Close your eyes and picture a warm sunny day. These days this will only work if we close our eyes! With your eyes closed see the vibrant colors of spring. The bulbs opening up, the leaves unfurling from their long Winter. While your eyes are still closed take a deep breath and remember the smells of Spring. The blooming lilacs, wisteria and fresh NW air. It’s coming friends. I feel like that is an important reminder. Something to hold to during these final dreary wet days of Winter.
I love my job in the Spring. Here are some reasons why
- For those of us who have the time, energy and an adventurous spirit, hiking to the top of Dog Mountain or Silver Star during the Spring bloom of the Balsamroot is pure magic – It’s a goal of mine to do a family and\or a Senior Session in these locations. Or Rowena Crest! Picture a sea of yellow and green against the stunning background of the Columbia River Gorge!
- Lilacs – I think they smell amazing! Just north of Battle Ground are the Lilac Gardens in Woodland https://lilacgardens.com/. If you love lilacs, bulbs, wisteria, red barns, white farm houses and windmills this is the perfect place for a photo session in the Spring!
- Cherry Blossoms! We have an abundance of Cherry blossoms here in the Spring! They make such beautiful backdrops and they are fun to throw up in the air!
- Camas Lilies – Last year I had the opportunity to photograph a family in the middle of the most gorgeous field of lilies. Acres upon acres of lilies. It was amazing! If your really lucky you get a picture with Jeff in the background. 🙂
- Various fields and parks in the area with tulips, daffodils, lilacs, etc in full bloom! The options are endless
The only real trick with Spring photography is being ready when the blossoms are. They don’t wait for anyone. But they are so worth the effort! If you have any interest in planning a Spring photo shoot let’s talk! I’m happy to discuss possible locations and scheduling.
What I’m Reading – My Life with Bob by Pamela Paul
Have you even heard of an idea and you are just filled with disappointment because it never occurred to you do that? A friend of mine introduced me to emptynestreader on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/emptynestreader/ This woman is a veracious reader and I love seeing what she has read lately. Last week while I was in Phoenix she posted about this book. I was immediately intrigued and thanks to the world we live in I bought it with one click and it was on my doorstep when I arrived home Friday evening. I finished it Sunday. That is super fast for me! It is a quick read but man I loved it!
Pamela shares her very personal BOB or Book of Books that she began when she was just a teenager. After giving up writing a diary which inevitably was filled with angst and drama she wanted another way to record her life’s journey. Since early childhood she had an appetite for books.
A book I could relate to
It’s not that my goals in reading were as lofty or intellectual as her’s are it’s just I love keeping a record of what I have read. My bookshelves are filling up quickly. I love a full bookshelf! However, I also stress over a full bookshelf because I just ordered more books and where will they go? And when will I have time to read them? It was only about 6 years ago that I began writing the date I read the book and gave it my rating inside each cover. Which isn’t nearly as clever as having a BOB.
Like Pamela I too felt like I had come through school and somehow hadn’t read the books everyone else had (the classics). So I began reading the books I felt like I should. I also related to the times she talks about reading books from or about places she had traveled to. I love reading about a place I’ve visited because I can picture it so clearly!
It’s really more of a journal
While the author includes personal stories from her life it doesn’t read like a story. It’s more of a journal. She relates her life’s experiences with the books she chose to read during those pivotal moments in her life. I liked it because on a few levels I could relate strongly to what she was saying.
While I have my list on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/ (let’s be friends!) it simply isn’t near as cool as having a book filled with books…
I dogged eared several pages because of the books she mentioned. I then looked up the ones that I thought sounded interesting and I now have 5 more books on my “to read” shelf (soon to be shelves)!
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano
Remember what I said above about loving to read about a place I was visiting. Dear Edward is a book about a plane crash. This book is our book club’s February pick. I began to read this book while I was on a plane. The first chapters describe where the family was sitting on the plane. It described the passengers and the interior of the cabin. All of this was heightened as I sat in my own uncomfortably small plane seat surrounded by strangers who all have their own stories.
Which took me back many years ago when we received the tragic news that a close friend of ours had been killed in a plane crash in Georgia. We immediately hopped on a plane to get to his wife and our Georgia family. Having to fly only days after my friend had just died so tragically was stressf_ul. Having to fly home after visiting the crash site and hearing all of the horrible details was nerve wracking. My point being that books can touch us deeply. They can trigger experiences or they can help us understand experiences we may never have.
Books are powerful –
This is a powerful book which centers around the single survivor of a passenger plane crash. Edward at 12 years old finds himself the sole survivor of a 191 passenger plane crash. While many of us would assume Edward is the lucky one, the author does an excellent job of telling a balanced story. I loved it and I can’t wait to discuss it at book club next week!
What’s Next
Next week I hope to have my magazine ready to go to the printers!!! I can’t wait to share it with you!
I’m currently booking Senior and Family Senior Sessions as well as head shots.
Personal Goal – Rock climbing by March when we visit Josh in Boise.
Take Care,
Shelly
