Summer Series | June Highlights

After I looked through my past few blog posts, it may seem to you that I’ve just been focused on planting and growing sunflowers (: Ha.  So not true.  Also… I noticed that I really need to update my blog more often.  Thanks, though, for sticking around and for being patient with me and my intermittent postings.  Must. Do. Better.  

To kick off my summer series (I’m giving it a try!), I decided to look back through my archives from June 2018.  And, just as I remember it to be, it was a beaut!  I forgot to tell y’all that I recently purchased a 35mm SLR Minolta Maxxum 600 film camera using a birthday gift card for Etsy from my sister!!  Thanks again, Laura!!  I’ve been having fun with it, too!  I’ve attached some images within this blog post of the first roll of film I shot this summer (so exciting!).  I’ll let you guess which are film and which are digitally produced.  

We had special, honored guests stay with us over the Father’s Day weekend, my stepfather, John and stepmom, Kay.  You might remember them from our visit to Florida last March when we stayed with them in Englewood at their vacation home.  They also have a home in Nashville, Tennessee where they live most of the year and where I lived with John and my mother from about 1978 to 1983, give or take 6 months here or there.  It was fitting then that they spend Father’s Day weekend with us since I wanted to spoil my Papa John with lots of love for the occasion.  And give our beloved Kay some TLC, too.  We had such a fun time together: swimming in the chilly pool water, playing board games, eating lots of scrumptious meals and taking walks. 

On one such walk, we decided to let the girls ride their bikes as we ventured “down to The Farm.” My husband, Kurt grew up not far from where we live. Coincidence? I think not. He’s very close to his family and when time came for us to purchase a home, nothing suited him until… you guessed it, our current home of 19 years that’s roughly a half mile from his childhood family home, AKA “The Farm.” It’s a good thing I love him and his family dearly. I have the best in-laws a woman could ever ask for. True story.

We had such fun walking the property and around the large pond while exploring the beauty this property naturally inhabits. I can see why my husband loves this land and his childhood home so much. What a charmed life! Miss “Lacey” girl got in on the adventure and kept us company, taking dips in the creek and the pond, watching over us and the sheep.

My Papa John and Kay allowed me to make a portrait of them!! Well, I am kind of bossy when it comes to these sorts of things, but they kept their happy dispositions despite my insistence. Beautiful couple, wouldn’t you agree? They’ll be married 28 years this October. Crazy how fast the time goes! We love these two so incredibly much!!!

The girls on the “Wishing Rock.”

After the long (err, short?) uphill walk back home, it was time for cooling off! Although, I think this image was actually shot the day after our walk, and on Father’s Day. Talk about being a good sport, Emilia is soaking her daddy with the cool (downright cold) water! He looks refreshed, though! What a life, a charmed life, indeed. (:

I would be remiss if I didn’t post these smiles on their last day of school. Hint… these may have been shot with my new camera! I am loving the buttery bokeh results. I’m currently shooting a roll of B&W and I’ll have to share with you! Goals! :)

It was a June to remember!! Many thanks to you, Papa John and Mama Kay for making the long journey to spend time with us over Father’s Day weekend. Any time we get to spend with you is always treasured, and most appreciated. <3 Come see us anytime!

Thanks to you, my friend, for stopping by! July highlights are coming up next! Wishing you ease in your day, sunshine on your back and joy in your heart. :)

P.s. All film images were produced with Kodak 400 film and processed at MotoPhoto Lab in Reading, PA. Thanks, Sherry and team!

---

|| F L I C K R F E E D ||

Gallery Block

This is an example. To display your Flickr images, double-click here to add an account or select an existing connected account. Learn more

Favorite Five for Friday

This was quite the week!!  I wrapped up portraits at a childcare center, Little Mates in Morgantown.  It was kid wrangling fun, super-charged silliness and lots of singing, and I'll tell you what - I needed a nap afterwards!  I'm hoping to do more school portraits in the coming months.  It's an area of portrait photography that begs to be expressed with natural light, in my humble opinion anyhow - I may be a bit biased, though.  

