Is this why the moon is so bright tonight?

Being half Chinese and growing up in Hong Kong, I remember celebrating the mid-Autumn festival with my mum's family.  I remember lighting the colourful lanterns and scowling when being asked to try the moon cake.  I also remember loving the stories. 

Tonight I was trying to recall the myth about the Chinese Moon Goddess, Chang'e, but my memory fails me. So I scoured the Internet instead, looking to jog my memory.
Who would have known that practically every Chinese province has a different version of that story! 

So I read a few different versions, picked them apart and sewed the pieces back together into the story which fitted my childhood.

Chang'e and her husband, Hou'yi, were immortals living in Heaven.  Enjoying a comfortable life, Hou'yi was a well respected archer, and Chang'e and her sisters were known for their beauty.   One day the Jade Emperor's 10 sons transformed themselves into suns, scorching the earth below.  Having failed to take heed from their father, the Emperor summoned Hou'yi for his help.  It is unclear what the Emperor's intentions were, asking Hou'yi to assist in the matter, but when Hou'yi shot and killed nine of his sons (leaving one for the sun), the Emperor was furious.   In anger, he banished Hou'yi and Chang'e to Earth.

Chang'e was devastated.  Seperated from her family and facing her own mortality, she became depressed.  As they began to age, and seeing his wife's despair, Hou'yi decided to go in search of the elixir which would grant them youthful immortality again.  The road was treacherous and long, but the love he felt for his wife, and the opportunity for them to live together forever, spurred him on.

Eventually he reached the Queen Mother of the West who was so moved by Hou'yi's love for his wife, and the perilous journey he took for her, she agreed to give him the elixir.  Taking Hou'yi's hand, she placed a pill in the middle of his palm, " Take this home to your wife.  Take half a pill each, and you will fly to the moon where you can live and rule together, forever." 

Chang'e was delighted when Hou'yi returned with the promise of immortality.
However, when Hou'yi left the room to get some wine for them to take the pill with, Chang'e opened the pouch and was devastated to see there was only one pill.  She did not realise they were to take half a pill each, and in haste, took the whole pill herself.  By the time Hou'yi returned, Chang'e had gone.

Broken hearted Hou'yi was inconsolable and the Gods took pity on him, thereby granting Chang'e and Hou'yi a reunion once a year.  The legend has it, Chang'e is at her most beautiful on this night, ready to greet her husband, and so the moon shines brighter than any other night.

* Today, for the first time in just under twenty years, the harvest moon and the autumnal equinox coincide.  This won't happen again until 2029.   I wonder what that means for Chang'e and Hou'yi?

Sneak Peek: Louise & Russ

Managed to squeeze in an engaged Lovebirds photo shoot this afternoon with Louise and Russ.
We decided, at the last minute, to meet in Woodstock and took pictures in the grounds of Blenheim Palace.
It was perfect.
They were perfect.

In Tandem

"I fancy an adventure today."
I could barely open my eyes, but I could feel Cam's excitement willing me to wake up.
"I think we should take the tandem into Oxford and cycle to Osney Lock and follow the river down to Iffley Lock and then make our way back to the station." 
Pregnant pause.
This was clearly where I was meant to reciprocate with equal enthusiasm.
So I think he was a little disappointed (I am not a morning person) when all I could muster up was a list of problems we had with the tandem, last time we went on an adventure.

A shot of caffeine later however, I had warmed up to the idea, and as we found ourselves ready to set off an hour before the next train was due; we decided to be bold and cycle to Oxford! 
15 leisurely miles later, we pull up at M&S to grab a couple of sandwiches to eat by the river. 
After pulling out all the salad from his sandwich, we ate our food, and continued down the Thames path from Botley to Iffley village, whilst Cam gave me a mini tour of the little hidden waterways he travels down in the kayak along the way.

It was such a glorious day.
And not only because of the weather.
It was just a wonderful way to spend time together, chatting and laughing as we cycled along.
Truly, I never thought exercise could be so much fun!
Banbury, you're next.

Happy Friday ~ Yummy Banana Cake

Yup this post is simply a recipe.
Everytime I come to bake this cake (Cam's favourite), I end up scouring the Internet looking for the recipe.
So here it is, for once and for all.
It's basically a Nigella recipe,with cinnamon and walnuts added to it.
I also compliment it with a cinnamon and vanilla buttercream icing.... yum!

