Places

Adventure In England: Part Three

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Hello again! Time to dive into the third segment of images from our England trip this summer! Only one more to go after this!

After spending just over two weeks in Exeter we shifted gears and hopped on a train headed north with an end destination of Windermere. We made a pit stop in Birmingham where one of our friends is from, and he showed us around the city for the afternoon. I didn't bring my camera with, unfortunately, but I did take a bunch of images with my phone. It was really neat being in Birmingham for even just a little while, after spending all of our trip in smaller towns up to that point. This history and architecture of the city were incredible, and they have done some really cool things updating/modernizing areas as well.  

The next morning we were up and moving again, on the train heading still farther north to Windermere. We arrived in Windermere that evening with just enough time for a quick hike, so we took advantage of that, along with the good weather, and explored around a little bit.

I was in awe of the landscape there, with the vast rolling hills and intense green surrounding us. The views of the city, farms, and lake below us were absolutely stunning, and no matter which direction I looked it made me stop in my tracks just to take it in. It was also a really unique experience because the trails are on private farmland, amongst the animals, and you use steps placed in the stone walls to continue on the hike. 

Next Up: The final piece of our trip, with images from our big hike through the Lake District. Tune back in for some historic pubs and architecture, friendly farm animals, and stunning Lake District views!

Adventure In England: Part Two

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Time for the second set of photos from our trip to England this summer! The first set of images below are from Sunday of our first weekend there. We completed yet another hike to a pub, this time starting at Castle Drogo and hiking to Fingle Bridge Inn for a simple lunch and some beers. The landscape on this hike was drastically different from the previous day; instead of vast, rolling hills and ocean views, we were treated to dense forests and lushly green landscapes. 

After Sunday, we took a slight break from going to pubs every night and had some lazier nights in with our friends that we were staying with (which was much needed and appreciated). After a few nights of that, we were off to exploring again and walked to the Turf Hotel which is right in Exeter. Once again, it was a drastically different type of walk and landscape than some of our previous adventures, but no less beautiful than any of the rest. 

At this point our time in Exeter, unfortunately, was winding down, leaving us with only a few more days to explore. Two of those evenings were spent, at least partially, in Exmouth. The first trip there was quite brief, but we did stumble on a local neighborhood party where the streets were decorated and there was a stage with music. We weren't there long, but it sure was a pretty little sight!

The next day we were luckily back to Exmouth for most of the day and were able to make time for the first item on my list of things to do in England: fish and chips on the beach. Unfortunately, it started to rain slightly right after we picked up or fish and chips, putting a slight damper on things. We made the best of it, however, and the rain cleared up rather quickly, allowing me to walk barefoot in the sand and get some photos of the beach. 

Next up: Images from the next portion of our adventure, which brought us up to Windermere!

Adventure In England: Part One

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This post is long, long overdue (as most of them have been, I suppose). But as the saying goes, "better late than never," so here we are!

This past July Scott and I went to England for roughly three weeks, with the bulk of our trip being spent in the Exeter area (with plenty of trips to the surrounding towns). We are lucky enough to have friends in Exeter who are extremely hospitable and allowed us to stay with them for most of our stay. Staying with friends not only made the trip more affordable but also provided us with some amazing views and experiences, as we were right in the heart of the city and got "tours" from the locals. The two photos below were taken our first night there, and needless to say it was an amazing introduction to Exeter.

Our second night in England was just as amazing, if not more so. After a home cooked meal, we drove to Topsham to get drinks at a pub called The Passage House Inn. Walking through the narrow streets was such a treat for me, and I quickly fell in love with the architecture of the area. The golden evening light certainly helped with the romantic feel of it all. We were treated to perfect weather that night, allowing us to sit outside and be treated to a fully spectacular sunset over the River Exe. 

Our first weekend in England was also all too perfect. On Saturday we went on a hike that was nothing short of stunning. We started on the coast in Wembury, continued through some rolling farms (all the while with views of Wembury Bay), crossed the River Yealm in a water taxi, and ended at The Ship Inn in Noss Mayo. The color of the water there was an unreal turquoise; it was absolutely unexpected for England. We ate a simple, fresh lunch outside at The Ship Inn while watching the tide come in. It was truly a magical day. 

