knitted. knat?

I finished my big winter knitting project. It's about three or four feet long all stretched out, but all connected within the round. It took me three balls of yarn, and God knows how many hours to complete. But it's warm, lovely, and I made it, which is so cool. Technically, it's a cowl, but it's three feet longer than it should be and I don't really like that name for it, so my beloved Kristi found the Latin root of the word, and I've decided that's what I'll call it. Without further ado: my cuculla.

obair là--tòiseachadh.

A day's work--getting started.

I've realized that this book I've had for about a year now is in fact a Scottish Gaelic lesson book, and I've decided to get a head start on my Gaelic lessons for my Master's by teaching myself the basics with this book. Wish me luck.

more or less change.

It's another Saturday, and we're already six days into February 2010. I seriously cannot believe how quickly time passes. Jeremy and I will have been married three years this year, and together for five. Cael just turned two, I'll be twenty-three and Jeremy twenty-nine. I'm graduated from college, for over a year now, and looking toward graduate school. It's been almost six years since I've been part of a swim team, and four since I've been in any sort of theatrical production. Things have changed, people are missed, people are gone, and more people have entered my life. Though much has changed, and it's odd to think about--thinking about the things that haven't changed can be eye-opening as well. I'm still a writer, and an artist. Though my mediums have shifted a bit, I haven't painted since 2006--though I do want that to change. Photography is still prevalent in my life. I knit, crochet, and sew now, things that I've always wanted to be good at. I still love reading, and getting lost in worlds and places in which I've never set foot. I love reading words, and thinking to myself, "I want to make readers feel this way about my characters, about my story one day." I still love God, love my husband, and love my dog. And I still love Ireland and all things Celtic--Scotland will be added to that list soon, Lord willing.
Jeremy and I have both submitted our applications to the University of Edinburgh, and now all we have to do it wait. Wait for God's will to be done. Waiting is harder than I anticipated. I think having control over a situation, like filling out an application, is easier than waiting for someone else to do their part before you can have an answer, like references or even the university itself. It's hard not to imagine us in Edinburgh later this year, whereas before I had a hard time actually imagining us there. That's encouraging, albeit frightening.
Chelsea's love, Andrew, is home for R&R from Afghanistan right now, and it is so absolutely wonderful to see them together again. That is another change. They are together, and reveling not only in their love for each other, but appreciating every touch and word they get to say to each other's faces, instead of on a page or screen. Appreciating the simple things experienced together.
The snow here has been almost unabated since it began. It's cold tendrils freezing everything in its path, making the everyday things like going to work treacherous. Yet, as the snow falls delicately to the ground, and the trees shimmer in their icy garb, I cannot help but simply appreciate its beauty. (It helps that I can stay home all day, not having to venture out.)
I'm still at Biltmore, though that could slightly change soon as well. Well, I'd still be at Biltmore, but I've applied for another position there. The Design Specialist position with the Biltmore Legacy would include hands-on creativity and design, incorporating Biltmore's history and family stories, as well as implementing advertising for the Biltmore For Your Home line. I'd be creating displays and talking with guests about the history of Biltmore, and other such fun stuff. Sounds right down my alley, huh? We'll see, I'll keep you posted.
So it seems that while change can be frightening and inconvenient at times, it is that change that we love to remember, and that change that shapes who we are. Change is inevitable and always imminent, just embrace it and remember from whence you've come.

One more thing. Just to remind you, in case you've forgotten-- I do, most unequivocally, still love hot tea.

Contemplatively,

Caitlin

Tha mi airson Gàidhlig ionnsachadh.

I'm not really sure what I intended on saying when I sat down, and decided to write a post tonight. And quite honestly, still have no idea what this post will be about. I've been thinking a lot lately about Scotland, partly due to the series of books I am reading of late, Diana Gabaldon's Outlander and the subsequent novels following.
After months of trying to plan a near future where Jeremy goes to graduate school and I work to support us and not getting very far at all in said plans, Jeremy and I have decided that we will try to go to school at the same time, instead of taking turns. We've decided on the University of Edinburgh, which is a different school, but the same city as we were planning before when Jeremy was to be the one attending school. Theology in History shall be Jeremy's course of study, and mine shall be Highland Studies--which is essentially the Scottish version of the Irish Studies degree I was planning on getting in Ireland after Jeremy was finished, complete with learning Scottish Gaelic rather than Irish. Now don't get me wrong, my loyalties and passion have not simply shifted with the wind on the heather, and I plan on still getting a degree in Irish Studies as well perhaps, but I've realized that if I'm Irish, I am very much Scottish as well. To say it more simply, I am Celtic, and I intend on learning exactly what that means. For, as I said in my application essay: While my soul might be emerald green, my heart is tartan-clad.
I am excited about what the future holds in Scotland and in Ireland later on, but I also realize that I must focus on today as well, not just look to far horizons, for how am I to reach said horizon if I cannot see where I am walking just now? As Jeremy and I finish up our applications, and continue preparations for moving, I pray that we do not lose sight of what we are to do here,
in the meantime, before we go gallivanting in the outer rims, before we fulfill our role as Voyagers.








