I feel like this week is a bit of a cop out because I'm not showing any emotion (or even alluding to it) but rather I'm showing weather. But you guys! The fall color is AMAZING right now! And we have crisp mornings and cool evenings and trees that are on fire with color. So that's what I'm showing you.Sure I could show a thousand other things that represent fall (blankets, tea, books -- I love to read in the fall), but it's a short window when I can show you the amazing color, so I'm grabbing it by the horns.I am shooting a bazillion families right now for their holiday cards, and the scenery this week is out of control, don't you think? Man I love this time of year!And you better believe I took photos of families frolicking in those tall grasses up there. But if I show you those images, you look at the people. And I want you to look at the nature. Just gorgeous.

So! How is YOUR day going?Yesterday morning, this sweet, sweet 9-week-old Vizsla came into the studio for some pictures. Her name is (Pap)Rika Rey (after this Rey), and that might be the sweetest name ever.Honestly, I about fell over when I heard she was named after Paprika! You guys remember that Magda was a tough name for us to come up with because we wanted something Hungarian. But Paprika is PERFECT! (Is it too late to change? I want to call her Pappy!) Also, remember that Mags is a vizsla mix -- which you can totally see when you compare Rika's ears to Magda's)Oh this little girl melted my heart! Look at those wrinkles!!!And those toenails!!!And she looks like her ears could maybe help her to fly, don't they? SO DANG CUTE!I only have two internet shares today, so if you have any, please add them in the comments!+ These photos of things under the microscope are FASCINATING. I adore the butterfly wings, the spider eyes scare the crap out of me and does anyone else see the human face between the wasp eyes? My oh my!+ I bet some lawyer had the best day of his working career when he got to write this letter in response to being sued. I would have loved the hell out of it.

How much fun did I have on Wednesday out at the farm? SO! MUCH! FUN! Except for the freezing-ass cold (I know come January, I will kill for these temps, but for now it's chilly!). But even the 37 degrees didn't bug me too much! Because I got to photograph cows and sheep and chickens and those guys up there! And kids! And fields! And it was an amazing day.I would love to show you one of these images in color, but I want to save that for my client. So you just get this sneak peek in black and white. I'll be sure to tell you later when you can see them out in the real world though.And speaking of "out in the real world," I need some winter coats! I need one that is super warm and long and handles the February days, and I need one that is cuter, a bit lighter, and handles the December/March days. Right now, I'm drawn to the cuter ones (of course). So which of these three would you get if money were no object?

1. Oh Anthropologie, you really get me.
2. And yeah, you really do get me because here's another one I love.
3. And this one would be super sporty and cute (and warm) from the Gap.

Tell me what you think!

Yesterday was Jamie's birthday, and if you ask Ezra, my husband turned three.He took the day off of work (we kept the kid in daycare) and we had a fantastic and wonderful Tuesday. We took a leisurely walk around the lake with Magda, we went out for a delicious lunch, we went to Target and shopped at our own speed while childless (one of my favorite things EVER), we watched terrible television, we made homemade soup and then we picked up Ezra, had an amazing dinner, ate cake, opened presents, played games and settled in for the night.If you have children, (and especially if you don't have family in town for free babysitting), I seriously cannot over exaggerate how wonderful these full days together are. And then it makes you so happy and excited to get the sweet kid back home because you feel like you've had a little time to yourselves to become a couple again. Very important.I don't have any internet shares today because I was no where close to a computer (and it was grand). I'll try to make up for it later in the week, but no promises since tomorrow I'm on a real, live farm all day shooting. YEAH! You read that right! 

