priorities

Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn. 
--Chuck Clark  

Above: Christian, my friend's son, fishing at Warriors' Path State Park in Kingsport, TN.

good tidings

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. 
--John Muir (1838-1914) author and conservationist. 

I met John and his daughters on the way up to Round Bald in the Roan Highlands. He said he likes to go to the mountains to get away from it all, to breathe the fresh mountain air and take in the sheer beauty the mountains provide.  Such a great thing that he's sharing his love of the outdoors with his daughters. :)

Christmas waiting

Time always seems long to the child who is waiting for Christmas.
--Dag Hammarskjold (1905-1961) Swedish author

My friends' son E.J. (21 months old) with Mimi watching for Santa (well, actually watching their dad turn on the outside Christmas lights...)

autumn smile

Children learn to smile from their parents.
--Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998) violinist and teacher

My friends' daughter Brooklyn discovers autumn.

father's day

Good fathers make good sons.
--unknown  

My friend, Ed, with his little boy, E.J. on Father's Day - they've made numerous appearances on Appy Treks, click here, here and here to see previous photos.  The first link is to one of my favorite portraits.

"You're All The World To Me"

To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world.
--Anonymous

Here's my friend Tim's daughter, Hannah, playing on the swings at Steele Creek Park.  To see Hannah's previous appearances on Appalachian Treks click here and here.  And to hear Tony Bennett singing "You're All the World to Me" click below...

BTW...there was a nice article about Spruce Pine, NC in the Washington Examiner.

Happy Halloween!

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
--Jim Davis (b.1945) Cartoonist and creator of Garfield

Last week I had a lot of fun taking some family portraits which included three-year-old Ethan - a very happy and cooperative little boy (I'm sure he's always this cooperative, right Becky?!)  :)  He did a great job!

Brooklyn Grace

A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer.

-Author Unknown-

This is Brooklyn Grace with her mom and dad. We had a very fun photo shoot the other day in downtown Jonesborough for her 1st birthday photos. She was so sweet and cooperative and easy going - we had lots of fun exploring the downtown area together. To learn more about my portrait sessions and to schedule your own click here.

Many, many thanks to those who came out for the opening of my photography exhibit at the Nelson Fine Art Center in downtown Johnson City. Dick Nelson, the owner of the gallery, estimates we had over 500 attend. It was a wonderful night and I appreciate everyone who came out and said hello. The exhibit will remain up throughout the month of October, so if you missed the opening, you can still stop by and see the show. The gallery is located at 324 East Main Street, Johnson City, TN.

Father's Day

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass." "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys."
--Harmon Killebrew (b.1936) Major League Baseball player

Here are a couple of recent photos of my friend Ed and his baby boy, Edward Joseph or "EJ" as they call him. Big Ed graduated last weekend from Drill Sergeant School. Gotta love the matching camo in the photo above! :) More photos here and here.

hard times

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.
--Elizabeth Stone, author

This is my friend, Eddie, with his newborn son. I'm proud of Ed and the man he's become. I've known him since he was 14 -- and I can attest that growing up wasn't always easy for him. Lots of hard times. But through every difficulty, through times of loss, pain and confusion, he sought to learn and grow and encourage others. He eventually joined the army and served for just over four years - including 15 months in Ramadi, Iraq during some of the most violent months of the war. When he returned home he joined the reserve -- and he's now finishing his drill sergeant training. I'm thankful for Eddie and those like him, who serve and sacrifice for our freedom and security with the hope that hard times come again no more.

The song, Hard Times Come Again No More, was written by Stephen Collins Foster in 1854. In its day, the song was well known and a favorite of both sides during the American Civil War. Although many have covered this song over the years, my favorite version is Johnny Cash's emotional rendition recorded in 2003 -- listen here.

Awareness of God

If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle.
--Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) Dutch painter

hope of the future

I had a great time taking family photos of Charlie and his family a couple weeks ago. He was in town visiting his Aunt Lee and his Grandparents, Bill and Charliece. You can tell immediately upon meeting him that he's a very creative and intelligent boy. Nine years old and yet he was so cooperative, easy going, enthusiastic and fun to work with. Hope you have lots of wonderful memories of your visit to Tennessee, Charlie!

A boy is Truth with dirt on its face,
Beauty with a cut on its finger,
Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair,
and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.
--Author Unknown

Jack

A baby is God's opinion that life should go on.
--Carl Sandburg (1878-1967) writer

Sweetness

I've taken lots of family portraits this year, so I need to start sharing them with you more often. Back in April, I very much enjoyed taking portraits of Kenneth and Kelly's beautiful family. The kids were absolutely adorable and the setting amazing! As you can see, the kids were a lot of fun, so sweet -- and so smiley -- and oh, so silly. This one was taken right before they all giggled and rolled on the ground. We all had a blast.

There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings.
--Hodding Carter (1907-1972) Author

In Search of Adventure

There comes a time in every rightly constructed boy's life that he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure.
--Mark Twain (1835-1910) American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer

sweet life

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.
--Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957) author of "Little House on the Prairie"

It was a perfect sunny day to capture Sierra running through the tall grass. At one point as she was skipping along, she fell and rolled in the grass. She was fine, and immediately got right back up and continued her frolic. Her family and I were all smiles as we recalled the opening scenes of Little House on the Prairie. Ahh the sweet, simple things of life...

A grateful heart

Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.
~George Herbert

On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.
~William Jennings Bryan

[Happy Thanksgiving! This photo was taken last weekend at Fort Watauga at Sycamore Shoals Park in Elizabethton, TN where they reenacted a 18th century Thanksgiving meal.]

Victory is mine!

Hannah (almost 3) celebrates victory over her father, Tim, after a long day of fun at Grandfather Mountain. I took this last month, but never got around to posting it. But it's the kind of shot I really like because it tells a story. Hannah had been shy all day about having her picture taken -- so I was surprised and delighted when she finally shared her happy, confident grin.

Lily and the Leaves

Yesterday morning I had a great time taking pictures of my friends' adorable three-month-old daughter, Lily, enjoying her first autumn. She was a good sport to put up with all the bright lights, goofy grins and silly sounds (not to mention our insistence that she be continually surrounded/covered with lots of leaves!)

Speaking of children and leaves...click here to check out a beautiful and imaginative video entitled "A Leaf's Tale" created by Kingsport, TN photographer Earl Carter.

Leading the way...

Fourteen-month-old Kaden takes his mom for a walk at Valle Crucis Community Park.

If you're in Valle Crucis, NC to visit Mast General Store and the Mast Annex, be sure to stop by this beautiful 23-acre park for a walk along the Watauga River.

Directions: The park entrance is adjacent to the Mast Annex, 2.8 miles from Highway 105 on Broadstone Road. A sign points the way down a short, gravel lane to the park.