Picture this, at last!

"Picture This At Last" Is Relocating to Hampton Road....

2010-05-26T14:22:00.001-05:00

More than two years ago I entered the blogosphere for the very first time with this blog. It was a great way to let our friends and family in Phoenix know about our new life in the Ozarks. I was surprised at how quickly this forum became a whole new window on the world and a door to open to new friends and ideas. Thank you all for your support and inspiration through comments and your own blogs.

I've been neglecting "Picture This...." and my favorites far too long. Expansion of my photography, greeting cards, art and writing have led to other blogs in an attempt to separate these businesses and interests. In particular, the photography opportunities have grown to the point where I am establishing a new business called Hampton Road Photography and a new blog to go with it. With any luck that will become a website, not to mention a growing enterprise.

Additionally, I am so at home in Branson and want to support this community's interests and tourism. So, my blog The Family Branson will be getting more attention. Along with highlighting shows and attractions in the Missouri Ozarks I want this blog to portray life in a very blessed and beautiful area.

My greeting cards will continue to appear on Made For Keeps, as that is a passion-turned-business that has enriched my life immensely with creativity, friends, and artistic design.

Occasionally I am inspired by words. The Oyster's Pearl will be the new home for writing, whenever that spirit moves me. Not much there yet, though!

I hope you all will follow me on these new blogs. It will be good to catch up with everyone!

Capturing Snowflakes

2010-02-05T15:40:00.000-06:00

Many folks are not likely to appreciate these pics, especially those in the Mid-Atlantic states today, but I just couldn't help snapping some shots of our SW Missouri snowflakes. Like much of the country we have had a very wet and cold winter (global warming? yeah, right!). I've actually lost count of the snowfalls we've had this year. Last year and two years ago we had a combined total of 3 measurable snows.

The snow this morning started as rain, turned to sleet, then burst into large heavy flakes. Gorgeous! And the best part? It didn't stick to the roads! This kept up for quite a while, but is now just cloudy. But never fear -- another storm is on the way in a couple of days. I know, I know --- what's the big deal? I guess I am still enjoying the winters I missed out on for the 30 years I lived in the Arizona desert.

This is the view from my deck, zoomed in on the woods below.......

With a toasty fire going and a warm mug of hot chocolate (laced with Amaretto) I could watch this all day. But of course I don't plan on going into town today, either.

What Do Three-Year-Olds Do When All the Presents Are Opened?

2010-02-03T19:22:00.000-06:00

Note: I have been gone for waaaay too long! So much of my time, especially before the holidays, was spent on Made For Keeps, my greeting card business. I've been doing quite a lot of photography and now working on a balance between my passions for art, photography, and writing.

Play with the wrapping papers, of course!!

Last weekend was my grandniece's 3rd birthday and, this year, I was able to attend her party. She is a lucky little girl with a loving family and lots of friends. She had such a great time at her party!

By the end of the paper wars there was only teeny little shreds of tissue and wrapping paper left........ all over the floor!! Isn't that the way it is supposed be?

I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone's blogs. Thanks for stopping by!

The Orphaned Fawn and the Old Golden

2009-10-19T11:26:00.004-05:00

Wow, it has been way too long since I posted here! But I have a heartwarming story for you.

My sister Patty is a devoted animal lover and is often called upon by the Sioux City, Iowa, Animal Control to "foster" animals that require special care. Usually her "foster kids" are dogs or cats. She's had the occasional raccoon, baby skunk and deer.

Her newest charge is a deer, but the youngest she's ever had. This little fellow was a late season birth and either orphaned or abandoned. Estimated date of birth is October 5 and he was spotted near the road by a passerby who called Animal Control. They recovered him and called Patty to see if she could take care of him. The challenge for this little one is that, being born so late in the season, he has not had the opportunity to grow and gain strength for the winter. Under Patty's care he is being bottle fed and kept warm.

Patty's 13-year-old Golden Retriever, Bentley, has grown very feeble and they have nearly lost him a couple of times. But here he is providing warmth and surrogacy for this fawn, and contented to do so. He is accustomed to the "foster kids" and has really taken on a special role in this case.

The baby (he doesn't have a name -- we need to fix that) appears to be doing well. One of his struggles is standing and walking on the hardwood floor. Patty said he is like Bambi on ice, with his legs splaying in all directions. As he grows and winter comes, he will still require care and a warm place. He can't stay in the house forever (potty training is not an option) and Patty's barn isn't heated. But, as is always the case, God protects his creatures great and small. For now the great Bentley is providing warmth and comfort for the tiny fawn.

A Rare Sight .....

2009-09-07T12:38:00.003-05:00

..... a live armadillo! This is rare for a couple of reasons. One is that he (or she) was in our large grassy area, about 100 yards from the ravine. I had never seen one back there but always suspected they were in the woods. This one came quite close to our fenced-in area. Just wandering around in the open.

(Apologies for the fuzziness of the photo. I grabbed the camera and started shooting without getting the proper lens and settings. Also it was toward dusk. Also, I was on the cell phone and the Canon 40D is not a one-handed instrument. Please, don't talk and shoot!)

The other reason this is a rare photo is that, as many people will attest to, most of the armadillos we see are, uh, road kill. Sad but true. As I was researching why this little fellow might have approached to near the house (and 4 dogs) I found an interesting tidbit of info that explains the common sightings of victims on the road. Here from http://bss.sfsu.edu/geog/bholzman/courses/fall99projects/armadillo.htm:
"Another behavior that has been a fatal one for the nine-banded armadillo is the ability to jump 3-4 feet vertically into the air when it is startled (Wilson, 1997). In the southeastern portion of the U.S., automobiles are constantly killing nine-banded armadillos. At first it was thought that the tires or the front of the car was impacting these armadillos, which do not look both ways before they cross a road. Later it was observed that when an automobile drove over an armadillo, it would be startled and would end up jumping vertically against the car (Storrs, 1982). "

I just hope I never hit one. It would not be the only one jumping 3-4 feet into the air!

So, this little critter waddled back down into the woods, safe another day from motor vehicles.

Thanks for indulging me this little biology lesson. I still get excited seeing these wild creatures in our back yard.

Barb

In God We Trust

Talk About BIG!

2009-08-31T11:19:00.000-05:00

This week's Thematic Photographic is BIG. When I received this email this morning I recognized it as the Hoover Dam ---- and that it is BIG! This bridge is long overdue for the route from Phoenix to Las Vegas and it is good to see it underway! Not that I will ever drive over that thing! I would rather take the Grand Canyon Sky Walk!

THE WIDER VIEW: Taking shape, the new bridge at the Hoover Dam

Creeping closer inch by inch – 900 feet above the mighty Colorado River – the two sides of a $160 million bridge at the Hoover Dam in America slowly take shape. The bridge will carry a new section of US Route 93 past the bottleneck of the old road which can be seen twisting and winding around and across the dam itself. When complete, it will provide a new link between the states of Nevada and Arizona. In an incredible feat of engineering, the road will be supported on the two massive concrete arches which jut out of the rock face. The arches are made up of 53 individual sections – each 24 feet long – which have been cast on-site and are being lifted into place using an improvised high-wire crane strung between temporary steel pylons.

Spectacular: The new Hoover Dam bypass

The arches will eventually measure more than 1,000 feet across. At the moment, the structure looks like a traditional suspension bridge. But once the arches are complete, the suspending cables on each side will be removed. Extra vertical columns will then be installed on the arches to carry the road. The bridge has become known as the Hoover Dam bypass, although it is officially called the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, after a former governor of Nevada and an American Football player from Arizona who joined the US Army and was killed in Afghanistan. Work on the bridge started in 2005 and should finish next year. An estimated 17,000 cars and trucks will cross it every day. The dam was started in 1931 and used enough concrete to build a road from New York to San Francisco. The stretch of water it created, Lake Mead, is 110 miles long and took six years to fill. The original road was opened at the same time as the famous dam in 1936.

Thanks for stopping by and have a BIG day!

Barb

In God We Trust

Who Could Resist This Face?

2009-08-30T22:02:00.000-05:00

We couldn't resist her! She is the newest addition to our family and her name is Mattie. She was needing a good home and I couldn't say no. So she joins our other three Shih Tzus and is very much at home after only one day and one night. She is between 18 months and 2 years old, weighs about 5 pounds, and is a cuddler! She has already had a litter of pups though she still has that puppy smell herself. Mattie is proving to be very smart and photogenic.

Mattie was originally named Bubbles, but I just couldn't take that, so she is Mattie, short for Matilda, one of my favorite children's stories and movies. She is learning her new name pretty quickly, but when all else fails she answers to "Bubba".

Cookie, Emma and Shakes have been very good to her. Smokie the cat, not so much.

Jerry hasn't seen her yet but he has been wanting another Shih Tzu. I was the one resisting it till I met Mattie. He can't wait to see her.

So, welcome, Mattie!

Thematic Photographic 64 --- Big!

2009-08-28T19:35:00.002-05:00

The Thematic Photographic theme this week over at Written, Inc. is BIG! The interpretation of that is endless. I have photographed truly big things, big events, big moments, and big mistakes. Then there are the little things I photographed to look big, and the big things I made look small. But some of my favorite subjects are the big animals at the zoo.

This fellow here is one of my favorite giraffes in all the zoos I've visited. He resides at the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Everything about him is big, from his big neck, big spots, big horns to those big brown eyes laced with big long eye lashes. I think he is also a big ham because he seemed ready to pose for all who approached. One thing is for sure, he brought big smiles to a lot of faces, big and small.

Join in the big fun and show us your BIG! Just jump over to Carmi's Written, Inc. for the rules and links to others' big photos.

Thanks for stopping by!

Barb

In God We Trust

It Takes Patience to Photograph a Turtle.....

2009-08-26T11:36:00.005-05:00

.... but, surprisingly, they can get up quite a head of steam!

Behind our house is a half acre hill that is nothing but thick green grass. Usually I see crows, squirrels or the occasional rabbit out there. Yesterday morning, though, the crows were showing curiosity about a brown lump. At first I couldn't tell what the lump was, but was afraid it might have been a dead critter. The crows weren't picking at it and soon lost interest. I grabbed my camera and used the zoom as a spyglass and discovered this ambitious mud turtle.

This is quite a steep uphill climb, but by the time I set down my nice hot cup of coffee and went down the steps from the deck the little guy was nowhere to be seen. How far can a mud turtle go in just a couple of minutes?

Soon I spotted him near the chain link fence that keeps our dogs from running off and other critters from getting in. Even mud turtles.

I went outside the fence to get better photos and "phlup!", in went head, feet and tail for protection.

Turtles don't come with periscopes, so he had to peek out every now and then to see if I was still there. I was. Patiently waiting.

But like every self-serving photographer I needed better light, so I picked him up and moved him over into the sunlight. He became a little more curious about the lens moving back and forth, so I did get a couple of good macros.

Well, considering I was running around the yard in my jammies, bath robe and slippers, plus I have snoopy neighbors, on top of soaking my slippers in the morning dew, I went back inside the fence to let him go on his way. But he didn't go away. He was back at the fence trying to get in.

He would get his head and legs through, but, of course, not his shell. I couldn't hear it tap against the metal. Not being one to give up easily, he slowly moved over to the next opening and tried again.

Tenaciously, he tried four openings before giving up and sauntering away.

Head held high, he continued his journey.

By the time I went back up to the deck he was out of sight! My guess is he was scooting along the retaining wall toward the front yard.

This might not have been his first visit here. I found a mud turtle about the same size at my front door one day. So, maybe I'll see him again.

