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Welcome to my photo journal

Diane is a writer, a photograph taker, and a friend you haven't met yet. I love the scent of forests and rain, the rhythms of the sea, and am a lifelong observer of everything.

"If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!" ~ Shel Silverstein.


Mmmm Marmalade

Thursday, March 8, 2012 Posted in my life

As promised in my last post, ta da! Here is proof I finished making the marmalade!

I opened one of the jars this morning. How could I let those little darlings simply sit there teasing me, after all? Oh man oh man, talk about fresh and delicious! Making homemade jam or marmalade absolutely will have you swearing off commercially made jams & marmalades forever. As they say in the food shows, there is a taste explosion of freshness with home made.

Sure, it takes some time to make but it was so therapeutic and I feel a lot depends on how you approach it in the first place. If you approach it groaning about how much time it will take, sure it will be a chore (And I’m as guilty as anyone for grumping along whether it’s cooking a meal, cleaning the house, or some other ‘chore’.) But I was geared up and looking forward to spending my morning washing, slicing, juicing, then stirring, and finally filling the jars. Every moment was filled with anticipation and joy — excitement really. I was already thinking ahead about how it would surprise my husband, how I could gift some to my son who loves homemade jam, and with anticipation in sharing it with friends and neighbours when I invite them over for coffee. Ah, the simple things in life.

“Cooking is an art and patience a virtue … Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing – love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table.” ~Keith Floyd – a British chef and BBC television personality.

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by Diane

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The Scent of Morning

Monday, March 5, 2012 Posted in my life

Walking from the bedroom into the living room this morning the scent of an orchard greeted me. It was coming from my kitchen counter where yesterday I had emptied a bag of oranges and a pair of lemons. There was a plan.


They teased me most of the morning. Finally, however, I succumbed to their seduction.

It was my neighbour’s fault. After being invited for dinner with them the other evening, I couldn’t help but notice the line of jars on her counter filled with what was obviously orange marmalade. The Seville oranges are in. I missed out on the Seville’s by the time I got to the grocery store but bought navels for an equally delightful essential ingredient. So I washed them and the colour of lemons sitting in my black sink appears to have changed (but it’s only due to reflections).

And then I let them drip dry, as I pulled out my hand juicer, the cutting board, sharpened a knife, and set out my new Le Creuset.

Juicing by hand and taking the time to finely slice all the rinds was a labour of love as I imagined those I will offer a fresh scone or simple piece of toast and some homemade marmalade. Imagine.

The scent of my morning has been a glorious shade of orange. I still feel like I was immersed in an exotic poem. Who wrote that lovely poem about peeling an orange? Oh well, I did one better by being part of the poetry of oranges and putting fruit by.

(Yes, the next post most likely will show you the results of my morning.)

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by Diane

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Blowin’ in the Wind

Friday, February 24, 2012 Posted in my life


Seems I’ve been doing a lot of that lately — blowin’ in the wind.

Along the way, I’ve settled here and there. Read a great novel that I highly recommend (Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay); been cooking up some soups again; having friends over for coffee and for dinner (talk about food for the soul!); and learning to be calm (thanks to Cesar Milan — check out Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems).

Thanks to everyone for being patient and for those who have sent such kind thoughts about the death of our dear Maggie. Though I continue not to spend much time on the computer, I plan to make occasional posts here without there being a two-month gap in between!

~ ~ ~

All photos that appear on this site are the sole property of and Copyright ©  Diane M. Schuller. All rights reserved. Permission from Diane M. Schuller is required should you wish to use a photo in any way.

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by Diane

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Maggie

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 Posted in Diane's Favourite Things, Dogs-Pets, my life

“Tamrac’s Maggie Has Moxie”
January 1999 – January 2012

Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy and pained heart I share with you that our dear Maggie May Muggins Magoo (as we often dearly called her) died in our arms last week.

