Weinermobile Comes to Missoula!

Truly, what COULD be better on a week-long Spring Break full of grey and blustery days than a visit from the Oscar Mayer weinermobile?  Not too many things.

Back in the day when Thomas first started going to daycare, he would cry and cry and cry.  He'd stop as soon as I left him at my friend Jill's house, so the crying was strictly a theatrical performance for my benefit.  Nonetheless, I resorted to strong parenting techniques and careful consideration of his needs.  Um...actually I didn't.  I bribed the little guy.  At the time, Thomas was into cars.  I mean IN TO CARS.  He would line them up, stack them up, flip them over, drive them across the brand new stainless steel refrigerator, dishwasher and stove (pressure was off on scratching those suckers VERY quickly), and would, in essence, love the cars to death.  Now...Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars are not necessarily cheap, especially when you have to bribe your child with a car a day five days per week (yes, you may exclaim "WHAAAAAAAT?" now).  Hey...he's the baby of the family and the baby of the family gets what he wants.  Did I mention that I AM also the baby of my family?

I digress...

So in an effort to cull the tide of matchbox-hot-wheels-debt, I did what any other sane mother would do.  What?  Wean him from his car addiction?  I think not.  I resorted to far more creative endeavors.  Ebay.

I would search the "GIANT LOT OF MATCHBOX LOOK!" ads and look carefully at the contents for interesting vehicles and then I would place my bid.  47 vintage matchbox cars for $18.00 + shipping?  I'm IN.

To make a long story longer...one of the lots had a weinermobile.  Now, I am NOT a fan of hot dogs.  I consumed many in my day when I was younger, but the thought of these suckers just turns my stomach.  Thomas, however, is a hot dog aficionado.  But when I saw the weinermobile in this Ebay listing, I decided I had to have it.  Despite my disgust for hot dogs, I am a fan of the weinermobile.  As a child I always wanted to see it, but it was never in my neighborhood.  Until THIS week.  And to the weinermobile we went...in gusty winds of 30 mph we drove to the Wal-Mart parking lot and there, in all it's mustardy greatness, it stood.

Our Hot Dogger (I forgot her name) was actually a recent college graduate from Pittsburgh!  She was excited that we had roots in da Burgh and that we were fellow Steelers fans.  Thomas was excited to look around the inside of the vehicle, which sported a squiggly line of mustard down its center and weinermobile embellishments on the seats (you can see one behind Thomas' head).   Thomas was especially impressed with the "bun-roof".  He was most concerned with how they drove the thing, and more so how they parked it.  How DO you parallel park a weinermobile?  Between two buns?  He asked our Hot Dogger lots of questions and she rewarded him with nothing less than a Weiner Whistle to add to his collection.

When little things think BIG...

Thomas was dwarfed by this car.  He thought it was pretty cool.

Blowing his weiner whistle...

Thomas is also a new fan of bologna.  My brother would be so proud.  On the way home I told him about the Oscar Mayer bologna song and he wanted to learn it.  We then had a song-creation contest.  He deemed me the winner with this little ditty:

I have a little boy...
T-H-O-M-A-S...
And most days he's a joy, but others he's a mess...
Oh, he loves a sandwich every day,
In fact, it's in his DNA...
'Cause Thomas likes to have his way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A.

Thank you, thank you...I'll be here all week.

Unfortunately, the weinermobile will not.  It's off to points unknown...but we enjoyed it while we could.

Spring has Sprung in Missoula

It has been a very long winter in Missoula, and even spring has entered in stealth mode, giving us patches of warm, sunny days and then surprise sucker punches of snowstorms like the one that hit yesterday morning.  When I got up in the morning, the city was blanketed in a fresh coat of snow.  Thankfully it had melted off before the afternoon, but not before I stepped out to snap a few images.

Thomas and I often play a game of "what's your favorite season?".  His is invariably summer.  Mine is often split between spring and fall.  I like spring because of the newness of everything, and because when the maple trees start popping open and the lilacs start to bloom and the grass starts to thicken, Missoula becomes alive and bathed in a shade of spring green that finally makes me understand why Crayola dedicated a specific crayon color to it.  I like fall strictly because it reminds me of New England (minus the reds...I miss the reds), and I like to wear sweaters on a crisp, clear day.

Montana Spring Runoff:  Gardener-style... 

Crocus, undeterred by the snowstorm...

Lenten rose...

Future delphinium...

Future daffodil...

Future iris...

My favorite (and only) clump of purple crocus...not quite sure what happened to the rest of them...

Forgotten, unharvested onion...my friend says it looks like they're having a convention...

Volunteer tulips that took up residence in my vegetable garden about 10 years ago.  They must have been dormant bulbs in the yard and then when we moved the garden, they woke up.  They are a brilliant shade of red when they bloom, and I just haven't had the heart to relocate them elsewhere.  So I plant around them every year and wait until their leaves turn yellow before I cut them back.  Last year they nested next to the green bean trellis.  Not sure what will go around them this year...

