My Scrapbook from Bulgaria

and feeling small amongst it all

Hello my friends,

It’s not even been a month yet since my return from a whirlwind trip to Bulgaria. A trip that I almost certainly had determined I *couldn’t* take. There were many reasons why not. Homeschooling four children. Work demands. Recipe deadlines.

But my husband has been married to me long enough to recognize my needs, often before I do. It doesn’t matter how wonderful our work is (and running our Cooking Community and workshops amongst other pieces of our work, is wonderful indeed). Anything we do regularly becomes our norm.

I remember as a young mother rocking my babies - nursing them, swaddling them, and rocking… rocking… rocking. This was my norm for years and years, as a new baby always came to replace the toddler. At the time I thought that would never end, which of course, it did. As most good things do. What I would give to snuggle my babies back when they could fit in my arms!

Our life here at the cottage is not something that needs to be escaped from. We’ve labored tirelessly to create the opposite: a home life that we love, with people we love, with a job that gives us means and delight. I’ve got good food, good company, good wine, and a clawfoot tub to soak away the worries of the day in. What more does a woman need?

Still, creatively, there are times of rain and times of drought. And Stuart could see the season ahead. So when I had the opportunity to meet up with my photography mentors for a week of “work” in Bulgaria, he said simply “We’ll figure it out.”

As it turns out, packing a large suitcase, grabbing my passport, downloading some movies for the plane ride, and charging my camera batteries was pretty much all it took. (Besides coordinating for my adventurous friend Jenn to come along with me, of course). Take note: have passport, will travel.

Instead of using words and telling you of my trip, I hope you’ll allow me to share my photo album instead. These are a fraction of the images that I took.

My very favorite part about being a photographer is that when my camera is in hand, I see the beauty. I don’t see cigarette butts and trash cans. I see shapes, colors, textures, and faces. A whirlwind of creative opportunities swirl around me and for that time, I’m free.

All of these images delighted me: the colors, tastes, textures, and people. It was a refreshing reminder that there are beautiful people all over this wonderful world and that I am small amongst it all.

Thank you to my dear friends Joanna and Tim of Two Photographers for making it possible.

I hope you enjoy something different and new. Bulgaria.

Cheers,

Shaye