Halloween 2010

I have 2 friends who have adorable children.  Well, I have lots of friends with adorable children, but these 2 I see frequently, and what better time to show off their cuteness than at Halloween?  The strawberry and the conductor were just priceless this year.  Happy Halloween!

No tricks here, just cute treats!  

My 1st Wedding

I just had a fabulous time at my first wedding shoot! Hee Hee! Well, it's not really my first "official" shoot... and I was severely lacking in my skillz, but I took pics at the wedding of a dear friend a couple of weeks ago, and I loved every minute. In the 4 hours I was there, I took nearly 500 photos. There were some cruddy ones, and there were some that I think really captured the feel of the moment... and these are included here, with K's permission. Hopefully you'll see some of the tenderness, kindness, joy, and love that were present at the backyard nuptials.

Cloudcroft, NM

In the mid-week of July, we headed up to New Mexico for relaxation, reading, and cooler temps.  We've been going to Cloudcroft, New Mexico since I was a very young child.  My great-grandmother had a home there, then my grandparents, parents, etc.  Now, since no one owns property there, we just pick a big house, rent it, and anyone is welcome.  It's a true respite from the heat of the summer and the fast-paced techy lifestyle that we all lead.  I love it desperately.  It feeds my soul.  Hopefully some of these shots (I took over 400) will feed yours, too.  (These are not in any kind of order... I hate blogger and its cranky photo placement tendencies...)

The Cloudcroft Hotel - along Burro Street - the only "town" street - isn't it pretty at night?

One of the amazing wooden train trestles here in the Sacramento Mountains.  We call it "Grandaddy's Trestle" because my great-grandfather was one of the men who worked to build this huge passage across a mountain canyon in the early 1900's.  It's really called the Mexican Canyon Trestle.

Said Trestle from the other side of the highway, this time at dusk.  I am not a good enough photographer to capture this in all its magesty... yet.  :)

The view from the Trestle hike across the canyon toward Alamogordo and White Sands.  

Rain droplets on the windshield on the way there... my camera kept focusing in and out from the trees to the windshield. SO cool!

The hummingbirds... oh, the hummingbirds.  You can see my fascination with them in the pictures that follow.  I simply could NOT put my camera down.  

Wind turbines along I-10 way out west - LOVE these and they are everywhere!

Ranch Weekend

A few weeks ago, we went out to the ranch of a friend's Grandparents in Chappell Hill, Texas.  I took the opportunity to shoot some of the amazing Texas countryside.  One of the things I love most about Texas is how the sky goes on forever.  So very Texas to me.  :)

A great weekend with the girls!  

Dub and Baby K

Had a FANTASTIC time at the Houston Zoo last week with the nephews.  They are some of my favorite subjects, for sure!  Here's a few non-edited, non-cropped, untouched images of my boys... Aunt B does love her some nephews...

Shiner, Texas

A couple of weeks ago, I headed out to Shiner with 2 good friends to pick up their husbands.  The brave husbands traveled the 100 miles from Houston to Shiner on bicycles!  Wowza!  We meandered along the roads and beat them there, of course, with a couple of stops on the way.  The best part was that the Shiner G.H.A.S.P. ride ended at the brewery in Shiner.  A hot, sweaty, sunburned Spring day that ended with cold beer.  Nothing better!  I really enjoyed playing with the lighting on my camera and captured over 150 images.  My few favorites are here to share...

A great day!  Good friends, good beer, sunshine, and my camera.  What fun it was.  :)