The Home We Didn't Know We Needed
NAPERVILLE - WHEATON - GLEN ELLYN - ELMHURST - GENEVA - ST. CHARLES - BARRINGTON - BARTLETT PHOTOGRAPHER
Ballyvaughan, Tipperary. Ireland
Hello my friend!
This time of year always makes me smile because if you've been reading these newsletters lately, it probably sounds like I don't work very much. The reality is that photography is a business of seasons. Some parts of the year feel steady and predictable, while others ebb and flow. Headshots tend to stay consistent year-round, seniors come in waves, and family sessions always ramp up as the holidays approach and everyone tries to check holiday cards and family portraits off their list at the same time.
Right now, I may only be photographing a few sessions each week, but I've been doing this long enough to know that before I can blink, I'll be photographing 40-70 sessions a week and wondering where all my free time went.
Years ago, these slower seasons would have stressed me out. I would have worried that business was slowing down or that I should somehow be busier. But experience has taught me to appreciate each season for what it offers instead of wishing it were something else.
This week brought two wonderful senior sessions. Believe it or not, I'm still photographing members of the Class of 2026! Between sports, activities, jobs, and busy schedules, sometimes it's hard to find a time that works during the school year. The weeks after graduation can actually be the perfect opportunity to create those senior portraits and still have them ready for graduation party invitations and celebrations.
And when I'm not behind the camera, you'll usually find me in the garden. Despite the unusually warm weather we've been having, I've managed to keep plugging away on projects around the property. Maybe at a slower pace than I'd like, but progress is progress.
The gift of this quieter season is that it also leaves room for the things I cherish most—time with my grandchildren, mornings in the garden, and dreaming up new projects for Our Cozy Compound.
So for now, I'm choosing gratitude for this season, knowing another busy one is just around the corner.
I hope you've had a wonderful week and found a little time to enjoy this beautiful summer weather.
Soft Focus: The Strange Way Home Finds You
There are homes you live in.
And then there are homes that become woven so tightly into your story that imagining life anywhere else feels impossible.
For twenty-seven years, ours was a 150-year-old farmhouse tucked into the historic district of Naperville. It held the entire architecture of our family life. The staircase where my children sat for photographs year after year. The kitchen where homework covered the counters. Christmas mornings. Teenagers slipping through the back door past curfew. The ordinary days that only become sacred once they are gone.
I truly believed we would grow old there.
Not because the house was perfect, but because it was ours. We had spent twenty-seven years lovingly restoring it, slowly breathing life back into its old bones while raising our family inside its walls. Every inch of that home carried memory.
Leaving it felt unthinkable.
But life has a way of quietly changing the questions you thought had already been answered.
As my parents grew older, it became clear we needed a home that could hold more than just Dan and me. We needed room for a multigenerational life. Space for my parents. Space for our children as they entered adulthood. Space for everyone to be together without feeling on top of one another.
And suddenly we found ourselves searching for something I emotionally could not imagine wanting.
We looked at properties for months. Builders. Renovations. Homes we almost convinced ourselves could work. But none of them felt right.
Then one day, a listing appeared.
Actually, it was the very FIRST listing that appeared when we began searching.
I remember laughing when I saw it.
It felt extravagant. Over-the-top. So far outside what I pictured for us that I jokingly showed it to Dan and said, “Oh hey, we should move here.”
And then I closed the listing and forgot about it.
Or at least I thought I did.
Months passed. We continued searching. We came close to purchasing other homes, but every option left me feeling unsettled. Nothing felt like home.
And then one night, after months of frustration and exhaustion, I dreamt about that very first listing we had seen at the beginning of our search.
Looking back now, I can’t help but wonder if something bigger than me was gently trying to guide us there from the very beginning. Maybe I just wasn’t ready to listen yet.
I woke up the next morning with the property sitting heavily on my mind. I pulled up the listing fully expecting it to be sold.
But somehow, it was still available.
Later that day, while we were out driving, I casually asked Dan if he would mind driving past it.
I still remember the strange feeling in my chest as we pulled up. Not certainty exactly. Just curiosity I couldn’t explain.