Next up: Shockingly, part two of our England trip! Featuring the second part of our epic first weekend, though with drastically different scenery, and loads more as well. 

Wyoming's Medicine Bow National Forest

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Last fall I had the pleasure of traveling up to Wyoming, just south of Saratoga, to photograph a property for my company, Evolve Vacation Rental Network. The property is on both the Encampment and North Platte Rivers, and the fall colors on the banks and surrounding mountains were absolutely stunning. I made sure to take a few minutes to grab some photographs for myself as I was wrapping up the shoot, though I could have easily spent all day there. 

After finishing the shoot at the property I started the drive back, via the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, through Medicine Bow National Forest. I made a point of stopping at a few places along the way, since it was far too beautiful to only drive through. 

Kevin + Kari + Cooper

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A few weeks ago I had a perfect Sunday morning portrait session with Kevin and Kari, and their new pup Cooper. Kevin's family surprised him with the session for his birthday, as a way to celebrate Cooper joining the family. I love the idea of gifting a portrait session, as I think it is too rare that we get photos with those we love, and any chance to do so should be taken advantage of. 

Before diving in to images, a little bit about the session; we spent the morning hiking around Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, which is a quintessential Colorado location. Kevin and Kari were complete naturals in front of the camera, making my job incredibly easy. Plus, how can you go wrong with a puppy that looks like this?!

Kansas Homestead

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Happy Saturday everyone! We are currently getting slammed by a spring snowstorm here in Denver, and I'm curled up on the couch enjoying the forced relaxation. I'm also getting caught up (dare I say completely?!) on images and blog posts. Fare warning though, this is going to be a long post with LOTS of images (it was such a stunning place), so buckle up folks.

Last October I drove to Syracuse, Kansas to meet up with Myra and Brandon, two friends from grad school, to give Myra some company while she took images for her thesis work. Myra's mother's family is originally from Syracuse, and they still own the family farm on the outskirts of town (the focus of Myra's thesis). The house has been uninhabited for quite some time, and the land has only been used as grazing land for cattle, resulting in some serious decay and dilapidated conditions. 

The main obstacle to getting into the house was the bird situation. Numerous birds had taken up residence in the home, and they definitely left their mark, on absolutely everything. I have never seen so much bird poop in one area before. Before we entered the house, we tried to make a lot of noise to scare as many birds out as possible. Unfortunately, not all were scared away, which made for some startling encounters once we were inside the house. 

Lots of other creatures had made their home there as well, as well as plenty of tumbleweeds. These items filled the little basement house with lots of great texture, and they all caught the light in rather wonderful ways. 

They have a small tenant house on their land as well, which has also been vacant for a long time. It was falling apart more completely than the main house, with a section of floor completely caved in, and doors that didn't fit right. It still had some wonderful details inside however, and the timing with the sun couldn't have been much better. 

And that sums it all up! Needless to say, my light and shadow obsessed self went a little crazy with documenting it all. Thanks for sticking through that, and hopefully it was all worth it.  

Next up: a short post on my favorite subject in one of my favorite places: light in my parents' home. As always, feel free to share via the links below, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss anything. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Mount Bierstadt (Documentation Of A Hike)

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The final day of our camping trip to Guanella Pass was spent hiking up Mount Bierstadt. It was my second fourteener in two months (which I thought could be the start of a trend, but unfortunately was not), and I was excited to check this peak off my list. 

The day started off with an absolutely stunning sunrise, with colors and light that were unreal. We were still in the parking lot at that point, gearing up for the hike, so I grabbed some quick shots before we got started. 

The hike itself was a lot different than the other few fourteeners I have hiked/attempted. It begins in an alpine marsh, with tangled willows all around. The light continued to be amazing as the sun rose higher, and the frost melting off the grass caught the light in the most perfect way. 

We even walked through a small flock of ptarmagin, which I had never seen before. They were already in full winter mode, with their white coats and feathery legs. Their ability to blend into the alpine landscape is amazing, and they just stood and quietly watched us as we (well, mainly just me; Scott was doing fine) struggled on up. 

