Phoenix Rising: The Story of a Vermont Woman's Journey to Freedom

  It's been 2 weeks since I sent in my PASS application. I haven't heard anything yet. I am trying not to be anxious, but that is hard. So to keep my mind busy I have been going out to places that I have never been before. I certainly did not have the confidence I do now. I have been going on more back roads and stopping in places I wouldn't normally go. I was always told NOT to go places. I was fed fear morning, noon and night. Now that I have decided to live my life for myself and now that I have been through so much in the past 6 years I have gotten a lot braver. I don't care what people have to say when I'm on the side of the road. I have been traveling around so I can get comfortable for when I do some real traveling across America. Hopefully that will happen this year, but that's ok as long as I can do it by next year.  I have a rather big photoshoot in the mild of June. I will be doing several types of photography in Proctorsville, Vt. I will be doing a p...

  One of my favorite things to do with photography is the traveling. Now that I'm not taking care of my parents and my daughter is all grown up I miss the chaotic running around I used to do. On an average day when I was working on three farms, taking care of both my parents who lived thirty miles I would put on about 100 to 250 miles a day from dawn till dusk. Now that I'm alone with just Caera and Little Bean I have learned to enjoy driving. Living in Vermont you can take your time. You don't need to rush. And there are always places you where you can pull over to let someone by.  Living in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont there is so much to see. It's almost like there is a photo opportunity around every corner. Today I went to Comerford Dam in Lower Waterford, Vermont. I was going to go to a different place this morning, but it was busy and I really wanted some quite time. So Comerford it was. It was amazing because I happened to pull up to one of my favorite places...

 I know it's been since February since I have written on my blog. Well! That's because I have been super busy. I finished up with my grant through Vocational Rehabilitation and it was approved!!! I was able to buy a car and I got my business established with the state of Vermont. So as of earlier this week the Sierra St. Francis Mobile Photography Studio is up and running. With my grant money from Voc Rehab I was able to get a 10x15 tent and a lighting kit. I am currently working on the PASS program with Social Security. Here is a link on it if you are interested in knowing what it's all about. It is such a great program. https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/pass.htm Since getting my car you would think I would be out everyday, BUT I don't want to run up the mileage on my car because I plan on getting an SUV or a Pick Up so I will be able to pull my trailer around. That is the next step when I get accepted into the PASS program. I had to create a "shopping lis...

  Whether you believe in a higher power or not, when you are in the bubble of a pure soul you can be over come with emotion. Caera is literally an Angel on Earth.. When we got Caera I didn't even want her. I was done having dogs. I have been without my boxer Brandy that I had for 10 years and then I had to give my little Jack Russell mix to my mom so he wouldn't be euthanized. I was so busy at that point in our lives that I didn't feel I had the time or energy to train a puppy. My daughter just graduated the 8th grade. She really wanted a dog. Her best friend's family golden retrieverjust had a litter of 10 puppies. I was completely against it and we couldn't afford them anyway. But my daughter was bound and determined to have a puppy. I told her that if she saved all of her summer job money then I would try to get the other part of it for her. So my daughter worked her butt off and by the end of the summer she had half of what we needed. It didn't look like we ...

Phoenix Rising: A Vermont Woman's Journey To Freedom      When your writing about your life its hard to know where to start. When your trying to write for grants on a life changing project its even harder to know where to start.          First I guess I will start with what I'm trying to get a grant for and then go from there. Since 2018 I have been working on a way that will guarantee myself a home and work. I have been trying to think of a way that I can combine my passion for photography to coincide with my living situation. Then the tiny house nation started to rev up and now I have found my solution that in turn is going to help out so many more people.     I'm currently looking into getting grants and crowdfunding for a Mobile Photography Studio. I have almost all of the camera equipment I need and I have been spending $20 to $50 a month for tiny home/camper needs. I have been downsizing all of my belongings and saving mo...