Blind-sided

So many people are mourning the loss today of Christopher Robin Odle. Six weeks ago I was sitting around a campfire with him singing songs and taking pictures...today he is gone. I'm shocked, confused and in disbelief at the moment. Cancer is so powerful and at times it seems almost patient in its destruction. Not in this instance.

Chris, when I hugged you goodbye on July 3rd I never could have imagined that it would really be goodbye.

Thanks for your wonderful smile, all the laughter and especially the music.

Another month has flown by!

Wow, I really do suck at updating my blog in the summer! But hey, I've been busy. In the last month I've shot 7 weddings, had 3 family portrait shoots, two event shoots, led a two day workshop for the Camp Sealth photography campers at my studio, spent a week in the San Juans boating, AND spent another week volunteering at Camp Goodtimes on Vashon. Today it's back to the volunteer arena. I'm heading to Vashon again to hang out with the Sickle Cell Camp kids, take pictures, MC their talent show, and put on a slideshow. Tomorrow I'm changing hats again and skippering the Goodtime II to Camp Sealth with 300 kids from Fisherman's Terminal. This is actually my 30th year doing that (1979-2009...where does all the time go?). Even though photography has been my full-time job since 1989 (the year I finally did more photography than boat driving), I still love taking kids to camp in the summer, skippering my kids' field trips and driving the Christmas Ship's occasionally. My goal is to keep my license current until I'm about 100! I just wish I could clone myself in the summer. The problem is what to do with the annoying clone for the rest of the year!

Anyway, thought I'd share some recent photos from Piglet and Click's wedding (Amie and Tim). I met Amie as a 10 year old cancer patient at Camp Goodtimes and now she's all grown up and healthy and married to a great guy who is also an excellent photographer. Piglet has been a volunteer at camp for 10 years now and brought Click along with her last summer. She now works in Childlife Services for Children's Hospital and brings her wisdom, compassion, enthusiasm and wonderful zaniness to children every single day. She definitely brought the zaniness with her on her wedding day.

Congratulations to a wonderful couple!