Willkommen to a whirlwind week in Germany!

Part I of... well, quite a few, I suspect! =)

I figured it might be easier to share my photos AS I edit. That way I'm sure to share them in a timely manner. After all, I have enough people breathing down my neck. =)

I had the fantastic luck to go to Germany last week for my full-time job. And it just so happens that our facilities are located in quite possibly the cutest medieval town ever, complete with castle. Welcome to Wertheim, a town in southwestern Germany, smack dab between the Tauber and Main rivers, about an hour outside of Frankfurt. It was founded between the 7th and 8th century!

Because I've got over 2,000 photos to paw through, I'm just going to go chronologically.

Heading in to town... the castle on a hill.


Our hotel, the Malerwinkel.


And looking up... so cute!


But even cuter, the adorable Marktplatz, about two steps away.


Not quite sure why their mannequins wear blind folds and not just scarves...


The textures and cobblestones and colors and lines just draw me in like a moth to a flame.






As soon as we dropped off our bags, we forced ourselves to stay awake, fight the jet lag, and hit the town. At about 7:30am my time, we enjoyed our first "bier" at Zum Ochsen.


(OK, so I loved the movement in this, even though it was an "accident.")






I was fascinated when we realized that all over town were these hashmarks to denote the high water lines and years the town flooded. Being situated at the point of the two rivers, it continues to flood every 3 years or so.


After our lunch, we hit up the gelato shop.


Where the Smurfs are apparently still popular.




Wertheim has a very long history in glass - glass blowing, a glass museum, scientific glass (why I was there!) and even the Galileo Thermometers are made there! Outside the Glass Museum was this sign (in German AND English.)


We did a little more wandering...








What better way to fight off jet lag then by climbing up to the castle (Burg Wertheim)! Built in the 12th century and expanded during the 15th to 17th centuries, it was destroyed in 1634 during the Thirty Years' War. Today the castle remains are among the largest in Germany.


To be continued...! You know I'm just starting!!!!! =)

Falling in love is like owning a dog ::: Taylor Mali

I've been awake for 33 hours. I second shot a wedding yesterday and came home to a very sick Grover. And now I am home from the emergency vet, sans my little sidekick, who is stuck in a cage, on oxygen, antibiotics, fluids, and nebulizer treatments. He was so violently sick that he aspirated when he was throwing up, and has given himself aspiration pneumonia. Nothing I could have predicted, prevented or otherwise done anything for.

Last night, for the second time in a row(!), this poem was read as one of the ceremony readings. It moved me so much the first time that I wrote to the poet, Taylor Mali, who so graciously responded in kind. I was so touched that he took the time to reply and was giddy when it appeared in last night's ceremony.

I loved it from a marriage perspective both times I heard it. But today, it holds a significantly different meaning. My dog saved me when my marriage unexpectedly ended. I am so head over heels in love with him, I'm not quite sure what to do without him, as I shuffle around my empty quiet house tonight. I know he's in wonderful, caring hands at the 24 hour emergency vet, but he's not with ME. I don't "like being left alone for long."


Falling in love is like owning a dog

an epithalamion by Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com

First of all, it's a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you're walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain't no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.

Love doesn't like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don't you ever do that again!

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you're all wound up and can't move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.

------

Thank you again, Taylor. Especially tonight.

Wedding ::: 08.08.09 ::: Coveleigh Club, Rye, NY

A few weekends ago, I had the pleasure of second shooting for my good friend Jacob Bergmeier of NODO Photography for the first time. And what fun we had!!!!

I ventured over the border into New York State, to the Coveleigh Club in Rye, for Michelle and Scott's wedding. Stunning!

And for anyone who's known me a long time, you have to know this view was heaven to me.

You have GOT to love a bride who is so relaxed that she's bouncing around with a camera. :)

I love love love all the getting ready time... getting ALL the girls as they get all gussied up!



Well of course, what camera could resist this little monkey? Whose name, I believe, was Jake!

Michelle wore SUCH a gorgeous, gorgeous dress.


I had to remove the watermark from this one to get the full effect... hahaha.

Almost ready to go!

Quick jaunt outside to the balcony.

Last minute check...

One last stop for some portraits for Jake...

And we were off to one of the more unique churches I've been in in a while!

So while I was waiting for everything to begin, I happened to look thru the door to see Michelle on the other side... I thought it might make for a neat, artsy pic.

But I ended up liking this one better. =) I know it's sort of hard to really see, because the glass was all fingerprinty and smeary, but it just cracked me up. She was too much fun.

Smooch! It's official!





Married!!

I simply adore this photo.











Can you not see this in your mailbox during the holidays?!

They were seriously too cute, I could eat them up.

We headed out to the front lawn for some bridal party shots... and stumbled upon LAWN BOWLING!!!

I really would have loved to stay and try my hand at it. I LOVE Bocce/Petanque. I'm pretty sure by default I'd love lawn bowling.

Just about the easy-going-est group ever.

OK, so I couldn't resist.



People keep commenting on my food shots. What can I say. I LOVE food. I love color. We all love details. :) So I shoot what makes me happy! And lobster claws and cheese make me happy.





The reception was one of the most fun nights ever. The band was phenomenal. I highly recommend The Rhythm Shop, based in NJ. I swear there had to be about 15 of them. Full brass section, at least 4 lead singers. Their sound was amazing and they played GREAT stuff.

They were so great about getting the crowd all pumped up... I don't think anyone stopped dancing!



All right, you'll be here all night if I keep going. Suffice it to say, it was a terrific wedding. Thanks again for having me along, Jake! (Love that Michelle did this!)

And many huge congratulations Michelle and Scott!!!!