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Book Covers and Serendipity

Posted on February 26, 2018September 23, 2023 by Tressie

Riley on a book cover?

Sometimes serendipity strikes when you least expect it – a happy series of events has lead to a small adventure and new friends for Riley and me.

Scrolling through my social media accounts last November, catching up on everything my friends were up to, I was startled by a text out of the blue from a friend who I had not heard from in several months.

The text was simple. A photo of a book, and the words “Look familiar!!”

I read the text, and did a double take. Wait. OMG. Is that? Holy crap, Riley is on a book cover!!!!

I sell several of my older images as microstock, and this photo of 8 year old Riley has been one of my most popular to date. But…this is the first time I have seen it (or any others) on a book cover.

I immediately texted Riley, who responded “That’s so cool! Can we buy it”

Of course we can!!!!

After having a few minutes to think about it, I decided that I would take it one step further and contact the author to see if I could somehow purchase a signed copy.

Without telling Riley my plan, I reached out to author Leah Weiss the morning of December 3. Leah responded immediately, and after a short exchange of messages, let me know that not only was she in Michigan visiting family, but that she had free time and would love to meet Riley in person.

What?? My goal of purchasing a book had turned into a meet and greet with the author!! Talk about serendipity – what are the odds that when I decided to contact Leah, she was only an hour from my house?

The meeting was all we could have hoped for and more. Leah and her husband Dave are positively the sweetest they could be, and Riley and I greatly enjoyed our time with them.

We talked about books, and reading, and how Riley and I could not wait to read “If The Creek Don’t Rise”. We talked about family, and growing up, and basketball, and never giving up on your dreams. It was like a visit with old friends, and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

A few photos and some hugs, our time together in person was over all too soon, but the memories made and friendship forged will last forever.

If the Creek Don’t Rise – Leah Weiss

I have since read “If The Creek Don’t Rise”, and highly recommend it. A beautifully portrayed portrait of life in Appalachia, I was transported to another place in time. Throughout the entire story I found myself rooting for Sadie Blue, seeing a strength and power in her that she did not see in herself. As each character was introduced I felt as if I were meeting each one personally, gaining an insight into their motivations and changing my perceptions and assumptions of who I thought they were. The end…the end is not what I expected…but perfect.

I am a photographer, not a book reviewer – so…you really should just read the book and see for yourself.

Find “If The Creek Don’t Rise” on Amazon, or at any major retailer.

PS – local folks stay tuned. Author Leah Weiss will be visiting Michigan in August 2018 for her book tour. The Michigan leg of her tour may include a special guest (or two)…shhhhhh…

11 Travel Photos You Should Take If You Want To

Posted on November 15, 2017September 1, 2024 by Tressie

There is something to be said for technically perfect and beautiful travel photos. There is also something to be said for photos that make you happy – both when you create them, as well as when you look back at them later.

I read a lot about photography, and an article titled “11 Travel Photos You Should Stop Taking Right Now” showed up in my Facebook feed shortly before a trip with my daughter.

About halfway through the article, my first thought was “hey, I LIKE some of those vacation photos!”. My second thought was all “DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO” and my third was “hey Riley, look at this article. Wanna do ALL of them on our next girls trip??”

Because hey – who makes the rules anyway? Photograph and share what makes you HAPPY. (Except selective color. Please never do that. Also see notes below on railroad tracks – stay safe people)

It’s my Travel and I’ll take cheesy photos if I want to. And here they are.

11 Travel Photos You Should Take If You Want To

1. Railroad Tracks

Ok, on this one we actually agree with the original article. While I don’t mind the cliche of the “tracks into the horizon” shot, train tracks are not safe. So…just say no. Staying safe, our interpretation of this shot is a “Boardwalk into the distance”. We made a lot of trips to the Lake Michigan beach near Little Sable Point Lighthouse – this boardwalk leads to where you buy your tickets to tour the inside and climb to the top.

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Harlem Globetrotters – Huntington Center Toledo

Posted on August 9, 2017September 28, 2023 by Tressie

A Gift of The Harlem Globetrotters

For the last couple of years, I have made it a mission to stop purchasing so many “things” and to start giving the gift of fun, togetherness and time. In December of 2015, the Christmas gift to our family was an outing to see the Harlem Globetrotters at the Huntington Center in Toledo, OH. To date, this is one of the most fun we have had as a family with a Christmas gift!

I’m not a huge sports fan, but even I had a great time at the show. There is

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The Creature Conservancy

Posted on August 2, 2017September 28, 2023 by Tressie

The Creature Conservancy

Where in Ann Arbor, MI can you see an Arctic Fox, a Reindeer and an albino Alligator? The Creature Conservancy !

Warm sun on our faces, Alex and I entered and were immediately intrigued by the black swans floating gracefully in the pond directly in front of us. In the distance to the right side of the pond, Emus wandered down to the waters edge to get a drink. A gentle breeze created tiny ripples in the water, prompting me to take a deep relaxing breath.

Slowly walking to the right, Alex and I headed toward the main building. Immediately upon entering, we met Luna the albino Alligator. We watched Luna for quite some time, swimming back and forth in her enclosure. It never occurred to me that Alligators could be albino, or what they would look like – Luna is beautiful!

After visiting Luna, we saw countless turtles and snakes. As we wandered, a playful and talkative raven named Poe caught our attention. Poe loved to bob his head, and say his name – “Poe Poe!, Poe Poe!”. We saw a sloth, muntjac deer, crested porcupines, an armadillo, barnyard animals and more.

Animal Presentations

Sven the Reindeer was the featured animal the day that Alex and I visited, and we entered the center room of the main building to watch Sven on the stone stage. Sven proudly shook his antlers, and strutted the length of the barrier to show everyone just how beautiful he is.

Other presentations included cougar feeding, alligator feeding, and cougar play time.

Hands On

The best part of the visit, was how many opportunities there were for hands on, interactive moments with the animals. Everything was very up close and personal, and in many cases you could touch the animals.

The entire location – indoors and out – had the relaxed, homey feeling of a farm, and people who work there are clearly passionate about what they do. The animal handlers were friendly, outgoing and eager to talk about the animals they care for. Alex and I were only there for a couple of hours, but we learned so much on our visit and walked away with a greater appreciation of the creatures that we share this planet with (and the people who advocate for them).

If you’re looking for a relaxing, low key outing with your kids in the Ann Arbor area, the Creature Conservancy is the perfect place to spend a couple of hours.

The Creature Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that takes in injured, non-releasable wildlife and occasionally acquires individual animal ambassadors to meet their teaching goals. To learn more about The Creature Conservancy, visit their Website.