Shooting Party at Biltmore

Last weekend I shot a mega birthday party celebration for a multimillionaire at the Biltmore Estate. They had two parties and one day of activities. The day of activities was the best because when the guests were all gone the guys running the events let me and the other photographers try them out.

There were three different stations set up on a secluded side of the Biltmore Estate: skeet shooting (which we didn't get to try,) archery, and Land Rover driving school. I had never shot a cross bow before so I tried my hand at that and got three bulls eyes, but I felt like I was cheating because they had a really great scope on the bow.

The most exciting thing was the Land Rover Experience. We all got to drive a new Land Rover through a muddy obstacle course to see what it could do. At one point it felt like the car was going to tip over, but it didn't. That was a fun time.

Katie

Time at the Cabin

Toward the end of our all too short stay at the cabin, papa took me and my cousins out to see some countryside. We all got a nice group shot on the top of a mountain, then we went to see the temporary flight 93 memorial, it's just a few miles from the cabin. And a trip to the cabin would not be complete without a swim in the creek. As you can see from the photos, it's sweater weather to say nothing of the temperature of the water. Kyle had never been, so he really wanted to swim. I was the only other person crazy enough to go with him.

The cabin has always been one of my favorite places to go since I was kid. I'm so glad I had the chance to take this trip and see so much of my family. My thanks go to grama and grandpa for being such great hosts as usual, to my parents for driving, to aunt marnie and aunt janny for conspiring to put this thing together and to my cousins who flew all the way up from Florida.

Katie

Fish Fry

Yum, look at that delicious fish. Every year my grandparents host a fish fry at their cabin in Pennsylvania with all the fish that my papa has caught and saved. This year I think he said they cooked 162 pieces and they were all gone before the party was over. Dad and papa fried up the fish in the garage because it was raining, but that didn't slow down the party.

Lots of friends and relatives showed up. Including Kerri and her husband Jack who went straight to the garage to sample some freshly cooked fish dad made. My great aunt Barbra, who hates to have her picture taken, showed off her wonderful smile for the camera and said that I would be off her black list if I made her look young and blond, so there you go. Of course I hardly had to do a thing to the photo.

I got a shot of my cousin Albert and his wife Cori with Nancy sneaking up behind them. Then I handed my camera over to Nancy to get a picture of me with my cousins and Grandmother. I told grandma I was too tall to sit in the chair and that I would cover her up, but she just laughed. But I scooted down at the last minute, so ha ha grandma.

Katie

Grandparent's 50th

I just got back from a trip to Pennsylvania to my grandparent's cabin for their 50th wedding anniversary. We had an original shot of them cutting their wedding cake and with the help of a local baker we recreated the cake and the shot. My cousins, Albert, Kyle and Jessica, flew up from south Florida to attend. Mom, Dad and I drove up with our pug dog Mae West and yes her tongue always sticks out. My cousins thought it was hilarious and posed for a picture with her. After some toasting and celebrating with family we went straight into the annual fish fry party. More on that in the next chronicle.

Katie