358: Utensils

354: Soap dish

352: Butter

With just two weeks or so left in this project, I can't help but think about the other side of the year. The domestic images in this series developed out of my role as a mostly stay-at-home mama to two young children, in which I don't necessarily have the freedom to zip off to photograph whatever strikes my fancy, and it's a theme that I struggled with over the course of the year. 

At first I resented the restriction of my home as the source of inspiration, despite the fact that so much of my interest in photography was triggered by my interest in capturing the daily lives of my children. However, I have gradually come to embrace the challenge of finding a way to document the little moments around my home in an interesting, possibly even alluring manner. Whereas a year ago I "blearily wondered if I could do something" with a stick of butter on a blue plate, today as I cast about for inspiration, I felt excited when my glance fell on that very same scene.

333: Threshold

331: Intersection of children and adults

As I rearranged toy storage today to make room for the kids' Christmas hoard, I thought about the ways we make room for children in our adult lives. It can be tough at times, no doubt about it. But a feeling of rightness and satisfaction wells up when I look around the two or three rooms in our house that contain objects belonging to both the kids and to the adults and see those items snugged up together. Even as the hours seem to stretch into forever, especially during these long winter days, I'm so glad these two little people are in my life.

329: White

 

315: Cookies

312: Soup pot

309: Ingredient

For pad thai (ish), if you're wondering.

307: Memories

306: Circles

285: Family

283: Whose turn is it?

281: Cutlery

Yes, that's our silverware.  Yes, it always looks like that. Except when it's empty, which seems to be all the time lately.

264: Mend

 

254: Duck amidst the chaos

I don't think he's happy about it.

247: In the stacks

204: Powerless

 

Our second day without power following Hurricane Irene's tour of the East Coast. There's something to be said for cleaning the bathroom with a flashlight.

201: Nostalgic

197: Bean Counter