Meet Haley
The hamster behind this wheel
Nice to meet you
These are my stories
01
I’ve lived in a tent
Specifically this tiny kelty here
Freshly graduated from college & married in my early 20s, we moved sight-unseen from our home state of Alabama to Oregon. Being the jobless (read: broke) new grads we were, we lived in this tent in Champoeg State Park to save money while interviewing for jobs. We’d acknowledge the people who called us ‘brave’, but all along we secretly knew we were driven most by our curiosity for the unknown & the fact that we were two crazy kids with dreams. Over a decade removed, I recognize that’s a fairly positive reflection on a time when I nearly froze to death in a sleeping bag (dramatization), but the hopeless romantic in me looks back to claim the embers from a glowing experience, not the ashes. Now from a place of considerably more stability & comfort, I’d live that month again in a heartbeat.
02
Twin Mama
Surviving motherhood since 2015
One beautiful spring afternoon, these two little blonde dynamos joined us, forever changing our world. They are pretty cool & generally “up-for-anything” kids. Meeting the world all over again through the wonder of their eyes is a parenting joy of mine. They have more energy than any other humans on earth though & they do not require much sleep.
We love them.
And also, please, send coffee.
03
First Client: Daisy
My childhood kitty
It’s all over her face. She would 10 out of 10 recommend working with me. The Story: When I was a toddler, Daisy was a stray cat who ventured on our property. My elementary-school-aged sister wanted to keep her & needed to lock her down when we left. So, naturally, she threw her in the trash can to trap her. As it turned out, Daisy developed Stockholm syndrome & stayed with us for the remainder of her days, begrudgingly participating in the odd photoshoot or two. Photo Circa: 1993
04
Happy little trails
Where troulbes melt like lemondrops
In college, I realized the more time I spent outside, the better I felt. Thus, an outdoor enthusiast was born. Now you can find me in my happy places – route-finding up a mountain I scouted on Google maps’ satellite view, night sledding by headlamp with friends, trying to lure a mountain goat close enough for me to pet (fun & disturbing fact: they like the salt in human urine & sweat), getting up at ungodly hours to drive 3 hours to climb something & beat out the storms.
And yes, that was a Bob Ross reference because I also like to paint mountains.
05
My first big mountain
The South Sister: Bend, Oregon
Long before summit fever set in, there was the third tallest mountain in Oregon, the South Sister, just outside of Bend. At the top resides the highest lake in the state – a crater lake called Teardrop pool – that reflects a glacial-melt cerulean blue. For a sense of scale, if you can see the tiny specks on the far rim of this photo, you guessed it: those are people. Since that fateful day in 2008, I’ve summited over 40 “big” mountains west of the Mississippi, 20+ of which are Colorado’s 14ers.
06
Plant Parenthood
“Don’t let anyone treat you like a pothos. You’re a variegated monstera.”
Started my first successful garden in 2020. I continue to try to grow some of our food. What I can in our climate. And I dream of the day I own a greenhouse.
Also around the same time I inherited my first two small spider plant pups. Things escalated quickly & there are now more than 45 plants in my house & counting.
07
Cancer
Not the zodiac sign, unfortunately
Some have said our family has dealt with an unfair amount of cancer. Quite frankly, I agree. And somehow, I also believe measuring life in fairness is futile. My mom’s 8.5 year long cancer battle & then losing her in July 2022 tested (& still tests) pieces of me. What I’ve come away with so far is this: Life is hard & messy, and beautiful. Noticing the beauty is a superpower. I can meet others now where they are at in a deeper, more complex way. I can enjoy the beauty & sit in stillness in the hard parts. And I have a whole new appreciation for the significance of what I do – the images of and with the people you love are an undeniable gift.
08
Bryan
Contractually obligated to be my spouse
(Kidding, although technically true)
When we met, you told me you’d planned on becoming a celibate woodsman after graduating college. (I kid you not.) And here you are. The guy who bought a ring to propose & wrapped it in duct tape to give yourself time to think it over for a few months. And then proposed with a ring pop first, only AFTER making it sound like you were breaking up with me. (Will tell you the full story in person.)
Now, you’re the (necessary) helicopter parent to my free range… chickens…. I mean, children. The antithesis to my people pleaser. The one who sees problems coming before they even happen & Mr. Fix-it. The entertainer of my wild hairs & one who makes most of our food. The one who will make me heart shaped pancakes on Mother’s Day because our little ladies insisted.
I wouldn’t be who or where I am without you.
