Tag Archives: Photography

Meeting Artist/Author Franke James

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Just got back from a much needed and wonderful road trip to Toronto.

Artist /Author Franke James, whom I admire tremendously,  lives there and had agreed to meet me.

One can’t even begin to imagine my “pinch me” delight at this opportunity!  I say pinch me because Franke’s an inspiration to me.

Prior to my leaving, Franke shared some very alarming news about the canadian government blacklisting her pending european art show. Her post sharing this news was written the night before I left.  All I could do with the time I had was share a tweet about it pointing to her post. Her headline spoke to being silenced.

WOW — I found myself wondering how that would feel?

Imagine having your voice or your art completely squelched!

In today’s day of free speech and expression that just doesn’t seem possible, yet we ALL know censorship happens all the time.

On her blog post I wrote this comment:

Franke James examples creative brilliance, powerful voice and female gumption. Blacklisting her or any artist just isn’t right. Governments rearing their ugly heads like this show who and what they really are. I agree social media will have a field day with this, to your advantage I hope Franke – you deserve better.

Just watch social media will take this ugliness and story to a level not possible in traditional mediums. It will be interesting to see what happens as the situation continues to unfold.

Our time together was amusing.

My getting way lost in Toronto ( ugh ) delayed my arrival terribly.  She, in the mean time, found herself in between a conversation with Huffington Post and a radio interview.

I had all kinds of questions prepared in my head, yet with my late arrival, her flurry of activity, her returning from being out of town the days prior, and everything else. I found myself unfocused and I have to admit a bit star struck.

She told me I looked exactly like she imagined.  I felt the same way  – her big warm smile, giggly personality, cute as a button outfit and her trying to just go with the flow and make it all work was positively endearing. She, her home, her husband, her daughter just arriving for a visit and again the absolute flurry of her life all still had me feel welcomed, treasured and exactly what I might expect from Franke James.

I spoke to her about being famous and what that might be like and she just said …you mean that we might be normal despite being famous??   Uh – I had to agree!!

Franke James green journey captured my attention in 2007.  I was a brand new and very naive blogger.  I left a way too gushy “fan” comment on her post about her giving up her SUV. The truth was I had never been exposed to such original expression or voice.  She impressed me.  Her visual essays exampled the amazing potential and unique opportunity blogging offers.  She also examples a very human and accessible person.   Not often found in fame.

Since, and purely because of the blogosphere I have felt an integral part of her green evolvement and fame!   This speaks over and over to why I love the connecting and power of blogging.

Thanks to social media her recent turn events will not go unnoticed.

I look forward to continuing to be part of the story.

P.S.  Thank you Franke for the signed copy of your book, My Green Conscious!!

Images below taken by karen hanrahan 

 

 

Images below taken by Franke and Bill James 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swiss Chard

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the neighbor said take some chard.

happily!!

I use chard everywhere I use spinach. It’s a tad bitter – which I personally like. I adore it cut into strips in a salad, added to a veggie packed frittata and on it’s own I like it wilted w/a bit of garlic and topped w/ hard boiled egg and balsamic!  I use those amazing stems like celery for color and crunch.

Do you have any great recipes for chard??

image by karen hanrahan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking At AtMidwest About Blogging As An Expert And Going Viral!

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I am very privileged to be speaking twice (!) tomorrow at a new conference in Central, Illinois.

AtMidwest is THE getting practical about social media conference!

I will be speaking about my passion for blogging and how it’s a perfect medium for being an expert in one’s profession. I will be sharing how a blog fits into a social media circle of influence, and I will give some ideas on how to think about blogging strategically and practically.

Additionally, I am co-speaking with a lovely young gal about Viral Marketing. She and I both have had an insane viral internet happening.  While neither of us can say we know the tricks to going viral.  We will share that it happens often. The stories if anything are amusing as heck!!

Finally, I served on the board of this event and helped author the conference’s blog.

A full YEAR of efforts is finally seeing “its day”  Kudo’s to all of those who were involved!

That all said, I am nervous! I have taught and spoken for years about nutrition to audiences of all shapes and sizes.  Speaking in social media circles is very new for me.  Wish me luck!!