From the Haugen Heart

Neil’s father is nearing the end of his life. It is a time for family closeness and quite a few tears. I (Miriam) feel very grateful to have had him as a father-in-law. He has loved me like a daughter, overlooked my flaws, spoiled my children, and filled me with wonderful stories. Ah, the stories! Stories of growing up in North Dakota, spending the summer in Norway when he was 9, and driving truck during World War II with nothing but starlight to see by. The faint distinction between dark trees and barely lighter sky was sometimes the only way he could tell where the road was. We heard some of the stories so many times that the characters are like old friends. With all of our parents still living, we have not had to deal with the sense of loss and emptiness that many of our friends have had when they lose a parent. We feel fortunate to have had Bob for as long as we have. It has been five years since our fateful trip to Iowa to attend a weekend of Christmas concerts at Luther College w...

by Miriam Haugen Eleanor had me sorting through some old papers today and I found this wonderful quote from Philip Charis that I just had to share. Philip Charis is one of the great portrait artists of our time. Classic elegance with stunning clarity and resolution best describes his work. "Photography is the last link in a chain which started when people began drawing on the walls of their caves. From the days of the portrait painter portraying the privileged few, to the arrival of the daguerreotype that gave millions the possibility to have their own portraits, a fascinating development. "Why then the need for the professional photographer? Simply, the professional photographer does not find pictures, he creates them. The success of the portrait still lies in the eye and in the mind of the professional photographer. "Constant practice with constant goals, diligence, perseverance, and esthetic harmony are what define the professional photographer. He has the power to sh...