Short Pump, Virginia

A busy day at Cambridge Church

Vernon, foreground, and Gene meet early to go over music for the morning service.

Outside on the lawn the youth meet for class on a mild summer day ...

... and answer the question: "Have you ever set up a situation in which you felt you would never get caught?"

Erie listens to the discussion during Bible study ...

... Geneva leads.

Stephanie, minister to children, tells a story during the children's sermon.

Keegan makes his debut as a musician during the opening of the morning service before ...

... Pastor Jay Smith welcomes everyone and greets visitors attending for ...

... a special memorial service for Milo Biddou. Milo immigrated from Lebanon in her 20s, made a profession of faith at Cambridge and worked with the children here. Friends and family gather for the first anniversary of her death. Many who could not attend her funeral are here this morning.

Peggy embraces Milo's son. Peggy also lost her mother at a young age.

Steven, left, makes a profession of faith to Pastor Jay Smith and ...

... the pastor introduces him to the congregation.

All photographs taken with a Leica M8

Short Pump, Virginia

Sarah views a painting of herself for the first time. Local artist Paul Steinberg set up his easel and did the oil this morning at the Daily Grind. He was planning on starting the piece for a show he has next week at Wyndham Child Development Center. The idea was to finish it as part of the exhibit. But the painting took over and Steinberg found himself finishing it now — and doing a more interpretive, contemporary piece — neither of which he hadn't planned. He will begin another oil later for the show.

Photograph taken with a Leica M8

Short Pump, Virginia

Not everyone agrees geese crossing Church Road have the right of way. That's changed in recent years. I've seen cars backed up 50 deep either way in the past waiting for them to cross. Now we're more likely to hear horns blaring and cars driving on through, scattering them.

Photography taken with a Leica M8

Prijedor, Bosnia-Herzegovina

The above images is featured on www.yourphototips.com. A mother and daughter — displaced and separated in the Balkan conflict — are reunited after five years. During that time neither knew whether or not the other was alive. The daughter was in a refugee camp in Croatia. When she learned we were slipping across the river into Bosnia, she asked to go along. It is a miracle we found her mother. It was one of the most emotional experiences of my career.

Image taken on Fugi 400 film with a Canon EOS-1

Richmond, Virginia

Gypsy relaxes after a walk through city streets on a hot summer afternoon. The seven-month-old Golden Retriever puppy is friendly, outgoing and has all the makings of a great dog.

Photographed with a Leica M8

Short Pump, Virginia

Copperas Creek

Bookshelf ... what an odd eclectic collection!

Photographed with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump, Virginia

The perfect end of a day for Toby — cuddled up against his favorite person for the evening.

If Sadie could talk she would say: "You got caught in meetings and didn't get out and about today, so I have to endure you sticking that thing in my face. Now can I get back to my bone?"

Photographs taken with a Canon 5D Mark II

Richmond & Short Pump, Virginia

Richmond

Lyellen and Isaac visit their father at work.*

Short Pump

A self portrait of Dianne and I taken at home on Copperas Creek.**

*Photograph taken with a Leica M8

**Photograph taken with a Canon 5D Mark II

Short Pump & Richmond, Virginia

Short Pump

Children at Cambridge church listen to Win Davis, minister to youth and young adults, as he tells a story during the children's sermon.

Jason speaks to the congregation about the need for a new sign for the church. He has become something of an evangelist for it.

Michael, center, is a Navy recruit. He leaves in a few days for basic training. Pastor Jay Smith, left, and Price McLean, right — both Navy veterans —pray for him.

Win embraces Michael at the end of the service. Win was Michael's youth minister and Sunday School teacher as Michael grew up in the church.

Careytown Watermelon Festival

Temperatures near 100-degrees Fahrenheit don't stop Jenine from enjoying a bowl of fresh, cold watermelon at the Careytown Watermelon Festival.

Rock bands and vendors line Carey Street for nearly a mile.

It isn't planned, but the festival is usually held on one of the hottest days of the year. Few can remember a cool day for the festival. The temperatures didn't dampen the spirits of the bands this year, or in years past..

This image is for a friend who has been talking like a pirate lately. "Aye," she needs this T-shirt.

Isabel — my colleague Craig's daughter — demonstrates all the inventiveness of a six-year-old. It looks a little awkward, but she is drinking water a few drops at a time from the plastic cap that covers the nozzle of the bottle.

All photographs taken with a Leica M8

Short Pump, Virginia

It's breakfast club at the Daily Grind and Sadie is in her element. She not only sets up grabs of pastries and bagels — and finishes off cups of breakfast parfait if offered — but takes time to snuggle up with Jenine.

Sadie is something of a favorite at the Grind as the attention she is getting from Jenine, left, and Alyona, right, attests.

