Photographer, Farmer, Author, Advocate
Ashby Inn: One of my favorite places to eat…well…sorry to the others…but it just might BE my favorite place to eat. So when I was called to come take some new shots for them I didn’t hesitate one second.
These folks talk to the talk and walk the walk when it comes to real food. You really have to experience it for yourself and you will love every bit of it. Smoke and fire are a common theme with Chef Tarver King and Executive Sous Nathan Shapiro which makes it all the more exciting.
Come hungry and don’t even bother driving home, get a room in one of the suites upstairs so you can blissfully fall to sleep dreaming of another meal at Ashby Inn.
And did I mention they just received 4 nominations for the RAMMYS (we find out who wins on June 23)?
Nathan Shapiro for Rising Culinary Star of the Year, Tarver King for Chef of the Year, Best Fine Dining, and Neal Wavra for Best Wine Program.
The weather could not have been more perfect. The setting the same: intimate, beautiful, and the perfect expression of Amber and Eric in September. So much time was put in to place right down to the menu and the wine and craft brews served at dinner to capture the essence of the two of them as a couple. I’m always honored to be asked to be a part of this moment in a couple’s lives. So, “Thank You Amber and Eric, from the bottom of my heart, for asking me to be a part of your day.” Here are just a few of my favorite images. I always wish I could show more but that would take an awful long time!
And can I just say….the cake. The cake. The cake: those flowers are handmade, people.
Wedding & Decor Planner – Amore Events by Cody
Flowers – Southern Blooms by Pat’s Floral Design
Venue – Barboursville Vineyards / 1804 Inn / Palladio Restaurant
Catering – Palladio Restaurant
Equipment Rentals – Festive Fare
Beer Selection – Beer Run
Music – DJ Ran Henry
Wedding Cake – Maliha Creations
Bus Transportation – A Goff Limosine
Photography: Molly M. Peterson and Karly Pope for Molly M. Peterson Photography
A St. Patty’s Day Baby! It’s almost a year since little Natalie made her entrance into this world. How does time go by so quickly?
I received and email at 11pm on the 16th say that Sarah was having contractions but there were no significant patterns. I made it very clear that emails and phone calls were OK with me any time of the night! I was nervous though — I was due to drive to Dulles Airport to pick up my husband who was coming in from a trip to Uruguay at 6am. I had no way of calling my husband and no one to do the pick up for me. SO, I took a deep breath and remembered – if it is to be then it will be. I received another email at 12:30am: “Contractions 5 minutes apart…it’s an interesting night.” Then another email at 4:21 am, “We’ve been admitted…drive safe…but quick! 
” They knew I had the airport run to make; I responded saying I would do my absolute best — my husband never goes on vacation and it just happens to be this day – go figure. Another update at 6:30 and and then at 8:30. I had made it to the airport, sort of patiently waited while he went through customs (ok — I was definitely full of excitement AND angst!), safely drove him back home, and then waited…but not too long. And then finally, once I was home, at 9:56am, “8-9 cm. water broke.” I responded with “On my way!”. I got there — while driving the speed limit mind you — hey — I was photographing for a police officer family — there’s no way I was going to break the law ON the way to them!
I remember being so in awe of the love surrounding this family. Sarah was…how do I even describe her…so in the moment and so focused in a beautiful, radiant way. I’m sure she may not have felt that way but everyone around her felt that way. Including Jason who adoringly stood by her side, did whatever was needed of him, worried and probably wished he could take away the labor pains, and even kept the room light with the sounds of 80′s classics (and as a child of the 80s myself, I felt quite at home). There was no rushing around, it was very mellow, very fluid, and we just…waited. And then finally this healthy, petite baby girl arrived. Oh my goodness, the joy and the love when a new baby arrives – there is absolutely nothing like it.
Again, I say this often, I am so blessed and so grateful to be asked to be a part of these moments. To document the beginning of this little, magical life is such an honor. Uh! Putting this together today makes my heart smile all over again for this beautiful family – will someone have another baby soon so I can photograph it, please?!
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To Jason and Sarah — your words after you saw your images honored me — you will never know how much they meant to me.
“We are so excited. I’m actually in love with the photos. You have a talent. Don’t stop doing this. You have made us so happy. It’s like reliving the event all over again.”
