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▣ How to Plan a Wedding : 1 : setting a date
So I've decided with my own wedding planning adventure in full swing, that it would be cool to write a feature article every week about the wedding planning process. Many people that go into planning their wedding have never done it before and have only been to a handful of weddings in their lifetime. Seeing as many weddings as I have is a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because I've seen sooo many outstanding weddings with unique details in every theme and color scheme. And it's a curse because I've seen sooo many outstanding weddings with unique details in every theme and color scheme. I seriously spent February thru June wandering around saying " purple! no, gray! Noo no - maybe yellow! purple! green! or maybe brown..!" I've waffled in every possible direction and begged Sean for input to be the swing vote on decisions. (Incidentally, Sean's input was that he wanted to have a breakfast themed wedding with breakfast food in the morning, and he wanted everyone to wear bowling shirts, and only invite like ten people and that way everyone could be done and back home by lunch time on the wedding day.) *dramatic eye roll* That's a whole other blog post.
In any event, I will be posting each week under the title "How to Plan a Wedding" and I'm going to post in order sort of like a To Do list according to my own experience in the wedding industry. By no means am I any sort of authority on right or wrong, I'm just speaking from my own past experience of witnessing over 100 weddings and seeing what has worked and what didn't. So sit back, relax, stay tuned, and because everything is better with a picture: here's a shot of my ring :-)
Ok, you’re engaged. Now what? Inevitably, the first question after the congratulations is: When’s the wedding? Have you set a date yet? That is the first thing you do when you want to plan a wedding is set a date and stick to it. It’s the first anchor you throw out there and hook everything else to it. You won’t be able to book any vendors or check availability without a date. Step #1 - set a date. Things to consider when picking a date
All that being said, Sean and I got engaged at the end of January and after being together for 6 years, we wanted to get this show on the road. Both of us have been out of college for years and are pretty set in our jobs. We wanted to get married asap, but with the nature of working in the wedding industry – my schedule is booked a little over a year out. So we had to make the wedding far enough away that I could sort of map out my schedule and not take on weddings in the same weekend. Ideally for his work schedule, we would have set the wedding in the dead of winter when he’s off. We were set on an outdoor wedding though, and for that you need warm weather. Taking work off is not easy for him so after much thought – labor day weekend became the obvious choice for us. It’s still summer without the dead heat of July and August. It’s a guaranteed weekend off, and even with a honeymoon he’d only have to take 4 days off of work for the whole thing. Plus it's also some of the nicest sunlight in PA out of the whole year :-) So that settled it. September 4th 2011 – we chose a Sunday because it’s a holiday weekend, and our venue gives discounts for Fridays and Sundays! That way we can make the whole weekend a big awesome ordeal with cookouts and bonfires and maybe even a float trip down the river before the wedding day.
4 Comments added to this post ▣ September
Another month gone by - another season poised to change and it's time for the next shot from the calendar. This one was from our family vacation last labor day weekend way way out into the pennsylvania wilds along the northeastern tier. This was actually the view from the edge where the guardrail along the one lane road had washed away and the line between civilization and the wilderness was faded.
September :-) Maybe my favorite month of the year? Not sure.. Every evening there is a golden hour of sunlight just before dusk - and September is like the golden hour of the summer. One last beautiful warm flare to splash in the water and lie in the grass before cool breezes change the leaves send us in search of pumpkins and apple cider.
2 Comments added to this post ▣ Outtakes . .
I'm not one to share embarassing photos of myself, but this one made me laugh out loud. Dana grabbed this one of me at Lindsey & Chachi's wedding on July 24th. We were shooting at the columns at the Mellon Institute after their wedding at Heinz chapel (if you remember that was the HOT saturday when it was like 98 degrees)! They were such troopers wading through the sweltering heat and Heinz Chapel has no AC.
I wish I could have a contest to come up with the best caption for this photo! I look very concerned - as if I've just discovered a bomb or a deadly hissing King Cobra.
*** scene ***
My hands are saying "everyone stay calm, I've got this under control" but my eyes looking the other way say "heeeeeeeelp!". And then there's Chachi whose body language blatantly says "AHHHH!! A DEADLY HISSING KING COBRA!!" And Lindsey - like "it's my wedding, snake - I'll smite you with my flowers." And the wedding party looks on, worried in the background...
Actually I have no idea what we were all so worried about in this picture, other than it was very very warm out. Their wedding went smoothly, everyone had a fantastic time, and the photos turned out awesome! I'll be finished editing them today and have them online this afternoon!
There are a few other things I've learned from this photo: 1. That is my favorite shirt. And looking at it now, it does nothing for me. 2. My comfortable shoes are so god-awful ugly, I had to crop them out. 3. Extreme humidity is bad, bad, bad for my hair. 4. I don't know if it's my 'action stance' I'm in, but those extra miles I've been jogging just might be paying off! 5. Beware of assistants who steal your camera and snap your picture :-)
Happy Thursday everybody !
3 Comments added to this post ▣ August
August has arrived with all of its sweet summery sunsets!
And just one day late, this is the august calendar photo of the month taken at Hills Creek State Park, Pa on our trip there last year. This was the same trip where Sean was sitting outside the cabin at the campfire with my Dad and what wandered up next to them at the fire? A skunk! They ran for the cabin and no one got sprayed, but it could have been a close call!
I had planned on shooting the sunset reflecting in the lake and set up along this old log, but it turned out the colors were even better after the sun dipped below the horizon for the next half hour of dusk until it was completely dark.
On the book for this month are seven weddings including my cousin's!, a bunch of senior portrait sessions, an engagement session at a winery (I can't wait to shoot that!), and our annual family weekend trip! 1 Comment added to this post ▣ Why we do weddings
After our 13th wedding of 2010 - we were reflecting on WHY we do this and why we are so blessed to be in this line of work. Every weekend we meet amazing couples that host the most spectacular events full of love, laughter, tears, and memories. Just in the past 6 months we've been thrilled to photograph a snowbound ski lodge ceremony, a wedding party under a spring snow shower, a bride and groom among the ocean waves, a first look on top of a mountain, groomsmen in a cow pasture, bridesmaids on a beach, and a newly married couple in a fountain - at night - in the rain. Cool, huh?
Here's a little video from Elysium Productions (a fantastic wedding cinematography company that I discovered online) packed full of wedding moments from their travels - when I watch it, it illustrates perfectly WHY I/we do weddings. Because we love the details of the bride's dress, the look on the groom's face when no one else is around and he's alone for a quiet moment with her, the way the bride's father holds her during their dance. This is a ten minute video, but it's worth it. Make sure you have the sound ON and it might take a minute to load - so go get yourself a cup of coffee while you wait and enjoy your sunday or monday morning :-)
Your life's memories are MY life's work.
There are 18 more weddings on the books so far for the rest of 2010 and we're booking for 2011 and 2012! Hope to see you at a wedding in the future! 5 Comments added to this post ▣ My big fat 101 update | Pittsburgh Zoo
Ok. So the blog-a-thon was a FAIL.
Let's move past that and do a big 101 update post - I really have been trying to balance work and personal time and not lose sight of my goals! This is just a little recap of what I've been up to over the past few months from May till today.
22. Visit the Pittsburgh zoo and new PPG aquarium - completed 5/25/10
This was sooooooooo awesome! I haven't been to the zoo in a couple of years and when I was there it was winter time before and only a few exhibits were open. This time was a once in a lifetime experience, we got the chance to go behind the scenes at the zoo! Sean's mom, Sean's sister Nikki, Aunt Lori, the cousins :-) , and my sister Ashley all went together.
This was the first new friend we made, Louis, the giraffe !
We got to go behind the gates and signs actually into the back of the enclosure and fed Louis carrots. His nose was covered in stiff hairs and his tongue was black - why? Because giraffes use their tongue to pick teeny little leaves and vegetation to eat the same way we would use our fingers. So since giraffes spend a lot of time with their tongue sticking out, their tongue is black so it doesn't get sunburned. Cool adaptation!
Also, Louis has a girlfriend in his enclosure.. well - he has a girl giraffe he would like to be more than friends with but at this point she's concerned that if they take their relationship to the next level, she might lose him as a friend so she's playing it cool for a while and poor Louis is stuck being a guy friend.
Ashley & Nikki - hereafter referred to as "the sisters" hanging out with the penguins and polar bears.
I love seeing the kids at the zoo getting close to nature - the world is so big - check it out!!
One of the cousins enjoying Dip N Dots after she ate all her lunch and giving her new pal Louis the stuffed giraffe a ride in her stroller. I hadn't had DipN Dots for like a decade since before the last time I went to Idlewild or Kennywood, it's so long I can't remember. All I can recall is that there used to be a Dip N Dots stand near the pool and the big raft water slide at Idlewild. We had strawberry banana and mint chocolate chip at the zoo and it tasted just like I remembered.
We got to check out the new addition to the elephant house and see the baby elephants! I tried some different post process techniques here - what's your favorite and why?
(Regular capture color)
(Dramatic black and white)
(Sun baked sepia)
A few more animal friends we met at the zoo: skunks, gators, beavers, and a tiger with a meat popsicle. Besides taking care of the animals, the zoo staff also maintains all of plant life beautifully showcasing many species.
This was my FAVORITE part of the whole day. We got to go inside the bear enclosure area - ! Never in my life would I have imagined I would be nose to nose with a black bear. I've seen them in the wild, hunted them with my camera, photographed them at great distances, and searched for them on long drives. This was one of those breathless WOW moments. We met a bear named Susan who had been hand raised by humans before she came to live at the zoo, and we got to feed her peanuts. Peanuts in the shell to be exact. She would only eat one peanut at the time because she would grasp the peanut with her lips gently shell the peanut with her tongue and then spit out the shells before eating the peanut. Every single time. I really wished Sean could have been there. This was totally wild. To hand feed a black bear.
