Sunny Saturday.

It is a nice day out.  I am having dinner tonight with Dan Bress.  He graduated from Hallmark last year with me.  He is a great guy who just returned on a month long cruise to the meditteranian.  I bet he has some great photos.

I am lookin forward to going home for Christmas.  I will likely never see a white Christmas in Texas but time spent with Family is Priceless.  

I am so blessed to have so much.  How can I ask for anything for Christmas knowing that others in the world are going hungry tonight?  What difference do I make.

It is hard being in America while others are hungry.  I have so much freedom, family, friends, a full belly.  

Thanks for your time.

Battle of wills.

Rocky.

It's funny how my generation seem to associate so much with movies.  I was just flipping through the channels and came across rocky IV.  I remember it so well the soundtrack, the Russian, the friend dying.  I also think about my brother, he loved it as much as I did.

Everything is a battle of wills.  We all make decisions.  We have choices to fight or run.  To face our fears head on.  To be willing to sacrifice for the good of others.  

Work is still good.  I am still getting paid well and loving my job.  I am fortunate to have a boss who is understanding even when I do make mistakes.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving with the Zetyes.  It is great to have friends who are also family.  Speak of Friends I went over to the Bartons for dinner.  Mo fixed some killer pork chops.  

Rocky started up.  What is it about movie soundtracks that are so great.  The mood that a simple instrumental soundtrack conveys is amazing.  This is just great.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Old Friends.

I continue to look for old friends on facebook.

I came across some old pictures.  Time passes so fast.  It is like a vapor.  20 years seems just like yesterday.  

Each day is a gift and I need to remember to hold on to each day and to make the best of each day.  To serve God, to love others, to stay the course.  Each day should be enjoyed like fresh fruit.  To be cherished with every bite.  To not worry about tomorrow and to not to look back to far.  To stay the course and enjoy the journey.  To eat of the fruit of life.  To let me rest in His love.

I am so looking forward to Thanksgiving.  I am spending it with the Zetye Family.  I hope that I am able to be a friend to them through what may be a difficult holiday.  I will also be able to spend time with the Bartons.  It is always great to spend time with them.

One of my old friends I found on facebook is Dani Hochleutner.  I was able to have an IM conversation with her last night.  It is so exciting that she is going to be in Albany from the 9th through the 12th of December and we are going to try to get together.

Thursday.

Cold, boy is it cold!

I have been on the road alot this week.  I finally caught up with my dad today after playing phone tag for a couple of days.

Heroes.  My dad is one of my heroes.  I always appreciated the way that he was there for me and my brother growing up.

My brother is great, his name is Mark.  No it's not two names in one.  He ones and runs a couple of tire stores down in Texas.  He married into a rodeo family.  He is so generous and always has company at his house.  Some day maybe I will be fortunate to have a house as big as he does.  I guess I already have the heart. Boy, am I blessed.

I am planing on going down to Jewell for Thanksgiving.  Ray invited me to spend it with him and his family.  I am so fortunate.

I would like to make in into NYC to visit some of my friends there, but I do not know if that will happen.

I hope you have a great day.

Funny thing.

So I was just poking around facebook and looking at two of the mentors in my life.  John Strappazon and Kit McDermott.

John I knew from my time in college, the early 90's.  Seems like just yesterday.  Isn't it funny how time sneaks up on you.  Soon enough I will be 40.  I am thankful to have had John in my life and to have known him when I did.  He was always caring and honest with me about who I was and who I was to become.

Kit I have known for about 6 years.  He came into my life as a suggestion from my pastor.  He is so understanding and faithful to God's calling in his life.  He is a church planter in Northampton Mass.  I can see how his heart breaks from just reading his blog.  

Once again I am reminded how blessed I am to have friends in my life.

How Blessed am I.

Dinner.  

I just had dinner at my good friends the Jacksons who were generous enough to let me stay with them tonight.  

We had fresh ham with homemade apple sauce, beans, and carrots.  

