Grand Canyon

The most memorable trip I've taken has to be to the Grand Canyon....  Hard to believe when I've also been to Italy and Hawaii - both trips I absolutely loved, but for some reason our trip to the Grand Canyon is the one I would do over and over again.  It was a two week vacation with my family - me, my mother, and my stepfather traveling in an RV to meet one uncle in Arizona and another uncle in Colorado.  Along the way we stopped in Albuquerque, NM; the petrified forest, the painted desert, Meteor Crater in AZ, Sedona, AZ where we did a jeep tour of the red rocks, Monument Valley where we did another jeep tour of the rock formations, Four Corners, Durango, CO where we rode the train to Silverton, and at the Grand Canyon we rode the mules into the canyon for an overnight stay.  I remember moments like eating what I consider real sopapillas in Albuquerque - fresh and hot with dripping honey;

  stopping at a welcome center in NM where we met a couple traveling with their horses - wild mustangs they saved and trained;  the high winds at the top observation point at Meteor Crater... being able to see for miles in any direction and wondering at the oddity of this crater out in the middle of nowhere;  taking a walk with my iPod at sunset outside our RV park near Meteor Crater... listening to music to fit the spectacular sight before my eyes - I have never seen a sunset to match it's splendor, and I have never experienced such wonder at one of nature's bold displays of color and composition;  walking along the pathways at the Petrified Forest and thinking about all the creatures that lived during the time of these ancient trees and wondering what it must have been like;  my stepfather's unending patience at my need to stop every few miles to take a photo of something;  the pure joy and thrill of our jeep ride in Sedona - at the time I swore I would quit my job and move there to be a jeep tour guide ( Pink Jeep Tours );  breakfast at the local airport in Sedona - it's on top of a hill and you have a gorgeous view of the town below( Sedona Airport ) ;  driving through Flagstaff and seeing the yellow flowers all along the road sides;  reaching an altitude of over 7,000 feet at the Grand Canyon - I had no idea it was that high above sea level;  spending time with my uncle... he's only 14 years older than me and loves adventure as much as I do;  dinner one night at the Grand Canyon - listening to my uncle play his guitar while watching the stars and satellites travel overhead... the night skies are so clear out west - the sky was full of diamonds;  sitting on a wall overlooking the canyon and reading a book... along comes a squirrel and climbs on my lap ( no lie! ) looking for food - they are quite unafraid of people, but feeding and touching them is discouraged - I didn't feed him, but could not resist his curiosity of me, and of course had to take a photo;  the mule ride was a multitude of memories... too many to go into, but suffice it to say it was one of the best times I've had in my life - my mother, my uncle, and myself went into the canyon and had a blast;  seeing elk and deer everywhere!....  always looking for the elusive condors - once on the brink of extinction and now making a come back - beautiful in flight with wing spans of almost 9 feet ( Grand Canyon Condors );  visiting Indian road side stands... my insatiable desire to own real Indian jewelry must have driven my stepfather crazy;  driving into Durango, CO - one minute desert and the next beautiful hard wood forests....  Colorado is definitely one of my favorite places;  the drive to Denver - how stunningly gorgeous are the Rockies!!!!;  touring The Stanley Hotel - famous for being the inspiration for Stephen King's The Shining....  we had the greatest tour guide - and I swear I got some ghosts ( orbs ) in some of my photos - you would not believe the sight of my aunt and I running down the hallway chasing them down!;  a rainbow in Rocky Mountain National Park - another photo opportunity I must have driven people nuts with - I actually ran down the road chasing it for the best composition possible.....  So many memories, and so many more that simply won't fit on this page.  It's amazing the wonders our own US of A holds in store for us if we just take the time to experience them.  I love this country and wish to travel all of it before I'm gone.  That trip was such an inspiration of hope and marvel....  I can only pray that everyone could experience something like it in their lifetimes. 

What are some of your best travel memories?

