Hi. I LIVE Here.

First... tonight's lovely rainbow. This is a lousy shot of it - when we got in the car it was the brightest most amazing rainbow I've ever seen. Mia asked what made rainbows... I explained to her about the water droplets and the sun, but realized I should have just said, "It's magic, baby."

Recently I went to Sesoko Island with some girls... It's about an hour & 20 minute drive north, and the whole drive was just so beautiful - I knew it wouldn't disappoint. It WAS hot as blazes out there....and this was taken from the parking spot.

Somehow when you look at THIS:
heat isn't such a huge factor. Besides, my feet were in the water. That felt pretty good (though if it weren't for my camera, I'd have jumped in).

We were walking, and this guy showed up with an octopus ("tako") on a hook! It was still alive, and all of us got to walk up and feel what it was like to have little tentacles suck onto your fingers (it feels rather strange, but very interesting). I like this portrait very much.


On the way back, Anne stopped the van just one more time so I could snap this:
Oh yes - we will be back. In swim suits. With snorkel gear.

This is Mia with her friend (fellow only child and smarty-pants), Grace.


They were swim buds last session, and still will be buddies past the swim class thing as I will be in touch with Grace's mom. Her dad leaves for a YEAR in Afghanistan, and I think we need to be doing girl things together like tea parties and such. Especially since Grace's mom is from England. And I very much enjoy listening to her speak with that crumpets and rubbish accent.

My kid. How did she end up being this cute big girl?
She now swims in the deep end, treads water, "pencil dives" to touch the bottom, and is learning the butterfly stroke, side stroke, and breast stroke. Soon she'll be driving. (NOT)

We love it here. We've been busy, but enjoying our craziness. Friends are leaving, that's not a part we love. But I'm thrilled to have made them and I know we'll see each other very soon. As I live in a time warp on this little island.

Have I mentioned... I'm starting a business? With ITS OWN BLOG too? Yeah. That's insane! I'm excited and petrified all in the same breath. I'm realizing this tiny island grows smaller in the photog community. At Mia's swim lessons I've been speaking to Tara (who is a complete character and I can see that friendship working out very nicely) - and now to other folks who are recognizing me! My 15 minutes has started, everyone! Set your clocks, I hope it can last!

Diving As Of Late

Thursday I dove with some friends in the morning and then again in the late afternoon. The surf was rough (trust me, my body has the bumps & bruises from the coral to show for it) but oh my was it worth it to go out and see the amazingness! Thanks to Anne for the photos from her awesome Olympus underwater camera! She got a case for it and now the photos are even BETTER (see the last cuttlefish shot - holy cow!).

(I know, these are small - but it's ok - you get the point) Here I am ready to enter the abyss from the Kadena steps:
Here's a photo Derek (Anne's hubby) took the next morning on a dive (this guy is almost neon, isn't he?):


Awesome trigger:
Anne & me - yay!

Flippin' D the birds....
This little clown fish was bathing in the anemone. Cutest thing ever!

Peeking from behind a cool yellow plant.
Under a rock formation, Derek found this HUGE fish (seriously, like 1.5' high) - is it an idol? Does anyone know?

I snapped this one of Derek & Anne with the sunset in the background when we came up. Sweet!
And this masterpiece. Anne took it snorkeling yesterday. Doesn't it just look like this is from a magazine or something? WOW!
Photos of Mia's last day of session 3 swim class to come (she's now in Level IV! She treads water! YAHOO! - first day of level IV is today, so now I'm off to wake her up and make her eat breakfast. Sigh. My big girl!), and also some shots of a trip to Sesoko Island. STUNNING. Can't wait to go back in the water! I'm going to buy a case for my p&s Canon.. over $300, but at least it isn't the $1500 it'd cost for the SLR case. Worth it to have memories of the incredible sea life just outside my door!