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Phipps Holiday Magic!

I lucked out this season and got to see beautiful Christmas lights at Newfields in Indy and then at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh.  Phipps Holiday Magic Flower Show and Light Garden were a beautiful way to close out the holiday season with my mom on New Year’s Day. 🙂

The conservatory rooms were so fun to explore, from Palm Court to the Sunken Garden, Victoria Room, Desert Room, Orchid Room, the Garden Railroad, and many more.  The outdoor garden had a fun, whimsical light display to explore.

Here are some of my favorite photos from my visit to Phipps!

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Here is evidence that Mom and I were there together.  🙂

Happy New Year, friends!  I hope 2020 brings you much joy!


Winterlights

I’m interrupting my current series of fall family photo blog posts for a quick kick-off to the Christmas season.  I had a lovely time with great friends on Friday night when we visited the Winterlights display at Newfields here in Indianapolis.  These photos aren’t perfect (I chose to be a bit more present and wasn’t going to deal with a tripod for optimal photos), but the beauty of the evening was worth documenting.  I hope you enjoy and I wish you a very merry Christmas season!

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Such a great view of the Oldfields estate (insert Nutcracker music here)

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Inside the Lilly House

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1924 Deusenberg

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I’m so grateful for these friends and the Indy adventures we have.

 


Charlotte Grace

Hello!

My newest grandniece (yes, you read that right) entered the world in September and I was thrilled to be able to meet her and photograph this adorable family when Charlotte was ten days old.  It’s especially fun to photograph a family with their newborn when they happen to be part of my family! 🙂

I hope you enjoy this glimpse of my sweet grandniece and her loving parents!

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Home-home in the Summertime

Hello!

For those of you who are missing summertime, here is a glimpse back on my time in my hometown in July.  I love Western PA in the summertime.  I also love watching my nieces and nephews explore the creek (honestly, we say crick) that I grew up visiting on the family land outside of town, finding salamanders and crayfish among the rocks.  🙂

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Here’s an added bonus to this post. A couple of my dad’s magnolia trees are thriving here in the north and had many beautiful blossoms this year!  I’m not sure if I’ve shared the background story of his magnolias on the blog before, so here it is:

Magnolias hold a very special place in my heart (Southern Magnolias to be specific, but one can’t be too picky up here in the north).

For the last twenty years or so, my dad tried to grow Southern Magnolia trees at their home in Pennsylvania. I don’t even know how many he planted over the years. Many bit the dust quickly, some lasted a few seasons, and every once in a while there would be a blossom or two. Back in the summer of 2014, I was laughing at (with?) him as he watered his magnolia trees, reminding him that they really aren’t meant to live in the northern climate. He chuckled and said, “Well, we’re sort of delaying the inevitable here.”  He knew they wouldn’t grow into huge, flourishing trees, yet he faithfully filled those buckets and continued to water them and enjoy them while they grew in the yard.

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Summer, 2014

Magnolias have become a reminder of Dad for me. They remind me to live in the moment, “water the trees,” appreciate the little things, and enjoy life itself, because in the end everything is temporary.  This makes me super thankful for biblical promises like the one in 2 Corinthians 4:18 “For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal,” but this is already too long to add a sermon into the mix.
All that to say, this is why magnolias make me smile, remind me to appreciate each moment, and encourage me to trust God with the unknown and not-promised future. 

Aren’t these blossoms beautiful?

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July, 2019

 

 


Rori

When my niece’s daughter was born at the end of June and a photo was texted, I responded like most people by exclaiming, “That hair!”  I was thrilled to have the chance to capture this beauty when I was home-home in Pennsylvania in July.  I love her and her siblings and it was delightful to capture them in these pictures.  I’m sure they were cherish the memory of Rori being this little, as well as her big brother’s camo cast from a recent tumble.  🙂

Enjoy these beauties and that hair!

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Whales, Puffins, and Murres!

I recently spent some time on the island of Newfoundland.  I definitely had to google the Newfoundland and Labrador province before my friend and I planned this trip just to know where it was located!

We had a great time exploring a small part of this very large island.  There was so much to learn about Newfoundland’s history and wildlife.  O’Brien’s Whale and Boat Tours was a great place to start on a foggy morning!

We were able to see tons of puffins, murres (which totally look like penguins from a distance), and humpback whales on our boat tour.  I hope you enjoy some of my photos from our adventure in Bay Bulls!

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A puffin!

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Approaching the Isle of Birds (I made up the name, but it fits).

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Murres on the move

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Puffins on the move

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Puffin burrows

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Not penguins 🙂

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Humpback whale sighting!

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Check out those fins!

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They were so close!

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Here is a video (don’t worry, no plans to become a videographer anytime soon!) showing our slightly overdone excitement about having whales near our boat.  🙂

 

 

Additionally, here are some photos from my phone to show another perspective from our tour.

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I’m so grateful that my friend Laura was up for joining me on a chilly summer adventure in Eastern Canada!


Europe in 2018

Hello, all!

Winter weather is assisting me in getting caught up on photos and this blog.  I just wanted to give a heads up to those of you who follow this blog for travel photos: Great things are coming your way!  I went to Europe three (what is my life!?) times in 2018 and have some beautiful photos to share from the five countries I visited. This post is a sampling for you!

I am going to be posting quite a few of my 2018 portrait sessions after this (so my clients know that I’m still doing this side gig.) After that, I will have more travel posts. Get excited!!!

Happy 2019, friends!

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Enjoying London, Italy, and Germany on assorted trips in 2018.

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London in the spring

 

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My first time in Malta! March, 2018

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Summer in Italy

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Summer in Italy

 

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A fall day in Dublin, Ireland

 

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Germany in October 2018


The Rosario Mining Company in San Juancito, Honduras

As I mentioned in my previous post, there’s this really unique village outside Tegucigalpa, Honduras where an American mining company once set up shop.  It is now a bit of a rundown area up the mountain from San Juancito, at the entrance of La Tigra National Park and has become one of my favorite places to visit.  This post documents my visit there in June 2017.

Cabaña Mirador El Rosario owned by Jorg and Monika is the perfect cabin on a mountain and the dinner and breakfast served at the main house is dreamy.  Here are some sights from the cabin and their home:

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And here are some photos from the former El Rosario Mining Company buildings near the entrance of La Tigra National Park, the bright pupleria, as well as some photos from hiking near the park…

 

My top three favorite photos from the getaway:

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I’m always fascinated by the plants I see there…

Here are some additional photos from my phone to get you a feel for the place…

Lastly, we saw a quetzal on our way back down to San Juancito!

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The Gringo Cemetery of the Rosario Mining Company, Honduras

Nothing like a snow day home to have me thinking back on past trips and adventures.

In June I returned to my beloved second country, Honduras.  I was able to have a quick getaway to one of my favorite places, Cabaña Mirador in El Rosario.  While there, my friend Michelle and I took a little hike around the village and on the edge of La Tigra National Park.  Just up the mountain from the village of San Juancito sits an old mining town that was operated by a US mining company in the early 1900’s.

This post is focusing on the photos I took at what Michelle and I call the “gringo cemetery” where the mining company buried workers who passed away while they were living there.

Some may find cemeteries creepy, but I tend to find them peaceful.  This one is fascinating.  I hope you enjoy some of the details of this unique place.

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A Morning Frost at Oak Hill

We had a frosty morning here at Oak Hill College on Thursday. My sister, nieces, and I went out to document it as it was melting.  They don’t get snow very often here, but this is the next best thing.  Hope you enjoy these photos!

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I love how the frost in the shadows melts later, creating a unique pattern across the field.

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A Home of Henry VIII: Hampton Court Palace

I’m trying a new format on this post, since I had so many photos to share.  One of my last days in London last October, my mom and I took four of my nephews to visit Hampton Court Palace.

It was such an intriguing place to visit.  To think about Henry VIII walking the same hallways we walked was a bit surreal.  The palace is an interesting mixture of Tudor style (from Henry VIII’s time there in the 1500’s) and Baroque style from King William III’s rebuild of a large part of the palace in the 1600’s.  Throw in a giant maze, capes for the kids, and lots of nooks to explore, and we had ourselves a fun adventure!  Some of my favorite sights include tapestries from the 1500’s, an emblem in the wood that should have been removed after the beheading of Anne Boleyn, being in Henry VIII’s kitchen and banquet hall, making it to the middle of the maze, and much more.

Here are some highlights from our visit posted below.  Since this is my last post recapping my London trip, I included a few photos at the end of the whole reason I took the trip.  It was such a blessing to have two weeks there with my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and their seven children (especially meeting their newest addition!).  I hope you’ve enjoyed these posts!  Get excited for some upcoming posts of recent photo shoots I’ve had and, of course, some more travel photos!


London: The Obligatory Photos

Hello again!

I’m trying to knock out these London posts so I can post more up-to-date photos soon.  Most of these photos need little description since they’re the shots everyone gets when in London, so here you go!

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Westminster Abbey

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Outside Westminster Abbey

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On the front of Westminster Abbey

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This is the church where I attended Bible Study Fellowship during my trip… conveniently located between Buckingham Palace and Big Ben!

 

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A great place to get fish ‘n chips!

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On a work day, I was able to visit the building where my sister’s church meets, St. Botolph’s, Aldersgate, to get photos of the beautiful sanctuary…

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Adventures in London, continued…

Good evening, all!

Some of you may have noticed I took a bit of a hiatus from blogging recently.  2015 was a rough year for me and I cut down on a few things, like blogging, to cope.  My hope is to get back on track in the next few months so I can share more of my fun travels and recent photo sessions here. I hope you enjoy!

I didn’t quite finish blogging the photos from my trip to London in October of 2015, so the next few posts will be devoted to the fun that I had in England with my mom, sister, and her family.

Here are a few more photos from Windsor Castle and then some bonus photos from around my sister’s home.  Stay tuned for Big Ben and Hampton Court Palace soon!

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The Queen Victoria statue right outside of Windsor Castle.

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Windsor Castle

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It was so fun to walk this street again with fond memories of it from our visit when I was eight-years-old.

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A shopping area outside the Windsor Castle train station.

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It’s been a few months, but I think this is the Paddington train station.  🙂

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Sundown on Farm Lane

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I loved the evening light hitting the plants outside my sister’s home.

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It was a beautiful evening for a walk with my nieces!

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Such a ham.

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Twice the fun!

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A thistle… pretty close to Scotland.

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I love evening light.

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Doors of Windsor

Hello, my long lost friends!  In an effort to be a better teacher and good friend, I’ve cut back on blog posts recently.  I do hope to wrap up sharing about my October trip and have quite a few fall family photo sessions to share with you one of these days.

I’ll start small with this little post from our visit to Windsor Castle.  I’m a big fan of doors, windows, and entryways.  So much so that I took enough pictures at Windsor Castle to warrant a blog post.

Here are some highlights from the largest occupied castle in the world!

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I’ll start with this little recreation I attempted. The top photo is from my first visit to Windsor in 1989 with my dad on the left and our family friends, the Welches. The photo below is my nephews coming through the same gate.

 

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My nephews hanging out with a Windsor Castle guard.

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Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gardens, and More…

What’s that you say?  You’d like to see more phone photography from me?  Well, if you insist…

While I usually prefer to only post the best of my best on this blog, I’m sort of using this as my trip log and in turn I am exposing my sometimes poor quality phone photography to you all.  I’m assuming you’re not as picky as I am about such things and hopefully appreciate the glimpse of London these pics provide.  After this post, I will have legit fancy camera photos to share… get excited!  🙂

We had the privilege of attending a children's program at the famous Royal Albert Hall with my nephews.

We had the privilege of attending a children’s program at the famous Royal Albert Hall with my nephews.

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Then we took a walk to Kensington Gardens. Fall sure is beautiful in London!

Then we took a walk to Kensington Gardens. Fall sure is beautiful in London!

We stopped briefly to admire Kensington Palace (on right) and then continued on...

We stopped briefly to admire Kensington Palace (on right) and then continued on…

Have I mentioned that I love fall?

Have I mentioned that I love fall?

... to our destination. The Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens was so well done with lots of fun hidden gems for the kids to discover.

… to our destination. The Diana, Princess of Wales’ Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens was so well done with lots of fun hidden gems for the kids to discover.

We had an adventurous trip home in the rain, taking many steps deep into the underground to catch the tube then a bus home.

We had an adventurous trip home in the rain, taking many steps deep into the underground to catch the tube then a bus home.

Finally got a sister photo! The next day Mom and I took the boys to Windsor Castle on the train.

Finally got a sister photo!
The next day Mom and I took the boys to Windsor Castle on the train.

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Windsor Castle

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Things you don't see in every McDonalds...

Things you don’t see in every McDonalds…

Things you don't see in every train station...

Things you don’t see in every train station (and why small change is helpful here)…


More of London (from my phone)

Here’s another slightly lazy post much like the last one (from a photography perspective) as I had a few more days where I didn’t have my fancy camera along, but couldn’t resist taking photos anyway.  Please excuse the less than stellar phone pic quality.  I hope you can see past that to the great sights and experiences I’ve had this week.  Here are a couple more days worth of photos and do stay tuned to some better quality posts coming soon!

A run in the rain with my nephews, a foggy day in London town, hanging with my twin nieces, and a trip to the pharmacy with one nephew where my love of Cadbury chocolate was renewed. :)

A run in the rain with my nephews, a foggy day in London town, hanging with my twin nieces, and a trip to the pharmacy with one nephew where my love of Cadbury chocolate was renewed. 🙂

On Tuesday I ventured out on my own to attend Bible Study Fellowship (the lessons are the same all over the world, so I didn't have to miss a class!). The tube part was easy, while the street part was a bit of a challenge until I bought a map. :)

On Tuesday I ventured out on my own to attend Bible Study Fellowship (the lessons are the same all over the world, so I didn’t have to miss a class!). The tube part was easy, while the street part was a bit of a challenge until I bought a map. 🙂

I made some new friends at BSF and went out to a pub for my first Fish & Chips of my trip!

I made some new friends at BSF and went out to a pub for my first Fish & Chips of my trip!

On the wall of the pub.

On the wall of the pub.

Before heading home, I went on a walk to see Buckingham Palace.

Before heading home, I went on a walk to see Buckingham Palace.

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The front gate and documentation that I was there.

The front gate and documentation that I was there.

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The Victoria Monument across from the palace.

The Victoria Monument across from the palace.

Had to get a selfie with the palace to prove I was there. :)

Had to get a selfie with the palace to prove I was there. 🙂

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Walking away, toward St. James's Park

Walking away, toward St. James’s Park

Had a really pretty walk along St. James's Park before I took the Underground back to my sister's place.

Had a really pretty walk along St. James’s Park before I took the Underground back to my sister’s place.


A Sunday in London (from an iPhone)

Hi there!

I’m behind on blog posts (story of my life), but wanted to check in from my visit in the UK.  Woohoo for Fall Break and a sister who lives in London!  I’ve been out a few times without my fancy camera and haven’t had much editing time, so this post won’t have the highest quality of photos, but I figured you all won’t care about that as much as I do.

So here you have my first day in London, as seen from my iPhone.  Fancy pics will be coming soon!

I arrived to a wall of welcome signs!

I arrived to a wall of welcome signs!

I got to meet my two-week-old niece Sunday morning!

I got to meet my two-week-old niece Sunday morning!

We went to my brother-in-law and sister's church near St. Paul's Cathedral Sunday morning.

We went to my brother-in-law and sister’s church near St. Paul’s Cathedral Sunday morning.

Apparently this place holds some history to it. :)

Apparently this place holds some history to it. 🙂

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Church Building

Postman's Park is right next to the church. I had to get a photo of this squirrel. Last spring, my Dad randomly announced

Postman’s Park is right next to the church. I had to get a photo of this squirrel. Last spring, my Dad randomly announced “England squirrels have pointy ears” after the topic of England came up. It cracked me up, so I had to document whether or not English squirrels’ ears are different than American squirrels. I like to imagine that these ears are a bit more pointy, even if they aren’t. 🙂

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This memorial display is in Postman's Park and I found it to be such a beautiful, tragic glimpse into the past.

