Travel

Heather Heights

I had some really lovely walks out in Amish country during my recent visit at home-home in Western Pennsylvania.  I finally had the chance to take my big camera with me to chase some light on a recent beautiful night out on Heather Heights.  Here are some photos from that chase.  I sure do love me some evening light! 🙂

IMG_2685

IMG_2693

IMG_2695

IMG_2700

IMG_2720

IMG_2723

IMG_2726

IMG_2732

IMG_2736


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!

IMG_2559

IMG_2560

IMG_2567

IMG_2568

IMG_2572

IMG_2574

IMG_2576

IMG_2577

IMG_2582

IMG_2584

IMG_2585

IMG_2587

IMG_2589

IMG_2591

IMG_2593

IMG_2595

IMG_2598

IMG_2600

IMG_2604

IMG_2605

IMG_2606

IMG_2608

IMG_2609

IMG_2612

IMG_2613

IMG_2614

IMG_2616

IMG_2617

IMG_2618

IMG_2624

IMG_2626

IMG_2628

IMG_2630

IMG_2631

IMG_2633

IMG_2634

IMG_2635

IMG_2637

IMG_2638

IMG_2640

IMG_2642

IMG_2644

IMG_2646

IMG_2661

IMG_2663

IMG_2664

IMG_2665

IMG_2670

IMG_2671

IMG_2673

IMG_2674

IMG_2677

IMG_2681

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!

IMG_2296

IMG_2298

IMG_2313

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

IMG_2328

IMG_2336

Inside the Lilly House

IMG_2337

IMG_2338

IMG_2339

IMG_2343

IMG_2345

IMG_2349

IMG_2351

IMG_2353

IMG_2356

IMG_2359

IMG_2360

IMG_2363

IMG_2365

1924 Deusenberg

IMG_2369

IMG_2374

IMG_2380

IMG_2381

IMG_2384

IMG_2386

IMG_2389

IMG_6068

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

 


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.  🙂

IMG_0005

IMG_0007

IMG_9993

IMG_9997

IMG_0015

IMG_9989

IMG_0035

IMG_9981

IMG_0031

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.

IMG_3467

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?

IMG_0097

IMG_0100

July, 2019

 

 


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!

IMG_9151

A puffin!

IMG_9152

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

IMG_9165

Murres on the move

IMG_9170

Puffins on the move

IMG_9205IMG_9212

IMG_9223

Puffin burrows

IMG_9253

Not penguins 🙂

IMG_9256IMG_9260IMG_9267

IMG_9286

Humpback whale sighting!

IMG_9289

IMG_9296

Check out those fins!

IMG_9305

They were so close!

IMG_9309IMG_9328

 

 

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.

IMG_3602IMG_3603

IMG_3659

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!

traveljenni

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

londoncollage

London in the spring

 

maltacollage

My first time in Malta! March, 2018

italycollage2

Summer in Italy

italycollage

Summer in Italy

 

dublincollage

A fall day in Dublin, Ireland

 

germanycollage

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:

IMG_3088IMG_3104IMG_3133 IMG_3122IMG_3275IMG_3280IMG_3282IMG_3283IMG_3285

 

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:

IMG_3209

IMG_3215IMG_3265

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!

IMG_3289


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.

IMG_3203

 

IMG_3205

IMG_3190IMG_3189IMG_3187IMG_3184IMG_3183IMG_3182IMG_3177IMG_3176IMG_3174IMG_3172IMG_3170IMG_3166IMG_3165


A Walk around London at Dusk

Just before the new year, I was able to take a walk around London as the sun set.  I enjoyed a different angle for photos of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament than my last visit or my trip in the fall of 2015.  This time I took a few (haha) photos as I explored.  Hope you enjoy them!

bbcollage1

I loved this view when I came out from the tube and saw the evening light on the clock face.  When I crossed the bridge, I was struck by this doorway before turning around to check out the view across the river.

img_1782wm

The view while walking across Westminster Bridge

img_1794wm

The view I’d been hoping for!

