all for now…

My Sweetheart booked my hotel rooms, which put me right on the French Quarter! It was awesome to be right in the middle of the French Quarter. I could walk to everything. ( Jim had Air Force Reserve duty in GA.)

I booked a 3 hour city tour, which picked me up at my hotel Sunday morning. The guide was awesome and I got to see so much and learned tons about the history of  the city.

Naturally I couldn’t wait to get some photos of this festive area, during our tour and on my own once the tour was over. I headed out on foot exploring and shooting images as I was drawn to them. The history of the area was the biggest draw to me. I couldn’t stop trying to imagine the way the French Quarter was over 100 years ago, the people and their lives in this place. There was a Saints football game Sunday and after the game the streets were filled with fans in jersey’s and tons of others as well. Bourbon Street was not where I attended to hang out, “after dark”, although I did make my way down it after a night walking tour. I never once felt any danger, but it was not “my scene!” I got a few shots of some street entertainment on Bourdon before dark and I was happy about that. It is definitely full of some characters and they were not the street entertainment! 

The fact that there are not enough restrooms or that one may not be readily available to the hugh crowd and the huge amounts of alcohol being comsumed, leads those who have comsumed large amounts of alcohol in need of said restroom makes Bourdon street, smell like a toliet… there I said it..or rather typed it…  You know it’s bad when the street cleaning trucks come down the streets in the morning leaving a soapy “citrus” smelling solution on the street. A much needed soapy solution! Not to just give New Orleans a bad rap, downtown Nashville has had the very same.

The good with the bad. I have to say there was way more GOOD for me and I hope it won’t be long before we all go back together to visit this amazing city..

more photos to come… thanks for dropping by the blog…

Now Mt. Juliet is NOT the high school our son attends. In fact the schools are sort of rivals. BUT that aside, she is precious to us and I am thrilled to be here cheer sponsor!

Last night the freshman Bears played our school the Wildcats and we went along to watch the game, watch her cheer and get a few photos. It was great seeing her out there and the company and weather and game was just the best.

Keep up the good work girl…

www.ldlphoto.com

The four of us, cousins, made a pack while we were young girls that we would stand up of each other in our weddings and we did. Leslie was my Matron of Honor, I was her Maid of Honor, Dee Dee was Kelli’s Maid of Honor and Kelli was Dee Dee’s Matron of Honor. All in the 80’s so we had BIG HAIR!

Kelli and her husband Rick and Leslie got to visit us Tennessee Lehman’s this summer for a few days. And it was a wonderful visit. We stopped by the studio for a quick few shots, of course! I took Kelli and Rick’s engagement photo while I was still in college and I wanted to take another one of them all these almost 30 years later.

Here’s Kelli making turning 50 this year look GOOD!

Here’s Leslie making “Grandma” of 4 grandchildren and one on the way look GOOD! Leslie and I were born in ‘62. She has married with children, children, and my son is a freshman in High School! It’s all good.

Kelli and Leslie are two of the four sister’s. Perhaps someday we will all be able to get together.

SO, I had to get in the fun as well!

And because I believe in equal opportunity embarrassment and don’t want my little sister to feel left out, I’m posting this fun photo of her from her visit in June this summer as well!

and this one, which is slightly blurred but that I love.

I am blessed to have been born in this family of women. The best part of me is wrapped up in the riches of their lives and our precious time spent together. From the famous late night applesauce fight in the camper, our camping trips and games we created at Canyon Creek, endless laughter, heartbreak and healing, children born and grown. All nuggets of treasures I have placed in my heart and can bring out and enjoy and marvel over at a whim. Priceless and precious to me, like all of them…

Thanks for dropping by…

Joy to you!

My friend Barb and I had a great time strolling through the galleries, chatting about the various work, and catching the shuttle.

all for now…

You just know when “darling” walks in the door! It was crystal clear to me when little Layla walked in the studio that her session was going to be marvelous! Her family was my Tomato Art Fest winners and agreed to let Layla be my little model for this upcoming studio special.

Tammy, owner of Fairytales Bookstore and More, will be celebrating their 2nd year store anniversary Sept. 18th and as a tribute to this wonderful children’s store I am running a studio special. Children will be attending the store anniversary dressed as “fairytales”, and I jumped at the opporunity to photograph those who wish to come by the studio for this special.

We managed to get a little “silly” in the session as well… I just love love love all the photos we captured. Such a sweet heart!

Advance bookings available. Call 915.3377 for info. This special is one day only. Children ages 1-10…

tata for now!

and here…

I am loving East Nashville! I’ve picked up such great information from other business members, that has helped me with opening my studio. I am truly thankful.

Our Grand Opening is just days away now. I am getting so close to having everything organized!

I wanted to thank Tammy Derr, owner of Fairytales Bookstore & More , for donating a gift certificate as a door prize for our Grand Opening! Fairytales is a must shop store for children’s books, toys, art supplies and activites!

And  thanks to Greg White of Green Pergola, for donating a wonderful gift basket, which includes his amazing handmade natural soaps, bath salt and his new book! We are addicted to his soaps in our household, “garden gate!” is a must have…

Other door prizes include frames from Obrien & Schridde Design & Larson-Juhl, albums, gift certificates towards studio products, and the GRAND STUDIO prize of a  FREE session and a framed 16×20!

We have sweets coming from Sweet 16th a bakery, the most yummy couscous from Silly Goose, & MORE….

And live music from the awesome duo The Weatherfolk!

We hope you will join us this Saturday, starting at 5:00.

*** Don’t forget! I am offering 50% session fees & 10% off your portrait order, through Sept, as a Grand Opening special. ~limited space available~ schedule your free consultation SOON.***

joy~

Here are a few photos of our spot on Woodland.

Jim’s tomato cut out he created for the fest was a HUGE success! I couldn’t have kept up with photographing the hundreds of people who stopped and took their photos at our tomato’s! Here are all of the ones I did take and as promised to those I spoke with, here YOU are. I had a smile on my face all morning putting these together!

The heat was BRUTAL Saturday! I mean HOT! It was worth it making all the contacts I made, but I was so ready to get in my van with the air conditioner set on FULL BLAST when we set off for home! I don’t know what I would have done without Jim’s amazing help, as always! Tearing down and loading everything up was done like a snap. And we were glad we took off when we did. We weren’t home every long before a huge thunderstorm swept through with a down pour of rain!

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I entered the Bloody Mary contest lottery and was picked to participate! But I was WAY out of my league with this bunch. I’m taking homemade tomato juice, long lists of secert spices, and amazing garnishes! It was a lot of fun, even if I didn’t stand a chance of winning, which was obvious to me as soon as I saw the other’s preparing their concoctions!

Hope you enjoyed the snap shots! And thanks for stopping by the blog.

If  you see yourself here, I’d love to read a comment from you.

Just off the phone with Casey of “THE WEATHERFOLK” (CLICK LINK TO CHECK THEM OUT) Ken & Casey Weatherford, an acoustic husband/wife duo based in Nashville, Tennessee, will be preforming live at our Grand Opening!  I am thrilled that they will be here!   Check out their Facebook Page as well!

More INFORMATION coming soon. I just had to give a SHOUT OUT about this awesome duo!