I know Spring has arrived when Mike’s Popcorn stand opens up.  For those of you who do not know, Mike’s Popcorn is this little trailer that sits along Wisconsin Ave and serves popcorn from 6 to 9 every night.  They started selling popcorn in 1968.  We saw the trailer there last week but have been waiting for it to open.  We drove by Friday and saw that it was.  Now my youngest daughter I would call a popcorn fanatic.  Absolutely loves the stuff.  She eats it almost everyday (still trying to figure out if that is good or bad)  When she heard that it was open, we had to go.  I will admit I think it is the best tasting popcorn around.  Here are a few photos I took to document the occasion.

Do you want butter with that??

We spent a long weekend visiting colleges in Minnesota for my son.  We went to Gustavus Adolphus College and the University of St. Thomas.  Both are great schools, it’s going to be a hard decision for him.  We spent the evening in St. Paul and had a great view of St. Paul Cathedral outside our window.  Here is a photo of the cathedral from early morning.

Long trip but a good time.  Looks like we might have to do it again in two weeks.

It is almost midnight and in 15 minutes it is Groundhog Day.  I don’t know about anybody else but I am ready for spring.  I really miss my garden or I should say I miss what comes from the garden.  It wasn’t a great year for my garden but it was my 3rd year at it and I will learn from my mistakes ( tall plants behind the short plants ). I am going through photos to make new galleries ( coming soon )and I came across some photos I did this summer of some of my bounty.

So I am routing for Phil to not see his shadow.  Go Spring!!

I had no weddings today, just family photos later.  So Eliza and I went to the Appleton’s Farmers Market downtown Appleton.  I think every time I go it keeps getting busier.  Here are a few photos from our excursion.

The fresh produce always looks scrumptious.

Besides the produce there is always jewelry and art work to enjoy.   While Eliza was busy checking out some bracelets I saw this colorful rack with earrings.

There is always food vendors as well and the smell of the roasted corn was  to  much and seeing how it was lunch time anyway. . .

We started lunch.  I guess it is healthy, especially the butter and salt.

We also saw this guy, I am not sure but I think he was looking for a home.

Here is the final poster from the Xavier football team shoot that I did for Image Studios.  Chad at OEC IT designed the poster and he did a great job with it.

A friend of mine that I went to college with just launched his new website Mauhaus.  Mike builds custom rocking chairs that are absolutely beautiful.  If you are looking for a rocker that your children will fight over after you are gone, give Mike a call.  Besides doing beautiful woodworking he is a super nice guy as well.

For about the past 5 years I have photographed the Xavier High School boys football team.  The photos are used to create a poster with the game schedule on it.  This year a farm was chosen as the background.  This farm I drive by all the time and I  have always wanted to shoot there.  It is owned by 3 brothers and as I found out the farm will be celebrating 100 years next year.  I have always like the farm because it is surrounded by McMansions and development, but the brothers still do their thing.  I think it’s great.

While we were waiting for the team to show up I photographed one of the tractors and then the 3 brothers.  I was was thinking that B+W would be great for the photos.

I really really like them in B+W, but I then started playing with them in color, you have to explore all options.

So now I am not sure because I really really like them in color as well.  So feel free to comment on which you like better, maybe we can see which is the winner.

Here are some behind the scenes photo of the shoot.  I can’t show you the final team photo yet, you will have to wait until the posters come out.

The behind the scene photos are from Jim Weiland.  I work with him at Image Studios

I had a week of Vacation and we spent one of the days in Milwaukee.  It was part shopping trip and part not shopping.  We spent the first part of the day at Mayfair Mall and some time at the Milwaukee Art Museum.  It was the first time at the musuem for me and the family.  I have been by it before but have never gone in.  It was truly amazing.  The main or featured exhibit was the work of Dutch painter Jan Lievens.  He is one of the great Dutch master painters from the 1600’s.  To see the skill and the use of light in their paintings is truly amazing.

Here are a few of my photos from the day.

I wanted to take more pictures but we didn’t have batteries for my daughter’s camera.  So being the good guy that I am I gave her my camera to use and “borrowed” it when I wanted to take a photo.  She was busy snapping away and I wasn’t thinking much off it, other than to tell her she didn’t have to take a picture of everything ( love digital for that)  When we started to look through her pictures I was amazed at how many great photos she had.  It was so cool to see what interests a 10 year old and from the perspective from a person who is 4 foot tall.  They have no boundary’s of anything they were ever taught about rules of photography.  It was refreshing to see.  I told her I would but a gallery of her photos on my site and here they are.

This is a shout out to my daughter Lauren, who turns 19 today.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN!!  She is enjoying herself with friends at the Dells for a few days.  Have a great time.

Tuesday my daughter Eliza turned 10.  Happy birthday Eliza!  It was the birthday that seemed to last for ever.  Two parties, two cakes and lots of presents and fun.  Here is a little gallery of some photos from the days of parties