I'd Like to Thank the Judges......

2009-08-24T18:34:00.002-05:00

Hey, everyone, if you haven't checked out Mike's blog Ozark Photos you are not only missing out on some spectacular photography, but also stunning views of our beloved Ozarks of SW Missouri.

Mike recently hosted a contest to take high noon photos. We all know that high noon can put some very stark lighting and sharp shadows on our photos, but what a challenge to get some shots that really work. I took him up on that challenge and showed some of these shots here. I sent Mike the photo above for the contest and found out this morning that I won first place!! What a great way to start the morning! There were many great photos submitted so be sure to check out Ozark Photos to see them.

Thanks, Mike, for the fun challenge.... what's next? Thanks, everyone, for stopping by and I hope your week is wonderful!

Barb

In God We Trust

Presenting the Newlyweds!

2009-08-22T11:53:00.005-05:00

I just couldn't wait to show off my brother and new sis-in-law!! I have sent them some photos already so I just had to take one and blog it. Aren't they just radiant?

You would never believe what a fairy tale story they have had. Let's just say my brother endured a shocking event in his life, followed by an eye disease that was taking his sight. Then along came this beautiful angel who brought him back to life, so to speak, has been there through thick and thin, and has been his eyes while he has undergone several surgeries. The miracle that is not so obvious here is that on this day he could see his bride more clearly than ever --- and she is a beautiful woman, inside and out. The miracle she gave me: she gave me my brother back.

The wedding day was one of family, friends and good times. Not the usual stress of a wedding, and yet the most beautiful one I have ever seen. I still well up as I go through the photos I took one week ago today!

God bless you, Andy and Beth!

Thematic Photographic #63 -- Summer

2009-08-20T15:53:00.003-05:00

It is time for the Thematic Photographic of the week. Carmi has chosen summer for this week's theme.

My camera has been very active this summer, but no more than last weekend. Last weekend was a very happy event in our family --- my brother's wedding. To commemorate how they met, the bride and groom preceded the evening wedding with an afternoon motorcycle ride through the back roads of Iowa. It was pretty much the same drive they took two years ago. I am certainly glad they met in August because this ride came at one of the prettiest times of year. Everything is so green and the corn is as "high as an elephant's eye". Great photo ops!

So my entry for Thematic Photographic was taken from our truck as we followed the bikers and 4-wheelers --- there was even a 3-wheeler --- through the beautiful Loess Hills of NW Iowa. Though the skies threatened rain we had just a few sprinkles, and cooler than normal temperatures for August. What a perfect day!

There is plenty of time to join in the Thematic Photographic. Just pop over to Written, Inc. for the rules and be sure to take a look at all the other entries. You'll be glad you did!

Where To Start With 700 Photos!!

2009-08-19T17:38:00.004-05:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks, but what a blast! Everything has been leading up to my son's homecoming from the Middle East deployment and to my brother's wedding, complete with family reunion. I took over 700 digital photos! Yes! That's a lot of pixels! Many will hit the recycle bin, but most of them are great memories of a glorious event.

Tonight I am putting in pics of some of the kids near and dear to me.... I do have pics of all, but here's a sampling.

My son Scott with one of his favorite beverages.

My niece Alexis and one of the pics from a photo shoot I did for her.

Grandniece Sienna waving at the wedding guests.

Grandnephew Zander -- a kid and balloons: recipe for a perfect picture!

Grandnephew Dylan who was cutting teeth and not very cheerful, poor little guy.

Niece Kelsie taunting me with a DQ Blizzard!

The wedding included a motorcycle ride (4-wheels welcome, also) to commemorate how my brother and his bride met. With Carmi's Thematic Photographic starting with a summer theme tonight, you just might see some summer sights from the Iowa back roads.

Thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

Barb

In God We Trust

Country Roads

2009-08-06T19:52:00.007-05:00

It is hard to believe that we have lived here in the Ozarks for nearly two years. Arizona is a fond memory now as we love it here. Let me show you why.

Just a short half mile from our house is this part of the country road I drive from and to home all the time. The canopy of trees will soon be turning all shades of reds and yellows as fall approaches.

All of the photos in this post were taken at high noon in response to a challenge by Mike over at Ozarks Photos to capture images with the sun at its highest. The photo below is my favorite of the day!

Just a few steps away from the road are thick woods and ravines, spring-fed watering holes which often host deer and other wildlife, wild flowers, dragonflies, butterflies, and meadows. There is even a dilapidated milking shed that sits within feet of the road but because of the thick woods it is often not seen unless you know exactly where to look. So, with just occasional words of explanation, here is life on my country road:

Around a bend and up a hill, the canopy opens up to reveal the ridge on which we live. The view of neighboring ridges and ravines is spectacular any time of year.

Then in my own front yard are splashes of color around the front porch, bordering on a thick green lawn.

The best part is that all of this grows freely and without need for sprinklers or irrigation. There is enough rain and ground water to maintain this beauty.

Thank you for taking this jaunt down our country road. It is really gorgeous in person when you can smell the freshness of the trees, watch a bright red cardinal fly from tree to tree, hear the sounds of the woods, and take in the silence. To answer the question, "When a tree falls in the woods does it make a sound?" I don't know for sure --- I've never heard one.

The weekend is coming. I hope you have a great one. Find a place and take in the silence --- you'll be surprised what you hear.

Barb

In God We Trust

USS Dwight D Eisenhower Homecoming Photos

2009-07-31T00:09:00.005-05:00

I do so love military homecomings! The USS Dwight D Eisenhower strike group has arrived home after 5 months deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. My son was on that deployment, but oddly enough he watched his own ship come into port --- from the pier!

IKE pulled into Mayport, Florida 2 days ago before steaming on up to Norfolk. Scott debarked at that time and flew home to Norfolk to get a head start on his own return home. So, today when IKE came through the Chesapeake Bay and into port he was there to take pictures (because I begged him to!). And he got some fantastic photos!

Even though it is very late and I should be in bed, I just have to post these tonight. I cry at military homecomings. Don't tell me these pictures don't make you just a little misty, too!

Welcome home sailors and aviators of the IKE! Thank you for your service and sacrifices. God Bless You and God Bless the USA! Go Navy!

(Thanks for the pictures, Scott.)

Thematic Photographic #59 --- Elemental

2009-07-22T22:18:00.004-05:00

Every Wednesday Carmi over at Written, Inc. runs a new photo challenge called Thematic Photographic. Tonight he gave us a very elemental theme --- in fact, that's it! Elemental! I also give credit to Mojo, the guru of photographic illusion. Together, Carmi and Mojo are a the gurus of blog and they came up with this theme. For hours of enjoyment jog on over to their sites.

With the theme of elemental the first thing I thought of was water --- and how much I love fountains. It is fascinating to see how water can be sculpted with pressure, nozzle shapes, and motion. Add some light to that and what a show!

Here in Branson we have no shortage of the element water, from the lakes to the underground water tables. Then there are the fountains! At the Branson Landing we have the Fire and Water show and a lovely reflecting pool in the main square. Last week we took our friends from Phoenix to the Landing and we enjoyed sitting in the square watching people and the fountains. Right at dusk I started snapping some photos to get the lights under the water while the shape of the water was still clear. The result is quite interesting. I don't know what I will do with this, other than post it here, but it is pretty!

If you are playing along with Thematic Photographic I look forward to seeing your photos. If you haven't played before, please do. The rules are over at Carmi's blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

Surprise Visitors

2009-07-21T22:08:00.002-05:00

We enjoy living in the country and seeing all kinds of beautiful birds and other wildlife. Since we have several bird feeders out we get lots of birds and now ground squirrels (that I thought were chipmunks) and typical bushy-tailed squirrels. They all like to catch the sunflower seeds that drop from the feeders. Normally the only critters that come near the patio or deck are the hummingbirds and orioles because their food is on the deck.

Yesterday I had a couple of surprise visitors up on the deck, which is 10 feet above the back yard. These two little squirrels looked right at home all sprawled out on the deck railing! I don't have any food up there so the purpose of their excursion is still a puzzle. They stayed for several minutes, after I spotted them, even though our cat was watching them from inside the patio door. I snapped these photos from several feet inside the door, but even when I opened the door they didn't scurry off right away. I don't know if they have visited before, but it does explain the black walnut I found on the deck one day. The nearest tree is half an acre away and my dogs don't go down there.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are having a great week!

Thematic Photographic #57 --- Distant

2009-07-08T21:12:00.003-05:00

This week the Thematic Photographic over at Written, Inc. is distant. When I saw that I knew just the photo I wanted to post.

In February 2007 my son Scott was home for two weeks during his one-year deployment to Iraq. We spent a few days at one of our favorite places --- San Diego. Not only does this photo show Scott at a distance, but I got the feeling that his thoughts were far away, too. He wasn't looking forward to going back to Iraq. But, as I watched him, bathed in the warm light of the Pacific sunset, I sensed he was looking to the distant future... not too distant, but beyond Iraq.

As I write this, Scott is again in a very distant place --- on his way back from the Middle East, but this time on a ship. We are all looking forward to the not too distant future when he will be with us for a week! Woohoo!

Join us in the fun of Thematic Photographic! If you haven't already pop over here for the rules and to see all the wonderful photos from other participants.

Thanks for stopping by!

In God We Trust
Barb

From the Sublime to the Just So Darn Cute!

2009-07-06T13:28:00.002-05:00

Carmi's theme this week at Thematic Photographic is Aviation. A few days ago I posted the visible shock wave around an FA-18 as it broke the sound barrier. Amazing, yes?

I wonder how many of those brave fighter pilots spent their childhoods playing with airplanes, maybe riding up and down the sidewalks in something like this:
This is so darned cute!! I spotted this fire-red pedal-airplane outside the "Little Red Wagon" store at the Amana Colonies in Iowa. Some future pilot, or even astronaut, could be riding around on this even now!

There are still a couple of days to join in the fun at Thematic Photographic at Written, Inc. Be sure to check out all the fantastic contributions from other participants.

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-03T21:45:00.003-05:00

Have a safe and Happy 4th!

God Bless America!

Thematic Photographic #56 --- Aviation

2009-07-01T19:16:00.005-05:00

Carmi at Written, Inc. just posted the theme for this week's Thematic Photographic.

Since the theme is aviation.....

and since today cyberspace is full of photos of the visible shock wave created by the Navy's new F-22 Raptor as it breaks the sound barrier......

Petty Officer 1st Class Ronald Dejarnett, USN
Reuters
Library of Congress
U.S. Navy
NASA
Department of Defense

June 22: A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor creates a visible shock wave as it passes over the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis in the Gulf of Alaska. The visual effect is created by moisture trapped between crests in a sound wave at or near the moment a jet goes supersonic.

and since I have some of my own photos of FA-18 Hornet supersonic shock waves......

it only made sense that I reprise some photos from my cruise-of-a-lifetime aboard the USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN69).

Gorgeous! I never get tired of looking at photos of our Navy's aircraft, especially when their power creates such a beautiful phenomenon of physics.

This new theme just started over at Carmi's, so you have plenty of time to get in your photos of aviation. Check it out and all the terrific photos from contributors.

Macro Monday --- It's been Too Long!

2009-06-29T20:42:00.005-05:00

It's been way too long since I participated in Macro Monday and I have missed everyone! So, as I try to get back on track, I was going through some macro shots I took in my aunt and uncle's garden last month. They have such a beautiful back yard and the early spring day was perfect for getting some shots of new life.

I just love this close up of baby pine cones!

And how about these Bleeding Hearts. So unusual!

