2024

Brooklyn, Michigan

I moved around a lot as a kid, but I call Brooklyn, Michigan, my hometown. It’s the place I lived the longest, went to school the longest, and really grew up.

Brooklyn is a small village in southern Jackson County – the home of Michigan International Speedway, the Irish Hills, and Hometown Pizza, my first jobby-job through high school and even into college when I came home for breaks.

My family still lives in Brooklyn, but not in town, so I don’t get to see the village square every day like I used to. That’s why I took a hot August night, grabbed some pizza at Hometown, and hit Main Street for a photo walk using my trusty Canon 5D and 40mm f/2.8 lens.

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Jackson County Fair

Even though I feel like it’s the same-ol’, same-ol’ each year, our local county fair never disappoints.

Shot on a mixture of EF-M 22mm and 32mm, with the Canon M200.

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Return to Door County

Every two years.

From 2018 to now, we head up to Door County, Wisconsin, for our annual family summer vacation. With no better idea this year, we made our way back in July.

Some familiar sites, some brand new. Just in time for cherry season. And beautiful weather along Lake Michigan and Green Bay. Lucky us.

Greens and blues, reds and browns. Maritime cities and rural countryside. Beach days and quick day trips.

Along the way: memories. 

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Vandercook Lake

We took the first day of August and hit the lake: paddleboards, swimming, and catching the last sunlight of the day.

From here, we’re off to Door County, Wisconsin, again for our summer holiday. That means more sunsets, more paddleboards, and more time on the water. 

Gotta love summer in the upper Midwest.

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Coyoacán

As opposed to Roma, a more modern neighborhood, Coyoacán is pure history to the south of Mexico City. 

A few coworkers took us down to explore the markets and chapel and walk the streets to Frida’s house. I also had the best popsicle I’ve ever had: pure, frozen lime juice with a bit of sugar. Amazing. I should’ve bought two.

This place felt like a classic Mexican neighborhood, filled with history and culture. Alive and ancient at the same time.

And just in case anything was stolen, I brought my classic Canon EOS M, paired with the 22mm f/2. She still runs like a champ.

 

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Another World

Also on our California itinerary: Joshua Tree National Park, a long car ride on our last day so I could introduce the family to the desert.

“It’s like another planet,” my wife said, driving through the limestone boulders, washed clean by ancient floods.

Those were the exact thoughts I had 17 years ago, driving through New Mexico, Arizona, and eastern California. Another world.

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Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

 

We’ve always been a musical family, but we officially became a musical theatre family this fall.

The women in our group all joined the cast of Center Stage Jackson‘s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – my daughter Madelyn taking a lead role as Jemima, Riley as one of the ensemble kids, and Jaime as the wicked baroness. 

That meant lots of light nights, back and forth trips to rehearsal, and tired kiddos who aren’t used to staying up late for practice. But the last two weekends, it all came together.

The show’s director, Lisa, is a close family friend, and she let me hang out back stage for some behind the scenes photography. 

Supporting the local arts in our communities means showing up, and lending talents where needed. 

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