This Day I Helped A Blind Man See

I marched into the room with a smile on my face and flowers in hand. A gift from Teleflora and some dedicated Phoenix florists. "I have flowers for you, a gift....where can I put them that you can best see them" "Pfft, I can't see them, I'm blind" he replied. Taken aback and embarrassed, I regrouped, brought the flowers near his bed and asked if I might bring them closer. "They smell beautiful, may I bring them closer to you?" He agreed and I held them close to his face, where he leaned forward and took a deep breath. "They're Carnations and Daisies, may I show them to you?" I lightly laid my hand over his. Taking his fingertips we touched a carnation together. "This one is red, and this one next to it is white with red tips...and this one over here, well it's a pink gerbera daisy..." I swallowed hard noticing the tears in his eyes, thanked him for serving our Country and backed out of the room fast so that he couldn't 'see' me cry.

On Sunday we were invited to help with Teleflora's Make Someone Smile Week, arranging bouquets and delivering them to our local Veteran's Hospital and Hospice. It's not often that we can personally be of service, touch another's life. Walking through the wards delivering flowers I saw first hand the sacrifices these men made in service to our Country and I was humbled. Thank you to our local florist, Jennifer Foster Colvin of Ever After Floral Fine Wedding Design for giving me the opportunity to be of service this day, to Teleflora and Clara at Razzle Dazzle Flowers for organizing this event and Roy Houff Company for donating the beautiful flowers.

Happy Face Mugs were the base for our creations.  ©Marcia Mauskopf 2011

Karin Crawford of God's Garden Treasures                       ©Marcia Mauskopf 2011

Clara from Razzle Dazzle Flowers creating floral magic.  ©Marcia Mauskopf 2011

Finishing Bouquets.                                                            ©Marcia Mauskopf 2011

Ready for delivery.                                                           ©Marcia Mauskopf 2011

Book Me!

Every so often I get a surprise in the mail. Recently a book showed up. Digital Wedding Photography Art, Business and Style by Steve Sint. You might wonder why I'd bring this up...simply this. Steve was wonderful enough to once again include one of my images in his writings. I'm so pleased when my work gets out this way...and so pleased one of my colleagues has this kind of success. Congratulations, STEVE!

A Little Something For You

Hot! The makings for Salsa. Chile and onions, cilantro, tomatoes, mmmmm.....Just add the chips and I'm all over it. Right Click and download, you know what to do from there...got Tostinos?

Puppy Love - Biscuit

Napping In the Tack Room      ©Marcia The Art Of Photography 2011

You meet the most interesting people, um, I mean dogs, sometimes. Biscuit greeted me at my car when I pulled up to the stables and guided me up the road to the tack room and row of saddled horses last week. He was sure that I would be riding Diamond C and directed to him before greeting the next set of riders. Biscuit works hard at his job and when it's rest time works equally hard at that. Cowboy dogs take their responsibilities seriously...all of them.

Vintage Marcia

“It's always good to remember where you come from and celebrate it. To remember where you come from is part of where you're going.” - Anthony Burgess

Celebrating 23 years of being The Happy Family Historian by sharing some images from the vault. I love this image because it tells a story. You wonder where the couple is going...to a little hidden meadow perhaps? There's also a second story...I entered this image into international competition the year I created it, a time when Professional Photographers of America was still very traditional in it's judging criteria. I was honored to receive a Merit Award for this image and even more so when I was later told by one of the judges that he and another judge fought tooth and nail to award this editorial image when it didn't yet fit the views of the time of what a wedding image 'should be'.

Copyright Marcia Mauskopf, Marcia The Art of Photography