This is Sean's cousin, 'shiny penny', feeding Susan the bear.
Before we left, Susan the bear had her paw through the bars and was happily munching peanuts. I reached out and touched her paw, feeling the curved claws and bristly fur. (The fur on their head is soft like a dog's face, but the hairs on their body and legs are stiff to protect them as they move through the brush). I know this is going to make me sound like a crazy person, but I don't care. For a minute I held the bear's paw between both of my hands and looked into it's eyes. It was a breathless kind of wow moment.
We had a great time at the zoo, eventually I got past my speechlessness about the bear - I wish my Dad could have been there. He would have loved seeing the bear. It was once in a lifetime.
80. Go to the drive in movie at least 3 times - completed 7/2010
This has been a fun one to cross off. There is a drive in near us that's been there all my life and I feel somehow responsible to go as much as I can so another old hometown landmark doesn't dry up and disappear. I haven't been able to get any decent photos of these trips because it's always last minute, in the middle of the night, and I never remember my camera. But so far we've seen:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> MORE TO COME LATER >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
5 Comments added to this post ▣ Weekend Update on Wednesday
It's the lunar module!!!! No just kidding - it's actually a lookout tower. Over the weekend Anna and I had the huge privilege to document Scot and Aimee's wedding at the Penn Scenic View near Somerset, PA. I won't give away the details, but there was a scenic view, an ice cream sundae bar, bluegrass musicians, a first look !, salmon on the grill, a lake with an island, and goldfish the size of poodles. In short, we got there early and stayed late :-)
After the last song, Anna and I went up on top of the hill to check out the sky. I had an idea - I remember back when I met Scot and Aimee for the first time we talked about how cool it would be to get fireflies in their wedding photos. And wouldn't you know, after a week of 90 degree temperatures, we had a refreshing rain on friday and then saturday was comfortably cool - this also meant no fireflies to be found anywhere. So what was the next best thing? The stars :-) I didn't want to disappoint - so we spent about an hour on top of the hill at the lookout tower after the wedding doing some long exposures of the glittering night sky. Since we were far away from the lights of the city, the the stars were extra bright. For this shot with the lookout tower, we used a technique called 'painting with light'.
Then it was a 2 hour drive home - but it was nice - we rolled along the turnpike going over the day and our favorite shots. Aimee & Scot - if you're reading this - I hope your breakfast on the beach was perfect :-D Have a great honeymoon!
----------------------------------------------------------- Sunday after a long sleep in, Sean and I hung out for the afternoon and went to Jerry's Custard for 'dinner' ;-) The flavor of the week is BANANA :-) !!!
Starting to tomorrow I'm going to try to blog five weddings in five days to try to start catching up on blogging - stay tuned and cheer me on with comments!
4 Comments added to this post ▣ July
" We're having a heat waaaave, a tropical hhheeaatwaaaaave - the temperatures rising it isn't surprising she certainly can, can can! " - Marilyn Monroe from There's No Business Like Show Business
A little late here to post this month's calendar photo, I blame the holiday weekend. More to come in the next Weekend Update - camping, carbs, thoughts on Taylor Lautner, and beating the heat. Also - a wedding update.
This photo was taken at Lingrow Farm last July at Jaclyn & Dennis' wedding after a summer rain and the rainbow that followed faded. (Jaclyn! If you still read this blog or if anyone who knows them does - did they move?? )
Happy belated July 4th !
1 Comment added to this post ▣ Julia | 2010 | thoughts about scenery
Sharing with you some senior pictures tonight. This was Julia's senior session in May along the river in Kittanning. Tonight was a beautiful evening. I had a really fun session with some of my favorite kids (the three amigos) plus their baby brother/cousin. Finished early and had an hour before dark - took a long drive home. It was a beautiful evening. I am always awed by the way the sun sets in the summer like everything has melted butter on it. I love my little town and the way the light falls on the cornfields and lines of oats and the backs of black and white cows moseying through their pastures. There were so many deer out tonight with velvet still on their antlers. I came home and popped the Ken Burns - Lewis and Clark documentary in the dvd player. Here's the introduction to the film - make sure you have your sound on. It's a breathtaking look at a pivotal moment in American history when everything was young and new and anything was possible.
Julia along the docks on the river.
I couldn't resist venturing into town for some shots with some 'tude .
Julia is such a beautiful girl, her smile makes people want to smile too.
I loved this little series in the grass - (I should point out that Julia had her older sister along with her whose senior pictures I did a few years back to help out, and I had my sister Ashley with me to hold my reflector and always provide comic relief.) These three shots in the grass kind of represent all sides of Julia.
Very Lewis and Clark along the Allegheny River on a late spring evening. Julia climbed out on the rocks in her bare feet and my sister stood on the dock downstream measuring and adjusting the light with the reflector. I stood in the shallows contemplating how much I am blessed to have the opportunity to combine great people with beautiful scenery and freeze little scenes in time.
Congratulations Julia on your graduation - your future is as bright as your smile !
1 Comment added to this post ▣ Monday Weekend Update
I'm thinking of starting a new feature on this blog - regularly occuring posts such as weekend update, embarassing personal facts & mishaps, camera tips or photo advice, wedding planning strategies, etc. What do you think? Good idea?
THE WEEKEND UPDATE
It was HOT. H.O.T. - HOT. The humidity was killer over the weekend! For saturday's outdoor wedding we were lucky enough to be on top of a hill where there was a breeze but we still had our portable bridal party fans out and running on fresh batteries. The humidity was the worst part. The guests used the hand fan programs the bride crafted herself to waft the warm air away. Eventhough it was roasting out, we stuck to the shade and everyone was in great spirits!
I had a major klutz moment. At the reception I was moving to the other side of the room to get a family picture for one of the guests and when I rounded the corner near the buffet table I felt both feet slide out from under me! It looked like a cartoon. There was italian dressing spilled on the floor and I found it with my sandals. Like Wiley Coyote pedalling off a cliff, I struggled to catch myself and then headed heels in the air for the floor. At the last minute I pulled the camera in close to my chest and sacrificed my right arm landing full force on my elbow and then slid across the tile floor from the momentum taking a big piece of skin off of my bare arm. The camera was safe, the lens hood just tapped off the floor but nothing was damaged. It really hurt and I was so embarassed. At least no one got a picture!! :-)
Sunday morning I was so tired I slept in a little later and then did some shopping with Sean. Also I discovered Skype !
Monday afternoon - back to editing.
4 Comments added to this post ▣ Paddle at the Point - setting a world record !
Last Saturday I got to be a part of something really amazing - Pittsburg attempted to break the world record for the largest floatilla of canoes and kayaks. (I would have embedded the video but they had it disabled.) Check out the WTAE new story here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWSn7GP7FhQ&NR=1 What is a floatilla? Floatilla: A flotilla (from Spanish, meaning a small flota (fleet) of ships, and this from French flotte), or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers. Larger warships are grouped in squadrons.
Ok so I spell it wrong. I like mine better - it emphasizes the floating part.
Here is a time lapse video that shows the whole event.
We arrived early Saturday morning on the Mon Wharf and parked along with hundreds of "our kinda people" - folks who know that having river grime in your sandals and sitting in wet shorts all day are just "all part of the experience". To be honest, we had no idea that there were so MANY boaters in the area. It was pretty cool to be among so many friends! We arrived en mass at the Mon Wharf like we were hitting the beach at Normandy. And we were just the group that brought our own boats - there were hundreds more over at heinz field that were renting boats to participate!
*** Disclaimer! Due to the weather and nature of boating - it was a bad idea to take my big cameras out on the water so we used my Dad's point-and-shoot to take pictures all day. These shots are a little lower resolution than you're used to seeing here but I really wanted to share!! ***
The big launch onto the Mon river.
Like two armies meeting on the battlefield, when we paddled around the other side of the point we entered the Allegheny and joined up with the other half of the group that was launching from Heinz Field!
It was really great spending the day with just my Dad (seen here looking like the invisible man's evil twin - highly visible man!). There was supposed to be a helicopter fly over and take aerial photographs that we could purchase and so our plan was to stand out from the crowd. Dad wore bright tie-dye and an american flag bandanna - I wore my neon yellow Y108 Send Me Backstage t-shirt with an american flag bandanna and mardi gra beads (to be "festive")! We were tame compared to the folks who wore sombreros, dyed their hair pink, brought flags, work a shark hat - etc. The flag bandannas worked though! I've been able to pick us out in several of the overhead shots taken from Mt. Washington!!
This is what it looked like to be in the middle of the pack as they were starting to form the floatilla!
It took some fanangaling but once we were all holding eachother together, the paddlers at the outskirts of the group were able to pull us away from the point and we free floated - paddles in the air for 30 seconds to break the world record!! What a thrill to be part of such a large team effort litterally holding it together by our hands!
Then the sky let loose into a torrential downpour - you can see it at 00:36 in the time lapse video after the record had been achieved with 1800+ boats we headed for shore like rats leaving a sinking ship! Dad snapped this photo of me, now donning rain gear paddling past the gateway clipper dock. I found the above youtube video shot by another participant and wanted to share the rainstorm with you!
It was an awesome day on the water with my Dad who is always been the catalyst for my spirit of adventure since I was a little kid taking us on camping trips, kayak trips, and tons of long hikes and drives through the woods. The rain just made it even more Pittsburgh.
Big big thank you to Venture Outdoors for planning, organizing, and hosting the whole event - it was great!