In her 13 years with us she brought John and I so much joy. She loved us both in the way only a dog can, though certainly was deeply attached to John. She faced every day with an abundance of joy and independence. We delighted in how exuberant she was on her daily runs, and how she would leap and ‘quarter’ the fields in her pursuit of birds, mice, and other vermin. She was a master hunter and taught both the Aussies how to track, hunt, and capture their prey. She was soft, kind, and never ever had a bitter moment. Despite never having been raised with children she was a supreme matron of youth. There wasn’t a human she didn’t love and immediately trust. We will miss so much about her.

We’ll miss those floppy ears as she flew through the air with her Springer gallop; her well honed instincts; her cute and sometimes awkward way of going berserk, especially in wet snow; how she’d put Austin into his place when no other dog would ever dare try; how she’d snort as she rolled on her back, belly exposed and full of Springer friskyness; and how she was a quiet friend cuddled at John’s feet on the end of his Lazyboy; and how she’d paw at my leg when I would groom one of the other dogs and she wanted her turn. So much more we’ll miss.

Her people meant the world to her even if she wasn’t as demonstrative as our demanding Aussies. She was silently devoted. John and I will both miss those big round brown eyes and we’re already missing her little “arrroooo” which was her expression of delight that it was feeding time.

I had thought I would put together a brief slideshow of some of my favourite images of Maggie but simply looking at photos of her is far too painful right now. We’ll both miss her, a lot.

~ ~ ~

PS: I recently removed nearly all my photos and will likely continue to take down photos that I post after they are up for a week or two. I will write a post in the future to explain why I have made this decision. Photographs on my website continue to remain online.

by Diane

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Happy New Year Charlie Brown

Friday, January 6, 2012 Posted in my life

Happy 2012 everyone!
I bet many (or most) of you have already seen or received the email that is finding its way around the ‘net. It’s the Charlie Brown Philosophy email. Normally, when I receive forwarded emails I delete them without even reading them. But because of who it came from and because I felt it likely wasn’t all fluff (or spam) coming from that person, I decided to finally open it. I was pleasantly surprised.

The first part asks you a few questions about ‘famous’ or notable people who have won awards. I couldn’t answer who any of the ‘famous’ people were. But it was the second half of the email that really caught my attention and made me feel that I did the correct thing in reading this particular forwarded email. Here are the questions it asks in the second half (sorry, there is no attribution information stating who the author was):

1.  List a few teachers who aided your journey through school. (I actually wrote an ode to one of those teachers and it was published many years ago in the Alberta Teachers Association magazine — that teacher was Miss Viens.)

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. (definitely the true test of a real friend)

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special! (now THOSE are true blue friends)

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

I can put names to every one of those and I bet you can too. So tell me, who is one of the most memorable people in your life this past year?

PS: As you can tell, I’m not spending much time on the computer these days. Mostly because I’m so busy but also because my shoulder is murdering me and when I use the computer, the murder quotient goes up intensely. Happy New Year all!

 

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by Diane

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An Important Wish List

Sunday, December 11, 2011 Posted in my life

Here is part of my Christmas wish list:

I wish …

  • Every family would invite a lonely neighbour or senior for Christmas dinner (and be ever so gracious and interested in them);
  • All of us will reach out to someone who is lonely, grief-ridden, or troubled in any way;
  • We would all realize and recognize the heroes in our lives (hint: heroes are NOT movie stars or singers);
  • That more of us would give of our time, for others, no matter how small or how big;
  • That parents would hug their children more and listen to them more;
  • Those who are suffering (regardless of the kind of suffering) are recognized and accepted by those who care;
  • People would say what they mean and mean what they say;
  • That people would realize that presents are just stuff but gifts are memorable and meaningful (and never fall into the category of stuff);
  • We would all make an effort to recognize those who are different and to ask about and understand why they are the way they are – know and understand their story;
  • Realize everyone has a ‘story’ — why not look for it and accept it;
  • Speak out when we see someone or something is suffering; whether it’s a person or animal. We can and SHOULD be their voice;
  • Show and tell family members just how much we care for them (mothers, fathers, siblings, and more);
  • We would all reflect upon who is really important in our lives and show them how much we care (not buy stuff for them);
  • That one person who reads this will act on one thing of importance.