img_1796wm

img_1814wm

img_1826wm

There was no way I could wait out all the people gathered there to take photos, so I decided to appreciate their presence in this photo.  🙂

img_1849wm

bbcollage2

img_1852wm

Poor quality photo, but I like seeing the details on this lamppost.

bbcollage3

bbcollage4

The Palace of Westminster

 

bbcollage5

Big Ben at different angles

img_1880wm

Christmastime with Big Ben

img_1882wm

The view back at Big Ben as I walked toward Westminster Abbey

centralhallcollage1

Central Hall Westminster

westminstercollage1

Westminster Abbey

img_1892wm

I couldn’t get very close to this, but have appreciated this prayer on the side of Westminster Abbey since I saw it last year.

westminstercollage2

Westminster Abbey

downingstcollage1

Checking out where the Prime Minister lives… it seemed pretty secure.  🙂

horseguardscollage1

Walking through the Horse Guards building.


Windsor at Christmastime

On Wednesday, Mom, my sister, and I had the opportunity to tour Windsor Castle and have afternoon tea nearby before catching the train back home.

Since my trip here has proven that my super teacher immunity is no match for British germs and I’ve had a day in, I put together this blog post to give you a taste of our time there.

My mom and I took my nephews to Windsor Castle last time I was here in October 2015 (you can see photos from that visit here, here, and here), but I found this trip to be equally fun with the addition of Christmas decor and tea with my mom and sister.  I hope you enjoy these!

windsorcollage1

Christmas crackers don’t often make it into American decor, so I enjoyed seeing these at the Windsor train station.

windsorcollage2

I love the walk up to the Castle.

windsorcollage3

These photos were taken during our little detour as we waited in line on side streets to buy tickets to the Castle.

windsorcollage4decor

I really enjoyed all the festive decorations.  They do a lot, considering the Queen doesn’t even spend Christmas in this home!

windsorcollage5

A close-up of St. George’s Gate and other views around the castle grounds.  We unfortunately weren’t allowed to take photos inside the state rooms.

windsorcollage6

windsorcollage7stgeorges

St. George’s Chapel

img_1640wm

A close-up of St. George’s Chapel with animal guards.  🙂

windsorcollage8

The guards dress a bit differently in the wintertime.

windsorcollage9

Then we walked across the street to afternoon tea at Clarence Brasserie and Tea Room.

windsorcollage10

It was great getting some quality time with my sister and my mom!

img_1661wm

What afternoon tea is all about, really.

windsorcollage11

We were able to go back past the castle on our way out to see the evening light on it.

windsorcollage12

Evening light on Windsor Castle

img_1688wm

The Queen Victoria Statue next to Windsor.

windsorcollage13

Unique Christmas decorations by the shops next to Windsor…

img_1689wm

windsorcollage14

The shops at the train station and awaiting our train back.

 


Christmastime in London at Night

I’ve been pretty pumped about this blog post, not because there’s anything special about these photos (they’re not the best quality, what with me not having a tripod with me, nor time to fix my settings for every shot), but because London is so beautiful at Christmastime!

These photos are from a couple evenings last week when I went to a show with a friend and the following day Mom and I explored Oxford and Regent Streets after we went to a pantomime at the Palladium.  I hope you enjoy this trip through part of London at Christmastime.  Apologies for any incorrect information I give about the locations of where these photos were taken…

More to come soon.  Happy New Year, everyone!

img_1310wm

Taking a walk around South Bank

img_1319wm

img_1324wm

The London Eye and Big Ben

southbankcollage1

Somewhere near or across from South Bank

img_1327wm

I couldn’t get enough of this view of Big Ben and Westminster Palace

img_1330wm

I wondered why there were photographers lined up on the bridge looking this way… then I realized what a great shot it was.  🙂 

christmasmarketcollagewm

I loved taking in the beauty and shopping at the Leicester Square Christmas Market next to the cinemas where all the London movie premiers take place.