Click on these links for more information:
http://www.ventureoutdoors.org/
http://www.paddleatthepoint.com/ 7 Comments added to this post ▣ June
I totally forgot June - sorry! It's been busy around here with the kick off to wedding season in full swing, finishing up graduating seniors and scheduling for 2011 seniors, and babies :-) I've been lucky enough to get to photograph many babies in all of this beautiful june summer sunshine. I can't wait to share!
Here is the June calendar photo for the month - taken last year at the PA grand canyon. Appreciate it - I had to hike over a mile down a trail called the "turkey path" to get this! It was down a nearly sheer drop off ravine and the trail zigzagged (like a turkey walks) occaisionally utlizing actual platforms and handrails built into the side of the hill to keep you from careening off into thin air. P.S. After hiking DOWN we had to climb back UP. That's where the real triumph was. Welcome back summer :-) We've been trying to take in as many summer activities as possible - I will post a 101 update soon about it as I'm continously trying to knock out my list.
Plus - total bonus - all of my favorite ice cream stops are open again: Speedy's in crooked creek, Lackey's DQ in north apollo, Jerry's Custard in Upper Burrell, The Meadows in Indiana, that little ice cream shop on Bonniebrook road near Butler, The Pale Whale cafe in Cooksburg. I search them out - ! My favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip - but I also love banana, berry, pumpkin - i love to try the off the wall ones.
Do you guys know any good ice cream places? Leave me a comment and tell me so I can go try it! What flavor is your favorite there??
3 Comments added to this post ▣ #94 Camp in a Yurt - Complete!
If you remember back to January, I posted my list of 101 in 1001 which is a To Do list of 101 goals to be completed in 1001 days. I'm a big list maker so this was right up my alley and I can say proudly that I've actually been checking some things off - and using the list as an excuse to actually DO stuff!
For instance, I completed #94 Camp in a Yurt over the past weekend and it was an awesome experience!
First things first - what is a yurt? Well - yurts.com says The Yurt is a modern adaptation of the ancient shelter used by Central Asian nomads for centuries. The compact shape of the yurt and combination of lightweight members in tension and compression mean that the structure is highly efficient in maximizing strength while minimizing the use of materials.
Translation: It's a perfectly round tent made of heavy waterproof materials stretched over a lattice wooden frame with a domed roof. Originally devised to be taken down and packed on camels over long journeys by nomadic tribes - the western and "modern" version are semi-permanent structures that use few materials, have low impact on the soil, and can be removed without a trace. Also - it can be cooler and more luxurious than an expensive hotel room. Especially if you like to be close to nature and stare up at the stars. :-)
This was the yurt we stayed at courtesy of the PA State Parks - check out their website for info and reservations by clicking here. And I can say it was nicer than most hotels I've stayed at. There are several state parks in PA with small colonies of yurts. These happened to come with a fantastic lighted deck, outdoor fire ring with seating, and all the furniture you would need. We were just a short walk from the brand new shower house where the hot water was heavenly!
This was what we saw when we unlocked and opened the door to our "tent". Each yurt comes with an electric cooktop, an apartment size fridge, cabinets, a desk area, a kitchen table with chairs, a chair, 3 single bunks and a double bunk. This one even had lamps! This definitely did not qualify as a tent in my book. The coolest part for me was the plexiglass dome at the peak of the roof that you could pop open and use to vent hot air out. It was a skylight during the day filling the space with natural light. And at night a portal to the stars :-)
The time and craftsmanship put into these dwellings was exceptional. They really paid attention to the details.
Since the yurts are available spring, summer, and fall - there is a small heater built into the divider wall that does a great job of keeping the place toasty if it's very cold out or if you forget to close your dome at night (warm air rises remember).
Even the beds were sturdy and beautifully constructed. Equipped with mattresses and pillows. It was better than a hotel for me and immaculately clean!
The yurts had a great view of the lake and it was a short walk to the water.
The sun was bright and we fished some before dinner time. Sean caught a nice trout that was hanging out under that log in the water. We threw him back :-) I caught a bunch of goldfish sized bluegill and sean caught a small bass.
My sister helping cook dinner on the campfire - making goofy faces. She drove in from college and met us for a day. Miss you, Skip :-)
Sean pulled over on the side of the road so I could go wandering off and take pictures of these blue flowers. I think they might be some form of Larkspur? I could be wrong..
All in all a great trip! Lots of hanging out, exploring, fishing, taking pictures, and cooking on the campfire.
To give you an update, here are some other things I've crossed off my 101 list!
#1 Shoot a destination wedding completed 4/30/10 (more to come soon)! #30 Back-up ALL the 2009 photos in external hard drive completed 3/31/10 #59 Update the layout of my blog completed 4/6/10 #75 Get a fancy camera strap completed 3/11/10 #90 Get an eye exam completed 3/11/10 #91 Personal goal completed 1/25/10 #95 Go fishing completed 4/24-25/10 we've been fishing quite a bit lately! #99 Put a face to my name on my website completed 2/5/10
Good so far - hopefully I can keep up this pace!
3 Comments added to this post ▣ Gone Fishin'
I spent three days last week scouting locations at the beach in Maryland for some upcoming weddings I have in that area. At one point last wednesday as I'm sitting in a little restaurant by the bay - eating the best potato chowder and drinking hot tea with lemon, staring out through the rain at the boats bobbing in the bay - it occurs to me - (run-on sentence alert) - it's been too long since I've been fishing. So when I made the 6 hour drive back and Sean asked me what I wanted to do last weeked, I already knew - go fishing. (Being near the ocean for three days makes you feel very nautical.)
So last Saturday we ignored the rain, got our fishing licenses, bait, and Turner's ice tea (no excursion is complete without Turner's ice tea) and headed to the nearest body of water we could park a lawn chair next to. This was the first fish I caught - and I said that we had better take a picture of it in case it was the only one we got. After that - we caught two more - but they were even smaller! I think this may actually have been a goldfish that got too big for someone's bowl and so they set it free and then it turned green in the lake water ;-)
The look on the fish's face reminds me of the look my dog gives me when she's just eaten something she wasn't supposed to. Like - uh-oh - who me?
Sean sat on the stump next to me - he was aiming for bigger fish. I don't mind the small fish, as long as I'm catching ANY fish. Sometimes its nicer just to sit for a few hours with my best buddy :-)
These three birds were just sitting out there taunting me - they would have made a great picture if I had my telephoto, but I packed light and only brought my wide angle lens. (The three birds are the three little specks sitting on the stump in the water.)
Anna and I are packing up and leaving in a few hours for a wedding in Chesapeake Bay tomorrow - the weather is going to be sunny and 82 degrees wooo! I will probably feel like fishing when I get back.
1 Comment added to this post ▣ Easter Weekend Camp Out
Easter weekend was so nice and warm that we couldn't help but get out and enjoy it! Sean and I packed up our gear and headed down to Ohiopyle State Park for the opening weekend at their campground. Sort of a spur of the moment - throw some stuff in the truck and take off - kind of trip.
I love any trip that starts with a sign like this. (shooting through the windshield)
It was a cloudy afternoon when we arrived just after dinner time with enough light left to grab one shot of the natural water slide and then go to our site. (Which I didn't like when we got there cause it was a big mud puddle so we ended up switching to a different campsite on the point of the ridge).
In a rare instance, we actually got the tent up and a fire built before it was dark. Sean lit the lantern and we sat cooking dinner and listening to the train whistles blow from the railroad tracks that run along the river and through town. They run almost every 45 minutes all night long - and at first it can keep you up night. But after an evening, you get used to it and it seems kind of peaceful. The train whistle echoes through the valley probably with the same sound it did a hundred years ago when it rumbled past the general store and across the bridge over the river.
Meat on a fire = happiness :-)
Cool shot - this was a 30 second exposure with my camera propped up on a picnic table. The warm light is from the lantern we had lit and there's a litte haze from the campfire smoke - but there were so many stars to be seen.
Saturday we roamed through all the outfitters in town and then took some snacks and hiked down to the first set of rapids below the falls. Sean had the 70-200mm lens so he got all the good close up shots.
We spent the afternoon hanging out on the rocks, munching on cheese-its and taking the occaisonal nap in the sun. (Some of us napped a little too long and woke up looking like a tomato.)
Image by Sean.
This guy had a sweet wooden double bladed paddle. Image by Sean.
Probably my favorite rafting subject of the day - although all my photos were from much further away and therefore - Image by Sean
(Sean's pic again)
Sweet whitewater ! There's a boat underneath him somewhere! Image by Sean.
If you look closely, you can see that there is a fossil of tree bark in the rock I was sitting on.
AAAAAAAhhh! Caught you looking closely, right? Sorry if anyone was just blinded by my white legs... Image by Sean.
Just a final shot of Cucumber falls before we headed back to camp that night.
Sunday morning we got up early and went hiking in our pajamas (there is no dress code in the woods). The sun had just come up and the light on the water was soooo pretty. I got a bunch of great shots - but I'm saving some for next year's calendar! So you'll have to see them then :-)
4 Comments added to this post ▣ Jenny & Bradley - Phipps Conservatory
I'm so excited to finally post these! Back in October my friend Sandy called to say she was shooting a wedding at Phipps Conservatory and wanted to know if I'd like to come along. Of course I said yes - how do you say no to a beautiful couple in a gorgeous setting and spending the day working with (and carrying on high ;-) with a good friend?
Sad to say it was not a pleasant sunny day, instead it was grey, chilly, and raining steadily when I pulled up to Phipps and met Sandy by the front door. Poor Bradley was out in the rain under and umbrella waiting for his bride to arrive. I thought in light of the rain that we'd move photos inside to the beautiful gardens that were under a roof and discovered that when you have your wedding at Phipps you are not allowed to be inside the building for any reason until fifteen minutes before your ceremony. Even if you are standing outside in the pouring rain in your wedding dress, they will not let you in.