        

Movie Time

I love movies....  I love getting lost in the story - it's like reading a good book.  Submerging yourself in the magic of movies for an hour or two is like taking a vacation from the realities of life.  You can forget your worries and problems...  For a short time you can be a spy on a mission to save the world, you can fall in love with the impossibly handsome leading man and have him sweep you off your feet with romance, your kids can be impossibly dysfunctional but still get the best of their bullying schoolmates with humor and well thought out pranks, you could live in another galaxy far, far away with space ships and laser guns, magical powers could come into your possession and with them a whole host of new magical friends and creatures, etc....  the sky is the limit on where you can escape.  Taking the time to indulge your fantasies and imagination is healthy - all too often we lose the ability to use our imaginations once we grow up and discover there is no tooth fairy or Easter bunny.  We no longer play with toys or have imaginary friends.  Books are no longer windows to other worlds that actually exist - they are just words on a page that we struggle to finish in a timely manner.  ( For me, books are like movies - I lose myself in the stories and try to imagine myself in the pages ).  Gone are the days when we look at the clouds and try to find familiar shapes in them, no longer do we go outside and swing from grape vines, play in stream beds, or swing from the rafters in the old barn by our homes....  no longer do we cry out in excitement when we see a playground or amusement park.  Our innocence comes so easily when we are children, but the price of growing up is losing that innocence and the ability to live in the moment.  Adult problems and complexities force us to take a long hard look at reality, and in doing so we lose our childhood forever. 

It's not hard to try recapturing the ability to imagine and regain our innocence.  As adults we just have to find ways that suit our new lives... and for me it's watching movies and reading books.  They are tools that help all of us take a break from reality - something we all should do more often.  Too many adults are trapped in the problems of their lives, and it weighs them down causing sickness and mental distress.  By having a healthy outlet to escape this trap, we give our brains a rest from negativity - opening ourselves to possibilities and positive emotion.  We can have healthier personal relationships when we open ourselves to what is possible instead of focusing on what is impossible.  Our minds can get stuck in a rut, and allowing it to "play" every once in awhile gives it a chance to recharge and regroup. 

At the moment, some of my favorite movies are:  Transformers, the new Star Trek, the Harry Potter movies, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, all the Star Wars movies, and all the Disney Pixar movies.  Obviously I am a fan of sci fi... it is a true escape to watch something that only exists in fiction. 

What are some of your favorites?    

Favorite Things continued....

Being a Southern girl, I do love southern food.  One of my biggest weaknesses is fried foods.... and try as I may to avoid them, every once in awhile I do splurge.  Fried pickles, fried green tomatoes, fried okra (it has to be good though), and any kind of fried bread (especially doughnuts - yummmm) are my public enemies numbers one, two, three, and four.  But let's just focus on one of these for now:  fried okra.  I am not a fan of okra - and in fact cannot stand it in any form.  However, there is a local restaurant here that makes the only fried okra I will put in my mouth:  The Bell Buckle Cafe located in historic Bell Buckle, TN.

 Bell Buckle, TN

A railroad town located south of Nashville, Bell Buckle is a quaint small town free of all the commercialism that plagues many towns all over the country.  Staying true to it's roots, this 450 person artist's community has music, shops, history, and good food - that's it.  Mostly residential, the actual town square in only about one to two blocks long... and that is a literal description.  There is only one side to the town center - the other is railroad tracks and farm land.  In the center of the town railroad square is the Bell Buckle Cafe - a casual and fun establishment that has an actual record company that issues recordings by cafe artists.  The menu is a true meat & three with choices such as BBQ pork platter, chicken fried steak, smoked chops, catfish fingers, and of course.... fried okra.

Bell Buckle Cafe Menu

If you are a dessert lover - which I am to the core...  the cafe has fresh pies and cobblers each day.  You absolutely cannot leave without trying one of these scrumptious items - make sure you leave room for dessert!!!

I have not been to the cafe in a few years - my current location means a drive of almost two hours to get there, but my memories are still fresh and I'll get there again some day.  If you are ever in that neck of the woods, go visit Bell Buckle.  It's a slow pace, but worth the stroll.

