Mark and Lindsay

This weekend I was blessed to be able to shoot family pictures of Mark and Lindsay and their 2 yr old Ruby! Lindsay is the daughter of one of my husbands BEST friends, and Mark is a student and part time employee of our church

It was a beautiful day, the fall colors were magnificent. The weather was perfect and this couple is adorable as you can tell from these
shots. It was fun watching their little family together

When we first talked Lindsay told me she wanted shots that really reflected the love they had for each other. It wasn't hard to capture that, because they were just so sweet together.

Lindsay is expecting their second child, (Hope that wasn't a secret)

Its hard to shoot a toddler because they are so busy, and at two they are so independent. Ruby is really good natured, even at two!

As we were leaving we came upon this canon and decided it would be the perfect location for
their Christmas Card shot! Somehow I suspect they were not 100 % serious about that.

Fall in Michigan

Day One: Last weekend, a friend and I drove up to the Harbor Country in SW Michigan. The 5 1/2 hr drive up flew by as we caught up on each others lives.

We had dinner in the quaint little town of St. Joseph where we met a few of the locals.

Then we went back to our rooms at the Union Pier Summer house.

Day Two: The room was just a short walk to the beach.

The early morning clouds were amazing and they reflected in the water on the shore.

After breakfast we headed inland a little ways to explore. At Dinges Farm we saw some really unusual pumpkins.

Everywhere you looked the trees were beautiful.






Then it was back to the lake and a visit to the town of Saugatuck, (not pictured) and South Haven where we visited the harbor. It was getting late in the day and the water was so still and lovely.

As if the lake would not be outdone by the fall foliage, the day ended in a blaze of color as we watched the sun set from the beach and pier at South Haven.

Day Three:
We started the day by climbing a 240 ft high sand dune.




A stop for Michigan Apples



Then it was off to the Michigan Wine country.



Round Barn Winery has a unique "resturant" that was closed for the season, but we managed to get inside for a peak a the beautiful ceiling.

Michigan is a beautiful state, especially in the fall. We had a wonderful time

Reflections

I went out this morning on a mission. Get a decent reflection shot. My patient husband agree to be my model, even though I know he feels awkward doing it. We went to a lovely cemetary in Cincinnati. Unfortunately the grounds had sustained a great deal of damage from Hurricane IKE that tore thru our area about two weeks ago. There was a lot of debris that had blown everwhere including in the water. Even so the results were not a complete disaster.



I like the way the tree in the background reflects on its mirror image on the water. This was a really beautiful spot.






I couldn't resist posting this shot, even though it isn't part of my assignment. I just think this guy is handsome





No reflections here, I just loved this old family crypt. The door itself was beautiful. The Cross became so pronounced when I framed up this shot




Dan found a tree he wanted to take home!



More Reflections





Other shots from the day

Ever get to wondering?

Disclaimer: This blog post is not about photography, and it doesn't contain pictures! I just had to write about this because it made me smile.
My facebook status recently reflected my musings on a particular ad that I see often when I log into facebook. It is an ad for an "Experienced Captains" The ad includes a picture of a rugged looking seafaring individual, looking particularly satisfied, like someone who had found his life calling and lives life to the fullest.
A savvy facebook friend, who noticed my status change, was quick to point out an interesting article about facebook's targeted marketing. I honestly hadn't thought about how much Facebook KNOWS ABOUT ME, but they know a lot! Enough, in fact, that they know of my deepest secret longing to sail the world, stopping in every port to make friends and sample the local delicacies. They know that I can picture myself stepping onto the weathered dock of a quiet Greek fishing village. Peering up at the intensely white buildings hanging, as if by enchantment, onto the side of step cliffs. I slip my large canvas bag over my shoulder and start to navigate the narrow winding road that leads to the open air restaurant that hangs suspended over the crashing waves at the pinnacle of the cliff. I step inside the threshold of the building, my eyes straining to adjust to the shadows after the blinding brightness of the village road. As my feet are caressed by the cool smooth tile floor, I smell fresh bread, olive oil, garlic and cheese. A familiar voice from inside shouts a welcom ....
How does facebook know this about me? Check out this article. And Thanks Eric for pointing it out!
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008165196_btfacebook08.html

I been everywhere, man!

I have a new theme song. It’s an old song by Johnny Cash called "I've been everywhere"
A couple of weeks ago, after dropping my baby off to start college in Michigan, I made a decision. I need a goal... So I decided it would be fun to visit the highpoints of all the states. HEY, it’s a GOAL. We enlisted the help of some great friends and set off on our first high point adventure to visit the highest point in Ohio, a whopping 1550 ft above sea level. As the tires of the HHR crunched down the gravel driveway toward the open road, we popped the Johnny Cash song in the CD player. (See lyrics below) While we didn't quite make the summit, it was still exhilarating.

I was toting my pack along the long dusty Winnemucca road
When along came a semi with a high canvas covered load
If you’re goin' to Winnemucca, Mack with me you can ride
And so I climbed into the cab and then I settled down inside
He asked me if I'd seen a road with so much dust and sand
And I said, "Listen! I've traveled every road in this here land!"

I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere

I've been to:
Boston
Charleston
Dayton
Louisiana
Washington
Houston
Kingston
Texarkana
Monterey
Fairaday
Santa Fe
Tallapoosa
Glen Rock
Black Rock
Little Rock
Oskaloosa
Tennessee
Tennessee
Chicopee
Spirit Lake
Grand Lake
Devil's Lake
Crater Lake

For Pete's Sake
I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
Crossed the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere

I've been to:
Louisville
Nashville
Knoxville
Ombabika
Schefferville
Jacksonville
Waterville
Costa Rock
Pittsfield


You get the idea. As I have been scoping out the nations high points on the internet, I decided I REALLY need to get into shape for some of them, so this weekend we took a 6 mile hike thru Clifton Gorge. It was nothing like the old days when we hiked 12 miles at 10K feet and never thought a thing about it. This hike was very leisurely. At the half way point we stopped at the Old Clifton Mill for a lovely lunch and then we meandered back to the car thru the lush hardwood forests. Here are some shots of our day.