Texas sunset

While we were out photographing Allison , on their Ranch, I wanted to get a few with her boyfriend Phillip as well. What a perfect beautiful day it was. Warm and beautiful.Then we came upon this scene below. I know this image looks fake. But It was real! I had 3 other witnesses. I saw this scene and had to pull over and capture it. Its so TEXAS! The Pump jack, the cows, the tree, the winter rye grass.THE GORGEOUS SUNSET. When I'm in the country, I can Exhale. I can really breathe when I'm in the country. My Friends tease me because I love the smell of cow manure! Okay, not dairy farms or feed lots but a little cow manure smells good to me! (DON'T LAUGH) I also like the smell of skunks! Who admits it too? Okay not all skunk smells, but when a skunk is far away. Theres a certain familiarity to it. I think I do because it reminds me of traveling with my dad out to the west Texas desert to look for arrowheads. It was time with I'm and so i associate it with joy. My friends, Allison, Gerri and Phillip were laughing at me, but they know people who do too! Maybe its my Indian heritage, I'm sure my ancestors smelled more than their fair share of skunks. But to me it makes me happy! I don't want them under my house though! I'm not the only one read these links!http://www.dana.org/news/cerebrum/detail.aspx?id=1428http://withoutwax.tv/2009/03/28/i-admit-i-like-the-smell-of-skunk/

Allison

After a few days of taking it easy after my accident, I was glad to be able to finish Allison's photo shoot! I'm feeling a lot better, a few aches and pains, I wont get into but so grateful and thankful to be healthy and in one piece! Thank to all you well wishers and those who helped me out.

Now about Allison. It was a beautiful day and I had such a great time with her and her mom and boyfriend. Her mom is the best and kept me in stitches laughing. Here's a sneak peek of a few of my favs from the day. !

Where Ive been

Friday I got to go to Dallas and visit my Grandsons and go to a special book reading party with my daughter, 2 grandsons and son in law. It was a wonderful night! They even had a magician/clown doing tricks. We ate cupcakes and laughed and cried and read the awesome book "How do I love you." It was a fun time! It was put on by some ladies from the church my daughter attends in Dallas. A great time.

I made it back home at almost 1 am.! The next morning Saturday our son had another power lifting meet, this one in Iowa Park and our son did great. He won 2nd in his weight division and it was a great meet! His grandparents were there and we decided to go celebrate at Cracker Barrel. We left around 5:00 and my husband drove our van with our son, I drove our car and the grandparents followed behind about a mile.

What happened next was so fast and scary. A small car was in our lane going very very slowly and my husband barely missed her but I wasnt so lucky.

I was knocked out by the air bag, with cuts to my face, nose bloody mouth, and pain in my chest shoulder and thigh.

Passerbys and my husband came to my aid and made me stay seated. A woman who identified herself as a nurse gave me some guaze for my tongue, which i bit through. Our son stood in horror as he saw his mom setting in the totaled car, dazed, radiator steaming and parts of the cars strewn all over the highway.

He was the first to call 911 The driver of the other car and her passenger were fine and denied treatment. They were worried about me and watched as I was taken to the hospital by ambulance taped to a board with a neck brace and received excellent care at the hospital. I was x ray ed, cat scanned and checked out. I was given a tetanus shot and finally released to my family.

I am very bruised, banged up and sore. But I am so thankful that angels were watching over me.

Having a collision at 70 mph is like hitting a brick wall.!

Im so thankful to my facebook friends for their kind comments, the phone calls and words of praise for me. You've uplifted me. My teeth are not loose now, my headaches are still occurring, but the RX is working and I'm getting a lot of sleep.

I just thought you should know. My husband had my camera and a video camera from the Meet and got pics and video. I'm so thankful to the motorists who stopped and checked on us, the Ambulance driver John and Scott, the nurse Cathy at the hospital, and the x ray tech and Dr. Salem.

You guys were great. Ive also had an outpouring of offers from other photographers to take over my shoots this week. You guys are awesome. One thing about having a car crash is that you find out who your friends are. What a blessing in disguise! Thanks for your continued prayers as I get back onto the road to recovery.

We lost an amazing woman!

I was so honored a few years ago when I was hired to photograph the great Charlye Farris, attorney at law. She was 76 when I made this portrait of her.

She was the first black woman to earn a license to practice law in Texas, the year was 1953! By 1954 she was County Judge pro tem. I photographed her for a Magazine that features attorneys in the state of Texas in which a story was written on all her accomplishments. You can read more about her in todays Times Record News article.
Charlye Farris dies at age 80. She was and will always be an inspiration to everyone who knew her.
http://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=Home&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=4394

I felt Spring in the Air yesterday

Wasn't yesterday a beautiful day? It was nice to feel warmer temps and feel the sunshine. I do hear though that they are expecting snow in a week possibly! Not sure though, I heard it from a friend.
But I saw these birdhouses at HOBBY LOBBY yesterday morning while running errands. and they were 50% off! I LOVE BIRDHOUSES. I always have. They are just neat little homes, and they are all so different. For years Ive collected different ones. And I'm a bird lover too.
One of the most exciting things was the first time a Robin made a nest and laid her 3 blue eggs in my Wisteria Pergola we had built and planted.
It felt like Christmas. I love love Spring and all it has to offer. The first tiny light green leaves on a tree, the pear trees budding out with their white flowers, the sunshiny yellow daffodils spiking out from the soil, the birds, and all that comes with it. But I have a feeling, we are going to get tricked by mother nature again. Shes going to make us think Spring is here, only to hit us one or more times with some freezing cold temps. Which always hurt the Peach crop in Charlie TX. Dang sneaky mother nature. Bad girl!
So in the meantime, I'm hanging out my birdhouses, putting out the bird seed and crossing my fingers that the Robins come back home and give me something to be happy about.
Ive got my coat and gloves still out and hanging on their hooks, but Ive also got the flower seeds and the tomato plants ready at a moments notice too. DONT TOY WITH ME MOTHER NATURE.
Ill keep you posted...

