livin' in the yellow submarine | OKLAHOMA PHOTOGRAPHER

There it was. In the perfect colors no less. I glanced at it, kept going, turned around and then again moved on. I couldn't stop thinking about it. That teal blue T-shirt with great yellow lettering.

I knew as soon as I saw it that I must, absolutely MUST get it and do a photo session of my granddaughter wearing it.
Oh, there were other fun shirts, a black one with KISS (the group) logo and I think one with Bubble Gum, but no, only this shirt would do.

See, my mom was a musician. Not in the way you'd think, but a violinist trained in the classical style. Eventually, children interrupted that career, as this was back in the 30s/40s. By the time I came along in the early 1960s, she was doing other things - like teaching at a private parochial school in the Bay Area. She also had a music studio and taught music. Well there I was in kindergarten and she was creating the greatest kindergarten graduation program. The children and parents loved her programs and she loved the rehearsals and the big "night." But this time, the drama behind the scenes was a story I heard many times growing up. Yes, by now you've figured out it has to do with this song.
She said the directors of the school told her she couldn't teach it to us because it was promoting drugs.

Her reply was I'm sure, one of righteous indignation. Mom loved music, children and teaching. Exposing children to drugs was not in her mindset. They also told her she couldn't teach us Puff the Magic Dragon. Seriously, a bunch of four-year-olds weren't going to sing these songs and go out and get high later. It was just so paranoia-extreme, their reaction to my Mom's choice of popular hit tunes. I can still remember being little and singing along with my mom to both those songs and also Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious!

And I also remember singing to "I'm a little Teapot, short and stout" NOW THAT I BLAME on those paranoid directors of that school! Yes, I'm short and times I battle the stout! going to work out tomorrow!
Anyway, I know my mom would have loved my granddaughter and she definitely would have had a laugh over why I bought this shirt! It just had to be so. Can't wait to print these.
Sometime I'll share a story about the cat and the fiddle.

OKLAHOMA PHOTOGRAPHER | teddy bear love

One of the many bears that can be found in my home. Basically, none are off limits because what's the use of having a teddy bear that can't be hugged, loved, dragged around the house and into the yard? I mean really, that's what they are for. I don't have dolls in my house, other than what MM has and maybe a couple others. I have three small Dawn dolls from my childhood that are packed away in one of those popcorn tins with a bunch of other leftover childhood things and I have a big doll that is missing a leg, I think. It's packed away too. The only other dolls would be handmade Raggedy Anns from my mom, but as for dolls, nope, not one of those people. I do like the Raggedy Ann dolls.
I think the reason I'm not a big doll fan is that it all goes back to the fact I lost the only doll I really loved. My sister gave it to me when I was like 7, it was made of rubber and had white hair. I saw one similar to it in the Prairie Rose boutique last year, but it wasn't for sale.
I lost mine when my oldest son was about 2 and pretty much swore off dolls. My mom had tons of them, including a massive collection of my large dolls, but I saw no reason to keep them and encouraged her to share with less fortunate little girls. After all, I was a grown woman.
Do I regret that decision? Never, not for one day.
MM wasn't into teddy bears for a long time, then she just decided that they were a good toy to have. She loves this one especially, it's the newest addition. She also has a red bear she loves.
At Christmas, I bought her a big 'Tinkerbell' type doll and a doll that would sing the "I'm a little teapot" song (I sang that at my kindergarten graduation, wow!). She has some other dolls and a huge Dora doll. But she's not overly attached to any of them.
Teddy Bears though. One can never have too many. don't scoff. I'm serious. You see, if you have plenty of teddy bears, there is always one that you can share with someone who doesn't have one. I personally enjoy hunting at the thrift and antique stores for teddy bears. I always give it a good Lysol spray and some Febreze first if I think it won't withstand a quick wash. Most are very clean to begin with, even if they appear scuffed. I think I have a huge box in storage that needs to come out and be aired and shared. Will have to do that this spring.
Do you have a favorite Teddy? Share your photo!

OKLAHOMA PHOTOGRAPHER | Vintage Cameras

I spent a very cold afternoon the other day creating some beautiful images of my vintage camera collection. I'm in the process of ordering these as postcards and blank greeting cards. Just one for now. I'll unveil them all within a month or so, and announce it on my facebook fan page.

Mossy Moments

These two images were an unexpected surprise today. I was photographing some of my vintage cameras (which I plan to put in my etsy shop for sale in about two weeks, I want to get them ordered first) but after I finished shooting and started away, I spied the little shell and some teeny red berries.

There was some wonderful moss nearby so I set up the shot. The original shot is so rich and green, but since it's winter, I decided to add some red into the image to enhance the muted browns in the scene. I like this, but knowing my preference for forests and greens and the thought of Ireland settings, I'll probably print them in the green version. After I finished with the half shell and berries, I spied the white rock which was halfway in the ground.

I so wanted to take it, but figured it had a home there since it appeared to be in that hole for some time and the fact that it was on the land of a property that is on the National Register of Historic Places, I felt it was only proper to leave it alone.

Rain never bothers me

Shot these at the Myriad Botanical Gardens last fall. I don't think I posted them to my blog then, but decided February would be a good month to bring out some green.