“Summertime is always the best of what might be”
— Charles Bowden
The backyard is simply enchanting. A rope and tire swing rest under a cool tree canopy & flickering summer light, a moment of stillness before the two boys grabbed ahold fly in a subtle arc that is guided by their young body weight. The yard is dotted with oranges and reds–from furniture to flowers–they pop in a sea of summer greens and family blues. Two sweet ol’ pups pace the deck, while Paul starts the dinner grill. Francesca alternates between giving underdogs and leaning back into the downy grass. The spaced hums with joyful chatter.Circles, oh so many circles. And perfectly dirt-loved legs and toes.
I’m pretty sure the boys ate the entire jar of pickles.
In a moment of thoughtful gratitude time, the pickle was still calling his name. I’m utterly charmed by the colors and shapes at the picnic table. Oranges, blues, yellows and warm, dappled light and weathered wood embody Dinner On the Deck.
Is a summer meal complete without ice cream? Francesca serves orange sherbet in a cone. Family documentary photography captures these tiny details–sherbet, inhaling pickles, skinned summer knees.
A nightly family walk takes them to the playground. They’re all here!
Back home and getting ready for bedtime.
“Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is the way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find the wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples and pears.
Show them how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself.”–William Martin
xo,
Jen
Beautifully Ordinary is trademark of Jen Lucas Photography, LLC.