Cocktails & Dreams

Sunny wedding day
Annual summer cocktails
His and hers in love

Feel the Rhythm

In August, the North Coast Pipe Band took the challenge of leaving familiar territory in the U.S. to compete at the 2010 World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. The weather was unpredictable, the competition was stiff and the food was disgusting. We set off for battle, to play like warrior poets among the mass of more than 40 bands, competing for a spot in the finals. Our sound was strong and we played in unison with a performance at the highest caliber. We competed for more than a title. We competed to challenge ourselves, and in that moment, we earned the respect as a North American band to be reckoned with.

Sunrays and Wrong Ways

 

My wife took this photo on the streets of England a block from Buckingham Palace several years ago. After seeing the Palace, watching the changing of the guard (learning the Queen is in when the flag is risen), and randomly being followed around a park by a one-eyed duck, we set off for new adventures. Around the corner, we began walking down this street, and the moment was clear. The angle of the street, the movement of the cars, combined with the authentic look the sepia tone brings out are what I truly love about this photo. In fact, we have it framed in our house, and I always catch myself staring at it, remembering that moment.

My Father-in-Law is Dr. Evil

 

All the evidence suggests my father-in-law is Dr. Evil (as if the picture isn’t enough evidence). Over the holidays, there were numerous family members exclaiming the resemblance of our son to his grandpa. The older my son becomes, the more he looks like a miniature version of my father-in-law. As I thought about this more, I began to realize there was more evidence to suggest the connection of Dr. Evil with my father-in-law. For instance, they are both doctors; both bald; both have sons named Scott with red hair; they both want world domination and power; and of course…one million dollars.

All my theories were proven true when my son received a Christmas present addressed to “Mini-Me” from none other than”Dr. Evil”.

Do you hear what I hear?

Each year, we anticipate the holiday season in hopes that it will kindle nostalgia from our youth, bring a new sense of meaning to our lives, and evoke the best in each of us. As Halloween night closes, the pumpkins and fall decorations are put away until next year after the fourth of July, and the festive lights of Christmastime are strung up. This is not the typical situation in homes across America, rather in the sales-driven world of retail stores. As one holiday comes to a close, we are bombarded with messages to continue our purchases into the next big event. Our ability to spend time anticipating the upcoming holiday with friends and family is spent rushing to get caught up finding the best deals before they disappear. Without a moments time for reflection on the changing seasons, we are left with a deep feeling of falling behind before the true season begins.

‘I Believe I Can Fly’

Our daughter is scared of clowns, but loves balloon animals, especially when they can make her fly. On a beautiful fall day, she made believe the balloon wings could transform her from a little girl into a imaginative butterfly who danced and ran around until…well, lunch.

Preserved in Time

This man had a vision, a place where individuals and families could work, live, appreciate nature and all that life offers in one place. He created a community that would grow into a place for everyone to enjoy and evolve with the changing times. This photograph of the bronze statue of Robert E. Simon, founder of Reston, Virginia, shows the warmth he has for his community. Rather than a “larger than life” statue in the center of town, Mr. Simon sits calmly on the edge of a bench, welcoming his friends to share conversation on a beautiful day in Lake Anne Village, as he often would do. The statue was placed in honor of the 40th anniversary of Reston’s founding, and Mr. Simon’s 90th birthday in 2004. Lake Anne Village was the first cluster of homes and shopping in his original plan, and where Mr. Simon lived for many years. At 95 years old, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mr. Simon around Lake Anne, or another one of Reston’s wonderful communities.

Friend’s Thanksgiving

Several years ago, a group of our friends who had family throughout the country, decided to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season with a night of fun and laughter together before the stresses of the season got ahold of us. We chose to come together the weekend before Thanksgiving, before we would part ways to be with our respective families, and enjoyed each other’s company with food and wine.

The photograph above was taken of me and my wife during the course of dinner, and it captures the night perfectly. I have this picture framed on my desk at home, with the simple word “Love” etched in the top of the frame. The word wonderfully expresses the meaning and essence of our Friend’s Thanksgiving. It began as a way to become better acquainted with a couple of friends, and morphed into a new holiday tradition that we hope our children will continue when they are adults. The holidays are not just about spending time with family, or offering gifts to show you care, but about having fun and creating moments you’ll remember the rest of your life. Photographs like the one above makes you realize the true meaning of love.

Welcome

Thanks for joining me on my personal adventure where I hope to use this space as a creative outlet to blend the many passions in my life into a blog that captures photography, story-telling, humor, family, and of course, the wonders of life. The plan is quite simple – my goal is to have every blog entry contain one photograph and one story (long or short) that describes the photo. Some of the photos will include me, which means I may or may not have taken the picture, but I plan to take the majority of the photos myself. I will also promise not use any stock photography in this blog, since I use enough of it during my work life. Speaking of that, to read more about me and my background, I invite you to look under the permanent ‘About’ section. I hope you enjoy this blog and come back often to read and comment on the photos and stories.