A Fine Specimen

This is my husband. He is carrying our daughter in one arm and our nephew in another. And he's smiling. At me. I think he's a stunning representation of all that is right with the male species and I'm happy -- elated, ecstatic, enthralled -- that he's mine.

I love you, DRL.
~a

A Walk in the Park

We took Elena to Fawn Doe Rosa (aka "Animal Zoo") last weekend. We met the Pounds family there, and walked around the park for a couple hours, letting the kids terrorize and feed various animals.  This is the closest Elena came to riding on a horse.

She sat on a saddle.  For 6.9 seconds. And then she cried and wanted to get down.

She crowed to the roosters.

Logan was brave, and rode a pony. Twice.

We saw a grizzly bear.

And a doe, a deer, a female deer.

A duck.

Elena attempted to gain access to the fawns.  Her plan was foiled by a pesky, good-for-nuthin' fence.  Fences always cause trouble for toddlers.

She fed a goat.  Or two, or three.  It took her awhile to learn how to give them the food instead of throwing kernels of corn at them.  She's an expert in subtlety already.

While her cousin had the courage to ride the pony, Elena was only brave enough to pet one.  And only while being held by mommy.

It was a good day.  A hot, sunny, fun day in the animal park known as Fawn Doe Rosa.  I used to go there as a girl myself, and it was fun to take my daughter to see the animals.  I was a little ashamed as she chased the roosters around taunting "cluck cluck chicken," but it was also funny to watch.  I guess it would have been worse had it been me doing the taunting.

But that is another story for another time.

Be good,

A

The Shower: Images

I mentioned that Saturday was my girlfriend Nadia's bridal shower, and I shared the photos of the women in her life.  Here are some more photos of the fun that was had, if not by all, by most.

There was food.  Most notably: Caprese.  Is there anything better than fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and bread?  

There was Nadia. In all her exquisite beauty.  And sauciness.

Words of wisdom were written on cards and then hung on branches. 

 (I now own a wedding stamp if anyone is ever in need of one).

There was Baklava.

There was laughter. A LOT of laughter.  This was the response to a trivia question that was a little R rated..and I've never seen Nadia turn that shade of red before.  In fact, I've never seen her blush before!

There was intense conversation.

Over making a "bow"quet for the wedding rehearsal. 

There was even a wild game of "Pass the Banana." I think the photos demonstrate how it was played.

And of course, the wedding party was in attendance.  Well, a couple of them anyway!  The Maid of Honor, Kristin coordinated the event.

Along with Laura, the hostess and a bridesmaid.

The Ring

I played photographer and tried getting some fancy shots of Nadia's very fancy diamond.  I'd say Jeff ("the fiance") did a great job picking out the ring.  I think I did a pretty okay job photographing it, too.

I just love this picture. We perched the ring on Nadia's shirt and it turned out better than I imagined.  This is practically SOOC (straight out of camera).  I just sharpened and added a bit of contrast.

This one is SOOC.  Just look at the bokeh in this photo!! Glorious!

And in this one, too.  I just love how the ring seems to be playing a game of peek-a-boo.

That's news for now.  Be good to one another!

~A

Strong Women

Today was my friend Nadia's bridal shower.  Nadia was my first friend when I first moved to what is now fondly referred to as "my hometown."  Her and I have souls that I think were kindred even in the womb.  I love her to death, as much as I would love a sister (if I had one), and am so proud of the woman she has become.

She really is every bit as beautiful as this picture. Her laughter is infectious, and all who have met her, though they may have thought she was loud, have come to love her boisterous personality and joy that is effervescent in all that she does.

This is Nadia's "Auntie Purple."  I learned just a few short years ago that she has a real name,  Aisha.  She is funny, and charming, and warm.  

This gorgeous woman is Aziza, another of Nadia's aunts.  Nadia lived with her while she was growing up, and we have many fond memories together.  French, Cous Cous, short jokes. One of my favorites involves me calling out a nickname that is a Moroccan slang word for a certain male anatomy.  Aziza laughed. Hysterically. I was 11, maybe 12, and I was mortified. 

And this...this is Khadija, Nadia's mother.  She is serene,  friendly, exquisite.  The love she has for her daughter is unmistakable, and the two of them together is a vision.  This photo only slightly does them justice.  I am so happy to have been a part of this family for as long as I have.  To have been so welcomed by their love is the most amazing gift.  

I can't believe it's been almost twenty years since Nadia and I first met, and I can't believe she is getting married.  I can't wait to take photos of her wedding-to capture the joy that her face expresses as only it can, and to capture the look in Khadija's eyes as she sees her daughter walk down the aisle.

I have goosebumps just thinking about it.

Congratulations dear friend.  I wish you all the best. I love you to pieces.

~A

A New One

I've started on another quilt. One that is adult sized and large enough to cover (most of) me and (some of) DRL. It matches nothing in my house, and that's what I love about it. I picked the fabric becuase it looks nothing like what I would choose.

I really love this photo. The shadow on the bottom, obscuring the edge of the quilt. The bottle of nailpolish on the table. I love how the top part of the photo looks like it's slightly out of focus, and the very middle is sharp, and crisp. I'm not as good of a photographer as this picture lets on. Maybe that's why I like it so much.

I love the backing fabric. It's not even from the same line. The color doesn't match the front, nor does the style. And that's what I love about it. Just wait until you see the fabric for the binding. Chocolate brown with cream polk-a-dots. Who doesn't love polk-a-dots?

Crazy people, that's who.

Now, if only I can manage to find the time to actually quilt this thing already...

Cheers,

A

National Hot Dog Day

I'm not currently having a hot dog, and I have no plans that include hot dogs today, but, in honor of this very important day, I thought I should share this photo (courtesy of the internets). Talk about a hot dog down a hallway...

(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Happy Hot Dog Day,

A