Sawyer Brown and Rick Springfield!

The Hideout Lounge brought two more bands to our fair city, Great Falls, MT.  I had seen Sawyer Brown in concert a couple of times previously, and they've always put on a terrific show.  Unfortunately I don't typically "hear" much when I'm taking pictures... 

I had a chance to speak briefly with Mark Miller (lead singer of Sawyer Brown) just before they took the stage.  I told him I've seen them before and thought they were awesome, to which he flashed a full-on smile.  Not a "Yup, I've heard that a million times before, and I already knew I was awesome anyhow" type of smile.  This was a genuine, truly-pleased-to-hear-it smile.  Seems like a pretty nice guy.  His goofy little grin speaks to his demeanor as well.

 

 

The second concert was Rick Springfield, who I know was a major hearth-throb back in the 80s.  The only song title of his I could come up with on my own was "Jessie's Girl", but the crowd certainly seemed to know all of his songs.

He seems to have a pretty dramatic bent on stage, which the crowd also loved.  I saw this bundle of roses being carried back stage just before the show, and I was wondering what it was for.  Have to admit that I never would have guessed...

  

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

I was asked to shoot two concerts at the Hideout Lounge in Great Falls, Montana.  The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band arrived first, followed by the Marshall Tucker Band.  "Fishin' in the Dark" brought back a few memories.  The concerts were great, and the photo opportunities abounded! 

 

 

 

 

 

 I love the moon and stars in this shot!

Mt. Vernon

I also got to make a flying trip through Mount Vernon (George Washington's home), which was pretty cool.  I decided to fore go the tour through the mansion itself, mostly due to the limited amount of time I had, but I learned a lot about the man which isn't in the history books, specifically about the portions of his life BETWEEN chopping down the cherry tree and being President.  He had quite a fascinating life, and he did much to shape our country, even beyond what you may already know about.  Well worth the visit.

 
All the same, I was very glad to get on the plain and leave DC for a less humid climate.  Would I go back?  Perhaps - but definitely NOT in July!

Hi-Line Harvest

Work brought me through the hi-line, where harvest is generally in full swing.  These shots were mostly taken between Loma and Loredo, on Highway 87.  I tried to get some irrigation/haying shots around Chinook and Harlem, but the mosquitoes were too much to bear.

Benefis West Campus Rehabilitation Unit

CTA recently hired me to shoot an interior design project they completed at the Benefis West Campus Rehabilitation Unit in Great Falls, Montana.  Their scope included only interior design.

D.C. (continued)

I was also amazed at how hot and humid it was there.  I've honestly never experienced anything like it.  Once you accept the fact that you're just going to sweat until you're basically wringing wet, you can function pretty well.  But there is absolutely NO WAY I would ever live there without having air conditioning in my home.  I can't imagine how the early inhabitants were able to labor during the day and then laying in the sweltering heat/humidity at night.  I wouldn't have made it...

D.C.

I found myself with several hours to kill before flying out of Reagan National, and I was able to quickly take in a few of the local attractions.  The most frustrating part of the experience was being able to drive within a stone's throw of almost all of the landmarks (except the White House - can't get too close to that in a car), but NOT BEING ABLE TO PARK!  If you ever go to DC, take some time to learn about the public transit system, or just plan on biking/walking around the city.

Courtney's Restaurant

Edit:  Check out the first comment below.  Turns out my information about the proprietor (learned from a fellow patron) may not have been too accurate...

While in Lexington Park, Maryland, for a CTA project, the group I was with drove about forty five minutes into the countryside southeast of Lexington Park in search of some local flavor. And that's exactly what we found at Courtney's. Driving more-or-less aimlessly, we happened upon an intersection with two restaurant signs. One of the guys I was with knew someone named Courtney, so we opted to head that direction.

Upon arriving, we immediately decided this would either be one of those hidden local gems or a complete bust. Thankfully it was the former. The proprietor, Tommy (Courtney's husband), was our server, and we learned from him that he goes out onto Chesapeake Bay to fish each morning, and what he catches is on the menu that evening!

I had a local crab-stuffed fish fillet, prepared by his reportedly Filipino chef, and it was outstanding. This from someone who typically would prefer a vegetarian meal to a fish meal. So, if you ever find yourself near Lexington Park, I'd recommend finding Wynne Road and driving to the end of it.