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At Brynn & Brian’s new place

Last summer, my friends Brynn and Brian were what we refer to as “big, brave dogs,” and moved to a brand new town. It was a long and challenging transition, and in the fall they were rewarded by finding their dream house. It sits on multiple acres in a lovely town in the Fingers Lakes, and perhaps best of all, it came with two horses.

For as long as I’ve known Brynn, she’s loved horses. Many ladies love their pony calendars and horse photographs but not all of them cross over into the territory of volunteering at stables, taking riding lessons, and spending weeks in Ireland riding on the back of one from town to town. When Brynn found an amazing house that just happened to comewith horses, I knew she was realizing a lifelong dream. I never doubted that she would take on the challenge of owning and caring for these animals but what’s been so neat to see is how much Brian has come to love them and know them. Brian plays with them, cleans them, drives his new tractor around them, and even watches DVDs in order to better his knowledge of them.

Levi and Tess, as their two are called, are in great hands.

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Sweet Audrey

My friends recently welcomed the most perfect baby girl into the world. Over the weekend I photographed eight-day-old Audrey, and I think anyone who sees these photos will agree: she is the sweetest. Congratulations Natalie and Brian (and their very excited families)!

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February 6, 2013 - 10:23 AM

Noemi Santiago - Hi Whitney!

I LOVE your work of course! I hope all is well with you and your family :) Keep up the awesomeness!

Love ya,
Noemi

February 8, 2013 - 9:56 AM

whitney - Thanks, Noemi!

hello winter, hello blog

First, an acknowledgement: I abandoned this blog for most of 2012, and I would not like to do that in 2013. Consider this my promise to update with personal posts and whitney arlene photography content more often.

Second: hello, February.

I don’t want to admit how many times some version of the phrase, “Can you believe it’s ____ already?” passes through my lips. Often, too often. I have started pinning garden-related photos to my various Pinterest boards, and dreaming about weeknight picnics at Woodlawn beach after work. Warm weather months are now my desire when just recently I was sick of wearing sandals and tank tops, and wanted to hide inside of big sweaters and mud boots. This year’s summer longing has hit me much earlier, much harder than previous winters. I’m trying hard to conjure patience with the season and to focus on “winter fun.”

So far, here’s what is helping me deal:

Training for a 5K. Last year I decided I wanted to run a 5K before my 30th birthday, which happens to be about five months away. My sister-in-law and I signed up for a color run on April 10th, and I am just starting my training. I know 5Ks are considered easy-peasy to most folks but for an on/off runner like me, it is a great challenge.

Sewing. I stopped being afraid of my sewing machine, and now I’m in love with it. I have developed a healthy obsession with fabric too, as predicted by my friend Samantha, and am constantly thinking of projects to start (must only include straight lines, no clothes for now). Thus far I’ve made bunting for a baby nursery,  curtains for a guest room, and delightfully simple pillow covers. I think my greatest discovery of Winter 2012-2013 may end up being the following: Sewing + Podcasts + Coffee = Best Sunday activity.

Wanderlusting. Actually, this might make winter harder. Regardless, I have been throwing myself into future/dream travel. Dear friends of ours are living in Guatemala right now and when doing research for a potential trip to see them (!!!) I discovered Lake Atitlan (spoiler: it features VOLCANOS). I’m pretty sure it is out of a fairy tale. If we can’t swing it this trip, I am determined to rent this insane house at some point in my life.

 

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February 4, 2013 - 1:48 PM

Whitney - A resounding WOOHOO to the new blog post! I love the snowy picture and the daydreaming about sunnier skies ;) That place in Atitlan sounds amazing

February 8, 2013 - 9:56 AM

whitney - Thanks, Whit! Reading your blog had me feeling inspired to get back to my own.

Hi there

In March, Sean and I put in an offer on a house and then went to Puerto Rico for a week on a long-planned vacation. We came back, did the inspection, and signed the contract. We should close in about three weeks. I am still keeping (i.e. not selling) my current house for now, and manage it as a rental property along with my friend and co-owner Stephen. The past several weeks have been all about painting, packing, and purging. In May, our new nephew was born and he is a tiny, adorable doll. I love him so much and I’ve only known him for about three weeks! On Saturday night he fell asleep on my legs and made the funniest faces.

Seasons keep changing and the first of the month keeps arriving, always a shock. Until things settle down here, my posts will continue to be intermittent. You can always check out my latest photos at THIS IS BFLO.

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January 29, 2013 - 10:56 PM

Elizabeth Fein - hello! This is Elizabeth Fein, amadea on livejournal. I was looking over my old memories posts tonight and found one of yours, and it made me wonder what you were up to. Your photography is beautiful! The last post I can see of yours, you’re remarking on what it’s like to turn 27… so funny to think I “knew” you when you were in high school! Anyway, just saying hi, and thank you for all the good words over the years. I’m living in Chicago now, married to Pete AKA “Not-Joe”, just finished my Ph.D. and am working part-time as a university professor and part-time as a psychotherapist with people with Asperger’s Syndrome. And singing and songwriting with a couple of bands. Hope you are well!

personal: weekend trips

Sean and I decided to take more weekend trips this year because we both regretted not seeing some of our friends and family more (or at all) in 2011. In mid-February we drove up to the Adirondacks with Natalie and Brian for a long weekend stay with Brynn and Brian. They live in Long Lake, and visiting them is always a source of much-needed relaxation and inspiration.

Clockwise below: Natalie & Brynn looking out over the lake; breakfast burritos on Monday morning; Brian and Sean playing at the ICE CASTLE in Saranac Lake; Sean & me smooching on frozen Long Lake; Brynn’s knives have moose hats; the unfrozen side of Long Lake; the men; Brynn & Brian in Lake Placid; and in the middle is a smiley Natalie on Sunday night at the brewery.

This past weekend I took the train from Buffalo to Albany, where my friend Kim was waiting to take me to her place in Northampton, Massachusetts. I’d been there once before, for about two hours, and was eager to check the place out. Kim’s apartment is right in the heart of Noho and we spent the weekend eating tons of food, shopping (and looking) in all the cute little stores, and catching up. I was so distracted by the friendship and eating that I barely took any photos beyond my iPhone (and if you follow me on instagram you know I at least took a ton of those). On Sunday morning before I got back on the train to come home, we had breakfast at The Roost, where I took the below photos. My sandwich was a delicious blend of egg, cheddar, avocado, and pico de gallo, and I did not want to stop eating it at all, even to preserve its memory in a photograph.

So yeah, my two weekend trips were successful and have inspired me to plan a few more for this Spring. What’s your favorite place to visit for a weekend? How far are you willing to go?

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