August, halfway through summer. This post is a few weeks late, but it's the first of two summer photo diary blog posts I'll be making. Let me retrace my steps back to June...
May
Six years ago, I was graduating high school and getting ready to enroll in my local community college as a photography major. I figured I'd spend two years or so getting my associates degree, and transfer to one of the schools I originally wanted to attend. I had no idea what I faced for the next six years. After two and a half years getting my associates and a semester off, I spent three years at the State University of New York at New Paltz. This May, I finally graduated.
There's no way I could recall all the memories in this blog post, but I do have nearly 150 Instax photos to show for it! I'd just like to use this post as an opportunity to show some of the things that have happened lately, from my graduation through my summer adventures so far.
Thanks to my boyfriend Kevin (music here!) and my dad for taking all these photos on Graduation day so I could be in front of the camera for once!
June
We made a visit to Bad Seed Cider Company on a rainy day and were not disappointed. It can be surprising what kind of places are right down the road from you!
Kevin and I enjoyed the Mudd Puddle's iced coffee and tea and the view of the Gunks, past the Groovy Blueberry. Soaking up the views and carefree just-graduated vibes!
Goodies at Mudd Puddle Coffee Roasters.
Words to live by!
Back home to pack. I really have to learn how to live with less, so there will be less to pack next time.
Click images above to view full.
Luckily, I don't live far from New Paltz, so I've been back twice already this summer! My friends, fellow alumni and not, love coming to visit the Hudson Valley, and little ol' NP is the perfect weekend getaway.
Till next time, peace out New Paltz.
July
Moving back home to Long Island this summer has been a lot of adjusting, a lot of donating and selling my things (3 years worth of belongings from college plus all my things at home left me with no floor space!), and a few visits back to New Paltz already! It is nice to be home with a big backyard and a garden, though. I grew a bunch of basil from seeds this summer!
Look at this rainbow over my backyard!
I spent a few days in New Paltz again pretty soon after moving home... it's a hard to deny the opportunity. I couldn't pass up photographing the seriously starlit Hudson Valley night sky while I was there.
A few weeks later was my graduation party, thanks to some shutter-happy friends (hi, Mark!), I got to be in some photos again! Rare occurrence for me, I'm pretty comfortable being behind the camera. Hi friends & family!
At the end of the night, we sent off some paper lanterns dedicated to friends we lost in the past two years.
A rare photo of my brother Miles.
At the end of July, Kevin and I went spent another week in New Paltz to house-and-pet sit for a friend for the second time this summer. A week spent in peace on the porch with the cat and dog, the Wallkill View Farm Market two minutes down the road, and a very cute tomato garden!
In conclusion, a slideshow of photos of backyard tomatoes for your viewing pleasure! Click left and right arrows to scroll.
August has already been interesting, and it's only two weeks in as I write this. This fall will be the first time in over two decades that I won't be gearing up for school to start. So strange! I'm even having stress dreams about school, but I'm all done! Is it still acceptable for me to cash in on the back to school shopping deals? I need new sneakers!
Although I can't wait for fall to start (and probably return to New Paltz for the apple picking and foliage. What can I say?), this summer has also gone by incredibly fast. Wasn't I just unpacking and settling in? Let's see where the second half takes me... •
Morgan Maloney is a commercial, lifestyle, and fine art photographer, based in New York. Morgan now resides on Long Island and spends her free time cooking, petting every cat she sees, practicing good skincare, and browsing Instagram.