Oh Apple Pie

She loved it! I knew she would.  
I started preparing at about 7pm.  Bad mistake.  
I love to take my time while baking and tonight was not that type of baking night.  I can't tell you how many times I read the same lines of the recipe over and over again.  It took me 2.5 hours to get the pie in the oven.  I wanted the pie in the oven and done before my partner got home.  She called me as usual to let me know she was on her way home.  I couldn't answer the phone.  So she messaged me and I wrote her back and told her to walk in the house and head straight to the shower and ignore the kitchen.  It was a mess...an absolute mess!  I couldn't believe it when I stopped working and looked around.  Totally unlike me.  Tonight was a special night: baking an apple pie for the first time; home alone; it's the start of my birthday month; and the kitchen was a mess.  Ok, back to the story. So she walked into the house, A (our dog) greets her as happy as ever because I've neglected him while I was so entrenched in baking the pie. I look at her and I started crying.  Ha, funny...yes, I started crying and laughing.  It was amazing and I pretty much amazed myself.  I was exhausted and wanted the pie to be done. D.O.N.E. done.  That's all I wanted.


Eventually, I did get it to the browned stage and was able to take it out the oven.  We had a piece and she loved it!
Oh Apple Pie, she loved it because it was so delicious and she loved me for making it.

Oh, I'm sure you noticed, I didn't get to the applesauce.

Enjoy your weekend!

Love Thursdays

I absolutely enjoy Love Thursday's inspired by Karen from the Chookooloonks blog.  They really make me stop and think about what is important to me and how those things really feel.  I love, love, love them.

Today I am loving apples (amongst other things of course) because I need to like it's my job.  Well, it will be my job this evening when I attempt to make the most delicious apple pie and apple sauce from apples we picked with my partners mother on her birthday.  Tonight is the night I will figure out if I am a true baker.  For some reason I get nervous when it comes to making pie crust.  I know deep down inside, it will be delicious and my partner will tell me so even if it's not.

I am a photographer that did not carry a camera on this trip.  So, here is a blackberry quality photo of the hayride we took prior to picking apples...

It's been sooooo long!

I know, it's been a while. Life has been busy and enjoyable so I can't complain. I will have more to share very soon. I just looked at a slideshow of weddings I put together and feel like i'm on a mission to diversify the people I photograph. I hung my head a little low in dissappointment although all of these shots are from clients that sought out the services of the woman I was working with. So, I feel like i'm on a mission to right this situation :-)

I was reminded of this quote by Karen from Chookoolonks:
"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."
~Maya Angelou

Orange Scoot Scoot

life has been nothing but amazing for me! i have everything i can ever want (an amazing partner, an amazing dog, beautiful house, a job...) and i am more than appreciative for all of that. i wake up and smile, look out my bedroom window and realize just how lucky i am to be alive, to be able to see our green grass overly grown backyard and the fruit trees with pink and white flowers we haven't had time to spray. this morning i pulled my scooter to the front of the house. although we were in a rush, i took in the beautiful flowers my partner planted yesterday. they made me smile inside but then i was off to rushing on my orange scooter. rushing to get somewhere i often feel confused about.

sometimes i just wonder, i stop and stare and wonder for minutes on end, what am i doing. those moments are a bit tough for me to sift through my feelings and thoughts and to actually come up with an answer. an answer that sometimes confuses me as well. i am most productive in those moments when taking a shower, driving the car or riding the scooter. the moments that are more than difficult to swift through and come up with an answer are when i am at work in front of my computer screen staring blankly. well, well...that says a lot so check out this all so inspiring video by Zack Arias...

Serious Dedication

Okay, so my partner and I were driving home this evening and we passed by a park that is very close to our house. We never thought we would see what we did...a kid, probably in his teens, shoveled out an area of the the basketball court so he can play ball!!! I mean...what!?!?! I really couldn't believe what we saw...that's some serious dedication without a question! Not to mention there was about 2ft of snow on the court that he took his time to shovel so he could shoot around in 13 degree weather. I was so excited so we drove home and got my camera and I looked out from our back porch and he was gone!!! She thought it would still be a great idea to go. So here are a couple images...

Trains

A tribute to the Georgia 300...

Rab & Fox

Well, well, well...I am finally going to post!!! I've been holding back on sharing so many images because I simply haven't had the time.

Last September my partner & I went to the most amazing and touching wedding ever! Moncita (Rab) & Carmencita (Fox) had a ceremony in Fort Collins before they officially wedded in Massachusetts when they visited us in December...woooo hoooo for gay marriage in Massachusetts. Anyways, here is a pic from after their 9/6/2008 ceremony in FoCo.

How cute?!?!

Kathy & Kara

We got to hangout with Kara & Kathy in the outside world before motherhood begins for them. We had fun, of course, and here are the pictures to prove it!

My new lens...finally!

so we went to new york this past weekend because my father and step-mother had a wrap party for a film they just completed. i can not explain the heat and humidity levels! OMG BECKY!! it was awful...that's the best way i can describe it...awful!

anywho, we stopped by one of my favorite stores that reminds me of what santa's place would look like, B&H. we left with my new 85mm, 1.8 lens and i'm in love with it!

here is a pic i took as we were heading to my fathers place from the hotel (passing the World Trade Centers site). aaaaaahhhhh....bokeh...



Here is Nyah on our porch following a fly...



and here is big boy A just being A...


i'm sure i'll be posting more frequently now that i've purchased this new lens!

Portland breakfast with Missy and Shae...

Gas in the grass

From the back countries of Mt. Hood...

I know, I know...

I have been gone for some months now...but guess what...i'm back and I do have some images from a trip to Portland, OR to share.  

Gas for those broken down cars...

 

Amah

Gentle spirit, warm embraces, peaceful heart with sincerity that will move mountains.

These are the things I think of when I reflect on Amah (my grandmother) who passed away a year ago. The one thing that moved me to post today was her shyness in front of a camera. I have only non-digital images of her that make me smile simply because she was a woman free from being ostentatious, a woman of modesty. She would never look directly into a lens, ever.

Forever missed, always in my heart.

The Love For Dac

These photos where taken at various points throughout the year. She is the most patient subject and will try just about anything...

Brooke & Paula...

are geting married today and i thought i'd wish them good luck and post these pictures i took of them.

Umbrella in Gloucester

This is from a wedding shot in Gloucester...Retsina and Reuben...great personalities and a lot of fun. This was one of my favorite shots from the day. i knew something would come of it when she whipped out this umbrella.

first and definitely not the last

this is a blog of firsts - i shot my first gay wedding this past weekend with Margaret. Missy and Megan were great to work with. here are some photos from that day: