Back in October, Shelly Swanger was announced 2015 South Walton Photographer of the Year at The Hilton in Sandestin.  Swanger along with Artist of the Year Juan Francisco Adaro, Oil Painter of the Year Melody Bogle and Sculptor of the Year Rick Mungeam wrapped up the entire Artist of the Year group.

Shelly explained there were at least 22-24 artists who submitted applications for the award and then it was narrowed down to four, each serving a spot in the four categories.

“Throughout the year you’re called on to promote the area but it also promotes you as an artist,” she said. “I’m thankful for the TDC (Tourism Development Council) and what they do to promote us and help out all the artists in the area. They’ve taken an interest that the arts are alive in Walton County.”

Shelly’s home/studio has a bright and cheery atmosphere, with many framed items of one of her favorite artists, Sir Elton John, displayed in her office. Her garage has been converted into a quaint home studio, so she can take indoor photos whenever needed.

This year she was asked to photograph the singer at his concert in Charlotte, N.C. She says she normally doesn’t frame her own work and display it at home but she made an exception since he’s “quite the showman” and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“It was a no brainer when I got the call. I said ‘when is it?’ And they said ‘tomorrow night,’ and I asked ‘how far is it?’ but I didn’t even care. It was a lot of fun,” she said excitedly.

Photography has always been something Shelly was intrigued with growing up.

“Way back in high school, I took photos for the yearbook, and I always had a camera,” said Shelly. “Then I grew up and started working in the restaurant business for a number of years and moved around a lot and it kind of fell to the wayside. Then ten years ago, I decided to go back to school and I had intended to get a degree in graphic design and there were a lot of required photography classes and I just thought, ‘I really love this,’ and more than I would love graphic design. Photography was something I always loved and I found my way back to it.”

Twelve years ago, she moved and planted her roots here in South Walton, and eventually found the right outlet for her photography by participating in local events and capturing the scenery.

She picked up the camera again, obtaining her equipment along the way. And what started out as hobby, from entering contests and posting her photos on social media, soon grew to something more.

“About five or six years ago I decided I was going to start a business; it was part time because I was still in the restaurant business,” she said.

Since her favorite thing to photograph is music, being a part of the 30A Songwriter’s festival became second nature.

“Music photography is my favorite; it’s my true passion,” she added. “When I started doing that it was around a couple years later when they had the first Songwriters Festival in January. I thought that would be a great opportunity to get some shots of artists that I wouldn’t normally see. And I’ve been doing that festival ever since.”

She says she loves being apart of the non-profit organization ArtsQuest, and other events like 30A 10k that promote the area. Her business has now become a full time labor of love.

Growing up in Memphis, Tenn., and being around jazz and blues, Shelly said she has a fascination with things that have a “soulful historical significance,” like old houses, abandoned buildings or trains. She says those speak to her the most because they have a history to them and are among some her favorites to photograph.

Shelly’s photography has a wide and welcoming variety, since she has the ability to photograph everything from editorials in magazines like Emerald Coast Magazine and VIE Magazine, to weddings and portraits for families. While she says everything is still a work in progress, her photos have been featured nationally with CNN and USA Today.

“I do fine art photography as well,” she says. “I travel now and do a lot of music festivals and I hope next year I do a lot more because it’s a big focus. Along the way, I’ll just stop and take days to go walk around and look and shoot pictures.”

“I like to work on things that are a bit different,” she said when referring to taking her equipment and trying new techniques.  “You always want to find your own angle, your version of it,” she added. “I’m always looking for ways to get better and have new experiences where you can improve on your craft so that this time next year I can look back and say I really accomplished a lot or told a lot of good stories. That would be my idea of a successful year.”

Now that next year is around the corner, Shelly plans to focus her time towards art exhibits and music festivals. She says she is looking forward to the upcoming Songwriter’s festival and the artists to come.

Some of her prints are available for purchase on her Facebook fanpage, www.facebook.com/shellyswangerphotography. For more information about Shelly and to view her photo galleries, visit shellyswangerphotography.com.