The Jacksons are old friends who work for the Salvation Army as officers.  They have served in New York, New Jersey and now Massachusetts.  Tomorrow we are going to Microcenter, a computer place.

I still am pushing to finish my hikes by the end of next Saturday.  I have eight left.  I went to world's end yesterday.  It was really cool.  I had a view of the Boston cityscape over water.  It is a great place to go bird watching.

I love Christmas.  I started hearing my first Christmas music of the year yesterday.  I am so fortunate to have friends and family who dearly love me and want the best.  I am thankful to be raised in a country where I am free to worship.

I am Joe Don Richardson.

Servant of the One True God.

Hero to the hopeless.

I have been and always will be dedicated, dangerous, and loyal.

To all who read these may you be as richly blessed today as I am.

Thankful.

Just a few things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for friends like Paul who let me crash at there place whenever I need to.

Friends like Ray who continue on despite great loss.

Friends like Becca, Mike, and Jaime because we are able to meet for dinner and enjoy shared experiences.  

A job in today's difficult economy and especially one that I enjoy.  To be able to travel and take photographs is great!

To have a talent like photography.

To have a loving God who understands the pains and trails I undergo.  To be able to rejoice with Him and grow with Him.  Even when I don't understand, which is most of the time.  To still be able to trust.  This is growth.

Sunday.

It is Sunday morning in Texas.

I am so glad to be staying with my mom for the weekend. The house she just finished is without a doubt the most beautiful house she ever completed. It is also nice to have my young cousins around to keep me company. Kids are great.

Tomorrow I fly back to NY. I had my first experience renting a car over the weekend. It has been nice and convenient.

This week I am flying back tomorrow and in the lab on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday I am in Schenectady and then New Phaltz on Friday. I hope to see Ray and my friends at Jewell on Saturday.

Bittersweet Beginings.

Weddings.

Today I attended a great old fashioned Texas style Wedding. My nephew Payden Franks got married today. He married Trinna Wright from Wright City, OK. It was great being there helping out and being there to support them.

Funerals.

Steve Zetye, Dad, was laid to rest today. It was very hard talking to Ray the other day. I would have been there but I am in Texas for the weekend.

Death and life. It is hard to grasp something as wonderful as a weeding when my best friend just lost his dad. There are so few words to say. I can only pray.

Long time coming.

I am tired.  I photographed today in Peabody MA and then drove to New Pfaltz NY.  

My magazine came out and I am officially a published photographer.  I am on page 29 of Backpacker magazine with spooky places to visit.

I am going home this weekend for my nephew Payden's Wedding.  Quick trip.  Out on Friday at 6 am and back at 5 on Monday.

It is Saturday!  YEA!

Today I am going over to the Collins and we are going hiking.  I am working on building up my stock images so that I will have a bank to draw from when needed.  

It is a beautiful day.  The leaves are almost to peak where I live in Mass.

Last week was a long week but this week looks much easier.  I have Monday off.  That is a blessing in itself.  Then I am off to Altamount, NY.  I am stopping by Jewell on Sunday and staying over till Monday.  It will be nice to finally catch up with Ray.  We have been playing tag for a while.    Wednesday I am off to New Pfaltz, NY.  I am trying to make plans to catch up with Matt and Sharon Dickie while there.  They are at Frost Valley YMCA.  Thursday and Friday I am closer to home in Western Mass. 

Yesterday on the way back I stoped for my first trip to Red Robin.  I will have to say I was disappointed.  The items look great on the menu but the chili burger seemed to be from a premade pattie.  The cheese wasn't melted on top.  Also the shake was too thick.  Admittedly I consider myself a conniseur  of shakes but it was too thick.  I should have stoped by fuddruckers where I know it is always good.

Tomorrow morning I will go to Praise Christian for services.  I am praying that something works out so that I might be able to move back to NW Connecticut but I am so blessed to be in the house I am now.

Thursday is a great day today.  It is one day closer to Friday.  It has been a long week traveling all over the place.  Today I am grateful for being in the same place two days in a row.

