"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

Lovely ladies out and about in Port Townsend celebrating Girls' Night Out and supporting women's health care services for our community. Thanks to everyone who struck a pose for me when I asked them to show me their Main Street tote bags. Thanks also to Main Street, local businesses, and sponsors who helped make this fun event such a success. You can read more about how the funds raised are used for, the businesses that participated, and all the sponsors by visiting this link. https://ptmainstreet.org/girls-night-out/ 

Celebrating 20 Sparkling Years of Sisterhood and Support at the Annual Girls’ Night Out! 🎉For a decade, I've had the pleasure of capturing the laughter, glam, and generosity of this heartwarming event. Every year, incredible women dress up and unite for a cause that's close to our hearts, all while painting Main Street in hues of unity and fun. It's more than just an event; it's a powerful act of support for our local businesses and for the Jefferson Healthcare Foundation, helping provide essential health screenings for local women in need. 

This year, let's make Girls’ Night Out even more memorable! Last year I think nearly 400 bags were sold. This year grab your goodie bags for $25 and raffle tickets for $10. These can be purchased on October 3rd at Girls’ Night Out Headquarters, nestled in the warm, inviting Vintage by PT Vineyards at 725 Water Street. And don't miss out on the Wrap Party from 7-9 pm to share stories, laughter, and perhaps a photo or two with me!

"Is there anything more exhilarating than capturing the essence of the Port Townsend Film Festival through a lens? For me, it's like being a kid in a candy store - endless opportunities to photograph interesting, vibrant people in their element. Every snap tells a unique story, and every face a different emotion.

Sometimes small things can become very large indeed. Maybe it's not about having a beautiful day, but about finding beautiful moments. Unknown

Port Townsend Photographer

Preparing an ad for the Port Townsend Film Festival has been like walking down memory lane through my lens. Imagine the challenge of sifting through a decade’s worth of captured moments to select just a couple of images. What a fun journey it has been going through thousands of photos and remembering every one of them has a story. These images are about to grace the big screens at all the venues during the festival including showing on the giant screen during the free outdoor movies every evening. 

Maybe the amount of extraordinary things that happen in your life

Depends on what you notice

Unknown

Today would have been my parent's 75th wedding anniversary. I treasure this and other family photos I have collected over time. Years ago my Dad passed boxes of old family photos on to me saying, "No one but you will appreciate these when we are gone." My passion for photography and preserving memories for my clients is influenced by having photos like this one of my family.

In 1950 my Dad was in the Army, just back from Japan and I think stationed at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin when they were married. Those bow ties are something else, that seems a bit wild for my Dad. I love that I have a print of this image which has held up amazingly well. I have several other photos from their wedding day too. I have only worked with a digital camera, so I'm really impressed with the ability of the film Photographer from the Montgomery Studio in Harvard, Illinois.

My Dad passed a couple of months before their 70th anniversary and my Mom passed six months later. After Mom died, my cousin, Andy shared a news clipping from the Beloit Daily News “Especially for Women” section from June 1, 1950. I knew they were married at the Christ Lutheran Church in Sharon, Wisconsin but I was surprised to learn it was a candlelight service on a Tuesday at 3 pm. It was a single-ring service before 100 friends and relatives. Sharon was a small community then with only about 1200 residents. I marvel that 100 people were there at the church on a workday afternoon. I wonder if in the early 1950’s was a mid-week, afternoon candlelight, single ring ceremony with sweet peas bouquets popular?

The newspaper wrote an incredibly detailed description of Mom’s dress. “The bride wore a gown of white marquisette, fashioned with a double ruffle of lace styling the decollete neckline, fitted bodice with tiny buttons up the back and a fully gathered skirt draped aside to reveal row upon row of ruffled lace, and terminating in a swirl of trains. Her fingertip veil of the gossamer white net with an edge of lace was held by a crown of lace and scrolled satin. She carried a bouquet of white roses and pale blue sweet peas, centered by pink roses.” She/he went on to describe the three-tiered cake, the song, I Love You Truly was song by Dorothy Lee, details of the clothes my Grandmother’s wore, even the tan suit with white accessories Mom was to wear on their honeymoon. I can almost picture all of this without a photograph but how precious it is to have one.

It is amazing all the questions you find unanswered after losing your parents. Learning the details of their wedding day is something I wished I had asked about when they were alive. How wonderful they had each other for almost 70 years. They made quite a team. 

Ready to capture some beautiful memories with your family? As your family photographer, I'll help you freeze those precious moments in time. From posed group portraits to individual images, I'll create a collection of photos that you too will treasure for years to come. Let's make memories together! Give me a call today to book your session. (360)385-2662

"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.

Rain rain go away, don't you know it's Rhody Grand Parade day. The rain didn't dampen the parade in 2016 hopefully it won't today either. 

Is there anything cozier than baking with family recipes that have stood the test of time? Just like digging through a box of cherished old photos, uncovering old recipes brings a flood of memories and warmth. Remember the yeast packet craze during COVID? Many of us had big plans, mine was to bake bread. Yet, instead of baking bread, I gravitated towards something familiar and heartwarming like these bran muffins. This recipe, shared by my friend Vicki Jones in the '70s during our Dietetic program at the University of Wisconsin, has been a staple for nearly half a century. With a few personal tweaks like adding sunflower seeds and grated carrot the nostalgia grows, much like the personal stories captured in each family photo.

The beauty of these recipes, from my Grandma's liver and onions, Aunt Jean's famous chip dip, to Great Aunt Emma's dinner rolls, is that they're more than just instructions on a card. They're a legacy, a tapestry of our family's history and love, akin to the sentimentality we feel when flipping through old photo albums. My Mom's favorites were chicken with Bisquick dumplings, the unmistakable classic strawberry Jello with Cool Whip, the unique flavors of her three-bean salad, and if luck permitted, her famous green fried tomatoes. All these paint a picture of my heritage, each dish a snapshot of family gatherings, laughter, and shared stories.

In a world consistently moving forward, these recipes and family photos are our tangible link to the past, to the hands of those who have shaped our lives. They remind us that, in the end, it’s these moments of connection, familiar tastes, and shared stories that truly matter. Do you have a treasured family recipe that brings back memories just as vividly as an old photo? Share your story in the comments; let's celebrate the warmth and love passed down through generations.

Me at three, all dressed up for Easter.