Rowan's Tree: A Year-Long Photo Project

On September 26, 2016 we lost a wonderful friend in the form of a Golden Retriever named Rowan.

He was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer and died at the age of nine.

Anyone who ever met Tom Solinsky knew Rowan, and he brightened the days of many people as he smiled out of the side of Tom's Jeep.

Rowan Solinsky, friend to all
Photo by Tom Solinsky

On the day of his death, we gathered with the Solinskys and some close friends and performed a rogue burial and tree-planting in Rowan's favorite park.

After that day, I went to the tree on an almost weekly basis to document it's first year of growth.

Going so often to the site of Rowan's grave helped me process the grief I feel from losing him. Documenting the tree also gave me a physical reminder that, while Rowie is no longer with us, his body is helping create nutrients for this tree to grow, which means there's still a piece of him in the park, and will be for years to come.

I've selected the best examples of the seasons here:

I've created a slideshow (less than a minute long) of the entire project through the year. 

Original music by The One and Only Bill Davis

I have admiration for other artists and their bodies of work and ongoing projects, and I often overlook my own. While I regret the circumstances, this project was a positive and productive way to move forward through the sadness of losing such a great friend-dog.

Did you complete any self-appointed projects in 2017? Share your successes and challenges in the comments.

Tennessee Parks and Greenways Land Celebration

I had the good fortune to get invited to the Tennessee Land Celebration hosted by Tennessee Parks and Greenways. Formerly Sunset on the South Harpeth, the day-long event was full of activities and presentations, and I had a great time taking advantage of the perfect day. The open bar and taco bar weren't too shabby, either.

There were plenty of animal presentations throughout the day, beginning with these beautiful snakes.

The scarlet king snake is one of the many harmless snakes found in Tennessee and throughout the southeast.

This pretty guy is about fifteen years old. Snakes in captivity can live up to thirty-five years.

The markings on the scarlet king snake are meant to mimic the markings of the coral snake, which is a venomous snake. Coral snakes have yellow stripes where the king snake has white.

This snake was totally chill and had no problem being passed around and handled by different people.

The ball python was a crowd favorite.

A closeup of the ball python.

I'm not into snakeskin, but it's easy to see why these animals are coveted for their skins. This corn snake has stunning markings.

The kids loved the snakes!

This little girl posed patiently with her brother for photos, but she was so ready to hold the snake on her own.

Success! She loved holding the king snake.

I loved the presentation of the birds of prey. The first round featured a baby barn owl, a red-tailed hawk and an American Kestrel.

The barn owl was pretty shy. She's only ten weeks old here.

This red-tailed hawk is also young. She's lost most of her fluff, and her tail feathers are in the middle of molting. Her adult tail feathers are just starting to come in. 

Ian Turner is a professional falconer, and he'll be releasing this girl into the wild when she's full-grown and ready to hunt on her own.

The American Kestrel is a fierce hunter. 

Although she's much smaller than the hawk and her talons aren't as dangerous, her beak is a force to be reckoned with.

She's at the end of her rehabilitation and is ready to GO.

It was awesome to see her in motion.

I was thrilled to get this beautiful fanning of her tail.

I went on a guided nature walk on a path through a meadow edged in well-kept woods. It was supposed to be a bird walk, but I had more of a butterfly and insect walk. I was with folks who are really knowledgeable about local flora and fauna, and I learned quite a bit.

A HUGE praying mantis.

This mantis could easily have taken down a small bird. 

A black swallowtail butterfly.

An eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly.

I loved the archery! I am definitely not a good shot!

It was so fun to see one of the attendees holding a falcon before the second Birds of Prey presentation. This little girl was in awe.

A wonderful day with so many learning opportunities and activities!

I also took a guided horseback ride, but it was only my second time ever on a horse, so I figured I'd pay attention to her and what I was doing. She was beautiful, and so big. Tennessee Walking Horses tend to be tall, and she measured 16 1/2 hands, or 5'6" at her shoulder.

While I walked and photographed and ate tacos and hit the bar, there were other presentations and activities going on, including a farm & garden presentation by Lauren Peterson of Lupine and Poppies, hay rides, a temporary tattoo station, family yoga and several drawings for prizes.

To round out the day, Catie Offerman and her talented band played their classic country and fun originals. I loved that her original lyrics made you keep up and think as she sang them, and her arrangements were spot-on.

It's not a Tennessee event if there isn't some live music!

We're so lucky to have organizations like the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation protecting our beautiful natural areas. It was really fun to have a casual day of photographing, being outdoors, and meeting proprietors of local businesses. Feel free to follow Tennessee Parks and Greenways on

Facebook 

Instagram

or donate to them directly and become a member.

If you're interested in booking me to photograph your event, contact me here.

Ducks, Races, and Livestreaming

Saturday, August 26th I was on camera detail for Very Entertaining Records for two performances, but before I went to work I spent some time with Bill and a couple of our friends for an early afternoon sail.

We had some ducks follow us for a while (the pretzel snack they were tossed might have had something to do with it), and they had no problem with the attention from the camera.

Ducks in a row. Sort of.

You can just see a hint of purple in the wing feathers of this duck.

I enjoyed seeing the differences between the ducks' feathers.

Ducks on Percy Priest Lake.

Loons, herons, and ospreys are among the other types of birds we see regularly on the lake.

The wind was pretty mellow at this point, and these guys had no problem keeping up with us.