Photographs taken with a Leica M8

Arlington & Short Pump, Virginia

Arlington

Toby waits for Dianne on the lawn of Sunrise Assisted Living, Arlington. It is one of the facilities she serves as a nurse consultant.*

Short Pump

Jenine has found that advantages come with missing a front tooth. The space makes spitting a whole new experience.**

Alyona — young photographer with an old camera — will be taking a photography class in high school this year. She is required to have a film camera. She will learn to develop and print the film she shoots. This evening she is shooting her second roll of film with her Canon F-1. It is pleasing to see her with it. I carried a couple of F-1s for a number of years. Hers is in much better shape than mine. After years of use mine are brassy and beat up.*

A.C. is at the Daily Grind with his parents for the concert tonight.**

Conshafter, a Richmond alternative rock band, performs this evening at the Daily Grind. The band got it's name from a member of the crew two of the band members rowed with at the University of North Carolina. Left to right: Dave Cykert, lead guitar, Austin Tevis, drums, Chris Konstantinos, lead vocals, and Sarah McCalla, bass and backing vocals.*

Sarah also at the Grind as a very popular barista. She makes an incredible cappucino. In a few weeks she leaves for New York University to begin studies as a music business major.**

Lead singer Chris during the concert.**

One more photograph of Sarah. She will be missed by Sam, patrons and co-workers at the Grind, as well as the band. Dave says, "You just don't replace Sarah." Without question, everyone agrees.**

*Photographs with a Leica M8

**Photographs with a Canon 5D Mark II

Richmond, Virginia

Over the past decade, the Ghengis Kahn Mongolian Grill has become the traditional place to take photography interns to celebrate their time with us. Lindsey, far right, loads her bowl for the grill. This weekend she returns to Western Kentucky University for her senior year as a photojournalism student. By this time next year she hopes to be using her considerable skills overseas.

Photograph taken with a Leica M8

Short Pump, Virginia

There is a new Indian restaurant on Lauderdale Drive. The food is good and their restrooms spectacular.

Sadie watches for Dianne to come up the steps from the driveway into the Copperas Creek house. It's remarkable how attuned she and Toby are to the sound of our cars. They will ignore all others until one of ours comes down the street, then they head for the front of the house. When we arrive it's not unusual for us to see both of them appear in the window. We call them the pop-ups.

Photographs taken with a Leica M8

Short Pump, Virginia

Jenine lost a top front tooth last night. Her T-shirt is correct. As my mother-in-law used to say: "Snatched bald she'd still be cute."

Photograph taken with a Leica M8

Short Pump & Richmond, Va.

Short Pump

Lady's night out coverup at the Grapevine — The women pose with a copy of Michelangelo's David. The Trak family created quite a stir when Mary, wife of Chef Michael, bought the statue and set it out in front of the restaurant. The controversy subsided when it was decided the sculpture is art. The copy isn't totally accurate. Michelangelo was interested in little boys and certain parts of the original David reflect that. The copyist wasn't so enamored and it shows. This David is rather robust. The women grew up in the area. Their relationship goes back to first grade at Short Pump Elementary School. They still get together. I can't identify them. Somehow I don't think "Crystal XXX Queen" is a real name.

Now from the ridiculous to the mundane: For those who asked, this is the new door to the Cooperas Creek house during the day. Toby supervises from the window.

Richmond

Tessa, foreground, at her birthday lunch. She was a long-distance, editorial intern last summer working on the other side of the world. This year she is our staff intern in Richmond. She turned 22 yesterday and hopes to be halfway around the world again by the first of the year.

Photographs taken with a Leica M8

Short Pump, Virginia

Jay, above — pastor of Cambridge church — leads a discussion on internet presence for the church and where it needs to be in the future, while Joyce, foreground below, checks web trends on the current website. Her son Jeff, left below and husband Paul, center below, participate in the discussion. Jeff has done yeoman service coding the current site.

Photos taken with a Leica M8

Short Pump, Virginia

Cambridge Church

Jason, who recently returned from Africa (left), shows children at Cambridge where he helped build a school in Zambia.

Communion at Cambridge church.

Young adults gather at the Daily Grind for a Sunday afternoon Bible study.

Short Pump, Virginia

A group gathers at the Daily Grind for Kristen Joseph's, center, art exhibit. The opening is today between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Three of her paintings can be seen on the wall. Her textures and three-dimensional work is striking and colorful. The show will remain for several weeks.

Grayson celebrates when he scores and grabs a comfortable chair next to the artist.

Both Jenine, above, and Ferris, below, get tagged with a kiss.

The new door to the house on Copperas Creek is reminiscent of a Frank Lloyd Wright design. It floods what was a dark entrance hall with light.

Photographs taken with a Leica M8