We reached the summit under great conditions, albeit a little on the cold side. The clouds were amazing, and as is always the case on top of 14,000 foot peaks, the view was spectacular. Unfortunately I was feeling pretty rough at that point, and didn't quite appreciate everything as I wish I would have. In fact, because I was feeling so miserable, I only took a few photos while we were up there. We spent some time at the summit to enjoy the view, and then started the long hike down. 

And, last but not least, a photo of me and Scott at the summit! I don't usually post these types of photos here, but I figure getting to the summit of fourteener number two warrants sharing a photograph of us at the top. Mount Bierstadt was a struggle for me, but this guy is so incredibly encouraging and patient, and stuck with me through the end. I am so glad I pushed through it and made it to the top, and cannot wait to check some more off the list this spring/summer! 

Next up: something completely different. Last October I traveled to a town on the border of Kansas and Colorado to join a friend in exploring her family's old, and now abandoned, home. We were attacked by birds (sort of), witnessed lots of dead critters, and also documented a really unique and beautiful place. Be sure to check back to see what I'm talking about! 

And, don't forget, feel free to share via the links below, and leave a comment to say hello! Thanks everyone! 

Lime Creek Canyon (Part One)

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My second favorite set of images from last year is quite different from the engagement shoot of the last post. Over labor day last year, a friend from Kansas and his brother came out to Colorado for a camping and climbing trip with us. This adventure took us to what quickly became one of my new favorites spots. Driving into the canyon (Lime Creek Canyon) was like a scene out of a movie. We arrived right as an afternoon thunderstorm was moving in, with low, heavy clouds rolling over the surrounding hills. It started to downpour, with thunder booming close. The storm only lasted a few minutes though, and once the rain stopped we quickly piled out of the car and set up camp, in case another storm rolled in. I let the guys handle setting up the tents (there were three of them, after all), so that I could wander around grabbing images of the stunning setting. 

After camp was set up, we went for a brief hike to explore the area. The clouds started to clear up as we hiked, creating some of the most amazing light that I have ever seen. We were pretty damp from hiking around after a complete downpour, but it was all completely worth it. The evening ended with a sunset fit for a dream, putting an exclamation point on the start of our trip. 

Next week: Part two of the Lime Creek Canyon camping trip, with even more amazing views. Slowly but surely I WILL get caught up on the huge backlog of images I have. Be sure to click the "subscribe" button off to the left in order to stay in touch! And as always, thank you for stopping by!

Guanella Pass

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I have been living the Colorado life to the fullest so far (climbing every weekend, hiking. including hiking the tallest fourteener in Colorado, a camping trip, and lots of great beer and food) which has kept me quite busy and kept me away from my computer for the most part. This Sunday we finally had a somewhat lazy, plan-free day, which gave me a chance to get a new post up here. 

These images are from over a month ago, when Scott's Dad and I helped to move Scott out to Denver. It was a short trip, but we wanted to get at least a brief taste of the mountains while we were there. We ended up driving up to Guanella Pass, which always provides stunning views. The wildflowers were blooming all over as well, which made it extra pretty. 

Next up (which I still have to edit), are images from a hike up part of Longs Peak. So check back soon for lots more alpine views! 

Farm Light

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Yikes. Life has been a complete whirlwind lately, making it basically impossible to get things edited, let alone posted to this blog. In the past month I have made three separate trips to Denver, had my last day of work as a nanny, moved to Denver, started a new job, climbed a few times, camped in an epic location, and hiked the tallest mountain in Colorado. It's been madness I tell you. I am sort of starting to settle into something vaguely resembling a routine, which has given me a few minutes of down time and allowed me to spend some time editing and writing. That said, it's catch up time, folks. 

This first post will be short and sweet, with a focus on one of my obsessions: light and shadow. The images below were taken the night before Scott, his dad, and I drove out to Denver with the moving trailer. We stayed at Scott's parents' farm that night, and the light was mesmerizing. Dinner was ready, but I ran outside with my camera, snapping away furiously, hoping some would turn out. Luckily I was not disappointed. 

