Spring Day

Here in Minnesota, we have spring days.

I know it sounds obvious, but what I mean is, spring isn't really a season here.

It comes and it goes. And comes and goes.

We really had a week of spring days, all strung together this week.

It was glorious. 

And not predicted to last. So I HAD to get out and enjoy it.

This was the week that the little light green buds emerged.

I love them so much.

Lake Nokomis is one of my favorites.

There were a lot of interesting people down there yesterday.

I can't remember what this woman called her shoe/boot thingies,

but she could sure move on them.

The Nokomis Beach Coffee Cafe' was a hub of activity too.

Here's something interesting I learned:
we have coots in Minnesota.
I had no idea.  I totally had to look that up.
Not bad for an old coot.

Apparently I wasn't the only one who returned with my family in the evening.

This was the line at the Sandcastle.

We did not eat there.

There was softball.

And then walking.  To ice cream, of course.

We saw this couple enjoying the late evening sun in this.

I don't know what it's called, but I am pretty sure Lee and I need one.

Unfortunately, I didn't instill in my children a reverence 

for the awesomeness of a great silhouette when they were little.

So this was our feeble attempt at that.

And then we drove off into the sunset.

The Creativity Project: Pastel

The theme for April at The Creativity Project is "Pastel".

What says pastel like a brand new baby?

I got to go meet this one a few weeks ago just after his grandparents

got to the hospital with his big brothers.

The nurse was giving them their "Big Brother" bracelets at that very moment.

First on their agenda was to check in with Mom to make sure she was doing OK.

(She let Dad and Gram and Gramps share Baby Brother with them 

so they wouldn't accidentally climb up on the bed and start bouncing.

Because boys.)

Next up was sharing a special gift with Baby Brother.

Because "Goodnight Moon".  Obviously.

Can a baby be without?

And then there were introductions all around.

All while Baby Brother slept.

Baby Brother is in VERY good hands.

Last week I went to HOLD Baby Brother.
I've been waiting a long time for that!



He is an angel.



And as I sat there holding him,
Big Brother said, "Aren't you gonna take some pictures?"
Big Brother has known me all his life,
if you couldn't tell.

He really wanted to help me take pictures, so I handed him my phone.



And then I got distracted by the fun of Big Brother and Little brother doing what they do.
Because, uh, that's what I do.

Big Brother even asked me what that thing I was twisting was for.
So I showed him how to zoom in with my lens.
He is going to be a photographer.



Baby Brother had a happy dream,



and then a rude awakening, so I took that as my cue.

This baby is amazingly blessed with parents and grandparents
and oh so many people in his life
who will treasure the beautiful way God made him
and teach him that Jesus loves him more than life itself.

All of this (sort of) pastel cuteness was brought to you by The Creativity Project.
Next up in the circle is Pam, who, by the looks of her post,
 might have been vacationing with me unaware recently!
Her photos are dreamy!
From there you can visit all of the regular contributors.
We would love to have you post your own pastel photo
on The Creativity Project Facebook Page.

Lifestyle Photography

Everyone has a story.

Their own way of being, doing, working, playing, loving. Their one life to live.

Some are music makers, some are game players, some bakers, food and flower growers, animal lovers, faith builders, mountain climbers, rock collectors…you get the idea. So many different ways of expressing who we are.

During these years I have been working to learn photography--these years that I've spent documenting the stories of my own family--I've discovered more natural beauty in the world around me than I ever imagined. Most of all, I've found it in people. 

Lifestyle photography is my way of celebrating all this beauty. It's not formal, posed, scripted.  It's people being themselves, doing what they do, interacting with each other. It's also the details around them while they're doing it. That's it. Call it what you will: candid, photojournalistic, casual, spontaneous.

I call it art.  It's me, documenting the art that is you.

I'm hoping to capture many more stories in the weeks and months ahead!  Find out more at Tracy Patterson Photography!

Spring Break: Tampa and Beyond

We proceeded up the Gulf Coast to Tampa, where we camped out at our friends' house.
It would have been even better if they had been there.
But we had no trouble making ourselves at home. We were pretty lazy except for one day.

That was the day Bethany and I went to Discovery Cove in Orlando
to check swimming with the dolphins off our bucket list.
It was such a cool place!
Unfortunately my phone could not come with me for the dolphin part...

…but the bird part was really equally cool!

Seriously, all the different colors,

shapes, sizes, patterns?

That place just echoed with God's laughter in delight of his creation.

That night I dropped Bethany off and joined the boys to welcome baseball season at Steinbrenner Field.
They were hosting the Tigers.  Of course!
And then, we relaxed a little more and came home, where we are ready to play ball!
The end.

Spring Break: Punta Gorda

Down on the gulf coast, not far from Fort Myers, is the bustling little town of Punta Gorda.

My cousin Shelley lives there with her husband Wayne and Emma.

They LOVE retirement.

They think we should try it right away.

Ha!  Hello college???

But we took a couple of days to just get a taste.

They are boaters, so where other people might have an alley in back of their house

Shelley and Wayne have a canal.

Most people there do.

See this sailboat?  That's Lena Bea.

They bought her in Bayfield, Wisconsin, on Lake Superior.

They sailed her through the Great Lakes,

down the east coast, 

and around Florida to their home in Punta Gorda.

(You can read all about it in the book Shelley wrote after she blogged the whole experience:

Adventures of a Once Reluctant Sailor.  It's awesome!)

We took their smaller boat for a ride up to a fun restaurant on an inland river.

No, we didn't have gator.  But it didn't have us, either, so win-win.

The next day my cousin Andra and Aunt Sharon joined us.

They are all snow birds now.  Lucky.

We got to swim in their pool while we were there.

They even let us use their waterproof camera.

Awesome pool toy!

And of course we had to go enjoy the sunset both nights we were there.

The amazing thing was that even the seagulls seemed to have an appropriate reverence,

gazing out at the sun as it set.

The yellow crowned night heron seemed to share the adoration.

That part of our trip ended all too soon…

but there were other things we had to save time for!