Debra’s friend asked me if she could gift this session to her friend, a recently published novelist. Sure! Debra was upfront and said she was nervous — I get that way in front of the camera, too — we finally set a date and she brought her friends for support: one for makeup and one for moral. She was surrounded by love that is for sure. I had the intention of doing photos around the farm; I knew we could find a beautiful grove of trees but as the makeup was being put on and champagne was sipped and I saw the gown she had in mind, I knew where to go: the barn. A barn? You’re thinking, “Really, a barn?”. This is not a barn you might have in mind, this is a barn that only enhanced the beauty I was about to document. So there we went joined by my border collie, Dexter, who was just hoping this nice group of women would throw the stick for him instead he back a handsome prop in his own tuxedo to match her gown.
Want to buy her novel? I’m so glad you asked, The Edification of Sissy Dare can be found here: http://www.debraacopeland.com/
Want to have a session like this of yourself (YES you DO deserve it), send me a note.
A big thank you to Eka, Mary, and Kathleen for your love and support of this photo session and I’m so grateful to have met you all, too.
The barn is available for weddings and events: http://www.theinnatmountvernonfarm.com/
When you feel you are being moved by the creative spirit, you are in fact being moved by the divine feminine.
–Teri Degler
A few years ago a friend – Rikka Zimmerman (one of the most infectious people you will EVER come across) – said (paraphrasing): “There is no competition. Only you can be exactly who you are. And you are amazing!”.
Wow. Well. Yes, that’s true. But how many of us actually believe it?
I’ve never liked competition. It always felt icky in my gut and my chest/heart. Even the term “friendly competition” doesn’t sit. I suppose that for me, competition usually has an ill intent or something ego-based behind it and I’m empathic so I can feel the intent beyond the words. One feels the need to feel powerful and “better than” the other. I don’t feel good when I feel competitive and usually regret when I do feel that way.
A couple of weeks ago I was watching Iyanla and Oprah (ok – they are totally on my “photography wish list” by the way) on Oprah’s Life Class on OWN and the talk of the day was Why Women Hurt One Another: “we gossip, we lie, we compete” (Oprah). (You can watch the video here). Iyanla says comparison is an act of violence against the self. She also states, “I need to prove how good/worthy I am by setting up how bad/unworthy you are.” Both men and women are capable of competing with and without emotions; let’s just get that out there right now. But for sake of today’s thoughts, we’re going to talk about women.
The reasons stated that women compete are:
Mmmm…. do any of those feel good? Not to me. I think most often there is emotion and/or ego behind the intention and I feel that that is where we get in to trouble.
Yes, I, too, have felt the high of the “I win!” but the “I win” feels different depending on the intent behind it. I think it’s different when it’s a self-validating, “I overcame X” or “I succeeded in Y! Go Me!” but you can feel when it’s ego based; you know, that little feeling in your heart or your gut that doesn’t feel warm and fuzzy. It’s different than, “I beat you and you and you. I validated that I am better than you and you and you because I wasn’t sure before but now I know it to be true because I won”. See the difference?
Iyanla also said, “We are programed to believe that if you get yours, there won’t be enough for me.” That’s living in the fear based realm; the realm of lack and unworthiness. Guess what, there’s more than plenty to go around. This world is abundant – if one chooses to live in abundance, one won’t fear the opposite and one won’t be compelled to live in the ego realm.
I am who I am and I choose to be the best that I can be directly from my heart and by standing in my truth. I choose to be aware of the list above, and while I’m not perfect and never will be, I can certainly make a conscious effort with each action and word spoken to choose to empower rather than break down. To me, woman/feminine is nurturing, warm, and full of grace; women should stand by each other – they shouldn’t be vindictive and competitive of the ego and fear based realm. We should be proud of someone’s accomplishments as big or as small and tell them so. It seems when someone notes sadness or needs help people are there, when one expresses excitement for success, less are willing to join in. Odd how that happens.
I’m proud of you. You’re proud of me. That certainly lifts the vibration, don’t you think?
The exciting thing is that change is coming. As another friend put it vibrational mismatches are becoming intolerable. We’re beginning to live less in our brains and more in our hearts but with that comes clashing of those mismatches. So we must stay united and we must stay in love and like a ripple on the pond, it will grow.
Just a few thoughts…and there will certainly be more on this topic.
EmotionalScaleFinal_Austine PDF
graphic posted by permission from owner.
