DPP ~ Finishing Up

Technically the December Photo Project only goes through the 25th but most years I finish out the month. I haven’t decided yet if I will do that this year or not but I am happy that even though I posted in clumps some days I did not miss a day this year. After trying to do a 365 last year and failing miserably at it I think I may take this win and go home so to speak.

I didn’t intend to wrap things up by posting the last four days at once but I did, however, mean to wait for the 22nd and 23rd together. I made a sourdough starter for the first time this week and made bread. If you have followed the blog at all then you might remember the original starter getting knocked out of the refrigerator all.over.the.floor. a few years ago I was given a second starter but it did not make the move with us from Florida to Louisiana so I went to Pinterest and found a recipe for a starter that uses instant mashed potato flakes and here I am just like a real bread baker using my own starter!

Day 22nd ~

Day 23rd ~ All joking aside I am so happy to be able to make this bread again! I was curious if I would get a more sour flavor out of a fresh starter but it’s still the same mild but delicious bread.

Day 24th ~

We enjoyed our Christmas Eve service and then joined some friends for dinner. The theme of the meal was soups and sandwiches and boy, the men cooked up some delicious soups! I made a pot of our family favorite, roasted tomato. I did use one loaf of the bread for a bread pudding. It turned out okay even the bread itself was almost too fresh. I will plan and have better timing next batch.

Day 25th ~

This Christmas has been different for us. I told Rob it is the first time in my 50 years that I have not been with my parents and at least one of my sisters for the holiday. And, Sarah works so she and Deveon won’t be coming over until the 28th. Despite that bit of sadness it has been a really lovely day so far. The other four kids are happy with their gifts and with the other eleven days ahead we are anticipating much more celebrating. Hays is going to be coming back here while Sarah and Devon are in town so a couple of days will find us in the new territory of having the girls significant others with us for the holidays and that’s kind of exciting. I’ve texted with Florida friends this morning and while they are missed as well, everyone seems to be having a merry Christmas.

The Porter clan is actually in route to us as I type this and we are looking forward to feasting and celebrating with them this evening and worshipping together tomorrow.

So a different Christmas than what we are used to but we are so blessed by all God has done in bringing us here.

Merry Christmas!

Rejoice, friends, Christ is born!

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DPP ~ Days 20 & 21

Day 20 ~
My goodness, the sunsets around here!

Day 21 ~
I might have writer’s cramp from all of the Christmas cards.

DPP ~ Day 19

It rained all day yesterday. I’m not sure we were ready for what a rain meant as puppy owners but we managed. My laundry room is a total mess but that’s okay. Floors wash and puppies learn to not pee in the house so they can be in the living room, right? Please say they will stop peeing in the house and can be in other parts of the house.

The rain brought in a much appreciated cold front but too cold for little pups to be outside much. Plus it’s Sunday so we had them in the kennel more than usual. And wouldn’t you know it as soon as we got home and could take them outside to play and romp they played and romped in every single mud puddle in our yard.

Tired dirty little puppies.

DPP ~ Day 18

DPP ~ Day 17

Part of the reason I enjoy the dpp so much is that I have to look around and find something to photograph that is “right there” in my space. I mean sometimes it works out that I can plan a more elaborate shot or I happen to have a session that falls during the time frame but more often than not I am needing to search out the beauty in the common everyday I live in.

It’s something I love to do…to find beauty in the ordinary. If you have read my blog for any length of time that phrase, beauty in the ordinary, is not new to you. I firmly believe there is magical amazing beauty in everything from dust dancing on a sunbeam streaming through a window to a carton of eggs on a kitchen counter. And a well developed sense of seeing beauty, in my opinion, will naturally lead to a heart that is full of thankfulness when we recognize that God is a god of beauty. Or maybe it’s a thankful heart will see the beauty of its Creator in all the simple mundane things. Truthfully it is more likely to be a combination of the two, one feeding the other over and over again until you can no longer see where one begins or how they differ.

I also love finding the light. And it seems that once again I have a bathroom that produces the most beautiful of natural light. This picture I took of Tom reminds me of some old school glamour portrait lighting. Looks pretty good on a cat, don’t you think?

I mentioned yesterday that the cats are slowly getting used to the new puppies. They are but not without some changes being made. Like moving the litter box because they refuse to pass by the dog crate to use it at night. Even though the dogs are inside with a blanket covering it and so they’re not even visible.

