there’s something magical in summer air. it always casts its spell on me this time of year. without a single expectation i’ll walk outside some may evening, a clean breeze will sweep over me for the first time in a long time, and a sudden sense of nostalgia — as warm as the wind — wraps me up like a blanket.

i remember countless times when that summer wind carried the smell of hot pavement to my nostrils from a movie theatre parking lot. like clockwork, as soon as school ended, i would celebrate by racing out to see the big new summer blockbuster. the rest of the summer played out on woodland bike trails and in neighborhood swimming pools — all of this with my best pal, alan. over time, our summer adventures and misadventures extended to weekend kayaking trips, camp counseling, multiple voyages to alaska, and a thousand other enduring memories. more recent summers even led to thoughtful conversations about very special women who had come into our lives. soon, we were trading our t-shirts and faded blue jeans for tuxedos to wear as groomsmen in each other’s weddings.

maybe that’s why i felt so nostalgic when eileen and i took these photos of avery, alan and his wife glenda’s one-year-old daughter. the air was as warm and fresh as all the memories it awakened; but suddenly there was a new little person experiencing it all for the first time. it kinda makes me feel old. but i kinda like the feeling. it’s new.

avery has her mother’s beautiful blue eyes… and her father’s stubborn personality. (it was very difficult to get her smiling for the camera!) but, what can i say:  i’ll take those thoughtful eyes over superfluous smiles any day! what a cute kid!

thanks, alan and glenda, for the honor of documenting avery at such a sweet time in your lives. and thanks, avery, for reminding me about summer discoveries.

i was enthralled by the way avery and this little bumble bee seemed to greet one another and then go on their merry ways. (when’s the last time you met a bug?)

the shot below cracks up eileen every time she sees it, without fail. why? just imagine avery with a valley girl lilt in her voice — caption: “omg!”

at the last minute, alan had to work late the day of our shoot — likely part of the reason avery was a little bummed out. after getting off, he came straight to meet us from a long day of hard labor. when avery saw him, her eyes lit up! it was so cool to watch. below, she’s catching her first glimpse of daddy coming across the grass toward her.