[a lime slice]. swallow the sky

that's when the rain came down 

and we ran - laughing hard, sides hurting -

          and there was no shelter for miles.

so we just sat down in the sand.

                and watched the ocean

                              swallow the sky. 

                                 [# 122 m. duval]

i live less than three miles from the ocean. the beautiful glorious atlantic that i adore. i just take for granted that it is always there. waiting for me. i can count on one hand how many times i was there over the summer. shameful really. but i love the beach "off season". i don't like to share it. i love it on a rainy day. i love it at 5 o'clock when all the goers are going. i remember being a teenager engrossed in some lovey dovey novel on the beach. avalon, n.j. my sisters engrossed in their books. mom too. one by one, people would fold up their beach chairs and shake the sand off their towels. the lifeguards would drag their stands back up to the dunes finally off duty. but not us manion girls. we'd wrap ourselves in our beach towels that smelled of coppertone and keep on reading or napping or dreaming. we wouldn't even talk. we'd just be. i love that memory.

i thought of it last night when i was on the beach with my little sweetie pie. she loves the beach. i must get better at sharing it with her. pure joy and the sea. and really, who doesn't like the feel of sand on your scalp. love. it.

[can you spot the image where i just told annie we have to go?!!]

[a lime slice]. the broth of life

"what kind of broth is this?" she asked.

"life," the old woman said.

"boil your first kiss until it is violet like a sky. 

after it cools, stir it until it turns yellow like the wings of a butterfly.

then laugh into the potion to make more good than bad.

that is the broth of life." [#120 - m. duval]

jacob is the most delightful baby. so precious in every single way. sleepy and calm, this session was the most relaxing one i have had in a long time. 
jacob arrived on the day his daddy's twin was getting married. when i arrived at the brides house and being introduced to all the bridesmaids, i kept looking for the pregnant one! well sure enough jacob, as most babies, couldn't wait and his entrance into the world was such happy news at the reception.
carly and jay, your boy is perfection. he's dreamy. period. i wish you so much happiness in your new life as parents. it's off to such a special start. thank you for letting me hang out and rearrange the furniture! carly you are a stunning new mom - just beautiful. i hope you love your sneak peek.

[a special shout out to jwrobel for the beautiful brood pouch, hat and the brood nest - as you can see he was very comfy in it!]





 








 


[hey photographer lady - i'm sleeping here!]












[jacob not so happy on "the" bridesmaid dress that mom never wore!]












[check out BIG bro max! isn't he wonderful?!]

[a lime slice]. bright yellow paint

"And what does it feel like?" we asked.

"Well," she said,

           leaning over

         to us like a secret,

       "it feels like a gust of wind blowing inside

                            your heart.

              It feels like

             bright yellow paint." [m. duval]

[photos circa 1977ish - my high school photography class - l to r. mb, mom, kerry]

today is my mom's birthday. she would have been 82. wow. 82!!! she would have been the most beautiful 82 year old out there. that's for sure. i found these photos of my mom with my two sisters, mary beth and kerry. i remember this. it was thanksgiving i think or maybe approaching christmas. i was taking photography in high school and was practicing. i remember setting up these shots - using the light from the table lamp - i think i draped something over it to get the light on their faces. all i can say is. this was my mom in all her happiness. having her two daughters by her side - ok three but someone had to try to focus the lens - i love these three moments forever captured on film. the first shot mom being smooched - i adore the smile on her face -  pure. the second shot, no doubt mb said something funny, she always does. look at my mom laughing, look at mb looking at my mom laughing. look at kerry looking at mb looking at my mom laughing! well you get it.  i.adore.this.shot. this is how i remember my mom - this is how i remember being with my sisters. and the last shot - the girls resting their heads on mom's shoulders. don't we all want to rest our heads on our mom's shoulders? i do. annie was just doing that to me when i dropped her off at school this morning. it's the best feeling.

i chose these photos to share on my mom's birthday and also the beautiful words of monique duval because happiness, love, laughter, bliss, comfort, security, joy, motherhood, silliness, sisterhood, gladness, and womanhood are most definitely like bright yellow paint. sunny and good.

happy birthday mom. i love you. xo

[a lime slice]. j+d = smitten

jess and dave are a great couple. it's so obvious that they really dig each other. i really enjoyed being in their company. they don't have any "wedding" photos so it was fun to do this session for them. let's see, they've been married for 4 years - no wait 5 years - well actually that info is not readily available! they don't remember! i love love love that. what's a number anyway? what matters is their relationship. and like i said, it's obvious they are smitten. that's the way it's supposed to be. they invited me to shoot on their property - absolutely stunning. i didn't want to leave. a fabulous house with a brand new kitchen that will no doubt be the center of their world with fresh bread baking in the oven, a nice warm fire - three dogs wandering around (two are blind and so sweet). jess is the talent behind jwrobel - gorgeous one of a kind hand-knit items for baby, unique creations for your home and accessories for the cool woman all infused with the vintage flare and creativity that is jess. i neglected to mention, i met jess 5 years ago - she was the phenomenal woman behind the most gorgeous flowers a bride (me) could ever want. she's also a published author of not one but two books. she's amazing. dave has talent too - his gorgeous sculptures are strewn about their property - they are one creative couple.
jess + dave's property boasted a pond with dock, two of the most gorgeous fields i've seen in a long time and beautiful light dappling the sun through the trees.  dave patiently drove the awesome velvet settee out to the field on his tractor. [i'll have to post some behind the scenes images of that transfer!!] - anyway, i could go on and on about how wonderful this couple is. i'm so happy to know them period. and hopefully they'll love an image or two!! they were great models and i loved laughing with them. jess + dave here's your sneak peek - xo

[a lime slice]. love + sky + love + happy

i loved this wedding. i loved the smiling faces i saw everywhere. i loved the beauty of this local farm's growing fields. i loved the boston nightclub vibe and a gorgeous tuscan dinner table. nancy and jeff had a vision and with so many details they created an amazing wedding. two gorgeous tents set down in the middle of the growing fields of tender crop farms in newbury massachusetts. flowers and candles everywhere. as night fell the cocktail tent turned into a pink hued nightclub with lighted spheres changing colors. the sky was magnificent. sounds of nature everywhere. and the sounds of happiness as two amazing people promised to love each other forever. and if that wasn't magical enough. the groom's twin brother welcomed his first baby into the world on this very day. [best man and bridesmaid duties would have to wait.]  magic from start to finish. nancy and jeff, i wish you all kinds of happiness. thank you for letting me share your special day.

[a text message to the bride = sweet tears]


[waiting for his gal]






[stunning]




[love a bride laughing with her maids]


[nancy - you're gorgeous!]




[this reaction from the groom watching his bride is perfect]

Venue - Tendercrop Farms

Florals -  Stoneblosssom Floral & Event Design

Catering - Russell Morins Fine Catering

D.J and Lighting - SoundXplosion

Tents - Chase Canopy

Cigars - Boston Cigar Factory