Daisy

Woke up this morning with a knot in my stomach.... our dog, Daisy, was missing.  We hadn't seen her since around 6:00 last night, and it's very unusual for her to miss a meal.  At around 9:00 when we noticed she was not home, I walked up and down the street (we live on a dead end) calling out to her, but nothing.  I put a posting on Facebook for people to pray for her safe return - and I'm not usually one to ask for prayer, but in this instance I felt it coudn't hurt.  So, this morning, after waking up I put on some comfortable clothes and headed out once more to look in the daylight.... walking up and down the street again, plus walking along the water's edge hoping against hope I would not find her there.  She's an old dog (15 years ), and I wasn't sure if maybe with age her sense of direction is not as good, so I even drove into the neighborhood behind us to see if she wandered into someone's yard.... but again, nothing.  Feeling hopeless, I came home and started making some calls to local animal shelters.  The house was so quiet - it was weird not hearing the clink of her collar when I came in.  Having done all I could at that point, I went upstairs to make breakfast and received a call from one of our neighbors who told me they think they found Daisy.  She was at a house down the street in the fenced in back yard.... hmmmm, how weird that I was tempted to look in that fence earlier because I heard a dog barking and it sounded a bit like Daisy.  I resisted because it was fenced in and I thought she wouldn't be in there....  if only I knew!  So, I walked down the street and there she was with the lovely people who found her.  I was so happy!  She's home now, asleep at my feet currently, and nothing sounds more happy than the clink of her collar when she moves around.
I love dogs, always have.  And even though I've only lived with Daisy for about a year, she's become a fixture in my life that I would sorely miss if she was gone.  Her time is close, I'm sure - being 15 years old, I am amazed she is in such great health for a dog her size - but for the remaining time we have her, I hope her days are happy and healthy.  She's a sweet soul, and she deserves the love and attention we can give her.  All dogs deserve that - they are companions to man and as such we should treat them with respect and affection.  If you have a dog in your life, go now and give them some attention....  you never know when they'll be taken from you, and you never know how much you'll miss them until they are gone.  Man's best friend is truly appreciated in our house - Daisy is home where she belongs with her family.

  

Favorite Things...

One of my passions is food....  luckily, it doesn't show in my wasteline!  I am an amateur foodie, but don't get hung up on the technicality of food - I just enjoy the flavors and how a good meal makes me feel.  Food is universal - it connects us by necessity and comfort.  Nothing means more to me than creating a meal and sharing it with friends and family.  A bond is formed over food - good conversation, reliving memories, talking through problems, laughing over good times....  food, without the boob tube, is the centerpiece of reconnecting to the people we love. 

Not only do I love to cook, but I also enjoy going to restaurants...  some are disappointing, and some are memory makers.  A night out eating a good meal is so satisfying - each bite savored with a glass of good wine, or finished off with a mouth watering dessert.  Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of my favorite recipes and restaurants...  just an inside look at what makes me happy.  Enjoy:

In honor of being in Louisville last weekend for a wedding, I have to include Lynn's Paradise Cafe.  I was introduced to this spot several years ago by a friend who lives in the area.  Back then Lynn's had not quite gained the notoriety it enjoys now, but it was definitely on it's way.  If you are ever in the area, please don't pass up the opportunity to drop in....  breakfast is the best meal of the day.

 Lynn's Paradise Cafe

Lynn's Bourbon Ball French Toast

Busy Bees

Wedding photographers wear alot of hats on the wedding day.... we aren't just taking photos, we are also amateur psychiatrists, on the spot negotiators, set decorators, advice gurus, professional athletes, fashion experts, and miracle workers.  It takes alot more than just knowing how to take photos to be a successful wedding photographer.  Ultimately, the most important personality trait to pull off the multiple roles we must fill is patience.  Without patience you will see photographers who become stressed and frustrated, which will result in rudeness and overbearing bossiness.  My wedding this past weekend is a prime example of the many hats worn on a weekly basis....  pre-set up of the getting ready and first meeting shots (clearing the getting ready room of any unwanted chairs and clutter for clean backgrounds, delivering the flowers to the proper rooms to ensure everyone had theirs either pinned on or in their hands at the proper times, and posting "bodyguards" at entry points of the first meeting space to keep the moment private from onlookers), adding a couple of shots to the formals to avoid any hurt feelings or arguments later, resetting ceremony chairs to make sure I would not block the view of any guests, repeatedly encouraging the bride and her mother that everything was going well and they both looked fabulous, supporting the father of the bride in his efforts to make sure all the details were going as planned, or making sure they went as well as possible if anything went wrong, keeping the mother of the bride calm when presented with challenges, and most importantly making sure I showed no sign of frustration or stress.... it is my job to put on the best face possible for my clients and to not add any stress for them.  Too many times I've heard stories of photographers who treat their clients like children and boss them around disrespectfully.  This not only creates tension, but also makes the families and wedding party act differently around the photographer, which means the photos have been altered by the photographers lack of patience, respect, and foresight.  It takes time and experience to truly know what to expect and how to anticipate anything going wrong.  However, just treating their clients as friends instead of a job will serve any photographer well if they don't have the background body of work to fall back on.  We have a tough job that many don't see if we do it well....  if it looks like no effort, then we are doing something right.

