two

Two was wonderful and reassuring. Very different from one.

I'm looking forward to three.
When you return, the couch awaits us...

skyline #2

 

I didn't jump... it's coming off my list. 

(But Pedro jumped)

skyline

Lisbon's skyline at sunset.

Tomorrow I'll be doing the exact same thing: looking up into the sky and spotting parachutes. I wish I had the balls to jump along with them, but instead I'll have my two feet on hard soil and yarn around my fingers as I watch.

On the ground or up in the air, have a great weekend.

summer with a super sampler

In 1885, Eadweard Muybridge was was taking sequence photos of animals and people in motion and became the father of stop motion. And history repeats itself... and we think we are so creative! 

The best thing about film photography in lomo cameras is simply not knowing what to expect after developing. These are from last summer... ah... summer... with a super sampler. I've been spending the afternoon scanning film negatives we have accumulated since forever in boxes. Massive work, by the way!

nessum dorma

I don't often remember specific parts of movies:  usually I just recall the general idea and slowly fragmented images of the movie start coming aback to me.

But this does not happen with these magnificent 4 minutes from Mar Adentro. I still remember the first time I  saw this scene, as it completely overwhelmed me to the point that, every once in a while, I return to it for some peace of mind. 

even though up north the sun shone this weekend, the bare trees of winter really kicked in...  

Easter,1989

This was our first year in Toronto: we lived on Grace Street with a family that soon became our family. Our mom cut our hair and upholstered the kitchen chairs so they wouldn't look so second hand. We were starting to learn English and called our dad puppy, instead of daddy. I was 6, Helena was 5 and Luisa was 3, and we all shared a bedroom. We always got up early early in the morning to watch Sesame Street and played with Sandy and Danny all the time.

At this moment, I feel the urge to cross the street, knock on the door of the Canadian embassy, ask for my passport and buy a one way ticket to Pearson International. Just a few minor issues hold me back. 

It's Helena's birthday today. 

pqueiros

No, this is not a war scene from the middle east: this is geocaching! This post is simply to congratulate geocacher pqueiros on his first hidden cache! It was very well thought out and prepared in a sort of treasure hunting way. Pqueiros and I geocache in almost all our trips and he has gotten used to the idea of him dealing with the technical stuff (downloads, compasses, phone apps, countdowns, bla, bla, bla) and me finding the actual cache. I think it's a win-win situation! 

Parabéns Peter Piper! 

my grandmother's linen

A while back I discovered my grandmother's attic and found a huge amount of home grown and hand spun linen thread still in it's original raw color. I still don't know what I'm going to do with it because I want it to be very special. For now, I'm just holding on to it as special family treasure. 

cucumbers and coffee

Breakfast is the only moment of the day that is truly mine and partially misunderstood since I enjoy cucumbers with my morning coffee. 

they are part of the walls

A store owner told me that I would find the chemicals for cyanotypes in a small drugstore in Mouraria. Wondering the narrow streets searching for the store, I bumped into Camilla Watson's work in the Beco das Farinhas: photographs of local residents printed on maritime wood and permanently hung on the walls of alley.

In her own words: When I first moved to Mouraria I was struck by the generosity and spirit of the eldery living here. I imagined their images printed onto the old walls of their homes. Many were born here and it feels, at least to me, that it is their spirit that makes this place. It is as if they are part of the walls themselves.

Vivian Maier

Being a proud owner of a twin lens reflex camera, it's so inspiring to discover Vivian Maier, street photographer and nanny. An almost anonymous photographer from Chicago (from the 50's to the 90's) that walked the streets capturing almost everything she saw with her twin lens cameras. Simply amazing.

What makes these cameras so interesting is that, aside from using medium format film, the camera hangs from the neck so the viewpoint is now near the belly button altering the normal eye level photos.  

Thank you Ana for sharing.

Today someone asked me how I can be so cheerful all the time... I honestly don't know.

meia bola

I have a theory about children's books: they're not really for children! It's just an excuse for grown-ups to have fun with illustrations and sweet stories. I now find myself spending twice as much time in the children's section of bookstores than in the art section. 

This is my latest acquisition Meia Bola, from Edições Eterogémeas. It caught my eye due to it's cardboard cover and artistic stamping. It starts off with a phrase that I am becoming more familiar with: "Good morning madame, may I take your picture?" 

i don't do mornings

Last night I put together this statement pin from a magazine cut out and one of my favorite morning phrases. I honestly wish I was an early bird, but from many years of experience, I now can assure myself I am  not. And, I am at peace with this! 

under, over, out

Knitting is actually very easy and so addictive. My grandmother taught me how to knit during the Christmas holidays. She knitted sweaters for us when we were kids so, my crafty self wanted to learn. She taught me the Portuguese way (thread around the neck) with old metal needles which I thought to be a bit complicated (desculpa avozinha!). With the help of some online videos, I learnt how to do the garter stitch and started my first knitting project: a scarf, a simple and very long rectangle. The thread I bought it at the Retrosaria, (of course!) is a nice and thick undyed wool, great for starters. But I didn't buy needles... so to all you professional knitters out there, I apologize, but instead of proper knitting needles, I adapted 2 chop sticks for this first scarf and they actually work very well.  

knife sharpener

Whoever would have thought that right in the city center, outside our door step, we would find, on a saturday morning, an almost extinct profession: a knife sharpener. We had him sharpen 3 of our kitchen knives and now they cut like samurai swords!

# 99 buy a twin lense reflex

A new year is always a milestone to think about what you want to accomplish for the coming year.... very cliché... but, nonetheless, very true. Having a list is a great way to set goals and starting the year by checking off a couple of items is an even better boost. So, # 99 on my list was my Christmas present from Pete: an Elioflex, a twin lens reflex camera! I think I don't even have to describe how happy I was after opening the box...  But my favorite Christmas gift wasn't any material thing: I was granted 3 wishes for 2011 and I'm hoping they'll all come true.