Weeks eighteen and nineteen.

Beautiful flowers given as thanks.

I was trying to switch to the back lens on the iPhone and hit the wrong button.

A little gift.

Spring is here.

Week eleven is up.

I don’t really understand the appeal of gyms and exercise studios with glaring fluorescent lights. Give me tranquility and subtle natural lighting every time.

Josh and I just posted week ten of the five•two•fifty-two project— we’re really pleased with how it’s turning out so far, and we’re looking forward to the next forty-two weeks.

Sometimes it takes a while to get these close-up shots just right. Not to mention the effort involved in getting enough light on my eye to show some colour. I love having black eyes but they do often look like lumps of coal in photos.

I was given a lovely gift of Chilean Merlot… perfect for a late winter’s evening.

So many accessory shops are doing 70% off at the moment. I don’t wear much jewellery on a daily basis, but at these prices, one can’t resist picking up a few things.

The water bearer.

I’m heading out on the road again today, celebratory as usual.

Peek-a-boo courtesy of Mahogany. It’s bright red.

Okay, so we’re approaching the middle of January and the tree is still up. Sue me.

I’m off to Minnesota for the holiday season. I’ll also be undertaking an important photography project, which I’m very excited about.

I’ve had that cold that’s going around… you know the one. Nothing a day relaxing by the sea can’t fix.

There is some long-haul travel in my near future… I’m flying halfway across the world in about ten days’ time to meet a photo client in conjunction a top-secret photo project. It won’t be secret forever, though— I will definitely post photos here.

And no, I didn’t cut my hair short, it just looks like it in this picture.

I put the tree up today… bring it.

It’s hard to believe, but five years ago today this site started out as an experiment to see what sort of things I could share with the world regarding life in Antalya. I feel like I’m still very much in the experimental phase, and maybe I always will be, but I love the people I’ve met along the way, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what the next five years will bring.

My most sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of you.

Long-time readers may remember my initial review of Bonbon Balm… well, I’ve just received my twelfth limited edition balm, and I love the set now just as much as I did when I first started collecting. Sadly, Bonbon has decided to cease production, which I’m sad about, but I’m still very glad to have this wonderful collection of handmade balms, along with the designer jars, which I’ll get to use over and over.

Now that it’s not hot anymore, it’s a great time of year to spend time at sidewalk cafés. Most have free wifi and almost all have great coffee, which is a nice change from five years ago when all you could get in Antalya was lukewarm Nescafé.

Sometimes it’s the little touches in decorating that make all the difference. I’m big on candleholders.

Self-portrait during a brief writing break.

Sunlight beaming through lucite as I sip iced coffee despite the cold and type, type, type.

Well, it’s that time of year again— our merry band of crazy NaNoWriMo participants is heading out of the starting gate, either with a bang or… not. As usual, I’ll be participating, and as usual, my novel has an element of the supernatural in it.

Why the candle? It’s part of my writing ritual. It keeps my creativity burning or something. Whatever, it works for me.

Best wishes to all the participating novelists! Let’s nail this thing.

I love travelling, even the parts where one has to have a sandwich and stale muffin for breakfast in the middle of the night. More on this particular trip tomorrow.

I, on the other hand, chose to escape the heat by freezing my legs in the stream. It was heavenly.

The weather’s starting to settle down a little, and it’s becoming possible to go out and do things again. It will only get better from here.

I had a lot of summer projects that are just finishing up, and now it’s time to begin on autumn ones, which are my favourites. All the best times of the year are coming up. Soon I’ll be putting away the summer clothes and venturing out during the day again. Right now, though, I’m taking some time to reflect on everything that’s happened so far this year, to process it and let it go and embrace the current season.

In many ways, September is the start of the new year for me. I think a lot of it has to do with the school year. When you’re a kid, September always means a fresh start, a new beginning. I like that feeling, and I like that it has stuck with me into adulthood. It makes me want to go out and buy some spiral notebooks and pens.

I have no idea why I thought turning on the oven in August would be a good idea, but I was in the mood for a baked meal and a savoury mushroom cobbler hit the spot. I have to admit, it was tasty, but it basically turned the entire house into an oven, which wasn’t terribly fun. I think I’ll wait for October to do any more baking.