N went to Jarrods and Melissa said "YES"!

It's been forever and a day since I have posted here on the blog. I miss posting, and I miss being out taking pictures.The shoulder has improved, but it still bothers me.
But enough about me. This post is about some very happy news.
I am so happy and honored to tell you that "N" has proposed to his wonderful girlfriend Melissa. No, he did not really go to Jarrods. He went into the Jewelers Building in Boston and had a ring made especially for Melissa. It's gorgeous. Do you want to see it? Here it is:

This ring is extra special and it means the world to Melissa. The center diamond was Melissa's grandmother's engagement diamond. It was given to "N" when he asked Melissa's parents for their blessing to ask their daughter to marry him. How special is that???

So, "N" proposed last weekend up in Vermont. I was so happy that "N" chose Vermont as his special place to propose. By now you all know how much Vermont means to me, and it makes me so happy to know that it's a special place for my kids as well.

We are so lucky to be welcoming Melissa into our family. She is a sweetheart.....a beautiful person both inside and out. She makes our son complete. They are the perfect couple and are meant to be together forever.

Period!

:-)

No wedding plans have been made as of yet, but I will keep you posted.

Congratulations "N" and Melissa. We love you and couldn't be any happier!

I'm on the D.L.

Twenty four inches of fresh fallen snow here and this is all I've got:

My shoulder injury is keeping me from getting out with the camera gear, and I'm not too happy about it. Remember the three club competition my camera club is in that I told you about? At this point I have practically nothing to submit. It's like I'm on the DL (disabled list).....and my team is in the playoffs....and I'm not able to contribute to try to get one for the team. Yes, a corny analogy but the best I could come up with.
Please don't get me wrong. I'm not whining. Really. I'm very lucky and I know things could be sooooooo much worse. I'm just glad I have a good team to carry us to victory. :-)

Photography is a dangerous sport!!!!

I have taken so many falls while out taking pictures that it isn't even funny! (Well, okay, I guess it is funny because I am such a klutz!) My first photography fall was several years ago walking down the street at Fenway Park. It's been downhill from there. :-) A week ago today I took a fall, with camera in hand. This time I wasn't as lucky as all of the other times. This time I outstretched my right arm to break the fall and ended up with a rotator cuff injury. I know this as a fact because I finally saw an orthopedist today who confirmed this.  But, enough about me.

Here is a picture of my good friend and fellow photographer Greg Lessard. This image is titled "The Wet Sock"
I took this image during a weekend photography trip in VT. Greg saw something off the side of the road in a swampy area that he wanted to photograph. I believe it was a leaf. Yes, there were a hundred billion other beautiful leaves he could have chosen to photograph, but this particular leaf spoke to him. I think it called his name.
Non-photographers reading this wouldn't understand this, but us photographers understand. When a leaf calls your name, you can not ignore the call.
No matter what the risk..........

So, the leaf called his name and when he went to answer the call, he stepped on what he thought was a sturdy tree limb, which turned out not to be sturdy and he went into the swamp up to his waist. With a little "help from his friends" he was pulled out of the swamp....his muddy pants were taken off behind the shelter of my car....and he tied his jacket around his waist as a "kilt". This is an image of him posing with his muddy sock.

I need a laugh today and this image just cracks me up and takes me back to that day. You probably had to be there.......but damn it was funny!!!!!! :-)

The things photographers will do to "get the shot" can be pretty risky. I would like to say that my rotator cuff injury happened because I fell out of a tree while taking a picture of a Bald Eagle......but nah....truth be told I tripped going up some stairs along a pond. 

On another note, I hope all of you  New Englanders are safe during this blizzard we are experiencing. Me and my rotator cuff will be to work at 5 am tomorrow morning in two feet of snow and blizzard conditions. I am "essential personnell". Makes me sound important, but don't be fooled by the title. Thank God For Mr. S. He is my hero and will dig us out and get me there!!!!

I hope to get some snow images to post within the next few days.

Be safe!!!!!!

PS. This image is posted with permission from Greg! :-)

Editing with a link to Greg's blog post about the muddy sock incident: 

http://blog.greglessardphotography.com/2013/02/gotta-laugh-at-yourself-aka-swamp.html?showComment=1360442752031#c5423585344127941192