This memorial display is in Postman’s Park and I found it to be such a beautiful, tragic glimpse into the past.

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Here are some samples of the tiles displayed at the memorial. I was struck by the ages of the people who passed away, as well as the graphic descriptions of their passing.

Here are some samples of the tiles displayed at the memorial. I was struck by the ages of the people who passed away, as well as the graphic descriptions of their passing.

Here are some samples of the tiles displayed at the memorial. I was struck by the ages of the people who passed away, as well as the graphic descriptions of their passing.

Here are some samples of the tiles displayed at the memorial. I was struck by the ages of the people who passed away, as well as the graphic descriptions of their passing.

Here are some samples of the tiles displayed at the memorial. I was struck by the ages of the people who passed away, as well as the graphic descriptions of their passing.

Here are some samples of the tiles displayed at the memorial. I was struck by the ages of the people who passed away, as well as the graphic descriptions of their passing.

After church, we explored a bit before catching the tube back home.

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Nearby is this awesome park created from an old church building's walls. The garden part is based on where the pews and columns were in the original church building.

Nearby is this awesome park created from an old church building’s walls. The garden part is based on where the pews and columns were in the original church building.

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Time to visit St. Paul's Cathedral!

Time to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral!

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My nephews set this shot up all by themselves!

My nephews set this shot up all by themselves!

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Mom and I with St. Paul's behind us. We may or may not have sung a bit of

Mom and I with St. Paul’s behind us. We may or may not have sung a bit of “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins as we watched the pigeons on the steps. 🙂

Love the reflection of St. Paul's in a nearby building.

Love the reflection of St. Paul’s in a nearby building.

Of course we had to get a phone booth photo! Many thanks to my mom for capturing the photo of the photo-taking. :)

Of course we had to get a phone booth photo! Many thanks to my mom for capturing the photo of the photo-taking. 🙂


Throwback Thursday: Malacca at Night

In continuing some of my recent posts, I’m still going through old photos from my Southeast Asia adventure in the summer of 2012.  During my quick solo trip to Malacca (aka Melaka) City, in Malaysia I had a great time walking around photographing to my heart’s content.  It was great eating at a delicious Indian restaurant (where I’m sure I looked quite foolish, not knowing for sure how to properly eat what I ordered) and taking in the sight of the canal from the back patio of the hotel where I stayed. Here are a few of my favorite shots from that time.

Right before the sun started to set, as I was searching for a good dinner spot in Little India.

Right before the sun started to set, as I was searching for a good dinner spot in Little India.

Outside where I ate dinner.  The trees were filled with birds, making it one of the noisiest parks I've seen.

Outside where I ate dinner. The trees were filled with birds, making it one of the noisiest parks I’ve been to.

My dinner in Little India

My dinner in Little India

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A pretty great way to spend the evening on my hotel's back patio!

A pretty great way to spend the evening on my hotel’s back patio!


Throwback Tuesday (Is that a thing?): Walking Around Malacca City

As mentioned in my previous post, some photos from my Southeast Asia adventure in July 2012 got lost in the shuffle of life and I’m finally getting back to editing them.  Here are some photos from my quick trip to Malacca City (aka Melaka) in the Malaysian state of Malacca, northwest of Singapore.  I concentrated my exploration in the touristy areas of Little India and Chinatown. I feel like this post contains a bit of sensory overload, but then I remember that’s kind of what my first day was like there.  I don’t have my travel journal or travel book with me right now, so I apologize for not having more details about what these sights are, but I do hope you enjoy these photo highlights!

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My delicious lunch- their well-known chicken rice ball dish

My delicious lunch- their well-known chicken rice ball dish

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I loved the picturesque canal

I loved the picturesque canal

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The town center where I had a few people ask to have their picture taken with me…

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Decorated Trishaws are quite a sight to behold!

Decorated Trishaws are quite a sight to behold!