This is a photo I found of Edinburgh. Up on the far hill you can see Edinburgh Castle, the university is below it.

ashley and hans.

The day after Christmas I had an opportunity to photograph another wedding. This wedding was perhaps the most challenging and most stressful wedding I've ever shot. On Christmas Day, Ridgecrest, where the wedding festivities were to be held, lost its electricity due to the heavy ice and cold snap that was weighing heavily on everything up in our part of the mountains. Since the electricity was not going to be able to be back on in time for the wedding, a lot of plans changed. In fact, seven months worth of planning was turned upside down with just one day to attempt to reevaluate. No electricity means no lights and no heat, both of which are key to a smooth wedding in late December. Well, things turned out well, not quite as expected and the Lord knows had I been the bride I would not have been as calm as Ashley was. But Ashley and Hans took what they were dealt, and focused on each other and what they were doing that day, not how comfortable it was or how many people showed up. As Ashley so poignantly put it when I praised her ability to take the events of the day in stride, "I had to--what was important is the covenant." How true that is, and how often do brides get caught up in the formalities and flowers and forget the reason that they're really there. So congratulations to Hans and Ashley Suhs, may you never forget how important that covenant is. Here are a couple photos from your day to appease your appetite until I get them all finished.

christmas, weddings, and snow.

It is now the new year, and I wish a happy one to all those reading here. My new year was perhaps, no, decidedly the best I have had yet. The fact of which I completely owe to my brother Drew and his new wife (my new sister), Kelsey, and their nuptials on New Year's Eve. So congrats to them again and again. But, I get ahead of myself. There is much to be said, or at least alluded to in this post.
One is that the mountains had one of the biggest snows its seen here in nearly ten years. I almost died in it, and probably would have been sacrificed to the icy snow gods had it not been for my knight in shining armor who came to rescue me in my distress. We made it home safe from the castle to our humble abode, where I prompt let loose all the tears I was holding in as not to distract Jeremy from driving. The next day it was notably happier as I watched Cael frolic and prance in the two feet of snow. Here is a photo of said prancing.
Christmas was a smash, our first real Christmas together, Jeremy and I, or at least the first one where we got a tree and exchanged planned ahead and thought out gifts. It was great, and I made Breakfast Casserole and Strawberry Butter as per the Barker tradition. Oh, and on Christmas Eve I saw Emmanuel Lewis in Biltmore House, you know, Webster, from the 80s TV show? Pretty cool.
Then came New Year's Eve, after a stressful weekend of photographing a wedding without electricity. Jeremy and I arrived in Greensboro on the 30th for the wedding rehearsal and dinner for Drew and Kelsey. I was able to snap a great shot of my big brothers, Stephen and Drew, demonstrating for the bridal party how the bride's maids and groomsmen should walk down the stairs to the stage.
The wedding the next day went swimmingly, Kelsey looked absolutely radiant, and Drew incredibly dapper. Apart from a minor lack of oxygen and water causing a slight blackout on my part onstage--I was able to save it and stay standing--nothing went awry during the ceremony. The reception was wonderful, plenty of drink, dancing, and fun was had by all, and it was so terribly good to have my family all around me again. I don't realize how much I miss Drew, Stephen, Megh, and Jake until I'm around them a remember how much I truly enjoy their company. And of course, it is always ever so good to see my parents--they're wonderful to say the least.
Needless to say, after a full night of partying until close to 4 o'clock in the morning, the next morning we were a little rough for the wear. But, a stop to the local Irish pub for a full breakfast and some hot black tea did the trick to cure us enough to make it home. The Irish know how to do it. And now I'm back still trying to recover from a full holiday season, and looking back with fond memories. I love my family, both new and old, and am so thankful to have one such as them.

too long.

It has been entirely too long. I know this, but every time I come and look at my blog I decide not to write because I haven't adequate time. I suppose I haven't just now either for all I should say, and all that has gone on in the last month and a half. But I'm writing, and that's just the point isn't it? I'll post photos soon of Christmas tree and Christmas things, but they're still on my camera just now so they'll have to wait. I can, however post some photos from a recent senior portrait shoot I did of Carlee Blanchat, little sister of Kelsey, great friend from Hickory. Here you are, to tide you over until I next write. God knows when that'll be.