I didn't think that was very neighborly. But we resolved to make the best of it.
Sandy stayed with Bradley at the front entrance and I went around the side to meet Jenny. I grabbed just a couple quick shots after she got out of the car. I loved her veil.
Hiding out under the only overhang we could find - luckily makes for good photos!
Once we had regrouped, I walked with Jenny to the top of the stairs where she and Bradley had decided to do a First Look and see eachother before the ceremony. I LOVE IT when couples do this :-) Sean and I plan on doing it too when we get married. I stood at the top shooting Bradley while Sandy stood at the bottom shooting Jenny and then when their umbrellas met Sandy had the better angle ;-) Darn that rain. To see more photos of the big moment check out Sandy's Blog.
We spent some time outside (since Phipps wouldn't let us in) shooting some bride & groom photos in the rain.
Can you see the raindrops? :-)
Since they had planned in lots of photo time before the ceremony and agreed to do a First Look, we had lots of options for photos and decided to explore across the street where the trail goes through Panther Hollow Bridge. I know I say it all the time but they had the magic formula: Lots of time for photos + trust in your photographer(s) = AMAZING images. I didn't even mind the rain.
With the rain picking up again, we hid out underneath the arched bridge and Jenny was working it with the grafitti. I hope with enough time on the ellyptical that one day I can have legs this hot! Her garter was exquisite.
Love this one too.
Since the ceremony time was approaching we were finally going to be allowed inside! We headed back up the path towards Phipps. So romantic.
The Broderie Room was beautiful - a bright and colorful contrast of pinks and bright greens and purples. Very different from the fall colors outside. Live musicians played while guests were seated. That's the ringbearer in the top left. He had the sweetest little grin.
Their ceremony was intimate with about 25 guests in attendance. They exchanged rings at the bottom of the steps. Sandy is out there hiding in the garden - she is like a ninja - you will never spot her. I crouched behind the wishing well and we communicated with silent eyelash signals when to silently duck out of eachother's shots.
Just a few details from Phipps. There was a glass exhibit on display at the time.
Just a simple water color-esque ring shot. It reminds me of the rainy day.
After the ceremony we headed over to Regent Square to Legume. A place of outrageous delight. If you love food - I mean not like it a lot, but LOVE food - you need to get off the computer right now and start looking up this restaurant for dinner this week. I nearly injured myself by overeating their delicious meal.
The tables were decorated with small birdhouses for placecards and favors and they had a wishing tree where guests could answer prompted questions that had been written on the leaves.
Legume was clean and bright and homey and smelled delicious. Everyone was content to eat, drink, and be married.
And now I will tell you about the meal that was nearly the end of me. Food so scrumptious. MMMmm. The way that Legume works: each day the menu is different and is not chosen until that day based upon what fresh organic ingredients are available that morning. It's freshness you see, smell, and taste. Guests could choose one first course, I had celeriac with pears and walnuts. I had never had celeriac before and it was delicious. It made you think of a root vegetable cooked till slightly soft with a cool sweet sauce, pears, and candied walnuts on top for a little crunch.
Then the main course - I picked chicken cooked under a skillet. It came out resting comfortably on a bed of mashed potatoes with no fewer than 7 cloves of delicious garlic scattered around and under it. Even the parsley seemed to be reclining on top saying - you know I look divine. After the fruits and cheeses and breads for appetizer followed by the celeriac I was at my normal level of fullness. But this was the best (and biggest) chicken I'd ever encountered. The thought of leaving any of it behind seemed sacreligous. So I unhinged my jaw like a python and proceeded to eat almost the entire chicken and all of the mashed potatoes and few of the brussel sprouts. Then we circled the room shooting more photos.
Dessert was coming. You got to pick from three options just like the other courses. Molten choc cake, lemon and raspberry panna cotta, or apple crisp. I was on to them by now - they chose exceptional ingredients and took simple recipes and made them profound. I was beyond stuffed. But I chose the apple crisp because I wanted to see what the Legume version of apple crisp would be. O. Lord. You can ask Sandy, when it arrived I actually got a little tear in my eye. Tart, sweet, with crunchy oatmeal cinnamonybrownsugary goodness with real fresh whipped cream on top. I was far past stuffed and took a few bites. By this time feeling good was well on its way to feeling uncomfortable. And I did feel like the python that eats the antelope and then wanders around for a week with that huge bulge in its belly. I ate just over half of it and then my stomach informed me to stop immediately or there would be consequences.
Then the server came by and asked if I would like a box. My eyes went wide. A BOX? YOU CAN GET A BOX? You never get the option to box up and take home food from a reception. That's exactly why I ate so much because I couldn't imagine such special and perfect food going to waste! HAD I KNOWN I COULD GET A BOX - I would not have attempted to eat AN ENTIRE CHICKEN. But ohhhh it was good.
Jenny and Bradley chose a special panna cotta for their wedding "cake" and cut it together.
By the end of the night I was ready to go - (and desperately needed some air since all that food was probably compressing my lungs.) We left them at the restaurant after which they were going out dancing!
Congratulations Jenny & Bradley! I hope you've been enjoying lots of wedded bliss!!
Ceremony: Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Reception: Legume Bistro
3 Comments added to this post ▣ Snowmageddon v. 2010
Just a few weeks ago saturday morning looked like this! We all woke up on the first morning of the snowpocalypse to FEET of snow that had fallen overnight. Honestly, I expected snow - I even expected a lot of snow (8 inches). I didn't expect this!
This shot was taken just before 7 a.m. out the kitchen door. We'd spent most of the night keeping one eye on the power line that was sparking in the top of the pine tree and listening to the police scanner reporting accidents, downed trees and wires, and closed roads that were impassable.
We eagerly turned on the TV to see the carnage on the news. Not long after that we discovered that there was no cable, no internet, and no phone service. So we listened to the radio and munched raisin bran for breakfast. Then it was time to go outside. You could barely see the cars under the mountain of snow!
Sean used the quad with the plow to try and make a pathway while Nikki and I shoveled. Poor Shadow the dog couldn't even get out into the grass! We had to plow and shovel her a path!
After more than an hour trying to get down the driveway, we made it over to the farm to feed the cows. But got stuck in the driveway there. That's Nikki's arm out the window.
After that, it was time to put down the cameras and dig in so we didn't take many more pictures till the next day.
2 Comments added to this post ▣ February
February. This is the next photo on my calendar. The groundhog also saw his shadow so it's 6 more weeks of winter.
If any of you are surprised by that - you are clearly not reading this blog from somewhere in Pennsylvania.
Also THANK YOU for all of the wonderful comments and emails we've received on our engagement! Aside from the 17 comments here, I've gotten over 25 emails of happy thoughts! It's been wonderful :-)
Now we just have to buy a house and plan a wedding. No sweat, right?
2 Comments added to this post ▣ yes
After five years - my best friend asked me what I was doing for the rest of my life. Whatever it is, we'll be doing it together cause we're getting married !! :-) :-)
I feel so lucky :-) 21 Comments added to this post ▣ You gotta have friendsSean and I are packing up and heading out for a quick trip this weekend. So I will be out of email contact and have limited cell phone service until monday - but I'm taking the laptop with me so I keep on trucking. I've been enjoying my January - it's like the summer vacation of wedding photographers. It feels good to be home, to answer emails in a timely fashion, to take apart and reassemble the working parts of my business in a way that is more efficient and neat. Speaking of which - I am in the process of redesigning my website and plan to follow that act with updating all of my printed materials.
It's nice not to be a million photos behind. I've completed 5 albums since christmas and have Anna working on one too. I'm starting another this weekend while we're away and will have all of Megan & Jon's wedding images finished and ready to post when we get back on monday!
I even have time to stop for a coffee with a good old friend now and again :-)
And because everything is better with photos - these are two twin sisters who I've known since high school. At long last everybody is back home again. It's good to catch up :-)
0 Comments added to this post ▣ 101 in 1001
A fresh take on the future.
I've been wanting to make one of these lists for a while now, (they were all the rage a few years ago). I'm late to get on the bandwagon as usual. The beginning of a new year feels like the time to get organized, regroup, plan for the year ahead. I thought 2009 went pretty well for the most part, but now I want to refine. Take what I do and do it better. Be more efficient, be more creative, be more effective, be more aware, be more organized, BE. DO. LIVE. And I want to communicate more and better. So say hello!
Here's how the list works. You come up with 101 goals that you want to accomplish in 1001 days - it can be grand and difficult or something simple. The biggest rule is NO WAFFLING OR BEING WISHY WASHY. Things have to be clearly worded. Vague-ness = being chicken. That's something else I want to do for 2010 - take a page out of Jean Luc Picard's captain's log and boldly go where no one has gone before. Will I accomplish all of these goals? I dunno, some of them are pretty far reaching - but like dreams - looking up keeps you headed in the right direction.
1 0 1 in 1 0 0 1
Start Date: January 6th 2010
End Date: September 12th 2012
And now, because everything is better with pictures - here's some shots from this past summer's fireworks night at Saltsburg Canal Days. That's the old grist mill on the right and the vendors were set up along the old canal walkway.
2 Comments added to this post ▣ 2 0 1 0
Happy New Year everybody!
I actually thought about posting a 'Best of 2009' post for the end of the year. But that feeling only lasted about 37 seconds. I opened my master folder of all the photos I've shot this year and checked the file size. It contained 26,964 photos.