The nice thing is I get to see beautiful places as I travel.  I am so thankful for the colors.  I believe God has blessed me with an eye for the beautiful and wow there is beauty in New England now.  If you have never had the opportunity to visit New England in the fall you are missing out.  The leaves are amazing.  

On to other issues.  I am planing on going to Texas for my nephew Payden's wedding.  I have not bought my ticket but plan on it before I go to bed.  I talked to Jerry Ann, my sister in law, tonight and things are crazy around there.  

I have been reading up on the sony a900.  Boy would I love one of those.  I also am looking at the new cannon 5d markII.  Looks like another great cannon product.

Tonight I had dinner at Shalimar Indian Restaurant.  It was good but I ordered the wrong things.  I ordered Chicken Tikka instead of Chicken Tikka Massala.  

So tired am going to call mom and maybe buy a ticket.

Good Night.

Rainy Sunday.

Today was a great day.

I went to church and then ate at pasta y basta for lunch.  IIt was great.  I had a normal, which is unusual for New England, size sausage calzone.  They are normally bigger than Texas.  It was tasty though the service was just OK.

I then drove to Granville, NY by way of Gill Mountain in Central Vermont.  It was a nice little diversion.  It was interesting there was lots of clouds due to the leftover remnants of the hurricane.  

I am currently trying to find a flight home for my nephews wedding taking place in October.  It looks like I will be flying out on a Friday coming back on a Monday.  It is the 24-27th.

I spoke to a lot of friends today including Karen Kristo, Jaime O'karma, Jim Roselli, and Troy Lee.  It was great.  

I am so excited that I have a later than normal start time tomorrow of 7:30 AM.  Yeaaaa!

I hope that you like the picture I posted.  I really do.

Just Ducky!

Today was another good day.  I went to downtown Saratoga and explored the area including congress park which is where I took this photo.  

Last night me and Jeremy, one of my co-workers, went to dinner at El Marricahi II.  It was a great meal.  I had the chicken mole.  I would highly recomend it to anyone around.  

I have been also sifting through the photos that I have taken over the last few weeks.  It is nice to be photographing my own personal stuff.  

This weekend I plan to go and shoot some in RI and CT New Haven area.

work is good, life is wonderful, and I am tired.

Saturday.

So I have to admit I skipped church this morning.  I might just need to become more involved to feel like I am part of something.  I believe that would me my experiences better.

It was nice having dinner with Mike Cahill last week.  We went to Joe's pizza in North Hampton.  A great little hole in the wall that had great food at a great price.  I will definatley be eating there again.  Mike has a wonderful little baby named Sally.  She is as cute as a button, at least from the polaroid I saw.  Hope to be seeing more of them.

The picture above was shot as I traveled back from New York week before last.  It is just west of Bennington, VT.  I still can't get over the house on the top of the pillons, not Dave.

Yesterday was pretty odd, and  amzing at the same time.  I hiked two more trails.  Bears Den in New Salem, MA and Crows ledges which is part of the Leminster State Forrest in MA.  At Bears Den I looked my keys in my car.  I then walked for 1.5 hours to the Garlic Festival and found a cop who helped me out by getting my keys out of my car.  I am so grateful.  God is good, regardless of me.  I am going to the Garlic festival this afternoon to meet up with the Collins and Mo and Sue.  

My hikes yesterday were nice.  I took more pictures of course.  The crows ledges has incredible climbing.  I am down to 24 hikes left including the two yesterday I hiked Purgatory Chasm, Marblehead ledges, Norman Sanctuary, and Brenton Point State Park.

This week I am at Vermont on Monday and in the Saratoga area the rest of the week.

Friday.

Week went preety good over all next week though looks spectacular.  I am in Vermont on Monday and then I am off to Saratoga, Albany area for the rest of the week.

I had dinner with Becca on Thursday at Gios in East Granby, CT.  It is a great place I have been to often.  If you need somewhere to grab a bite at around Bradley airport you should check it out.  

I misplaced a cf card with images so I will try to get those and post them.  

