Ordinary

or·di·nar·y

adjective

1. 1.

   with no special or distinctive features; normal; plain or undistinguished.

noun

1. 1.

   what is commonplace or standard.

So my friend Tracie started a project that involved capturing the ordinary in her life.  I have just loved what she has been capturing! She is not only a gifted photographer, but a gifted writer.  Her words, especially those that follow her ordinary captures are so honest, open, and paint a lovely story. This is not an area that I am gifted in, so I find it very inspiring.  When I take a picture I hope that it captures what I want to say.  I love great quotes and often use them instead of my own words.  This is one of those times where I have to remind myself, it is what it is, right?  I love the ordinary, and I love documenting the ordinary.  This is something that I often get teased about when it comes to taking photos.  I take the obvious photo, and then I get in real close and get the details, those little things that you don't realize matter today, details that will long be forgotten but will perhaps be appreciated when looked back upon one day. Today they are ordinary so why would anyone care?  It requires insight to know that one day you WILL care, one day those little ordinary details will have extraordinary meaning. I know this to be true. So I asked Tracie if she minded if I joined in.  Her project is a 365 project, far too ambitious for me at this time.  I am just going to chime in from time to time with my ordinary capture.  I love too that Tracie waits, she doesn't go looking for it, but waits until it finds her. beautiful. 

Here is a video that really demonstrates the legacy of a photograph, the ordinary details of a life lived. I have been talking a lot about this lately to some people....cough cough. 

So with out further ado, here is my first capture of the ordinary, candles. I am known for lighting candles, I do it often.  I love candles, they transform an atmosphere, they create mood, scent, warmth, and coziness. It doesn't matter the time of day, I light a candle.  At night, I light several candles. It's a beautiful thing. My husband and I joke because it seems that every house we have lived in has found itself with wax in the carpet. A few days ago, there was an incident, a near miss. 
There is a lady that when I run into her while out and about always refers to me as the one who turned her on to candles. We were working on a homeschool project years ago, and she came to my house several times.  I had candles lit. To me it is everyday, ordinary.  Apparently that is not the case for everyone.  She just loved that there were candles lit, and told me when she left she was going to the store to buy some for her house. Of course running through my head was "what, you don't own any candles, how can that be".
Last year when I went on my first trip away from home to meet up with my photography friends, I brought gifts.....all natural candles. surprise.  I recently visited my daughter in her new home, and what did I find?  Several lit candles, and a candle mishap, so proud. In her words, "I am my mother's daughter".