Dec, 22 2014 — (Morning Edition) —

Many beer aficionados are familiar with the rare breweries run by Trappist monks. The beer is highly sought after, but it’s not the only food or drink made by a religious order. Many abbeys and convents have deep roots in agriculture, combining farm work with prayer.

Just 5 miles south of the Colorado-Wyoming border you’ll find one of these places. Idyllic red farm buildings sit in the shadow of the main abbey, all tucked in a stony valley. At the Abbey of St. Walburga, cattle, water buffalo and llamas graze on grass under the watchful eye of Benedictine nuns.

Sister Maria-Walburga Schortemeyer runs the abbey’s ranch. Other sisters volunteer their time to work. The list of agricultural activities is long. In addition to the cows and llamas, the nuns raise chickens and bees, most of which are used in the abbey’s kitchen. The water buffalo are the newest addition, brought on in April and milked to make mozzarella cheese. But because the sisters need a health certification for their operation, the cheese-making is currently on pause.

The biggest moneymaker on the farm comes from the beef cattle. The sisters are very aware of their marketing edge, Schortemeyer says.

“We have kind of a corner on the market — you know, nuns selling natural beef. People just kind of believe in it,” she says.

They’ve been in the grass-fed beef business now for about seven years. Because their operation is unique, so they’ve never had a problem selling out of their product.

“Some of our customers want it because of the beef,” Schortemeyer says. “Some of them want it because they know how [the animals are] being cared for. We didn’t have much trouble, and now we always have a waiting list for the beef.”

To keep the baby cows safe from the region’s numerous predators, the nuns employ a set of unorthodox security guards — the aforementioned llamas.

“We have seen them chase a mountain lion off the property,” Schortemeyer says. “Llamas have various weaponry. One of them is their breath. They also kill with their front feet. They try to disembowel you — if they were upset with you.”

That’s right, a disemboweling guard llama raised by nuns. The sisters say the llamas usually save their spit and hooves for intruders, not the nuns who feed them.

When many religious orders were founded centuries ago during the Middle Ages, agriculture was more than a way of life; it was a way of survival. Monasteries were self-sustaining, growing the food they ate. While farming has become less common as society has urbanized, Schortemeyer says the abbey’s farm is more than just a quaint business. Other sisters have questioned the ranch’s value, but Schortemeyer says it keeps the sisters connected to the outside world.

“When our neighbors are suffering from drought or suffering from flooding, we can totally relate to them. We’re not above and beyond. … It’s good to be at the mercy of the environment, and so that other people know we don’t live some ethereal life,” she says.

Benedictine monasteries, with orders like the Trappists and Cistercians, use the motto Ora et Labora, meaning prayer and work. That motto doesn’t represent separate ideas to the sisters. All day long, prayer and work are intertwined.

“Praying with the scriptures is like chewing your cud,” Schortemeyer says. “So all through the day, we’re ruminating on it. We chew, chew, chew, swallow, regurgitate. So it’s not just ‘the Lord is my shepherd,’ it’s ‘the Lord is my cowboy.’ “

Seeing their simple farm clothes of plaid shirts, jeans and Carhartts, it can be easy to forget the women are nuns — save for the fact they still wear the familiar fitted white coif covering their heads.

Back at the main abbey, Schortemeyer dons the traditional black and white habit. No more Carhartt jacket. With farm work done for the morning, it’s time for prayer. It won’t be long before they’re headed back out to the ranch to round up some rogue llamas.

This story comes to us from Harvest Public Media, a reporting collaboration that focuses on agriculture and food production.

Copyright 2014 KUNC-FM. To see more, visit http://kunc.org.

Now that they’ve qualified for the postseason, there’s no relaxing for the Packers, Lions, and Steelers.

Nor for the Seahawks, Cardinals, Cowboys, Patriots and Broncos.

