FOOD AS ART

We're still missing Gypsy like crazy (we looked at her puppy photos last night, which, of course, brought on the waterworks), but it's time to post something new.  I created the images below on Thanksgiving and meant to post them the next day.  More important stuff must have come up.  Anyway, the subject in the first image below inspired a mini project for me that day.  Those are Bluefoot mushrooms, which were selling at Whole Foods for.....(drumroll please)......$35.00 per pound!  Now, before you question my judgment, don't forget that mushrooms are very light and airy and it takes a huge volume of them to make a whole pound.  I think I spent about $2 on a handful of them, and I did toss them into my yummy mushroom gravy (thank you Dad for teaching me the art of gravy-making).  They have a woody, earthy flavor that matches their appearance.  Aren't they so pretty?  Following them are sugar pie pumpkins, Cipollini onions, some kind of Rosé wine and homemade cranberry jelly.  Just a sampling of our Thanksgiving feast this year....

GYPSY REST IN PEACE

GYPSY THREADZ SARANTAKES
1999 - 2010

Dear Gypsy,

Thank you for choosing me that spring day in 1999.

You were the most adorable little thing, with your zest for life and your little heart-shaped patch of white fur on your heinie, and you stole my heart when I spotted you with your litter mates.  The PAWS Shelter was showing you off at Petco, and we'd been talking about getting a companion for Chief.  We wanted a smart, loyal dog that we could walk off-leash, and you, being an Australian Shepherd, fit that description well.  We didn't bring you home right away because Daddy wanted to be sure we were doing the right thing, but after a couple of days, we decided that if you were still available, we would adopt you.  The kind folks at PAWS drove you all the way from Kyle to Round Rock (we were both working at Dell at the time), and thence began a deep human-canine bond that lasted for eleven and a half years.

You were a mess when you were a puppy.  You whined relentlessly at night in your crate, you had repeated accidents in the house, and once, you ran underneath Chief when he was peeing, only to be the recipient of a doggy golden shower.  We discovered early on that broccoli and you did not agree, and sheesh, did you have ENERGY!  We were not quite ready for your exercise requirements and I think we frustrated each other some in the beginning.  Still, you were, and have always been, the sweetest dog I've ever met.  EVER.  You were gentle with every single human being you ever met, including wild children who jumped on you and yanked your ears.  What a divine dog you were.

You were best described as an attention-junkie, and because of this, it was very easy to teach you things.  We'd tell you what we wanted you to do, and you would just do it.  A simple look of approval was all the reinforcement that you needed.  My favorite trick was probably getting you to speak after asking you, "Who let the dogs out?"  Saying, "SQUIRREL!" had the same effect and always made me laugh.  You were a fabulous entertainer.

I am so thankful that you were such a perfect companion for Chief.  The two of you took to each other quickly and you were best buddies for as long as you were alive.  It was so much fun watching you play and wrestle in the front yard.  Like I said, you were a fabulous entertainer.  I wish I could count the number of times you made Matthew and Zach laugh those wonderful, deep belly laughs that only kids can deliver.

I am so sorry that we weren't able to do more to ease your suffering in these last few weeks.  When you lost your exuberance, and your joy was hanging on by a thread, it broke my heart.  I wish I could have seen you do one more of your crazy spins and race around the front yard with Chief and Lucky.  I was sure you'd be with us for at least another year or two, but December 2, 2010 was your day to go to Rainbow Bridge.  Thank you for hanging on until the end of the day so that I could be with you when you crossed the threshold.  Matthew, Zach and I witnessed your last breath, and I felt your last heartbeat.  I hope that you were comforted by all of the love surrounding you.

I miss you already, my sweet Gypsy-girl.  Sleep well, and may you finally catch whatever it is that you were chasing in your dreams......

RAGS 2 WAGS GALA / Austin Pet Photographer

This weekend is the 5th annual Rags2Wags Gala benefiting the Austin Humane Society.  I am making a silent auction donation in honor of my dog, Lucky, whom I adopted  in May from AHS (you can see her on the July 1 post).  The display print, a 20x20 collage featuring 16 canine characters I've photographed over the past few years, just arrived this evening, and once again my lab did a flawless job.  Hopefully this will grab the bidders' attention.............

 Here is the back side of the promo cards......anyone who sees this post and mentions it is eligible for the complimentary 5x7 print when booking a pet portrait session with me.  The 20% donation to AHS applies as well.

On a heavyhearted note, my sweet Australian Shepherd, Gypsy, has been very sick.  Four weeks ago she suddenly collapsed after dashing across our front yard, which began a long and arduous (and expensive) process of trying to get a correct diagnosis.  This is when you really wish dogs could talk!  Long story short, we visited a veterinary cardiologist yesterday, and after an exam, x-rays and an ultrasound, we're certain that she has some sort of lung infection.  I pray that she will respond to the antibiotics and nebulizer treatments.  I've been talking about her non-stop (likely because I've spent so much time caring for her lately) and wanted to show her to my friends and clients.  This dog is the sweetest, most tolerant dog I've ever known.  And it's amazing how smart she is.  These three images are all of Gypsy....she looks way different when she's shaved, huh.  Please send happy thoughts and prayers our way.

Off to bed I am......after I tend to Gypsy that is.  If anyone knows any tricks on getting a sick dog to eat, please share!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING / Austin Family Photographer

Happy Thanksgiving!  Or, Happy Day After Thanksgiving (since I am posting this after midnight).