Which roughly averaged means I shot 73 photos per day, or 1 photo every 30 minutes all year long. Actually I thought it would have been more than that.... but I guess when you figure in sleeping and driving with both hands on the wheel it all works out about even.
So what could I show you to represent a year's worth of work? For the first time - this year I've released a 12 month calendar of images I've shot all over Pennsylvania. Cool, huh? :-) I'm proud of it, and when you do sort through 27,000 photos you find a lot of hidden gems.
If anyone would like to purchase a calendar, they are on sale for $28.57 each. They are 12x18" in size and each page features on large and one small color photo. The front cover is a poster size image. I realize this is a little pricier than a kitten calendar you can pick up at the bookstore and I've wracked my brain trying to figure out how to make it cheaper. They cost me $21 each to make, and because it's an odd size and has to be shipped flat the cheapest I can ship it is $5.95 - then you've got that good old sales tax and *poof* we've arrived at $28.57. Every time I say it I have this " wuh wah waaaa " game show loser feeling. But I thought I'd put it out there just in case anyone was interested and might still like to get one.
If you would like to purchase a calendar, please email me at PhotosbyAW@aol.com .
Also - on the first of each month I'll post the calendar photo of each month here on the blog - so without further ado - here is January. Happy 2010 everyone - here's to good health, good friends, and great adventures in the new year!
1 Comment added to this post ▣ Merry Christmas :-)
This has been my favorite christmas commercial since I was a little girl :-)
Merry Christmas everyone, be safe, be happy, be healthy, be together. And remember - each one of us ends up being the star once in a while, so when you can - be the tree :-)
1 Comment added to this post ▣ It's Snowing ! ! !
Ok - so I'm like Uncle Tootles from Hook. "It's Snowing!!!" :-D There's a youtube clip but I thought it was too long or I would've posted it. And this is not actually today's snow - this is from a few weeks back. But it's almost Christmas and it's snowing! There's already 3 inches at my house :-)
Today is the very last wedding of 2009 for me - I hope they have 4 wheel drive! One thing is for sure - there will be winter wonderland photos :-)
Make cookies, go sled riding. That's an order.
1 Comment added to this post ▣ Summer camping trip
Just a few images from a quick weekend trip back in July. As we head into winter - it's a huge deal for photographers - you have to fight CLD. Crummy Lighting Depression. I just made that up. (add it to my list of amandaisms) It certainly feels real enough. Photography is all about the observance, usage, manipulation, and all around worshipping of sunlight. Perhaps we were moths in another lifetime. Through the summer the days are long and the evenings are golden. The colors are vibrant and the shadows are deep. Not so in the winter. I think we are down to just under 10 full hours of daylight now that it's December. Christmas is just a few week away and with the weather we've been having sometimes it feels like it never really gets light out at all. Everything is pale - the shadows are even pale and thin. Colors are more subdued. If you're not careful you could be struck down by CRUMMY LIGHTING DEPRESSION! And find yourself making a bee-line for the nearest tanning bed.
Oh well - enough monologing. Here's my camping trip.
**Disclaimer - while I preach that wilderness camping is TRUE camping - campground camping is much more practical when you've only got hours to plan and pack and have to be back sunday evening.
Besides, I think campgrounds have their own neat atmosphere.
My sister, my Dad, Sean, and myself made it for this trip - we all have matching shoes in different colors. FYI.
I always worry about gathering enough firewood - and keeping it dry. After a day or so it looked like beavers were living under our picnic table. Beavers that were meticulous about sorting twigs into piles by size.
Small toad on my sister's hand.
Basically when we go on these campground camp trips there are only 2 objectives. #1 Relax. #2 Eat good. But who am I kidding - that's every camping trip we go on ;-)
I love to cook on the fire. And I love cast iron. I'm very Soup Nazi about my dutch oven. Nobody else gets to wash it - and it gets to ride up front in the cab of the truck with me. After a particularly enlightening episode of Alton Brown's Good Eat's - we realized that the dutch oven had even more hidden potential if we flipped the lid over and cooked on it like a griddle.
We made cinnamon french toast that morning with homemade maple syrup, berries and sausage. Ashley sat and munched happily in her green crocs.
View from our campsite that I took as a private joke. Like where is this road ?
Sean "making sparks" for my photos while we sat around the fire and talked till we were too tired and went to bed.
We eat GOOD. This is homemade pizza in the dutch oven with Sean manning the lid for me.
On the last day of our trip we visited the fish hatchery. Gorgeous hot sunny day.
Fishing prohibited and guarded like Fort Knox. The cyclone fence wraps all the way around and over the top and underneath to keep cheeating anglers and raccoons OUT.
Just a nice, peaceful, good trip :-)
2 Comments added to this post ▣ Giving Thanks :-)
We're just sitting down to thanksgiving dinner and I can't help but reflect on all the things I have to be grateful for this year! Good health, my family, no major vehicle breakdowns, my new orange running shoes, all the great scenery I've witnessed, but most of all the great people I'm so privileged to meet along the way! This is Erica and her husband Brian at her sister's wedding this past saturday :-) Some of the nicest people you'll ever meet and folks I'm proud to call friends :-)
When I first started my business I worked mostly for friends until I got my feet under me. They were my first clients. They were so supportive and went out into the world and shared their photos and recommended me to their coworkers and soon I was getting even more clients who became friends!!
I can't imagine what my life would be like without all of you and how much I appreciate you letting me into your lives! It's an honor to be there for your big moments from your first i do to your first baby to your 50th anniversary. It's the story of your life, and I am thrilled to fill in the pictures :-)
Happy Thanksgiving!! I am so thankful for all of you!
1 Comment added to this post ▣ Amy & Ben *Part 2*
I hope these were worth the wait!! Here's the rest of Amy & Ben's day :-)
The sun was high overhead as the bridesmaids helped Amy out of the limo and ushered her up the steps into the bride room in the church.
The flower girl was peeking out of the curtains into the sanctuary - very mischievious ;-)
The church was gorgeous with lots of natural light streaming in through the high windows. Musicians played live music as guests were escorted to their seats.
Remember I told you that Ben was feeling a little anxious for this moment - he couldn't wait to see her :-) When she appeared at the back of the aisle with her Dad and made her way to the altar, I turned to see Ben holding back tears. It was one of the best groom reactions I've seen :-) Sometimes you can't hold that much happy in !
After some photos at the church we took the limo to Twin Lakes for a few shots by the lake. The sun was hot and very bright so we tried to be quick!
It never fails, someone always wants to hoist someone! I don't ever bring it up as a suggestion because not every bride or groom really wants to be picked up for fear of falling - but it never fails. Someone in the crowd shouts "You should pick him/her up!!" And there they go again :-D But when it's all in good fun it always makes for hysterical pictures!
After some time at Twin Lakes, we moved on to the reception at the Four Points Sheraton in Greensburg. Some details of the evening - floating candle centerpieces, and a cake that filled the whole room with a delicious sweet smell. Later when they cut this cake it was the most moist sweet delicate - mmmm - I could have eaten 3 pieces.
The rings - I know the flower shot is an old stand by but sometimes I think simple is best. Ben custom designed Amy's engagement ring with light blue accent stones since it was her favorite color.
So there's a story behind this next set of images. Remember how I mentioned I ended up in the doctor's office after this wedding? Well this is why - I had scoped out this field next to the hotel in advance and it looked like a great spot for some sneaky romantic shots during dinner. Amy and Ben were SO AWESOME and earned at least 300 photo bonus points for being willing to tramp out into this field of flowers and grasses just as the sun was setting through the trees.
Then for even more points - they agreed to sit down among the flowers - Ben fell in a hole and ended up feet in the air but they were great sports about it. They were so happy that day and having fun.
I love this image - and that's why it was worth it when just a few moments later my left eye started to feel itchy and painful and raw. But I paid no attention because I was trying to work the sun angle and capture all this romance!
Ben in the field - left image by the talented Anna.
Back inside it was time for the first dance and Amy & Ben were amazing with a choreographed song.
This couple has moves ! Left image by Anna.
The dance floor was packed most of the night. We were having a blast watching everyone out there. My eye however was starting to swell and hurt more and was watering.
This guy right here is what makes this job even better. He was moving to a groove only he could hear and didn't need any dance partner to slow him down.
When Anna and I left it was almost midnight and the party was going strong! I drove home with my left eye closed. The next morning I thought I had pulled an eye muscle - I had a stabbing pain and couldn't wear my contacts. I added up that in the wedding double header I'd taken over 5,000 shots in 48 hours and probably had squinted through the viewfinder twice as much. It was logical that I might have like - broke my eye.
I decided to try the wait-and-see method of treatment. Three days later it was still swelled and killing me and I finally broke down and went to the optometrist. Fearing the worst I sat there kicking the bottom of the chair because I couldn't actually kick myself for injuring my most important tool of all. Luckily it wasn't permanent. In fact - it was an allergy. Apparently while I was out there wading around in that field and commando crawling through the grasses I got into something that I was allergic to (I was previously unaware that I was allergic to anything environmental) and then proceeded to RUB IT DIRECTLY IN MY EYE. Smaaaaarrrtt..... So no contact lenses, and no picture taking for a whole week. A whole bottle of prescription drops later, the swelling finally subsided.
I was so glad when Amy and Ben got back from their honeymoon to hear that they were unaffected by the trip to the field and I hadn't sent them to St. Lucia with temporary blindness. Whew!!
They were SO GREAT :-) I can't wait for their after session!
Reception: Four Points Sheraton, Greensburg PA
Florist: Brides and Butterflies, Adamsburg PA
Entertainment: Flipside DJs (John Wiggins)
Cake: Can-Do Creations (Pam Haines) BEST CAKE I EVER TASTED!!!!