A Foggy Morning....

Foggy morning here.... I love waking up and seeing fog out the window.  It's like waking up in another world and for just a few hours you could be the only house on the planet.  The cocoon of fog around our house is comforting and the silence is golden.  Looking out over the lake I can almost imagine magical creatures coming out to play on the water's surface, or transport myself to medieval times and picture knights on their horses thundering through a foggy morning forest.  My imagination is inspired by the misty scene out my window today, and for just a small space of time I am not myself, but instead am a wisp of dew on the tip of a flower. 

Being able to lose myself in the moment is a luxury I don't often have anymore.... life is so full and unpredictable.  I miss the days of sitting in a chair by the window and watching our birds come to eat at the feeders, lying on the sofa and losing myself in a good book, or relaxing in a lawn chair and listening the sounds of the neighborhood:  lawnmowers, birds, dogs barking, children playing, bugs buzzing around my head....  but, most of all I miss the time spent giving in to my imagination.  As an artist, my mind works from inspiration and imagination.... both harder to find these days amid the day to day problems that come with my much busier life.  Precious moments alone with my thoughts are usually filled with ponderings on work and relationships - fewer and fewer thoughts trend toward the fanciful or imaginative.  Do we lose our innocence when this happens?  Do we lose the ability to identify with the inner child hidden within all of us?  As adults, do we permanently forget how to look at the world in wonder?  I certainly hope not....  Our inner child keeps us young, it keeps hope alive in our hearts, and it allows us to dream beyond our wildest dreams.  Keep dreaming....  the world needs more hope.

Differences

I am always amazed at the singlemindedness of men.  Once an idea gets in their head, it does not go away until they either accomplish the idea, or end in failure.  But, what really gets me is how they do not, and I mean DO NOT understand women - and to make matters worse, most men don't try to understand them. 

As a wedding photographer I always wonder when I am photographing a wedding what the couple is like when they have an argument, and if they argue often.  Some couples are quiet and resolve their issues by periods of silence and ignoring each other, while other couples scream and bring down the roof yelling things they would never say when not angry, and then there are the combo couples - one is quiet and the other likes to yell.  The most frustrating thing for women is the issue of no resolvment - if the subject of argument could just be resolved or attempted to be, then many fights would end quickly. 

Women just want to be understood and respected, and when men think they are being unreasonable and don't try to understand why, the issue will never go away for them.  What's worse is when a man misunderstands or misinterprets circumstances, but will not accept explanations - once he has his own version of what went down, it is like guiding a 500 lb bear from attacking it's prey.  The emotional place women argue from is alien to men - they are all about logic and if a fight happens at night, the next morning is a fresh start and the previous day can be forgotten.... not so for women.  They can hold on to pain for days if they feel their man does not care about trying to avoid future arguments just by sitting down and trying to figure out why they fought and how to avoid that particular subject again.  Most men just want to put arguments behind them and move forward, but women need closure - as emotional creatures, we need the men we love to respect how we operate, and closure to fights is always needed.  When the next fight happens, all the previous unresolved fights come to mind for women, and as time goes on, they get more and more frustrated.  Or, they get defeated, and give up their own sense of self to avoid more fights.  They give up their opinions, their viewpoints on life, their unique perspective into the minds of people, and their self confidence.  Their voice is gone because they don't want to rock the boat anymore. 

