Swift Watch 2012

23 . September . 2012

In Portland, there’s a magnificent yearly natural event that begins at the end of August and continues through all of September.  Folks gather on the lawn of the Chapman Elementary School in Northwest Portland to watch thousands of Vaux Swifts warm the Chapman chimney to roost for the night.  It may not sound incredibly exciting, but you’d be amazed at how wrong you could be.  There is an amazing sense of beauty as you watch countless swifts swirling in formation.  Waves upon waves of swifts fly overhead to join the tornado of birds hovering over this lone chimney, and it’s almost as if you’re watching a choreographed dance.  Hawks sometimes make an attempt at what they consider to be easy prey, and they find themselves being chased by a swarm of swifts.  It happens every evening every year in September.

Unless it’s a passion of yours, I’m assuming bird watching doesn’t normally get penciled into your calendar.  I’d highly recommend those who happen to find themselves in Portland in September to make time for swift watching.  For some, it’s a great one time event: something to see just to say you can see it.  For others, it becomes a yearly family picnic: pack a basket, watch the birds, and enjoy the last beautiful days of summer before the mist and clouds move in for the year.  No matter the reason, it’s enjoyable and a great way to enjoy a cool September evening.

Be sure to visit the Audubon Society’s webpage on more information regarding Swift Watch.  There is still time to see it before the swifts continue on with their migration.


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News!

19 . August . 2012

I’m sharing some wonderful news today!

We’re having a baby!  I’m well into my 12th week, and I’m so excited to announce the news!  We’re due the 27th of February, 2013.  It just so happens to be my father’s birthday, too!

The first trimester has been tough.  I thought I was going to beat the morning sickness, and it attacked with a vengeance.  I’ve been sick pretty much for the last six weeks, and I’m really looking forward to being able to eat without making a face at whatever is in front of me.  The cravings have been pretty hilarious (no crazy combinations or anything), including an instance of insanity over fried chicken.  It couldn’t be normal fried chicken.  No, no, no.  It had to be Chinese-style fried chicken, but not from any old Chinese restaurant.  No, it had to be fried chicken from this itty-bitty little place in Hong Kong.  Before heading home after school, I would stop at this store to buy a fried chicken leg + thigh.  I probably haven’t had fried chicken from that place in, oh, 19+ years.  Chances are, the store doesn’t even exist anymore.  But, the alien (that’s what we’re calling the little one) really wants that particular fried chicken.  Mark just kind of stared at me like I was crazy, and all I could do is laugh sheepishly.  Good times!

 


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My Favourites of 2011

10 . January . 2012

I began 2011 with the excitement of a Hawaiian vacation.  I took so many photographs on my trip, and I was ready to go with a busy photography schedule for 2011…  But, we had an amazing opportunity and we moved to the Pacific Northwest under five weeks after our tropical Hawaiian holiday.  I spent a good year establishing our roots in our new home, and it was a busy year!  One long drive from the Southeast side of the country to the Pacific Northwest, six months of house shopping, a mini-holiday in the Midwest to visit friends, another long drive from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest, and a lot of trying to settle into our new home.  We’ve been here for almost a year, and in a lot of ways, it feels as if we’ve just arrived.

Because of our busy year, I decided to take a year or so off from my photography to focus on the move and family.  I still took a number of amazing photographs to document our year in Portland, and I’m so very glad I did.  My favourite photographs from 2011 are really a reflection of my favourite moments.  There were so many!

Happy New Year, everyone!  As always, I’ve got my camera poised and ready to capture the joys and surprises of the coming new year.  I hope you’re ready!

 


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One Last Beautiful Autumn Day

22 . November . 2011

The summer months have long given way for the crisp and cool months of autumn.  For most of the United States, that means sunny days that highlight the gorgeous hues of red, orange, and yellow.  It’s a beautiful time before the cold pushes people inside for a mug of steaming hot chocolate.  In the Pacific Northwest, it means a transitional period when the days become eerily too short and the blue sky becomes a blanket of grey clouds.  There are those rare magnificent days, however, when the clouds disappear, blue clouds are vibrant, and autumn colours come alive with the lingering sunlight.  Sunday was such a day, and boy howdy did I take advantage of it!

Peter is a charming young man.  I should know, seeing as he’s my little baby brother and all.  Okay, so he’s not so little and not a baby anymore, but you really can’t blame me for teasing.  Peter is significantly cooler than my husband and I (combined).  Significantly.  That said, there are benefits to being the elder sibling – you get to boss around your younger sibling.  I dragged him outside and made him model his coolness for my lens.  With what I can only assume to be the last beautiful day in the Pacific Northwest, I’m very thankful for the reprieve from the clouds and rain.  It was an absolutely perfect day, and a portrait session to celebrate the beauty that is autumn just seemed, well, absolutely perfect.


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I have a bike!

12 . October . 2011

Almost three years ago, my husband and I meandered into a bicycle store in Raleigh.  There, I fell in love with the Gary Fisher Simple City 3.  The bright aqua frame just seemed to shine with the leather seats and handlebars.  The bike store had it paired with a gorgeous set of pale yellow Axiom panniers.  I walked away from the bicycle, letting practicality win out over love-at-first-sight.  One word: hindsight.  Since moving to Portland, I’ve been on this epic search for my Gary Fisher Simple City.  It proved to be near impossible to find the bicycle since Gary Fisher (since acquired by Trek) stopped manufacturing the Simple City.  If I found the bicycle, it was in the wrong size.  Oy.  If someone had told me three years ago that the Simple City really was my bike, I would have scoffed.  Who would have known that I would have found my bike on the first try… on a total whim of a visit to some random bike store.

Eight months, many -oh so many- bike stores, and several test rides later, I finally have a new bicycle.  I test rode the Trek 7.2 FX and the Trek Allant.  Deciding between the two was difficult because they’re both fabulous bicycles, but I’m ridiculously happy with my decision.  It’s perfect for trips to the farmers’ market and the long bike trips my husband now has cooking in that brain of his.  Chances are, I’ll probably go back for the Allant one of these days… because who doesn’t want a cute vintage-feel of a bike for those rare sunny days in Portland (I’ve become a Portlandian without much effort).

Many thanks to the wonderful people at the Beaverton Bike Gallery.  SQUEE!


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