I am a fan of expressing gratitude sincerely, passionately and frequently, and the first thing I said to my boys when I saw them (yesterday) morning was......I have a project for you: why don't you either write or draw ten things that you are thankful for?  They began their task as I went to pick up a few last-minute items for our Thanksgiving meal, and when I returned home, this is what I found:

It's obvious which one belongs to my first grader.  What isn't obvious is the word in the upper left corner (the one overlapping the G in God).  Z is thankful for transportation, in addition to God, Jesus, clothing, etc.  I should also clarify that Smack is the name of our cat (no, I do not allow my children to indulge in illicit substances).  I don't remember why we gave him that name, but somehow it fits.

My fourth grader started to draw a cheeseburger on one side of his paper but decided it would be faster and equally effective to simply write out those things for which he is thankful.  By Food he means meat (especially if it's from Rudy's); he prides himself on being a carnivore – naturally because there are many days that his momma is a strict herbivore.  I have to give him props on his consumption of fresh produce though.  I'm sure I never tried kale when I was his age.

I am thankful for things too numerous to count, but if I could mention only one thing today, it would be that my Australian Shepherd, Gypsy, is feeling better.  Three weeks ago, she had what appeared to be a seizure, after which she rapidly went downhill, losing her energy, appetite and joie de vivre.  After five trips to the vet, several tests, and a having a heart monitor strapped to her for a week, we still don't know exactly what's wrong, but she is responding well to a couple of medications.  I am thankful that we haven't had to tell her good-bye yet, and that we will probably have her for another holiday season.  She is, hands down, the sweetest dog I have ever known.  A real love junkie.  And very smart, too.

My computer has decided to be obstinate at the moment so I'll include some new images in my next post.  Off to re-boot......

Can you believe it's only one month until Christmas???

Until next time, I hope you enjoy all the things that evoke feelings of gratitude.

Austin Humane Society 2011 Calendar / Austin Pet Photographer

I am excited to inform everyone that the AHS 2011 Calendar is now available for purchase!  You can get yours for $15 at the Austin Humane Society, located at 124 W. Anderson Lane (northbound 183 access road between IH-35 and Lamar Blvd.).  You can also order online by clicking here.  You will have to create an account (free) or sign in to make your purchase.  I volunteered my services for the calendar and had the honor of capturing Levi the cat and my own dog, Lucky.  I will be stopping by to get my calendar this afternoon and am really excited to see how it turned out.  This is the first year for the AHS to produce this calendar, and, as you would expect, the proceeds will benefit all the sweet doggies and kitties there.

I would love to hear what people think about the calendar.  Please leave feedback if you're so inclined!

SPOOKY / Austin children's photographer

We photographers joke that it's easier to photograph children who aren't our own.  This is not always the case; sometimes my boys ask to have their picture taken.  Most of the time, though, I'm the one making the request, and it helps to employ strong negotiation skills if I want good results.  On Halloween evening, I told M & Z that if they gave me some good shots before we went trick-or-treating, I'd leave my camera at home (we always join friends in another neighborhood).  Sure thing, Mom!  Fortunately the light was pretty perfect when we went outside......our front yard often has beautiful light in the late afternoon and early evening, and Halloween was no exception.

Check out my little wizard and "castaway boy scout" (or, Davy Crockett/Daniel Boone).....

"Clothes make a statement.  Costumes tell a story."
~Mason Cooley

LIVESTRONG and AHS Star Search Updates

Howdy!
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind!  Several charity projects have kept me busy, and I've photographed several adorable canines and one energetic feline.  And of course I've been looking after my two boys.  My weekday afternoons belong to them.  Last Sunday morning, however, belonged to me and to my family and friends affected by cancer.  I rode 45 miles in the LIVESTRONG Challenge, and the weather couldn't have been more cooperative.  Overcast skies and and cool breezes kept us comfortable, and -- no kidding -- the sun came out during my last mile as I was vocalizing a prayer of gratitude and supplication.  I finished strong with a big smile on my face, high-fiving my kiddos and husband as I rode through the chute.  I thought my allergies would end up dampening my enthusiasm, but I was absolutely wrong.  I have not done all that many organized distance rides, but of the ones I have, the LIVESTRONG Challenge is my favorite.  This year's was FAN-TAS-TIC.

A friend of mine asked me if it's too late to donate for this year.  It's not!  If you would like to make a contribution to help me reach my goal, please do!  You can reach my personal donation page by clicking here.  Sadly, I did not do the best job spreading the word this year (seriously? shame on me!), so I've decided to start waaaay ahead of time for the 2011 ride.  And I'm planning to go back to 65 miles (I didn't train at all this year so I took it easy with the 45-mile route).  To kick it off early, I created a collage with bits and pieces from my bike-riding life over the past two-and-a-half years, mostly LIVESTRONG stuff.  You'll see it just below this post.  Being the credit-conscious photographer that I am, I'll tell you that about 60% of the images were obviously not snapped by me (although I did enhance all of them) -- thank you to my husband, some fellow riders, the gal at the Chris Carmichael book signing, and Kreutz Photography for providing the original images.  And to whoever took my mom's picture back in the 1950's.....guess which one that is?  ; )

On a different subject, I am happy to tell you that my sweet dog, Lucky, made it into the Austin Humane Society 2011 Calendar!  The Star Search was held a couple of weeks ago and I did manage to spread the word on this one.  I am excited to be one of the official photographers for the 2011 calendar, and besides Lucky, I was assigned to photograph a beautiful, playful young cat named Levi.  I'm told that the calendar will be available for purchase sometime in November.....I'll post it as soon as I know the exact date.  The proceeds will benefit the AHS's efforts to help numerous dogs and cats find permanent homes.

That's all for now.  Please leave comments for me if you're so inclined, I love hearing what my peeps have to say.

Ciao for now............
K