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Meeting Online Friends: Making it Happen

January 26, 2017 by Barb 11 Comments

Meeting online friends these days has become pretty common … and when said new friend visits you in your home, you make lemon loaf, serve tea, and then you shoot it ;) (that is, if your new friend is a fellow photographer and lover of still life styling!)

Meeting online friends is easy ... serve tea and lemon loaf ...

I’m loving the new Lightroom presets by Kim Klassen. Today’s photo edited with kk_claro: click, boom!

I met Kathy @kpardell at #findingstillness2016 with Kim @kimklassen back in September and I was immediately struck by her enthusiasm and determination to learn everything she could; from styling, to photography, to editing. She was already styling beautiful images which I’d been noticing online in The Studio 2.0 and I was curious to discover who this new talent was!

So after a few days of getting to know her (in real life), and because she lives in the same province as I do, I invited her to come stay with me “someday”. Well, with Kathy Pardell “someday” is not a day of the week ;) quote by Denise Brennan-Nelson

As soon as I uttered the words, the wheels were in motion! So after spending several months trying to come up with a mutually agreeable date, we finally settled on a late January visit.

Suddenly, I was nervous. Very, very, nervous. I (would have said) Kathy and I are on opposite ends of the personality spectrum. Kathy being a Type A, and me being a Type B. And while there may be a bit of truth to that analysis, it certainly wasn’t a problem. We got along famously!

She arrived around noon so I had homemade soup simmering on the stove, ready to warm hearts and hands. A perfect way to break the ice!

I also had a lemon loaf I’d baked just that morning, so I suggested we use it to create a few still life images around two friends enjoying tea and cake. That kept us busy for hours … shooting, editing, and finally eating some of that yummy loaf.

After lunch we took a walk to soak up the bright January sunlight and work off a bit of the sugar high from the cake we’d eaten. I also wanted to give Kathy an idea of how I live—quietly, on the shores of a small lake, in a somewhat secluded area.

For dinner I made a simple salad (recipe to come later this week). I’d marinated a salmon, which I barbecued and served with asparagus and rice. Easy, but elegant.

With bellies full and feeling like we’d known each other for ages, we retired to the living room where we talked and talked: about food, photography, and life. We enjoyed tea, wine, and a roaring fire.

Yesterday I took her around to visit my favourite little stores: one a country store about 5 minutes from my home, and the other a junque store in a small town about 20 minutes away. A few purchases and a delicious lunch later, we headed back to relax for the evening (but not before a few more still life images were created and shot.)

Today I find myself alone at the kitchen table … basking in the beautiful sunlight pouring through the windows and thinking about this new world we live in; where meeting a new friend does not depend solely on geography. You can simply remain on-line friends (which is great), or when possible, you can take it to the next level and meet in real life … you just have to make it happen … because someday is not a day of the week.

This has been a bit of a ramble, I know, but I wanted to document our visit before the details fade into oblivion. I’m still in the processing stage … and writing this post has helped so much.

 

Click image to download.

**Word Art is for personal use only :)

Filed Under: LIFE Tagged With: freebie, lightroom preset, online friend, still life, word art

Comments

  1. León says

    January 26, 2017 at 4:36 pm

    I love that quote. How often do we say, “We should get together some time,” and that’s as far as it ever goes. Good for you too for making it happen. It sounds like it was a delightful visit!

    Reply
    • León says

      January 26, 2017 at 4:38 pm

      I meant “you two” not “you too.” I should proofread before clicking Post! :-)

      Reply
      • Barb Brookbank says

        January 26, 2017 at 5:24 pm

        Hi León! yes, we had a great visit … isn’t that quote the best!? thank you for stopping by :)

        Reply
  2. Mary says

    January 27, 2017 at 3:49 am

    What fun! I’m excited that an online friend of mine (we’re both knitters and we met through Ravelry – not sure you know about that website? …anyway) is going to be taking a road trip to Florida next month and she’ll be spending an afternoon and night with me. We won’t be taking still life photos, but we will have lunch at my favorite restaurant, visit a yarn shop and have dinner … I love your menu of grilled salmon and asparagus. That part I just might copy!!

    Reply
    • Barb Brookbank says

      February 10, 2017 at 6:40 pm

      That is so cool Mary! enjoy your visit!

      Reply
  3. Celine says

    January 29, 2017 at 9:37 am

    So great for both of you. I bet Kathy enjoyed her time with you just as much. They say “people come into your life for a reason”. I believe that but I don’t stress or try analyze what the reason is. I just enjoy the times spent, but I do love that quote. These things don’t happen unless an effort is put into it. Good on both of you for taking that step.

    Reply
    • Barb Brookbank says

      February 10, 2017 at 6:45 pm

      Thank you Celine … it’s an amazing world isn’t it? but we do have to put in the work :)

      Reply
  4. Suzanne says

    February 1, 2017 at 9:45 am

    Sounds like a perfect respite
    for two kindred spirits! How
    lovely for both of you!

    I’ve had the pleasure of
    connecting with on-line friends
    in real life, and although it
    can be nerve-inducing at first,
    we always end up talking and
    talking like old friends. The
    best!

    Love the lemon cake photo : )

    xo Suzanne

    Reply
    • Barb Brookbank says

      February 10, 2017 at 6:46 pm

      Thank you my lovely friend for stopping by and leaving your beautiful comment … I so appreciate you.

      Reply
  5. Kathy Pardell says

    February 7, 2017 at 7:02 pm

    Barb! I just saw this post tonight as I was reviewing your blog. Somehow I had missed it earlier in the week…
    What a treasure you are. Thank you so much for the lovely chats, the scrumptious food and your inspiration while styling and shooting. It was everything I thought the visit would be and so much more. I feel like I’ve known you for well beyond the past 5 months and reading this today, has brought a smile to my face and a warmth to my heart. You’re the ultimate hostess and I hope we will be able to do it again “someday”…
    Much love))

    Reply
    • Barb Brookbank says

      February 10, 2017 at 6:47 pm

      Thank you Kathy … I’m so happy with the way everything went! Thank you for stopping by (here, and at my home :)

      I’m sure we’ll meet again …

      Reply

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Welcome! I'm Barb, and this is where I practice my mantra to "learn something new, try something different". It's my hope that something I do here may inspire you! Read More…

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