Saying Goodbye...

Last month we said goodbye to Hoyt and Lance, two of our great photo staff leaders. Hoyt has been my photo editor and mentor since I began at the G.R. Press over three years ago. His stories, oldies music, easy-going attitude and Hawaiian shirts will be missed. Lance was a shooter from the "good old days," I so fondly hear about, shooting award-winning stories for the paper. The buyout in June left a hole not only in our photo staff, but in the entire paper. The above images are from a lunch and a dinner party we had, photos by myself, Hollyn Johnson and Rex Larsen.

The End of a Journey

Lavina and Richard VanBeek have been caretakers at Maplewood Cemetery for nearly 40 years, burying many members of their own family in the grave yard they fondly think of as their own. Lavina, 84, and Richard, 92, live across the street from Maplewood, and have gone from hand-digging graves by lantern light to using modern tractors. They will be stepping down as Maplewood's caretakers now that Richard has dementia and because of their age.

Sleeping Bear

Chris and I went camping with his sister, Stephanie, and her husband Brad this weekend at Sleeping Bear Dunes. Our campsite was called "Sleepy Bear, Indigo Bluffs," and despite the rain Friday night and Sunday morning, we had a great time exploring the sand dunes covered in flowers that looked like baby's breath...it was kind of like a "Pure Michigan," commercial. Our campground had a heated pool, with a store that sold coffee in the mornings. Saturday evening we went into Traverse City to visit the vineyards on Leelanau Peninsula.

Sarah and Beau

New Art in Town

"Journey Home," by Dennis Oppenheim.

Lowell Fair

Toothy Grin

Shot this today of Emma's granddaughter at church.

Secret Garden

Burst 'O Green

Kind of reminds me of my living room.

Animal Cruelty

I had an incredibly sad assignment today...to photograph a cat who had been purposely set on fire. The 1 year old male kitty was brought into the humane society in severe pain last Friday and the vet says he is not yet in the clear. He will more than likely lose his ears and the fur will probably not grow back on the badly burned areas. I am at a loss for words about the kind of people who unleash their perverted power over innocent animals.

Organic.

Fourth of July on Lake Sherwood

I experienced my first vacation day as official press staff this weekend and was able to spend Friday, Saturday and Sunday with the in-laws at Chris' childhood home on Lake Sherwood in Commerce Township, Michigan.