This is an old one but I loved the pure joy of it. Meet Willy, my “little” brother. Willy has since passed on but this is why these photos mean so much to me: Willy in his entire lifetime – before this day – would not let me photograph him. From time to time I find these animals who shy away and he was one of them. But this day, he was with my Mom and I. This day he was at his favorite place in the whole world: Madeline Island on Lake Superior. And he spent the entire day reveling in pure bliss: swimming, digging his napping hole, rolling, and just sitting and watching the waves.
Think about those two little words.
Those can shape exactly who you are — or who you think you are, rather.
I am happy or I am sad.
I am grateful or I am ungrateful.
I am rich or I am poor.
I am healthy or I am sick.
I am empowered or I am a victim.
I am successful or I am a failure.
I am strong or I am weak.
I am abundant or I am full of lack.
I am safe or I am scared.
I am blessed or I am damned.
I am trustworthy or I am unfaithful.
I am honest or I am lying.
I am worthy or I am unworthy.
I am loved (and worthy of being loved) or I am not.
For more insight into the power of the intentional “I am” look to:
The Power of I Am by Dr. Wayne Dyer {here}
Joel Osteen’s Sermon The Power of I Am {here}
Chocolate. Need I say more?
Healthy chocolate? Now, I have your attention.
Karen Mosebrook is the heart and soul behind Cocoa Bella Brewing Company based in a little bitty town in Virginia not far from where I live. Chocolate – pure chocolate direct from the bean not like the over-processed chocolate most of us have easy access to in the snap of a finger – has long been regarded as something that is not only delicious but also good for you.
Some health benefits here: http://www.cocoa-bella.com/drinking-cocoa-bella/health-benefits/
An interesting back story on the ancient brewing of cocoa here: http://www.cocoa-bella.com/drinking-cocoa-bella/the-story-of-brewed-cocoa/
Most enjoy Cocoa Bella just like they would a nice cup of tea or coffee throughout the day. The cacao beans are roasted, ground, and brewed similar to coffee beans. Karen even has a “Cocoa Spice” version that gives you a nice little pop of spice while you drink. You can pick up some Cocoa Bella of your own (I’m not sharing my bag!) at local retailers and on the web.
Why else do I love it? Because it is a locally-owned and operated business and that is awesome.
Brew. Sip. Enjoy. And feel great that you’re not only doing something yummy for your body but you’re also supporting a small business.
Web: http://www.cocoa-bella.com/
Oh where to even begin. I remember that phone call I made that day in 2003. I was standing in my parent’s home on the front porch and I was calling a person who might be my room mate when I moved from Illinois to Colorado in the fall. I was nervous; I didn’t know this person but the school told me that I may not be able to get the single dorm room I had requested but they put me tentatively with someone they really thought I would get along well with. Enter: Heather.
Turns out we both got the single dorms we had requested but we still remained friends and live just down the hall from one another. I remember her telling me that someday she wanted me to photograph her wedding. She stayed true to her word. Enter: Cameron.
She and I kept in touch through the years with visits when we could and phone calls when we were living too far apart. I’m so blessed to have her in my life and I’m so happy that she found someone who thinks the world of her. Heather and Cameron’s wedding came in 2012 – about 4 years after I moved away from Colorado. I’m always looking for a reason to go back to that state; it’s beauty is so huge, powerful and yet graceful, too. And looking through these images again certainly makes my heart call for another visit.
Their wedding was surrounded by absolute love and support from family and friends on the mountain top in Winter Park. I smile thinking back to that day. Their love for each other just shines. The day was absolutely perfect — even with the little Colorado mountain rain storm that quickly blew in…right about ceremony time (as is to be expected on a summer day in the mountains). The flowers were gorgeous and matched Heather’s beautiful green/blue eyes perfectly. OH! I have so much more I could say but…I will just let the photos do the talking.
Flowers – “Pick Me!” Floral and Event Design
Venue – The Lodge at Sunspot, Winter Park Resort
Wedding CupCakes – GiGi’s Cupcakes, Denver
Photographer: Molly M. Peterson, www.mJmphotography.biz
Added Testimonial 3/8/13:
“Thanks Molly for sharing this! I can’t believe it has been that long since we first met– even though we never roomed together, I guess I always considered you still my roomie. I remember spending a lot of time in your room, chatting away it meant the world to me that you were able to come out and do this for us….there was no one else I wanted- I wanted your positive energy and calm, take it as it goes personality. We ran you ragged for these few days and if you ever felt overwhelmed, you never showed it and you even kept me calm. cheers to your beautiful work and to long friendships!”
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