Favorite Things: Birds

January 29, 2016 by Beth Shepherd

I love birds. I’m not sure what it is about them–maybe their flight which, to me, looks like atmospheric ballet. Whether it’s tiny birds like the bold Anna’s Hummingbirds who frequent our yard, majestic eagles flying over Lake Washington or herons standing in the shallow waters of the shore, I enjoy watching them and hearing them. And photographing them. I’ve spent hours taking bird photos–their colors, habits and quirks. Even the common pigeon and obnoxious crow are fun to capture with my camera. Here are few of my bird pictures:

It’s all about the journey,

Beth

Four reasons why I blog

January 27, 2016 by Beth Shepherd

Seven years ago I started my blog as a way to chronicle our journey to parenthood. I also hoped my posts might encourage intrepid travelers to consider a trip to Armenia, an ancient, beautiful and fascinating country few know much about. There wasn’t any other agenda. I knew readers might agree, or disagree, with my decision to adopt, adopt internationally and adopt from Armenia.

world

But even though my destination was parenthood, I did–and still do–want to travel more. That’s why I was thrilled my blog would be hosted on Wanderlust and Lipstick. Maybe my blog would lead me to other like-minded people? Maybe those people would have connections? Maybe I would get to go places? That’s what I hoped.

Now that I have some experience under my belt, I can say with certainty, there are four reasons why I blog:

Accountability: There is something about having an audience that, for me, is a real motivator. I’ve always been impressed with people who faithfully journal, privately and independently, amassing volumes filled with thoughts about their daily lives. I am not one of those people. However, I am a meet deadlines sort of gal, and knowing I should publish at least once a week (ideally more) helps me get the lead out.

Visibility: Back to that audience. I admit it, my brain lights up in a thousand different ways when I see my writing and photography out there on the internet! It feels good. Many of my photos, recipes and travel experiences will never see the light of day, but blogging gives me a chance to share some of it. I like sharing what I do with others, and I like the recognition.

Community: While we’re on sharing, there is something kinda wonderful about the online community. It is true, I’ve had my share of trolls and haters. They are an unfortunate reality of life on the Internet. But for the most part I’ve met really incredible people through blogging and have reconnected with others via social media.

Opportunity: Which brings me to opportunity. Blogging has introduced me to some amazing opportunities. Opportunities to meet people. Opportunities to showcase my love of writing and photography. And, yes, a few opportunities to travel and I want more of that!

My blog gets me going–in every way. How about you? Where do you want to go–literally and metaphorically?

It’s all about the journey,

Beth

My blogger identity crisis

January 23, 2016 by Beth Shepherd

I’m wrestling with a blogger identity crisis. “Who am I?” and “What is my message?”

These questions weighed heavily on me as I created and launched my website. And I really struggled to choose a topic for this post, my first post about something other than “Welcome to my site.” My OWN WEBSITE. No pressure, right?

For me, blogging over the past seven years has been the perfect vehicle to package my love of writing, photography, food, travel, gardening, my family–little snippets of everything I hold dear. That said, I confess I feel envious of fellow bloggers who’ve defined their niche. They might be a professional photographer specializing in family photography, a travel blogger with a focus on solo travel for women, a mom blogger or a foodie blogger.

When friends ask me, “Have you considered becoming a professional photographer?” I’m not sure what to say because, yes, I think about that a lot, but as of yet haven’t taken steps to do anything about it. Others on my cheer squad have told me I have the skills to start a garden design business–should I want to. It is true I know a fair bit about plants and have a creative eye. I sure love to cook and there will be recipes on this site! And of course anyone who has–or will–read this blog knows I’m an adoptive mom to a little girl born in Armenia.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to toot my own horn (okay, maybe just a little), but what occurred to me as I wrote this post is that my blog is an extension of…well, me. And for now, that’s where Pampers and Paklava is at. At little bit of this and a little bit of that. Things and places and people I love.

I guess you could say this is my mid-life crisis blog. I’m figuring it out as I go along.

How about you? Have you ever tried to reinvent yourself?

It’s all about the journey,

Beth

Thank you to Weeone Photography for the fabulous family photos!

365 Project: A year in photographs

January 14, 2016 by Beth Shepherd

Making New Year’s resolutions is typically not my thing. But for 2016 I made a year-long commitment to take (at least) one photograph each day–a ‘365 Project.’ Some photographers give themselves “rules” for their 365–only shots of family, new technique each week or some other focus for their project. As for me: No rules. Just shoot!

Crazy picture-taking-gal that I am, I’m also taking on a ’52 Project.’ One photograph each week for a full year. And for this project, I do have a focus. My subject for my 52 Project is our garden. It’s something I’ve thought about for a long time, taking a year to record how the garden blooms, grows and dies across the seasons.

Here are a few of my photos from the first two weeks:

A shout out to Mamas with Cameras, the amazing and inspiring women I’ve met through this group–and their encouragement to tackle this project!

Take the road less traveled, Beth

Just a reminder–Official announcement when I am up and running:

Pampers and Paklava will be moving to my NEW WEBSITE, www.pamperspaklava.com!

And if you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter.

Seattle in the fog

December 11, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

The prairies are all right. The mountains are all right. The forests and the deserts and the clear clean air of the heights, they’re all right. But what a bewitching thing is a city of the sea. It was good to be in Seattle–to hear the foghorns on the Sound, and the deep bellow of departing steamers’ to feel the creeping fog all around you, the fog that softens things and makes a velvet trance out of nighttime.

~Ernie Pyle

Take the road less traveled, Beth

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An afternoon in the Arboretum – on the other side of the camera

November 11, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

This past weekend I found myself on the other side of the camera two days in a row! Both photo shoots had been scheduled and rescheduled several times due to rain. Lo and behold, what was the weather like on Saturday and Sunday? Rain, rain and more rain. But I was determined not to reschedule once again, so Big Papa, Little Bird and I grabbed our umbrellas and headed outside.