Week 15 saw defending Super Bowl champion Seattle secure its passage to the playoffs with a 35-6 rout of Arizona on Sunday night. It also had Dallas clinching the NFC East; Pittsburgh setting up a showdown for the AFC North title with Cincinnati; Green Bay and Detroit winning to head into their own battle for the NFC North crown at Lambeau Field; and New England moving a step closer to home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

New Orleans fell out of the race — if you want to call it that — for the NFC South, losing at home to Atlanta. With Carolina beating Cleveland, the Panthers guaranteed that next week’s visit to the Falcons will be for the division championship — even though the winner will have a losing record.

Buffalo saw its meager postseason hopes disappear; Baltimore took a major hit in its playoff aspirations; Houston stayed alive in the AFC wild-card chase; and San Diego took control of that very chase.

Meanwhile, the Bengals (9-4-1) host the Broncos (11-3) on Monday night. Denver already owns a playoff spot, but trails New England for the AFC’s top slot.

Got it all?

—

SEAHAWKS 35, CARDINALS 6

Russell Wilson threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, while visiting Seattle set a franchise record with 596 yards of offense. With its fifth straight win and ninth in 10 games, Seattle (11-4) moved into a tie with Arizona atop the NFC West. The Seahawks swept the Cardinals. Both already have clinched playoff berths.

“We believe in each other and have been working so hard,” Wilson said. “Our defense makes us work in practice, we make them work.”

Wilson had the longest run of his career (55 yards) and matched the longest pass of his career (80) to Luke Willson. Marshawn Lynch had a spectacular, multiple tackle-breaking 79-yard TD jaunt.

Seattle hosts St. Louis and Arizona is at San Francisco to finish up.

COWBOYS 42, COLTS 7

Dallas (11-4) ended a four-year playoff drought with Tony Romo throwing four touchdown passes and breaking Troy Aikman’s franchise record for yards passing. The last three seasons, the Cowboys went into their finale with a chance to take the NFC East and lost. No such worries now.

“In so many ways, this is such a long journey and to get to a point to achieve your first goal of winning the division title, a lot goes into that,” said coach Jason Garrett.

The Cowboys could wind up the NFC’s top seed after playing at Washington next Sunday.

The visiting Colts (10-5) barely avoided their first shutout loss in 21 years.

PACKERS 20, BUCCANEERS 3

At Tampa, Aaron Rodgers threw for 318 yards and one touchdown to help the Packers (11-4) clinch a wild-card playoff berth. The NFC North is theirs if they beat the Lions next week.

Eddie Lacy scored on a 44-yard run, Jordy Nelson caught a 1-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter and had nine receptions for 113 yards, while Randall Cobb finished with 11 catches for 131 yards.

The Bucs (2-13) have lost five straight and have a strong shot at the first overall pick in the 2015 draft.

LIONS 20, BEARS 14

At Chicago, Calvin Johnson added six catches for 103 yards for Detroit (11-4), which got the winning TD on Joique Bell’s fourth-quarter 17-yard run. Ndamukong Suh had two sacks.

The Bears (5-10) benched quarterback Jay Cutler this week in favor of Jimmy Clausen, but it didn’t help them avoid their sixth home loss.

STEELERS 20, CHIEFS 12

At Pittsburgh, Antonio Brown caught seven passes and a touchdown for the Steelers (10-5), who have won seven of nine. Ben Roethlisberger passed for 220 yards and a touchdown, Le’Veon Bell added a score and the defense didn’t allow a touchdown.

Kansas City’s Alex Smith passed for a season-high 311 yards but was sacked six times. The Chiefs (8-7) have lost four of five and need to beat San Diego next Sunday for any chance to get to January.

FALCONS 30, SAINTS 14

At New Orleans, Julio Jones returned from a hip injury to catch seven passes for 107 yards.

Matt Ryan completed 30 of 40 passed for 322 yards and a touchdown, and Devonta Freeman ran for a 31-yard score for Atlanta (6-9).

The Saints (6-9) committed three turnovers in the fourth quarter, lost their fifth straight at home and were eliminated. One of those giveaways came when Jimmy Graham fumbled inside the Atlanta 1 early in the fourth quarter.