“All we are saying is give peace a chance.” ~John Lennon

“Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up.” ~Jesse Jackson

So who is your hero? Who is the stranger or neighbour you’re inviting to dinner? Who are you making an effort to understand and to accept. What are you doing to be kind and peaceful this holiday season?

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by Diane

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More . . . Life Without Facebook

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Posted in my life

After the last post, I simply can’t resist continuing the theme. There’s so much more time to do far more meaningful and productive things and activities. Such as: stopping at local purveyors for fresh and locally grown ingredients; taking time to prepare real food, from scratch; break bread with friends or family; light some candles; sit back and enjoy face-to-face conversation; laugh when the lemon squeezes in the wrong direction. Yes, that’s more of life without Facebook.


“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts!” ~James Beard

… or in this case, good bread dipped in an emulsion of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh garlic.

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by Diane

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Life Without Facebook

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 Posted in my life

Fresh brewed morning coffee enjoyed in front of the picture window — real life going on inside and outside. Next, a walk with the dogs, inhaling fresh crisp air, getting my body limbered up for the day. Returning to the house, after an hour of daydreaming while walking, has a great way of shaking off the procrastination bug. Revved up and ready to get some productive work done. Later a break outside simply to enjoy what Mother Nature has laid out and each day there are subtle changes. Listening to some intelligent radio on CBC while getting more work accomplished. Interesting conversation with a neighbour and again later with a new friend.  Bopping and humming to some stimulating music — Il Volo — while preparing a small scratch meal for dinner. A glass of wine. A short stroll around the block. The sky absolutely overflowing with stars and stardust. Looking back on the day it was filled with a lot of positive thoughts, a healthy feeling of accomplishment, and a sense of appreciation for  – well, for just about everything, except Facebook.

I joined Facebook around a year ago at the urging of a pair of friends. After sharing my futile search for a couple of friends from school, both my friends suggested Facebook as nearly a sure thing in locating them. Convinced, I set up my account and sure enough — I found the friends I was looking for! But that was a year and a bit ago. I’m thrilled to have connected with past friends and even enjoyed reading about what others were up to. The trouble is, I found that Facebook tended to be a tad addicting in terms of time spent ‘checking in’. Checking in became far too frequent for my liking and I also began to engage the logical side of my beanie brain and realized there was really no benefit to Facebook. After all, why not communicate by email and/or phone with friends who don’t live nearby? Add to that, I was finding there was too much cattle activity on Facebook. What’s that you ask? That’s when people tend to follow everyone else’s lead and do exactly as everyone else is doing. If you’re on Facebook, you likely are already nodding your head at this. Recently it’s been those photos that also have some kind of quote or saying attached. Everyone is getting them and everyone is passing them on — heck I was guilty of passing the occasional one myself. I decided that since there was no benefit to being on Facebook and because it wasted my time, and because it interferes with living real life, I would shut down my account. Done. It feels so darn good to be living life without Facebook. Ah, the real world. Can’t beat it!

 

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by Diane

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Everything Good is Simple

Monday, November 21, 2011 Posted in my life

“Everything good is simple …” ~ poet Nikki Giovanni.

Simple Branch by Mother Nature

The leaves rustle underfoot. Panting can be heard from all sides like an approaching wind. Dogs are amazing in their capability of living and enjoying themselves “in the moment”. That moment — those moments — out along the trails with … come to think of it, I hadn’t counted them all. There were about 7 or 8 dogs plus two of mine. The only thing that might have made the day better after the refreshing walk in the woods would have been standing before a crackling fire and poking at the embers with a stray branch.