The apple blossoms were fully opened with a few more waiting their turn.

The whole apple tree was so pretty!

My aunt's favorites are Hastas and she puts new ones in every year. I love the variegated leaves.

Every leaf has it's own design.

I've been taking more photos lately. Spring and summer are so much more fun for photo shoots!

It's good to be back! Now to explore every one's blogs!

Honors Ceremony Aboard the IKE

2009-06-24T10:00:00.005-05:00

Many of you know that my son Scott is deployed with the USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN69) Strike Group Eight, currently in the North Arabian Sea.

On Saturday, June 20, Command Master Chief Jeff Garber, 43, passed away unexpectedly in his sleep. Scott sent me the following photos of the Honors Ceremony as well as the letter sent to CMC Garber's wife and family. Knowing the camaraderie of the military, I can nearly feel the the atmosphere on the flight deck as CMC Garber started his final journey home. The letter from the Commander of Air Wing Seven describes the ceremony and the respect for a man who touched so many lives and served the United States proudly.

Here are the photos and the letter:

"Amy (and the entire family),

Jeff is on the way home. We had a very moving honors ceremony here onboard IKE in the North Arabian Sea on a beautiful Monday morning. I'll tell the story via the pictures I'm sending one at a time to keep the e-mail sizes manageable.

As you can see in the attached picture (it can be "zoomed" to see individuals if you'd like) there were well over a one thousand shipmates that came up on the flight deck to bid him farewell from IKE. The CVW-7 and ship Master Chiefs arranged everyone by colored jerseys for the farewell - the pictures are fantastic. Every day Jeff wore a different colored jersey to show support for all the departments within each squadron, green for maintenance, red for ordnance, brown for the plane captains on the deck, etc. The IKE did an absolutely fantastic job arranging the flight deck, preparing for the ceremony and recording the entire event.

He came up from below decks on the #2 elevator in front of the island, the same elevators we use to bring the aircraft up from the hangar bay when they are ready to go flying. Carrying the casket are the CVW-7 staff Chiefs, followed in procession by the CVW-7 squadron Command Master Chiefs and the IKE's CMC, Brian Exum - all in white CMC jerseys like the type Jeff wore at times also. Music began playing over the entire flight deck as the casket moved towards the C-2 Carrier Onboard Delivery aircraft, or COD as we call it. As Jeff was loaded into the aircraft, a final rendition of Taps left no dry eyes on the deck. It was so very special Amy. I'm confidant he heard the music and was watching it all from above.

We will send back the video of the ceremony with one of my staff officers who's leaving soon so that you can see the entire ceremony whenever you'd like. I'll tell you that it is Navy tradition to render honors to a fallen shipmate in the manner done for Jeff; I've just never been a part of such an outpouring of emotion and honor for one man. He was truly loved out here, as I know he is at home.

Steaming alongside was the USS Vicksburg, an Aegis cruiser that is always nearby the carrier and works closely with us all. Her Captain, CAPT "Chuck" Nygaard had his crew man the rails in whites as an honor to Jeff and all that he stood for and did for the entire IKE Strike Group team. The ship cutting through the blue sea with the Sailors standing at attention in whites, manning the rails, was very impressive. She was flying her largest American Flag she only flies on very special occasions when she is rendering honors. She was also flying pennants (flags) on her mast that spelled out "Fair winds Master Chief Garber."

One last thing I'd like to share with you and the family involves the entire theater of operations for Operation Enduring Freedom. For us to have quiet time on the flight deck for the ceremony in the middle of our time flying missions over Afghanistan, the USAF changed the entire schedule for air support into Afghanistan - support that includes large tankers that fuel us and strike fighters that covered our "normal" periods in the skies over Afghanistan. I'm sure CMC would have had it no other way - we launched F-18 strike fighters, EA-6B Prowlers and E-2C Hawkeyes early this morning to fill the skies over Afghanistan protecting those in harms' way on the ground, and were able to pause for the ceremony because of the entire effort by the U.S. military. They did this in honor of Jeff, who by the way (and no surprise here) made a big impression on the Air Force Major General (Maj Gen Raaberg) in charge of all of the flying in Afghanistan and Iraq when he came to visit IKE. Jeff personally briefed him and ate an early breakfast with him and the crew. As a matter of fact, General Raaberg flew his B-1bomber near IKE the night after Jeff passed away and rocked his wings as an honor to Jeff as he flew past. From the 3-star Admiral and Commander of the Navy's Fifth Fleet here in theater to the Second Fleet Commander in Norfolk to so many in our great Navy, to the entire United States Air Force over here, Jeff was well known, loved and most respected. Thank you for sharing him with us Amy - it has been an honor. It was so very hard to say goodbye to him today, but we take comfort that he is headed home to be with you all - his most beloved family.

On behalf of all of CAG-7 and with the utmost sympathy,
CAPT Calvin Craig Commander, Carrier Air Wing SEVEN"

God bless America! God bless the U.S. Navy and all Armed Forces!

Thematic Photographic #53 - Road

2009-06-13T15:22:00.004-05:00

Ok, I want to get back to my photo blog on a more regular basis, and Carmi over at Written, Inc. gave me just the right incentive. The Thematic Photographic topic for this week is "road". I take many road trips and often find something that just has to be photographed, so I do have a lot of road photos.

Last February my mom and I took a trip to Norfolk, VA to see my son's ship off for a 6-month deployment to the Middle East. Usually the winter trips don't offer much in the way of colorful sights, unless we get into some snowy areas, but this trip offered everything in the way of weather. However, the photos I'm showing here were possible because it was winter and the trees were bare. That made it easier to get these shots of what I call the "twin bridges".

Midwest geography gets really interesting at the southern tip of Illinois where two of the country's largest rivers, the Mississippi and the Ohio, come together. The width of these rivers, in particular the width at the confluence, made one bridge impractical, if not impossible, at the time these bridges were built. We crossed the Ohio River by way of the two-lane bridge from Kentucky to Illinois which was opened in 1937, is over a mile long, but only 20 feet wide. That's tight, especially for trucks!

While I drove, Mom took some shots of the bridges. This first photo is from the Kentucky side approaching the bridge over the Ohio River. Do you see the other bridge on the left side of the photo?

Can you see it better in this shot? That bridge is crossing the Mississippi River.

The second bridge goes from Illinois over the Mississippi River into Missouri. It was opened in 1929 and is a mile long and only 20 feet wide. When I drive these bridges it is with eyes straight ahead, both hands gripped firmly on the wheel, and pedal to the metal before any trucks come from the other side!!

The photo below is from Google Earth. I think it is a fascinating view of these mighty rivers coming together and how we get across them. The town in the upper left corner is Cairo, Illinois. I labeled the bridges #1, Kentucky to Illinois, and #2, Illinois to Missouri. The solid ground between the bridges is less than a half mile.

I'm not crazy about driving these awesome structures, but I do appreciate their magnificence.

Join in on the fun at Thematic Photographic on Written, Inc. Thanks for stopping by!

Barb, Where ya' been?

2009-06-01T20:18:00.004-05:00

Ever since Shakes figured out he doesn't need thumbs to use the touch pad I can't get him away from the computer!! ;-)

What he doesn't know is that I have some new photography equipment I'm playing with and will soon be back online with new photos. Then it is back to the chew toys for him!!

Thematic Photographic 48 --- Yellow Bird

2009-05-10T18:28:00.004-05:00

Here's another yellow bird, but not the same kind that I've been posting........

This photo is one of my favorites, but I didn't take it. My brother-in-law Jim sent this to me sometime ago and Carmi's theme of yellow is the perfect time to show off his beautifully composed pic of glider planes. Thanks, Jim! Terrific photo!

There's still a couple of days to go yellow over at Written, Inc.!

Thematic Photographic 48 --- Yellow

2009-05-07T21:51:00.004-05:00

When I saw Carmi's Thematic Photographic topic this week was yellow I knew just what I was going to post.

One of my favorite things in the spring is watching the male Gold Finches change from this.......

..... to this! Aren't they just gorgeous! And are they ever hungry! These nijer socks are covered in finches all the time! They fly past the windows looking like rays of pure sunshine.

The constant activity at the bird feeders is so much fun to watch. Some of these guys seem to think they can eat all those seeds all by themselves!

So, if you have a favorite photo of something yellow, or maybe a yellowed photo of something favorite, post it and let us know about it in a comment over at Written, Inc. Thematic Photographic #48. Be sure to check out all the others' posts, too. Fun stuff!

Thematic Photographic 46 --- Round

2009-04-26T18:46:00.000-05:00

I haven't been around for awhile, but hope to post more regularly again. When I saw Carmi's Thematic Photographic this week I knew I could find something round! Little did I know round could be so delicious!

We spent yesterday at Silver Dollar City, the fabulous amusement park of the Ozarks. It has become a tradition of ours to stop at the bakery, which is the first attraction of the park, and share a fresh-baked cinnamon roll and ice-cold milk and/or coffee. Yesterday was no different and I couldn't resist taking a few shots of the goodies in the bakery case. While processing the images of the day this delectible chocolate cupcake and, of course, the cinnamon rolls shouted out, "We are round!" So, I'm back in the weekly TP with something round --- and sweet!

Look all 'round you! Take a photo of something round and post it in a comment over at Carmi's Written, Inc.

I'm Hoping to Be Back Soon...

2009-04-22T14:27:00.002-05:00

My photo-mojo is preparing for a comeback --- I hope. Winter without snow hasn't inspired me, and spring without new leaves on the trees is a bummer! But all that is about to change and I plan to get out on some photo trips soon.

Stay tuned! Thanks!

Macro Monday --- Moulting Goldfinches

2009-03-30T21:52:00.007-05:00

I've been a baaaad blogger lately, especially over here with my favorite photographers. Cardmaking has taken up a lot of my time during the winter months, so Made For Keeps has gotten more attention. I even did a post on The Family Branson last weekend.

Now that spring is here my photo mojo is reawakening. We don't have leaves on the trees yet but many of the flowering trees have displayed their short-lived glory.

I love the Bradford Pear trees and Branson seems to have the largest stand of Bradfords anywhere! Now the redbuds are, well, red! Actually, they look more purple to me, but I'm not going to get hung up on semantics when the tree is so pretty.

But I have to say that the dogwoods are my favorites. They are loners, sprouting up in forested areas and roadsides one tree at a time. Then, before the oaks and black walnuts are covered with leaves, the dogwoods' delicate pink flowers draw attention. An angelic figure in the winter-bare woods, one will actually glow in the moonlight.

Then there are the birds of spring! It's like family coming home when I see the robins and red-winged blackbirds, indigo buntings and hummingbirds at their feeders. Even though the goldfinches are here during the winter, the males are in their plain brown feathers, looking like the females. But now they are moulting, revealing once again the bright yellow feathers that make them look like sun beams darting through the trees. Here are some photos of their transformation. I could never get this close to them, so I used my 400mm zoom from the deck.

It's Macro Monday over at Lisa's Chaos, though I am a bit late. Hopefully, I will be back more often with new and improved photos! Thanks for stopping by! For really awesome macros jog over to Lisa's place and check out the photos from others from all around the world --- add your own, too!

Prayers for Fargo-Moorehead Flood Victims

2009-03-27T20:30:00.005-05:00

My brother's family lives in the flood-ravaged area of Fargo, ND-Moorehead, MN. Their home is safe but they have had to empty my brother's office and all have been working the sandbag lines. They are tired and hoping for better outcomes than predicted. Please keep these cities and the surrounding areas in your prayers and good thoughts.