Being a couple is no easy thing - it's hard work that many men don't understand - they don't want to change in order to be in a relationship.  They expect the woman to change to fit their personality, and unfortunately, many women do exactly that.  As a single person I would look at a couple in this situation and wonder why the woman stays....  but now, being in a situation exactly like it, I understand the reasons for staying.  Change is a drug for women, and it is a drug they always hope their man will succumb too as well.   But men do not change unless it is their own idea, and any attempt to change their viewpoint on how women think is like banging your head against the wall.  Women are mysteries to them, and it is too much effort to try and understand them - it is much easier to think they are crazy or difficult.  Emotions are not easy for men to dive into and talk about - they compartmentalize their problems and don't really talk about them.  Women are all about talking through their problems - and it is this fundamental difference that gets most couples into trouble.  When they fight, the woman wants to talk about it, the man wants to forget it and move on.....  if the man only knew that just sitting down for 10 to 20 minutes and working through the why's and how's of what has happened will make everything better.  It could be so easy....   

Grandmother

Learned yesterday that my grandmother was in the hospital over the weekend.  She's fine now, but gave my mother quite a scare....  93 years old and still has her wits about her, I am amazed at her dogged determination to retain her independence.  She lives in an assisted living facility, but believe me when I say she tries her hardest to not need any assistance.  I admire her tenacity, but she is also her own worst enemy when it comes to her medical history.  One of the most important things she needs to do is as simple as eating on a regular basis, however, this is a woman who for the last ten years eats like a bird even on the best of days. 

My memories of her are so different than who she is now.  Both she and my grandfather were gentle forces in our lives - the glue of our family, the rocks upon which we stood in times of trouble.  For my brother and I, they were symbols of permanancy.... our mother had been through three divorces, and our grandparents were married until my grandfather passed away more than 12 years ago.  We all literally believed my grandmother would not be able to live without him - they never fought, were never apart, and relied on each other for strength and faith.  But, she's tougher than we gave her credit for, and she lived on for her family.  It's interesting the roles grandmothers play in our lives - as a grandchild you have such a different relationship with this person then their own children do, and you don't often think of them as mothers until you get older and see them actually mother your own mother or father.  My grandmother was a sweet, gentle, and giving woman in my life - almost an untouchable angel that gave my grandfather his strength and stability.  As I got older though, I discovered the steely side to her.... she is tough and doesn't take crap from anyone who seeks injustice or attempts to harm her family.  She loves beer, and is a huge fan of her local baseball team.  She is not sentimental with material things, but loves her collection of photos showing her family.  She has the patience of a saint, but doesn't let her children take advantage of it.... they know where the line is in the sand, and never cross it.  It would have been wonderful to be a fly on the wall of my mother's childhood.  Seeing my grandparents as parents would be a lesson for all of us who fumble around in life wondering what our purpose is.  My grandparents seemed to know their purpose and pursued it with no doubt and never looked back in regret. 

Today, my grandmother is a beacon of light for my mom and her brothers....  and to lose her will devastate them all.  She is a symbol of something better in their lives - a time when they quite literally lived the life of Leave it To Beaver.  The challenges they've all faced and overcome were not the same as what my grandparents lived through, and it is this difference that defines the times we live in.  Gone are the days of innocence and wonder.... the days my grandparents raised five children in.  They were days when it was still possible to dream of far away places and imagine what they were like, whereas today all you have to do is get on the computer and look them up.  They were also days of opportunities and faith in God and our government.  The media had not yet become the ratings monster it is now.... the shock value not as important as the story and facts.  The troubles of my grandparents' time as parents were wholly different than troubles of today - the country was in a period of change, and to everyone it was a time of discovery - good and bad.  This period of development was hope and inspiration for many, and in this environment, my grandparents raised five kids to believe in other people and not be afraid of challenges in life. 

My grandmother is 93 years old....  what a life she has lived:  born right as World War I ended and living through six more, she saw the US become a developed country.  She saw the beginning of the space program and watched us walk on the moon, she saw JFK become president against all odds and then shot down before his first term was up, she saw, but didn't really care for, the evolution of music with Elvis, Jimmy Hendrix, The Who, The Beatles, and many others who paved the way for today's musicians, she saw women's rights become a major social issue - saw women fight and die for our right to vote and have a voice in the way our country is run, she lived through advances in technology - going from days of radio to days of tv to days of computers to days of 3D and HD.....  the century my grandmother bore witness to was one of change, turmoil, and opportunites - all working together to give us what we have today, and what I believe we take advantage of too often.  We have lost our innocence, but she still holds on to it....     