Konza Prairie Biological Station

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My time in Manhattan is quickly coming to an end. That means that I am trying to make sure to spend time with friends before I leave, along with spending time in some of my favorite places in the area. Last week I went on a hike through the Konza Prairie with my good friend, Liz. It was absurdly humid out that day, making for a hot and sweaty hike, despite its short length. The humidity did help to provide some amazing clouds and light on the hills, however. 

This is by far the greenest I have seen the area at this time of the year, in the three years that I have lived here. Kansas is definitely putting on a good show for my last summer here.  

The start of the moving process begins tonight! Scott and I will be headed to Denver in the morning to move him out, along with most of my belongings. I was able to get the last two posts written/scheduled ahead of time, though I don't currently have the next ones ready to go. So, things will likely be quiet the next week or so (unless I get some unexpected downtime). 

With that, don't forget to hit the "Subscribe" button on the left, and feel free to share via the links below. Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful Wednesday! 

home is where the light is.

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When I was home in Minnesota the other weekend I made sure to get out my real camera and take some photographs of the incredible light in my parents' home. My obsession with light, and my need for a light-filled home probably stems from growing up in that house, where every room gets amazing sunlight at some point during the day. 

The first few images below were taken the same day as the garden tour. The giant locust tree in the backyard filtered the sunlight, creating a stunning, speckled pattern on the wall and floor. I took a quick (and low quality) video of it as well, which you can see here, as it was mesmerizing to sit and watch. 

The morning that I was headed back to Kansas I poked my head into my parents' room, which gets incredible light in the morning through their wood blinds. Striped shadows are thrown across the foot of the bed and the bench made by my great-grandpa. This room is a favorite of mine in the morning, and it has set the standard high for my future home. 

This will probably be it for posts this week, since Wednesday is day one of the moving process, and I will be out of town until Sunday because of that as well. Hopefully next week I will have some exciting images to share though! Have a wonderful week, and don't forget to hit the "Subscribe" button on the left to stay in touch, and feel free to share via the links below. 

St. Croix Garden Tour

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A few weekends ago I drove up to Minnesota to surprise my mom for her birthday weekend. The surprise was a big success (the look on her face was priceless), and it ended up being a perfect, albeit short, weekend with my family. That Sunday, her actual birthday, we went on the St. Croix Garden Tour. My family generally goes every year, though it has been a while since I was able to join. We saw some beautiful gardens, and it was fun seeing my nephew enjoying it all as well.

This first garden was my favorite from the tour. It was located on a plot of land that used to be a dairy farm, and had massive gardens that sprawled through the woods, and included a perfect little creek, the old dairy barns, and a tennis court tucked in the back. It was stunningly beautiful. 

The gardens after that were a bit smaller, but each had their own charm. My family got lots of ideas for their own gardens from the tour, and I kept on dreaming about the home I will have someday. 

New posts over the next few weeks may be a bit sporadic, as I get ready to help Scott move to Colorado next week, and then move myself a few weeks after that. I will try to keep things up here, but if it go quiet, trust that I will get caught up again after I am settled in somewhat. 

Hidden Oasis

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This past semester some of my students introduced me to a park in Manhattan that I had never heard of. I first visited there early this spring, before any leaves were on the trees and the grass was still brown. For those who have been following my blog for a bit, you have seen some images from there before, as shared in my Fabric Landscape post. 

It is the most unique park I have ever been to; just a small, square plot of land tucked in between some farms and a creek, with trees planted in nearly perfect rows. You walk down a short, wooded trail past some pastures and fields to get to the little park, which is quite pretty on its own.

When you come to the end of the little trail, and the entrance to the park, the space opens up into a storybook like area. Early in the spring the brown grass had all been mowed so that you could easily walk down the rows, though this time it was densely overgrown and lushly green. There was such a perfect canopy of leaves that the light had a yellow-green glow to it and when the sun came through the clouds it filtered down through the leaves into a beautiful speckled pattern, like little spotlights all over.

On the road to and from the park, you pass over a perfect little creek. The first time I visited the area there wasn't any water running through it, but because of the large amount of rain we have had, it was a steady stream with beautifully clear water. I couldn't resist stopping on the way out to grab a few images, and I am tentatively planning some other shoots in these waters as well.

And with that, have a wonderful Wednesday! We have made it halfway through the week!