The past few days have involved a lot of face time with my computer.  But I definitely can't complain.  The view from my window makes me feel like I'm living in a treehouse.

On a nice day you can see clear to the mountains.

We are also the proud new owners of an orange tree.  Through quite a bit of effort by Tony and our friend Dennis (who didn't know he was conscripted for labor until he arrived at our apartment that day), it now sits in our balcony with little oranges growing as I write.  I am hopeful, despite having a rather notoriously black thumb, that this plant won't go the way of our other plants.  It helps that this tree is a fair size, so I'm hoping it'll be a little tougher, and I'm also hoping that the golden California sunshine will do the rest.

And every so often I venture outside to work.  There is nothing like the lure of a jukebox, a portabello mushroom burger and a milkshake to get me outdoors.  Our neighborhood is full of quirky shops and eateries. 

Here is a teaser from a wedding I shot this past weekend.  

As a wedding photographer you try to be incognito, or at least as close as we can dressed all in black with a lot of equipment dangling off our necks.  It's the best way to get the candid shots that tell the story of the wedding day.  This shot was taken during the bride's procession.  I love the look of anticipation.  It was a wonderful wedding for a very special couple and I'm very excited to share those photos with you soon.  :)

And as nice as it is to be able to run around and shoot freely, it is also an amazing feeling to be greeted by the family of the bridal couple on a first name basis and to be given a hug like a friend by the couple at the end of their wedding day.  It is a constant reminder of why I love what I do, and how blessed I am to work with such amazing people and listen to their stories.

The Los Angeles Arboretum is a lovely idyllic place that can still boast of a few little niches that are left to run a little (pleasantly) wild.

An afternoon visit with Ellen felt a bit like a slice of of Planet Earth (well, a significantly cheaper, non-HD version with no NASA technology and BBC orchestra).  We saw a heron's distended neck swell to double its size as it attempted to gulp down a fish the size of his head and squirrels dexterously peel nuts from a tree. 

It was also a little electrifying to watch peacocks stroll casually around the grounds.  And something was obviously in the air as I watched a peacock chase out an offending male, then perform his little courting dance to attract the attention of a less-than-enthused female.