recapture.

So, a toast to me for managing to enjoy it all (mostly anyway).

Children's Creations

2007-06-01T08:16:00.000-06:00

Learning to Read

2007-05-30T21:57:00.001-06:00

Behind the Wheel

2007-05-28T18:57:00.001-06:00

On My Screen

2007-05-28T11:45:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I had the rare privilege of watching a movie I wanted to watch and, all by myself too! I have read the book this movie is based on last year and really liked it. The movie, even though it leaves out some key elements of the story-like Evelyn's Catholic faith-, is very good in its own right.

Another Mirror Shot

2007-05-25T06:16:00.001-06:00

New Haircut

2007-05-25T06:13:00.000-06:00

Now, what can I do for those circles under my eyes?

Enjoying the neighbor's flowers

2007-05-17T20:29:00.000-06:00

Our next door neighbor was taken to a nursing home recently. Today it was such a gorgeous day that I went outside with my camera. As I wander around our front yard I noticed these hydrengias flowering in her garden. They are so pretty. It made me sad to know that Mrs. N. is not going to be here to enjoy them ever again.While in her yard, I also noticed these magnolia blossoms. I thought they were interesting looking.

Fun Game

2007-05-13T20:17:00.000-06:00

It has been a while since we had the chance to play a board game. Today we played Settlers of Catan. It was fun. We don't know who won because we had to interrupt the game. Hopefully I'll win but I doubt it. In this game you have to have a (gasp) strategy!

Grilling Season and Mark's Birthday

2007-05-13T20:01:00.000-06:00

Grilled salmon, grilled vegetables, grilled bread and German Chocolate cake were on the menu for Mark's birthday dinner. Que Rico! (that's Spanish for yummy)

Images from Six Flags

2007-05-13T18:31:00.000-06:00

Thursday was homeschool day at Six Flags. Here are some of the images from a fun day.

A Big Step in Faith

2007-05-06T20:30:00.000-06:00

Gabi got confirmed today. May God bless her abundantly with his Holy Spirit!

In the Garden

2007-05-06T20:20:00.000-06:00

There is nothing pretty about a pile of dirt. This year we are trying to do a "Square Foot Garden". This is the dirt mixed according to the directions on the book.

The last two pictures are part of my herbs (basil and mint)that I am growing in pots outside my kitchen.

Guess where I was at 11:00 pm tonight?

2007-05-03T22:22:00.000-06:00

And do you know you can see the most interesting characters there? I wish I had the courage to take pictures!

Bubbles

2007-05-02T20:24:00.000-06:00

Dancing Feet, Playing Hands

2007-04-30T18:00:00.000-06:00

Air Show

2007-04-23T20:05:00.000-06:00

This weekend the local air force base had their annual air show. Saturday and Sunday the air was filled with the roar of planes as they flew over our house. They kept interrupting our lunch!

Father, Is God Stronger than Superman?

2007-04-20T21:32:00.000-06:00

Actually the question was: "Is it true that God is stronger than Superman ?" (asked in an incredulous tone) . Father's answer: "Yes, but not by much" :-)

My Eclectic Reading Pile

2007-04-19T18:20:00.000-06:00

Guest Photographer #2

2007-04-15T19:38:00.000-06:00

My guest photographer (Alex) took this one. This roots remind me of penguins.

A Hammock ?

2007-04-15T19:19:00.000-06:00

Great spot to rest!

Samson

2007-04-12T21:04:00.000-06:00

Beautiful Girls

2007-04-09T20:18:00.000-06:00

The Duck and the Boy

2007-04-06T20:43:00.000-06:00

The relationship just didn't flourish.

Guest Photographer

2007-04-04T19:50:00.000-06:00

I keep finding pictures in my camera that I didn't take. Alex has take to grabbing the camera and taking pictures. I love this one of our emerging Hostas.

Shopping: Round 1

2007-04-04T19:41:00.000-06:00

Have you tried shopping with a teenager lately? Round 1 is finished. Did we get anything? Yes, ONE skirt. Is that what we were looking for? NO! We were looking for an Easter dress. Have you tried to shop for a dress for a 13 year old? It is impossible! Tomorrow we will go for Round 2. Wish us luck!

Time to Play

2007-04-03T21:48:00.000-06:00

Nicolas and I had a relaxed day today. Gabi and Alex went on a canoe trip for the day. After a morning of playing at the park, Nicolas found some time to create.

