Why we need a "watch dog"....

We have a working relationship with the local racoons, they sneak into our yard at night and dig up the grubs that would otherwise turn our lawn that unsightly brown. We also have a dog that sleeps in the backyard at night. She is mostly if not entirely deaf, so we have had no problems with the wildlife grub police sneaking in. Our dog is so deaf in fact, that an actual prowler was seen climbing our deck stairs to our backdoor (the deckstairs pass over her dog house) to check to see if our door was locked. Happy ending it was! I'm sure the dog does not realize that a raccoon is dangerous wildlife because she suffers from a severe case of "little dog" syndrome. She's only ferocious when she has obvious backup or if she wants to annoy our cat. Sometime around 3 a.m. (because that is when all the growling and barking started) this little critter was "tree'd" by our ferocious dog. Won't she be surprised when she finds the cat asleep in his bed in the garage? Now what to do with a baby racoon in the the backyard tree? Any suggestions?

Should the "mother-of-the-bride" really take the pictures?

It was and always is my goal to make the bride happy. Paramount it is her day and things should be just as she wants them. Add one easy-going daughter to the mix who chooses her dress, her temple, her groom, her colors and her date and then walks away from all other decisions to be made. That's evidently what mothers are for. Paybacks are always a bummer and somewhere in the back of my mind I can't wait until she will be mother-of-the-bride. I think that is one of the only things that can make aging fun, when you see your children having to step up to the same challenges that they created for you as parents. Another lesson learned, is when a couple are really in love, the photographer is just a prop to their time spent getting to know each other. While it is difficult to marry off a child, there does come a point, when every child although loved unconditionally, has so annoyed you that they must move out to avoid personal harm and injury at the mother's hand. I know it's shocking, but every mother-of-the-bride is chuckling because she knows just what I mean. ;D

Freedom is not now nor has it ever been free...

This is an older picture from my archive of images. This was taken at the Viet Nam War Memorial in Washington D.C., the subject in the foreground is my son. Each name engraved on the black marble memorializes someone who gave their life to secure our freedom. Each name represents a family that suffered the loss of a loved one. In our everyday life with all our modern conveniences it's easy to forget that all of our present abundance was paid for by a sacrifice. May we always have a deep abiding gratitude for all the bounty we partake of freely. May we always be present when we are called on to vote and make changes to our country so we can be accountable for those changes and so we can continue to celebrate our independence day without another civil war. Freedom is by far a most precious gift to be guarded and cherished for there are many who don't share our many freedoms. Happy Independence day!!!

In memory of...

This is a picture of Terry Paskins, my father-in-law. He has been gone for 1 year today. I took this picture 4 or 5 years ago. He was horsing around in front of the camera and I warned him that I would place this picture in his obituary, he just posed more. My mother-in-law overroad my picture choice and placed a lovely glamour shot of Terry in a suit, with soft lighting and a slight blur to hide some of the signs of aging. Even today as I reflect on his influence in our lives, I am preparing a talk for the funeral of my grandmother. She was 92. A lot of living happens in 92 years and she saw many amazing advancements in her lifetime. Her mother died when she was 14 of a burst appendix, what a tragedy, and so preventable and cureable today. As always, I am grateful for the blessings I enjoy. So hug someone you love today, and don't take even one moment for granted. Because even after 92 years a death can be sudden and unexpected.

If you are partial to red heads....

It's no secret that I support my red hair with color from a box. I've been doing it for so long that most people wouldn't recognize me any other way. I am a little envious of Sara. That's her natural color. Isn't it kind of funny that people with curly hair wish for straight and straight haired folks all pine for curly? The best part is we are all different. It's what we have that is unique that sets us apart. So congratulations Sara for graduating high school! Always be proud of those things that set you apart and allow others to recognize how special you are.

Planning or Serendipity?

So in the world of photography, Ansel Adams is a well-known landscape artist. He took pictures with real film cameras back in the day of black and white. It's reported that he would spend a year watching for just the right light and composition of clouds before creating his master pieces. He paid attention to the details of light, angle of the sun etc. I take pictures in the moment. These bridals were taken on a less that calm day, we gave up on the veil because we couldn't anchor it tight enough to the brides head (left my stapler at home, dang it). So we took advantage of the movement and highlighted all the layers of the brides dress. Notice she's grinning ear to ear? Better than crying, that just gets mascara dripped on a perfect white dress. So I don't fault Ansel Adams, I just choose different methods and work within the elements that I am granted. So as for planning, I choose the spontaneous, creative, surprise. Every out take can be made artistic with the right presentation.

In Fairness to Peyton

So this is what a happy baby looks like. I shared Peyton's moment of angst earlier because it was just so precious and it felt so real. But this is Peyton when she doesn't have to hold a feather boa. Years ago I had the fortune to raise a teenager and a toddler in my home at the same time. I learned some very valuable lessons about children. Truthfully, a teenager and a toddler have pretty much the same motivations. (Not unlike, men and 14 year old boys, but that's a topic for another blog) Both a teen and a toddler...1) think the sun rises and sets with them. 2) They want what they want when they want it, and it's usually right now! and 3) Just about every crisis, even a broken heart can be cured with food, especially if that food includes sugar and caffeine. So now you can see why my children often remind me that I don't have a "mother badge", something about my lack of nurturing skills. But hey, 3 of the 4 have grown to adulthood and the 4th is a work in progress.