Thematic Photographic #40 --- Kitchen, ala bachelor

2009-03-13T18:35:00.004-05:00

This week's Thematic Photographic topic is kitchen. Terrific topic, Carmi (Written, Inc)! I've been looking for an excuse to post these photos of my son's refrigerator and pantry! He hasn't seen these and I don't think he even knows they exist! Since he is currently in the Mediterranean and probably not checking my blog, he still won't know about them. Heehee!

When Mom and I arrived at Scott's last August he wasn't home yet. So, looking for refreshment, I opened the fridge and this is what I found. While laughing out loud I had to take these pics! Being a bachelor who spends a lot of time at sea or at the base he doesn't stock much in the kitchen, just the bare essentials like coffee and icicle pops. I was surprised there wasn't a beer or two there.

This pantry is representative of his other cupboards --- bare and very clean!

In all fairness to my darling son, he always treats us very well when we visit and takes us to some wonderful restaurants. When we arrived at his house last month the fridge was stocked with deli salads, a meet and cheese platter, and cheesecake! Yum! We still went out to eat quite a bit, too, so always had something to snack on. In case you were wondering, the cheesecake disappeared first!

Very fun topic this week --- kitchen. Join the fun and leave a comment over at Written, Inc so we can visit you, too.

Thematic Photographic #39 - Transparent

2009-03-08T13:49:00.003-05:00

This week's Thematic Photographic topic is transparent. When Carmi at Written, Inc. posted this theme I immediately thought of this very unusual butterfly I found at the Branson Butterfly Palace. Isn't it incredible?

What have you seen that you can see through? Take a photo and share it with us! Click here to get the details at Carmi's and to take a look at other transparent pics.

Thematic Photographic #38 --- Winter

2009-03-02T19:52:00.004-06:00

Thematic Photographic is the brainchild of Carmi at Written, Inc. Each Wednesday evening he posts a theme and then participants --- any one who wants to play --- posts theme-related images on their blog. It's great fun and sometimes Carmi puts some toughies out there!

Take this week's theme: winter. When Carmi suggested this we had just seen some of our first sure signs of spring here in southern Missouri --- robins and red-winged black birds. We really weren't expecting wintry weather and I had already posted photos from our January ice storms. Carmi lives up in Canada and I think their winter last till June ;-) ! (My apologies to my Canadian friends! I know your winter only lasts till mid-May! Hee hee!) But what was I going to post? Well, on the last official day for reporting snowfall we had --- snowfall! We woke Saturday morning to a soft blanket of white and it continued to snow gently all day. Here on our ridge we got a couple of inches but the roads and driveways were still warm from the sunshine on Friday so the snow just made them wet. How cool is that? Beautiful, quiet snowfall and no shoveling!

Here are my images of winter:

Thanks for stopping by. If you haven't joined in on Thematic Photographic yet, jump right in! Get all the details here.

Macro Monday --- Sea Creatures

2009-03-01T20:51:00.007-06:00

It has been a while since I posted anything for Macro Monday, but I have some fun close-ups of deep sea creatures. A couple of weeks ago I was in Virginia to spend some time with my son before he shipped out for five months. One of the places we toured was the Virginia Aquarium. I love aquariums --- I don't like being on or in the ocean, but the undersea creatures fascinate me.
Some of these animals are very funny looking, like this guy. He must be very narrow-minded!

Then there are those that love to be pampered. It looks like Scott is scratching a serious itch on this sea turtle.
"Aaaaahh! Thanks, man!"
There are the incredibly gorgeous --- albeit venomous --- lion fish.

I never noticed the beautiful aqua colors on their fins.

From the exotically beautiful to the powerfully dangerous....

.... and the silliness!

The manta ray pool is always full of graceful, playful creatures. Some seemed to be trying to climb out!

This manta was actually as iridescent as the photo shows. So pretty!

Scott seems to make friends everywhere he goes! He was having quite a conversation with this old guy.... glub glub glub.

Do you have some close up views of your world? Join us over at Lisa's Chaos for Macro Monday!

Lighthouses of the Outer Banks of North Carolina

2009-02-28T12:08:00.008-06:00

During the week before Scott shipped out he wanted us to see the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He knows how much I love lighthouses so two must-see sights of the day were the Cape Hatteras and Bodin Lights. Of course, there was plenty of ocean to see along the way. Well, there was a lot of sand in the form of high dunes so most of the time we were driving we didn't see any water except on the graphics of the GPS! Never fear, I do have photos of the ocean, too!

The day was perfect! The sky was so blue and clear we could see for miles! It was chilly and breezy but the sun was warm.

Our first stop was the Bodin Lighthouse. Here we had the great pleasure of meeting John Gaskill whose father was a keeper at Bodin during John's childhood. The day we met him he was one day from his 93rd birthday and as mentally and physically vital as a much younger man. He has written a book about his life which, of course, I bought. With tales of growing up at the lighthouse, and his Navy career which included assignment to the first true aircraft carrier, Scott and I had a great time visiting with him.

One of the stories Mr. Gaskill tells is of him and his brother racing up and down the spiral staircase in the lighthouse. Try these several times a day:

On to the Cape Hatteras Light, one of my favorites! I have figurines of this light, but this was my first visit and I was like a little kid seeing Santa! This light and the keepers' houses were in serious danger of falling into the sea as the current was eroding the beach at a very rapid rate. Called the "Move of the Century" the light and the houses were moved 2,900 feet to safety in 1999. The light tower itself is 9.6 million pounds of unreinforced brick and was rolled in one piece to its new location. Amazing!

Isn't it beautiful!!

Now, on to the beach! The water was a beautiful blue and the surf crashed leaving foam as thick as an over-dose of soap suds! And the dunes from the ocean side were magnificent! I fell in love with the Outer Banks --- but then, I haven't been there during a hurricane!

But if I could be in more than one place at a time, wouldn't this be a nice place to be......

A scary and sad part of the day was as we were heading back north toward Virginia we saw smoke in the distance. As we got closer we could see that it was a grass fire starting at the roadside and moving quickly to the west. In the photo below, on the left, is the Bodin Light which we had visited just a couple of hours before. It was not in the path of the fire, but an out-of control blaze was a definite threat. Our guess is that an errant cigarette started the fire. Let me rephrase that.... our guess is that an inconsiderate smoking motorist tossed a lit cigarette out of the window. As we passed the blaze we could see close-up that it was being contained. Thank God!

Thank you for stopping by! I welcome your comments and please share your stories and photos of your favorite places.

USS Dwight D Eisenhower Through the Chesapeake

2009-02-24T19:20:00.003-06:00

The main reason my mom and I made the trip to Norfolk, VA was to see my son off on his next voyage. He is a Navy officer on board the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower and they are on their way across the Atlantic. We watched the ship as she cleared the Chesapeake Bay. I've posted photos on my other blog Made For Keeps.

Stop by and have a look! What an amazing sight!!

Thematic Photographic #37 --- Busted --- by Nature

2009-02-24T17:02:00.004-06:00

As I mentioned yesterday I have many, many, oh so many, photos from our trip to Virginia. Rather than a chronological travelogue (yaaawwwnn!) I'll just skip around. Therefore, in the spirit of Thematic Photographic here are some photos illustrating this week's theme busted as offered up by Mother Nature herself.

The last week of January brought ice, sleet, and snow across the central U.S. (See here, here, and here for some samples.) We got off easy here in SW Missouri compared to northern Arkansas, SE Missouri, southern Illinois and western Kentucky. We drove through unbelievable destruction, that a month after the storm, still looks like a giant machete went through the area, slashing trees of all heights and girths. The beautiful blue sky and clear roads made it difficult to imagine the tons of ice and velocity of winds that caused such chaos. Our photos are near the intersection of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. What you'll see here is actually about half the severity of destruction that we saw near Paducah, Kentucky and the southern tip of Illinois.

Hell hath no fury like Mother Nature!

Join the Thematic Photographic every week. Every Wednesday evening Carmi at Written, Inc. posts a new theme and he really keeps us looking at the world around us, photographing the awesomeness of real life.

I'm home!!

2009-02-23T17:58:00.001-06:00

I'm home after 10 days away!! I haven't even unpacked yet. Had to catch up on emails and blogs first! You know, the important stuff. The second night of the trip my Norton Security wasn't behaving so no foreign wireless for me!! I used my son's computer for browsing, but was pretty much out of touch. Aarrrggghhh!

Brief stats of the trip:

10 days
2500 miles driven
4 hotel rooms
5 nights at my son's beach house :-)
Day trip to NC Outer Banks
2 lighthouses visited
1 aquarium visited
shopping and restaurants
watched the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower go out to sea
hundreds of photos to process

So, over the next few days I'll be posting stories and photos. But first, I'll be reading all my favorite blogs and catching up. I sure missed everyone!

Thematic Photographic #36--- Up, in so many words!

2009-02-13T19:44:00.002-06:00

The Thematic Photographic this week is "up", as opposed to "down" last week. I am going to shatter convention tonight by posting a non-photographic contribution, but I think you'll get the picture!

Lovers of the English language might enjoy this. It is yet another example of why people learning English have trouble with the language. Learning the nuances of English makes it a difficult language. (But then, that's probably true of many languages.)

There is a two-letter word in English that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as being used as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v]. It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends and we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.

At other times the little word has a real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

And this up is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP ! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on & on, but I'll wrap it UP , for now ........my time is UP , so time to shut UP!

P.S. I am all packed UP for a trip to Norfolk, VA. I might not put UP many new posts till I get back (with lots of photos) but I'll be looking UP my friends in the blogging community to see what everyone is UP to.

Now I will shut UP!

Thematic Photographic #35--- Down

2009-02-09T22:03:00.007-06:00

Participating in the weekly Thematic Photographic, hosted by Carmi at Written, Inc. is one of the best activities in the blogging community. Carmi posts a thought-provoking, image-producing, topic and dozens of us reach into our imaginations and photo files to find just the right digitals to illustrate said topic. Even more fun is when the photo files don't yield just the right image, so a field shoot is in order to find the perfect inspiration.

This week's topic is down, just down: looking at the world from a different perspective. I chose to take a literal, directional interpretation and knew just what subject in my files would illustrate down... that is, one that I haven't already posted at some time. But, before I could show down, I need to go up. So, here we are at the Cape Henry Lighthouses, Virginia.

The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse is on the right. It was first lighted in 1792 and served steadfastly until it's replacement, just 357 feet away, was lighted in 1881. The New Cape Henry Lighthouse is still in operation, while its predecessor stands tall and silent, welcoming visitors to climb the cast-iron spiral staircase to its heavy-glassed upper deck. A year ago my son and I did just that... we first climbed steep stairs up the side of the dune upon which the old beacon stands. Looking at this tower it is hard to believe that it has withstood nature's and man's destructive forces for over 215 years!

Now that we are at the top we can get to the business of down! It was unbelievably narrow inside the tower, but the cast-iron staircase was firm underfoot. The windows were very thick with the distortion waves of leaded glass.

We looked down on spectacular views of Chesapeake Bay, complete with merchant ships and Navy cruisers. Then we made the trip back down to the truck. The door at the base of the stairs goes into the visitor center, where lighthouse collectibles abound!

Scott, knowing that I was snapping photos from behind, provided some action for the still shots on the way down.

There is still time to join the fun with down this week. Carmi will post a new topic Wednesday evening. I wonder what he'll come up with next!

Macro Monday --- Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-09T17:55:00.005-06:00

I've been absent from Macro Monday lately, but have a very simple one for everybody this week.........

Happy Valentine's Day!

