Ryckman Photography Blog

This is it – my last Ordinary to Extraordinary entry!!! How a month can fly!

I have completed the story of the purchase of our property look under, Evansbrae, in my  NOTES on my face book site – they link is below here. There is also numerous more photos and some extra commentaries in that abum there as well. :)

FACEBOOK

Cheerio!

Micheline

So much fun to do photos of you guys! We enjoyed how much you laugh together and it is obvious that you are very much in love! Thanks for letting us drag you around town! You were both amazing!!!

Looking forward to your wedding day!!!

Mich & Shane

“If one advances confidently in the direction of one’s dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”   ~Henry David Thoreau

My treasure today and tomorrow has to be our new home and property – I really have wanted to share how it even came to us. Of course, it is a long one so I have posted the first part into a note titled, ‘Evansbrae’, on my facebook site (there are more photo posted there as well). Link is below here. :)

FACEBOOK

Micheline

This photo here was taken by my amazing photography assistant and friend, Amy Chapoton.

“Life is like a tea towel… full of colour, potential and purpose!”

Well maybe my quote isn’t quite as catchy as Forest Gump’s quote but I was inspired by my new tea towel today!

The same way that prints are dyed into the fabric of a tea towel, gifted destiny is imprinted into the fabric of our souls.  Years of use and numerous cycles through the washing machine can cause the prints to look faded…  sooooo…  if I never use my gifts… I could probably skip the washer, avoid getting soiled, and remain crisply starched. However, we all know that it is the well-used towels that do the BEST job!

I was reluctant to use my beautiful new tea towel because I didn’t want to ruin it, but, if I do that then it will never come into it’s destiny! ;}

Micheline

~A new sewing machine

~Bags of fabric and machine accessories

~A Husqvarna chainsaw

~A stunning tea towel (I love tea towels!)

~Amazing winter gloves

~A new notebook and special pen

~And a brand NEW camera… WHOA!

The items listed above are all things Shane & I have received from family and friends over the past couple of days…

We never asked for anything, our birthdays are far away, and these items were not immediately necessary to our present survival. Plain and simple… they were just gifts!

I completely agree that life is NOT all about stuff, but does this make the gifts we have just received bad?  Should we turn them away and refuse to accept them out of the fear of becoming materialistic?

‘Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.’ Psalm 115:3.

When I read this verse and couple it with my understanding of the goodness of God, I can only come to one conclusion – sometimes God is just an extravagant Daddy! Whether His extravagance comes in spiritual, emotional or physical form, He just longs to give His children good gifts. This takes me back to what I learned earlier in the month (check out  the March 17 entry on this blog) about being able to receive compliments and praise in a healthy way – I am certain the same principle applies here…

I took this photo here today with our new camera. YAY!

Mich

I apologize that these are not my own words… they just fit SO well today! M.

Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.

~ Denis Diderot  – French author, encyclopedist, & philosopher (1713 – 1784)

The Realtor turned the key and we walked through the aged double doors into the deserted home.  Boots were scattered around the entry way, papers were piled all over the desk beside the ancient type writer, cascades of books lined every available shelf, dishes sat unwashed in the sink, the tea kettle appeared to have just been used, the closets were full of clothing and linens, the wallpapered walls held numerous old paintings, pictures of horses and portrait photographs. The well loved old leather chair sat solidly beside the living room fireplace – the neighbors say that this is where the old fellow had died… Everything in the house had been left just the way it was – as if he had only been there a moment before.

I suppose this should have been creepy… Quite the contrary, all I could do was look around and see life! A life with passion and one that was well lived! I was only there to photograph the framework of the house; electrical, furnace, structural integrity, etc… I didn’t have much time to just peruse the brimming home but on my way out I caught this quick shot of one of the chandeliers in the living room. I thought it was fitting that it was the only creative shot I got in the house today because life – real life – is light in darkness.

Cheers, Mich

A carriage house

Babbling brooks…

where fairies hide in unseen nooks

A fortunate horse shoe

Views untold

Around every corner colourful repose

Harvest dances…

and a longing to fly!

We are SO meant to, no, destined to, DREAM!!!

~Micheline

Lauren and Billy,

Congrats on the new little one coming your way – I look forward to meeting him or her! Cooper is so great – such a ham for the camera – I admit – I love kids like that!!! Thanks for always being so faithful to us!

Bless you guys, Micheline & Shane

My Mom is what I miss the most since we have moved. I still see her a couple of times a month but just having her close by has been hard to give up…

My younger brother actually sent me this forward some weeks ago and I laughed because it is exactly how my image of my Mother developed over the years!

The Images of Mother

4 YEARS OF AGE – My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE – My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE – My Mother doesn’t know everything!

14 YEARS OF AGE – My Mother? She wouldn’t have a clue.

16 YEARS OF AGE – Mother? She’s so five minutes ago.

18 YEARS OF AGE – That old woman? She’s way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE – Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE – Before we decide, let’s get Mom’s opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE – Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE – Wish I could talk it over with Mom…

I’m glad that eventually I grew up and was able to see how valuable she is – she is so amazing! I am doubly blessed that she is also healthy enough to enjoy her grandchildren!

I guess I am my Mother’s daughter… not only is my Mom an artist (although she doesn’t draw much anymore) but she creates beautiful things on a daily basis from handmade jewelry to knitting everything you can imagine! All of which she works together with my daughter, Hannah,  to sell. Hannah has a bit of a horse habit… expensive habit… my Mom helps provide a way for her to afford it! ;)

Love you Mom – more than you know!

Micheline