While Nico was busy I went outside to take some pictures. I found some of this wild strawberries (that is what I call them- I don't really know what they are) growing in our backyard. I love the splash of color they add to our lawn.

It is in shots like this that I am more aware of my limitations as a photographer. I have always wanted to take pictures of the squirrels. I find such a funny animal. They seem playful and they always seem to be a hurry. Anyhow this one was seating on this branch eating. I wanted to capture the moment but it didn't turn out very good. I think it is a combination of an inexperienced photographer and a very limited camera.

I Was Busy

2007-04-02T20:28:00.000-06:00

I have been so busy this weekend that I didn't get to post any pictures. One of the things that kept me busy was Nicolas' birthday. This is not a great picture ( I didn't take it :-) )but you can get a view of my creation a Monster Snake cake. The consensus is that it looks more like a dragon. I don't mind the important thing is that it tasted great.

Azaleas in Bloom

2007-03-30T22:04:00.000-06:00

There is a gorgeous display of azaleas everywhere you look throughout the city.

Note: I just noticed that on the post below it wasn't clear that Alex was who took the picture of the cloud. The caption is his "narration" of how he took the picture. I want to give him credit :-)

The Cloud Tapping with Legs

2007-03-28T19:09:00.000-06:00

It was the end of a rainy day, the clouds were clearing. It was sunset when I took this picture. I was walking through the dining room when I first saw this scene. Thinking mom would like this picture to post on her blog, I took her camera and shot some pictures. The first picture I took was through the living room window so you could see the flash. Then I went outside and took this picture. Never before have I seen something like this. Personally I think this is a very nice picture, do you?

Note: this is a collaborative post: Nicolas came up with the title (he said there is a foot somewhere in the cloud) and Alex wrote the caption.

Throw the Tomatoes

2007-03-27T21:17:00.000-06:00

At co-op my daughter learned about a festival that takes place in Spain ( I don't remember the region) called La Tomatina. Basically is a big tomato fight. The lady teaching the class decided to have a Tomatina of her own. This is what my daughter looked like after everything was done.

It seems like a big waste to me but, I bet they had a blast!

Patterns of Light and Shade

2007-03-26T21:53:00.000-06:00

I was going to post a picture of the many loads of laundry I did today. Unexpectedly I had the chance to go outside and play with the camera. It was a luxury I hadn't had in a long time. Since it started to bloom, I have been fascinated with the dogwood tree in our yard. Today I stood under it and took a lot of pictures. These are the ones I liked the most. I love the interplay between light and shade.

I loved standing under the tree looking up. I love the canopy feeling of this one.

It was a glorious day and I am glad I had the chance to spend some of it outside.

Life Continues

2007-03-22T20:43:00.000-06:00

After experiencing grief, somebody else's or my own, it always strikes me how life doesn't stop. The mundane little acts of which our lives are made continue inexorably.

Eating lunch (or rather waiting to eat lunch) at Sonic.Gabi says she is not fully awake until after lunch. Today I could sympathize with her!

Gardening. A new year, a new attempt.

Grief

2007-03-21T19:01:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the son of some good friends of ours was found dead. He was 20. I did not know him well but the death of a young person always hits hard. Come to think of it, death always hits hard.

This might sound strange but, I wish I had had my camera. As I accompanied my friends, I kept framing pictures in my mind. Most of the time I felt like an observer looking through a lens. If I could've snapped some pictures, I would've given testimony to the depth of human emotions: the withdrawn look of those who rather grief in private, the comforting embrace of a friend, the caress of a husband trying to comfort his young wife,the tension of husband and wife legally separated but united by their loss,the aggrieved consoling the comforter. I would've captured women keeping busy so that they would have the consolation of work; men performing labors of love: kids helping out the best they could.They would've made great pictures.

I am sorry for all the pictures not taken. I am sorry that I didn't have my camera but I also know that even if I had the camera, I wouldn't have used it. I wouldn't have wanted to intrude in their grief.

Dads at the Park

2007-03-17T21:22:00.000-06:00

I took my 4 year old to the park today. While he played in the playground, I just sat and observed my surroundings. It was a gorgeous day! But what really caught my attention was the
amount of dads playing with their kids. It was interesting to observe how much more involved in their children's play they seemed to be that the mothers. The mothers were either talking on their cellphones, or talking to other women, or observing ;-)

Trees and Husbands

2007-03-15T21:01:00.000-06:00

are completely unrelated except that I took this picture

on the way to take Mark to the airport
I miss him!