trafalgarsquarecollagewm

Trafalgar Square, including the Norway Spruce gifted to England every year as a thank you for their help during World War II.

coventgardencollagewm

Covent Garden knows how to be festive.

streetlightscollage1wm

Sights from more of Covent Garden

savoycollagewm

Mel and I enjoyed warming up in the fancy lobby of the Savoy before we went to the show.

img_1342wm

West End is the place to go for shows!

showsigncollagewm

Mel and I saw the show Beautiful, an example of store windows near Regent Street, and a church at the end of Regent Street.

img_1345wm

img_1394wm

Regent Street

regentstreetcollagewm

More of Regent Street

img_1405wm

streetlightcollage2wm

oxfordstcollagewm

Oxford Street


Along the Thames

Shocking though it may be, here’s an up-to-date blog post for you as I visit London for Christmas this year.

With a few more posts on the way, here are some photos from my visit along the Thames on Monday with my friend, Mel.  Hope you enjoy!

toweroflondoncollage1wm

Here are some sights from around the Tower of London (where they used to have real lions guarding the gates).

toweroflondoncollage2wm

The Traitor’s Gate and more from the Tower

img_1149wm

The Middle Tower entrance

IMG_1186wm.jpg

Shadows and the outer wall

towerbridgecollage1

Walking along the riverbank by the Tower, we had a great view of Tower Bridge.

img_1222wm

Approaching Tower Bridge

img_1210wm

View of the Shard from the riverbank by the Tower of London

towerbridgecollage2wm

Views from Tower Bridge

img_1236wm

View from Tower Bridge

img_1249wm

On the other side of the Thames River

img_1264wm

The Tower of London and Tower Bridge in one frame 🙂

christmasmarketcollage1wm

London Bridge City Christmas Market

londonbridgecollagewm

I must say that London Bridge is a bit anticlimactic compared to Tower Bridge, considering the airplay of the song about it.

steetlampcollagewm

Streetlamps and the Shard

southwarkbridgecollagewm

Southwark Bridge

img_1284wm

It was probably the least pretty spot to catch the sunset on the Thames, but I did my best.

Coming up next… London Christmas lights.  You’re going to love it!


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!

IMG_0688wmIMG_0690wmIMG_0694wmIMG_0703wmIMG_0707wmIMG_0712wm

IMG_0725wm

Westminster Abbey

IMG_0729wm

Outside Westminster Abbey

IMG_0730wm

On the front of Westminster Abbey

IMG_0739wm

IMG_0742wm

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

 

IMG_0745wm

A great place to get fish ‘n chips!

IMG_0762wm

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…

IMG_0748wmIMG_0746wm

Save


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!

IMG_0478wm

The Queen Victoria statue right outside of Windsor Castle.

IMG_0479wm

Windsor Castle

IMG_0485wm

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

IMG_0488wm

A shopping area outside the Windsor Castle train station.

IMG_0493wm

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

IMG_0497wm

Sundown on Farm Lane

IMG_0511wm

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

IMG_0517wm

Enter a caption

IMG_0529wm

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

IMG_0544wm

Such a ham.

IMG_0589wm

Twice the fun!

IMG_0617wm

A thistle… pretty close to Scotland.

IMG_0622wm

I love evening light.

IMG_0628wmIMG_0629wm


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!

2015-10-08 23.48.37

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.

 

doorscollage2wm

IMG_0433wm

IMG_0387wm

 

doorscollagewm

 

IMG_0426wm

 

doorscollage3wm

 

IMG_0459wm

IMG_0468wm

My nephews hanging out with a Windsor Castle guard.

IMG_0471wm

 

IMG_0472wm

 

 


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.

2015-10-07 12.14.06-1

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.

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle

windsorcollage

2015-10-08 14.33.30

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.

2015-10-06 14.02.15

The front gate and documentation that I was there.

The front gate and documentation that I was there.

details

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. 🙂

victoria

2015-10-06 14.12.10

2015-10-06 14.18.01

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. 🙂

church1

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. 🙂

2015-10-04 10.42.19

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.

