"total bliss"

Lara McDonald, of Mount Pleasant, holds her daughter, Elise McDonald, 9 months, over the splash of water Monday at Island Park Spray Park. Lara graduated from Central Michigan University and is currently working towards her nursing degree at Mid Michigan Community College.


Wyatt Miller, 5, enjoys water and community with children running and splashing through a summer evening Monday at Island Park Spray Park. Wyatt has high-functioning autism. "That is the face he makes when he's in total bliss," said his mother, April Miller.


Tyra Denman, 6, runs away as Nico Christiansen, 5, left, and Duncan Christiansen, 7, direct a spray gun at her Monday at Island Park Spray Park. Denman is a kindergartener at Pullen Elementary School and the Christiansen boys attend Renaissance Public School Academy.

track, take two.

H. H. Dow High School senior Samantha Olson braces herself for impact, competing in long jump during Tuesday's track meet between H. H. Dow High School, Midland High School, and Mount Pleasant High School at Midland Stadium.


Midland High School sophomore Riley Andridge clears 11 feet six inches in boys' pole vaulting during Tuesday's track meet between H. H. Dow High School, Midland High School, and Mount Pleasant High School at Midland Stadium.

a double header

summer feature hunting

A story assignment for CM-Life fell through on Saturday, so Ryan Taljonik, the reporter, and I went feature hunting and found this youth group doing a car wash to fundraise for an adventure trip. It's pretty darn messy, but I like the moment here.

mustangs and burros! adoption! oh my!

Toni Hazen, left, of Lee Township, eyes a newly-arrived band of horses with Jodi Williams, of Midland, Friday at the Midland County Fairgrounds. Hazen and Williams are monitoring the numbers of the horses' collars and recording them to keep track for Friday and Saturday's Wild Horse & Burro Adoptions.


Ed Whalen, of Byron, smiles while discussing the arrival of his paint horse, Mokha, left, with Dave Berg of Wild Horse & Burro Adoptions' Milwaukee office, Friday at the Midland County Fairgrounds.

tennis!

track!

H. H. Dow High School senior Samantha Olson leaps over a hurdle during the girls' hurdles relay at the track meet Friday at Midland Community Stadium. Olson said she felt "pretty good" about her run.

Midland High School senior Mike Maxwell launches over a pole set at 13 feet, 6 inches during the boys' pole vaulting at the track meet Friday at Midland Community Stadium. After three attempts, Maxwell failed to vault the 13 feet, 6 inch mark, but took first place in the boys' pole vaulting, clearing a pole set at 13 feet.

I got to use Midland's D3 and the 300mm lens! It was a good day.