Gathering Place

2007-03-13T20:01:00.000-06:00

It seems that my room has become the gathering place. I am more aware these days of the time passing. Some day, sooner that I want to admit, moments like this are going to be a thing of the past.

The Lilies of the Field

2007-03-12T20:39:00.000-06:00

These are not lilies or a field but these wild flowers growing in our backyard reminded me of the Scripture verse. It is good reminder for me today and in the days to come.

A Special Day

2007-03-11T18:03:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you have to make your kids do things they don't want to do. It is not that you want to make them miserable but that you think there is a lesson in it for them. Saturday was one of those days. A. swam and in the process (hopefully) learned that fear can't govern your actions, that there is great value in conquering your fears and in not letting them rule you. It was a good day!

I Love to See them Play

2007-03-09T21:51:00.000-06:00

This afternoon all my kids ended up in my bedroom. They trickled in one by one. First G. who wanted to talk to me about what has been most in her mind (and mine): her school choices for next year. Then came N.,who just snuggled up with me and listened. Last came A.,who asked: Am I missing anything? Before I knew it we were playing some kind of hand slapping game and I just had to go get the camera. They don't always play together well. When they do is worth a picture!

Waiting at the Pool

2007-03-08T21:29:00.000-06:00

I took this picture of my daughter while we were waiting for my son to finish swim practice.

Nothing Like a Fast from TV

2007-03-07T21:28:00.000-06:00

to spur some creativity. Here is my son measuring some buttermilk to add to the cupcakes he was baking. They were yummy ! I should've taken a picture of the final product but didn't think about it until it was too late ;-)

Encouragement

2007-03-05T22:58:00.000-06:00

Note: my son saw us talking and took the picture. I like it!

Tropical Jungle

2007-03-02T22:37:00.000-06:00

Well, not really. This fatsia in our front yard always makes me think of the Dominican Republic. Of course, as Mark said, I could've waited to photograph it. It gets so green and luscious in the summer.

In Route to the Big League

2007-03-01T21:35:00.000-06:00

It is that Dominican blood!

You Can't Win

2007-02-24T21:48:00.000-06:00

We thought we were being nice. We took them here

a nice Italian restaurant. We ended up with this

"I want a hamburger and french fries" . Since we were in a let's be nice mood, we ended up here

PS We did eat our nice meal at the Italian place. Got a hamburger for him on the way home and the said hamburger is still on the kitchen table uneaten. Sometimes you just can't win!

Brotherly Love

2007-02-22T22:24:00.000-06:00

A. looking at my blog: "Mom, do you know that I have your blog bookmarked?"
N., sitting right by A., looking at the picture of A. playing with the trains: "Oh
A. that makes me want to hug you!"
Mom, heart melting, grabs the camera.

Listening

2007-02-21T21:42:00.000-06:00

Two Days In One

2007-02-20T21:26:00.000-06:00

As the day dawned yesterday, it found me in the living room. All night I had tended to sick kids. N. started it all at 2:00 am. By 5:00 am G. and A. had joined them. The house was a chorus of non pleasant sounds, moans and yells of "MOM!!" By the end of the day, Mark was also sick. I was the only one spared. God knows what He does!

Today things are slowly back to normal. The house is littered with trains

and cars. A good sign!

Upcoming Season

2007-02-18T22:01:00.001-06:00

with the celebration of Ash Wednesday. I just realized this weekend that I haven't gotten ready for this season. So Lent is what has been on my mind. This crucifix is the one I wear everyday. It was given to me by my mom and it is very special to me.

The Spoils!!

2007-02-17T22:02:00.000-06:00

Another Mardi Grass parade. More beads...

Reluctant Self Portrait

2007-02-15T21:45:00.000-06:00

I am just camera shy :-)

Valentine Day at our House

2007-02-14T21:45:00.000-06:00

In our house Valentine's Day is not a big romantic day. Usually Mark goes out with my son and they pick candy and flowers for "the girls"( that is Gabi and I). Mine is usually a solitary red rose. I love the look of a single rose: tall, elegant, unique.

My dd's are usually carnations but this time he couldn't find them and gave her a single pink rose instead. I took this picture of both or our flowers together symbolizing what is feminine at our house.
And finally, just a fun picture. I love vibrant colors and I love this Valentine from my younger son.

