While walking the streets of San Pancho, Mexico I was drawn photography this beautiful door. For the first time ever, I travelled without my Canon R10 mirrorless camera. It nudged me to pull out my iPhone in practicing my art.

The ‘Pink Bandana’ is the result of my very first exercise in a writing class I started recently. While it’s actually on fictional writing, the free-writing prompt: ‘I have always wondered why…’, never looked back as it began.

Photos have a way of bringing memories, moments and dreams to life. It seemed an impossible task to pick only a few photos to share this journey with you.

Riley died. The hardest day of my life - beautiful, sad, heart warming, heart breaking. The day I knew would always come. The day I owed it to her to be strong, to hear her message, to know it was time, to give her the one gift that would say it all.

In these seven weeks, I’ve tried to write her story. This is as far as it goes for now. It’s just not time. My grief does not allow it. I know in my heart writing her story will help me heal.

With my thoughts mired in misery, angst and wallowing self-pity I had to ask myself, “Am I manifesting misery or magic?”

Receiving a top 50 finish out of over 225 international entries is my not so subtle message from the Universe. 

2024 was a year of loss and sorrow intermixed with moments of joy and gratitude. 

Our hearts are called to support vulnerable youth with scholarships to experience the outdoor classroom