Thematic Photographic #34--- Simple As Sunshine After the Storm

2009-01-29T21:35:00.004-06:00

Well, I went from Photo Phunk to three days in a row posting pictures of our winter storm. I should explain my enthusiasm for something as simple as snow and ice --- I haven't seen much of it during the past 30 years, and it is so beautiful!! Then Carmi posted this week's Thematic Photographic topic: simple. Aha! Simple, huh? Simple as water, H2O, in various forms.

Today the sky was blue and the sun was bright. Temperatures were just warm enough to start the melting process. The icicles below were hanging off our eaves and quickly melting. If you look closely you will see water droplets falling from the ice.

As the ice liquefied it became more like crystal than frosted glass and the sun shining through caused the branches to sparkle. The weakening ice also was breaking off the trees and, what I couldn't capture in the photos, created snapping and popping like a million bowls of Rice Krispies.

The branches of small evergreen trees and bare saplings held onto their icy jackets most of the day. The melting process is halted for the night as temperatures dropped back down below freezing.

The air contained enough moisture to create fog which settled into some of the valleys for most of the day.

The snow plows came through several times during the past couple of days, but the density of the ice under the snow made a clean sweep impossible. That's ice on our road! I did go into town today and used the 4WD in several places (wheee! I do love my truck!!), though the main roads were about 90% clear.

And what would winter storm albums be without a simple portrait of our snow-covered house?

The topic this week is simple. That brings to mind a multitude of subjects. What photos do you have of the simple side of life? Join us! The rules are simple!

Layers of White --- Up Close

2009-01-28T17:45:00.004-06:00

The storm continued to blanket the Ozarks all through the night. Just before 10:00pm our power went out so I figured it would be a good time to hunker down under extra blankets, grab my book-lite and read in the quiet of a winter's night. The only sound was the snow brushing against the window on its way to the ground. We were lucky; our power was out for less than four hours. Thirty miles to the south Arkansas towns are still without power and look like war zones. Power lines and trees lie on the ground, still bearing the inch-thick ice that brought them down. Shelters are open; stores and gas stations are closed. Yes, we are very lucky here.

The snow was still lightly falling this morning. I was up earlier than normal so I got dressed to spend some time outside cleaning off the walk and driveway. The going was very slow and fruitless. The top layer was about an inch of soft snow, hiding the barrier of ice below. Scraping the ice from the driveway wasn't worth it since I didn't need to go out anyway. The garage door wouldn't open because of the ice holding it down, so I did chip that off. Below are a couple of photos of a chunk that was against the garage door. I didn't think to put a ruler against it for the photo, but the bottom layer is over an inch of ice. On top of that is sleet that is crustier than the layer of snow that I had already scraped off.

Then to the back deck where I could take in acres of untouched snow and ice-coated oak and black walnut trees. The sky didn't completely clear all day, but the snow did stop falling. Melting won't happen for a couple more days so I can enjoy this view awhile longer.

Now, no matter how bad things get we can always find someone or something that is worse off. The pictures below were on Baba's blog this morning. They were taken near Geneva City Switzerland. How about this for ICE?

Layers of White

2009-01-27T16:42:00.008-06:00

We can always count on a winter storm to offer up photo ops, so I interrupt the afore-mentioned photo phunk to bring these tidbits of our freezing rain-sleet-snow storm.

Last night I stepped onto the patio and nearly landed on my butt-io! The invisible drizzle had waxed the ground to a slick sheen. Later when I had to take the garbage to the road I stepped into a half inch of sleet on the driveway -- don't forget the ice underneath. at 6:00 this morning when the dogs wanted out their usual trek down the back stairs would have amounted to animal cruelty so I let them out the front door knowing full well they wouldn't go very far. During the night freezing rain put a layer of ice over the sleet and the dogs could barely keep their footing.

Cookie (a girl) was able to brace her front paws against the edge of the grass and assume a safe position.

Shakes (a boy) was so comical as he tried to maintain the tripod position required for his constitutional.

Emma (a girl) is always very picky about where she settles but she couldn't keep her footing anywhere and was ready to give up and just hold it. Uh-uh! She finally hunkered down as needed.

The grass was encased in ice and sleet. The sleet came down quite heavily with the texture of gritty snow. The bird feeders held more icicles than seeds, but the birds were still able to enjoy a snack or just pose on an icy fence.

This evening, eight hours after the photos above were taken, we have well over an inch of ice and sleet on the ground and the precipitation is changing to snow. Forecasters are calling for 1-3 inches of snow tonight. Before it got too dark I snapped these photos of the shrubbery along the front porch:

From the looks of things there will be more photo ops tomorrow, possibly with sunshine to add sparkle to the white stuff.

Here in Branson we have treacherous roads, school closings, businesses closing early, and a generally slippery mess. But just a few miles to the south in Arkansas they have had nothing but freezing rain, leaving nearly two inches of ice on the ground and wrapping the limbs and wires with dangerously heavy coats of ice. Most of the power is out and full trees are falling under the weight. My husband and his partner are somewhere between here and St. Louis driving a semi with a 53 foot trailer. I keep them posted on the weather and wouldn't be surprised if they just pull over for the night.

I pray for safety for everyone in the Ozarks and the rest of the country as this system works its way from west Texas to Washington D.C.

Photo Phunk

2009-01-26T13:36:00.002-06:00

For the past couple of weeks it seems that I have slipped into a photography funk of sorts. Part of it is the amount of time I have been spending on the Made For Keeps side of my business, but a lot has been this dreary, colorless winter.

Today we await a winter that could bring up to an inch of ice to our area. A little further north they will get snow. Given the choice, I would take the snow. Snow doesn't stick to power lines weighing as much as 500 pounds from pole to pole, creating a sure threat of power outages. Snow scoops more easily off the streets and roads. Snow also makes prettier photos!

So, while I don't have photos today for Macro Monday or Thematic Photographic, I will be visiting every one's blogs, as well as the Phabulous Photographers. I know that looking at every one's blogs and wonderful photos will be the inspiration I need to get back behind the camera. That's what is so great about the blogosphere!

Macro Monday

2009-01-19T22:00:00.009-06:00

A few weeks ago Jientje at Heaven In Belgium posted some beautiful photos of Bruges, Belgium. I told her in a comment about how special Bruges is to me, but not because I have ever been there. When I was 16 years old, and in high school art class, I did an oil painting of a photo I had found of a canal bridge in Bruges. This painting was instrumental in forming the artist in me. I did several oil paintings after that, but none for the past 30 years.

When I saw Jientje's photos of Bruges I realized what a charming and beautiful city it is. Maybe I'll get there someday. Those photos have been on my mind since I saw them and my painting is in my living room. So for this week's Macro Monday I am posting my own tribute to Bruges. Thank you Jientje, for your wonderful tour of Bruges.

These are macros of different areas of the painting:

And here is the painting:

If you love to see the world close up, join us in Macro Monday, founded by the Maestra of Macro Lisa. Many wonderful photographers from around the world link up here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thematic Photographic #32--- Aged: As a 64Year-old Scrapbook

2009-01-18T20:01:00.009-06:00

This week's Thematic Photographic topic is aged and what better place to find something aged than in an antiques store. There are many antique stores here in the Ozarks and they are full of treasures and trips down memory lane. I often look for, and find, old photographs. Looking at them I wonder who the folks in the pictures were, who did they love, what did they do for a living, and how did these priceless gems end up in an antiques store so many miles from their original home?

On a recent treasure hunt I found a scrapbook that dates back to 1944. It chronicles a soldier's experiences in World War II, apparently in Germany, Africa and Japan. That soldier was PVT Robert Winquist. There are photos, typed reports of battles, hometown newspaper articles of local war heroes, as well as cards and letters he received from his wife and family. I am still reading all the interesting mementos, but I want to share parts of this amazing memoir from one America's true heroes, who fought on foreign soil, who often didn't see his family for as long as two years, and fortunately returned home to enjoy the freedom he risked his life for.

For more of this soldier's scrapbook go to Made For Keeps where I have posted some Christmas and Valentine cards and letters from 1944 and 1945!

The mementos are neatly tucked between covers made of wood and the simple words "My Scrapbook" burned on the front.

A popular piece in any soldier's pack was the "Hit Kit" with the songs to the popular hits of the day. Does anyone remember these songs?

I hope that all of these men returned safely home.

A newspaper ran the story of how PVT Winquist's life was saved by a knife his fathered had fashioned from a steel file. That knife saved him from an ambush by a Japanese soldier.

On December 11 1944 The Elgin [Illinois] Daily Courier-News ran an original poem by one of its hometown heroes. Sixty-four years later and only the location of war has changed; sentiments are the same.

Black and white snapshots are neatly mounted with the ever-popular black corners. Some pictures have been removed and others tucked neatly between the pages.

This very well preserved map is not a vacation tour, but apparently the advance by the 745th Tank Bn. and the 26th Infantry from England to Normandy through Paris to Belgium and into Germany and Czechoslovakia. It gives me chills.

This document is three-page chronicle of "The Battle Saga of a Tough Outfit" The doughboys of the First Infantry Division of the First United States Army, the "finest division in the world".

This scrapbook is more interesting and precious than almost anything I have seen in any bookstore. I don't think that antiquing will take first place over browsing through Barnes and Noble, but it certainly beats browsing through the shopping mall!

Join us in Carmi's Thematic Photographic! You'll have fun and meet some very talented folks!

Macro Monday --- Delicious Lighthouses

2009-01-12T01:23:00.005-06:00

For Macro Monday this week I chose photos of dishes that are very special to us. I have a passion for lighthouses: books, photos, home decor, and, of course, the real ones. So when I saw these dishes displayed on a dining room table at a Penney's home store I just had to get a set. I went to housewares but they didn't have any more and wouldn't be getting them in again. I was more disappointed than you can imagine. But, not giving up that easily, I asked if I could buy the set on display. Well, the very nice associate didn't see why not; they could put another set of dishes out. So she checked with her manager and she came back with good news and bad news. The bad news was that they no longer had the original carton, but no problem, they would carefully wrap the pieces for us. The good news was that we could have the set for $20.00! Original price was $100.00! The only thing I like better than these dishes is the bargain!

There are four place settings and each one is of a different lighthouse. All the dinner plates, luncheon plates, bowls, and mugs are handpainted so there are slight variations. I don't use them often, but they are on display for me to enjoy.

Salt and pepper shakers I found later.

Join us for Macro Monday by visiting Lisa's Chaos for details. It's great fun and we have participants from all over the world!

Thematic Photographic 31 --- New, and Yet the Last

2009-01-10T11:22:00.007-06:00

The first Thematic Photographic of 2009 is the theme "new". For days I have looked for a unique and meaningful subject. I just finished watching it. I am still drying my eyes after watching the commissioning of our newest aircraft carrier USS George H W Bush CVN 77. I admit that the photo above is not from my camera, but I hope to get some of my own next month. Credit goes to AP and Fox News. And, of course, the Navy has streaming coverage at Navy.mil with this photo of the ceremony:

All this took place at the Norfolk Naval Station, just a couple of piers down from my son's ship the USS Dwight D Eisenhower CVN 69, except it is currently at sea. Scott would have loved this ceremony! The next chance he, or any of us, will have to see a commissioning of an aircraft carrier will be in 2015. This magnificent ship that came to life today is the last of the Nimitz class carriers. The next will be the Ford class with the first ship being the USS Gerald R Ford. We will see a radically different ship then.

The crew heard the command to "man our ship and bring her to life". They ran up the stairs, past their ship's namesake, the 41st president of the United States and past the 43rd president of the United States, making their way to the rails. As my heart is bursting with pride, tears of emotion stream into my morning coffee, and I grab my laptop to journal something "new".