More Experimenting

2007-02-13T22:39:00.000-06:00

I played around some more with the camera. I am still having problems with blurry pictures. This one is the best of the batch. I guess I need to do some more reading :-)

Experimenting with Composition

2007-02-12T20:43:00.000-06:00

This photo had potential too bad it is blurry.

Some Errands

2007-02-11T22:35:00.000-06:00

I love to visit this store. You never know what you will find for a dollar.

Today I didn't buy anything but loved the colors of this organizers

Mardi Grass

2007-02-10T22:43:00.000-06:00

Waiting for the floats

Beads, we need beads
Throw me something, mister

Away for the Night

2007-02-09T22:30:00.000-06:00

I am going to spend the night with a friend that just had surgery. Here are my bag and my pillow.

Too Much Togetherness

2007-02-07T22:42:00.000-06:00

Have you ever try to read aloud with three people piling up on you? It is not easy! But I manage to finish the book, yeah!

PS I can't believe I am posting pictures of myself looking like that! I guess humility is a virtue,right?

Eyes

2007-02-06T23:35:00.000-06:00

I love to look at people's eyes, their color, their expression. I would love to be able to take good pictures of people's eyes - pictures that would reveal a little of the soul. Here are some of my attempts:

You can't see those beautiful brown eyes here but I thought it was cute :-)

No Sharp Images Today

2007-02-05T22:21:00.000-06:00

These are my knifes. They are in need of sharpening.

I discovered this decluttering calendar . Today it was KNIVES! These are the ones I kept.

After the Symphony

2007-02-04T21:19:00.000-06:00

Some Surprises

2007-02-02T21:15:00.000-06:00

Surprise Number 1: A friend called me to go out for a walk. I haven't gone for a walk in weeks. It has been rainy and wet for a long time here. It felt good to go out. Good exercise, good friend, good conversation.

Surprise Number 2: a little spot of color

Surprise Number 3: An unexpected hug

Ghost!!

2007-02-01T20:47:00.000-06:00

Experimenting with the camera I got this

Kind of creepy, I think.

Planning

2007-01-31T20:10:00.000-06:00

The bulk of my afternoon was spent planning school for next week.

I love planning. If things would only go as planned...

I can't believe he did it

2007-01-30T23:11:00.000-06:00

I posted the last picture without realizing that my dh (should I erase the d?) had already taking the liberty to post. :-) No anger here, he got me!

A New Way to Study Music

2007-01-30T22:53:00.000-06:00

The Itunes Visualizer! Today we listened to Elgar Cello Concerto and enhanced it with the visualizer. It really made the kids pay attention to the music.

Natalia in the morning

2007-01-30T20:58:00.000-06:00

This is how you would see Natalia every morning at 7:30. This was posted by her DH who will be lucky to be an H without the D after she sees this. (Gabi said I could publish this, but Alex told me not to do it.) I am a lucky husband to have a wife who looks that cute in the morning. Check out the look on her face. Is she contemplating a thread concerning mysterious matters of the mind and heart? Could she be planning another day of homeschool? Maybe she is wondering what to pack in my lunch.

The Two of Us

2007-01-29T20:13:00.000-06:00

Meet Mark

*This picture was taking with the camera on our computer and I had to beg hard for him to let me take a picture :-)

Image of Motherhood

2007-01-28T21:42:00.000-06:00

This stained glass window at our church has moved me to tears several times. This shot doesn't do it justice. But the tenderness, the grief of a mother is so evident to me. I can picture Mary rocking back and forth while she griefs the loss of her son. So human, so true.

Saturday Morning

2007-01-27T21:38:00.000-06:00

From Here

To here

to here
And here
This is my Saturday morning routine.

PS These are messy pictures. No composition, no art, no imagination. Just what my life is like. Btw, I felt really self conscious taking pictures at the grocery store. I went to an aisle where there was nobody around. Do you feel that way?

Our Lives Revolve around...

2007-01-26T22:17:00.000-06:00

Dance!

Let's Cuddle Up, Honey

2007-01-25T21:58:00.000-06:00

Being Silly

2007-01-24T21:37:00.000-06:00

There was a lot of silliness in our house today. The kids were dancing and singing together and just being goofy.

Teatime

2007-01-23T22:47:00.000-06:00

The highlight of our day was teatime. We sat around the table eating Orange Snowball Cookies, drinking tea and milk and listening to a retelling of Comedy of Errors as well as a chapter of The Long Winter. It was one of those times that make me feel so accomplished.

