My Vision

I have a vision for my back yard.  You see, last year I began a photography business, specializing in high school Senior portraits.  I traveled to different locations in the area for portrait sessions.  So many of the seniors last year wanted their portraits done in a natural setting.  We would meet at a local park and do their photo shoot.  They would change their clothes behind screens.  Moms would lug around bags with clothing, shoes, hairbrush, etc.  There were no mirrors available to check how they looked.
And no bathroom.

So I have a vision.

I've been planning and working on this vision for months.  I am making an outdoor studio in my back yard.  For those that want to go on location for their photo shoot, I will gladly do that.  But for those that just want a natural setting with more flexibility - a bathroom, an air-conditioned place to change and get out of the heat, many more options to personalize their portraits, and the ability to preview the images if they wish - I believe this will be a fantastic location option.

But first, there is a lot of work left to do.  And I needed help.
Today, that help came.  A Bobcat and Vance.

During summers as a teenager Vance worked for a company that put in swimming pools,  and he had a lot of experience operating a Bobcat.  He seemed happy to get back in the seat once again!

Years of dumping leaves and brush, in addition to trees that were taken down and cut up after the snowstorm last October made the area behind the fence a mess.

I loaded up the bucket with the logs...

(Even though the logs were rotting and full of bugs, my garden gloves protected me!)

Then Vance carried them away!

After removing the logs and piles of brush, he leveled out the ground.

The dogs were watching through the fence.

Maddie should have stayed behind the fence, but she didn't!

We even discovered remnants of years long past - Adam's Thomas the Tank Engine bowl was in the dirt in the area of the "Indian Fort" where the kids once played.

By the end of the day, the yard looked so much bigger and cleaner!

I built this stone wall last week.  It will be a beautiful place for pictures!

I also built this natural stone wall out of boulders I dug up from the ground.

And these stone steps.  I can't wait to plant some woodland flowers here!

I so appreciate the power of the Bobcat.  We couldn't have done all this without it!
And I am so thankful for my wonderful husband too!

And Halle  (Sami is camera shy).

And Maddie.

I will continue to build my "studio" over the coming weeks.
I'm having so much fun designing it.

My vision.