Photo-Heart Connection

I am connected to this bridge, forever in my heart...

I visited my home town this past month and spent time with my parents, brother, niece, many of my extended family and then my not-related family. Yes, those that are close enough to know us but not related by blood. I, honestly, have many people like this in my life. I cherish all of them.

Growing up in a small town of 5,000 people means that often everyone knows what everyone else is doing. This is true especially when your parents are involved in the community and when you live a block away from the town center like I did.

I look back whenever I visit home and sometimes still pinch myself because I now live in NYC where I am pretty much anonymous. Oh, don't get me wrong I have great friends and the people who work on my block wave and say hello, the regular places that I shop they say hello, my coworkers are great, etc. but it isn't anything like back home.

While I was home I took a little me time and visited my all time favorite place - The Footbridge. The footbridge is a bridge that spans a creek (it used to be a river prior to upstream damming) and is as long as a football field, at least.

This bridge is forever a part of me - it is where I would escape to when I was growing up. There is a peace at the bridge; nature surrounds you, it is beautiful, and it still embraces me.

I chose to take my shoes off and walk the bridge back-and-forth from one to end and back again. I then chose to take a ton of self portraits on the bridge. Me jumping, me sitting, me walking, - me just being at one of my favorite places.

This particular picture just sings to my heart and soul.

Do you have a favorite place?

I am linking up with Kat at Kat Eye Studio and her Photo Heart Connection today. Each month she asks us to review the photos that we have taken during the past month and select the photo that speaks to our heart. Please visit her blog and stalk the other participants posts - the photos are amazing and the stories that have been written about them are touching.

In The Picture and a Little Bliss

I have been so busy with my flower challenge during May that I totally forgot to link up with In The Picture over at Urban Muser. So, better late than never. :)  

Also, since I'm still on vacation, I almost forgot it was Friday so I am also linking up with Liv Lane with a Little Bliss today.

The theme during May was Big World, Tiny You.

I recently visited my hometown and stayed with my parents to attend my niece's high school graduation. 

My favorite place where I would escape to was the footbridge.

 A walking bridge across a creek where I would write, cry, walk, giggle with friends, bounce (yes, if you jump the bridge bounces), and simply escape. When my Mom didn't know where I was - I was usually here.

As a kid this was my world, my BIG world. A small town of 5,000 people where everyone knew/knows everyone and this bridge was my escape. Funny to think about that since I now live in NYC where 5,000 people live on the 4 blocks that surround my apartment.

Amazing though, the one thing that hasn't changed is how I escape...now, I visit Central Park on a regular basis. 

I remember the first time my brother and I brought me niece here once she could walk. She must have 2 or 3 years old. We made the bridge bounce and she giggled. 

Hop over to Urban Muser's blog and see some absolutely amazing self portraits all based on Big World, Tiny You. 

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I am also linking up with Liv Lane and her weekly Little Bliss List. I have so much that brought hope and happiness this past week. 

1. My niece graduated from high school this past weekend. Her graduation ceremony was fun. The class video she co-created and produced was phenomenal. She looked absolutely beautiful. I am so very proud of her!

2. Superman is the greatest! He stayed behind due to work and was Captain Cat Wrangler while I was away.

3. I used my Mom's kitchen table to put the gesso layers on my Inspirational Decks that I am creating. OMG, what an amazing thing, a kitchen table. I was able to spread out both decks of cards and use my little roller to apply the gesso. In my tiny apartment this would have taken me 2 weeks simply due to the lack of space. Amazing!

4. I read a good book while flying, which I downloaded on a whim, The Violets of March, by Sarah Jio. I loved the characters and I also love that I was able to finish it in only a matter of hours.

5. My parents amaze me. It is funny that, no matter how old you get, when you return to your family home you fall back into patterns from when you were a kid. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for always encouraging me to be me. 

Don't forget to visit Liv's blog for some inspirational bliss and Urban Muser for some phenomenal photos.