2 Comments added to this post ▣ Out around town - cool wedding idea of the week (Pittsburgh Popcorn Co)
The weather is finally getting better and it's time to be outside. Pittsburgh is not famous for being easy to drive around, but it's great for walking! Pittsburgh is known for its three rivers, its bridges, and The Neighborhoods. Unlike most cities, Pittsburgh has a relatively small downtown metro area (where the skyscrapers are) surrounded by neighborhoods characterized by their geography, architecture and ethnicity. There's the North Side, the South Side, Mt. Washington, the West End, the Hill District, Polish Hill, the Mexican War Streets, Oakland, Bloomfield, Shadyside, Regent Square, and more. But far and away one of the best places to visit is the Strip District. Originally the Strip District was a section of the city made up of glass factories, foundaries, and warehouses for industrial production. As times changed these old structures were converted into produce warehouses, markets, lofts, studio spaces, restaurants, and more. If you're showing out of towners around the city or looking for a taste of pittsburgh yourself, this is the place to go. You can park, feed the meter, and walk all day through specialty shops, art galleries, and all the gourmet food you can handle. It's a foodie's paradise. If you like italian - check out the Pennsylvania Macaroni Company Over 100 years old the PA macaroni company has a deli with all kinds of meats and cheese, an olive bar, every shape of pasta you can imagine, produce, homemade bread, fresh pasta, and all kinds of specialty items for italian cooking. You can even choose and dispense your own olive oil in bulk.
If you like seafood ( or food in general) go to WHOLEY'S . The fish sandwich is legendary. You can buy fresh salmon, shrimp, crab and more. You can choose your own live fish or lobsters from the tank and have them prepared and wrapped up to take home and cook that evening. And it's not just fish - on the other side of the store you can get everything from lambshank to sirloin to cow tongue. Chickens for frying, wings, pigs ears, sausage. Everything. EVERYTHING.
This was our big fantastic find of the day. Listen up those of you planning a wedding and still looking for ideas for favors or food! The Pittsburgh Popcorn Company was a wonderful surprise. They make gourmet popcorn in a variety of flavors and packaging. I know we've all eaten popcorn before that we microwaved or bought out of some big popcorn bulk tank at the movies. But this is the real deal. You have to try this stuff! We tasted the Cinnamon Toast flavor and it was to die for. Their popcorn is all made fresh throughout the day on the spot. Now here's the cool thing - they make wedding favors! You can choose your flavor and it comes in a neat little package ready to hand out to your guests. OR if you're looking for snacks or something unique for cocktail hour - you can have a popcorn bar! Choose your flavors and they are set out in barrells with scoops and bags are provided for your guests to make their own treats.
Ok admission of guilt here - I have no idea what the name of the shop was where I took this photo. If you know me - you know I LOVE tea. I love my tea flavors and my tea gadgets and just the whole experience of tea. I have no idea what this shop is called because I was in awe . The walls, the counter, everything floor to ceiling was different barrells of coffe and glass jars of exotic tea. Everything from Irish Roast to Yemen Mocha.
The weather is going to be great this weekend - get outside and experience something amazing!
3 Comments added to this post ▣ The fires inside
A video post! I don't do these alot but I really wanted to share this. First of all I should tell you that I'm the 1 in 10th person who hates American Idol. I really can't stand it. All those people at the auditions living in denial convinced they can carry a tune like a sparrow and come out sounding a lot more like a turkey. Have they never tape recorded themselves? Trust me - you do that one time and then play it back WITHOUT the background music blaring and you'll discover an ugly truth.
I saw this video and I had to share it.
It's from Britain's Got Talent (America's Got Talent's english cousin). The woman auditioning is 47. She tells the interviewer that she's never been married, or kissed, and she lives in a little village in a house with her cat Pebbles. She does not look like a pop star. In fact, I think I may have seen her on an episode of Green Acres. Watch the audience's reaction when she comes out on stage in her stockings and sensible shoes. Watch the judges faces as she introduces herself and the music starts. It's a mixture of skepticism and tolerance, nervous polite laughter.
And then she starts to sing.
Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent
Here is this woman, who is unemployed, who lives alone, who has never been given a chance. And we are so lucky to have seen that performance. If you watch the whole video start to finish after she has sung and the judges give their comments - you can tell. This is truly the greatest moment of her life - and all of us here in TV were there to see it. (THIS IS WHY I TELL EVERYONE HOW IMPORTANT PHOTOS ARE - TO PRESERVE THESE MOMENTS AND HOLD ON TO THEM AS LONG AS WE CAN.) I know you all get tired of hearing me harp on about it, but it's true.
There is no posession more valuable than a memory. It's truly priceless.
This reminds me why I love my job when I love my job - because no matter how mundane or average your life seems - the universe puts a fire into every heart.
And the light from that fire should never be wasted.
2 Comments added to this post ▣ Pittsburgh Zoo
While my friend, Brenda, was home for the holidays back at New Year's - we visited the Pittsburgh Zoo with some friends. I have to say that January is not the best time to visit because many of the animals are behind closed doors for the winter, it's cold to walk around, and the normally lush scenery is just average pittsburgh january drab - BUT there are no lines and no crowds! You can spend all the time you want at each exhibit! I was excited to see the new baby elephants at the newly constructed elephant house, as well as the polar bears. The lions were hanging out on the rocks.
The aquarium was really cool! It was the first time I had visited the zoo since the aquarium was renovated a few years ago. It was nice to get in out of the cold and see all the exotic tropical fish!
This is Brenda - we met in the seventh grade and were friends ever since. She was home on leave from the United States Air Force where she is currently stationed and training in San Antonio, Texas to become a navigator. We are VERY proud of her :-)
She really wanted her picture with the giant praying mantis sculpture :-D 0 Comments added to this post ▣ March Doldrums
2. You measure distance in hours. 14. You know all the news anchors on the local station and feel that you're on a first name basis. 3 Comments added to this post ▣ Hunting Camp
As you've probably guessed by now after following this blog - when we're not working, we are pretty serious about the outdoors. We love to kayak, hike, camp out, cabin camp, truck camp, snowshoe, backpack, drive around lost, cook on the campfire, photograph wildlife, and look at the stars. We also hunt. I do believe that hunting is a good thing when it's done responsibly, safely, and with respect for the land, the wildlife, and fellow hunters and property owners. I used to hunt myself but now prefer to hunt with my camera instead. I never really warmed up to trudging out into 8 degree temperatures at 4:30 in the morning to stand next to a tree progressively developing frostbite in my fingers and toes as the day wore on. I have terrible circulation to my fingers and toes - I'm one of those people who is chronically cold. Even in July my feet are freezing. I don't notice so much anymore, you get used to it.
However, I've found my niche as the camp cook and keeper of the cabin/campsite. I love to plan recipes, shop for the food, pack it, cook it, etc. I also have a FoodNetwork obsession. In the past few years we've made pizza, ham BBQ, homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, turnovers, even pineapple upside down cake on the campfire. The best part is that when everyone else is out hunting for the day and the meals are prepped, I can spend the day wandering around taking pictures just for the fun of it.
Welcome to our humble and rented abode for the week. It's not much for four of us in a one room cabin - but it's got an apartment size fridge and stove, a table, and four bunkbeds. The bathroom is in a seperate building you have to unlock with a key - but it's got flush toilets and hot showers. No cell phone service anywhere. We've refined our camping habits to include air mattresses and just this year - my laptop. I bring it for work, but also for play - when it gets dark outside at 5pm there's really nothing to do until bedtime so it's nice to be able to put a movie on to pass the time. We watched Grumpy Old Men I & II and all of season 6 of MacGyver. We are MacGyver fanatics.
The day typical started with breakfast before 5 a.m. then the guys left and I went back to sleep till 8. (You can't take pictures without light you know, so you have to wait for the sun to come up.) I'd pack my gear and a drink and take off with my map and wander. I wandered almost 45 miles in one direction one day. I'd go up one side of the river until I found a bridge and then come back the other side.
The whole river is lined with camps on both sides. Some are luxurious, some are permanent homes, there's even a school bus up on blocks that has been painted camoflauge and converted into an RV. One thing they all have in common is that they all have a name. Naming your camp is a big deal - because the first thing you do is put a sign out front with the name of your camp on it. I've seen "Wife Dodgers" "Camp Susanna" "Red Rooster Inn". I liked this sign. Camps are special retreats for people and your camp sign has to communicate two things - 'Friends welcome here - everyone else stay the hell away from us'.
This shot was the day before thanksgiving. I was following deer tracks into an old orchard at an abandoned farm turned camp-shack along the river.
Funny story - remember when I mentioned that the bathroom opens with a key? Well day three or four that we were there I was watching them pack the truck in the wee hours of the morning and just as they locked the door and pulled away I realized that the bathroom key was not on the hook! I vaulted off of the top bunk and chased them outside in my bare feet but they couldn't see me waving in the total darkness. I ran back in the cabin and flickered the lights on and off hoping they would look in the rearview mirror and wonder what the fuss was about. Nope. This was dire. I was stuck there all day with no bathroom. I couldn't lock the cabin without the key - and I couldn't drive away to find a bathroom and leave it unlocked with all of our gear in it. I was stuck. Meanwhile two hours later and many miles away - Sean sat down in his hunting spot for the morning and felt something jab him from in his pocket and realized he had driven away with the bathroom key. He went to find the rest of the group and told them the situation and then hiked back to the truck and drove back to the cabin to give me the key. I was SO HAPPY to see him :-)
The nex to the last day we were there I had four hours to kill before it was time to start dinner. I hadn't seen anything more than a squirrell in two days because all of the wild wildlife was hiding from the snowstorm and freezing wind chills. I decided to visit the Double Diamond Deer Ranch for some up close encounters. Just so you know up front - these animals are cared for as family members on a private ranch that is open for visits by the public. They are NOT for sale, there is no hunting allowed, and they are never killed or sold for meat. These animals are loved and cared for just the same we care for our pets at home. I remember visiting the ranch when I was a kid and feeding baby fawns with a bottle. Now those fawns are grandparents! Aside from the brown white tail deer that we are used to seeing in our backyards, they also have albino and piebald deer as well.
