Making Use...

Hello, Little Girl

This week I have been wonderfully distracted by the arrival of my new niece, Althea.  She is such a beauty, such a love.  

I spent a couple hours with Carter, Maggie, Henry, and Althea yesterday and got to hold the little lady for quite a while, hearing all about her beautiful birth, feeling her stretch and relax again in my arms.  She is the first newborn I have cradled since my daughter was born one year ago.  It felt wonderful.

Meanwhile, Flora and Henry have become big buddies, just in the last few weeks.  It is exciting to picture this troupe of kids playing together in the coming years.  

And Flora got to pat, pat, pat her first newborn, too.  She was very gentle and sweet, which made me quite proud.  It's so obvious to even type this... but I cannot believe how far we have come in one year.

Henry's arrival, nearly three years ago, was so thrilling.  He was the first grandbaby for my parents, the first child of my siblings.  It was easy to love him and all the newness he represented.  But now I feel a much deeper and more experienced love as our family grows further, which comes from knowing my nieces and nephews (on both sides of the family) and knowing my own feelings as a mother.  That, too, feels wonderful.

[Official baby photo shoot to follow in the next few weeks.]

A Poem And Some Pictures For This Sunday Scratch That Monday Night

Snow Poem

 

It waited, this year, till almost March to snow,

It started on a cold Sunday afternoon,

Hard after a Saturday that felt like Spring.

And I was probably alone in the house in just tolerating its arrival.

 

I carried Littles onto the front porch, after a half hour or so of its falling,

A wet blanket that stood up on the grass (but not the street),

And pointed to the great whiteness for her sake,

Though the one-year-old had already seen it, and was in awe (as she often is).

 

Later, as I rocked her to sleep, I smelled a dirty diaper and began to change it, 

And called to Meredith (she can't smell), who called back that--alarm--

A fire truck was on the street.  So I did the awful work myself,

And rushed Littles down the stairs in her reindeer-inspired pajamas.

 

We watched the red and white colors that lit up the front of our house.  

It wasn't clear why the fire truck was there, out on the street.

But the lights on the trees, covered with blankets and pillows of snow,

Were startlingly beautiful.  Meredith took pictures.  

 

--THB

Snow, Charlottesville, VA, February 19, 2012

Published: Hook Weddings Spring 2012

The Spring 2012 issue of Hook Weddings is out now.  You can pick one up inside the latest issue of the Hook, or at the Hook Office downtown.  

I was so excited when Stephanie asked me to photograph the cover story.  The concept for the story was color inspiration for weddings, specifically using "Tangerine Tango," the Pantone Color of the Year for 2012, to infuse some bright, citrusy joy into the fashion, flowers, and decor.  

The morning of the shoot it poured rain, but I had been watching the extended forecast all week and was hopeful that the skies would clear by noon, as predicted.  Amazingly the weather did clear and we had a beautiful, sunny (albeit a bit muddy) afternoon for picture-making.

Many thanks for Blenheim Vineyards for granting us full access to their gorgeous, historic property.  Their hilltop setting is a stunning location for weddings, and the tiny chapel and sun-filled library would make such cool venues for intimate events.  

West Main Bridal and Bittersweet provided beautiful dresses for brides and bridesmaids, a fabulous little team from Bristles came out to do hair and make-up, and Floral Images Design Studio concocted the bright bouquets and the rustic-yet-elegant tablescape.  I loved the pop of orange roses against the bare wood of the table.  Stunning!

Biggest thanks to the lovely ladies who modeled, Meg and Ashley, plus our sweet flower girls, Marin and Siena, and most especially to Stephanie, for bringing me onto the project and coordinating the whole day.

Weddings. Wonder. Whimsy. Fête!

Earlier this month I had the very great pleasure of photographing the cover story for the spring issue of Hook Weddings. 

