pandemic life

Bass Lake /  by Lacey R Butler

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Sometimes I struggle with what to say after a wedding. I hate when I read other peoples wedding posts and they sound as cookie cutter as the images (ok, I’m just saying) and they rave about how perfect everything is, and how they are going to be lifelong friends with the clients.

Sometimes the truth is a better story: despite a 30 minute delay to the start of their sunset wedding, and the rain starting immediately when it was finally show time, the wedding still took place with love and grace- and as far as I know, as planned. The plum colors and the flowers and yes- even the rain- were beautiful. The guests didn’t leave when everything became wet, but they did take shelter nearby, observing from a distance. In a way it created a dynamic sense of what a new couple is- part of a whole community of family and friends, but separate unto itself- a ship in an ocean.

After the ceremony, the rain tapered. My equipment was completely wet and blurry and rain was draining off the roof of the pergola into my bag on my equipment for some time. Experience paid off and despite the challenges, success!

Moments I’ve shown here include the brides mother and father doing a choreographed dance to like a 15 song montage. Each sound clip they’d switch their dance, it was really great! I also thought the friends who got on their hands and knees to dry the dance floor post rain were just lovely (omitted here because they maybe didn’t want that shared, not sure). Private laughs and tears are some of my very favorite..

Thank you so much for allowing me to work with you on your wedding day! I hope I hear from you and hear about your future together.

Pandemic Life and Asheville /  by Lacey R Butler

Hello, hello!

I hope you and those you love remain healthy.

For my part, moving to a new city just weeks before we realized Covid-19 was going to crush everything we knew, really hit me hard. I’m not complaining- I have so far been quite fortunate to stay well, my family has all stayed safe and followed protocols as best they were able. The few people I know who tested positive have pulled through alright. My side business blossomed, I got a cat, a friend. The fish are struggling, I must admit.

I am sure you are aware of the massive social and political upheaval across our nation (and frankly the world, but I think most of us have been inundated by- and struggling to process- what is local to us). I mention it only because this entire year, so far, has seemed to be one of change and growth in a burn-the-house-down sort of way. We usually make our choices, we live our time our own way- ok, I’m finding it hard to reword what JRR Tolkien already expressed perfectly in his character Gandolf- “all you have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to you.” I love that quote.

But this season sort of turned that brutal truth on its head, did it not? I suppose types like Elon Musk maybe are still doing what they set out to do this year (he is in Mars, right??). As for me, starting over in a new city has been thwarted, both in business and in personal life. What few weddings I had booked when I moved here canceled for Covid concerns, understandably and my heart moves for how that must feel. Personally, of course, I was waylaid in meeting new friends and building a sense of community. But given that, I’ve found this year helpful in burning away some of the outer layer I’d concealed myself behind.

I realize this is a very serious post, but I did want to admit that I developed a good case of apathy for quite some time. At the heart of doing nothing, I could sit with myself and find happiness. I can smile (behind a mask) for no reason at all. And again, I am finding beauty in the world and appreciating it everywhere I can go (“can go” really should be underlined in this sentence).

The mountains are already home. They have been since before I moved here. And when Covid started, and I ran back to Raleigh, I found I missed them all too much. Within days, I couldn’t wait to come back. And so I did.

Below, I’ve added a photo of myself impersoning the gray Wizard himself, shouting at a specter, you shall not pass. I think it’s pretty funny. If you want to know how it was created, let me know and I’ll write a post about that. Side note- you can see more of my work on my Instagram page (Photolace), but I deleted my Facebook Biz page. It seemed redundant to me, and I am tired of spinning my wheels so many places.

I have some photo work coming up and some I’ve never shared, and so I will once again bring this page to life. Maybe more than it’s been in years.

I hope you, reading this long post (one of the things I learned during Covid was what tl;dr means. This post probably applies…) are well, safe, happy and expanding into new life.

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