May she have fair winds and following seas--- and God's guiding hand in all she will encounter.

Macro Monday --- Grandcat Smokey

2009-01-04T20:43:00.007-06:00

When my son was deployed to Iraq in 2006 we "adopted" his cat Smokey for the year he was gone. We were living in Arizona at the time. Then a year ago we took her into our new home in Missouri while her "dad" relocated and had sea duties. She will be with us for the next year.

Smokey has traveled by plane twice, cross country by car once, and many other short trips. She is the only cat I've ever had that is so laid back and adaptive that she actually used her potty box in a small tent at the side of the road!

We love her a lot and know we will give her back to Scott, reluctantly. But we also know he misses her a lot and it seems that no matter how long it has been since she has seen him, she knows who her "dad" is. When he sent us a throw for Christmas she climbed into the box before I had it unpacked and has adopted the throw as her own, rolling on it to make sure her scent is firmly embedded!

It took a long time but she and the three little Shih Tzus are co-existing quite nicely. I think when she goes back to Scott he will need to get her a playmate. She is often sitting in her most regal pose and tolerates the camera well. So today she is my Macro Monday model.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T11:16:00.005-06:00

As many others during the past couple of weeks I have taken a respite from posting due to other activities of the holidays. So I am bringing into the New Year new memories of the year just past. A favorite holiday attraction in Branson is Silver Dollar City with over 4 million lights throughout the park and another 400,000 on the tree in the main square! To close out the 2008 holiday season I introduced my brother and his fiance to this world famous event.

The centerpiece of the park is the 5 story special effects Christmas tree. Here is a sampling of the dozens of light patterns that are set to music.

Throughout the park every building, every fence and just about every tree and shrub is covered in lights!

In addition to shops filled with hand made crafts, theaters featuring music and plays, and a variety of fun rides and roller coasters, there is food-food-food and the best hot chocolate in the world!

So we joined thousands of others in one of the most beautiful and fun Christmas cities. What a great way to leave 2008 behind (gladly) and welcome 2009 with hope for better times.

Happy New Year!

Awards!

2008-12-26T15:46:00.002-06:00

I got these beautiful awards from Jama! Please visit her blog for beautiful sights in Singapore, peaceful nature shots, and yummy dishes. She is a talented photographer and sweet friend. Thank you, Jama!

I am passing these on to Heidi, Terri, Gina, Mike, and Julie. Each of these folks is a talented and involved photo blogger. I learn from each one of the, besides just enjoying their work.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

2008-12-24T22:18:00.004-06:00

To everyone who reads this blog regularly and to those who stop by once or twice, I hope you have holidays filled with love and joy, family and friends, lots of good things to eat and amazing memories to carry you through the year.

How Does the Snow Know?

2008-12-23T15:45:00.004-06:00

The magic of snow can make lawn furniture look like white snow monsters from Narnia. An individual snow flake looks like none other. And falling snow flakes can form a heart on a little girl's snowsuit --- really! Look at this:

The flash reflected off falling snow, capturing this perfect heart on Sienna.

See, no heart is actually on her snowsuit.

Look at that face! Cheeks as pink as her suit!

Thank you to my niece for always sending me the latest pics of grand-niece Sienna. These are so special --- even the snow knows!

Thematic Photographic 29 - Quiet is a Black Screen

2008-12-19T20:01:00.002-06:00

This week's Thematic Photographic topic is quiet. Quiet can be interpreted in many ways. Here's one:

Need I say more?

Thematic Photographic - Quiet, as a World of Ice

2008-12-17T21:56:00.005-06:00

This week's Thematic Photographic topic is quiet. Many images come to mind, but tonight I am posting some photos of the "quiet" I awoke to this morning. Yesterday's drizzle turned to ice and by this morning the trees, bushes, fences, and roads were encased in ice. With not a puff of wind there was no crackling, no snapping, and not even a popping of the ice. It was so quiet and so beautiful. So enough with the words.... here are some photos --- Ok, lots of photos!

Ice is nothing but frozen water, which in any form can be so beautiful and, in this case, quiet. Show us your quiet .........

Thematic Photographic - Bright

2008-12-16T19:45:00.005-06:00

While preparing dozens of hand-made Christmas cards I have been quite remiss in regular blogging. But I just can't let a week go by without putting in at least one post for the Thematic Photographic topic. This week's topic is bright, which I could use some of today. The weather is bleak and drizzly, turning to ice so slippery.

It was on another dreary, rainy day in October that we were driving my brother and niece around Table Rock Lake when we stumbled upon a lovely little neighborhood tucked back in one of the many valleys near the shoreline. I have never visited Cape Cod, Nantucket, or the quaint seaside villages that dot the coastlines of New England, Canada and Northern Europe. But I can spend hours looking at photos of those places, admiring the brightly colored buildings that stand out against the mist and fog coming off the sea. So when we stumbled upon these pretty little houses painted in bright colors I felt we had just found our own seaside village, except this is brand new and is a vacation resort called Stormy Point Village. There is a lighthouse replica, too, attached to a large and well-equipped clubhouse. Each cottage has a model sailboat displayed prominently in one of the large windows. If I didn't already live here I would very likely vacation in one of these quaint cottages, hmmmm, maybe the blue and yellow one!

Be sure to visit Carmi at Written Inc. tomorrow night at 7:00 to start a new week of Thematic Photographic!

Macro Monday --- Ornaments

2008-12-14T22:54:00.005-06:00

Lisa, it looks like you and I had the same idea for this week's macro! Getting this close to Christmas I just can't help but enjoy all the beautiful ornaments and lights. Some of these were on my tree last year and I used the photos on Christmas cards. They were quite pretty. This year I'm going more with the hand stamped and crafted (see Made for Keeps) but can use these ornament photos in a pinch.

The blue ornament isn't on my tree since I am using mostly red and gold, but I bought it after season for another project. Isn't that color rich?

Though the color scheme for the tree is primarily red and gold, the ornaments are quite eclectic, from this velvet jeweled........

..... to these painted jingle bells.

This is one of my favorite ornaments and made a beautiful greeting card, too.

I love old-world Santas! This guy is actually brighter in color, but I muted the colors of the photo for the greeting card.

I love all things Mannheim Steamroller and treated myself to this ornament last year. Their Christmas music is a favorite at Christmas --- all year, for that matter.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Macro Monday/Thematic Photographic --- '57 Heaven

2008-12-08T18:38:00.008-06:00

For this week's Macro Monday I am taking the size up a bit... quite a bit.... but these are still close-ups. There are several photos cuz I had difficulty picking just a few.

Also, as last week, I am combining this with the Thematic Photographic topic shadows.

So, a bit of background, and tie-ins to both themes. One of my favorite theaters in Branson is the Dick Clark American Bandstand Theater. Visitors get to see some of the greatest acts i American music, and a trip downstairs takes them into a time warp back to a 1957 American town. Featured are beautifully restored cars, all 1957 models and all made in America.

For Macro Monday I am showing close-ups of shiny grills, white-wall tires, and fender fins. For Thematic Photographic, this is a look at shadows of American-made cars of the past. Can you identify these magnificent classics? During the next few days I will put these and more on Flickr.

Cadillac

Packard

Cadillac

Buick

Thunderbird

Buick

Chevrolet

Nash

Cadillac

Corvette

Corvette

Lincoln

Aren't they beautiful? They might not make cars like these anymore, but let's hope we keep making cars in America --- but don't get me started on that subject!

Have a good week, everyone!

Hey, Barb, Where have you been?

2008-12-07T10:50:00.002-06:00

'Tis the season so be ...... making Christmas and holiday cards! At last count I have passed the 100 card mark. Whew! Most of them are in the shop at the Branson Craft Mall. Business has not been good, at least in my little cubicle, so many of these will either go online or go to friends and family. I also made a bunch of cards for guest designer calls at other stamp companies.

To see my other passion that has been taking up my time click here, and here, ..... and here. I'll be jumping back over here with some photos.

Thematic Photographic 26 --- sans photo con't

2008-12-01T20:19:00.005-06:00

Thematic Photographic 26 is all about "sweet". Play along with us! Just click here to Carmi's Written, Inc. for details.

continued from 11/30/08.......

Everyone passed through the buffet line: there was Beth's parents, aunt, uncle and cousin; Bob's sons, daughter-in-law and granddaughter; sister Patty and her honey; and our brother Dave and family. We were missing family members who couldn't be with us other than in spirit.

As everyone began eating, a satisfied silence fell upon the room. Chatter succumbed to chewing. Then the "ohs" and "ahs" filled the silence as the taste buds awoke, drinking in the savory juices and delicious goodness passing over them. Conversations resumed, sharing tales of holidays past and becoming a new family for future holidays. The dishes were cleared, football watching resumed, and the fun never stopped!

We had our own little helper in the kitchen. My grandniece Sienna (who has often appeared on this blog) took her post in her play cupboard. Isn't she sweet? [Surprise! I have photos after all! Just moments ago my sweet brother emailed me some!]

Later on my nephew arrived with his wife and two sweet boys. Zander, 2, (another celebrity of this blog) makes friends wherever he goes and this occasion was no different! He had so much fun getting the grown-ups to build a tall tower with blocks so he could knock it down. That game was replaced with putting the blocks in a bag and instructing the grown-up to "dumpem!" That command continued at breakfast a couple days later as I poured the little creamer cups into my coffee. He is a sweety for sure! The newest member of our gathering was 4-month old Dylan, brother of Zander. Cuddling and cooing, this little sweetheart quickly found his way into my arms.... hmm, now how did that happen?

l. to r.: My niece-in-law Jayme and mommy of Dylan and Zander, my sister Patty, me holding Dylan, Zander, my brother Dave.

Before long everyone started making their way to their homes, taking with them plates for a late night snack along with memories for a lifetime. Dave and family, having traveled from the Great North Tundra of Fargo-Moorhead, were staying the night. They gathered around the coffee table for a rousing game of "Catch Phrase", leaving no doubt that they enjoy their family time when they can get it.

The day passed so quickly, but the miracle of memory will allow me to show replays over and over!

Macro Monday

2008-11-30T21:50:00.001-06:00

The most beautiful designs are found in nature. Sometimes nature is found on unusual surfaces. We've seen vines growing freely on buildings and fences; moss covering abandoned foundations; trees growing from cracks on barren cliffsides.

The photos below show the beautiful designs of nature formed on ... well, look at the photos first and see if you can guess what it is and on what it has formed.

What's your guess? If you guessed chalk on slate........... not it. Actually it is ice that formed on the surface of my black truck! Beautiful, isn't it! These were taken last year, but the dusting of snow we had this weekend made me think about these photos and bring them out for an encore presentation.

Come play Macro Monday with us over at Lisa's Chaos.

Thematic Photographic 26 --- sans photo

2008-11-30T13:55:00.002-06:00

Thematic Photographic without a photo!? What the....? Ok, Ok, my bad. This week's theme is "sweet" and considering I spent Thanksgiving with my family, including my 2-year old grandnephew, 22-month old grandniece, and 4-month old grandnephew, I should have dozens of photographic sweetness. I should, but I don't. Whaaaaaat? Well, I was very busy taking care of dinner with my future sis-in-law, playing with the toddlers, and cuddling the baby --- and napping.

So, how about some Thematic Photographic mental images of sweetness? Close your eyes and picture this... uh, don't close your eyes or you won't be able to read this... ahem.