This was a random shot from an outing with a family this weekend at Fort Snelling state park.This year is the first that I've bought the state parks pass, and you guys! Why was I not getting this every year? The state parks here are *phenomenal* and it's only $25 for the year to get unlimited access to all of them. I think in the past, I've just thought summer here is only 3 months long and how can that pay off? But then I went hiking in the winter and realized how you can see wild animals WAY easier in the snow AND there are no bugs out there? Why have I not been doing this more? (Also, the bugs aren't out much in the fall either! And they might be clear in the spring, but that's too muddy for me to go hiking. Sorry.)For your internet shares of the day:+ This is not on my diet but looks amazing and I think I'll make it for the Super Bowl.+ Here are some gorgeous photos to make you feel good.+ Here are some heart wrenching photos to make you appreciate that we live here.+ Here is how much you need to tip that delivery driver.+ Here is how to meditate. I suck at meditation -- my mind is constantly spinning. But I'm working on it.

The past two weeks, I've posted photos that show a feeling literally, with either a pensive bride or a tired child. But today, I wanted to post something else -- objects or scenery that expressed how we feel at times.On Sunday, we took Ezra to Stillwater to play at Teddy Bear Park (HUGE hit, by the way -- we will certainly return), and we got home around 1 pm. It was then that I made fourteen batches of pesto with the remaining basil from the garden and froze them all. Then I made Jamie a birthday cake. Then I made buttermilk frosting from scratch. Then I taught Ezra how to frost the cake. Then I made Jamie's favorite dinner. And at 5:30, we sat down to a candle-lit dinner in the dining room, ate a wonderful meal and sang happy birthday and enjoyed a fantastic cake.So today was packed and messy (so, so messy!) and wonderful. And the warmth and happiness I get from cooking for those I love is like nothing else. And when I looked at the kitchen in the midst of the mayhem this afternoon, I bubbled with pride that I was preparing amazing meals for the winter AND making a cake AND making homemade frosting AND making dinner. And you know what made me happiest? That I loved it. That it wasn't hard work. That I was so thrilled to be doing it all.And speaking of cooking for the family, Cooking Light has 100+ slow cooker recipes this month. You can see them here. You're welcome!

Happy Friday everyone! These are some snaps I took while on the many hikes up north. I'm sure you are tiring of the nature shots, and I'll get back to babies and puppies etc next week, I promise. But this place fills my soul, and I want to keep reliving it for now.One thing I am drawn to on walks through the woods is the texture. You'll see lots of fungus, bark, branches etc in this set. I'm also fascinated by some of the color you see, so this will be a mix of color and b/w images.I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Get out there and enjoy this weather! Oh, and this last shot is just one I found from dusk when we arrived. It makes me feel peaceful. I hope it does the same for you!

Hello! So, obviously, I went to the North Shore this week. And I've written about my love of this region many, many times. But usually, I don't go very far up the coast. Because I'm lazy and I want to stop driving.But this time! This time I drove up to Lutsen, and I stayed in the historical lodge at Lutsen Resort. For non-locals, Lutsen is also a "ski" resort in Minnesota (in quotations because I used to live in Colorado and that hill in Minnesota really doesn't qualify in my book). And so I always pictured this resort as a 1970s ski lodge type place with no character.Guys. I was so wrong.This resort has a ton of newer areas with condos and townhomes and cabins and "sea villas" which might very well meet that description. But the lodge itself is like the most perfectly kitschy Twin Peak-esque place ever. In fact, when I arrived, they gave us keys. Not KEY CARDS. But actual keys. I was charmed.Also! I didn't know this resort was located on a river that feeds into the lake. This makes the scenery even more breathtaking, and offers a few different hikes that keep you on the property. Plus? Who doesn't love the sound of a river? And I guess there's good fishing too or whatever.Below are some photos I took of the lodge and the grounds, and I for sure will be coming back here. And to prove that this resort is not paying me, I will say that the rooms were spotlessly clean, the place full of charm, and I had a smile on my face for most of the time. I will also add that the food was terrible at the resort's main restaurant, and I really suggest heading to Grand Marais for dinner instead. Sorry for that, but you want the truth.Also! If you are a coffee nerd like me, drive 5 more miles north to Fika Coffee and enjoy the best mocha of your life. You're welcome. Oh, and you can see the milky way from right outside the lodge. Now that is a pretty awesome perk.