We were leaving behind walkable downtown Naperville. The familiarity of our old neighborhood. The energy and comfort of a life we knew by heart. Warrenville felt smaller. Quieter. Unknown.
Nothing about it made logical sense to me yet.
But something about this property kept pulling at me.
So I asked my sister, our realtor, to schedule a showing.
And the moment we stepped inside, something shifted.
There was no internal debate. No trying to convince myself. No resistance.
Only recognition.
As though some quiet part of me already knew.
Our Cozy Compound chose me as much as I chose it. And stepping through its door felt less like buying a property and more like recognizing a life we had not yet lived.
That doesn’t mean leaving our farmhouse was easy.
I grieved that house deeply.
I cried while packing boxes. I stood in empty rooms remembering younger versions of all of us. I worried that somehow we were leaving our memories behind along with the house itself.
But what I understand now is that home is never just the structure that held your life.
It is the people who filled it.
And somehow, without even realizing it, we carried all of that love with us here.
I spent so long believing change only meant loss that I never considered it might also bring something beautiful into our lives.
Because almost everything beautiful that exists in our lives now grew from this move.
The gardens I once only dreamed about. The studio Dan built with his own hands. The flower fields. The workshops. The slow mornings. The way our family exists together here — close enough to share life, yet with room to breathe. My parents living alongside us. Grandchildren running through the yard.
Somewhere along the way, this home changed the rhythm of our lives.
It slowed me down enough to notice things I used to rush past.
The way evening light falls across the garden.
The sound of gravel beneath my shoes.
Coffee on the patio before everyone wakes up.
The stillness.
The beauty hidden inside ordinary days.
The life we were trying so hard to protect ended up growing in ways we never expected.
Sometimes I think back to the woman staring at that online listing years ago — laughing at the very idea of living here — and I want to hug her a little.
Because she thought she was being asked to leave home behind.
She didn’t yet understand that home was quietly waiting to welcome her in.
WHAT I’M LOVING THIS WEEK
Inspiring Follow: Katy Banks (@roseladykaty)
If you love roses as much as I do, you need to follow Katy Banks, better known as @roseladykaty. A third-generation rose grower in Nova Scotia, Katy shares stunning varieties of roses, honest growing advice, and practical tips that make you want to add "just one more rose" to your garden. (Ask me how that's working out for my garden budget.) Whether you're a seasoned rose grower or just beginning your rose obsession, her account is a beautiful mix of inspiration and education that will leave you dreaming of blooms all season long.
Follow her at @roseladykaty and prepare to start a wish list of roses you never knew you needed.
What I’m Loving: Kennedy White Jar Outdoor Planter, Extra Large
This week I'm loving a giant jar-shaped planter that I recently picked up from At Home. Standing 26½ inches tall and 21½ inches wide, it's the perfect statement piece for anyone dreaming of a French Provence-inspired garden. The shape feels like something you might stumble upon in a charming village in the South of France, tucked beside an old stone wall overflowing with lavender.
What I love most is its size. It's substantial, incredibly heavy, and large enough to create that layered European garden look by combining lavender, rosemary, white annuals, and other sun-loving plants in one beautiful container. Sometimes the right pot can completely transform a space, and this one instantly gave me the collected, old-world feel I've been trying to create in our gardens.
If you're looking to add a little Provence charm to your patio or garden this summer, keep an eye out for this one. Just be prepared to recruit a helper or two to move it!
Local-ish (With a Very Loose Interpretation of "Local"): Detroit Garden Works
This week I'm stretching the definition of Local-ish just a bit because some places are simply too good not to share.
If you're a garden lover, do yourself a favor and spend some time browsing Detroit Garden Works. Located in Michigan, it's one of those places that feels less like a garden store and more like a destination for dreamers. Their collection includes everything from antique garden fountains and weathered cast iron urns to custom pergolas, architectural elements, and one-of-a-kind treasures that look as though they've been collected from grand European estates.
In fact, I have their website permanently pinned in my browser because I find myself visiting it far more often than my budget would probably approve of.