On Saturday we met a photographer at Gasworks Park and our Sunday location was the Washington Park Arboretum. We managed to catch a reprieve from the deluge on the second photo shoot and spend a lovely hour having our pictures taken amid beautiful trees and fall color.

This particular shoot was part two of a family photo exchange. I took photos of Anna and her family a few weeks ago and then she returned the favor. Here are a few of my favorites.

All credit goes to Anna Graves for the awesome photographs.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

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I’m in an upstate New York state of mind

October 22, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

I just returned from a a long weekend near Syracuse, New York, where I grew up. There is no better time to visit than in autumn, when the leaves show off their magnificence.

Upstate New York in the middle of October.

You can’t get more beautiful than that.

~Paul Reiser

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Take the road less traveled, Beth

Four Statues of Liberty that are not in New York

October 15, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

Everyone is familiar with New York City Statue of Liberty. She stands proudly on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. But did you know there are Statues of Liberty all around the world? More than 15 countries have a replica of the ‘Liberty Enlightening the World‘ including France, Germany, Norway, Spain, Kosovo, Ukraine, Japan, Vietnam, China, Ecuador, Peru and Pakistan.

In addition to New York City’s Statue of Liberty, I’ve seen four others, two in Paris and two in Seattle. New York City’s statue was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. In 1876, French artisans and craftsmen began constructing the Statue in France under Bartholdi’s direction. The arm holding the torch was completed in 1876 and shown at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The head and shoulders were completed in 1878 and displayed at the Paris Universal Exposition. The entire Statue was completed and assembled in Paris between 1881 and 1884. Also in 1884, construction on the pedestal began in the United States.

The Statue arrived in New York Harbor on June 17, 1885. Unfortunately, the pedestal for the Statue was not yet complete and the entire structure was not reassembled until 1886. On October 28, 1886, the statue of “Liberty Enlightening the World” was officially unveiled and over a million New Yorkers turned out to welcome her. The Statue is 305 feet, 1 inch from the ground to the tip of the flame. It is the equivalent height of a 22-story building and was the tallest structure in New York in 1886.

The most beautiful Statue of Liberty I’ve seen is in Jardin du Luxembourg, my favorite park in Paris. This is the original model for the Statue of Liberty, used by Bartholdi to create the larger version for New York City. Bartholdi donated it to the Luxembourg museum for the World’s Fair of 1900 and it has been in this spot since 1906, standing approximately 15 feet tall on her base amidst the flowers and fountains of the beautiful gardens which are also home to the French Senate.

I saw a second Miss Liberty while strolling along the Seine. She was perched on the Île aux Cygnes (Isle of the Swans), a tiny man-made island with a tree-lined walkway, named l’Allée des Cygnes, which runs the length of the island. There is a also public work-out space underneath the Pont de Grenelle, close to the Statue of Liberty.

This monument, 35 feet in height on her base, was inaugurated by French President Marie Francois Sadi Carnot on 4 July 1889, nearly three years after its counterpart, was given to the city of Paris by the Parisian community of America, commemorating the centennial of the French Revolution. The statue initially faced east, toward the Eiffel Tower, but it was turned west in 1937, towards its larger sister in New York for the Exposition Universelle hosted by Paris that year. Its tablet bears two dates. The first is IV JUILLET 1776 (July 4, 1776), the United States Declaration of Independece–like the statue in New York. The second is XIV JUILLET 1789 (July 14, 1789), the storming of the Bastille.

Closer to home, there is a replica of the statue on Alki Beach in West Seattle. Seattle’s Miss Liberty is about six feet tall, and the original was dedicated in 1952 as part of a national Boy Scout ‘Strengthening the Arm of Liberty’ campaign to erect statues like this across the country. Unfortunately vandals damaged the statue in 2005 and in 2007 a newly cast statue was unveiled and put in its place.

And, finally, the fourth Statue of Liberty is in my daughter’s bedroom. Big Papa brought her out to the west coast from The Big Apple. She might only be 8-1/2 inches tall, but she now lights the way for one four-year-old girl.

And if you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or RSS/email.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

A world with Octobers

October 9, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

I’m so glad we live in a world where there are Octobers.

~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

The light is gentle and low in the sky.

Spiders decorate the forests with their webs.

Morning fog creeps in and birds pack up their nests and head south.

Thoughts turn toward warm cider and trips to the pumpkin patch.

The air is crisp and we pull out our sweaters when setting out for a stroll.

And leaves turn on all their charm, each one becoming a brilliant flower.

And if you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or RSS/email.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

Shoot the moon: Photographing the 2015 supermoon eclipse

September 29, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

On Sunday Big Papa, Little Bird and I went down to Lake Washington to see the Supermoon eclipse. I told my 4-year-old daughter that when the next Supermoon eclipse came around, she will have graduated from college.

We spent a lot of time waiting, my camera and tripod at the ready. Standing on either side of me were professional photographers, with mighty impressive lenses. All of us stared hopefully eastward, towards the Cascade Mountains, an awe-worthy backdrop befitting such a rare celestial event.

When the Blood Moon finally appeared, it was–at least from our vantage point–rather hazy and not nearly as bright and spectacular as we’d imagined. But when we headed home and I went out into our backyard and, as the moon came out of its eclipse, I got some decent shots–handheld, no tripod, just me, the camera and our little slice of urban oasis.

Here’s my first attempt at a sequential lunar collage. I’d like to improve my technique and since we won’t be seeing another supermoon like this one until 2033, I have 18 years to do so.

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Take the road less traveled, Beth