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“Closeness, friendship, affection- keeping your own horse means all these things.” Bertrand Leclair

I had a wonderful opportunity to photograph a beloved pet the other day.  This one a horse.  A beautiful horse I might add.  Now I don’t know a ton about horses, but I am learning.  They are such intriguing animals.  Such big animals with big personalities too match!

Cancion and Colleen

Concion is Colleen’s horse and she and I have been wanting to do a pet portrait session for some time now.  Colleen would find any of her pets special (she loves animals) but this horse has a unique story to go with it.  Cancion used to be owned by a very good friend of Colleen’s.  Sadly, this friend passed away from breast cancer and Colleen became the new guardian for Cancion.  Colleen brought Cancion all the way from the state of Virginia to the far reaches of northeastern Minnesota and she now has a new, loving and happy home in Embarrass, MN at Morning Thorp horse farm.  You know about Embarrass right?  It boasts some of the coldest temperatures on the continent and is about 1/2 hour from Ely.

Cancion

So, on one of Colleen’s many trips to visit her horse, we arranged a location portrait session.  Initially Colleen didn’t want or expect to be in any of the images.  But how could I resist!  I mean, one of the most precious things about horses is their relationship to their owners.  Truly, it is a labor of love to care for a horse and understand their unique personalities.  I so enjoyed the opportunity to create these images!  I also enjoyed Colleen and Cancion’s patience when I suggested we put the wreath around Cancion’s neck!  Both were such a good sport!

Cancion rises to the occasion with a wreath around her neck

If I had to wait any longer for our first November snowfall I would have…screeeeamed!  Yesterday we received a couple inches of nice, dense snow that has been sticking around.  Finally, I got out the shovels.  I have never been so happy to shovel!  I know, there are some of you out there that are thinking I’m crazy, but to each their own and thats what makes the world go round.

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, my assistant Linda was able to decorate my window boxes.  She does such a fantastic job and they are different every year.  She collects her greens from the forest and does fancy stuff with pretty ribbon (I love stars).  This year, she got ahold of some second hand ball ornaments and the colors are fab!

Toni, my other assistant, decorated the inside of the gallery.  I’m telling you, I have such a beautiful showroom!  You have to come over and look!  It will make you lighten up and feel the spirit of the season.  I just love this time of year!