Spring Flowers

Ahhhh Spring.......where are you??  It doesn't feel much like a Spring day today but my photographer friend Kim Bova and I found a greenhouse full of it at the annual Elizabeth Park Spring Flower Show last week.  It was cold cold outside but inside the greenhouse, warm and colors popping everywhere.  I brought only my 50mm lens which made for a lot of leaning in and Kim had her big 80-200mm which meant she did a lot of backing up!  And we both spent our fair share on the floor...cause that's a fun way to see things.

Here are some favorites from the morning.

Thanks for the flower fun Kim!  Here's one of yours from when we traded cameras.

REUNITED

After 3 weeks, the pups were reunited for some fun in the snow.  Buster changed his name to Sam when he settled into his new home.  But the dynamics remain the same between the brothers and they go nuts in the snow!

                                           Snowflaked Sam.

Brothers break for a photo op.

DISNEY OR HALLMARK?

I know it doesn't look it but here's the short version.  My family fell so totally and completely for these two puppies we actually decided we wanted to adopt both of them.  Our hearts could not fathom life without them in our home.  Even our....dare I say it....rational? minds had no problem wrapping around the chaotic scenario of raising two instead of one.  But alas, many in the know wrote about it on the internet and their wise words brought us to our senses. Words I've seen before so the information was easy to follow.  "NO! DON'T!, and NEVER!" were used quite a bit with regard to raising litter mate males.  For so many reasons related to dog world it became clear that it wouldn't be good for any of us and so we had to make a choice.  

OMG!  From joy to agony in less than 60.  Buddy or Buster... who can stay, who goes?  And where would the other end up?  How would we ever know what became of him?  If he were cared for with the "over the top" helpings of love we had showered on him for almost 2 months. The Humane Society takes the adoption process very seriously and would find him a good match but we were in "parental" mind mode!

So we chose.  My little thinker and survivor Buddy would stay with us. I tried to make our information available to the adoptive family of Buster but it happened very fast and HS policy does not include hooking up adoption families. :(  We had to trust in the powers of our universe, wishes, prayers and energies if we wanted to see Buster again.

On Abbie's birthday she had only one wish before she blew out those candles.  "let Buster be adopted by someone we know, or will know someday so the brothers can play together again"  We all wished with her.  

You're guessing her wish came true aren't you?  No Disney or Hallmark movies ever end without wishes being granted right?  Well I'm currently working on the script for them.   

WISH GRANTED!

Hours after we brought Buddy home from his official adoption, my sister came rushing into my house, waking me from a rare nap....grrrrrr.  She was laughing and crying (we do that quite a bit) and waving a paper with a phone number at me.  "You're never going to guess!  I found Buster!  Right down the street!"  She had reluctantly left her house to run an errand and saw someone walking him two blocks from where we live.  She probably jumped from the car while it was still moving to get to the girl walking him!  (and if she didn't her stunt double will....in the movie version.)

We knew that Buster could end up anywhere in the state.  But not only is Buster right here in our very own neighborhood, he was adopted by the family of someone in Abbie's class at school!  Someone we have been acquainted with since she went to nursery school!  I now have no doubt he will be showered with perfectly "over the top" love every single day.  

Coincidence.....or the power of a wish????  You decide.

Welcome home Buddy.

Now all I need is theme music for the movie version...........

Stay tuned for "Puppy Brothers Reunited".

SNOW BUDDY

His paws were spread as wide as a duck as they approached the first snow,.......Buddy loved it!

THE PUPPY CHRONICLES

For the past 5 weeks my family has been the proud and doting caretakers of two foster pups from the Humane Society.

We usually foster kittens, but when the call went out about these two week old pups we could not resist, even knowing there were around the clock feedings involved.  I have spared you all the 3am feeding photos.  You're welcome.

Their story....nothing short of amazing to me.  Their mom was hit by a car and during surgery to amputate one of her legs, the puppies (7 of them) were taken by c-section.  The dedicated staff there took great care around the clock for their first two weeks, then they were fostered out to families to stay until they are ready for vaccinations and finding their "forever home".

Even as sleep deprived as we became we remained smitten with these little furry bundles of warmth. 

