Mmm...Dry

Tracey Anderson cleans her golden retriever, Reagan, at her coin-op pet wash staion at the Jolly Car Wash located at Kirby-Whitten and Summer.

Justice for Kennedy

Brittany Compton, an Iraq veteran, plays with her daughter, Kaitlyn, 5, at a relative's house in Collierville. Kaitlyn and her sister, Kennedy, were placed in foster care in 2009 after Brittany spanked the girls at day care. Both girls were abused in foster care and Kennedy died. Her death has been ruled a homicide. While police have a primary suspect, no arrests have been made since Kennedy's death in 2009 because the suspect refuses to take a lie detector test.

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My New Backyard

Never lived at a house with a pool in the backyard before. I know this is a cliche photo, but I found myself mesmerized by the movement of the water as I stood on the diving board.

Long Walk To Freedom

I was going through some of my photos from my global trekking and came across this photo from Robben Island Prison off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. This place has been on my mind frequently for the better part of the last six months while I've read Nelson Mandela's autobiography, "Long Walk To Freedom." There's is a quote on the front cover from a Boston Globe review that said it is a book everyone must read. I agree. I want to go back to South Africa and revisit this place with the fresh perspective experiencing Mandela's life story. I only had a superficial perspective of South Africa and the apartheid on my first trip, and in hindsight I regret not having a greater respect of what Mandela and his fellow members of the struggle went through. I guess this has been a good reminder to me as a storyteller of the written word and visual narrative of the importance of having as much knowledge about an area I'm going to if I want to properly tell a story. Looking back on the photos I took from that trip, I kept thinking how differently I would have shot this had I read his autobiography before I went.

Well, if you don't have the fortitude to read Mandela's 600 page autobiography, even though I think it's worth it, you should at least watch the film Invictus. It will give you a small taste of Mandela's life and work, and the film even revolves around a world cup (rugby, not football). So it's sort of a timely film with the current World Cup going on in South Africa.

Does size matter?

Sue Halperson gets ready to take her Chihuahua, Ginger, and her Irish Wolfhound, Ms. Georgia, for a walk at the American Kennel Club all-breed dog show at the arena in Southaven, MS.

Thanks to my former roommate, Conner Walker, I've become a big fan of Irish Wolfhounds. Here is the legend that made me a fan of these incredible dogs:


"Gelert the Great"
The grave of Gelert can be found just south of Snowdon, in the grey-stoned village of Beddgelert set among the wild mountains of Wales. Here, in a beautiful meadow below Cerrig Llan, is a large stone slab lying on its side with two upright slabs which owes its fame to the legend of Prince Llewelyn ap Iorwerth and his faithful hound.

Llewelyn (1173-1240 CE) was very fond of hunting and in the summer he lived in a hunting lodge at the foot of Snowdon. Although he had many dogs, his favorite was the brave Gelert, his great Irish Wolf Hound, not only a dog fearless in the hunt, but a loyal friend and companion at the fireside.

One fateful day on the hunt, Gelert refused to accompany his master further, but instead he ran howling back to the Lodge. When Llewellyn returned he was met by his dog, bounding to meet him, but splashed with blood around his muzzle. On entering his living quarters, Llewellyn found a scene of confusion with rooms disordered and articles scattered in heaps. Now Llewelyn had a son, barely a year old, and as the prince recalled how Gelert and his little boy used to play together, a terrible thought came to his mind!

He rushed to the nursery only to find the cradle was overturned, the bed clothes bloody and though he looked frantically for his son, the child could not be found.

Turning to Gelert, whose muzzle was still wet with blood, Llewelyn came into a great rage and cried, "Thou hast killed my only son", and drew his sword and drove it into the heart of the hound.

Then- as all was silent but for the steady drip of blood onto the stone flag floor, the wail of a baby could be heard. On searching further Llewellen found his son safe and well, lying next to the body of a large grey wolf.

It was plain to Llewellen what had happened.

Gelert had killed the wolf whilst defending the baby from attack. Overcome with grief at his hasty action, Llewellyn buried Gelert with all honor and raised a memorial over his grave.

From then on the settlement was known as Beddgelert, meaning "Gelert's Grave" and this is the traditional tale still told today.



Larry Emory takes takes a nap with Brogan, a two-year old Irish wolfhound, on the floor of the Southaven arena after Brogan won best in his breed at the American Kennel Club all-breed dog show.