The ducks lost interest in us after a short while, and then the wind picked up and we were off!

After a lovely bit of sailing, we came back in and headed to the Nashville Speedway at the Fairgrounds for The One & Only Bill Davis to sing the National Anthem.

The race track is a solid part of Old Nashville - they're celebrating it's 60th anniversary this year - and a point of contention for some local residents. Racing can get really loud, and you can hear it for miles (we live 4 miles away and can hear the races on occasion), so there are plenty of people who would be happy to see it torn down. However, the Speedway has persisted, and it was fun to do something outside of my normal zone.

We stuck around for the first few races, then I had to get ready for the evening show.

Some of the trophies and awards to be handed out.

In addition to the races being outside my normal zone, I've been delving into live video, which is apparently all the social media rage.

I posted both the National Anthem at the Speedway and the Dutch Whisky show at Dee's live on the Very Entertaining Records Facebook page. You can click the links below to catch the replays:

National Anthem sung by The One & Only Bill Davis

Dutch Whisky live at Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge

There's nothing like having a productive weekend, especially when it involves doing so many different and fun things. I also enjoy finding new ways to use social media to the advantage of the artists I work with. I'm so grateful to have such a diverse and challenging career.

Need some advice on how to use social media for your business? Contact me here to set up a consultation.
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Weekend in Wisconsin

This past weekend, I went up to southeastern Wisconsin with Bill to visit his family and hometown. We usually end up in the Midwest in the dead of winter or late fall, so it was nice to explore Manitowoc with the sun shining and no coat on.

We were pleasantly surprised by the size of the Farmers Market, as well as the number of public murals that dot the downtown.

Lake Michigan is a huge part of Manitowoc's history and industry.

On a bridge going over the river.

This one is my favorite.

The classic, historic Budweiser mural. There are way better shots of this beauty. I was dancing in and out of traffic.

On the street side of the Maritime Museum.

Saw this gem a the Farmers Market and had to share it.

We walked around the marina for a while and ended up being right in time to see the SS Badger come in from across the lake.

This ferry crosses Lake Michigan twice a day between Manitowoc, WI and Ludington, MI.

The SS Badger is the last coal-burning ship in the US.

Seeing one coal-burning ship is novel, and quite enough.

I opted out of walking down to the lighthouse. I wasn't wearing the right shoes.

It's a lovely view.

I love looking out over Lake Michigan. Nashville is my home, but I miss living near such a large body of water.

This was at the beginning of the trip in Milwaukee. Wisconsin does have some great delis with clever names!

This trip was the last of four in six weeks, and, though it was another road warrior whirlwind, Bill and I had a great time exploring his old stomping grounds.

January 21, 2017 Women's March in Nashville

Dear Reader,
Our country is going through serious political, social and economic upheaval, and it's a very worrisome and exciting time to be an American. I have previously opted to keep politics out of my business life, but the current climate is leading me to change that position ever-so-slightly. I will be participating in and documenting some of these events as time goes on, so there will be posts involving politics and social justice issues from time to time. As always, the focus will be primarily on imagery.

I volunteered to photograph the Women's March in Nashville, one of the many branches of the Women's March on Washington across the United States (and, in fact, the world). People from many different backgrounds came together to peacefully show their opposition to the new president and his administration. I went as an observer and documentarian; I wasn't planning to officially march or chant, and I didn't have any signage.
As the day progressed, I was awed and humbled to be a part of such an incredible event. I talked with a couple of women from more conservative counties, and they expressed a newfound hope that they aren't alone in their thinking. The atmosphere was calm but invigorating, and there was sober intent, but not without joy. No matter what your political leanings, it undeniably came off without a hitch, and with double the expected attendance.
Below are some of my shots from the march. There were 15,000 people in attendance and no arrests, violence, rioting, or looting.

Lovely Cumberland Park, the scene of the rally before the march.

People making signs before the rally begins. 

There were many families with small children.

One of the women I met, Judy, lives in Columbia, TN. She is reinvigorated by the march and plans to have regular gatherings of like-minded people in her area.

A pro-life, anti-LGBTQ group met with non-violent opposition when they showed up with gruesome signs and a mixed message. 

The crowd continues to gather.

Cumberland Park was packed. You can see people still arriving across the parking lot on the left.

I don't know if this young woman was proud of her sign, to be a member of the march, or both, but she was a little ray of light in the crowd.

The march begins!

The woman with the Republican sign was a crowd favorite!

Congressman Jim Cooper in the crowd.

Second Avenue leading up to Public Square

The window box at Rock Bottom Brewery

I arrived at Public Square with the first half of the marchers. This is a shot of the pedestrian bridge from the observation deck of the parking stairway.

Since that event, there have been multiple rallies and marches in Nashville, many of which are getting higher-than-expected turnouts. My hope is that people become even more engaged as time goes on, and we become a society of people accountable to each other, who welcome and accommodate people from all walks of life.

I'm a newbie at being politically awake, and I'm actively looking for ways to improve. Here are some links that I've found relevant over the past couple of weeks:

This is a piece from Medium that addresses sign verbiage as well as behaviors that may be hurtful/exclusive to fellow members of the cause you're representing. 

This is a piece from The Bitter Southerner with personal accounts of why people marched in DC.

A few events coming up that may appeal to some folks:

We Are Watching - Rally at The TN State Capitol, Feb. 6, 3-6pm

Postcard Writing Night at Gift Horse in East Nashville, Feb. 16, 6-9pm