The weather is great.  I love the fall.  

Sunday is the Garlic Festival in Orange.  I am going with the Collins and it should be a great time.  Garlic,  Mmmmmmm.

I am going to dinner with Lexi tonight.  Tomorrow is here last day.  She will be greatly missed.

On Wensday I drove to Saratoga Springs.  Quick trip there and back.  I drove my boses saab.  Simply an amazing car.  I love it!  

I will post more soon.  Thanks for reading.

Manic Monday, not really.

Today was a good day. But lets start with yesterday.

I went to church which was great. It was inspirational to remember that life is not about me, about service, Truth, and love. To go out that I am a missionary.

Then I drove to Albany, actually Loudinville. I went to Pancho's for dinner which reminded me of a classic Tex-Mex restaurant. It was very good I had one of my favorite's the chicken chimichanga.

Today I went for a hike in the Postenkill Gorge in Troy, NY. It is a gorge with beautiful waterfalls. It was really great. Oh wow I mean it was amazing. The clouds went by like horse drawn chariots. amazing, I am so thankful to be able to see the things I see. I will try to post some pics from it.

This weekend is the Garlic Festival in Orange I plan to go with the Collins(Marcus, Sawyer, and Claudia). I am hoping to hang out with some of this years hallmarkians on Saturday to go shoot some.

Good Stuff.

Sorry about not posting recently.  I left my power cord for my laptop in Connecticut and will retrieve latter next week.  

Yesterday I photographed in Northampton, MA and after that meet with Kit.  Kit is an amazing friend who helps me through my tough times and good ones, of which there are a lot more good times now.  After meeting with Kit I picked up Eli with his bike and had dinner in Northampton.  We ate at noodles again.  Great place with great food.

The only exercise I got this week was hiking Purgatory Chasm in Mass.  It was raining the whole time but I had fun regardless.  

I just attended a reception for Andarge Asfaw at the Hallmark Museum.  It was amazing.  His work is so stirring.  The emotions that he is able to foster through his photography his what I wish to be able to emulate.  It is amazing.  I meet him and he is a very humble man.  I loved his work.

This week I am off to the Albany area for Monday and Tuesday.  At the lab on Wensday.  Off to Norwich, CT and East Granby, CT on Thursday and Friday. 

I am supposed to have dinner with Ray tomorrow which will be great.  He is such a good friend.  I am so blessed to have people who love me in there lives.  

I pray all is well with you, whoever you are, and have a great day.

Good Weekend.

This weekend was a good one.

Saturday I went over to Marcus and Claudia's for diner.  We had great pork chops and sweet potatoes.  I will always remember when I was growing up how my dad would fix sweet potatoes and always put butter and cinnamon with them.  You should try it.  Delicious!

After dinner we played uecher.  I was first introduced to uecher by Neil Domer-Shank.  It is evidently big in Ohio.   Oh yea it's a card game.

This morning I went to church in Amherst where I got to see my friends Daniel and Chris.  I was planing on going on a hike but went to the local fair instead where I meet up with Maggie, one of my coworkers and fellow Hallmark graduate.  It was OK.  The big deal though was that my car would not start afterwards.  She had her friends look at it and they got it working.  I am so thankful,  what a blessing.  I am going to try to take it into the shop tomorrow.

I am going to try to start reading my Bible more every day.  It is hard to be faithful. It is a struggle.   I am going to also try more hiking.  I need to get my car worked on and then that will come.  

Tomorrow I am at a school close to UCONN.

Busy week.

I appologize for not posting more often.  No excuses I just haven't posted.

This week was pretty amazing.  I was shooting on the north shore for McGrath  Wensday and then off to clifton park, ny for a couple of days.

I have not been keeping up with my hiking and exercise like I should.  Last time I was out was on Monday.  I hiked around Great Barrington on the little river walk.  That is where I took the photo shown today.  I might go out today even though it is a little overcast.

