Author Photos!! And Tips For a Productive Session

I had such a great time getting new author pictures taken yesterday! A HUGE thank you to Sarah Paull for her patience, mad camera skills, and eye for interesting poses!

I'm sharing my favorite photos with you today. I had a really hard time picking favorites! They were all so pretty!

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I'm really impressed with the variety of poses and settings Sarah used. I had a great time--it feels so good to have pretty pictures for my website again!

Jill's Tips for a productive AND fun photo shoot if you're heading outdoors:

1. Try on a variety of outfits with accessories before the shoot. Bring one or two changes of clothes (make sure there's a bathroom for changing!). I wore a white T-shirt, swapped accessories, and added a blazer for different looks. I also brought a dressy spring outfit and a bright sweater with jeans. This gives me options for the seasons. Put a bag of outfits together the night before.

2. Select a park that has interesting features. The one we chose has a huge brick mansion, formal gardens, a river, a boardwalk, a covered wooden bridge, an uncovered wooden bridge, brick walls, a gazebo, and tons of trees/flowers/lawn.

3. Take 15-20 pictures (both close-ups and full body) in each outfit and try at least two settings for each outfit.

4. Outdoor shots depend on light. If some shots seem too dark or shadowy, edit them in a photo editor. Don't be afraid to use effects to salvage dark pictures! Here's one I love--and it now has a retro-fifties look to it!

5. Since we chose a venue with plenty of options and one with a bathroom close by, we were able to move pretty quickly. We got about 100 pictures taken in one hour. And that's with three changes of clothes. Not bad!


Have you ever been part of a photo shoot? 

Have a wonderful weekend!!

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Karaoke with High School Friends

After getting cozy on our deck chair Saturday evening, I checked my cell phone. A friend from high school I'd recently reconnected with asked if I wanted to sing karaoke.

Did I?

I think we all know the answer to that. Yes!!

Now, I know many of you enjoy rich relationships with high school, or even grade school, friends. You've kept in touch, held each other's hands through tough times, stood up in each other's weddings, planned weekends together, and generally grown closer through the years.

Not me. My circumstances were a little different. I have very few friends from way back when. But my life experience has allowed me to befriend just about anyone, which is always a good thing! Let me explain.

I switched schools almost every year through eighth grade. Our family moved from the country to a city when I was twelve, but the high school I attended consisted mostly of out-of-town students who dormed. My best friend and I had different interests after high school, and we grew apart. In college I was the only girl in most of my classes due to my major. There wasn't much opportunity to find new girlfriends. Within a few years, my husband and I were relocating often for his job.

A part of me has always yearned for the group of long-term girlfriends so many women have.

Fast forward to Saturday. Meeting up with five high school friends was a real treat for me. This is a group who has stayed in touch with each other. Supported each other. Made time to be together. And I admire them for it.

The Karaoke joint was really loud, making it difficult to catch up. It's funny, though. I haven't seen a few of the girls in fifteen years, and it didn't matter. I knew them. Could see they've become exactly who they're supposed to be. Business owners, moms, teachers, wives, spiritual leaders. Did I mention we attended a Christian high school? One where learning about the Bible took top priority? Many of my old classmates have embraced their roles to be God's light in the world. It's impressive.

You're wondering if I actually sang a song. Yes, I got up on the stage and sang. My nerves were jangly. This voice has scared small animals before. But who cares? It was fun!

For one night, I got to see how it feels to have that group of high school friends. Got to spend time with people who knew me way back when my maiden name was my last name. And I'm thankful for the opportunity. It's funny how God blesses us in the most unexpected ways.

Do you have friends from way back? If not, do you sometimes yearn for them the way I do?

Have a terrific day!

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A Small, Weed-Free Garden

This April, I ripped up a long strip of grass behind our house. The two-and-a-half feet wide area could have extended another foot in width, but with our clay soil, working up ground is difficult! Although we try to do things organically whenever possible, my hubby and I agreed to one round of weed-killer a full month before planting.

Three weeks later,  I spent hours breaking up the clods and clumps of grass before smoothing the surface with a rake. Then I mixed potting soil, organic fertilizer, and mulch together and worked it in with the existing dirt. We were ready to plant!

Over Memorial Day weekend, I planted zucchini's, cucumbers, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, basil, and tomatoes. A few marigolds help repel garden-eating bugs.

We weren't sure how the vegetables would respond to the soil and the location. So far, they're thriving. The garden took up little room, allowing me to mulch the entire thing. In one month I've picked three stalks of grass and one weed. Obviously the weed killer in early April made the biggest difference, but the mulch helps tremendously. Next year we'll skip the initial weed killer. I'm sure I'll be pulling more weeds.

Here are pictures from the day I planted them. (We also arranged potted flowers.)

Zucchini and cucumber plants in the corner of our garden.

Basil and pepper plants.

 

Here are pictures I took over the weekend (four weeks later).

Jalapenos will be ready soon!

 

The "little" zucchini plants in the corner grew quickly!

 



Love how full the potted arrangement became. :)

 

 

We've had a LOT of rain this summer. I saw these cute little mushrooms popping up and had to take  a picture. :)

 

 

Gardening can be a lot of work, but I've done very little out there in the last month. It's so fun watching all the plants and blossoms grow. We have three zucchinis almost ready to pick. The tomato plants are huge,  but it will be a while before we get any of those.

 

Do you garden? What are your secrets? If not, consider a small garden like ours--it's been fun and easy! 

 

Have a wonderful day!



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