Now, let's be honest. It's not as though I'm regularly filling my cart and checking out. One cast iron urn from my wish list could probably consume my entire garden budget for the next several years. But a girl can dream.
And sometimes that's enough.
Even if you're not in the market for a fountain, pergola, or antique garden ornament, their website is pure inspiration for anyone who loves beautiful outdoor spaces. Think of it as window shopping for your future French-inspired garden. I certainly do.
1794 Pontiac Dr, Sylvan Lake, MI
Summer Recipe Favorite: Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken with Peach Salad
I'm cooking a lot more these days. Partly because I genuinely enjoy it, but mostly because my kitchen garden is finally starting to reward all those hours of planting, watering, weeding, and waiting. Fresh herbs are overflowing, vegetables are beginning to arrive, and suddenly every meal feels like an opportunity to use something grown right outside my door.
This week, I tried a recipe that immediately earned a spot in the "make again" pile: Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken with Peach Salad from The Modern Proper.
Since it's peach season, the timing couldn't have been better. The combination of juicy peaches, crisp cucumbers, grilled chicken, fresh mint, and cilantro is absolutely delicious. The honey mustard marinade doubles as the dressing, and somehow manages to tie everything together perfectly. Light and fresh, yet surprisingly filling.
Perhaps the biggest endorsement of all? My husband Dan. Salads are not usually the first thing he gravitates toward on a menu, but the last few I've made have started to change his mind. This one was a definite fan favorite.
The fresh herbs are truly the chef's kiss in this recipe, and I can already imagine serving it at a summer dinner party piled high on a large wooden board. Beautiful, colorful, seasonal, and delicious—everything I want summer cooking to be.
If you're looking for a new recipe to add to your summer rotation, this one is absolutely worth trying.
Recipe: Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken with Peach Salad
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the Honey Mustard Chicken
½ cup honey
½ cup whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
For the Peach Salad
6 Persian cucumbers, smashed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 peaches, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Goat Cheese Crumbles
Pistachios
Directions
Make the marinade: Whisk together the honey, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, curry powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reserve ¼ cup for the salad.
Marinate the chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the marinade, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Grill: Preheat your grill to medium-low heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill for about 4 minutes per side until lightly charred. Brush with additional marinade and continue cooking, turning occasionally, until the chicken reaches 165°F, about 10 more minutes.
Make the salad: Toss the cucumbers, peaches, cilantro, mint, lemon juice, reserved marinade, and salt together. Let sit for about 10 minutes so the flavors can mingle.
Serve: Arrange the grilled chicken on a large platter and pile the peach salad on top. Garnish with extra mint and cilantro and serve family-style. I like to sprinkle goat cheese on crumbles and pistachios on the top for that extra layer of flavor.
My Tip: If you're entertaining, serve this on a large wooden board or oversized platter. The colorful peaches, herbs, and grilled chicken make for a stunning presentation that feels perfect for a summer gathering.
Recipe adapted from The Modern Proper.
Studio Happenings: Flower Picking Minis
One of my favorite things about summer is watching children experience the simple joy of gathering flowers. Our Flower Picking Mini Sessionsare designed to capture that magic.
Styled with a vintage wagon overflowing with summer blooms and an antique tricycle in a field of colorful Zinnias at our studio, these sessions feel like stepping into a storybook. They're filled with color, whimsy, and all the carefree wonder that childhood should be.
Perfect for children ages 1–12, these portraits celebrate the sweetness of summer while creating timeless images you'll treasure long after the flowers have faded.
Investment: $395
Includes:
30-minute portrait session
5 fully edited digital images
Option to purchase additional images
Weekday late afternoon and evening appointments available
Outfit Inspiration: Soft cotton dresses, eyelet lace, sun hats, overalls, and simple sandals photograph beautifully among the flowers. Light, airy colors such as white, blush, pale yellow, soft blue, or sage green complement the garden setting perfectly.
A little whimsy. A little wonder. And a whole lot of flowers.
with love and light,
Alicia Staley Johnson
of Alicia’s Photography
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