Wednesday I had a beautiful drive to my home town, 500 miles of midwest rolling hills and ancient Missouri River flatlands. There are tidy farmhouses perched on the hillsides overlooking the most fertile black soil in the world, laying dormant until the spring planting. The columns of steam rising skyward from power plants and grain elevators, created the only clouds in the sky. I travelled with countless families in vehicles of all makes and models from states as far away as Arizona, taking advantage of the sweet gas prices to spend Thanksgiving with family.

When I arrived at my brother's house there were mounds of shoveled snow, leftovers of a brief snowfall last week, and a reminder that I live far enough south that I was surprised, not just at the sight of the snow, but the temperatures cold enough to keep it frozen. The chill of the air was quickly thawed by the sweet warmth of being with my brother Bob, his fiance Beth and my sister Patty.

Twenty family members were expected for Thanksgiving dinner so, after fueling up on an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner, Bob and Beth and I gathered in the kitchen to peel potatoes, prepare casseroles, assemble relish trays, set up tables, and set out the places settings. Oh, can't forget about relaxing with a glass of wine and a toast to the first family Thanksgiving in their new home. Aah, this was a sweet moment washed away all the anxiety that I'd had about driving the 500 miles alone, that made it all worth leaving the three baby-dogs at the boarder.... that made me miss my sweet husband who was in a big rig somewhere on I-40.

After a peaceful night's sleep we all gathered in the kitchen once more for coffee and sweet rolls before preparing the turkey for the roaster. This scene was being played out in millions of homes all across the country. As in our scene I imagine there was talking and laughter amid the clicking of utensils and aromas of cooking. I expect there was also new memories being made which would include funny stories to be told over and over in the years to come. But, do all those kitchens have bloggers looking for new material? Hmmm?

Well, I love my sis-in-law-to-be, so much that I have to tell the story that will live on forever, much to her chagrin. This was her first turkey preparation --- ever, and she was very excited! The turkey was well thawed, the baking instructions were committed to memory, the brown 'n' bag prepared, so all that was left was to unwrap the bird and ......... The next thing we hear is "eeeooouuuu-eeeoouuuu!" then grossed-out giggles from Beth as she squeaked "I touched it! It gushed --- bloody --- cold!" or something somewhat less coherent. I'm not sure I ever uttered those exact words, but I knew immediately the reaction to touching the cold, clammy skin of a 20-pounder, and the gushing of red-tinged water of a well-thawed turkey. Total gross-out the first time. Never mind taking the bags of giblets out of the cavities --- no way way Beth in any condition to tackle that treat! Well, Bob and I wrestled the main course into the roaster and turned on the heat. Speaking of turning on the heat, grinning sweetly I advised Beth that she just became a topic for my blog!

Ok, fast forward to the main action of the day. Guests arrived from both sides of the family all bringing dishes for the feast and sweet treats for dessert. We had scrumptious fruit salads, and rolls. Then there were pumpkin pies, apple pies, cream cheese desserts... how's that for sweet? Then we all gathered around as my brother welcomed his guests, two families coming together for the first of many Thanksgivings together, and invited all to take a few moments of silence to reflect on the blessings that overcome the trials. It isn't easy to list all the blessings in a few moments of silence, even mentally, but those moments were filled with a feeling that comes only when people are gathered together in a spirit of love .... and in His name.

.... to be continued!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2008-11-25T22:07:00.000-06:00

When I count my blessings this Thanksgiving I will be counting every one who is reading this blog. You are why I love blogging!

Sending you smiles and hugs and wishes for a blessed holiday!

Barb

Thematic Photographic 25 --- Broken Heart

2008-11-24T21:31:00.008-06:00

Well, I thought that I would have just the one post for this week's theme, but then my brother Rick sent some awesome photos he took on a hike to Angels Rest overlooking the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. One photo in particular has a very poignant story behind it that Rick thought also fit the theme this week. Since Rick is without his own internet at this time, I am happy to help him participate. Here is the photo and the story, pretty much in Rick's words:

We had this hike planned for about a month but only four of our hiking club showed up because the weather forecast looked questionable. There was myself, M...... (the instigator of this whole hiking thing) and J..... and his wife K......

When we started, K..... took off on a whoop-ass pace and was out of sight within minutes. J..... turned to M..... and me and informed us that K.....’s dad had passed away a week ago and K..... almost didn’t come; in fact she had a breakdown on the drive to the gorge. She had emotional energy she needed to burn and he figured we wouldn’t see her again until we reached Angels Rest.

When I saw J..... and K..... in their moment of re-connection out on the rocks I wanted the shot but was pretty far away for my point-and-shoot. I cranked up my zoom, then hand held and, without the aid of my glasses, took what I figured would be a blurry shot and a lost moment.

When I downloaded the pictures and saw those broken rocks I thought of Carmi’s theme this week. Then realized I’d captured the moment and it, too, fit Carmi’s theme. A broken heart mourning her father's passing atop a mountain of broken rocks called Angels Rest. How appropriate.

I am pleased that their positioning preserves their anonymity during such a personal moment.
The hard hike and time alone with her thoughts and her dad's memory in a place of spectacular beauty called Angels Rest was just what she needed. She was in great spirits and re-charged.

I love the drama of landscape in this photo but the underlying story makes it incredibly special.
_____________________________________________________

Now for a bonus.... Here are shots of the view from Angels Rest.

Thanks, Rick, for more awesome photos and a touching story amid all this beauty!

Macro -Thematic Photograhic: Broken

2008-11-24T12:29:00.007-06:00

This is such a busy week, as was last week, so I am covering two themes with one post. I wish I could somehow do more than two things at once here at home!

So, the macro theme is anything close-up, with or without a macro lens. This week's Thematic Photographic is looking at "broken". Hmmm... macro broken, or broken macro? What can I do with that combo?

I've got it! Who can resist picking up shells along the beach? Broken or not, I gathered all kinds from the sands at Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. Some are really tiny, others are the size of a child's foot. A few are whole but most are broken. Some are very delicate while others are surprisingly thick. All are beautiful in their own way.

There are two places you can join in the fun:

Macro Monday, hosted by Lisa at Lisa's Chaos, takes a close up look at life. Post your close-ups then link up here. While you are there, be sure to take a close look at all the terrific from bloggers all over the world.

Thematic Photographic, hosted by Carmi at Written, Inc. takes a look at life one topic at a time. Join in this fun and post your links here. See all the different interpretations of 'broken', too.

10,000 HITS!!

2008-11-17T13:44:00.003-06:00

10,000!!

Woo hoo!! The hit counter just rolled over to 10,000! It appears that a visitor from El Mirage, Arizona takes the honors. I'm not sure who to thank personally, though I've had visits from there many times and I am very happy they visit so often. So, just two days after my 1st blogoversary I am stepping into next phase of my blog, to grow and make this an even more fulfilling experience.

Thank you to everyone who stops by. Don't be shy, leave a comment!

Macro Monday

2008-11-17T12:58:00.004-06:00

I haven't done a lot of photography this past week as I have been putting all my attention to making Christmas cards for my shop. I have photos of those on my other blog Made For Keeps. (Actually, I guess you could say those photos are macros since I took very close up shots to get the detail.)

A few days ago, after some very strong winds, the trees were stripped of all their leaves. The wind was so powerful I found oak leaves that had blown through the doggy door -- the oak trees are half an acre away! But I found one little hold out and not a single seed had yet let go! Recognize it? Of course, it's a dandelion! The day after I took these shots all the seeds had blown away to take root, possibly, acres away.

Show off your macros or close ups! Post them on your blog then add a link over at Lisa's Chaos. Be sure to visit all the other links for some terrific photos, like Jientje's mushroom macros.

Thematic Photographic 24 --- Rows in Rainbows

2008-11-16T20:43:00.002-06:00

After a night of rain the morning air was crisp, clean and ..... colorful! I walked onto the deck just in time to catch a full rainbow. Each color in its respective.... row! Arches can have rows, right?

So, this is my second entry for this week's Thematic Photographic: Rows.

What photos do you have of rows? Show us by posting them on your blog and leaving a link at Written, Inc. Be sure to browse through the comments to see some very creative exhibits of rows, like Ragamuffins most unexpected rows of penguins!

1st Blogoversary!

2008-11-15T13:12:00.002-06:00

Wow! My 1st Blogoversary! This past year has flown by! I started this blog just after our move to Missouri from Arizona as a way to keep in touch with everyone and to report about new home and experiences. Within a few months I found myself in this incredible community of fun, creative and supportive people from all over the world.

Here it is a year later. Blogging was not top-of-mind for me before, but now it is a part of my day that I look forward to. Here's why:

I have met so many wonderful people that I hope to meet in person some day.
It has helped me develop writing skills and to open up more
Sharing photography and participating in challenges has stretched my imagination and the way I look at the world around me
I now have four blogs!
Finding out that there are others like me, and others who aren't, and that's ok!

So, stop by, have a piece of cyber cake and a cup of coffee. Tell me about why you started blogging, what you like about it, and what surprised you most about blogging.

Thank you to everyone: blog buddies, blurfers, lurkers, commenters, and Google searchers, for making this a very fun first year in the blogosphere!

Thematic Photographic 24 --- Rows: The View From My Pillow

2008-11-13T12:58:00.005-06:00

Thematic Photographic #24 is a doozy --- rows! Carmi at Written, Inc. is the mastermind of this very interesting and fun weekly challenge. I don't know how he comes up with these but the Wednesday posting of just a one word theme will heighten our awareness of our surroundings so that we suddenly see that theme everywhere!

Now, there isn't much that with rouse me at 5:30 a.m. especially to the point of getting my camera. But as Jerry was getting ready to go back to work I laid in bed looking at a bright full moon outside our bedroom window. BAM! R-O-W-S! The horizontal slats of the mini-blinds were rows slicing the moonlight into strips! I got up, grabbed the camera, fumbled for manual settings, then curled up on my pillows to capture this awesome light. Night shots are so challenging, especially through a window that has double panes and a screen on the lower half. I was able to hold the camera very still against the pillow for the 10-15 seconds exposure. And here is the best of the many shots:

As I got up to put the camera away, I noticed another incredible sight: The full moon was reflected perfectly in the background birdbath. In the photo below, the bright white spot in the lower half is the moon in the birdbath. Fantastic, no?

It turned out to be a very timely capture of these photos, because within literally minutes a heavy fog rolled in, completely obscuring the moon, the trees, and the birdbath. The light from the moon gave the fog a pearly luminescence that only my mind could capture, and it lulled me back to sleep.

Join in the fun and show off your pictures of rows. Just jog over to Written, Inc. for the rules, leave a comment with the link to your blog so other TPers can visit. Here is one example at Nine Acres Photography that will light up your imagination!

Veterans Day and Remembrance Day

2008-11-11T11:09:00.004-06:00

They Did Their Share

On Veteran’s Day we honor

Soldiers who protect our nation.

For their service as our warriors,

They deserve our admiration.

Some of them were drafted;

Some were volunteers;

For some it was just yesterday;

For some it’s been many years;

In the jungle or the desert,

On land or on the sea,

They did whatever was assigned

To produce a victory.

Some came back; some didn’t.

They defended us everywhere.

Some saw combat; some rode a desk;

All of them did their share.

No matter what the duty,

For low pay and little glory,

These soldiers gave up normal lives,

For duties mundane and gory.

Let every veteran be honored;

Don’t let politics get in the way.

Without them, freedom would have died;

What they did, we can’t repay.

We owe so much to them,

Who kept us safe from terror,

So when we see a uniform,

Let’s say "thank you" to every wearer.

