Winter Wonderland
The next day after the snow fall…. beautiful, quiet hushed morning. And a very excited puppy dog.
The world is so magical after a snow fall. (Or at least it feels that way when you only get 2 or 3 a year!)
White Christmas
We actually had a White Christmas here in North Carolina! I couldn’t believe it when I looked out the window to see snow falling in the mid afternoon… and then it just kept snowing and snowing. Around dusk, I packed up my camera and Buddy and drove over to Old Salem to shoot some photos of the lovely snow with the Christmas decorations up. It was quiet and hushed outside, but through windows I could see families gathering, fireplaces light up and Christmas trees winking. A perfect Christmas evening.
Morning Glory
Satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. – Psalm 90:14
(5:30 am sky, no photoshop required.)
Jess + Charlie
Jess and I met each other in the spring of 2003 at Wake Forest, but it wasn’t until about a year later that we discovered how many shared interests we had, such as running (including a love affair for the exact same sneakers, Asisics Gel Nimbus), photography, wine and epidemiology/public health, leading us to dub one another our “matched case.” For those of you who don’t share a passion for public health stats, a matched case is basically a set of people you can use to stand in for one another in research trials because of the number of shared similarities they have.
After graduating Wake, we became closer than ever and shared with each other our challenges, dreams and funny moments of single girls going through grad school and trying to create our dream careers. Along the way, we’ve both acquired a few degrees (me-2, Jess-seven? eight? twelve?), a few running blisters, and more than a few tales of less than perfect suitors.
I think when Jess met Charles, we (the “winos”) had a hunch that this was it. Jess’ happiness was evident, and her stories about their relationship made all of us excited that our best friend had met her matched case.
In typical Jess fashion, I got a voicemail from her one day last spring. “Hey Megs, it’s Jess. I just wanted to let you know I’m engaged. Gimme a call when you can.”
I squealed. I shrieked. I jumped up and down. I could hear Jess’s smile through the phone, and pressed her to tell me every detail of the engagement. I then I forced myself into her life even more by telling her I was showing up with my camera to document one of my absolute favorite couple’s love story. Here are some pictures from their engagement photo shoot, taken in early May.
I think you’ll see for yourself why I love this couple so very much. Their wedding is set for October 30th, 2010 and will take place at a vineyard outside the beautiful city they met and reside in, Charlottesville, VA.
I love the sunlight in this last pic… and of course, those 2 very well loved doggies, Ivy and Ada.
~ Best wishes, Jess + Charlie! 10.30.10 ~
March
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. – Isaiah 60:1
Sunrise, March 1st, 2010
Old Salem
I love walking around Old Salem, a the “living history museum” of my city. Walking around there, you can almost imagine yourself back a hundred years. Last Saturday, Jamie and I went to romp around Old Salem with our camera to just snap whatever caught our eye. Some of my faves… and I think I have an addiction to macro shots. I just can’t resist obscure close-ups.
Park City Sans Skis
On our first full day in Park City, we looked at the snow bases of the major resort and scowled. It wasn’t quite where we wanted it to be. I know, I know… here we are flying hundreds of miles, leaving a part of the country where ice granules are constitute your winter sport base material and we were denying ourselves a day on the slopes. But, we heard a rumor big snow was coming and we were willing to be patient. With that decision made, we pondered what to do with ourselves.
It was Sunday. There was football on. That decision, for the boys, was made rather quickly.
It was a beautiful, almost warm (by Utah winter standards) day and Jamie and I decided we would both be perfectly content to sling our Rebels on our neck and set off to explore the city by foot and f-stop.
I adore this little city. Although it is quite a tourist mecca, between the ski slopes and Sundance, it still manages to keep a quaint, sleepy, Main Street feel to it. (A Main Street with million dollar residences, but a Main Street nonetheless.) One of my favorite things about it is the town lift – a chair lift that brings people straight off the slopes into town. As we walked along a side street, many restaurants had skis and boards stacked outside as people took a break from the slopes for a slice of pizza or hot sandwich.
Loves this city. Loves it even more with a sunshiney day and a best friend and a very large SD card. Sigh.
Majestic
I wake up from a heavy sleep to discover the flat plains of Texas have been replaced by a landscape so contradictory to anything I have ever known. Sharp angular peaks, with frosted tops, cover the horizon as far as I can see. The Rockies are so unlike any landscape I’ve even seen; they literally take my breath away. I scan the peaks as the plane crawls along, and I notice signs of occupation are few and far between in the occasional valley. It occurs to me then, how these mountains have outlasted anyone who called them home, as they will outlast anyone to come. They are eternal, overwhelming in their beauty and magnitude, yet humble in the way that only something so great can be. In the face of these rugged mountains, I see a reminder of who and what my glorious God is staring back at me.
Lexington Barbecue Fest
There are many things about the South that this Yankee has fallen in love with – not the least of which would be my good ol’ country boy – but second on that list would have to be Carolina’s famous cuisine: barbecue.
When I first moved to Winston-Salem, one of my roommates asked me if I wanted to go with her to a friend’s house to “have some barbecue”for dinner. I expected we’d be going to someone’s backyard, where a grill would be fired up with hot dogs and hamburgers. Imagine my surprise when we arrived and there was a big silver, disposable chafing dish of mushy looking meat, some weird colored slaw and bags of sandwich buns. I learned looks can be deceiving, and it wasn’t long before I too fell in love with the southern version of barbecue, even serving it at my wedding!
So needless to say, when our friends Donna and Matt asked us if we wanted to join them to go to the Lexington Barbecue Festival, we jumped right in the car. Matt and Donna just moved here from Illinois for residency, and had yet to experience any NC barbecue. According to the website, the Lexington Barbecue Festival brings 100,000 people into the small town of Lexington AND from a quote on their site, is one of the “top ten food festivals in the USA.” WELL. We couldn’t miss that could we?
The Pig Reigns
I have to say, I expected a little more from all the hype. Don’t get me wrong – the barbecue was delicious (as it always is), but the festival was just your typical blocked off street fair: vendors selling everything from local honey to purses made from John Deere fabric (who keeps these vendors believing there is a demand for such product?) to handmade bird cages. And of course, there was the usual plethora of fair food – giant turkey legs, gyros, bacon wrapped scallops and fried candy bars. (Welcome to the South, ya’ll!)
One Happy Customer
Turkey Legs, Of Course.
Lexington is one of those small Southern town that still has a Main St with mom-and-pop owned businesses tucked in besides CVS and Arby’s and other chains. Donna and I tucked into an candy store along Main St and poked around in the bins that were full of old timey favorites – Mary Janes, butterscotches, bit-o-honeys, and those little foil-wrapped strawberries with the gummy insides. They had an awesome collection of antique children’s toys and books in the back that I perused/snapped pictures of while D scooped out her loot.
Choosing Carefully
Despite angry skies early in the morning, it ended up being a postcard perfect afternoon to wander the streets, people-watching and sampling the wares at the different vendors (beware the habanero sauce at the Sticky Fingers booth, yall….). I’m still not entirely sure how this festival, compared to all other festivals in the country, made it on the top ten food list… but I’m thinking it has to be the John Deere fabric purses.
It was a gorgeous afternoon to be out and about, and most importantly to share a big part of what we love about North Carolina with our friends. Although apparently, we’re going to have to go get Matt a slaw-free sandwich next time. Hmm. I guess that’s okay.
You never forget your first time!
