Two Lovers Sitting in a Tree...

Taryn and Jason will be tying the knot later this month at The Old Round Church, a 16-sided building constructed in 1812 in Richmond. We met up recently at one of my favorite parks near Burlington on an amazing evening. You might notice that some of the pictures appear to be taken in a treehouse. Well they were! A wonderful organization called Forever Young Treehouses builds universally accessible treehouses across the country, and joined with Burlington and local volunteers to construct this beautiful treehouse in 2004. They have the goal to have one treehouse in every state by 2008!

Every couple that I photograph is completely unique and even though most couples feel a bit apprehensive about the camera at first, they warm up quickly. Taryn and Jason were so full of love for each other they could have cared less that I was pointing a big lens at them! Their engagement slideshow can be found here!

Jill + Johnathan

I photographed Jill and Johnathan’s engagement session a few weeks ago and they are getting married this Saturday! It’s amazing because it seems like we were just running around taking pictures at the lake a few days ago!

One thing I have realized is that there are way too many fun things happening and so little time to keep my blog completely up to date!

Anyway, let me tell you a little about this adorable couple. Jill was a bride’s maid at a beautiful wedding that I photographed last October. She and I bonded immediately because she is passionate about photography and had just photographed a wedding for a friend. I have yet to see her work, but I know she has a great eye…just look at her darling fiancée! Anyway, Johnathan is a doll and I could just listen to him talk all day because he has an Australian accent. I simply cannot wait for their wedding in four days!

Here are some of my favorite photos from Jill & Johnathan at the lake...

Lena + Micah

Lena and Micah were married a couple weeks ago at the Inn at Weathersfield in southern Vermont. The setting was simply magical under a grove of tall trees surrounded by ferns; the theme even carried over into the table settings and the whimsical "woodlands" cake. The reception was very cozy, with Fred Haas and his incredible jazz band, plenty of laughter, and amazing food! (The chef worked with some of the country's best chefs and restaurants, including French Laundry in the Napa Valley before coming to Weathersfield.) Lena and Micah are completely and passionately in love with one another! It was a spectacular wedding!!

Playing Tourist

When you think of Vermont, besides fall foliage and maple syrup, what comes to mind? Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, of course! One of the coolest things about having out of town guests is that we get to play tourist. We always enjoy the Ben & Jerry’s factory tour even though we could probably give the tour; we’ve done it enough times. It’s very Vermont, not too fancy or frilly, kinda like the guys who started making that legendary ice cream in the 70's! Of course the tour ends with a big old sample of the flavor du jour. Yummy!

FYI…Ben AND Jerry live in our cute little town and Ben’s daughter baby sits for us from time to time.


Summer and Baxter with Cousin Camille on the B & J tour.
Uncle Matt is in ice cream heaven!
The Bishlep Family has never looked more fabulous. Where can I get one of these skinny mirrors??

Another amazing summer day in Vermont!

Peak Entertainment

My brother-in-law, Matt, and niece, Camille, from Michigan came out to spend a few days with us. We packed in a few fun adventures. We spent one of our days hiking up the Ammonoosuc Ravine trail at Mount Washington in New Hampshire. The trail followed a river, complete with waterfalls and amazing vistas of the valley below. I think we almost made it to the summit--the Lake of the Clouds--but turned back for fear of finishing our hike in the dark. On our way back down the mountain, we decided to take a dip in the pool of a waterfall, but couldn’t get past our ankles, because the water was sooooo chilly! It was there that we met up with a surprise guest…see below!

Summer gets a little assistance from daddy at a water crossing.
Uncle Matt makes his way up the rocky river trail.

Cousin Camille rests by one of the waterfalls.
Our foxy new friend!


Me and Baxter

Erin & Ian & Larry, Daryl & Daryl

Erin and Ian were happily united in marriage at the end of July at the beautiful Mead Chapel at Middlebury College. It was the perfect place for their marriage since they met while attending college there a few years back. We took a few photos in front of the church and then sped off up a winding mountain road to Middlebury’s Breadloaf campus to photograph the newlyweds with their wedding party. It was a beautiful spot for our photo session! Then it was back to the site of their first date, The Waybury Inn, for the evening festivities. And what a spectacular evening it was: Erin and Ian are so fun loving and the energy at the reception was fantastic! Andy and I had such a blast documenting Erin and Ian’s wedding day! May the force be with you both! :)

One last thing…

For all of you Bob Newhart fans, The Waybury Inn was the inspiration for the Newhart Show and the opening scenes and exterior shots were filmed there.

Mr. Newhart's photograph greets visitors when they check in at the Waybury Inn.

Maine Event

We took a weekend off recently to play at the beach with some of our favorite friends in the universe, the Shinn family, at their family vacation home on the shores of Scarborough, Maine. Despite the many passing thunder showers, we were able to fit in a bike ride, a trip into Portland for dinner, and plenty of beach time. The water was surprisingly warm for Maine…even I was able to get in and my kids affectionately refer to me as “the wimp”. We had a blast! We don’t just adore the Shinns because they have a killer place on the beach that they invite us to; they are lots of fun!

My husband, Andy, met Peggy in Tucson during their bike racing days. Ironically, we all ended up in Vermont and met up again when Peggy wrote a newspaper story about Andy’s bike racing career. She writes for many different magazines as well as newspapers. She is an AWESOME writer! I am forever indebted to Peg for hooking me up with my very first magazine assignment and several since!

We had our second munchkin within days of Peggy and Andy having their first, so we’ve been able to bond even further through our interesting experiences of juggling children and careers. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Peggy makes the world's yummiest brownies. I have already decided that she would make the perfect mother-in-law for our son. I am already trying to make plans for his marriage to Samantha. Tee hee.

Thanks for all the fun, Shinns!!

Great News!!

Once in a while I am sent on a photo assignment with the Burlington Free Press that truly touches my heart. Jacob Nyinger Majok, 28, and Alex Pial, 26, came to this country in 2001 as refugees from Sudan. They were two of the many “Lost Boys of Sudan” who were resettled here in Vermont.

In 1987, a civil war drove an estimated twenty thousand young boys from their families and villages in Southern Sudan. Most no more than six or seven years old, they fled to Ethiopia to escape death or induction into slavery and the northern army. They walked a thousand miles through lion and crocodile country, eating mud to stave off thirst and starvation. Wandering for years, half of them died before reaching the Kenyan refugee camp, Kakuma. The survivors of this tragic exodus became known to the world as the “Lost Boys of Sudan.”

Quoted from www.lostboysofsudan.com

On July 18th I was so fortunate to be able to document such a heartwarming event when Majok and Pial received their United States citizenship in the U.S. District Court in Burlington with their friends and loved ones watching.

Mariana Lamaison Sears, a friend and journalist from the Burlington Free Press, reported on the exciting event that took place at the U.S. District Court in Burlington. You can read Mariana’s article here.

A few days ago, Mariana told me some wonderful news!! A man had seen the lead story photograph (below) and read Mariana’s article and was so inspired by this...

“Majok said citizenship means "a lot of things" for him, particularly the possibility of bringing his wife from Sudan. He is not planning to do that right away, he said; he needs to save money for the cost of travel.”

...that he decided to donate all of the money required for Majok to bring his wife to America. How awesome is that?!?

P.S.
Local journalist legend Candace Page, of the Burlington Free Press, wrote this article about the Lost Boys in 2001, get out your hankies!

Jacob Nyinger Majok receives a hug from a friend following the citizenship ceremony.

Majok holds the flag he was given during the ceremony.

Alex Pial places his hand over his heart during The Pledge of Allegiance at the end of the ceremony.