175g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb
1/2 tsp salt
125g butter
150g sugar
2 eggs
300g bananas
1 tsp vanilla essence
liberal sprinkling of cinnamon
bag of chopped walnuts

Icing -
140g butter
280g icing sugar
liberal sprinkling of cinnamon
dash of vanilla essence

Cam's out at some kayaking AGM right now, but as soon as he comes back:
coffee + warm slice of banana cake + cuddle up on the sofa + Dexter season 3 = Happy Friday :)

Happy Birthday, Nat

One of the best times in my life BC (Before Cam) was when I lived in this tiny bedsit just off Baker Street.
And I mean tiny.  No more than 9ft x 5ft I would say; with just enough room for a single bed alongside one wall, and a hand basin/sink area and bar fridge along the opposite wall. 
Inbetween was a gap just wide and long enough to fit a Nat. 
Made-to-measure.

Those were the days when Nat and I really became friends.  When we made the organic transformation from "let's get together for a drink", to "fancy staying over tonight and watching a DVD?"  My favourite evenings were those when Nat and I would meet up for Italian food in the local ristorant, joke and flirt with the waiters, and then return to the house where you have to pay 50p for a timed shower in the morning (seriously!) but could have been the MGM Grand for all we cared. 

We would play the Practical Magic soundtrack, singing out loud to Faith Hill.  We would order from Urban Fetch (just to have the complimentary cookies!) and then lie there watching DVDs, giggling, and dreaming about our futures.   Nat became not just part of my life then, but part of my future.

It's been well over a decade now, and Nat is still very much part of my life.
When Cam and I moved to Australia and I was desperately homesick, Nat used to text and call me frequently, and even came out to visit us.  In some of my hardest times over the years, Nat was always there and ready to help. 

Today she celebrates her 39th birthday, and I just wanted to celebrate her out loud.
At the beginning of the year, everything she believed in, including herself, crumbled to the ground.
But over the last 12 months Nat has found strength to reconstruct her future.
Bigger.  Better.  Brighter.

She has shown tenacity picking herself up.  Again.  And again.  And again, until she found firm foundations. 
As I've tried to be there for her, I have been in awe of her grace and courage as she follows her truth. 
I've watched her grapple and question her faith, her judgement, and been inspired by her raw honesty.

Today she stands on the precipice of a new future.  Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Nat has emerged from this experience wiser, stronger, and more beautiful for it.   I have been humbled by her journey, and I am so proud to call this woman a friend.

Happy birthday, Nat
xo

My secret shame

Although I am from the Take That generation, I didn't exactly notice their music until Take That Take 2 really, so Robbie Williams was just some popstar I heard about.  I didn't own any of his CDs, and could probably hum along maybe to a couple of his more popular songs, but I really couldn't see what all the fuss was about.  In 2006 however, during our stint of living Down Under, I became really homesick; and when Robbie announced his Close Encounters tour, I felt he represented a real live slice of Britain I just had to have.  So that's what I went for, a little something from home... I came back however with a new middle-aged crushsession, and a collection of back catalogue CDs and DVDs grew from that.

So last weekend I was lucky enough to have a friend who had some spare tickets for the Help for Heroes concert, where Robbie Williams was the headline act.  Needless to say, I was looking forward to seeing his performance, and he did not disappoint. There was the dancing, the shouting, the bouncing, the sweating...
But something was missing.

I think what used to fuel the Robbie Williams fantasy for me was the fact that he was always searching for The One, and whilst he never found it, he wrote heartfelt lyrics and stared adoringly into the crowd for their energy to fill the spaces in his heart.   It tapped into the dormant teenage, but-i-can-change-him fantasy, and made me feel 15 again.  For me that was the small but magic ingredient in a Robbie Williams concert, and my secret shame.

However now, where he once needed the love and adulation of thousands, it seemed he would have sooner been curled up on the sofa with all 44 inches of Mrs William's legs wrapped around him watching TV.  And who could blame him?

As a selfish woman who enjoyed her brief fantasy forays, I am gutted.
But as someone who gets to curl up in the nook of the man she loves every night, I know there is no greater thing in life; and I am delighted for him.
That Ayda is one lucky lady.

Married: Stacey & Luke

From the outset we were excited about Stacey and Luke's wedding.  We've met with them twice, over the last 12 months leading up to the big day, and each time we came away from their company giggling in excitement.  Cam was doubley excited because Stacey and Luke are VW fans, and a split screen camper (which was a surprise for Luke) and a VW beetle, were both being featured in the days proceedings! 

