On March 23, 2018, I finally quit social media because I wanted my time and attention back. Then I disabled or deleted the following accounts: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Tumblr, Slack, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Google Plus, Fitbit, and Flickr. I wasn't actively sharing my creative work on all the accounts listed above. However, the sites I regularly used—like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram—fragmented my attention. I felt like I was wasting my time, and I was tired of picking up my phone. Plus, I wasn't actively using Flickr, Pinterest, Google Plus, etc. In short, it was time ..read more

Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. — Sometimes by Mary Oliver (RIP) View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize ..read more

On Thursday, October 25, 2018, Logan and I said goodbye to one of our best friends, Elaina. Letting her go was one of the hardest things we've done. She was our friend and companion for over 14 years, and it's strange not seeing her daily. I'm thankful that Christie is still with us. Her health is holding steady, she's eating lots of food, and is incredibly playful. She's also adjusting to life without Elaina in the house. Christie and Elaina weren't best friends. However, they learned to tolerate one another over the years. I don't know if Christie misses Elaina or not, but she's more loving ..read more

Hi friends! Last weekend, The Husband and I went to Bend, Oregon. We celebrated our 16th year of marriage. It was a treat to eat good food, hang out with friends, hike, and bike. Enjoy the photos! View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize ..read more

Last weekend, I went back to Table Mountain in Butte County, CA to see the wildflowers. The flowers are in full bloom, and gorgeous. I felt like I was walking through a Vincent van Gogh painting.  If you have the opportunity, visit Table Mountain. Before visiting, buy a $5.00 CDFW land pass at www.wildlife.ca.gov. Enjoy the photos! View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsi ..read more

January 20, 2022 This blog contains selected essays and photos from my newsletter and old blog. I blogged on this website from 2007 to 2019! I archived 99% of my blog posts because it was time to start fresh. The best way to keep up with my creative work is by subscribing to my newsletter. Happy reading! With gratitude, Tammy ..read more

March 5, 2021 Today, I have sad news to share. Earlier this week, Logan and I said goodbye to our furry family member Christie the Cat. During the last month, Christie's health started to decline at a steady rate. She stopped grooming, lost interest in the things she loved doing, and rarely cuddled us. Last week, we became very concerned. She didn't eat or drink for 24-hours, so Logan and I took her to our veterinarian on Friday, February 26, 2021. The news wasn't good. Dr. Moore, our veterinarian, said that Christie's weight had declined another ten percent. For a tiny cat, the news of more w ..read more

January 29, 2021 Last weekend, I rode my bike to a coffee shop to meet a friend. I haven’t been on my cute pink bike in months, and it felt good to peddle to the coffee shop in the cool air. After I ordered my oat milk cappuccino, I found a seat and table outside. My friend joined me, and we drank coffee and chatted about life and coronavirus vaccines. Recently, my friend got her first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, which is exciting! We talked at a distance and wore masks because scientists are still gathering data on how vaccines affect the transmission of COVID-19. And that means, I will be ..read more

January 22, 2021 I've been thinking about how false and misleading claims spread online and in real life. This topic also keeps coming up in my readings. For example, in an article on mob thinking Sara Fischer and Alison Snyder—reporters at Axios—said: “ … The way people determine what's true and what's false, especially online, relies heavily on people trusting sources of information over substance, according to experts. Rather than trying to fact-check everything, experts say, people use heuristics — a kind of mental shortcut for fact-checking that can rely on cues like whether the informat ..read more

January 15, 2021 Last week, I read and listened to a lot of reporting about the siege at the Capitol, the Presidential transition, and updates on COVID-19. I went way too deep into the news. I also received sad news on Monday. My mom's dog, Henry, died. Henry was a crazy dog, and I loved him. I took hundreds of My Morning View photos with Henry in the frame. Henry was easy to photograph because he was very food motivated. He’d do almost anything for a treat. Currently, I’m gathering my photos of Henry for my mom. Henry was a beautiful dog, and he will be missed deeply. Amid all this, I’ve been ..read more