Yesterdays drive back from NY was great.  I got a few pics as the sun was going down.  The sunset was amazing.  I will try to post some of those.  Bennington was a nice little town to drive through.  I had never driven on rt 9 in Vermont.  I am not sure if it rivals rt 2 in the Bershires but it is always nice seeing new territory.

Hallmarks class of 09 started up this week.  I should try to get ahold of some of them and go shooting.  

Today is the Greenfield Fair.  I might end up going with Claudia and Marcus.  I should also try to contact Mike Cahill since he is in the area sometime in the near future.  

I just spoke to Jim Roselli this morning.  He is still looking for studio space but otherwise things are going well with him down in New Jersey.

Well let me know how things are going anyone out there who reads my blogs.

Labor Day.

I am so thankful for being able to spend time at Camp Jewell over the weekend.  It has been nice to see old friends and make a few new ones.  The Bartons have been particuraly nice letting me stay with them.  It was nice to see my old buddy Paul Schoen as well.

Time at church yesterday, my connecticut church Praise Christian Fellowship was revitalizing.  I want to move back to this area and am still looking and praying for just the right match.  Pastor Ryan gave a sermon on Gossiping which I espically needed to hear.

With all the problems in the world it is so easy to get worried and stressed out over little things, like where am I going to move.  I need to just turust in Christ more and stay faithful.  Easier said than done.  There are no easy roads on the journey of faith.

I will call back home today I have not spoken to anyone back there since mid last week.  

This week I have Tuesday off and will then go to the north shore of Boston on Wednseday and then over to Saratoga Springs NY on Thursday and Friday.  Lots of traveling on Wensday.

I have included a photo I took while in Newport at the Norman Bird Sanctuary.  I hope you like it.

Good Stuff.

I am spending time at Camp Jewell for the weekend.  The Bartons were kind enough to put me up for a few days.  I came down for Labor Day Family Camp.  Family Camps are one of the great things about Camp Jewell.  My good friend Ray Zetye runs them and he does a bang up job.  It was so nice to see all the familiar families yesterday.  Where else can you go and have everyone be so friendly to each other.  

The photo today was taken at Freetown State Forrest in Massachusetts.  I have a friend who works for a national magazine and I did an assignment on spec for her.  It looks like I might have a chance at having some of the photos accepted.  That would be my first publication which would be great!

Today was another early morning.  I got up at 530 which is better than the 430 I got up at yesterday.  I am staying with the Bartons for a couple of days at Camp Jewell.

It is Labor Day Family Camp which is great.  It is a chance to relax and see some old friends.  

I am currently trying to decide where to move.  I am so fortunate that Dean, my landlord, is allowing me to stay in Turners for the time being.  I would like to move back to Northwest Ct or the lower Berkshires but have just not found the right living situation yet.  I have to be around people.

On Monday after work I went to the blue hills state forrest in Mass.  It was very nice.  I am trying to get back into shape.

I promise to try to post some pics later.

Thanks for reading.

Tuesday ended up being outstanding. I spent almost all day in Newport Rhode Island. I went and hiked the Norman Bird Sanctuary. The cliff ridge hike was incredible. The views at the end are great. I will post some pictures later.

I had dinner with Mike Rosow. It was very nice. We went to the abbey grill in Freetown, MA. I split an appetizer with Mike, Calamari and also had the clam chowder and a seafood pasta with all kinds of exciting crustaceans.

I got up at 4:40 this morning for work. I am an early bird but even this is early for me. I am over at Marcus and Claudias after finishing up work.

I appologize for not posting a picture with this blog but you can check out a new gallery I put up at turningpointimages.com/boston vacation.

Thanks for reading.

Good Morning.

Today I slept in.  That is 7:30 for me.  I have plans to go to Newport, RI for the first time today.  I am also looking forward to joining Mike Rossow for dinner in Freeport, MA.

The weather has cooled down quite a bit.  It is a welcome relief. 

Breakfast was good today.  I had a bagel with peanut butter.  One of my favorites.

