Blue Skies and Fluffy Clouds

I'm no stranger to highway 218.  I've driven it many times between Iowa City and Mason City to visit my good friend Lisa.  Just outside of Charles City there is a spot along 218 where there is a field full of wind turbines.  Every time I drive along this stretch of highway I stare in awe of the giant turbines.  On Sunday afternoon as I was driving back from a weekend trip to Minnesota I decided to stop and take some pictures.  It was a perfect afternoon, the sky was blue and there were lots of white fluffy clouds in the sky.  How could I not stop!?

I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Holding hands, it is an act that is sweet, quiet and unassuming.  A way for two people to show their feelings for one another.  I love the butterflies you get in your stomach when that guy/girl you have a crush on reaches down and grabs your hand.  The nervous anticipation you feel wondering if the person you like will reach over across the arm rest in the movie theatre and hold your hand.  If you haven't figured it out yet I'm a hopeless romantic.  One of my favorite commercials is for a jewelry company, I can't remember which one right now, but the commercial shows a young newly engaged/married couple taking a walk and holding hands, and they pass an elderly couple who is also out taking a walk and holding hands.  That description doesn't do the commercial justice, but I love it!  Sweet and unassuming romantic gestures, like holding hands, are the most meaningful to me.  The moments I have shared with someone that have meant the most to me were not moments that were grand or showy, but instead were simple and sweet.  They were moments meant to be shared by the two of us and no one else.  In the words of the Beatles, "Yeah you, got that something I think you'll understand...I wanna hold your hand."

Minda

Maximus

My roommate Michelle is in her first year of residency at University of Iowa Hospital.  Depending on what rotation she is on we may or may not see each other on a regular basis.  Right now she is on a surgery rotation, which means she works late and I spend many week nights hanging out with Maximus the Wonder dog...or Max for short.  Neither of us like it very much when Michelle is gone at night.  Max shows this by wandering the house whining looking for Michelle; thankfully I haven't gotten to that point.  Here are some pictures I took of Max before we played a rousing game of keep away with Max's toy duck.  A favorite game of ours. :)

I think it is about time for a haircut!

Have a great night. I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather this week; I sure am!
Minda

Natalie

As promised here are some more pictures from my shoot this weekend with Natalie.  I was kind of nervous when I woke up on Saturday and saw how windy it was, but lucky for me the wind worked in my favor.  It was a great morning of shooting and even included an incident involving Erin's car, a mud hole, cows and a farmer with his truck.  In all the craziness and laughter I didn't think to take pictures to document the incident, but maybe that is a good thing. :)

One of my favorites...beautiful!

Thanks Natalie for being such a trooper and a fantastic model.  I promise that next time it will be warmer!

Minda

It has been a great weekend filled with picture taking, cooking, cleaning and movie watching; what more could a girl ask for.  There was the most beautiful sunset on Friday, I feel like it has been FOREVER since I've seen a good sunset.  It provided a pretty fantastic view while I was out for a run.  Can you believe these colors!?

My friend Erin and I spent the morning taking pictures of my friend Natalie.  Thanks Natalie for enduring the cold and the wind so Erin and I could try out some new ideas and lenses.  Here is just a peak at two pictures from Saturday's session.  There are definitely more to come.

Minda

My love of lip products

If I were on a deserted island and could only take three things with me one of those things would most definitely be lip balm.  Chapstick, lip gloss, lip balm...I love it all!  I have at least two forms of lip product with me at all times.  At this very moment I have three in my purse, two on my desk at work and who knows how many around my house.  I'm feel lost without it.  As you can see from the picture I have no loyalty to a particular kind or brand.  One of my favorite lip glosses right now is CO Bigelow's Lemon Pomegranate....yum!  I figure there are a lot worse things I could be addicted to, and I know I'm not the only one out there with the same love for lip products.

I hope everyone is having a great week.
Minda

Food and Family

Food and family, this was the theme of my weekend.  My family likes to eat, and we do it very well.  My mom and my oldest brother are pretty amazing in the kitchen.  They make the most amazing and delicious meals.  One of my favorite things to do is sit around the dinner table with my family and share a meal.  There is always stories being told and lots of laughter as a result of something my brother Brandon has said.  This Saturday was no exception.  We had homemade macaroni and cheese, brisket, salad and of course dessert....chocolate mint chip cookies and cupcakes with chocolate mousse in the middle.  My nephew Jace was in fine form and loving all the attention he was getting; it was a perfect afternoon.

Jace spent the entire afternoon trying to figure out how the zipper on his vest worked.

I hope everyone had a good weekend.
Minda

Inspiration

I've been feeling an extra surge of inspiration today.  I've been reading the photographer Matt Powell's blog.  Matt is a humanitarian photographer, and his work and his stories are so moving and inspirational.  I haven't shared this with many people, but my dream job is to be a humanitarian photographer.  Being able to tell a story and convey an emotion through an image is so powerful, and is one of the reasons why I have such a passion for photography.  I'm not completely sure how I will achieve my dream of being a humanitarian photographer, hopefully my passion and desire will lead me there.  I have a piece of art above my dresser in my bedroom with the quote "Live the life you've imagined."  It is a constant reminder to never stop reaching for my dreams.

Have a wonderful night
Minda