I had the most absolute honor of being invited out to Ben’s family farm for a ‘practice’ lamb roast in preparation for their September wedding, which lucky lucky me, I’ll be photographing. Though from the looks + most delicious taste of things, I’d say they have it all under control.  Ben is the brother of a very dear friend, Katherine, a slow food chef extraordinaire and owner of Cook With What You Have… and after Sunday, it became apparent that love of good food very clearly runs in this family.

It’s not often (or ever really) you get to rehearse photographing a wedding, so the opportunity to meet this amazing, beautiful, insanely industrious couple, and their fabulous friends, partake of their mad cooking skills, oh AND take a few photos along the way, was not one I was going to pass up.

I love Oregon.  I love my job.  I can’t wait for September.

I love a good carnival.  There.  I said it.  Cranky music.  Cotton candy.  Questionable safety codes…disclaimer: this one being the exception of course, as it was hosted by my son’s elementary school and strictly adhered to all the rules of “safety first”.

And I love it even more when I get to run the photobooth.

Last weekend was a whirlwind of snapping shutters and loaded CF cards and downloading and backing up and snapping shutters and… well, the kind of weekend that makes this photographer very, very happy.  A photobooth at the Rieke Elementary carnival Friday night, an event Saturday, hosted by Circle Triangle Square, celebrating “color, quality, and taste”, and a family portrait Sunday for some dear friends who welcomed into their very unique and fabulously good looking family, baby girl #2.  The common thread for all three jobs being of course that I find myself working for and with some of the most incredible people.  I am so fortunate and genuinely grateful for my clients.  And no, that’s not the wine talking.

SO. Posts to come on days #1 and #3.  (I’m single mom this week, and not doing a very good job of it if you ask my kids, so bear with me…)

Saturday’s affair, “Good For You”, was a collective event featuring local small businesses who were showcasing their products that are, well, good for you and the environment. Bradford Vinson introduced L’Oreal’s new ammonia free hair color line, INOA – and from a girl who doesn’t color unless lemon juice in 8th grade counts, they’re stunning…YOLO Colorhouse had a most fabulous spin art setup, using their own no VOC-non toxic eco paints…and Freshly Wild treated us all with their flavored kale chips and frozen vegan* deserts.  *Things-With-Meat-In-Them is at the top of my favorites list, but I had visions of kale chips and vegan desserts all week. Seriously good.

And now here are some pretty pictures of the aforementioned event.  Enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

When the Oregon Humane Society asked if I’d like to photograph their annual Doggie Dash, I didn’t hesitate for a second.  Yes, I photograph people.  And in my humble, non-scientific opinion, dogs don’t fall far from that tree.

With 4,000 “dashers”, they raised over $273,000.  That’s enough money “to vaccinate all 10,000 pets OHS adopted last year, to feed every animal in the shelter for a year, to buy medical supplies for 1,250 spay/neuter surgeries, AND to keep two OHS animal cruelty investigators in the field for a full year!”

And to celebrate their success, I cracked a few ribs that evening during a soccer game in a most fantastic run-in with my own goalie.  A fine day indeed.

$19,000 raised.  In 5 minutes.  By 190 generous souls.  Enough to feed 100 young girls for 500 days at Children’s Heaven, an organization located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that supports girls who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS.

And by the end of the night, Ethiopian Orphan Relief, an non-profit founded by adoptive parents who wanted to give back to the orphanages and country their children came from, had raised almost $67,000 thanks to an incredible bounty of family, friends and strangers.

I am so fortunate to be forever connected with the people of Ethiopia as well as this inspiring community of adoptive families.

And so fortunate to document such selfless giving.

Nothing says Spring in Portland like a Cinco de Mayo inspired birthday party, face painting, a much used swingset, and a closing bonfire under starry skies.

Happy Birthday Ellie!!  Thank you so much for letting me be a part of the celebration.