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And here's some proof that I was present in all of this... a couple selfies and a random fake giraffe feeding from a museum I visited.  :)

And here’s some proof that I was present in all of this… including a selfie with Mr. Universe and a random fake giraffe feeding from a museum I visited. 🙂


Mira Jane

I’m home in Pennsylvania for my spring break this week and had a wonderful time visiting my niece and her husband on Saturday and meeting their new daughter, Mira, who is just over two weeks old.  You may remember Mira’s parents from their wedding photos a few years back.  I couldn’t resist the chance to take some photos of this family of three during my visit.  Here are some of my favorites.  Enjoy!

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Since this is a more personal post, I get to include a personal pic. Here I am with my newest great-niece! 🙂


Flashback Friday: St. Peter’s Church in Malacca, Malaysia

Hi there!  Welcome to my very random Friday blog post.  I’m currently on spring break from teaching and I’ve had a chance to revisit some photos that I never got around to editing a while back.  I just can’t bear the thought of having gone on such a fun adventure and not sharing the photos, so thanks for indulging me by checking out this throwback post…

Here’s some background:  In June and July 2012, I had the awesome opportunity to travel to Southeast Asia as a recipient of a Lily Endowment Teacher Creativity Grant.  You can learn more about the photography club I started and the great things I saw happening in Cambodia on the blog with much gratitude for the experiences the grant allowed me to have.  One bonus of my trip was the time to travel to Singapore, visiting my cousin and her family.  While there, I took a quick side trip to Malaysia, visiting the city of Malacca (also known as Melaka).  When I returned from my southeast Asia adventure, my life got a little crazy, as did my photography business.  I continued to teach, travel, and photograph, and found that time got away from me and I didn’t get to edit and share photos from my many adventures.  So I’ve decided to revisit those photos and share some over the next few months.  I hope you enjoy these somewhat outdated photos!

When I got off the bus in Malacca, I started to explore and was immediately drawn to this church, St. Peter’s.  I think that after spending a couple weeks in Cambodia where Christian churches are uncommon, I found this church to be a novelty and enjoyed checking it out.  While the date is somewhat in question, most believe that St. Peter’s was erected in 1710.  I loved capturing the light pouring into the sanctuary and appreciated the more modern installation in front of the church remembering Jesus walking on water.  I hope you enjoy these photos.  More Malaysia photos will be coming soon!

 

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Making Memories in February: 34 Highlights

In keeping with my birthday month tradition, here are some of my favorite memories made throughout February.  This is my seventh go at documenting the fun parts of February (because, let’s face it, it’s a pretty depressing month weather-wise!) as I force others to celebrate along with me.  🙂  The last couple years are here and here on the blog.  As you’ll see, the focus wasn’t on fancy photography, but on capturing the memories.  Thanks to all who helped make it a great month!

 

#1- Watching the Super Bowl with my community group from church  (All fun, except for the ending!)

#1- Watching the Super Bowl with my community group from church (All fun, except for the ending!)

#2- Meeting my great friends' (Jenny and Peter​) baby girl!

#2- Meeting my great friends’ (Jenny and Peter​) baby girl!

#3- Coming out of work to this sky

#3- Coming out of work to this sky

#4- First Friday at Harrison Center for the Arts

#4- First Friday at Harrison Center for the Arts

 

#5- Fun times with my silly nieces and nephew

#5- Fun times with my silly nieces and nephew

#6- A great afternoon spent with my Indy mom, Sheilah  :)

#6- A great afternoon spent with my Indy mom, Sheilah 🙂

#7- Indiana's winter skies

#7- Indiana’s winter skies

#8- Making myself go for a run after a prolonged break.

#8- Making myself go for a run after a prolonged break.

#9- Hosting a small version of our community group at my place!

#9- Hosting a small version of our community group at my place!

#10- Laughs with friends in my apartment and the clean-up afterward.

#10- Laughs with friends in my apartment and the clean-up afterward.

 

#11- Valentine's Day love from my students.

#11- Valentine’s Day love from my students.

#12- Going home to Pennsylvania and getting snowed in with my parents.

#12- Going home to Pennsylvania and getting snowed in with my parents.

