Aren't those dog portraits great? My buddy Brent drew them last summer when he was having a flash sale on commissioned work. I think it was in July that I hired him because I thought Merlin's time was getting short. I just can't believe my boy made it until April. And this week makes it 2 months since he's been gone. Man, I miss that guy.Lately, I've been listening to more audiobooks because it's a great thing to have running in the background while I edit photos. But the thing is, that site audible? It's not that great of a deal (the last book I wanted to listen to was $28!). So I've been trying to find free audiobooks online. This week, I've been listening to The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia). I never listened as a kid, and man did the Aslan character remind me of Merlin. Noble, kind, huge with a big, furry mane. Yeah. (Some people say Aslan represents Christ in the books. I'm sticking with Merlin.)Anyway, I've been thinking of my boy a lot this week, and I thought I should show you the pieces Brent drew for Ezra's room. Such a nice tribute to my very first kids.For your internet shares today, I loved this piece on the value of community college. I am a firm believer that the traditional 4-year schools aren't for everyone, and community colleges are a fantastic option. I also really enjoyed this essay on viewing your life after loss. And on a more upbeat point, this hotel's decor is FABULOUS. I want my house to look like this please.

Tonight I was hired to shoot Spark Camp (so much fun!) and then to follow the participants on a dinner cruise on the Mississippi River. I've lived in Minneapolis for 12 years now, and I had never been on one of the river boats, and man, it was so interesting! Great history, great views and fantastic, bug-free, weather. It was glorious.No internet share today -- Ezra was back at his "up all night" antics yesterday, and this girl here needs some sleep. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Doesn't she have cute feet? I think so. And I love that even she has dog hair stuck to her (besides the attached fur, of course).Lately, I've been wearing this girl out. Now that my torn calf muscle is healed enough to walk again, I've been burning up my fitbit (for me, anyway), and logging a minimum of 10,000 steps a day. This usually means Magda here gets an hour-long walk each day -- sometimes more. She really does love it, and I love how she snoozes the rest of the day away afterward.  It's a good match.At first, I felt like I was really wasting precious work hours by walking an hour each day. But now I justify it as my "daily commute." If I were still working downtown, I would spend this much time in the car each day, so I might as well spend it getting healthy and enjoying the weather.Yesterday, it rained all day putting a damper on our walk. But I still got my steps in because the pedometer counts dancing as steps (as it should) and I saw The Rolling Stones last night! You guys, Mick Jagger is a FORCE. I was in awe of his health and his stamina on stage. I read this article today on how he stays so youthful. I don't know how true it is, but still fascinating. Especially this bit:

In fact, the Rolling Stones’ tour  has more than 200 staff, including fitness trainers, dietitians, a physiotherapist and chefs poached from the Four Seasons hotel chain, who cart around lorryloads of organic food.

But while the show was super fun, the sound mix where we were sitting was awful. We could hear the sound from the front speakers and the middle speakers and the echo off the stadium. Which is why I think these might be the greatest inventions EVER.Obviously, I didn't photograph the show, but if you want to see some great shots, my buddy Nate has got you covered over here. Enjoy! 

Last night I met up with the adorable and wonderful Margaret for an evening at Betty Dangers. This was my first time there, and we (of course) indulged in a ride on the ferris wheel (along with Margaritas! I told you it was a fun night!). Look at that view! Isn't that great?! It was a glorious evening.For your internet share today, how about this post on taking better food photos with your phone. Yup. You better believe I ate that article up.

The weather this week has been AMAZING. Seriously. We are having 70-degree days and... are you ready for it? NO MOSQUITOS (yet). It is glorious.It, also, has been making my evening photo sessions even more fun than normal! This image is from last night over at Lake of the Isles, where it was glorious.This weather also has me super excited for tomorrow night. What is tomorrow night, you ask? It's The Rolling Stones concert! Nah, I'm not shooting it (sadly), but I'm super excited to see the show.For your internet share of the day, here is a look at how photography has changed with smart phones. Fascinating.

Oh, how I love the weirdo plants! It seems the only kinds of plants or flowers I want in my yard are the kind that you might find in a Dr Seuss book. And that up there? That's prairie smoke. I don't have this in my yard (yet!), but I found in while on a walk at the arboretum last night with my buddy Nicole. We headed out there to explore and scout out photo locations, and it is gorgeous (and bug free!) this time of year.For your internet share today, it's dark and rainy in Minneapolis right now which is making me want to eat this. Yum.

Oh you guys, this is Watson and he stole my heart today. And that name! I love that name for a dog!I was at a new client's home doing headshots, when her lovable pup came in to greet me. So.... I took a bunch of photos of her dog. Because I am me, and this is what I do. I love up the canines. I just can't stop myself. And look at that love up there! I love those moments! (Don't worry, I got a gazillion good headshots as well -- it's just that the dog photos are always my favorite.)For your internet share today, I'm sharing this article that hit home for me so close today that I am almost embarrassed to share it. As if this person is writing about *my* feelings instead of her own. Warning: It is a touchy subject, and by no means am I turning into someone who thinks everyone should have a baby. I think choosing to not have kids is a very smart and very valid option. But I have turned into someone who thinks that I may have been really wrong about life in the past, and I'm glad that at this ripe old age I can still learn new things about myself. And whoooo boy, am I learning a lot over here.

Oh hi there! Today, I'm going to post a few behind-the-scenes pictures from the ballet shoot last week.A few of the images are actually what was happening behind the scenes, but many of these are outtakes that are not being used because they were the "in between" moments. Those are the moments when a dancer was finishing a jump or for some reason their technique just wasn't perfect enough, or I caught them pondering what to do next. Anyway, I know a lot of you like seeing the background stuff, so here you go! Enjoy.   And man do I have internet shares for you today! First off, this guy must be a huge hit at children's birthday parties. Or, if I could do that, that's how I would make money anyway. Also, check out these amazing images of bird feathers. Seriously! Go look! And lastly, now that we're spending so much more time outside on the patio, I am of course interested in more portable speakers. So pretty!And I'm reposting this image from last week because I love it and I would hate it if any of you missed it.