i heart ___.

Here are some of my summer favorites:

 1. these ugly beasts. These tomatoes grew in my garden. 

They finally gave up growing bigger and decided to turn red. Jonathan and I recently had some landscaping done in our backyard, which requires some heavy watering, so my garden is drowning. I'm pretty sure that is what is causing all the splitting. That doesn't affect their deliciousness though. Which leads me to:

2. a BLT. 

Bacon, lettuce, tomato sandwiches are a summertime treat. M&M sandwiches are too (maters and mayonnaise). One way I help contribute to a ridiculously low grocery budget is only buying produce when it is in season. Not only does it save money, but I really don't trust fresh tomatoes not grown in NC or SC in the summer. I may be spoiled, or maybe it's just practical. If my tomato plants do well, hopefully I won't have to purchase any tomatoes this year.

3. wild blackberries.

Free fruit is always good. They definitely require a lot of work to pick though; lots to contend with: heat, bugs, thorns. Last year I probably picked 3 quarts to a gallon of blackberries. No joke. I knew when I was picking them last year, they would probably not come as easy this year. And it's true. A lot of the canes got cut down. They've come back, but they missed the flowering and fruit. The fruit that is available is both smaller and some of it, completely impossible to get to. So this year it was more like wild blackberry hunting rather than picking. I'm happy with my quart though. I should be able to make a small cobbler. yummm

4. the farmers market.

I love the farmers market! and Smithfield, NC has their own farmers market this year. Downtown!! I also love the hugeness and awesomeness of the NC State Farmers Market too. I'll have to show you photos of that one another time. I get summer and fall produce that doesn't come out of my own garden at the farmers market. Like:

5. peaches.

I love peaches. Sweet, juicy goodness. Like eating candy.

6. these garden and farming t-shirts from Beryl Lynn.

I yanked these photos from her etsy shop. You can also check out her cute blog. She writes about her baby boy, gardening, sustainability, vegan eating, and other things I can appreciate.

I end up wearing shorts and t-shirts in the summer and jeans and t-shirts, over long sleeve t-shirts in the winter. Sure, I'd love for my style to be a little more cute or dressed up, but this is what seems to work for me since I do a lot of work at home. (or I'm getting down and dirty or hot and sweaty at my outdoor photo shoots). So it turns out I like t-shirts, and I really like these cute ones.

Nia & Austin - NC Engagement Photography

For the second part of Nia and Austin's engagement session we headed to the furniture factory and warehouse district of Lexington, NC. We had a break in the action when 3 policemen showed up. three. really? We wondered if they thought we were dangerous criminals or were just really bored. (Either way, I'm thankful for law enforcement guys that help keep us safe.)

Here are the photos from engagement marathon part dos: Grunge Nia and Austin.

North Carolina Engagement Photography

What's a good engagement session without the cops getting called?

THREE, no less!! 

More from Austin and Nia's engagement session tomorrow.

i heart ___.

I'm going to try a new feature on the blog. I'm starting small and going to see where it goes; maybe nowhere, maybe somewhere. We'll see what happens. One of my favorite things on others' blogs (photographers, friends, family) is when they share lists of their interests. This sort of goes along with everyone's new favorite, pintrest, but I don't need a new distraction. So I'm choosing to stay away. I'm inspired by Faith, and Jasmine (of course we're on a first name basis!), and I believe I've seen some of my local photographer friends share some of their favorite things from their houses or work space on their blogs. I enjoy seeing that part of people's lives.

If this becomes a regular thing, I'd love to hear your suggestions for a title. I'm not as creative with my words as I am with my art, so I need your help. 

For now, the title is I heart blank. :) And these are some of my faves.

1. these pretty orange, double daylilies that came from my great grandparent's farm. 

I don't know if they came from plants from 50 or 75 or 100 years ago, but I think they are awesome. So it seems my mother's Granny and Grandsir have given me a long, lean skeletal structure with a really high probability of early osteoporosis and pretty orange flowers for my yard. I'll take it (and a calcium supplement).

2. my future sis-in-law and brother's wedding save-the-date postcards with vintage stamps.

Country. Vintage-y. Real, oldschool stamps, customized for Jonathan and me. Hand canceled. Adorable models. I love it. And I'm looking forward to their wedding in the fall, and the parties between now and then. 

3. my fluffy boy dog, Ben

Oh yes. Go ahead and get ready for plenty of Ben photos. He is our lanky, curly, goldendoodle. Poodles are supposedly water retrievers, so we try to help Ben embrace his inner poodle and let him swim and retrieve tennis balls from the water a lot during the summer. Enjoy those last two phone photos.

Nia & Austin - North Carolina Engagement Photography

I met with a customer today and as I was leaving she said, "update your blog!!" Apparently I just needed a little encouragement. So for her and all you other photo blog stalkers here you go: Nia and Austin - engagement marathon part uno.

Jonathan and I went to Lexington, NC in April (on the tornado day) to photograph my brother, Austin, and his soon-to-be-bride, Nia. She is a professional photographer too, and Austin frequently assists and shoots with her. So it was fun for me to have them on the other side of the camera.You can read about the sweet proposal from Nia's perspective on her photo blog.

We had a marathon photo shoot, so yall get to see these photos in at least 3 parts. We started the shoot with lunch and the biggest banana split I've ever seen at the Bar-B-Q Center in Lexington, NC. Today you get to enjoy Retro Nia and Austin.