Posts with tag: "lake life"
We All Have a Story, Krista Lawton; Rochester, NY Portrait Project
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
By Hayes Photography
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I grew up at the South end of Skaneateles Lake. We spent our summers on the lake in my parent’s boat, and when we got older, they built a small cabin “up north”, where we then spent our summers on the river (Rensselaer Falls, NY). The water never left me. 

After buying a house, my husband and I  quickly bought the most perfect starter boat. It was great until we had our daughter. We knew we’d need something bigger so we decided to upgrade to a cruiser. She was a June baby which means she’s been on the water practically since the day she was born. 

The water,  for us, is about family, friends (who are like family), and relaxation. I am a mom, a wife, and a teacher. I spend every summer recharging for the following  school year on the water. It’s such a huge part of us and we look forward to raising our family on the boat every summer.When August arrives,  I can’t stop thinking how nice it would be to bottle it up for the long, cold months of winter ahead. 

For us, there’s no better place to be. 

 

Krista Lawton

ELA Teacher

Webster Schroeder High School

I have to thank Krista, her husband and daughter so much for allowing my husband and me to take a spin on their boat on Irondequoit Bay on that gorgeous day! It was clear the love they have not only for each other and their beautiful girl, but for life on the water. As someone who grew up on a lake (in NH) I can appreciate her sentiments fully. Thanks for visiting the blog and make sure to leave Krista a comment!!!

 

 

Tags: family portraits, We All Have a Story, webster central school district, portrait project, educator, lake life, Irondequoit Bay, family activities
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We All Have a Story: Patty Cooke; Rochester NY Portrait Project
Saturday, March 28, 2020
By Hayes Photography
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“The mountains are calling” is more than a cliché.  For me, it’s a reality.  

In the warm summer breeze across the lake, the wind atop a mountain, or the crunch of pines below my feet, I hear a voice say, “Isn’t this beautiful?  We are so lucky!” It is the voice of my mother.

Since 1941, my mother’s family has spent every summer camping in the Adirondack Mountains. I was nine months old when my mother first took me, along with her four other children, camping.  We stayed in a big, green army tent, down the way from our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. For weeks, we would share in the simple pleasures of the wilderness: climbing mountains, hiking trails, sliding down waterfalls, and swimming in clear, cool lakes. We played Scrabble on the beach (Grandma always won), built sand castles, picked blueberries and (begrudgingly) did chores.  At night, we sat around campfires, singing tunes from the 1920s. Four generations of my family marveled at the beauty of every setting sun, every shooting star, and every glorious moonrise. Before her early death at the age of 53, my ever grateful mother would say, “Isn’t this beautiful? We are so lucky!” And lucky we are!  

Today, my cousins, siblings and I still bring our children to the mountains, where we share the joys of a simple life, under a thousand slumbering pines. There is a profound sense of peace that flows along a babbling brook as the words of my mother reverberate through mountain cols. At the summit of every mountain, the wind gently kisses my face as it whispers to me.  My mother’s words prevail. And the mountains are calling.

 

Patty Cooke

Guidance Counselor

Webster Schroeder High School

 

Send Patty some love. Make a comment!

 

Tags: Hayes Photography, Webster Schroeder High School, portrait photography, We All Have a Story, webster central school district, portrait project, Adirondacks, lake life, guidance counselor
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