Do you ever find yourself longing for more.  That there has to be more out there.  If I could just grow a little more, get a little more security, have a little more self confidence, just a little more money.  I pray for contentment.  To have joy as I journey through life.  To enjoy what I have.  To be amazed by the things that come my way every day.  The sunset over a beach after a storm.  To be faithful to God.  This is what I want.

Great long tired day.

Tonights sunset was amazing.  Really tired now but great day.  Just finished working on an assignment for spec for a national magazine.  Doing freelance is fun.

I have tomorrow off and am planing on visiting Newport, RI.  I have never been there before.  Looking forward to it.

Talked to June today.  It was nice.  She is looking for work in Oregon.  I pray that things work out for her soon.

Hiked today at Blue hills State Forrest in Mass.  Amazing area that I will try to explore more latter on.

Photographed at Canton Ma High School.  Went well

Till tomorrow.

Today was an ok day.  

I went to church which was great, for now I am attending 1st baptist Amherst.  I had luch with Daniel and Chris afterwards.  I love the number of ethnic restaurants that are in the amherst, northhampton area.  We went to a vietnamese noodle place.  It was ok, I just wasn't crazy about the dish.  

This evening I went to take pictures of the Freetown State Forrest for a magazine assignment from a friend of mine.  I was not thrilled with my work.

Tomorrow I am shooting at Canton, Ma high school.  It will be good to be working.  I hope tomorrow is better than today.

This is another in my series of flag shots.

Great day though I forked over alot of dough to fix my rear brakes.

I finished this book the collectors today.  I enjoy Washington DC murder mysteries, like this book.  I finished it while waiting for my car to be fixed.  Tomorrow I am going to hang out with Marcus and Claudia, Eli will be coming along as well.  We will play some kube, cards, and eat well like I always do at the collins house.

I just found out that Mike Cahill with wife and baby in tow are moving into the area.  That is great. 

I talked to Ryan last night.  He is trying to find work in NYC along with Sam.  Well you know what they say.  If you can make in in New York you can make it anywhere.

Tomorrow morning I am going to try to hike a trail before going to Marcus and Claudias.  I am trying to hike 20 trails in three months.  I am trying to take off some of the pounds I gained while at Hallmark.  This will be trail 2.  To reach my goal I have to finish up by November 24th.  I will take some photos along the way and maybe post them.

I am so thankful to have the friends and family I have.  I hope I never take them for granted. 

So I decided that it would be best to start a blog so that my friends and family can keep up with me.  

As I blog I will try to include an image each time. I took this image when I was in Boston a couple of weeks ago.

My name is Joe Don Richardson.  I live in Turners Falls, MA and I am a photographer.

I am excited that I started my new job with McGrath Studios last week.  I am doing school portraits.  I am very thankful to have this job.  

I hope to be able to build up my own client base on the weekend when not working.

I was hoping to visit with the Jacksons today and photograph freetown state forrest in Mass. but unfortunately my car is acting up.  I took it by the shop today and Bennie, my mechanic, was busy but said I most likely have a bad rotor.  At least that sounds right, I don't know much about cars.  I am a photographer so cars are another breed of animal.

I just sat down and had a warm peanut butter cookie with ice cream at Bart's on Main Street in Greenfield.  It was amazing.  I am always impressed with the kindness and happiness of the man who seems to run the place, I should ask him his name.  Just not now.

My friend Eli biked to Canada last week.  Wow.  I wish I had that kind of stamina.  I am trying to loose a few extra pounds that I gained while attending Hallmark.  I just finished up ten of the best months of my life at the Hallmark Institute of Photography.  It was great.

I ate lunch at the thai place on main street.  It is healthy and good and resonable, at least for New England.

I got my work schedule for next week.  On monday I am in Mass in Canton.  I have Tuesday off.  On Wensday I am in Norwich, ct.  On Thursday I am in Tempelton, MA and Friday at Windsor, CT.  Lot of traveling.

Things are good over all.  I look at all my classmates at Hallmark are doing and am envious, but I am so fortunate to have a full time job with benefits.  I have been blessed.