Awesome Allison

The many moods of Abigail!

I cried.

Oh how sweet! Last week I got not one but two thank you cards in the mail. From my Job Shadowing Students, Ryan and Shalyn! They are both bright, motivated and sweet young people.
I think its really sweet they took the time to write. It means a lot to me, and I always keep and save every thank you card Ive received the past 15 years since opening our studio here in Wichita Falls. Thanks to both of you, it meant so much to me. Both are potential interns this summer! Thanks guys!

Little Red Riding Hood...

Our Studio Door

I love how the snow fell on our Studio Door, on my Boxwood D! It looks so wintery!To make your own Boxwood Letter or wreath click here!

Valentines Day Dinner Soiree

Every year my husband asks me what I want to do on Valentines Day and I always say the same thing. "I do not want to go out to dinner". The main reason is because of the crowds and the lines, and the hassle. We are members of a private club here in town and go there sometimes and that's much nicer, and no waiting, and a 5 course meal is served, but who has $150.00 for dinner?

So we usually stay in and cook a meal together. That's a lot more fun!

This year I'm going to cook a meal that I really like to eat at Olive Garden.
Its called ® Steak Gorgonzola-Alfredo YUMMY!

They also have a dessert called Molten Lava Cake, the filling oozes from the inside of the cake, like lava while the outside is set like a cake.

I found a boxed mix for this at SAFB Commissary, click here for the link. Or heres Emerills recipe! CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE

So Ill make a salad (don't you just love Olive Gardens salad?) and buy some bread sticks and make our own romantic dinner. This way when were finished eating, we just go sit in front of the fireplace and enjoy our wine, and no long drive home in the rain or cold. We are already home!

New Wedding Prices for 2010!

I'm very excited that we have now changed our wedding packages. For many years we had the same wedding packages, and now have changed over 100% digital albums with Forbeyon and Asuka albums. Our old price list is still here, but is in the process of being updated with new lower prices.

OLD WEDDING PRICES HERE



With the changes in the economy we are altering our pricing that we had for 15 years!

We have added some New lower entry level packages and new designs and beautiful vibrant colors to reflect the taste of today's bride. We also have new Destination wedding prices, especially for those brides wanting to get married in the Hawaiian Islands and Cabo!

The new prices will be released very soon! Congrats to all you Brides and Grooms out there!
THE NEW LOWER PRICES ARE COMING SOON!

Wren and Steve

Ive known Steve for a few years and hes a very sweet guy. Always has a cute smile and is very tenderhearted. Hes also a great football player and is an all around great guy. I love people with good attitudes and Steve has a great one! His sweetie Wren is very sweet and although I don't know her as well, I know that she adores Steve and vice versa. Thanks guys, It was a great day! More pics to come later.

Congrats to the Burkburnett Bulldogs Power Lifting Team!

Yesterday we got up at 5:00 am and headed to Nocona TX for a Power Lifting Meet. The Burkburnett Bulldogs compete
d against area schools including, Paradise, TX, Nocona, Bowie, Iowa Park, Muenster, Seymour, Henrietta, Ponder, Archer City and Alvord TX.
Burkburnett won the First Place Trophy!

The Boys won 6 different weight classes! Our son Scott won in his weight division, for a total weight of 1555 lbs!
Were really proud of our boys! Go Bulldogs!

Our son here doing a squat of 675 lbs.

Heres a video of our sons 9 different lifts!

Happy GroundHog Day!

Each year, for several years, maybe about 6 or 7 years? I have been hosting students at my studio on Job Shadowing GroundHogs day. Today I had a great group of students, 7 students came (one didn't make it) and we had a great day. They were a super bunch of students and great questions for me, and by lunch time, we were all fast friends!I taught them the basics of exposure, shutter speeds, aperture, exposure lighting and then I taught them the 5 basic types of lighting. We used Shelby as a model, (Great bone structure!)We had a delicious lunch at El Mejicano and then afterwards I taught them some Adobe Photoshop retouching tips and pointers and we wrapped up the day with a Group photo session! Minus one student, Chris, who left at 3:00. A couple of students even stayed until 5:00 and Im considering offering them internships!Thanks Guys, you inspire me and made me laugh so much my Abs are still sore!

An Attitude of Grattitude

I always say Ive got the best Clients in the world! Its so nice when someone takes the time to send you a thank you card in the mail. Its just so special and so kind. It makes me get a lump in my throat, tenderness in people just always gets to me.

I love love love this client, she always thanks me with a card. Her name is Dena and she has the most beautiful family and I treasure her.

Thanks Dena for making my day, you are a dear. The WORLD NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE HER!