The Splendor of Charlottesville, Virginia

We attended a family wedding in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend.  What a fabulous area of the country!  We flew into Baltimore and drove down Skyline Drive in the Blue Ridge mountains.  Although it was supposed to be peak season for fall foliage, we only saw a sprinkling of reds and yellows.  Nevertheless, the drive is always stunning.





















One of the scenic overlooks on the drive intersected with the famed Appalachian Trail.  We were shocked to see how narrow the trail is, plus, although you can't get the full sense from this photo, the trail is exceptionally rocky and steep.  We had a friend who was going to hike the trail a few years back and he had to quit after a day because his feet could take the rocky pounding.
















Since we got into Charlottesville a day before other family, we visited Thomas Jefferson's home of Monticello (on the back of the nickel).  The plantation tour was fascinating.  To think that Jefferson believed that all men are created equal but only freed about 5 of his hundred slaves, three of whom were freed in his will.  Putting the slavery issue aside, though, he was a visionary.  The features in Monticello were many years ahead of the time.

Plus, Jefferson was famed for his knowledge of gardening.  The gardens were immense and the vistas were stunning.  We purchased some Monticello seeds for lettuce and a few other vegetables to grow in our garden next year.  (Note, the color temperature change in the photos.  The top photos was was taken in the morning and the lower one was taken as the sun was lower in the sky and more golden.)

The morning of the wedding 10-10-10, we strolled around the campus of the University of Virginia, also designed by Jefferson.  The campus is idyllic with an immense center lawn.  One fun factoid - the dorm rooms that face the lawn are highly sought after, even though the students who use these rooms have to go outside, around the building and down one level to shower and use the restroom!

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to photograph the spiffy pink bicycle, no doubt owned by the captain of the football team.

The late afternoon wedding, the first of the next generation, was lovely.  It was help on the grounds of Ashlawn-Highland, President James Monroe's estate.  While not nearly as grand as Monticello, it was still in a beautiful setting.  The weather was perfect and a fun time was had by all.  Of note- the bride and groom, who met at the University of Virginia and love the area, which was hosting an apple festival the weekend of the wedding, chose to have freshly prepared apple donuts as their "wedding cake".  I have to admit, they were the best donuts I've ever tasted.

Beautiful bride with her proud dad!

Overland Park Arboretum Arts for Kids

Saturday I was a volunteer photographer for Arts for Kids, an annual two-day event each October at the Overland Park Arboretum.   The weather was great all weekend - blue skies, no humidity and crisp fall weather.

The kids love this event, where they can make all sorts of crafts from nature's fall bounty.  Decorating hedgeapples is always a highlight.  This year they had a hay ride, a straw maze for the little ones to run through, a snake from the Kansas City zoo to pet, story tellers, music from the Kansas City Symphony and a bell choir.  The choir let the kids try their hands with the bells.  A tinkling rendition of "Row, row, row your boat" played by the kids was enjoyed by all.  

Below are a few photos.  The purpose of the photos is for next year's publicity for the event and the Arboretum, so I haven't included any of the kids that are identifiable.  I loved coming across the kids rolling down the teepee hill.  Does it get any better?  Also, the little guy ringing the bells had his hair sprayed green - one of the activities the kids could enjoy!

Overland Park Arboretum 2010 Golf Tournament

Yesterday was a day of firsts for me - my first time on a golf course and my first time photographing a golf event.  Luckily, I was shepherded around the golf course by a very knowledgeable golfer.  Had he not given me expert guidance, I have no doubt I would have annoyed many golfers with my etiquette failures.

It was a beautiful fall day in Kansas, clear blue sky (challenging for photos due to the high contrast), high 70's and just a little wind.  The course was lovely - a city course owned by Overland Park, Kansas.

To top the day off, my sister won a nice tv in the raffle.  I had hoped to win the iPad, but no such luck.  But, at the live auction of sports memorabilia,  I did snag a signed George Brett baseball bat for Bob, who was also a volunteer photographer at the event.  He was thrilled.

The pup, so cute and engaging, was a rescue dog looking for a new home and, happily found one with one of the golfers.

Here are a few photos from the day, including some of the superb food that was served.

A Walk for Suicide Awareness

On Sunday, my sister, brother and I attended the Kansas City Suicide Awareness walk in beautiful Loose Park.  It was a very peaceful and inspiring ceremony.  The names of loved ones lost to suicide were read and at the end of a song about loss, white doves were released to the skies. 

We received carnations at the walk and after, placed them at Crystal's grave.  Crystal, we miss you.

If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, please contact the suicide hotline.  I've added the link to the hotline web site where you will find the warning signs for suicide listed.  Please treat such signs very seriously.  It may save a life.

The number for the hotline is:  1-800-273-TALK (8255)

The website is: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

My Niece's Birthday

My niece celebrated her 16th birthday this past Spring and I have been remiss getting the photos on line.  "B", will you forgive me?!!

She and her sister and three brothers are such a cute bunch. 

A helper

Another helper

Adding the finishing "healthy" touch

Nearly complete

What a good job

Young brother literally drools over the dinner hamburgers

Caught a moment of standing still

At 2- he drives like an Indy car champion!

The birthday girl!


A fun time was had by all - good food, good friends and sumptuous birthday cake.

Summer tans

This family is so great.  The kids are always up for the photography sessions each year.  The smiles are always so BIG!