I also wrapped up a large family portrait session of 9 at a friend's home.  She and her family are very private and wish not to be shared in the social blogosphere.  OH, how I wish I could share their portraits with you, because they are beautiful!  We managed to get our session in just after a thunderstorm, which has been a frequently occurring weather trend this past week (that, along with loss of power as a result of the storms - ugh).  

I'm also prepping the house, yard, art activities, journaling prompts, yoga poses, games, and overall gearing up for the start of our summer camp for girls, beginning on Monday.  Busy Bees is coming up quickly and I'm finding myself excited for it, eager to see the girls and have fun with them, yet also mildly panicked as I juggle all of my creative projects.  Must remember to breathe.  Just keep swimming.  Just keep swimming... ;)  

We, the girls and I, attended a Summer Solstice Bubble Festival at the Berks County Heritage Center in Reading with our fun-fabulous neighbor, Jo!  I was thrilled Jo let me know about it and invited us to go!  It was a wonderful way to usher in the joyful celebration of summertime!!!  I, of course, had a blast making photos of the people gathered, enthralled with wonderment at the ever changing shapes and colors, and then... popping of BUBBLES created by the one and only, Grandpop Bubbles!!!  Such a neat event complete with live music, sundial crafts, a fire pit to roast marshmallows and/or hot dogs, and refreshing ice cream!  We screamed for ICE CREAM!  :)  Many terrific thanks to you, my dear friend, Jo, for including us!  

This past weekend we celebrated Father's Day with our favorite guy, Kurt.  We had the good fortune of having family visit with us from Maine!  Kurt's sister, Jeri and her husband, Scott were in town for a day or two.  We celebrated an early Father's Day with a cookout on Friday night, including Kurt's adorable mother and his brother, Jeff and his lovely wife, JoAnne.  We shared a beautiful evening and a delicious grilled meal together.  Our Emilia even had the special opportunity to play round after round of chess with her uncle Scott, who explained the game with utmost patient care.  Thanks, Uncle Scott!  Oh, and now, that's the only game she wants to play!  

And with that...  I'll share my favorite 5 frames from this past week.            

I shared more of the Bubble loving, summer welcoming crowd and event over at my personal Facebook page:  click here to view.  And on my Flickr photo stream:  click here to view !  So many bubbles, so many smiles!  Such a treat!!  :)  

Pool time is an everyday occurrence around here lately.  Yay, for cool fun!!!  I am relishing in this image of my healthy girl, Alanna, as she enjoys a renewed vigor for life.  With shouts of, "Mom, watch this!"  Be still, my beating momma heart.  

Kurt and his mother share a loving embrace during our family get together.  I love this so, SO Much.  The one bit of marriage advice I would hand out to women considering a mate for life is this: make certain he Loves, Respects and Honors his mom.  You won't go wrong.  If he shows this love and admiration for his mom to you and everyone, than he's a keeper.  

Normally, the girls and I would cook up a breakfast fit for a king to serve in bed for our favorite guy on Father's Day, however... this year was different.  We were unable to make this happen as we were without power for more than 12 hours.  So, instead of cold cereal, we took him out for breakfast to a local diner.  I caught this moment on my cell phone and it speaks volumes.  He's an All-Star Dad (note the t-shirt) and I'm so proud of him and all the love he has for all of his girls, including me and Chelsea.  This guy took on the world for me as a single mom over 20 plus years ago with a ready-made family and an ex-husband who was present in our life while Chelsea was growing up.  He continues to take on the world and give us his all, everyday.  There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for him.  He's a keeper.    

Thanks for stopping by to view, hear all about the latest happenings with me and the family, and for your constant support.  I appreciate your encouragement, my friends!  What have you been up to lately?  What's on deck for you?  How was your Father's Day?  Do share in the comments below.  As always, I'd love to hear from you!!

Happy Solstice!  Happy Summer to you!!