2015-10-04 10.43.20

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.

2015-10-04 13.23.41

2015-10-04 10.38.53

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.

2015-10-04 13.23.55

2015-10-04 13.24.29

2015-10-04 13.25.35

Time to visit St. Paul's Cathedral!

Time to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral!

2015-10-04 13.31.53

2015-10-04 13.32.09

My nephews set this shot up all by themselves!

My nephews set this shot up all by themselves!

2015-10-04 13.33.38

2015-10-04 13.35.22

2015-10-04 13.37.02

2015-10-04 13.38.05

2015-10-04 13.40.15

2015-10-04 13.40.49

2015-10-04 13.41.47

2015-10-04 13.42.43

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. 🙂


Sneak Peek: Lots to Come!

Hi there!  It’s been a busy few months here.  I’ve just returned from a cross-country road trip from Indiana to Los Angeles and have lots to share from that adventure!  Here are some sneak peeks of sessions and travel posts I will be sharing soon.  Stay tuned!

Here is a recreation of a shot I took of three of my brother's children a few years ago.  More photos of my brother and sister-in-law's family coming soon!

Here is a recreation of a shot I took of three of my brother’s children a few years ago. More photos of my brother and sister-in-law’s family coming soon!

This is the lovely baby who came from the last maternity photo session I posted.  Look back for more newborn photos of Liam soon!

This is the lovely baby who came from the last maternity photo session I posted. Look back for more newborn photos of Liam soon!

I've been photographing these kids since this big sister was six months old!  Look back soon for newborn photos of this beautiful baby sister!

I’ve been photographing these kids since this big sister was six months old! Look back soon for newborn photos of this beautiful baby sister!

We took our time exploring Utah on the cross-country road trip.  Here is a shot of Bryce Canyon.  More to come soon of Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion National Parks.

We took our time exploring Utah on the cross-country road trip. Here is a shot of Bryce Canyon. More to come soon of Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion National Parks.

We finished our journey in Los Angeles.  Here is a photo from outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.  More Cali photos will be posted soon!

We finished our journey in Los Angeles. Here is a photo from outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. More Cali photos will be posted soon!


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

IMG_5996wm

IMG_5985wmMelakaNightCollage3wm

MelakaNightCollage4wmIMG_6019wm

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!

IMG_5726wm

IMG_5733wm

MelakaDay1collage1wm

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

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

IMG_5741wm

MelakaDay1Collage3wm

IMG_5772wm

I loved the picturesque canal

I loved the picturesque canal

MelakaDay1Collage4wm

IMG_5881wm

IMG_5856wm

MelakaDay1Collage5wm

IMG_5841wm

MelakaDay1Collage8wm

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

MelakaDay1Collage10wm

Decorated Trishaws are quite a sight to behold!

Decorated Trishaws are quite a sight to behold!

IMG_5966wm

MelakaDay1Collage9wm

MelakaDay1Collage11wm

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. 🙂


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!

 

stpeterscollage1wm

 

IMG_5694wm

 

 

StPetersCollage2wm

 

 

 

IMG_5705wm

 

 

 

IMG_5716wm

 

 

 

 

StPetersCollage3wm

 

 

 

IMG_5715wm


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.  🙂

IMG_6738wm

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.

 

IMG_6746wm

Coffee plants in a cloud forest outside Tegucigalpa

 

IMG_6775wm

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

 

IMG_6751wm

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

 

IMG_6752wm

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

 

IMG_6759wm

IMG_6763wm

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

 

IMG_6765wm

A soccer field associated with the school and orphanage.

 

IMG_6772wm

IMG_6796wm

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

 

IMG_6798wm

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

 

IMG_7347wm

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

 

IMG_7348wm

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

 

IMG_7351wm

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

 

IMG_7352wm

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

 

IMG_7355wm

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

 

IMG_7358wm

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!

IMG_7893wm

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