You know, all weddings are magical, and it is a real privilege to get to share in one of the most joyful family occasions.   You get to really see love in action at times like this.  Not just between the bride and groom, but amongst family and friends too.  You get to see love in it's rawest forms, where it is accepted (even encouraged), to be sentimental and sweet and beautiful and romantic and gentle.   Where you are expected (even encouraged) to have fun, be happy, feel good.  This is a time when a handshake often becomes a hug, a quick hello becomes, "Wow, you're looking great, how are you....", and where you often hear words from the heart which sometimes get lost in everyday life.

Stacey and Luke's big day had all this in abundance.
The sheer love was palpable. 
The thing is, I don't think this was a one day only occurance; but rather here was a group of people, families, who really enjoyed each other all the time.  

And then we were gifted with the most glorious sunset.  After two days of torrential rainfall, even the sky couldn't help but smile on these two beautiful people.

Stacey and Luke, your day was true joy.
May each and every day bring you as much joy with each other.
High fives all round :)
xo

You can see more pictures from Stacey and Luke's wedding by clicking here.

I see you

found via a tweet from my dear friend, who was actually retweeting this fire cracker.

What a great premise for a film.  What a great premise on life!  And Cafe Gratitude! Wow, what a place*.  Imagine your waiter/waitress coming up and asking you a question like that, and being genuinely interested in your answer!  Reading Frank's own introduction, it seems there isn't enough of this in life.  A place where people can go and be heard.  Because it would seem being listened to can create miracles.  Can be transformational.

I think that's what drew me to blogging intially, and something I was finding hard to seperate from my completely personal, and now, supposedly more businesslike, blog.   But it keeps getting clearer.  My voice, is my voice, and represents who I am.  My blog is my way of communiticating to people I know, don't know, hope to know -  and yes, some of them will be potential clients. But ultimately it's about connection.   My blog, my business, me.  I am looking to connect with people.  I know I have the option of having two blogs, but the nature of what I do is personal, and it is important to me that I am selected not just for the photographs I take but because of who I am too.   I want my clients to like me because I want to like them - and I'll be honest, it's hard to like people who don't like you :)  But anyhow, I digress...

In the beginning, I was just looking to be heard.  I guess I still am in many ways; in fact I think we all are in one way or another.  Just look at the phenomenon of Facebook and Twitter; we are all consicously, or not, looking to be seen.   Because to me, being heard and being seen, are the same thing.  You know like in Avatar, when what's-her-name says to the gorgeous Sam Worthington, "I see you." Hell yeah, Sam, I see you too ;)  But seriously, do you know what I mean?  For someone to fully see me, inside and out, they need to hear me.

At times I find  that difficult in day to day life.  We live in such fast paced times, at times it can leave us acting on automatic or neutral.  If not dashing from one thing to another, we just coast, trying to regain some energy before the dashing begins again.  Certainly for me, it seems sometimes I go from 0 to a 100mph with very little in between.

Interestingly enough this is something I am learning through photography.  To pause.  Listen.  And reflect.  Internally and externally, this is what I am trying to do.

* is there somewhere like this in the UK?

Just Because...

When I was younger, one of my ex-boyfriends said to me, "You will never be satisfied, Penny.  Because what you want doesn't exist."  He was a pretty decent guy too, the guy who said that, and over the years there were occasions where I did wonder whether he might have been on to something.

But then I met Cam.
He was so perfect.  So perfect for me, I didn't think it could it be true.
He still is perfect.  In fact, there are still days when I pinch myself now. 
Nearly ten years on, and I still can't quite believe how damn lucky I am.

Because for me, there is truly nothing more wonderful, nothing more sacred or special than finding that someone to share the rest of your life with.   I had a bookmark once upon a time, decorated with glitter and unicorns, which said, "life's meaning is love's magic."  Yes, very cheesy, but so true (for me anyway).

Over the last 9 years, I've lost my father, moved to the other side of the world (and back again), nursed my mother through 4 strokes,  endured a failed IVF attempt, and seen us nearly financially destitute amongst other things...  I think we've had our fair share of bad luck and failures - but despite all this, everyday I still had something to be grateful for.  Having Cam in my life, made anything else temporary and bearable.  Having Cam reminds me, no matter what, I am so, so, lucky.

This man rocks my World.
So today I just wanted to celebrate that.
Celebrate him. Just because.
xo