Renee Vanni Images

July 4th 2008 – Annual Cassidy BBQ

I took some time to write today. I have much to catch up on, including updating the website and galleries! Watch for those changes. I wanted to share KC and Doreen Cassidy’s annual July 4th BBQ.  Every year, they have this fantastic gathering at their home in Wasilla. Everyone participates by bringing their share of goodies. KC usually has several grills going throughout the day. Cooking hamburgers, sausages, chicken, fish, you name it and let’s not forget – tube steaks for the kids! The day is full with all kinds of food, kids playing, fireworks, drinks, food, more drinks, and great family fun and did I say, drinks?  The fun thing is there are bunches of photographers there all day! As Martha Stewart says: “it’s a good thing!” Photographers are a great group of people to hang with.

  

 

Only a face a mother could love . . .

 

. . . and I don’t know what THAT is . . .

 

Go packas . . . Okay, that was the best Wisconsin accent that I could muster.

 

Now that’s trouble brewin’ right there.

 

Yes! Even the big kids like to play at the annual BBQ!

 

Both KC and Dor are big time gardeners. So they will always have the best garden treasures to photograph.

. . . Super Cool shirt, man! I want one.

 

 . . . wait! Hey man, are those  . . . L.P.’s?  Way cool.

 

Engaging eyes!

   

Awesome necklace!

My girls.

 

dooough! caught in the act. I love having a long lens, most people do not know when I am taking their picture . . . but sometimes I do get caught – even when I am 40 feet away.

 

You can tell by the look on Frannie’s face . . . she’s thinking . . . is she pointing that lens at me? . . . is she? . . . is she pointing that lens at me? . . .

 

My posse! Part of them anyway. 

Dueling poppers!

 

More of my posse!

 

Self portait, so to speak. 

 

Of course, the making of the fireside s’mores!

 

Sorry for you uptighties out there, but this shot was beautimus!

More Pieces of England

I have more images to share from my recent trip to England. I took a photography course in The Lakes District. These are more like parts and pieces of the North of England.

 

I can still smell the lavender.

 

I just loved the aged grave stones. I suppose this may be orangey lichen? There is such incredibly rich history in Europe. I find it fascinating and see a photograph in everything!

 

This dock was in Windemere on Bowness. It was a fairly bright, washed out day.

 

I am not one to photograph much wild life, as much as I enjoy seeing all types of wild life. However, when they are posing for you, how can you not point and shoot . . . your camera. I suppose Alaskans do like their hunting rifles.

 

Yes, this was a drive by shooting. I was on the bus and could not resist. Hence, the bus window reflection. But isn’t she beautiful?

 

All of England is storybook land! Look at these perfect skies and wonderful lines in their buildings.

 

All right, I see the pattern here. But I really love grave stones.  I usually shoot church steeples when I travel, but did not seem shoot many this time round, but love those too! Especially throughout New England on our east coast.

 

 

I think that I would love to be in here in my final resting place. With a simple grave marker and daisies growing round.

 

Adorable little black bird. Reminds me of a nursery rhyme grandma used to say to me. This little guy was begging to be photographed! Any birders know what type of bird this is? Let me know.

 

I cannot even imagine how old this wooden bench is. Wish I knew. This was in the town of Hawkshead. My favorite village of all the villages I explored.

 

I don’t really know about my cropping here. Not sure if I captured a subject but I loved the old building, the blue of the window, the moss. The pigeon was just extra good luck! So . . . here you have it.

Blog Comments

A few days ago, my girlfriend, Sandy and I went to Eklutna flats to see the wild irises in bloom. We were there at the tail end of the blooming season so there could have been many, many more irises. But we enjoyed the day photographing. Sandy photographed the flowers, while I enjoyed photographing her – photographing the flowers . . . something like that. Anyhow, the outing was nice. Her husband was building on their log cabin on the Kenai River and my husband was up North, at Denali Park. So we had the day to ourselves to do what girlfriends do, putz in the flower fields, take in some shopping and have lunch in Eagle River at Shines sushi – only THE best sushi spot in all of Alaska.

 

 

One extra note that I have lost some of your valued comments on my blog. I apologize for that. I really appreciate any feedback you leave. However, I found 180 bogus comments from “junk email” on here and in the process of eliminating those, lost some of my valued visits. How do those suckers get through? Someone please tell me!  So please stop by again and feel free to leave your comments at the end of each posting, as often as you like. 

Thank you!