Stephanie Marie, the stylish mastermind behind every issue of the Hook's wedding insert, is also the creative force writing and curating over at the new blog, Fête.  On Friday she published her weekend links and a sneak peek at the cover story.  She wrote the kindest words about the shoot, which I was so humbled and flattered to find on her beautiful blog.  

The spring issue hits newsstands this Thursday and I'll post more about it then.  Suffice it to say that it was such a pleasure to work with Stephanie on this shoot and I am thrilled and anxious to see the feature in print!

Here's the sneak peek from the story:

Thanks, Stephanie!

Published: Wedding Planner Magazine

Back in November I photographed a story for The Wedding Planner Magazine.

For the piece, DIY editor, Mallory Joyce, shares her tips for making fabric flowers, which are used in this example as decor.  Mallory also pointed out that the flowers can be used as a fashion item (think: hair accessory, brooch, shoe clip, etc...).  We shot on-location at the fun and inspiring downtown design store, Roxie Daisy, which you must visit if you haven't already--they recently started selling scarves by the Maine-based company, South Street Linen! 

The magazine is on newsstands now and I'm excited to share my spread with you.  Check out the entire issue of The Wedding Planner Magazine online here.  

I have photographs featured in a couple of other publications right now, too, and will be sharing those next week.  Stay tuned!  

The Week Begins

Been quiet here on the blog for a couple of weeks as we had some major sickness run through our household plus other life and work obligations that kept me from my desk.  I'm happy to report that the vomiting has ceased, the baby is joyful, the mother can breathe from her nose again, the daffodils are poking through, and all is well in this tiny corner of the world.  

-- This weekend Todd and Flora celebrated their birthdays.  As I whisked up semi-sweet chocolate ganache frosting for their cake on Saturday morning, I realized I was so excited about the sweet little birthday party we had planned for the afternoon, and for the dinner date for me and my love that evening.  I have a new favorite day all year and it falls in early February.  I think I've been looking forward to baking Flora's birthday cake since she arrived last year, and it turned out beautifully.  It was a simple chocolate cake with choclate frosting, but I made it myself, infusing it with all my motherly and wifely love, and I was proud to serve it to my family and friends on Saturday.  The recipes I used for cake and icing were torn together from a Real Simple magazine sometime in the last 12 months.  Because we all know: if a recipe is not real simple, Meredith's not even going to bother!

-- On Facebook last month I saw a link to this letter that John Steinbeck wrote to his son in 1958.  His son was a young teenager who had written home to announce that he'd fallen in love at boarding school, and Steinbeck replies in the most thoughtful, respectful, and loving way that any adult could.  I appreciate how he honors his child's feelings and encourages him to "glory in it [...] and be very glad and grateful for it."  

-- Also on the subject of love, sort of.... I enjoyed this post from tulips & flight suits about being single.  I think Mary's advice is prudent not only for those who haven't yet started the life they hope to live, but also for those of us who have.  Whether you are single or married, content or searching, I feel it's always a good idea to embrace your life as it is, to surround yourself with beauty and good people, and to focus on what you have and what you can do with that.  Sounds trite, I know, but it is a scientific fact that a large part of being happy is making yourself happy.  (That's another post).

-- I watched this video recently and really enjoyed it.  Iceland looks so unbe-freakin-lievably stunning.  I think I must go there.  Interesting soundtrack, too.

-- Finally, returning to the subject of being happy, I started a new board on Pinterest last week.  I call it "MerryMakers" and it's just a collection of things that make me happy and lift my spirits, so that if I'm ever in need of a simple pick-me-up I can look at it and be made merry.  I can also use it as a reminder that going out for coffee, baking some cookies or granola, kissing a baby, etc... would probably be a wise move to improve a sour mood instantly.  I plan to continue adding to this board and ask that you consider making one also.  Share it here in the comments so that I (and others) can be made merry by the things you love, too!

I hope you have a heart-warming week.    

First Birthday Cake, Charlottesville, VA, February 4, 2012.  

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