PANTHERS 17, BROWNS 13

Cam Newton threw for one touchdown and ran for another as host Carolina (6-8-1) took over sole possession of first place in the NFC South. On the 2010 Seahawks reached the postseason in a non-strike-shortened season with a losing record. And they actually won a wild-card game.

Newton threw for 201 yards and ran for 63 yards just 12 days after he suffered two fractures in his lower back following an automobile accident. Jonathan Stewart ran for 122 yards and caught a 9-yard touchdown pass.

Johnny Manziel made his second NFL start for Cleveland (7-8) but left with 1:49 remaining in the first half with a hamstring injury and did not return.

PATRIOTS 17, JETS 16

New York couldn’t find the end zone enough, and that doomed it.

Jonas Gray scored on a 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter after the Patriots intercepted Geno Smith, and New England clinched a first-round playoff bye.

Tom Brady threw a 3-yard TD pass to Rob Gronkowski for the Patriots (12-3), who could earn home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs if Denver loses at Cincinnati. Or with a victory at home against Buffalo next Sunday.

Nick Folk’s 52-yard field goal attempt could have given host New York (3-12) a lead with just over five minutes left, but it was partially blocked.

TEXANS 25, RAVENS 13

At Houston, Arian Foster threw a touchdown pass and Randy Bullock made a franchise-record six field goals. The Texans (8-7) remained in the wild-card hunt, needing a win and several teams to lose next week.

With three quarterbacks hurt, the Texans started Case Keenum, who got his first win in nine NFL starts. But Foster was the star. He ran for 96 yards, and he took a pitch from Keenum and, with a defender in his face, threw a 5-yard TD pass to C.J. Fiedorowicz.

The Ravens (9-6) now need some help to make the postseason after Joe Flacco threw a season-high three interceptions.

RAIDERS 26, BILLS 24

At Oakland, Derek Carr threw two touchdown passes and Sebastian Janikowski kicked four field goals.

The Bills (8-7) needed to win their final two games and get some help to end the NFL’s longest active playoff drought at 14 seasons. Didn’t happen.

Oakland (3-12) has the second-longest active postseason drought at 12 years.

DOLPHINS 37, VIKINGS 35

At Miami, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced that Joe Philbin will return as coach next season. Ross made his announcement in the locker room shortly after the Dolphins (8-7) won on a safety.

Rookie Terrence Fede blocked a punt for a safety with 41 seconds left for the decisive points.

Ryan Tannehill threw four touchdown passes against Minnesota (6-9).

GIANTS 37, RAMS 27

At St. Louis, the spectacular rookie Odell Beckham Jr. caught two touchdown passes and had 148 yards receiving against a defense that hadn’t allowed a TD in three straight games.

Beckham set a franchise rookie record with his 10th and 11th TD catches, and went over 1,000 yards while shrugging off a pair of late hits in the second quarter. The second led to a brawl and three ejections.

The Giants (6-9) had a season-best 514 yards in total offense and have won three in a row. They had lost seven straight before the current winning streak.

Kenny Britt made nine catches for 103 yards and Tre Mason had 13 carries for 76 yards and a score for the Rams (6-9).

—

SATURDAY

CHARGERS 38, 49ERS 35, OT

Nick Novak’s 40-yard field goal won it after Philip Rivers rallied San Diego back from a 21-point deficit. The Chargers (9-6) will advance by winning at Kansas City next Sunday.

Rivers threw a tying 11-yard touchdown pass to Malcom Floyd with 29 seconds left in regulation. After Quinton Patton fumbled in overtime for the 49ers (7-8), Novak made his kick.

The host 49ers blew just their second game when leading by 21 or more at halftime. They lost 42-41 to Minnesota on Oct. 24, 1965, after leading 35-14 at halftime.

REDSKINS 27, EAGLES 24

Philadelphia was knocked from contention with this defeat and the Dallas win. Kai Forbath kicked 26-yard field goal with 5 seconds left after Mark Sanchez was picked off.

The host Redskins (4-11) snapped a six-game losing streak. The Eagles (9-6) lost their third in a row.

Robert Griffin III returned as the Washington starter and won in his first complete game in more than a year.