Getting in the Holiday spirit - MARC Plant Store

     For the past 10 years, part of my 'getting in the holiday spirit' has included spending part or most of December in Key West.  This year is no different in some ways and very different in others.  This is my first Christmas without my mother...and my first Christmas as a single mom...So, spending last weekend in Key West was a nice reminder of the things that don't change.

     The annual holiday parade in Key West - I think everyone in KW participated and it was a fabulous event. Visiting and laughing with friends. Amazing decorations. I am in awe every year with the creativity & efficiency of the KW community. Holiday decorations seemingly appear promptly the day after Thanksgiving and disappear appropriately after Sushi drops from the big high-heeled shoe on New Year's Eve...(How do they do that? My decorations have been known to linger until Valentine's day....)

     One of the best ways to get into the holiday spirit is to visit the MARC Plant Store in Key West. I'm sad that this year I won't have time to buy and set up one of their real Christmas trees. Last year I let my daughter pick the tree. I thought she'd go for the biggest, but she surprised me by selecting one 'just her size'.  

     If you need a little holiday spirit, stop by the MARC Plant Store, smell the pine trees, listen to the music, shop the new, fully stock holiday gift store, check out the hand-decorated holiday wreaths, buy your friend or yourself a poinsettia....and just feel good about giving to an important community organization.

Happy Holidays!  Cheers!

The wreaths:

The store:

  

Family Portrait Month - Warvel Park with the Wagner's

Celebrating Family with the Wagners.

October is Family Portrait Month

This is the 3rd year that I have participated in my association's Family Portrait Month for Operation Smile.  This year we have changed things up a bit....added an event at Manchester College, extended the family booking time period through the end of November and have opened the Halloween Portait Studio early!

This year's set-up features some very friendl little spiders...stop by or call and say 'boo'!  Cheers!

Travel Day

So I travel. A little. I'm a destination photographer. I travel to make pictures of people, places, events.  My main destination is Key West. My home base is in Indiana. I get around to places in between and around. Chicago is a favorite stop.  Last week, I left the Florida Keys at sunrise...kind of like a smile and a wave from an old friend. Bon voyage. See you soon.

Arrived back in Indiana late afternoon in time for a drive in the rain...a welcome home hug. (I know my daughter's hugs are just a short drive away now.)



And, I finally made time and stopped to take a picture of one of my favorite signs...did I mention I love signs...

Now that is a classic, great travel day!  (What's that thing they say, 'it's not the destination, it's the journey that matters most...' something like that.)

Walking around Loyola's Water Tower Campus

I was in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. For me it was like coming home because I lived and worked in Chicago for 10 years after college. I stayed at the Allerton Hotel right near the historic Water Tower. Which is also near Loyola University Chicago's downtown Water Tower Campus where I worked and got my MBA. A block away was another famous building where I worked, The John Hancock Building.

It was fun to wander around the neighborhood, see what is new, what hasn't changed and just remember...enjoy! Did I say 'I love Chicago!'

Baby DJ's first "Author poses"

First, what IS an "Author pose"? You know it--it's that portrait of the book's author inside the back dust cover. The one that just tells you so much about the person who wrote that amazing novel...you can just see it in their pose, expression, the serious off camera stare, that says, 'yes, indeed, I am the author'...I had a cat that inspired this game. He could do an amazing aloof "Author pose" for hours.

Anyway, it is a silly little game that I play with old friends and new. I always have my camera with me -- surprise. And usually, while enjoying a nice dinner or casual cocktail, talk of books leads to one of my favorite questions...'what would your author pose look like?' Then we shoot. Baby DJ is a natural, don't you think?

Meet Key West Artist & Writer, Sherry Sweet T

The thing I love most about Key West is the people. When I go out for a walk (with my camera) you just never know who you might meet and connect with. My daughter and I went out for Sunday brunch. On our way to Turtle Kraals we stopped at a little ‘art shack’ at 804 ½ Caroline St. (next to Pepe’s) and met the owner and artist, Sherry Sweet Tewell.

I had seen some of Sherry’s beautiful hand-painted linen towels at a different time and place in Key West. The bright tropical images on the textiles had caught my eye. I had also seen her cool book about the adventures of Cosmo, the houseboat cat, in several different places. I never put the two together, didn’t know they were one and the same artist!

Anyway, my daughter was shopping for something special to spend her lemonade stand money on…so Sherry gave us the full treatment and talked with us about her Cosmo story and her art. Fun stop! Beautiful art and beautiful artist!

Stop by and say ‘hi’ to Sherry at 804 1/2 Caroline St. when you’re in KW or visit her website at http://www.sherrysweettewell.com/ . If you are lucky, maybe Cosmo will be running the store...

Cheers!
Michele Marie

Back to weddings - Jason & Erin

Congratulations!! An absolutely beautiful couple and day!

Cheers!

Spring is springing...

and the Eel River is flooding...

a little hopeful spring green....

the view from under the bridge...

creeping, swirling flood waters...

(or, it's just water under the bridge ;-)

Peeps on holiday.

I always wondered what those peeps did the rest of the year....

Snow Play - February 2011

Another day...another snowgirl....

Again...only in Key West

I absolutely love going to movies.  My favorite theater in the world is in Key West, the Tropic Cinema. It's the only place that I've been to where you can have wine with your popcorn. I prefer a chardonnay, in case you are wondering.  Recently, they have added even more treats. Just delightful.  But today, I just want to thank David for his contribution to the theater...it is duly noted and muchly appreciated.  I wonder who financed the urinals in the men's room?  Anyone know?

Discovering Tuska with Tabatsky

      I've been spending a little time in Lexington, Kentucky lately.  Here are a few images from my last visit.  You might wonder who, what, where and why...the answer is Tuska, an American-born artist, teacher and visionary who created an amazing body of artwork that explores the Human Condition.  His son, Seth, has been on a mission to share his father's artwork and legacy with the world.  In January, David Tabatsky, a New York artist, editor and performer visited Seth and Lexington. Enjoy as David discovers a little bit of Tuska's world.

The Fine Arts Building at the University of Kentucky.

     The Breakers.  Tuska's home and now Museum and Inspiration Center:

And, of course, you can't have a special visit without a little celebration....

For more information about the artist Tuska, visit http://www.tuskastudio.com/ or better yet...when in Lexington, stop by and be inspired.