One of my favorite parts of spring is watching the roadsides for Texas bluebonnets. They cover entire hillsides in the area around Austin, but up in northwestern Texas, they are more of a rare find. There are certain places that I know to look each year, and about a week ago, I noticed the first patches of vibrant blue.
Two of my three kids have graduated from high school, and as part of their senior pictures, I made sure to get them out in a field of bluebonnets. There is a reliable patch out by our small airport, and we’ve made pictures there several times.
Many years ago, I snapped some photos of them myself in a field of bluebonnets in a vacant lot not too far from their school. Aren’t they adorable? (I’m not biased or anything.)
Peter, the youngest, won’t have his senior pictures made until next year, but here are Bethany and Wyatt in their bluebonnet photo shoots.
The year we made Bethany’s senior pictures, I also had a few author photos taken – yes, in the bluebonnets. Here are a couple of my favorite. (Unfortunately, it was very windy on the day we took the pictures, but I kept telling myself I was just like one of those models standing in front of a giant fan. Ha!)
- Do you have favorite photo traditions in your family?
- What are your favorite spring flowers?
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Oh, and one more thing . . .
A Huge Christian Historical Romance Giveaway!
If you love historical romance, this is the giveaway for you. Two winners will receive all 23 books pictured below. One winner will also receive a free e-reader. Authors participating include well-known names like Suzanne Woods Fisher, Susan May Warren, Misty Beller, and Rebecca deMarino. What a great way to discover new favorite authors!
I’m giving away a copy of More Than Meets the Eye, the prequel to my June release, More Than Words Can Say. Most of the books in the giveaway will be in e-book format, but some authors (including me) will offer the winners (if in the US) the option of choosing an autographed print copy. To enter, click here. The contest runs through April 17, so enter soon!
For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Karen is a firm believer in the power of happy endings. . . and ice cream. She is an avid cross-stitcher, and makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at: www.karenwitemeyer.com.
I loved seeing your family’s bluebonnet pictures. I haven’t taken any pictures in them in years. I just never get around to it. We don’t have kids, only cats and they don’t like to go outside. My husband doesn’t care to take a picture in them and he hates taking pictures of me. So, it just doesn’t happen here. But I do love looking at the bluebonnets.
I’ve never gotten me and my hubby in the bluebonnets for a picture. We’re going to have to do that one of these days so we can have the whole family covered. As mom, I can order the kids into the bluebonnets, but I’m going to have to use my wiles on the hubby. Ha!
I loved the pictures. We do not have a favorite tradition like that. But I do love bleeding hearts.
What a lovely flower with such a descriptive name. Those should be worked into a romance novel plot somewhere. 😉
Bluebonnet pictures are the best! My favorite flower! Beautiful pictures!
Hi, Paula. The bluebonnets are definitely one of my favorite things about moving to Texas. They are just so beautiful!
Good looking kids.
Thanks, Kim. I’m rather partial to them. 🙂
Love, love, love!!
Thanks, Pam!
Hi Karen, love your bluebonnets and what great looking kids. Here in California, we’re having a great spring. Our poppies are in full bloom, miles and miles of them. I spent the weekend taking photos of them.
Oh, how I remember those poppies, Margaret. It’s been far too long since I’ve seen California in the spring. I hope you share your photos. I’d love to see them!
I think your “fan” pictures are perfect! The bluebonnets do make a great background.
Ha! Thanks, Rosie. 🙂
The photos are beautiful and precious. Love the setting.
Thank you, Anne. Bluebonnets just beg for you to get out in them.
We take photos when there are family occasions especially with the little ones who are changing and growing up. Your children are wonderful.
Those little ones change so quickly, don’t they, Ruth. I can’t believe mine are already entering adulthood. Where did the time go?
Wonderful and memorable photos of your family. I take photos of the grandchildren since they are the focus now.
Grandchildren are so precious, Ellie! I look forward to the day that I get to experience that special joy.
Karen, your family photos are beautiful!
Thank you, Caryl. 🙂
How lovely. Around here, people take photos in some of the sunflower patches when they’re in bloom.
I love sunflowers! They are just such happy flowers. 🙂
I love your pics! 🙂 My family has never been big on taking pics… maybe some at Christmas…
We don’t take pictures very often, but every now and then I get the urge and won’t let anyone talk me out of it. 🙂
How lovely these flowers are. Your children are beautiful. And so are you. I love the photos. What a wonderful way to see the kiddos change with photos in the blue bonnets.
We didn’t have anything special with photos. While growing up, we had group photos when we had holidays or birthdays, etc.
My mother-in-law is the driving force behind big group photos at holiday time. Those end up being some of my favorite keepsakes. As my family grows and expands, I’m going to have to remember to follow that tradition.
The bluebonnet pictures are beautiful. Around this area people often take family pictures and even wedding photos in the ripe wheat fields. We don’t have very many wild flowers but the wetter areas do have some balsamroot sunflowers and lupine in the spring.
I have a friend who took photos in her grandparents’ cotton field right before harvest. It was beautiful and rustic. I imagine those wheat field shots would be lovely as well, Alice.
Very nice pictures with the bluebonnets, bluebonnets are very Beautiful flowers, I really like them. I would guess my favorite flowers are mums, I also love carnations.
Mums are beautiful. So full and lovely!
Beautiful pictures Karen. Wish I’d done something like this with my kids when they were growing up
Thanks, Winnie. They are some of my favorite pictures. 🙂
Karen, Great pictures. What a wonderful idea for yearly pictures of family members. We took pictures of our children the first day of school and the last day of school every year. We had a friend who did black and white portraits of his children. He had the pictures arranged on a hallway wall running horizontally. His children were in their twenties, but he kept the tradition. It was a wonderful way for everyone to see how they had grown over the years.
Favorite spring flowers: irises and peonies.
I love the idea of having running annual portraits along the hallway walls, Patricia.
Family portraits were few and far between unfortunately when the kids were small we did not have a lot of money for film and to get them developed ( I know I am aging myself since you do not need film now days). But I take pictures all the time now when we are together and I enjoy Scrapbooking them. My favorite spring time flowers are the Poppies. For the last few years the Poppies did not bloom a lot but this year God smiled on us and the Poppies are in abundance. It is so beautiful to drive and see the vibrant orange all over the hills it is truly amazing.