stace-a-lace

I met Stacey when she was going into high school. Within ten minutes of meeting her she taught me the microwave dance [It's pretty sweet. ask me and i'll show you.] Now she's off to college this fall and going to be teaching a whole new group of people her sweet dance moves. It's kinda crazy. I started youth ministry at the Junior high level and each year I've moved up with my girls. Stacey's a year older than my girls, but I've realized that many of them have become a dear friend. With Stacey it's been that way from the start. Being in her presence is just easy. 

That's exactly the way this shoot was too. We just drove around all afternoon exploring crevices within the valley--finding a cute coffee shop, giant tree, and sunflower field. 

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Thanks Stacey for letting me explore with you!

the month of june according to my phone

brother graduated, Santa Cruz, a new intense need to bake, cumulus clouds, hot rod date, Bryan sick, Bryan better, car wash, and another date night on top on train cars. June was pretty good.

all photos taken with instagram and vscocam

beginning of harvest

It's that time of year again when harvest has begun. Bryan is a busy bee and I'm always finding creative ways to use up all the stuff he brings home for us [got any ideas? Send em my way!]. Lately we have bees wax, lavender, the last of the oranges, the start of the apples, cabbage, fennel, figs, apricots and white peaches. The bees wax we'll turn into candles, the lavender we made into lavender sugar [SO yummy in tea!], orange juice, apple juice, veggie juice, risotto, fig jam, and dried apricots and peaches. It's weird to think that things are just going to speed up from here.

All photos taken with instagram and vscocam

Happy Fourth of July

Little pieces of Taffy's Garden

Bryan's boss knows this woman. Her name is Taffy and she loves her garden. Not only does she love her garden, but she is a gifted landscape architect. Normally, I am not a fan of garden photography. It's pretty, but I feel drained after taking pictures of plants, whereas people get me pumped. But this situation was a bit different because it comes with a story. I was hired by a group of women who love Taffy to take pictures of her garden. Taffy's health has come to a point where she is unable to tend to her garden. These women want to preserve her craft in the form of photography and when bed rest sets in she can still "visit" her garden. 

I was thinking about this the other day. Preserving. Possibly the greatest thing photography has to offer. To keep memories or garden's protected in perfect, unaltered condition. I think about the woman who gets maternity photos and preserves all the memories of what that pregnancy was like for her.  The couple who looks through their wedding album when times in marriage are hard. Photography has the power to reach into your heart and evoke memories of hardship, triumph, resilience, love, and so much more. To Taffy, I know these photos won't be as beautiful as the sun you feel on your face as you prune your gorgeous roses, but I do hope they take you back to that perfect memory. 

below are just a few of my favorite spots in her garden