#13- Valentine's Day at home-home, an early birthday celebration, yummy food, and a really nice time with my parents

#13- Valentine’s Day at home-home, an early birthday celebration, yummy food, and a really nice time with my parents

#14- Lots of time with my parents being snowed in all weekend over President's Day.

#14- Lots of time with my parents being snowed in all weekend over President’s Day.

#15- Building and enjoying fires in the fireplace with my Dad

#15- Building and enjoying fires in the fireplace with my Dad

 

 

#16- Pennsylvania snow

#16- Pennsylvania snow

 

 

#17- Ash Wednesday service at my church

#17- Ash Wednesday service at my church

 

 

#18- Going to Shoefly with church friends after the Ash Wednesday service (now I feel like we should've looked more somber for this pic...)

#18- Going to Shoefly with church friends after the Ash Wednesday service (now I feel like we should’ve looked more somber for this pic…)

 

#19- Bazbeaux on 2/19 with some really great friends from various parts of my life in Indy

#19- Bazbeaux on 2/19 with some really great friends from various parts of my life in Indy

 

#20- My first time at Ball & Biscuit and a really nice time with some great girls

#20- My first time at Ball & Biscuit and a really nice time with some great girls

 

#21- A whole lot of randomness that made me happy this month: hilarious bday card, a few musicals I watched with my parents, bubble wrap, a balloon from my friend at work, useful gifts like a stapler and sheets, and Oreos.

#21- A whole lot of randomness that made me happy this month: hilarious bday card, a few musicals I watched with my parents, bubble wrap, a balloon from my friend at work, useful gifts like a stapler and sheets, and Oreos.

 

#22- Gifts and cards from students who were so sweet to think of me

#22- Gifts and cards from students who were so sweet to think of me

 

#23- Pics with my respective reading classes (who actually requested a group photo with me since they saw last year's)

#23- Pics with my respective reading classes (who actually requested a group photo with me since they saw last year’s on my desk)

 

#24- Actual birthday day (2/21) and waking up to this winter wonderland

#24- Actual birthday day (2/21) and waking up to this winter wonderland

 

#25- The real birthday and a yummy birthday lunch with my brother's fam at Bub's

#25- The real birthday and a yummy birthday lunch with my brother’s fam at Bub’s

 

#26- Sled riding on my birthday (2/21) with my brother's family.  And yes, I said sled riding.  That's how we say it in Western PA.  :)

#26- Sled riding on my birthday (2/21) with my brother’s family. And yes, I said sled riding. That’s how we say it in Western PA. 🙂

 

#27- Various facetime chats with my sister and her family across the pond throughout February.

#27- Various facetime chats with my sister and her family across the pond throughout February.

 

#28- My niece sent me on a birthday scavenger hunt, the cutest one ever.  :)

#28- My niece sent me on a birthday scavenger hunt, the cutest one ever. 🙂

 

#29- Cheesecake Factory with my friend Kate.

#29- Cheesecake Factory with my friend Kate.

 

#30- A great Sunday at my church and catching up with my friend Jackie visiting from VA.

#30- A great Sunday at my church and catching up with my friend Jackie visiting from VA.

 

#31- Going out with work friends to RAM on 2/24.

#31- Going out with work friends to RAM on 2/24.

 

#32- My first Indy Fuel game

#32- My first Indy Fuel game

 

#33- Catching up with my friend Sara over some delicious Thai food.

#33- Catching up with my friend Sara over some delicious Thai food.

 

#34- Celebrating this lovely lady's birthday a week after mine with some mani/pedi action.  :) Yay for February birthdays and a great month!

#34- Celebrating this lovely lady Kate’s birthday a week after mine with some mani/pedi action. 🙂
Yay for February birthdays and a great month!

 


Honduran Countryside

In my last post, I showed you some sites from the city of Tegucigalpa from my trip in November.  I had the chance to leave the city a couple times to visit a school and coffee plantation in a cloud forest, as well as going to my friends’ wedding at a beautiful place called Casa Blanca in the village of Santa Lucia.  I’ve also included a few personal photos at the end since the focus of my trip was more on people than places and I wanted to share a little bit of the great time I had with some of my favorite people who happen to live in Honduras.  🙂

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Breaking photography rules again and posting a photo taken through a car window. I just loved what a classic Honduran scene it is… had to share.

