Mount Vernon is a magical place for me. On my most recent shoot there, I even got to feel like I was flying! And, for this food shooter, there is nothing like the thrill of shooting from 60 feet up in the air!

I usually feel very earthbound—which, at Mount Vernon is always beautiful, of course. For the Mount Vernon cookbook, Dining With The Washingtons, I had many opportunities to shoot the grounds, the mansion interior and exterior, as well as the gardens.

But this was a uniquely surreal experience, looking down on the grounds I am used to covering with more of a potato’s eye view! Returning for this assignment to capture new images for use in Mount Vernon’s annual report, guidebook and postcards, I was excited to see the lovely transformation of the upper garden, which was completed in 2010 when I was shooting the cookbook.

I really love being in this garden. It’s so lush—it’s hard to believe it is only two years old!

Such a soothing change of pace, to go from working in the studio to feeling sun and breeze on my skin as I get slowly mesmerized by the details of cabbage and kale.

I always look forward to returning to this quiet cocoon where all my stress evaporates.