Computer

Spent almost three hours last night texting back and forth with my IT guy trying to walk me through fixing my DVD burner.  While it's very frustrating not being able to talk to him and move the process along a bit faster, it was also pretty satisfying knowing I did all the work myself and learned a bit more about the inner workings of the computer.  Plagued by computer issues for over a month now, I am hoping this entire mess will be resolved early next week.  I have never had so much go so wrong in such a short amount of time with my computer!  It's humbling to be such a slave to a box full of wires and circuit boards....  when something goes wrong, my business life takes a plunge, and I can only pray my clients will be understanding and patient while I try to hobble along until the problem is fixed.  I am very fortunate that most of my clients are fantastic and sympathetic, but at the same time I am not naive enough to think they are not frustrated.  This current situation has really put them to the test and I am so grateful I can at least tell them now that the end is sight.  Computers... friend or foe?  I think both....

Home

Home this evening.... vacations are wonderful, but boy is it good to be home sometimes.  I love our house too.  We are in the process of renovating it, but what is done so far we've done together as a team, and nothing is more wonderful than looking at our handiwork and appreciating the effort we both put into it jointly.  Yes, he may do more of the hard manual labor, but I contribute with painting, landscaping, and minor labor chores.  We still have a long way to go, but it sure is nice to hear the compliments on what is completed so far!  If only they knew what goes into working on this house....  lol.  He and I constantly bicker over our different tastes, and I'd say it's about 50/50 on who wins each time.  The house is a reflection of all those hard won battles, but each battle is usally a victory for both of us because most of them end in compromise - something neither of us was very good at in the beginning of our relationship.  The one area we still don't always agree on is artwork - go figure.  Being an actual artist, I definitely have strong opinions on what comes into this house - but he is also very particular ( and I should mention he does actually have very good taste in most everything to do with the construction and designing of this home ) and we have had our most intense arguments over paintings and photographs - yes, that's right... photographs.  Just because I'm a photographer doesn't mean he agrees with all my favorite photographer's work.... lol.  In the end, however, I do love what we've agreed on so far, and with the passing time we each learn more and more of what the other likes and dislikes - and sometimes, we even surprise each other.   

Vacation Time....

On a mini vacation this weekend.  It's both fun and bittersweet at the same time....  We are at Holiday World in Kentucky - me, my fiance, and his beautiful four year old daughter.  What makes this bittersweet is that we were supposed to be on vacation all week - but due to a court decision back in March, we lost all summer vacation time with my fiance's daughter.  A blow to both of us.... we were so looking forward to going to the beach with her in July.  A wonderful father, my fiance was crushed by this loss of time - nothing means more to him than spending time with his daughter, but the court system does not seem to favor dads in this state, and I say that with an objective eye.  I love him dearly, and to see him with his daughter makes my heart melt.  Anyone who knows us and has seen him with her will tell everyone the same thing - he is a great dad.  She loves him and they are sincerely best friends.  So, when he loses time with her each time he goes back to court, I have to scratch my head in puzzlement and wonder at the fairness of what goes on in there.  Right now he is swimming with her for the hundreth hour today... after an entire day at the water park, she still wanted to swim tonight at our hotel - and despite being dog tired, he happily put on his swim suit and trekked down to the pool with her.  Losing summer vacation just doesn't seem right.....

Good Morning....

This is not my first post... although on here it looks like it is.  I've had blogs in the past, but never had the drive or motivation like now to keep them up.  My past forays into the blog world left me feeling frustrated and stressed - the constant pressure to blog every day so I could be found on search engines....  that was the wrong reason to blog in the first place.  My reasons now are much different.  This blog is connected to my website and Facebook page.... it is my effort to have a more personal connection to clients and business peers.  By sharing my life with you, I am more than just a name on the computer screen.  It is also a sort of journal for me.  My life is so busy and full of challenges, writing everything down will help sort through the messes I sometimes find myself in.  Hopefully, by reading this you will come to know me and identify with one or more of the things I write.