 

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Coffee plants in a cloud forest outside Tegucigalpa

 

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This is a coffee plantation that supports an orphanage and school.

 

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I believe this is the blackberry section of the ranch I visited.

 

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This is a coffee plantation that supports an orphanage and school.

 

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A soccer field on the ranch for the students and families.

 

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A soccer field associated with the school and orphanage.

 

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I love this view on the drive back toward the city.

 

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I love this view on the drive back toward the city.

 

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My friends Johana and Miguel got married at a lovely place called Casa Blanca in the village of Santa Lucia, outside Tegucigalpa.

 

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My friends Johana and Miguel got married at a lovely place called Casa Blanca in the village of Santa Lucia, outside Tegucigalpa.

 

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My friends Johana and Miguel got married at a lovely place called Casa Blanca in the village of Santa Lucia, outside Tegucigalpa.

 

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My friends Johana and Miguel got married at a lovely place called Casa Blanca in the village of Santa Lucia, outside Tegucigalpa.

 

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My friends Johana and Miguel got married at a lovely place called Casa Blanca in the village of Santa Lucia, outside Tegucigalpa.

 

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My friends Johana and Miguel got married at a lovely place called Casa Blanca in the village of Santa Lucia, outside Tegucigalpa.

 

Here is a photo of a few of my wonderful friends I was able to visit with during my trip.  It was so fun to be present for my friends' wedding!

Here is a photo of a few of my wonderful friends I was able to visit with during my trip. It was so fun to be present for my friends’ wedding!

I can't resist posting a few personal photos here of some of the wonderful people I was able to visit with while I was there.  It's so hard to believe my former first grade students are now in high school!  It was also great to see my friends' expanding families!

I can’t resist posting a few personal photos here of some of the wonderful people I was able to visit with while I was there. It’s so hard to believe my former first grade students are now in high school! It was also great to see my friends’ expanding families!

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One of my favorite views ever- being above the clouds. 🙂

 

 

 


Tegus in November

I spent my Thanksgiving break in Tegucigalpa, Honduras visiting friends and enjoying the country that I consider my second home.  I taught first grade at International School of Tegucigalpa from 2003 to 2006 and love returning every few years to see my friends and former students.  Tegucigalpa often gets dogged as not being a very picturesque city (and also having a really short runway, which makes for very adventurous plane landings), but I have to say that through my time there I’ve learned to love good old “Tegus” and the beauty it possesses.  This post has some of my favorite photos from the time I spent in the city back in November.  I’ll do a separate post soon with some highlights from my time outside the city.  Enjoy!

 

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A beautiful morning in the colonia of Las Hadas

 

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This is the church I attended when I lived there. It was so great to be back.

 

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Tegucigalpa, as seen from the drive down from El Hatillo

 

 

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Tegucigalpa, as seen from the drive down from El Hatillo

 

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Tegucigalpa, as seen from the drive down from El Hatillo

 

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Tegus at night from Lomas de Jacaleapa

 

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A neighborhood park in Lomas de Jacaleapa

 

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Visiting International School, where I taught for three years, and enjoying all the new improvements that have been made there.

 

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The view of local neighborhoods from International School

 

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Visiting International School, where I taught for three years, and enjoying all the new improvements that have been made there.

 

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Visiting International School, where I taught for three years, and enjoying all the new improvements that have been made there.

 

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There’s probably some rule that I’m breaking right now by posting a photo that I took through a car window, but I’m ok with that. It was fun to see new roads and other improvements that have been made to the city since I lived there.

 

 

 

This is taken from the plane about to take off.  The black gate shows where a road used to be... the runway has been lengthened a bit since I first went there in 2003.

This is taken from the plane about to take off. The black gate shows where a road used to be… the runway has been lengthened a bit since I first went there in 2003.

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This is a market near the neighborhood of Satelite that I went to with my friend Ana.

 

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Here is Tegucigalpa from the airplane- the peace statue on the hill and the national stadium at the bottom of the photo. I always try to get a window seat on the right when I fly out because I love this view of the city. 🙂