An Ode to the Heart of Summer

I’ve been holding off posting a lot of these photos for a variety of reasons, but then they get lost and forgotten.  And that is just sils – the whole point of taking documentary photos is to enjoy looking back at them.  Thus, here is my ode to the heart of summer.

Portland summers are ridiculous.   I don’t think you’ll understand what I mean by that until you’ve lived here and experienced it first-hand.   Running around barefoot on rocks, jumping into the Columbia River Gorge, drinking a gin and tonic with wild blackberries found along the walk, traversing through thick brush to get to a bird’s nest, feeling wet hair stick to your neck, nibbling on ginger snaps and dark chocolate in a canoe, sitting on rooftops watching the sun retire at 9pm.  This is why people power through the rainy winter season here in the Northwest.

Beyond Portland, I was able to travel quite a bit.  Adventures were nothing short of searching for sea monsters in the lakes of Montana, trespassing into a paper tree farm for the sake of a good photo, riding on the back of an ATV through the mountains with unreal views…

…taking a ferry to a remote island in Canada, sharing a meal in an apple orchard, roadtripping with a 12 car caravan, celebrating marriage of dear brothers and sisters…

…wearing a cowboy hat whilst hiking in Colorado, asking to ride in the back of a Dad’s truck bed at night on the way home from dinner, serving a simple breakfast on a tray to be enjoyed on the front porch.  Yes.  To all these things and more.  I never want to take these moments for granted. Thank you God for the beautiful summer you granted, your beauty, and fellowship.  You are good.

Photo 1,3,4,5 by James Fitzgerald III, Photo 2,6,7,8 by Joy Kim of MADE BY SOHN, and last photo by Parker Fitzgerald on an old disposable