There are a multitude of quotes that can describe the simple feeling of being and enjoying the moment. I’ll rustle one up among the leaves for you …

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”  ~Confucius

How about a second one? I love this one:

“If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for a moment.” ~ Georgia O’Keefe

by Diane

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I Love Etsy

Monday, November 21, 2011 Posted in Environment-Tips-Sustainability

I have this love affair with Etsy. No, that’s not some foreigner. It’s an online community of creative individuals. Everything on Etsy is hand made by the people who ‘set up shop’ plus it is a venue for sellers who have found or refurbished vintage items for resale. It’s a great place to shop for gifts whether you’re buying for infants, divas, or dapper dans. The other thing I love about Etsy is that many there are reusing or repurposing materials for the items they create. Here are a tiny smattering of some of my favourites on Etsy.

Do you know someone who loves to journal? Or perhaps you know a writer who would love something beautiful like this Robin’s Egg Blue Lambskin Journal. I can just imagine how great that feels to hold in your hand.

Photo Credit: Karleigh Jae

Or maybe you’re like me and refuse to use any soap other than real, handcrafted beauty bars. Doesn’t Grapefruit Bergamot with Sweet Almond Oil and Shea Butter soap sound delicious? Oh and I have always adored the name of this person’s shop, “A Breath of French Air”. And yes, these shops also have natural masculine scents as well. The advantage to real soap is there are no artificial fragrances, no chemicals, or synthetics and you’re helping the economy by supporting creative entrepreneurs.


Photo credit: Carvel County Soaps

Original art can often be out of reach for most people. The beauty of Etsy is that original art can range from the very affordable to whatever you are able to pay. If you really appreciate the talent of a person to paint beautiful, realistic equine images, then you’re going to love the artistry of Canadian Jennifer Pratt. And thanks to Kelly over at Jax Does Design, I learned about this artist who loves all things beachy. Her shop is named “Seawashed”:

Photo Credit and Copyright: Kerrie Sanderson

 Wouldn’t you love some of Kerrie’s artwork on display in your home? I love all things related to the beach so her work is definitely way up there on my wish list. My wish list certainly doesn’t end there, however. I know how annoying long blog posts can be so I’ll list a few more of my favourites and let you decide if you’d like to check them out. You won’t be disappointed at what you discover.

I love this sea glass decor by Beach Grass Cottage (hand made coastal decor for shore lovers).

Also beachy, are some beautiful handmade items by Crabby Chris. In particular this handpainted nautilus cushion.

Moving away from the seaside for a moment, I adore the handmade and very classy camera bags (also laptop bags and iPad cases) created by Janine King Designs. Oh how I would love one. I bet you will too once you see them — what a great gift this would be under the tree this year!

If you’re looking for “tiny threads for tiny tots” you’ll love the beautiful hand sewn items over at Sessie June. Her shop is just getting started but I bet if you contact her, she would be delighted to let you know what other beautiful items she has. She had some adorable little baby slippers that were a work of art in themselves.

Quite some time ago I discovered these darling gift tags by Mayi Carles but she has a number of other cute handmade paper products in her shop as well.

You know how so many weddings (or other special events) are held in private spots out in the country or other locations that are not exactly easy to find? Paper Cake Designs has the solution with her custom wedding map. This is not only clever it is a very personal touch.

I mentioned vintage before so I really shouldn’t leave out a few great vintage finds on Etsy, but there are oodles you can check out as well. Kayson’s Silver Rhythm plateware is beautiful and a great find. So whether you have an interest in perhaps a vintage thermos, vintage buttons, vintage patterns, or perhaps vintage books, you’ll find it all at Etsy. You may be surprised to find how many people in your area are established on Etsy (simply do a search from the Etsy home page by clicking on “Shop Local” located down on the left hand sidebar).

BIG PS: Thanks to Kelly over at Jax Does Design I’ve been hunting Etsy for handmade wreaths. WOW, take a look at these lovely festive wreaths! You’ll have the best one on the street if you get one of these.

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by Diane

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