Corner Wedding Chapel -Mid-Cities- Jim Rode Photographer

Wonderful wedding! I've been working it as the couple head for the coast for their honeymoon cruise. It was one of those weddings where everyone is so happy and friendly, that you regret not having met them sooner.

Their wedding was at the Corner Wedding Chapel in Hurst. 

While Sylvia went to the garden display at Fair Park...I hit the baseball hall of fame exhibit. Oh my gosh how cool is this! A terrific collection of memoribilia. Ty Cobbs sharpened spikes. No wonder everyone hated him. He could cut you bad.

Andy Warhol. If you're a fan -you love it!

Wow! Roberto Clemente cap. Here was an early hero of mine. What an arm! He died in  a plane crash bringing hurricane relief supplies in a chartered plane. Three thousand hits is considered the minimum to make the hall of fame for a hitter. He got exactly that before death. I think it was God's way of saying...you're coming home, but I've got a little gift for you before you go.

A uniform from the Professional Women's Baseball League. Remember the movie A League of Their Own? Seeing a real uniform was special. And the "girls" wore skirts. Slide into second with a skirt? You can't tell me they didn't have guts.

And now, the start of the baseball season...it's April again. It is also the 61st anniversary of Jackie Robinson being brought to the majors from the "Negro Leagues," breaking the "color" barrier. He had to pledge to Branch Rickey not to say a word for 3 years even with all the crap he was going to face. Nothing else carries both the sad and the fantastic at the same time. Talk about pressure. If he didn't "make this work" then they may have not tried to integrate baseball for another 20 years. Integrating baseball was a kind of first step for civil rights. Truman did force the integration of the armed forces months before, but that mostly took place in europe where we had been fighting the world war. Mr. Robinson carried a lot on his shoulders. He had to prove he was so good that it didn't make sense not to have an African-American on the team. He was taunted from the stands, the other team, umpires, and even his own teammates at first. They threw stuff at him, refused him hotel rooms, and to eat where the other players ate. That uniform is as special as the Babe's, or Josh Gibson, or Ty Cobb. We all stand on the shoulders of giants.

Sylvia and I met up later. The flowers were beautiful she said. (Yeah, but I'm the one who got choked up.)

Kathleen and Jason met me at the world's largest earth clock. We started doing engagements and in less than 10 minutes...it was pouring.  Did we have a good time? You bet. Fun, romantic, some real WOW images! Isn't it romantic? -as they say...a simple walk in the rain? There wedding will be at the Marty Leonard Chapel in Fort Worth. Cool!

I got kicked out of Fort Worth (so-to-speak). Rats, I hate when that happens. Well, I'm exaggerating a little! Tonie (a real knockout! like my Dad used to say), Anthony and I went to Fort Worth to do an Engagement Safari. Had a great time with fantastic images. 

I had Tonie sitting on a short planter wall and was asking Anthony to lie on his back with his head in her lap. Nice and cozy...romantic...Tonie would cradle his head and they could whisper...NOT.

One of those "security" goofballs that ride around on bicycles saw us. You can't do that can you? You...yeah - you with the camera in your hand...what are you doing? Duh. What do you think I'm doing? No tripod. I'm holding a camera like any tourist. I guess he screws his hat on in the morning. 

We finished up in other locations. You can't stop love.

Tonie and Anthony will be married at the Green Oaks Wedding Chapel. 

Oh yeah...the last time I got kicked out of town...Sylvia and I had driven way too long. We were going through Fresno CA in the night, and got off an exit for the road "Hotel and Motel Road". It seemed like the logical exit...but did look a little seedy. We pulled up to a parked police car and asked where a good hotel would be. He sent us north to "40th Ave." (best of my memory anyway). By the time we got to 40th...we knew he had sent us about 5 miles OUT OF TOWN! It was the absolute edge of city limits. Very funny...

Can a day be more perfect? I spent a sunny day with Erica and Andrew on Safari doing engagement images.  They will be married later this year at Chapelle des Fleurs in Flower Mound (Now called Le Beaux Chateau). We had a blast cruising the Fort Worth Museum District (and some nearby places). They are true blue (ummmm true maroon) students of Texas A&M. So we put the Aggie banner up to open their slide-show.