elowah falls

Went hiking at Elowah Falls the other day. It's near Multnomah Falls, which is kind of the Disney World of falls around here. It was nice to be one of just a few people on the trail, and the views were gorgeous.

hood river

The teacher in my yoga/pilates/dance class this morning (as I was tipping over to one side) said, "You have to have been out of balance to know that you're in balance."

Vacations have a way of getting you back in balance. I guess the key is figuring out how to bring the feeling home with you and incorporate it fully into your "real life."

We just returned from a two-day trip to Hood River, a place I'd love to bring home to Kansas City because I know for sure it would help keep me from tipping over every so often.

more photographs from cannon beach

welcome new readers!

I am very pleased to be featured in the Kansas City Star Magazine this morning. For those of you who live outside of Kansas City, you can read the article here.

For those of you who are visiting my blog for the first time, welcome! I've been posting for almost four years now. I usually write about my photography and my work in Uganda, but I also sneak in articles about my family, my second home (Portland, Oregon) as well as lots of other photographers.

It's easy to find a previously covered topic. If you'd like to read about the centerpiece of this blog, the non-profit I founded, look for Change the Truth chapters (each represents one full year) under "labels." You may find it interesting to read about the orphaned students sponsored by Change the Truth ("Sponsored Students"), view some of the artwork made by the children ("Artwork by the Kids"), read about the volunteer team trips that I lead each December ("Uganda Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4") or our fundraisers that are held in June of each year ("Annual CTT Fundraiser").

I hope you'll find my blog an interesting stop on your cyberspace travels and that you'll visit regularly.

sea series

I feel so fortunate to be in the Pacific Northwest during the awful heatwave that is gripping so much of the country. It has been cool here; I even donned my fleece jacket yesterday morning at Cannon Beach, which is where I made these new pictures for my "Sea Series."

from the emerald city back to the rose city

Rode the train back to Portland tonight. And I made more photos. Perfect combination. Perfect evening.

train travel

To get to Seattle, all I have to do is walk four blocks, buy a ticket, say hello to the conductor and hop on board the train. I always feel like I've taken a step back in time when I'm at the train station.











It's a smooth, easy, beautiful way to travel. Three and a half hours later, just when I've really gotten into the book I'm reading, I'm already in Seattle!

coffee cups and closings

Each time we come to Portland we notice the recent closing of a restaurant, coffee shop or clothing store in our neighborhood. The downturn in the economy has hit this area hard. People say there are more Ph.Ds driving taxi cabs or slinging pizzas than anywhere else in the country. Actually, job growth in Oregon increased slightly in April and May, and the picture is starting to look a bit rosier than it has. Still, it's hard to ignore the closings of businesses and the fact that so many trained professionals cannot find work here.

The upscale French restaurant near our condo had been a Portland favorite for six years. Unable to weather the financial storm, its doors closed in April.

Every time I walk by the place, I admire the cups, saucers, wine glasses, water pitchers and tea/coffee pots that still sit in the window of the kitchen. This morning, instead of just looking, I decided to make a photograph.

alberta street

Tonight we ventured across the river to the Northeast area of Portland. We took the train and a bus to Alberta Street, where there is a thriving art and music community with a lot of cool restaurants, bars and shops. I had fun with my iPhone Hipstamatic.

quick get away

One of the many appealing things about Portland is that within an hour one can get away to some pretty cool places. To clear our heads, Eddie and I drove to Silver Falls State Park for a hike. What a beautiful spot!