I heard the other day they have now outlawed music in Afghanistan & are destroying all the instruments. So sad since music has the power to unite and bring such joy to people's lives. As I watched The Unexpected Brass Band perform at the PT Main Street Uptown Fair today, it reminded me of how fortunate we are to have music in our lives. Their lively performance had everyone in the crowd dancing, clapping, & smiling galore. It was a truly unforgettable experience! Just check out the audience in the background of some of my photos. I hope the band knows how much we appreciate their attendance at community events they play at & the joy they bring to our community. Thanks to Main Street & everyone who took part in the short but magnificent parade. It was a beautiful afternoon.

This series of photos are from the JC Fair in 2024. Witnessing the power and beauty of draft horses at the JC Fair's Draft Horse Pull was an unforgettable experience. From their excitement as they were harnessed to the sleds/boats loaded with concrete blocks, to the camaraderie among the owners and their teams. It reminded me of the determination of Huskies at a sled race or the anticipation of my dog Hailey as we head out the door for morning walks. Once the evener bar is attached to the sled/boat they are off. Out of 150 photos, I narrowed them down to a gallery of 85 on my website. Then finally down to these smaller collages. It was a bit of a challenge to figure out which set of teamsters went with each pair of horses. I think I was told that these horses weigh 1500 and more each. Many of them are still working horses here on WA farms and some still haul lumber out of the woods.

At first, while editing, all the horses looked the same. Then I recognized they had different colored harnesses, and were different in size, coloring, and markings. I was fascinated witnessing the command the young man here, had working with his team alongside his Dad. I've added a link to The Pocket Guide to Draft Pulls which had lots of great information about what I saw at the Fair. One of the teamsters told me Jefferson County Fair was their favorite to attend every year do to the large crowds they drew and the audience's response to the teams. 
The team above, I believe was the winning team pulling the sled/boat loaded with 10,000 of cement blocks. Sunshine Propane brought in their truck and hoisted each cement block that weighed 500 pounds apiece. Additional blocks were added until the final team pulled 10,000 pounds. I think I read a CA team once pulled 18,000 pounds.  I was amazed at the control and calmness this young man handled his team of horses. Raring to go, just waiting for the evener bar to be attached so they can pull the sled/boat. The team above came in second or won a Red Ribbon at the Jefferson County Fair. 

This was one of my favorite photos. I can imagine this magnificent horse looking to the crowd and asking them if they are paying attention, "Are you watching me now?"

“August is a gentle reminder for not doing a single thing from your New Year resolution for seven months and not doing it for the next five.”

― Crestless Wave

"An apple a day keeps anyone away if you throw it hard enough." Stephen Colbert

"Why not upset the apple cart? If you don't, the apples will rot anyway." Frank A. Clark

"If life gives you lemons, make apple juice and make people wonder how the hell you did it." Gurbaksh Chahal

"If you put good apples into a bad situation, you’ll get bad apples."  Philip Zimbardo

"I'm still passionately interested in what my fellow humans are up to. For me, a day spent monitoring the passing parade is a day well-spent." Garry Trudeau 

I'm finally wrapping up editing photos from Rhody Week. Port Townsend knows how to throw a festival with a variety of parades! Every year, I look forward to capturing the vibrant spirit of our community during the Grand Parade. 2024's edition had the floats, bands, and smiles zipping by a tad faster, challenging me to click as quickly as my shutter would allow! I dodged candy and bubbles (all in a day's work/volunteering 😄) and caught my breath as Summer Martell soared above us in her stunning biplane. 🛩️ Out of nearly 500 shots, I've created a 5-minute slideshow with some of my favorites.  I hope you enjoy the slideshow, whether you were there on Saturday or part of the parade, or missed seeing the parade. Thank you to all the parade entries and to all the volunteers who made Rhody Week such a success.

Everybody loves a parade, especially in Port Townsend. 

A little video/slideshow I put together of some of my favorite photos from last year's Rhody Grand Parade. I have hundreds, maybe thousands of photos that I have taken over the years so I had trouble narrowing this video down to just over 100 images. Putting the images together, by year, as a slideshow feels like an easier way to finally share them. I think this video represents the uniqueness of our community and shows the amount of effort and hours of hard work from volunteers to make this parade such a fun yearly event.

I've added a couple of silly parade quotes just for fun. I love a good quote or two. 

And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow. Gilbert K. Chesterton 

Style is when they're running you out of town and you make it look like you're leading the parade. William Battie 

Parades are man's attempt to make traffic exciting. Demetri Martin 

Never let the guy with the broom decide how many elephants can be in the parade. Merlin Mann 

A warm sunny day, wide-open fields, and spending time with a friend made for a perfect day. Brenna and I really had a blast working together, capturing photos of her and her horse, Rocket. Brenna is a budding photographer herself and brought along her camera. I’ve photographed Brenna a couple of times in my studio, but capturing her on her family farm brought out a relaxed, playful side that only shows up when someone truly feels at home. Even sweeter — she left soon after this shoot to start a new job in Estes Park, Colorado. I could see the bond she shares with all her animals, but especially with her horse, Rocket.
So these images feel like a little love letter to where she’s from before heading off to her new adventure in the mountains of Colorado. Want photos that tell your story? We can meet in my studio, your backyard, or your favorite spot in Port Townsend? Give me a call today to schedule a photo session unique to you. (360) 385-2662

Saturday was the perfect day for the Grand Opening of the Port Townsend Farmers Market. The first market of the season was filled with smiling faces showcasing their flowers, many of which I believe came from Green Cable Garden. Carmen, the owner, operates a flower farm on Marrowstone Island and has been a vendor at the Farmers Market since 2008.

Exciting News! This Saturday, April 4th, is the Opening Day of the Port Townsend Farmers Market! 🎉🌼 I'm thrilled to share a collage of photos from last year's event that perfectly captures the vibrant energy and joy we all experienced together!

Be sure not to miss the fun group photo before the market opens, followed by the adorable (and very short) goat parade! 🐐✨ From food vendors offering delicious food and fresh produce to unique crafts that you won’t find anywhere else, there’s truly something special for everyone to enjoy.

Join me in celebrating the kickoff of our 34rd beloved Farmers Market! I can’t wait to see all the familiar faces and reconnect with friends, many of whom I haven’t seen since the last market in December. Let’s make more wonderful memories together in 2026!

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

“A year from now, you’re gonna weigh more or less than what you do right now.” —Phil McGraw

“You are never too old to reinvent yourself.” —Steve Harvey

“Let our New Year’s resolution be this: We will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.” —Göran Persson

“On New Year’s Eve the whole world celebrates the fact that a date changes. Let us celebrate the dates on which we change the world.” ―Akilnathan Logeswaran

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” —Albert Einstein

"And now let us welcome the New Year. Full of things that have never been." Rainer Maria Rilke