I'm pretty sure this was snoopy sticking his tongue out at me.
I am not wrecked here, just parked. Although the roads were really bad a few days I was driving around. I got to practice my bad weather driving. - Shameless self promotion :-)
We had a few great snow and ice storms while we were there. Every pine needle on the fir trees had it's own tiny icicle hanging from it. There were still a few brave hunters that waded across the water to hunt on the other side.
The Double Diamond Deer Ranch is a great place to visit with your kids especially when the weather is warm! If you have any questions about these deer, you can Ask The Deer Lady and she would be happy to help!
3 Comments added to this post ▣ October Trip: The End
Finally! You must all be so bored by now. I really am sorry, and we will be back to our regularly schedule weddings and portraits soon. This is the end of the photos from this trip, and hopefully some of the best are last. Pennsylvania is very unique in that we are the only state east of the Mississippi river today to have Elk. At one point before America was settled by Europeans, elk roamed wild from New York to Georgie. However, the elk was extinct in this area by 1870 from massive overkill. Thanks to the game commission, a small herd of elk was transplanted here from yellowstone in 1913 and has grown to the healthy population we have today. Most people don't even realize we have such a big game animal in the state.
This is a white-tail deer. What you're used to seeing in your backyard.
This is an elk. MUCH BIGGER.
People flock to see the elk every fall. It seems like there's more and more of them every year. In fact while we were searching for them ourselves a luxury tourbus pulled up along side the dirt road and about 30 Amish people got off and searched the horizon with their binoculars. (They really do not like to have their picture taken.)
We weren't having a ton of luck being in the right place at the right time this week until almost the very last day when we came upon a bull and his harem of cows standing in the middle of the river. Sometimes in the heat of the moment you have to remind yourself that this is a WILD animal. A wild animal that will stomp the snot out of you if you get too close.
(In case you were wondering - this is too close.)
The view up the railroad tracks.
On the very last day we ran into a local man who had a canon 500mm F4 lens. He let me borrow it for a while to get some great shots. I was extremely grateful since they are so expensive I won't be able to afford one for many many many years if ever!
2 Comments added to this post ▣ October Trip: Part 3
I've discovered what my mental block is about this blog. I have to do things in chronological order. Which is why you're still seeing photos from October and not January. In fact, last week I went to the zoo but you probably won't hear about it till March. Sigh. I don't know what it is - I have to do things in order. I can't even post the photos out of order. Maybe I am OCD? Wow is it COLD today - predicted high temperature of 11 degrees - and tomorrow's high will be 7. In that case I'm glad to be looking at October. Same trip. Visited the river at a point where two bridges cross over. A train bridge and a car traffic bridge. The train bridge was covered in signs warning of no trespassing, and no walking, no looking, and no picture taking - but it was such a good subject. In the distance you can see the traffic bridge in this shot.
Back in the day, the only way to get around up here was by horse or on foot. The trains were the only way of transporting large amounts of lumber, coal, steel, and supplies.
Almost a sighting!!
This was a bad year for rain. The pictures above and below you can see how far down the water levels are. If you don't believe in global warming - the dry lake was teeming with fish and wildlife just a few years ago. In fact - this is the marina where the boats were kept and launched. Just on the other side of the boats used to be 5 feet of water. There used to be eagles nesting along the shore and on the day we visited there was only one blue heron fishing out of the last puddle in the middle of the mud. When the water dried up, it made easy fishing for the birds and predators until all the fish were gone. Then the animals that needed them for food were left to starve or leave the area.
Reflection of the bridge in the stream.
0 Comments added to this post ▣ October Trip: Part 2
More photos from our trip! Spent a lot of time exploring (see driving around aimlessly with no schedule). I usually have 2 or 3 cameras on my lap because you never know when a bear will walk into your landscape photo and you suddenly need a different lens.
Sometimes the wild wildlife can be frustratingly elusive. Instead of getting discouraged I get out my jar of peanuts. Just the sound of the nuts rattling in the container usually brings a curious photo subject. Sometimes 5 or 6.
So funny stoy here - we spent 2 mornings in a row hiding in the bushes next to a beaver pond hoping to get a shot of Mr. Beaver doing his morning rounds at the dam. The weeds were almost over my head when I sat down on the ground in the twilight. After an hour or so - no beavers - and now it was daylight. I turned my head to look over my shoulder and right next to my face was this spider. Sitting in the middle of her web strung up between two goldenrod stalks. I froze for a minute and then decided that if it sat there peacefully for the whole hour in the darkness, it probably didn't want to jump in my hair.
The water everywhere was very low from late season drought.
Stay tuned for elk photos! 3 Comments added to this post ▣ October Trip : Part 1
Now that things have calmed down around here and we've officially entered the wedding off-season, I can back up and do the photo-ography of the past 3 months. There are tons of weddings and portrait sessions to blog. This trip was a nice long weekend at the beginning of October in between Kara & Tom and Sami & Josh's weddings in the calm before the Fall-Christmas storm. My parents drove up friday night while Sean and I were prepping for the next day's wedding. When we got back Saturday night late after the reception we had to back up all of our images, burn CD's, recharge batteries and swap the wedding gear for the wilderness gear. The leaves were already changing in the northern elevations as I drove up to the fortress of solitude late sunday. My mum came home mid-week for work, and my sister drove in to visit from college. By thursday it was time for me to head back towards civilization and get things together for Sami & Josh's wedding. I can't wait to blog that one :-) When I go on these trips I have 4 objectives: 1. Drive around aimlessly - because any other time driving is just a frantic sprint from point A to point B and there's no time to look around. I fear that if i was ever turned loose in Alaska or Yosemite or Arizona with my camera gear and a winnebago I'd never be seen or heard from again.
These two shots above and below are below the dam. Consequently we got yelled at by the park ranger for walking on the spillway. As Sandy would say: "It's all in the name of art." :-) I love the way the leaves look against the green pine trees, at the time we were there it didn't seem all that colorful. But looking at these photos now that we've got 2 months of winter under our belt with no leaves at all on the trees, the colors were spectacular! I'm always amazed every year when the first snow always seems like magic in slow motion. Then in the spring when the leaves come out I can't believe that spring does that every year. That each year's season is somehow more fantastic than the last. We are very lucky here in PA to have 4 distinct seasons.
Objective #2 Have no schedule Why? Seriously, someday i'll post a copy of my calendar on here. Every day is scheduled, sometimes every hour of every day, and the ones that aren't scheduled I still should be doing editing or album design or post process work. When I bought my mac this fall i discovered iCal which is my new savior. Before that it took two appointment books and a palm planner to keep things straight. Self-employment can be a slippery slope. It's easy to let yourself be overwhelmed and hard to realize that even if you worked all day and then stayed up all night editing and proofing that you still would never really be finished with everything that needs done. Sometimes you have to give yourself permission to go to sleep. And have a fortress of solitude. When you have no cell service, no computer, and no internet you're left with no choices and so you don't have to feel guilty about picking something that doesn't involve a deadline. I love this spot too. A stand of white birch trees planted in the middle of an already endless forest in tribute to a woman who dedicated her life to preserving places in nature where the rest of us could go to hide years later. It's very peaceful there, I've visited in 3 seasons and I hope to make it back up this winter before the snow melts. There's a narrow winding path that starts at the monument and then kind of wanders off among the ferns and disappears into the trees. If you go far enough in that you can't see your car and you step off the trail and sit on a rock for a minute you get this wonderful sensation that you really wouldn't have to go back if you didn't want to.
We were here right before sunset when the sun was slanting in. I don't love the exposure in this shot. It bugs me - I can take a hundred pictures here and it seems like none of them come out the way I'm seeing the place when I'm there. There's like this 3rd dimension that I know bothers all photographers when we know we've done everything technically correct and captured a technically 'accurate' photo of a scene and yet it's missing it's most vital part which seems to be something that doesn't fit into a camera. I don't love this exposure but out of all the ones I shot this one seems the closest to what I feel it's meant to be.
I like this one a lot. I started wondering if maybe the whole scene was just too much "the expected shot" and started trying to break down the whole and find a subject that described the trees without being a picture of trees. This ladybug was a left over from summer crawling in under the papery bark for a cold weather nap.
Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 this week.
1 Comment added to this post ▣ Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to all of you! We are truly blessed to have had such a wonderful year with old and new friends! We are proud to consider you all part of our extended family! We hope you have a safe and happy holiday :-)
We will be out of the office from Dec. 18th to the 29th - (with the exception of a wedding on the 27th) then we're doing portraits in the morning and afternoon on the 29th and then officially back to business as usual on friday January 2nd. 1 Comment added to this post ▣ My Birthday!
Today is my birthday! You know what I really want? NO MORE ELECTION COMMERCIALS. In the past 3 minute commercial break I have seen Rob McCord, Tom Ellis, Elder Vogel, Kim Ward, Melissa Hart, John Murtha, William Russell, John McCain, Barack Obama, Jason Altmeyer, all begging for our votes. Sigh. I really do feel another year older! Here's a photo from our short trip out of town last month - who knew a bog could be so photogenic? I'd rather be there today!
