Fantastic News...

Trooper Shawn Blanton's baby is doing great and continues to gain weight at Mission Hospital. Here is a link to the story posted in The Asheville Citizen Times.

Trooper Shawn Blanton

In two days (Monday morning) the rest of Haywood County will have the opportunity to read how the funeral of Trooper Shawn Blanton, father of a two-week-old baby boy, loving husband, son, brother and friend to many in the community effected me. One, hands down the single most difficult assignment that I have ever had to cover. I really cannot explain how deeply this event touched me. Though I never had the opportunity to talk with Trooper Blanton I felt as if I had lost a close friend. I arrived at the funeral service just after the NC State Police Caisson Group unloaded the horses and carriage from their prospective trailers. I was speechless at the detail taken in the pains taken perfection of preparing the horses and "buggy" for the transportation of Blantons casket.
One the Hurst arrived with Blantons casket there stood a trooper next to the Hurst whom I believe was named Trooper Henderson. The pain and anguish on his face was simply more than anyone could bear. But this man stood there at attention for over an hour to honor his fallen friend.
There was a young man who arrived and began to play the bagpipes. A hauntingly sweet sound of Scottish roots. was in the air. Soon it was time to carry Him to the service. The pall-bearers removed the casket from the Hurst, carried it to the carriage. I will never forget the sound of the horses hooves on the pavement and the sound of the steel wheels rolling along the route and over the speed bumps that are normally never noticed by motorists.
The casket taken into the Stuart Auditorium in the presence of his widow Michaela. That poor woman and all of her pain. Which was hands down the most difficult photos taken. Where is the line between invading ones right to mourn and covering the news of a fallen trooper? I learned alot about myself that morning. I had to lower my lens more than once.
I arrived at the cemetery before the funeral procession in Cherokee, NC for the graveside services (He was the first member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to become a NC State Trooper). The silence leading up to the final call was deafening. We all had tears flowing down our cheeks.... Rest in Peace Trooper Blanton

Another sad day for all...

I sit here still in disbelief that yet another one of those I admire has passed on. George Carlin in all of his risque' glory has passed away from a heart attack, the head lines read. I found out the following morning. That night I made a toast as he had requested, which was... "What happened? He was just here a minute ago..." I have very fond memories of George's various stand-up routines. I know that they were not always in "Good Taste" by some people's opinions, but I for one seem to think that he was one of the few that seemed to see life as it is. The reality that the majority of us take life entirely too darn seriously... His version of the news, and I quote from the heart... I was an 8year-old boy when I heard his "One From The Road" album for the first time. "A one armed man was arrested in central park today for bothering the other boaters for continuously rowing in a circle" and "A man with a chain saw was hit by a fallen tree..." and the list goes on. Mr George Carlin, thank you for all the laughter that you gave me through the years. I will miss you.

The photo posted was borrowed for www.GeorgeCarlin.com . Please check out the site, thanks to technology his voice lives on....

"Fruits of Labor..."

I will just call the image in this post to be the "Fruits of alot of labor". Not just the work involved as a photographer working to capture the best image. But all of the hard work and training that was put forth by the young ladies in the photos. To finish their season Third in the state in the 2A Fast Pitch Softball, to me, is an astounding feat! Congratulations to the Pisgah High School Lady Bears!
As for me, this is what real dreams are made of. I spent alot of time on the road "Dreaming" of what it would be like to have thousands people each week enjoying my photos in a publication such as a newspaper or magazine, such as I now have the opportunity in The Mountaineer. Well all that I can say is, If you have a dream, regardless of how big or small, CHASE IT!

Amazed by Innocence...

Today was a wondrous day of discovery, regardless of the level of pain and confusion before I was able to get out of my front door... But the day had a good ending. And here it is...
I had over eight hours with my little girl who is just four years old. My little beacon of light when the world gets pretty crazy. While at work preparing the Monday Edition of The Mountaineer she had a BLAST! A special thanks to Vicki... (keeper of the cards), Sarah (bubble blower-running buddy-fellow power ranger), Nick (crossword player), Chuck (love of Kelly life) and Carol (dance instructor and someone who really understands my little girl loves her guitar and small talk). Thank You Everyone for sharing your time with my Kelly! All of you are amazing!
Photos edited, laptops packed away for the trip home and I ask Kelly is she would like to head out to Lake Junaluska and play her guitar next to the lake and through some rocks into the water like her and daddy like to do... Upon entering the parking lot we see a group of young adults sitting around playing their guitars! And what is the first thing out of her mouth? "Daddy I want to go over there and play my guitar with them!" we got out her out of the car handed her the guitar, she asked me if it would be OK if she could, I obliged and said of course. She IMMEDIATELY walk right over to the young man who looked to be the leader said "Excuse Me- May I play my guitar we you guys?" He said we would love to have you with us". She then sat her guitar on the wall, climbed up spun around picked up guitar crossed her little leg and said "Listen to my song, this is how you play it" and proceeded to strum a very timed strum, well enough that the young man keep doing that right there and started to play the lead part of "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and didn't stop until he finished! I was in AWE! After a couple of songs and tuning her little blue guitar for her I told Kelly that we needed to let them play so that we could sit back listen and learn, we did... and it was AWESOME! The point of the story... Kelly has only recently turned four years old! Though her innocence she sure taught her Daddy a lesson today.

Wonderful Shampoo...

Have you ever had the misfortune of realizing that you have left your shampoo at home while in the middle of a shower in a hotel room 300 miles away? This morning was my morning to have this very experience. I have determined that regardless of how much the nightly rate is that you pay, this foreign concoction of a varied wondrous chemicals designed to strip your hair of every last drop of hydrating body oil , should be used only if said "shampoo" is in the company of a cloned bottle labeled "conditioner". The experience can be rather shocking. The moment after you thoroughly wet your hair and apply said shampoo, you hair at that point has been chemically and physical altered to have the look and feel of some breed of wire haired Scottish Terrier... My advice, traveler beware. If you plan to have any resemblance of your current physical state immediately following your first shower on the road DON'T FORGET YOU FLIPPIN' SHAMPOO! (Written while on the road with "Chuck Feibertitz" during a stay in Raleigh, NC during the North Carolina State 2A Softball Championship Tounament)