They're back in school and summer tans are fading, but we captured them perfectly.

Jump on the count of three!

Crossing the Rainbow Bridge

Fenway and Millie - July 2010


My sister's Border "Millie" was my introduction to Border Terriers. She is my
dog Fenway's half sibling - same mother, different dads.

Mille was the sweetest little dog, very mellow. We always laughed that she was
raised by my sister's older Lab. However, she was a real huntress - the terrier
came out when she saw critters invade her yard. The nerve!

She was diagnosed with Cushings at age 8 but did well on meds my sister imported
from England.

She started going deaf at age 11 and really heard very little the last year or
so, except when the dinner dishes rattled. A true Border!

She started having accidents in the house regularly a few months ago and was
diagnosed with bladder cancer a few weeks ago. Her zest for life faded away
over the last few weeks and my sister and her husband made the tough decision
with the vet's advice to send her over the rainbow bridge where she could run
free. Her Lab sister Sandy, who tragically died a couple of months ago of
Exercise Induced Collapse syndrome, was waiting to meet her.

I told my sister that all the Borders who have crossed would be there for her
too. Bless you Millie - you were a wonderful pup. Catch all the critters you
want and pal around with Sable, Sandy, Camden and Brett, your buddies from KC.

Visitors from St. Louis

My nephew, Sean, Mandy and their sons, as well as my sister and her husband visited a couple of weekends ago.  The focal point of the weekend was a big surprise for Sean from Mandy -  a ride-along in an Indy car at the Kansas Speedway.

The whole family was looking forward to seeing our St. Louis visitors, including dad and Delia and Liz, my stepsister, who came into town.

The surprise was kept well.  My sister's husband told Sean that there was a GTO show at the Speedway he was driving his restored 1967 GTO into town for.  He and my sister braved 90+ degree weather, driving across I-70 from St. Louis to KC with no air conditioning - that's love for you!

We all got to the speedway, where Sean, truly surprised, signed in and then waited in line for 1 1/2 hours only to have the event cancelled due to rain.  The good news is that he got a gift certificate for a future ride.  All in all, we had a great time.  The Speedway is fascinating.  My great-nephew was enthralled with the Indy cars and we all got a good weekend of visiting in.

The family boys with Earl and his personally restored 1967 GTO

Air-conditioning - the old 4-70

The NASCAR experience

He's wondering if he'll ever be this close again to an Indy car

Next restoration - an Indy car?

My great-nephews

Grandma's a kisser

The generations - Great-grandpa, daughter, grandson and great-grandsons

Oh, to be 14 months old

What a smile!

A Book Review of photographer David Middelton's most recent book: Quite a Sightly Place: A Family Dairy Farm in Vermont

Book Review: Quite a Sightly Place: A Family Dairy Farm in Vermont

Here is a link to a review of a book written by one of my photography instructors. During the workshop I took two years ago in Vermont, a highlight was being allowed to roam for a day and a half across the lovely dairy farm David Middleton features in his book.  We met Roger, Hugh and others featured in the book.  If you are considering taking a photogrpahy workshop, I can't recommend David highly enough. He was recommended to me by a former student of his and he did not disappoint as an instructor.

Below are some photos I took at the farm.  It was such an amazing, diverse place and every bit as scenic as you would think a dairy farm in Vermont should be.

Advanced Flower Photography Class at Overland Park Arboretum

I had a blast yesterday teaching an advanced flower photography class at the Overland Park Arboretum.  It was a class I designed for photographers who are already using an SLR.  The folks who took the class were a good group with lots of questions.  The Overland Park Arboretum is a hidden jewel of Kansas City.  Here are a few of the photos, taken at the Arboretum, of course.  For those interested, the focal length of the lens, the aperture and shutter speed, as well as ISO is listed on each photo.

Taken with a long lens on a tripod.

Taken with my all time favorite lens - the Zeiss 50mm 1.4.  It rarely is off my camera.

Loved the two-toned spikey grass about 20 feet behind this flower - it adds some texture even with the blur

                                                                       Color play

It is beastly hot in Kansas City, so I'm glad this class was inside!  Keep cool.

La Vie en Rose

We have added a new pup to our lives.  La Vie en Rose (aka "Rosa"), a Norfolk Terrier,  flew from her home in Syracuse, NY with Bob to Kansas City on Wednesday.  She is two and one-half years old and joins her Norfolk buddy, one year old Kauffman, and her two Border Terrier, buddies Fenway (age 13) and Hanover (age 10).

Rosa came to us as a surprise, when a friend had to re-home her.  When we were asked a few weeks ago if we wanted to add Rosa to our lives, we talked about it at length.  Adding a fourth dog to the pack is not something done lightly.

As we discussed it, I looked up to the heavens and asked Camden our Norfolk who is on the other side of the rainbow bridge to give us a sign if adding Rosa to our lives would be the right thing to do.  The next day, I was going through some 1998 gardening magazines and opened to an article called "La Vie en Rose" about a garden in Norfolk England.  It was the sign we needed.  Strangely enough, the woman sitting across the aisle from Bob on the flight to KC with Rosa was from Norfolk, England.  It was meant to be.

Rosa is a very, very sweet little girl who loves the ladies.  She would be content to sit on my lap all day.

Welcome to our lives Rosa!