Future raspberry...

Future strawberry...

Future honeysuckle flower...a favorite among our hummingbird population...

I love when the aspen leaves start to pop out.  They remind me of those big wooly-bugger caterpillars we find every so often...

The forsythia bush is getting ready to bloom.  I saved this bush years ago by hacking it nearly to the ground and allowing it to regenerate.  Andy has always said I should just dig it up and replace it, but I find great satisfaction in watching it heal itself and grow back much stronger.  I think the same can be said about people...

Thomas watched all of this from the comfort of our house.  He would tap on the window and then jump away when I'd try to take his picture.  This was the only shot I got, but I think it captures his gleeful personality. 

A Reminder of What Life is all About...

Another post that I wrote in December and failed to publish.  I have to admit that I am hesitant to publish it now, as it was written at a time where I was really examining a lot of things.  BUT, in the words of my good friend Vince Darius, I'm "keepin' it real", so here it is.  I am happy to report that I came out of my photography break motivated, eager, strong, committed, and renewed.  Sometimes a break is good on multiple levels.  I am looking forward to spring and summer shoots and getting right back in the game.

December 11, 2010:

It has been an incredibly long time since I've blogged. In fact, it's been one year, two months and seven days since I've blogged. It's not for lack of things to say, and certainly not for a lack of images taken (I think I logged well over 30,000 images last year, including two beautiful weddings--one locally and one in Alaska, a new crop of students at MCT's Next Step Prep, a host of theater performances, and some gorgeous portraits). I have to admit that for many reasons this past year has been very difficult. Without boring you with details, the past year has been an intense period of soul-searching, examining my character, personal goal setting, and determining the things that I need to jettison from my life. It has also been one where I have struggled with some health issues that have made me stand up and pay attention.

Whoa. Aren't photography blogs supposed to be uplifting? Why, yes, I suppose they are. But one of the things I like about photography, and the thing that draws me the most, is that photography is real. I'm not a big fan of over-photoshopped images, using stamps and overlays and airbrushing and whatnot. Enhancements are great. Replacements are not. Photography is real, and whether people like it or not, I am pretty darn real, too.

I digress.

For those who know me personally, suffice it to say that this past week has probably been one of the crappiest on record. I have been tested to my core, and I'm not particularly happy about the things my self-examination has again revealed to me. I have been reminded over an over again about a blog post I read years ago by one of my photography idols, Zack Arias (zarias.com). He was a full-time photographer in his first career. He was very driven and very ambitious. As a result he lost everything. He had to sell his camera equipment to make ends meet, and in the end, he lost his family and his marriage. Many years later he was able to begin a second, far more successful photography career. He got remarried. He has a beautiful family. He did it right the second time. He never ceases to remind his followers of his mistakes and cautions us against making the same ones.

I paid attention to that blog post years ago and it is relevant because I am at that place.

Photography hasn't done this to me. I have done this to me. But what I learned from Zack and countless others who have chimed in on his blog is that at some point you have to draw the line and take a giant leap back from it. Regroup. Refocus (pardon the pun). Redesign. ReWhateveryouneedtodo.

This is a very cryptic blog. It isn't meant to be. It's just, well, real. This is how my mind works sometimes. All the time.

The bottom line is this. Once this holiday rush is over I am taking a break. I may blog. I may write. I may take an occasional snapshot, but for the most part I am taking a photography break at least through the month of January, maybe a little bit longer. There are some things I need to fix. Some things that can't be fixed that need to go. And some things that fall into the "can this be fixed?" category that need some careful attention.

I'm not quite sure where this break will take me, but I have faith that it will take me to the place I need to be. My father once told me that no matter what choices I have made in my life, for good or for bad, I have always landed on my feet (once this meant I had a broken foot). I am absolutely convinced this will happen. I appreciate your support in this decision and your patience.

Matt and Sarah Engagement Photos

Oops...this post was originally saved waaaay back in December, and then I forgot to hit "publish".  Technogeek I am admittedly not.

I had the pleasure of photographing Matt and Sarah on a chilly December day in downtown Missoula. They are just the sweetest couple and they have a special place in my heart.  When they first came to me to ask if I would photograph their wedding next summer, it was hard to hide the tears of joy I felt to be asked to perform such an honor.

They are just a delightful couple and they are so in love that it just gives me goosebumps typing this blog. I am SO EXCITED for their wedding I can't even describe it. Sarah is just beautiful, and she has such a kind and encouraging spirit. They have a gentleness with each other that just reminds me of how love should be personified.

Thank you SO much for shivering away today you guys. I hope the Ugly Christmas Sweater party goes well!