Photographs, Smiles, and Altered Schedules

Winter 2014 certainly threw me for a loop. Excessive ice, snow, and horrid road conditions led to nearly 13 snow days (I honestly lost track). Since my main "job" (let's be honest - career) is in teaching, this tossed my whole spring and kick off to summer for a loop. 

Right now, I am still not done with the current school year! Normally, I am headed back from Vacation #1 and processing images from it at this time... but this year was/is totally different. 

However, in the Spring I was able to enjoy teaching Photography, Art, and Broadcast. My daughter turned 9 at the end of April... shortly before that I found myself in San Diego for a convention/contest with students. I was lucky that even though the Spring felt rushed, it did come... along with all the bluebells in bloom that make me smile so much! 

“Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?"...

"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine...” 

 ~ The Secret Garden

Even though my school year was extended a bit... I was able to squeeze in a quick "mini-vacation" with my daughter to Meramec State Park in Missouri (( http://www.mostateparks.com/park/meramec-state-park ))

We went the first weekend Fisher Cave was opened and before the CRAZY busy camping months of the summer start there (MSP is known for being pretty busy on the weekends during the summer). It was fun to hike trails, and see the cave, and get our first camping trip in. Note: before then we went on a day trip to hike and take photos there with my mom, too! 

“She turned to the sunlight
    And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
    "Winter is dead.” 

 

As an educator (wrapping up my 18th year), spring also means major changes. People retire or get new jobs, kids graduate or move, things just... change. However, it's a sweet time to reflect upon the year and be happy for all the new opportunities people have before them. Even though it makes me weepy saying "Goodbye" I have come to learn that often it is more like "See you later."

So we have road trips, adventures, changes in life, and lots of hikes to take... and all that time... I carry a camera of some sort because PHOTOGRAPHS document and record those moments we (or me!) do not want to forget. 

Speaking of photographs, even though many kids at school said goodbye to me this year, some said hello. My underclassmen coming back to my broadcast class gave me this framed photo. Love it!

 

by MK Designs Photography / Fine Art and Portrait. DO NOT COPY / USE WITHOUT PERMISSION. See my website at http://mkdesignsphoto.weebly.com

June 3, 2014.