This is Buddy.  He arrived with one naked ear.  His brother Buster had sucked all the fur off his ear trying to feed from it.  We had to keep them separated at first because of this crazy strong instinct to suckle anything warm they could get their mouth on.  I nicknamed them "the heatseekers".

During the day, they stayed together........very much together at all times.

 Abbie (future veterinarian) mastered the technique of bottle feeding both of them at the same time.  She also got up for many of the middle of the night feedings with a sleepy smile on her face the whole time.

Talk about sleepy smiles.....this is Buster, aka "Buster the Belly".  I think he looks like a bear cub.

With full bellies they would sleep anywhere!

And they love their little bunnies.

Abbie wants to adopt them both.......and every other animal at the Humane Society.

This is Buster now.  Resting after a heavy session of Puppy Wrestling Mania! in the huge puppy pen that used to be our living room.  

And this is Buddy, my little champion.  We almost lost him after he stopped eating early on.  I'm a sucker for an underdog.  (pun totally intended)

Go ahead, just try and resist me!

They only have one more week with us, but they will always have a "forever home" in our hearts.  

Allie & Robs Wedding

Allie & Rob got married!.....in August!  Ok, so I'm a bit behind in posting.  

I have known Allie all her life.  She captured my attention (and heart) as a baby with her command of a room and her funny little antics. She maintains my heart's affection along with admiration for her humor, grace and determination to be herself, express herself and apply herself in all aspects of her life.  She met a man, Rob, who compliments and challenges her (in a good way) and let me tell you.....he's nuts for her.  

August 2nd was their beautiful wedding overlooking Lake Bomeseen in Vermont.  I not only had the pleasure of being a guest, but also helping photograph her day when/how and wherever I was. It thundered and rained and wouldn't let up so the whole event was moved under the big top for an intimate affair for 280!  No spirits were dampened but many feet were soaked in the end.  Was I challenged?  You bet!  I was either inside the cave-like clubhouse or under the big top dodging heads and tent poles from where I sat.  Here are some highlights.

I have many favorites.....so hang on, this post is a long one!

The two families blended the Jewish & Irish background details beautifully.  This is their handmade Chuppah representing people of all kinds together.  

Eager but patient, the ring bearer waits for his cue.

Lovely bridesmaid surveys the crowd.

I could not resist putting Allie in the Adam's family chair....she's a good sport.

Inside the dark cave of the clubhouse my flash did not fire but I pulled up what was captured and loved this moment between sisters.

Mother & Father hand over their daughter to marriage.  HA, I crack myself up.....anyway, I love the peace in the embracelets.

Don't want to get wet......at petticoat junction.  Ok, I'll stop.

Her beautifully detailed dress was handmade by her mother in-law.

Allie during the candle lighting ceremony.  The ceremony of every single person in the tent lighting a candle off of each others candle was really moving.

There was sooooo much humor in their vows to each other.

And the touching moments that choked up the handsome groom.

Leon, Allie's dad, made a wonderful, funny speech about the similarities between Irish & Jewish traditions.

If I hadn't ended up sitting behind them during the ceremony, I would have missed out on this.

From my seat behind a tent pole.  

Brenda may have been the only woman who didn't shed her shoes in the deep, spongy grass, but hey, if I were sporting these babies I wouldn't have taken them off either.

The preferred method of transporting family to the portrait area at the top of the green was a HUGE hit.

Maid of honor, Molly hangs on for the ride.

Flower girl?  You bet.

Flower bearer and future lady killer....

Dad's driving is better than a Disney ride.

The chuppah was hung in the window of the tent after the ceremony.  Beyond it....rain on the green.

Boogey on Allie and Rob?.....I swear that's Rob......that's Rob isn't it? Cause someone told me it was Patrick.....crazy resemblance.

The following day at the brunch on the lake, it rained some more.

Rings true.

Instead of a wedding cake, Rob's family made cupcakes.....hundreds of cupcakes.  These were the best carrot cake cupcakes ever.  Enough about the cupcakes....check out those rings they had made for each other!

So I love ring shots.  By the time I was done with all my ring play Allie & Rob were hunting me down so they could wear them and show them off. ;)

And finally I got one of them together.

I just really like this one.

And where would I be without personal reflection?  

Congratulations again Allie & Rob.  I loved being a part of your wedding weekend and love being a part of your life together.