Ooooh, I love a rainy night....

I like sunny days. I like the warmth of the sun, the sparkle as it reflects off of the grass. I like to hear the hum of the bees, smell the flowers on the breeze. I like sunny days.

But I love rainy days. Those days when the sky is gray, the sun rarely peaks out, the rain comes down. I love the sound of rain on the roof, on the windows, tat-a-tat-ing away. The comforting constancy of a good rain, with the occasional rumble of thunder. I love lightening and thunder, lighting up the sky and shaking the world around me. There is nothing more perfect than a dark, stormy day, preferably spent sitting on a couch by a fire, reading a book, with a dog or two curled up on my feet. And while I didn't spend today on a couch by a fire, with a dog at my feet (it was more on a lab chair, at a desk, with a trashcan at my feet), it was wonderfully rainy and stormy all day.  One of the beautiful things about stormy days are the sunsets after. I had to run back into the house for my camera when I saw this sky this evening while I was taking my girls out. Still a few storm clouds drifting through, but the light was just beautiful.  

So here's to rainy days, deep puddles, perfect thunder, and lovely skies. I'm headed to the couch to curl up with a dog or two (and maybe a husband!)...

Miami beach, inspiration, and saying hello

It's Sunday night, I'm exhausted, and I haven't picked up a camera all week.* I spent most of this week in Miami Beach at a conference for work. And while Miami Beach is lovely, it rained two of the four days we were there, and most of the other two were mostly spent in a conference room listening to scientific talks. And that's not saying that scientific talks aren't always up my alley, because trust me, I am a nerd at heart. But they are sometimes less than artistically inspiring. (However, one thing I did come away with this weekend is that I really *MUST* workout more... I already knew this, but attending a conference on exercise physiology really made me (a) realize just how many diseases -- which already run in my family -- I can possibly protect myself against by simply working out a little more and (b) think about the idea that if I do intend to continue in this field, perhaps I should practice what I preach....). So in addition to five days in the 305, I have a fellowship to finish up, lectures to prepare, and a ton of samples to process in the lab. The dishes in my sink are piled high, waiting to be washed. Oh, and it looks like a Labrador exploded on my carpet (an every-other-day occurrence).  Things are going to get crazy. Oh, and did I mention I need to get back to the gym again??

Anyways, I guess my main point in this post is really just letting you all know that I'm still here, hanging around. And I hoping you are all hanging around, too... because I'm really glad when you all stop by (even if it's just my mom.... :).  So here's to a good, no, a GREAT week. A productive week. A successful week.  And remembering "That which you manifest is before you." (The Art of Racing in the Rain, G. Stein -- a topic for another post!).  Even if I am considering going to bed at 9pm...


* Okay, not completely true. I did take my trusty little point and shoot to Miami with me, and played around for all of five minutes.... Took this playing with the negative art setting.... sand, ocean, sky!

Holiday Sessions!

I am that person that sends out Christmas cards the day after Christmas. So in hopes of my getting in gear and getting MY cards done early this year, I'm offering holiday sessions to all of you! 

These short sessions are a great way to get family photos for those holiday cards! Possible locations are Micanopy, near Newberry, and Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. Each session will last thirty minutes and you will receive 10 high resolution images on CD. As always, prints are also available!

A bit about best friends, margaritas, and horses

I can't remember exactly when Beth and I met. It was some time in grad school (but definitely not early enough!). And I'm not sure what we shared first -- our love of margaritas, or our love of horses. What I do know is that at a time in my life when I wasn't riding, Beth was there and convinced me to start again. I still remember our first lesson -- I told her it had been forever (hey, three years of not riding seems like forever, okay?) and that I was pretty sure I was just going to fall off, or look horrible, or not remember anything. And then I met Handsome, who was possibly the sweetest goofy gelding ever, and Beth's best friend. It's been a long time since that first lesson. I moved on to riding another horse, Beth reminded and taught me the beginning of my jumping skills (and I didn't fall off that first lesson. She didn't even put me on a lunge line!). And then Alex, Beth's husband, graduated from UF and got a job. In Georgia. Athens, actually. Which meant that my best friend, my riding instructor, my amazing margarita-making mate was moving. And trust me, I-75 is a long dang road.

Beth is still my best friend. We still talk almost every week. When we're together, there are usually margaritas and horses involved (though not at the same time!). So when she called a few weeks ago and said that she had a few of her clients qualify for the American Eventing Championships... and it was going to be in Georgia... and that she was probably going to qualify for it as well (just one more event!)... there really was no question. I was going. Three days at an awesome horse show, with one of my best friends, taking photos? Seriously, how can there be a question about that?

So for Beth, and for Christy and Holly, her two awesome clients -- you all ROCKED at AECs. Honestly -- you are all amazing people, and I had a great time with all of you!  All of the photos are on my site, so feel free to browse through. Just a peek for you here on the blog today:

Beth and "His Highness" aka Nike

More baby!

So one of the evenings that Jared and I were in PA, we spent hanging out with my parents and Brian, Jen, Mason and Kirra. Dad and I spent a few hours taking photos and posing babies (in between tears, diaper changes, feeding, and a bit of puke!) and somewhere in between we all ate dinner too!  Here are a few of the shots...

I picked up this adorable headband and Jen got the little pink hat from a vendor at the Grange Fair...who'da thunk it? 

Seriously. Does it get cuter than these two? (And do you know how hard it is to get a photo of TWO babies with relatively happy looks on their faces?)

Love how Mason reached up and grabbed his little hat (another of my and Dad's finds...) 

More hats that Jen found for Kirra.

and Mom picked up some pretty flowers...

Naked Mr. Man with such big eyes!

Love, love, LOVE this one I caught of my little brother and his little girl....

oh, baby, baby!

Babies... they have that sweet smell, that soft skin, those tiny little finger and toes. And my family has been blessed with two at once! My brother, Brian, and his wife, Jen, had their lives forever changed early in July when Mason and Kirra were born. And so while Jared and I were visiting home last week, I took advantage of the multiple munchkins and shot photos to my hearts content.... so many that this definitely needs to be split into two blog posts! So for tonight, enjoy these "bits and pieces" and a few fun shots. Tomorrow, I'll be back with more from our "official" photo shoot!

Home

There's something timeless about coming home. As much as everything changes, home still has that same feeling. Those same fields surround my parents house, there are still cows in the field next door, and the windows are always open (granted, having cows next door sometimes means that the fresh air has a certain quality about it that most probably don't find attractive, but I guess when you've grown up with that, you're used to it!). 

Dad still comes in from the print shop smelling of presses and ink, or up from the garage smelling of motorcycles and oil. Mom still listens to CMT videos while she folds laundry or reds up around the house. (Yes, I said reds up around the house. That's Penna. Dutch for cleaning.) 

Things move a little slower. A little more simply.  This week, I've been soaking up home, saving it away for those times when life back in Florida gets a little too rushed, a little too hectic.  I'll be back in Florida on Sunday, and back to my regular blog posting and what-not then.  Quiet dinner tonight, Penn State football game tomorrow (GO STATE!) and a family picnic tomorrow night before the long drive home on Sunday. 

But for now, I'm going to soak up a little more home.

Annie's favorite place to be at Grandma's house - lying in the sun at the front door, looking and listening as the world goes by. Maybe there's something to be said for that?

I haven't really gone MIA, I promise... I'm here, but here is in Pennsylvania with my family. And that includes those two precious little bundles that arrived about eight weeks ago, so I'm hugely busy spoiling them rotten. Oh, and taking a few pictures...

More soon, I promise!