The Boundary Waters

I went camping with some friends in the boundary waters five days prior to moving into a new apartment, starting two new jobs on top of my last semester in college.  It was a much needed vacation.  In the woods I was reminded of myself, stalking chipmunks and turkey with my minolta in hand in the backyard of our suburban home.  I dreamed of National Geographic and the adventures that must have accompanied the 1200 dpi photos.  I've always looked up to Nat Geo photographers like Jim Brandenburg and Nick Brandt.

Charlie

I was working on this shot the other day at the Sheradons.  I saw a young man spinning his daughter Charlie at a party in Watertown and asked if I could join the fun.  The bilingual three-year-old had an endless amount of energy.  She would later dance to live music beside a bonfire until midnight.

A Day at the Sheradon's

Today I visited my friends the Sheradons at their home in Maple Plain, Minn.  The Sheradons are a family of mechanics and DIY advocates.  I go to them when in need of some car advice or a competitive game of horseshoe.  The kids are two and four years old and are already incredibly skilled at bicycling, trampolining, dirt biking, and getting into trouble.

13th annual 'Drunken Stupor Day' 08-08-11

As is customary, many of the artists involved in the Minneapolis Uptown Art Fair gather the day after the fair ends to take part in the 'Drunken Stupor Day'.  The annual shindig boasts a tradition of homemade food, beer, alcoholic treats, live music, chicken bingo raffles, fire performers and scandalous pursuits from guests of all ages.

LED hula hoop on fire.

In Chicken Bingo, a hen is placed in a pen with a numbered floor.  

If your number receives a special present from above (chicken poop), you win the raffle.

BLIND Inc.'s The Buddy Program teaches visually impaired children valuable skills for navigating the world

12-year-old Katie Fritz gets off a metro transit bus in South Minneapolis.  During a day in The Buddy Program, which is a three week program designed to teach visually impaired children useful skills, Fritz rode the bus to and from the University of Minnesota.

11-year-old Jamison Christopher, right, learns computer skills at the Pillsbury Mansion in South Minneapolis. Instead of requiring a monitor, the visually impaired children use an audio speaker that verbalizes their actions in order to keep track of their work.