5 Comments added to this post ▣ Christine '09
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! This blog is so neglected lately it's going to need therapy. In short- I've given up on catching up. It'll happen when it happens. I've been spending my entire life either in front of the computer or behind the camera. We've been blessed to have at least one shooting gig everyday for the past 21 days and are booked every day for the next week including saturdays and sundays. I love the leaves, and I love my job but like incredibly dark chocolate (75% cacao!) too much of a good thing will give you a heart attack. Ok I'm not sure that there's scientific evidence to support death-by-chocolate but I once ate an entire cacao reserve dark chocolate mint bar and experienced mania and palpatations. MMMmmm. :-) I've been kickin in with some pretty awesome folks! Lastnight I spent the evening with the kiski area girls soccer team at their annual banquet celebrating another fantastic season of action shots. It's been five years since I started photographing them and the girls that I saw start as freshmen are now graduating seniors. Yikes. Oldness alert. As far as senior pictures we've met the Hartmans and their kids, braved the rain with Lauren, fought the wind with Marie, felt the onset of fall chilliness with Jess and Taryn, and had great weather for Christine! Christine is an AMAZING defender for the soccer team. We met up in Saltsburg last week for her senior session.
Besides being a student, and an athlete, Christine also participates in competitive archery (targets not bambi) and kicks major butt at it. If any of you saw the 1991 Kevin Costner rendition of Robin Hood, you know exactly what I was thinking going for this shot. And it shows how much I trust her!
I promise I will get back to blogging weddings ASAP, I've been letting the blog slip in favor of spending more time on getting people's proofs to them! I can't wait to tell you all about Kara & Tom, Sami & Josh, Bethany & Chad - and I can't leave out Jaclyn & Dennis's engagement session in which Jaclyn astounded me. She was practically rock climbing in high heels. She could be a charlies angel or a hollywood stunt woman. I was thoroughly impressed. I know the posts have been short lately, but I miss the comments! Say hello! 1 Comment added to this post ▣ out of office
Just a little memo that we are off the grid - flown the coop - got outta Dodge city! I am off to the undisclosed location of peace and tranquility and will not be available by phone or email until Thursday, October 9th. I apologize for any inconveniences - but sometimes right in the middle of the whole darn show you just to need to step back and take a breath. We had a fantastic time with Tom & Kara yesterday and will be spending next weekend with Sami & Josh!
So keep your eyes peeled! (after thursday that is) There's so much to blog about and just not enough time to get it all done. We've been hanging out with Emily, Brittany, Britta, Audrey, Natalie and Zack, Tom and & Kara, and a ton of awesome families! Have a great week!
1 Comment added to this post ▣ rainy weekend away
We headed to the mountains this past weekend to an undisclosed location of peace and tranquility. Cell phone battery died sometime around lunch on Saturday and I just didn't bother plugging it back in. I remember years ago you couldn't even dream of getting cell phone service in this area. Grr.. it's the network. Oh well, we all need a little time away sometimes. Unfortunately the only weekend that Sean and I both had off - (no weddings can you believe it?) happened to be the weekend the hurricane ike rains decided to push north. When we left friday night it wasn't just raining, it was a steady monsoon for the 2 hour drive. People said to us - "you're going camping? in a tent? you must be joking." Well the rain certainly didn't make it any easier, but I'm glad we went. The rain drizzled to a mist and then a halt when we arrived at our destination and began looking for a place to put the tent. We couldn't believe our luck. It actually held off long enough to get the tent set up and everything safely under the rain fly. Woke up Saturday morning to the sound of branches falling around us from the wind. Went for a drive to look for some nature and explore. The woods are so peaceful, just miles and miles and miles of green. And when you pull over and turn the truck off, you hear absolutely nothing.
Yay for four wheel drive - the road less traveled is often the road less flat, less dry, less cleared of debris, and definitely less responded to by AAA. We ventured to the edges of where people regularly travel to a road that's actually been reclaimed from civilization by a colony of beavers. At one point there was a dirt road that led to another skinnier dirt road, that led to an old gas well road. There used to be a small creek (more than 10 years ago) that was only a few feet wide and flowed over the gas well access road. Then the beavers found it. And they dammed it up, and created this lake you see here.
I actually took this shot right out the window of the truck. The dam is so high and so long that the access road now runs parallel to it along the one side. The truck window was a few feet above the surface of the water, and the lower half of the truck was a good 3 or 4 feet below the water level. There was nothing between us and all that water except a skillfully engineered wall of sticks and mud formed by generations of beavers.
This is another dam and pond upstream that we feel may have been abandoned. No one knows why the beavers leave when they do. Sometimes they overpopulate one area and tell the kids to find their own creek. Or it could be all the mining going on in the next valley that could have polluted the water.
After our big drive around, we parked the truck and hiked in to an area where we knew their was a very active family of beavers enthusiastically taking over at least 500 yards of creek for their own water park. I love this shot of Sean hiding out in the weeds waiting for the critter to swim by just a few minutes before dark. Since the weeds were so high along the bank you had to be careful you didn't fall into the water. The rain had left everything foggy and humid. I'm just glad we didn't happen into any bears in the tall brush. Although we did stumble right into a hornets nest about a foot off the ground and it started vibrating and buzzing angrily and we ran for the hills.
Back to camp, built a roaring fire in the rain. We cooked fire pies, sausage, and lipton noodle soup. Right before we got to eating we were invaded by an unwanted guest. A skunk had smelled our food and walked right into camp, almost right up to the fire to investigate. This is pretty common thanks to people feeding wild animals and the magnetic power of harvest cheddar Sunchips. Normally the problem is a nosy possum or a brazen raccoon. You can chase them away, chuck a stick in their direction, or go on the attack. A skunk is different. You don't really want to SCARE a skunk. I think this particular skunk was aware of this. The more we backed up the closer he came. Then we were hiding in the truck. Eventually he went away after a desperate series of light flashing and cautious rock throwing. We wrapped everything up and abandoned our fire in favor of turning in early.
The leaves are already starting to change up north, it won't be long now.
Besides the dirt roads, the only other swaths through the woods are made by gas line and power lines. These high tension wires will go for hundreds of miles across the state. Although you are not allowed to drive on them, you could park and walk a long, long way.
Back in the office now. And ready to get caught up ! Have a great week everyone!
0 Comments added to this post ▣ Updates
Thursday morning when I stepped outside to find this guy perched on the tree a few feet from my porch. He likes to hunt the moles burrowing under the front yard. He's been hanging around all week, I hope I see him again.
THANK YOU to everyone who commented on the previous post for Syd and Jake! I spoke to the folks at Kiddies Korner and they told me that the Walk-a-Thon raised about $15,000 for the family! That's FANTASTIC!! If we all do a little, we can do a lot. Lots of catching up to do on this blog - we've been hanging out with Tim & Ashley, Brandi & Frank, Leah & Josh, Christa, Workshops with David Burke, and all the guys at the Bushy Run Battle Reenactment. Watch for new posts!
0 Comments added to this post ▣ one giant leap . . .
Last week was the annual Apollo Moonlanding Festival ! We had a great time ( I was the one sweltering in the Scoobie Doo costume ) ! I have new respect for all the professional sports team mascots out there: the pirate parrot, the penn state lion, smokey the bear, tony the tiger, and all the folks down at disney who spend the entire summer tourist seaon or the sports season trapped inside a faux fur coat. Last year I wore a Clifford the Big Red Dog suit. Maybe for next year we could have a human character? You know, one without fur. Like Hannah Montana, or the Little Mermaid. Everyone wanted their picture with Scoobie and it was really cool to be IN pictures for once. Almost unheard of for photographers. The best part of the whole week was the fireworks display on Friday night. I asked permission to stand on top of the roof at Smart Start Education Center and they were nice enough not only to let me - but they went with me and brought friends! The climb up there was nothing short of a circus act, but the view was worth the risk!
It was SO COOL to be up there looking down on all the people milling around and all the rides lit up. Next to Saltsburg Canal Days, this is my favorite home-towney carnival of the summer!
I saw the Brunermer family from last fall having fun on the rides!
The Johnston's and the Shirley's were out as well! I love running into friends that started out as clients! Aven was enthralled by all the lights and sounds and the people at the carnival!
Aven with his Dad.
If you were there you know how good the food was every night. Funnel cakes, deep fried oreos, pulled pork sandwiches, and sloppy fries. I wish summer lasted 6 months.
0 Comments added to this post ▣ happy 4th
Happy 4th of July everyone! We'll be out of the office until Monday the 7th. Have a safe holiday and take lots of pictures!
0 Comments added to this post ▣ june showers
As many of you know, one of my favorite places to take seniors is Saltsburg. It has a lot of variety in a small space. There's the river, the nature trails, all of the old buildings, the stone work, the mill, and one of my favorite spots is the community garden. The ladies of the Herb Society of Saltsburg (please check out their website) volunteer countless hours in the hot sun maintaining several green spaces around town and along the canal. A few weeks ago I decided to head over and see what was in bloom. A huge rainstorm had just moved through and the sun came back out right at the end of the evening.
The historical society museum on Point Street. The garden is located behind the museum on the right, you can just see the corner of it in this shot.
There are lots of roses that climb all over the gate and the fence rail.
The sundial along the path.
The garden features much more than just flowers, there are many different kinds of greenery, vines, grasses, and herbs.
All of the plants in the garden are well marked and you can find maps for self guided tours in the mailbox behind the museum. It's free and open to the public anytime. It's a great place to see different plant life, (and the rabbit that hides in the flowers), and makes a good stop over if you're hiking the rail trail along river. You should check it out!
0 Comments added to this post |
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