Dream: (n) an aspiration; goal; aim.

I love to dream. It is both the bane of my existence, and also the joy of my days. I have so many ideas and aspirations that they sometimes make my brain hurt. The good thing about it? Dreams make life even sweeter, and clearer. (Plus, my family gets it. They have the same affliction...)

Some of my dreams are too sacred to my heart to mention publicly. They're quietly guarded, as if some secret treasure resides within that only I can acknowledge. I have a list of things I want to accomplish before I die, and every so often I go and cross one of them off. (Not often enough, probably, but I'm working on it.)

My goals also involve 'everyday things'-- travels and experiences, learning new skills, and expanding my horizons. They involve my husband and my children, and wonderful things that are not grandiose or expensive, but meaningful and heartfelt.

One of my little dreams is to use photography in a way that can help make a small difference. I've had the privilege of documenting memories for people who have stories of hard work and difficulty, disease and trials. Loss and grieving. Joy and hope. And in those moments, I was moved and felt both a heaviness and a compassion unlike I'd experienced before.

Lately people have asked if some of the landscape images I show on this site are available for purchase. With that in mind, I've created a gallery I'm calling "Prints for a Purpose" where a portion of the sales from the images will go to a charity of choice. We have a number of causes in mind that have affected both those we love and clients who we've come to know, so the charity will change with each month. I also want to ask for suggestions from my blog readers-- if anyone has a charity they'd like to see featured on any given month, please leave a comment with your suggestion and it will be considered.

This month's cause is one that hits very close to home. I'm not good at typing with tears in my eyes, but I will say that we are so thankful for Paul's health at this point, and have found so much help and information through the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. And so the start of this little endeavor is begun with his courage and endurance in mind. Sadly, we know that there are still many people who deal (and suffer) with this disease on a daily basis. Our hope is, like with so many diseases, that a cure can someday be found. Prints to benefit this charity can be purchased here.

I want to sincerely thank all those who take the time to check this site every day, and those who trust me with capturing their memories. It has been a wonderful, learning, growing journey for me, and I'm so glad to have you all along. (Otherwise, I'd have no readers... :)



This next image is one that means a lot to me. So much so, I couldn't decide if I would not share it, and keep it all to myself. But that didn't seem fair. I remember driving by this tree often when I was young, admiring its form and beauty. Then when I married Paul, who knows all things trees, I found out that it is a sycamore. And that made me like it even more. It sits on a little knoll, all by itself, strong and enduring. I've tried multiple times to get a good shot of it, but it's hard to navigate and power lines made it too difficult to get a clean image. But I kept trying. Then I got my hands on the 24-70 2.8 lens, and it was just what I needed. That and the beautiful light right before sunset. And so with a little happy feeling, I share it here:

"We must have ideals and try to live up to them, even if we never quite succeed. Life would be a sorry business without them. With them it's grand and great."

-Lucy Maud Montgomery -Anne of Green Gables