365 Days Is a Long Time

2007-01-22T19:57:00.000-06:00

For the first time since starting this project I felt like quitting. The idea of finding pictures that capture the essence of my life each day seems daunting.Even worse, what if the essence of my life isn't worth capturing because it is so banal, so ordinary?These are not happy thoughts. I hope to get some inspiration somehow.

I leave you with the picture that hangs over our couch. It is a typical Dominican country scene. The tree with the flaming red flowers is called flaboyan. The are gorgeous trees when in bloom. Sometimes they can be so full of flowers that you can't see the leaves. Flaboyans grow in the country (like in this picture) or in the city. Santo Domingo, where I was born, is a city famous for its lucious vegetation and the flaboyans add such a splash of flaming red.

After a Day of Play

2007-01-21T22:06:00.000-06:00

This is what our living room looks like after a day of play: toys and books scattered all over the place. And this is my husband
playing Battleship. My son won and he was thrilled. This picture is courtesy of my daugther who has gotten the photo bug.

Keeping UP

2007-01-20T09:32:00.000-06:00

Here is my youngest trying to keep up with his older siblings. He is "writing" in his "journal" which he calls his "budget". He faithfully feels pages of scribbles with a perfect pencil grip and a concentrated expression.

He even pauses to think

And he is a great helper

What more could you ask for?

Lonely Little Fellow

2007-01-18T20:03:00.000-06:00

This Little Fellow showed up in our front porch. A friend of mine found him all cold, lonely and forlorn. I later found out that he was the remnants of a Christmas ornament. Poor thing...

Lobbying for a cellphone

2007-01-17T17:56:00.000-06:00

Meet my 13 year old daughter, who so badly wants a cellphone. Not a day goes by without a remark about how much she NEEDS a cellphone, how EVERYBODY has one. In the meantime her dad stands firm and says "NO!!". And I quietly say: "For now"

A little bit of color in my life

2007-01-16T22:11:00.000-06:00

As I was eating breakfast this morning I saw something green dangling from a tree branch. It was a Mardi Grass bead! For a minute it took me to the days after the parades, when beads hang from branches and wires. The beads just look out of place in a January morning but they added a splash of color to another gray day.

Gloomy Day

2007-01-15T19:56:00.000-06:00

to match my gloomy mood.

Sunday Lunch

2007-01-14T19:24:00.000-06:00

I love our Sunday lunches. Sunday is the only time of the week that we all eat lunch together. i have made a habit of trying new recipes on Sundays. I love to sit down for a hot meal in the middle of the day . It also reminds me of growing up in the Dominican Republic where the main meal is at noon.

Today it was Italian Bites (recipe taken from a Southern Living magazine), Ceasar salad, grape tomatoes, baby carrots and a Mandarin Orange Cake for dessert. Nothing fancy. I love simple, easy to prepare meals. I wasn't sure how to take the pictures...

These are the Italian Bites (just a fancier version of a grilled cheese sandwich)

And here is a view of our table. The green tablecloth serves as a reminder that we are back into Ordinary Time in the Liturgical Year. (The table is not properly set up but the crew was getting impatient with my picture taking)

Crazy Weather

2007-01-13T20:23:00.000-06:00

Is it January? It feels more like Spring. Granted, it is not cold in LA but shorts and sandbox in January?

My photo for today got banned

2007-01-12T18:45:00.000-06:00

Bannned my 13 dd who said she will kill me if I post it. I guess I need to respect her wishes. So instead here is the backside of my ds (9). I took the kids bowling today with some other homeschooling friends. The kids bowled, the moms talked. It was a nice change of pace. It isn't the best picture but hey! I am learning. ;-)

Commitment is good, isn't it?

2007-01-11T19:12:00.000-06:00

I almost forgot to post today. It is going to take a while for me to make this
part of my life. It is going to take a while to remember to take my camera with
me when I go about my life. I need a lesson in perseverance and I think this
is going to be it.

Today I am posting my stack of digital photography books. If only I could
find the time to read them!

Is it going to work or not?

2007-01-10T19:21:00.000-06:00

Finally trying to post a picture.

Beginnings

2007-01-04T09:28:00.000-06:00

I love the beginning of new year. I love the sense of newness. I love the unexplored possibilities.
This year I am doing something new: this blog. It is part of project 365. The idea is to post a
photo a day to document my life this year. I'm hoping that this project will help me to slow down
and learn new ways of looking at life.