For the first two days Tom and Milo weren’t eating either. The puppies were in the main living space of the house hence they didn’t trust them to not be around when they wanted to eat. One thing we have learned about our cats is that they are very much social eaters and like for us to be nearby when they eat. After a little research we learned this means they feel safe and they trust us to have their back. Apparently even without the pups being present and not a clear threat that safety was feeling diminished but we have either convinced them they are safe or they just just got really hungry and decided to risk it. No matter the reason the girls are pleased to see the Bubs back at the food bowl.

Seeing the untouched bowl the first couple of days did get me to thinking of how often I have had the same reaction to a disruption in my own life. Times when I have been uncertain and afraid because of circumstances and let that fear keep me from the spiritual nourishment I needed. Instead of turning to prayer and reading more of the Word I tucked myself away paralyzed by the what ifs and unknowns.

Thankfully God hasn’t ever let me stay there too long, always letting someone or something come along to remind me that I don’t have to be afraid of what might be.

He is indeed our clear and present help in times of trouble.

Odd the lessons you can learn from a bowl of cat food.

DPP ~ Day 15 & 16

Y’all.

Puppy hours are rough!

The first two nights they were up at 4am and let me tell you, I am somewhat an early riser but starting the day that early is not my favorite thing. At all.

But yesterday the pups were a little more adventurous and willing to explore their new home more and we stretched their awake time before bed further. Which was great but they woke up at 3 o’clock. (That sentence should be read with a tone…incredulity, horror, maybe even a whimper of sadness.) The good news is that we took them outside to use the bathroom and then put them back in their crate and they slept until about 6:30. And oddly enough I will take that over being up at 4 in the morning.

We have always said that having babies was a young person’s game and I think taking on puppies might be too. I am feeling all of my 50 years on this earth all at once at various moments throughout the day. But they are just so stinking cute and sweet.

Okay, enough puppy talk and on to yesterday and today’s dpp pictures. I took a few pictures yesterday but see the above paragraphs and I am sure you can imagine why I didn’t get to post them.

I’m really trying not to overdo it with puppy pictures (although I am sure they will show up on here again) so I stepped into the front yard yesterday and enjoyed nosing around the front flower beds with my camera. I don’t think we will be leaving things as they are but for now it looks nice and adds some color.

I have no idea what kind of berry bush this is but I have never seen one with purple and red berries on it at the same time. I’m guessing the berries are changing from one color to the other but I’ve just never seen that before. It’s really pretty!

Day 15

So, I may not be sharing pictures of the pups but I do have a shot of Milo that I took this morning. He and Tom are both quietly settling in to having other four legged furry creatures around. Maybe a better word is slowly getting used to them. They no longer bolt at the first sign of Rex and Louis and we’re counting that as a win. Tom is still the only one of the cats to have any kind of interaction with the puppies. Time will take care of things but for now they seem to alternate between looking at us as if asking, “What in the world?” or “Why? Why would you do this?” Don’t worry though, the kids are pretty quick to make sure the cats gets lots of attention so they know they’re still loved.

See you tomorrow!

DPP ~ Day 14

Meet Louis.

And his brother, Rex.

They are seven week old Australian Shepherds and we could not be more delighted with the newest members of the Hadding clan! (The cats, Tom and Milo, are a little less excited.)

I have never gotten to take pictures of my own dogs so I was super excited to get the camera out this morning. I am sure there will be many more pictures to come so sorry, not sorry in advance 😉

I mean, just look at these cute little fellas! I’m kinda partial to the handsome big fella holding them too.

DPP ~ Days 9th-13th

Playing catch-up 🙂
Day 9 ~

A new plant for the kitchen window.

Day 10 ~

When did my kids get so grown?

Day 11 ~

Christmas with part of my family this past weekend! There are a lot of us 😉

Day 12th ~

Day 13 ~

There is something incredible about the sunsets here in Louisiana!

If all goes well tomorrow with the picture I am planning to take I will be so excited. It is not something I have ever gotten to shoot before so fingers crossed it comes out the way I hope.

For now I hope you all had a great Monday!

DPP ~ Day 8

DPP ~ Day 7

From all of the lovely color yesterday to a nice black and white silhouette today.

Crows or ravens, I really have no idea because they look similar to me, but there were tons of them in the parking lot of the store today. The birds here in Louisiana are not shy about being on top of the vehicles either, something altogether different than the little sparrows we would see in Florida.

Just another beautiful difference in this place we now call home.