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Take a Picture, It'll Last Longer | Carolina Photosmith

Posted on February 21, 2010

Chirping birds, glorious blue skies and warmer temps all came together today to inspire my first island bike tour in months. Blissful. Lots of folks have spring fever, and we took our first antidote yesterday, when, just seven days after playing in a rare Charleston snow, we celebrated Alden’s third birthday with a backyard jump castle extravaganza.

The rain is forecasted to roll in tomorrow, so this was the perfect way to round out the weekend with more outdoor fun. As I pedaled along, grateful to be living near the sea, I shamelessly admit I became slightly annoyed by a few things.

The first was the tempting aromas pouring out of island eateries. I could almost taste the pimento cheese burger and fries at Poe’s, the pulled pork sandwich across the street at Home Team BBQ and scent of grilled fish and grits wafting over Breach Inlet. That’s okay, I can indulge another time. But then came the aggressive gulls trying to move in on my granola bar as I enjoyed a few minutes of beach yoga. And finally, the Sunday drivers, putting along in the middle of the street, ogling the beachfront pads, oblivious that they might take out a jogger, a wagon-toting family or a cyclist. Eyes front, por favor.

Anyway, none of those petty grievances could encroach on my joy for long. Perhaps the only real bummer of biking along on such a fantastic day is that I witnessed some great would-be photos and I was camera-free. First, I glimpsed two adorable stringy-haired girls – one blonde, one brunette – hanging out in their soccer duds. Two giggly pals parked in the grass with their pink soccer ball next to a red fire hydrant. Carefree girliness personified.

Next, I almost ran over a group of birds by Fort Moultrie. I’ve had no success sneaking up on these long-beaked birds on the beach or in a boat, and here they were marching across the street from Stella Maris as if they’d realized a communion wafer was no substitute for a Sunday lunch. Make way for oystercatchers!

And finally, a vision that the men would surely appreciate. Seems I wasn’t the only one with spring fever. A group of superfit bikini-clad women was playing volleyball on a sand court in an Isle of Palms sideyard. My bare legs were frozen after pedaling into the chilly headwind, and these gals were just rockin’ their fit summer Olympian frames in a vision that screamed July.

Hmmm, there’s an idea. July. Bring it on!

So what photo-worthy visions have you seen lately? Please share your comments by clicking the link above by the title of this post.

Lucky Babe to Win Free Photo Session | Carolina Photosmith

Posted on February 19, 2010

Forget Waldo. I’m looking for the world’s cutest baby!

Okay, each bundle o’ joy is The Most Precious to a bunch of people, so I’ll leave the choice to you. If you know someone whose child will be celebrating his or her first birthday between April and July, encourage the parent to e-mail a snapshot to me with the child’s name and birthday.

I’ll be accepting submissions until the end of February, then I’ll post them to my Facebook business page. You, your friends and your family members vote by making a comment on your favorite baby face. Anyone who “becomes a fan” of my Facebook business page is eligible to vote. Easy, peasy!

The winner will receive a free cake smash session valued at $100, plus a free cake to enjoy as a snack or use as body paint or shampoo. If we schedule the Charleston session a few weeks prior to the birthday, the winner can order invitations, stamps or thank-you notes with the photo. (Rest assured, there’s no obligation — I’m just eager to fill a b-day babe gap in my portfolio.)

Red rover, red rover, send those gorgeous babes on over! For questions or comments, click the handy “Leave a Comment” link above (by the title of this post).

Baby, Be Mine | {Girls’ Night Out}

Posted on February 5, 2010

So it’s the month of love. And the groundhog sentenced us to another six weeks of gloom. So what’s a girl to do? Pick up a colorful bundle of tulips and a few bottles of bubbly and call a few gal pals. Tell them to dust off their wedding albums, dig up their VHS tapes and come ready to gush about their Big Day. Never mind it was ten years ago. (That’s the point!) Hilarity will ensue.

If you try this at home (which is encouraged), it’s pretty amusing to limit your one-time-bride friends to those whose weddings you didn’t attend. You can learn so much about a gal’s Aisle Style! (That clever phrase is credited to the current Charleston Museum exhibit of the same name.)

We laughed lots and learned plenty. One friend has a hubby whose middle name is an homage to his mom’s fave “Gone With the Wind” character. Another pal broke out a portrait of her dog sporting a bow tie. And a few 90′s veterans of wedded bliss kept us in stitches with their big hair and bigger crinolines. And with the Vancouver Olympics just a week away, the mothers of brides’ spangly gowns provided a timely reminder of the costumes we’ll see during the heated battle for the Ice Dancing gold.

Trust me, this themed gathering will have you giggling until spring finally appears. And remember, friends who don any portion of their bridal attire earn bonus chocolate-dipped berries!

Care to comment? Share a funny wedding moment? Happy February!