{My Summer | Staples, MN}

I wasn't even planning on doing this LDPS... Summer's been so crazy busy... but as I was editing a shoot for a book I'm designing for someone I found this picture I had snapped at the end of the night... and realized it really said summer for me.

I could have picked a picture of all the hours of baseball that I watched this summer [my bros' team placed fifth at State so it was *lots* of hours] or my trip to California with the camping and pictures and beach time, or teaching loads of little kids to swim, or camping out in the yard and eating smores with my sibs....

But this one really kind of says it all for me... amazing photoshoots, insane light and beautiful evenings with fam and friends. That's what *my* summer has been.

PS. I am SO blessed

PPS.  This is SOOTC  {straight out of the camera} It really was this insanely gorgeous. {and yes, I don't care if that qualifies me as a nerd, Mark!}

{Summer | Creative Writing}

The sun was just coming over the hill, shining through the window, as she crawled out of bed. She twisted her hair into a bun and slipped into her favorite yellow skirt. Putting flip-flops on her feet, she grabbed her bible and a cup of coffee and in the quiet stillness of the morning sat on the porch.

She curled her legs under her skirt as she sat, drinking in the cool morning air and the fresh smells of growing things. Her arms had slight goosebumps on them, and she hugged herself.  She thought about things, about life, and about her God. After a half hour of quiet time, she went back into the busy house, where the family was loud, getting ready for the day.

Hoisting up the laundry basket full of wet clothes, she lugged it out to the clothes line. The morning sun shone over the roof of the house and in her eyes as she hung the clothes. She shook them out, pinned one side and then the other, and moved to the next piece of laundry. She hung the last piece and left the basket next to the pole.

Later that day she would play Frisbee with her friends, meeting at the park. She kicked off her flip-flops and felt the grass fit between her toes. She pumped her arms, and moved her legs as fast as they would carry her, reaching for the Frisbee someone threw. They played until they couldn’t play any longer. No one cared who won, they just played for the rush. At the end of the night she had grass stains on her knees, dirt on her hands, and spent legs. She’d laughed a ton, smiled a lot and run until her chest hurt.

They sat around on the grass, exhausted and happy, talking as the night got cooler. She grabbed her hoody from the car, pulling it over her head and leaving the hood up. She stood leaning on the open car door, talking a little longer to a friend, soaking in the night.  

Soon she was home, ready to plop into bed in the dark room. Her skin felt smooth against the cool sheets, and her head light against the pillow. The windows were open, there was a cool breeze against her face and she could hear the frogs chirping in the pond as she fell asleep.