Radnor Lake

 

Fall came in with a quiet murmur. Apple spice and cameras in hand, Brittani and I walked around Radnor Lake. Trees rustled, deer and turkey scampered. There's nothing quite like good conversation and perfect picture lighting with one of your dearest friends.

.  

Nashville falls are peaceful. In the midst of my hectic, busy college life, simple things like sweaters and tights, coffee and long hikes remind me to slow down and appreciate the beauty around me. I know spring is usually associated with new beginnings, but for me, it's fall. Fall brings a freshness and newness of spirit I can't really explain.

How did you spend the autumnal equinox?

xo,

Katy

caleb + krissy | married

 

 I shot my first wedding a few weeks ago.  

 I was really nervous. It was extremely hot that day, I wasn't feeling well, and I didn't have a second shooter. I'm so happy with the way these came out, though, and I wish Caleb and Krissy the best! 

xo,

Katy

VSCO 02

After months of justifying the cost, I finally gave in and bought LR4 and VSCO Film 02. I'd been using LR2 for a year and a half, and it just wasn't meeting my needs. It would constantly crash. Constantly. I would spend hours in LR and then in Photoshop, fine tuning my images. The cool thing about VSCO film? I can get the look I want without having transfer all my photos in Photoshop. That's handy when you're editing over 500 wedding photos!

I decided to go though some old photos and re-edit them, just to get the hang of LR4.



VSCO film is a really powerful editing tool. It's so simple. I love it!


I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend!
xo,
Katy

Poison and Wine

This is another one of those rare occurrences when I did actually get up in front of a group of people and sing. The Rossettis, and our brother society, the Bunyans, hosted an open mic night for rush week. Everything went really, really well! I seriously enjoyed every act that got up on stage. Thanks so much to everyone who showed up, ate queso, and performed! Y'all rock. :)

If you don't attend Welch College (does anyone from school read this? Hello out there!) this is my friend Andrew and I covering "Poison and Wine" by The Civil Wars. Enjoy. :)

xo,
Katy

you still linger here

 It was unseasonably cool this evening. I had a lot of pent-up energy. Normally, I just play the piano. Nothing relives my mind and relaxes my body quite like the feel of cool ivory keys beneath my fingers. I played for an hour, but I was still antsy and on edge. I laced up my dingy Nike shoes and threw on an old sweatshirt that once belonged to my mom. I put my iPod and shuffle and began to run. I like to run in the dark. It's comforting to me, and no one can see how ridiculous I look. The air was perfect--cool, tinged with moisture and the faint smell of roasting marshmallows from a bonfire somewhere down the street. My body relaxed, my mind cleared. It was just me, the lingering notes of my music, and the fall of my feet on the worn sidewalk.

I'm really quite out of shape, so I wasn't able to run the entire mile-and-a-half circuit around my school. I stopped on the dark sidewalk to catch my breath. I put my head to my shoulder to wipe my face. My heart stopped--I caught her sent. She hadn't worn this sweatshirt in years. It's been washed scores since she last wore it. But somehow, it still smelled like her. For a brief moment, I was six years old again, cuddled with her at a bonfire. Cool air, crisp breeze, the scent of roasting marshmallows. I let the sadness wash over me. I just stood there. I couldn't move. She was there with me. She had her arms around me, and I was happy. I could feel the pride she felt for me when I was six years old. I still feel it now, as I lay in my bed and think about all the Rossetti things I need to do this week.

Thanks for the comfort, mom. I can't help but think you're watching.

xo,
Katy

oh hey, september!

 

Can I be honest? The past couple of days have been rough.

First, I went to the doctor last week. She doubled the dose of one of my medications. Normally, I don't have any problem with side effects. But man. This medicine has done me in. I've averaged about four hours of sleep a night, and I've been super nauseated. Of course, I also seem to be suffering from some of the rarer side effects--I can't stop shaking, and I got a bad nosebleed at work today. I know it'll all go away in a few weeks, but meanwhile, it's a pain in the rear.

Second, I've had to drop Spanish. I just don't have time. I had a total breakdown over it today. I'm already 100+ pages behind in my Early American Lit class, and I'm really struggling with my Math Concepts class. (I'm seriously right-brained, y'all.) I have a lot of leadership responsibilities this year that I can't neglect. So, to maintain my sanity, I had to drop Spanish. The bad thing about that is this: I'll either have to stay in school an extra year, or I'll have to take summer classes and give up the mission trip to Mongolia for which I was applying. I know from the surface it looks like a lose-lose situation. I feel like a quitter and a failure. But I know my limits, and I know it's too much. I also know God has a plan in all of this. You'd think I'd have learned by now to stop making my own plans. Clearly, He has bigger and better things in mind. It's just hard to let a dream go. It really is. But what do I know? My mind is finite.

Thankfully, all was not lost today. I went to see Nashville's Shakespeare in the Park. They did a musical adaption of Much Ado About Nothing set in the 1940s. I'm currently reading Act IV of Much Ado. Obviously, this production was a bit off the beaten path, but it was wonderful. An iced pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks didn't hurt my night, either.

Anyway, that's just a quick update. Tomorrow is block party! I'm super excited for it, and for rush week! I'm really hoping we get some good, solid girls for The Christina Rossetti Society.

xo,
Katy

the perks of being a junior

 

The Perks of Being a Junior:

• I don't have class until noon on MWF and 4 PM on TuTh. This means a more flexible work schedule and more sleep. (Sleep is more valuable than money  in college, let me tell ya.)

• I get to park beside the dorm, instead of across the street or behind the dorm.
• I chose a first floor room this year, so no crazy stair climbing.
• I'm president of The Christina Rossetti Society (est. 1955) so I get to plan fun things and be on Student Council.
• As an upperclassman, I know what's up. Though college as a whole is a scary transition time, freshman year is the worst. As a junior, at least I know what's expected of me. 
• I get to help out freshmen as they transition into the crazy awesome adventure we call college.
• Did I MENTION I get to sleep in!?
• Being nearly done with my gen. ed classes.
• Getting to take classes like Shakespeare, Early American Literature, and Daniel and Revelation. (Which is my first 400 level class!) 
• The end is in sight. Kind of. If I survive this semester. 

I can't believe September is here already. Time is really starting to fly, and I'm cherishing every fleeting moment.

xo,
Katy