A Flame of White and Crimson

Poling Hall

Wallace Hall

Dahl Chapel

"Let there be light."

"Ok."

Haldeman-Theissen Science Building

This weekend, Monmouth College hosted their Golden Scots Celebration.  I've always admired the pride and love that MC grads, no matter how long they've been out of school, have for their alma mater.  Especially this one, who keeps an incredible and inspiring blog and to whom I definitely need to send a letter.  

Also, my beautiful parents...

 ...these guys, who, even though they aren't done with school yet, know how to run all the fancy equipment in the world and put up with my paparazzi self...

...this girl, who's pretty awesome, especially at all things theater...

...and many many more for whom Monmouth College is or was "what college was meant to be."

You've Got A Woman Who Knows Her Worth...

...and ain't prepared to compromise it.

-Kate Earl, "Can't Treat Me That Way"

Sugar Magnolia

Look Closely.

Magnolias for Pittsburgh is an exhibit on the corner of Penn Avenue and Seventh Street, near the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, in Pittsburgh, PA.  Created by artist Tony Tasset, the exhibit contains five live magnolia trees and two made of hand-painted bronze set against a backdrop of cascading ivy.  At first glance, you can hardly tell the difference.

Daydreamer

With eyes that make you melt.

-Adele, "Daydreamer"

Another Little Piece of My Heart

The Irish in the audience may recognize this as a Claddagh Ring, a traditional Irish symbol of love and friendship.  This banged up beauty, full of nicks and squished into an odd oblong shape, is mine.  I wear it everyday on my right ring finger, point of the heart towards my fingertips, to remind myself of my Celtic heritage and of how happy I am to be an independent woman.

...She'll Never Stop Taking Photos

If you're reading this, you've most likely read my regular blog, Latitudinally Speaking, or have succumbed to my shameless self promotion via facebook.  If you just happened to stumble across this blog, take off your coat and stay awhile!  Those of you who read Latitudinally Speaking are probably wondering why I've got two blogs.  Although the direction of my first blog is changing slightly, it remains largely focused on travel and my major, work and school life, and impending off campus study.  This blog, If You Give a Mouse a Camera, is for photos.  In March of this year, after months and months of searching, I purchased a Fujifilm X10 digital camera to upgrade from my old point and shoot.  I love the camera and have been lucky enough to receive generous praise from family and friends on many of the photos I've taken.  Photography is quickly becoming a passion of mine and being able to share my photos is part of what makes the experience so wonderful for me, hence this blog.  However, there's a twist.  This blog is primarily dedicated to macro shots, shots taken up close, focused on the intimate details rather than the broader context, the kind a mouse would take if it were handed a camera.  Of course there'll be days when I share photos from a trip or of family and friends and those will probably incorporate some full picture shots but the primary content of this blog will be macro shots, the up close details that often go over looked as we go about our lives.  Dries Van Noten sums up what I'm trying to do here better than I can when he says, "It's more interesting to have just a picture of a small detail-then you can dream all the rest around it.  Because when you see the whole thing, what is there to imagine?"  So please, imagine, dream, fill in the blanks in the stories of these photos, but most of all, enjoy!