Today, I feel like winter showed up. It's been in the 40s here in Minnesota for the last few weeks, and we have no snow on the ground at the moment. We have seen small flurries, but this is not a typical Minnesota winter.Which is sorta funny. Why, you ask? Because this fall, I was feeling super ... uninspired. While I was fortunate to make all of my financial goals in 2015 (yay!!), I was in a bit of a rut creatively. It happens to the best of us, and I was wracking my brain on what I could do to kick start my creativity and to take photos that I would love to hang in my home (that were not of my son or dog, that is).I realized that some of my favorite photos were of nature and the outdoors, and were mostly black and white. So I've been mulling the idea of starting a personal project for myself -- photos of winter. And then, wouldn't you know it, winter is refusing to show up! Ha! Joke's on me!But today, I was driving home from a presentation at the art museum (what a way to kick-start inspiration!) and I stopped at Lake Calhoun to watch the choppy water for a bit. There is something I love about watching a dark lake in motion as the weather changes -- the texture of it mesmerizes me. So I decided to shoot some photos. And then I noticed the ice buildup on the shore, and I thought, "Well! Let's start this project, shall we!?" And here we are!I don't really have any idea on how often I'll post images for this project, but I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I think I'll also put them over in my fine art gallery in case any of you would like to order prints for your own homes.Now, for your internet share of the day! For other creatives who might like some inspiration, I am enjoying this blog done by wedding photographers. I know I shoot weddings, but I don't really consider that my main profession and the articles over there are still very enjoyable, so I hope you like it, too. And if that is too cerebral for you, this made me laugh and I might have to go see the film with a girlfriend. :) Happy weekend! 

This lovely girl is named Greta, and man, she was hysterical. She was so ornery during our shoot that frankly, I was surprised she wasn't MY dog. After Memphis and Magda, I have come to realize that I attract only the "most special" girls, and Greta would fit right in with that crew. But I finally got her to calm down and pose, and just for fun I threw on these devil horns (purchased for Magda one year for Halloween). And then she blinked and it looks like she's laughing and I am in love with this photo. Plus, I love all the detail in her salt-and-pepper face. What a cutie!For your internet share today, this story about a volunteer in Minneapolis just reminded me yet again how one person can make a difference and I should maybe work on that and get off my duff. And this column on anti-intellectualism was fascinating and terrifying and yet I saw the truth in it. Sigh.

This morning I got to photograph this little girl who is only SEVEN HOURS OLD in that photo. Omg, she was adorable. Just adorable! And so calm and so alert (wide eyed and curious!). I loved this photo of her brother helping to wash her hair.So how are all you doing? Me? I'm slammed with work and holiday stuff and trying to fit in time with friends and the kid and the dog and such. But really? I'm good. Really good.Surprisingly, I'm not seeing Star Wars this weekend. Crazy, right? I mean, I would like to, but... time. I just don't have it. Except for opening night, and I don't have tickets. So! I'm going to wait and try to catch a matinee next week. But for the rest of you, I hope you love it. And this gave me goosebumps, so it's my internet share of the day. MAKE SURE YOU WATCH UNTIL THE END.

I am shooting in the studio for Scotch again during all the daylight hours on Monday and Tuesday, so instead of showing you another behind-the-scenes look, I thought I'd show you the totally adorable Great Dane that I photographed this weekend. Do you see how tall he is? I have photos without a human in them, but the scale here is unbelievable! And he was just about the sweetest boy ever. And oh, those eyes! I feel like he and Merlin would have been amazing friends.For your internet share of the day, how about this new Star Trek trailer?! It has the Beastie Boys in it! Could I be any happier? Not sure.

We had a busy week around these parts: Five shoots, three holiday parties, a trip to the museum, and a haircut (for me, not the kid... obviously).The best part? Ezra slept through the entire night every single day this week. EVERY SINGLE DAY. You guys, it has been months since that happened (thanks to the teething).And we now all feel like superheroes.I love how Ezra likes to walk around brushing his teeth without any pants on. Adorable.Sunday morning I was wrestling with Ezra on the couch. We were having so much fun, and I demanded Jamie come and take some photos of us. I am so glad! He did an amazing job! And my favorite part about that last shot is that Jamie is being so sweet and kissing Ezra, while Ezra is reaching to burn the house down. Typical. :)

How adorable is this little girl?!? I had so much fun photographing her family earlier this week. She was an absolute delight (perhaps the most polite child I have ever met -- I hope to someday ply her parents with wine and steal all of their secrets).As you can imagine, I am absolutely slammed with family portraits this time of year. As of right now, I have seven sessions left before the end of the year -- and those are being fit in around my commercial work. When I wrap up my final shoot on Dec 29, there will be a big glass of red wine waiting for me at the end of this long tunnel!But even though I feign like it's so much work (which it is), it's also so much fun! I am absolutely delighted to have a career spending time with people and work that I love. I wouldn't trade it for the world.Now. For your internet share, I dove deep into this book list and made a gazillion additions to my library holds. And that got me thinking... Because of my discovery of audiobooks, I have "read" more this year than any other (27 at last count -- that's a huge jump for me!). And I have so very many suggestions!So here is my first-ever informal holiday book giving guide:For people who love historical fiction, particularly about WWII: The Nightingale, The Invisible Bridge, All the Light We Cannot See and The Book Thief. These are listed in the order of my preference, although they are all good for different reasons.For absolutely everyone: A Man Called Ove (So good !!!), Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Yes, this was a movie. The book is a thousand times better.)For women and / or feminists: Circling the Sun, The Nightingale (yes, this one is on my list twice -- that's how much it touched me)For Sci/Fi lovers: The Girl With All the Gifts, The MartianFor people who love thrillers: Girl on a TrainFor your enemies: The Goldfinch. Sorry. Hated it.

A dear friend of mine gifted me a wonderful bottle of balsamic vinaigrette a few weeks back, and oh man is that stuff delicious. I've been using it in all kinds of different ways, but my favorite is homemade salad dressing. Can you hear me smacking my lips? It's divine.Recently, I've been making a delicious salad with baby greens, roasted winter vegetables (carrots, squash, onions and cauliflower), cashews, roasted chicken and a sprinkle of feta cheese. You guys, you gotta get on this train! It's so good.Anyway, I thought you might want the recipe for the dressing below. I promise, you'll thank me.[kindred-recipe id="12134" title="Amazing Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing"]

Last weekend, I was lucky to get photograph the Rhymesayer's 20th anniversary show at the Target Center, which featured about 30 different acts. No, I am not joking.That up there is Prof. I had never shot his shows before, but knew he had a ton of energy, wore dorky clothes, and jumped around a lot, so I was amped. It was so much fun! I wish he would have played more than just a few songs. One thing I was (dumbly) unprepared for was that when he began, a huge amount of inflated animals (BIG ONES) were released into the crowd, and all during his set they were flying back toward the stage, bonking me in the back of the head. Sadly, so many great shots were blurred or obstructed by these, but I wouldn't have it any other way. The energy was fantastic.To see more shots from the concert (including POS, Brother Ali, Atmosphere and some amazing B-Girl dancers), click here.If concerts aren't your thing, maybe you would like to see the real estate listing for the house where Mary Tyler Moore lived in the show? NINE BEDROOMS AND SEVEN BATHROOMS. Amazing.