By Joanna Fuchs

http://www.poemsource.com/

Macro Monday

2008-11-09T21:58:00.006-06:00

This week is the last of the series from the Butterfly Palace in Branson. These are not butterflies, obviously, and will not be morphing onto butterflies. As a little added attraction there is a small exhibit there called the Rain Forest. Most of these colorful critters are from such environments.

All of these animals/insects were in plexi-glass exhibits so it was difficult to get clear shots. Actually, when you see some of these, a little bit of blur might be a good thing!

This frog (or toad, I don't know) was very tiny. His body a little more than an inch long. His color is so vivid that I can only imagine that if he is interested in camouflage the environment must be very vivid as well.

The lizard below was also quite small, but made up for it with his scowl. He perched himself on that rock and nearly dare anyone to come close.

A praying mantis isn't all that exotic --- I had one on my back deck last night --- but these gave visitors a chance to see a real one after seeing a very wicked mantis in the 3-D movie we saw earlier in the tour. In the movie a mantis ate a beautiful butterfly --- up close and in 3-D --- so many visitors were heard hissing at this exhibit!

Frog or toad, again I don't know, but it was the most beautiful blue and black! I can't imagine what his natural habitat would look like. He was much larger than the green one, about a 3 inch body length.

Huh, yes, these are cockroaches of the rain forest type --- a huge pile of them! (Thank goodness for plexi-glass) But the next time you see a cockroach, keep in mind that these buggers were 4 - 6 inches long. eeeeeiiiiuuuuwww!

Next week I promise no cockroaches. But there just might be more butterflies in the future! For the holidays the Butterfly Palace is hosting thousands of the Paper Kite butterflies. They are white with black stripes (I posted photos of some earlier) and appear as snowflakes in the holiday-decorated pavilion. The exhibit is called White Flight. I can't wait to see it!

Join us in our Monday Macro! Post your macro/close-up shots, then go over to Lisa's Chaos and leave a link and comment. Be sure to check out the others' blogs, too. You'll be glad you did!

P.S. Some information about the blue frog: In her comment Kath thought they are poisonous so I looked it up and yes, they certainly are. They are in the category of poison dart frogs and the poison is on their skin. I the information at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Apparently our pretty little yellow-green frog is also a poison dart frog, in fact it is the most poisonous!

Thematic Photographic 23 --- Autumn: Country Roads and Oak Trees

2008-11-09T12:35:00.004-06:00

I am so proud of my brother's photos in my previous post and the comments have been so kind! He won't see this until tomorrow and I think he will be very pleased. As much as I would love to keep his photos at the top of the blog, I do have some of my own! Though not as brilliant as the vineyards, they do represent what our ridge is looking like at this time.

Nearby is a narrow country lane that is not heavily traveled. It curves through a forest of mostly oak trees --- mostly bare oak trees. The leaves were ankle deep on the forest floor as well as on the road. With the oak leaves turned completely to brown the bright yellow white birch leaves are a stark contrast.

There is still plenty of time to show your images of autumn. Come join the fun! Visit Carmi at Written, Inc. to find out how and be sure to browse through the comments to visit other TPers autumn photos. For a different take on the autumn theme visit Linda to see her artistic side.

Thematic Photographic 23 --- Autumn: Vineyards

2008-11-07T16:16:00.010-06:00

Thematic Photographic #23 is all about autumn. Carmi at Written, Inc. has challenged us to stretch our mental and photographic imagery of this beautiful season. I still consider autumn to be a gift, which is best enjoyed when opened slowly, to be savored as nature performs her magic. A colorful finale just before she draws a blanket of snow over her and takes a well-deserved rest.

The autumn colors in southwest Missouri were not as vibrant as in years past. I do have some photos, not yet downloaded, taken just before a strong storm stripped the remaining leaves off the trees. But I'll get to those later.

My brother Rick lives in the Portland, Oregon area, an area notorious for towering trees, thick with foliage, that bursts with color every fall. He sent me some of his photos. This area is also lauded for its wineries. I have seen many vineyards, but apparently just during the summer months, because I've never considered their beauty in the fall. Well, Rick sent me some photos that show a whole different side of the wineries --- and also explains why he won't consider leaving the great Northwest. Oh, yes, Rick also advised that 2008 will be a very good year for wine.

Rick is also a fan of Thematic Photographic, though in the ranks of blurkers. So, in a break with tradition, I am showcasing my brother's photography skills today. (Surprise, Rick!)

Country roads like this are always intriguing. They quietly wind through the hills, covered in a canopy of trees, with promises of more visual treats around each curve.

The trees of the Northwest are gigantic! These sentries make the picnic tables look like toys!

Looking closely at this photo you will see a pine tree with the branches of a deciduous tree reaching through it. During the summer this might not stand out, but the autumn colored leaves appear as garland, previewing the season of Christmas trees to come.

Thanks, dear brother, for providing some great shots for this week's theme.

Be sure to play along and show your fall images. Click here for the rules and be sure to check out the comments to view others' contributions. Check out PastorMac's Ann from the Land of Enchantment for some very fun fall events in her area.

Macro Monday

2008-11-02T21:30:00.002-06:00

Our visit to the Branson Butterfly Palace was so amazing and I took so many photos! Many photos hit the recycle bin because of blurring beyond all recognition. The selections below are not in perfect focus, but still too beautiful to discard. These are very happy butterflies with their ideal humidity, nectar dishes, natural light dome, and rules that the humans cannot touch them! It's no wonder they were quick little flitterers!

This Forest Queen from Africa has her proboscis fully extended and firmly planted in the nectar-soaked sponge.

This is a Zebra Longwing from Central America and northern South America. Sometimes they show up in the southern U.S. from Texas to Florida.

Interestingly, this Great Mormon is from Asia and the underside of its wings are red! There are several varieties of the Great Mormon, some more yellow, others with a swallowtail.

This Royal Blue is from Central and South America.

This obviously is not a butterfly, but a new design at Lane Bryant. When I saw it in the ad I immediately thought of the butterfly and what a beautiful inspiration for clothing.

I don't know what this butterfly is, but I thought the light teal-colored body was interesting.

Also displayed at the Butterfly Palace are some colorful reptile-type critters. I'll show those next week.

Join in on the Macro Monday. Post your close-ups, either with a macro lens or not, and link them to Lisa's Chaos. While you're there, take a look at all the other great shots of the macro-side of life.

Thematic Photographic 22 --- Night Lights

2008-11-02T15:00:00.003-06:00

A few months ago I ran these photos for Thematic Photographic - Sky. Well, believe it or not, these were taken in the dark of night during a violent storm over Phoenix, AZ. It was the last desert storm we saw before moving from Arizona. The intensity of the lightning along with the city lights reflecting off the clouds provided a great deal of light. These were taken with my old Canon Rebel.

There is still plenty of time to show your night photos for Thematic Photographic 22 - Night. Visit Carmi at Written, Inc. for the rules and to check out other TPers' contributions. You'll find a great deal of beauty in the night like Heather's exquisite photos.

Thematic Photographic 22 --- Night

2008-10-30T11:09:00.003-05:00

Always looking for challenging but fun photographic subjects our friend Carmi at Written, Inc. has taken us to the dark side of life this week: NIGHT! Now that is a challenging Thematic Photographic assignment!

I don't as many night shots as day shots, which is odd because I am a bit of a night owl. (Usually I am up to the wee hours processing all the photos I took during the day!) But last year during the first full moon of our new life in the country I took this photo --- well, this is the one of many attempts that was a keeper, or at least salvagable. It took some Photoshopping to pull the detail out of the darkness, but one thing was always constant --- the bright full moon.

I have learned quite a lot since, so maybe I will be able to get out after dark with tripod and a steady hand.

Please join in the fun this week. Halloween could provide some fun opportunities! Speaking of Halloween, please take care and be safe. Visit Carmi for the rules, add your link to the comments, and visit the others' sites for what is sure to be quite a different look at life. Start with Christy's beautiful black and white photo.

Thematic Photographic 21 - One More Happy Photo

2008-10-29T09:38:00.002-05:00

I just received this today. My grand-niece was thoroughly enjoying the pile of leaves --- a favorite autumn activity.

Thematic Photographic 21 - Happiness is Bill Cosby

2008-10-28T18:31:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was my first post in a few days because we've been having a wonderfully happy time with my brother and niece visiting from Oregon and another brother and his fiance from NW Iowa. Before Carmi at Written, Inc. reveals the theme for Thematic Photographic 22, I thought I'd reach into the vault of new happy memories we made over the past few days.

When you come to Branson you can expect a wide assortment of entertainment, shows that are a regular part of the theater scene here. Often we have very special limited engagement shows: last month we saw Johnny Mathis; next month I am hoping to go to Amy Grant's show; the Music of Mannheim Steamroller is a Christmas treat. Last Saturday we laughed till our ribs hurt with Bill Cosby. A one-show event that is becoming an annual tradition, Mr. Cosby does two full hours, without a break, of new and familiar material.

So, for one more entry into the TP Happiness week, here are a few photos of the great Coz!

Macro Monday

2008-10-27T11:54:00.005-05:00

This week's Macro Monday features gorgeous exotic butterflies from all over the world. We have the privilege of seeing these amazing creatures at The Butterfly Palace in Branson. They have dozens of breeds of butterflies from Central and South America as well as Africa, Asia and Australia. Here are just a few of the beauties I was able to capture. More will appear in future Macro Monday posts.

This majestic beauty is a Paper Kite from SE Asia and Australia. From November 1 thru January 15 hundreds of these butterflies are featured in "White Flight", a holiday exhibit. I will be going back for that!

A bowl full of butterflies includung a couple of Paper Kites and a Leopard Lacewing, the orange and black. I'm not sure what the brown one is.

This striking black and white was content to sit very still on an orchid. It wasn't always this easy to catch a shot as there were hundreds of butterflies flying all over the pavilion.

The Giant Owl is from Central and South America and measures 4-6" long. Of the dozens we saw they were either folded like this on the side of a tree or flying high overhead. When opened the top side of their wings are a light blue.

Now this is a macro shot! She was kind enough to sit still while I had the lens practically touching her!

Yes, this butterfly has transparent wings, as you can see a Paper Kite right through him!

The Butterfly Palace is a very magical place and I will be returning often!

Thematic Photographic 21 - Happy: At the Beach

2008-10-22T23:25:00.003-05:00

A new Thematic Photographic theme is posted for the week. For the next few days we are looking for happy subjects, which really isn't very difficult, and definitely fun!

For me the beach is a very happy place. I don't get to visit the ocean beaches very often, but when I do the camera is usually at the ready. Last February we were at Virginia Beach on a blustery day. The water was cold but this little boy was quick footed and stayed a step ahead of the waves. The dog was much braver and frolicked in the surf. He was fun to watch, going out to meet a wave then swimming and leaping as if he was trying to beat the wave to shore.

Join us in our happy place this week with photos of your happy-ness. Visit Carmi at Written Inc. for the rules. Please be sure to read the comments and click on the links to other's happy photos, like the one that made Ken smile.

Thematic Photographic 20 - Blur: Smokey Smithy

2008-10-20T23:20:00.002-05:00

The blacksmith at Silver Dollar City in Branson had a very hot fire going when I was there last week. Add to the mix a shift in wind direction and smoke was pouring into the retail shop, from which people were fleeing like bees from a smoke pot. He quickly closed the door to the shop and waited for the fire to burn down a bit. That's when I captured this picture. I like this photo a lot. The smoke created a surrealness and a small ceiling spotlight added the perfect lighting around his head. I'm especially glad he wore a red shirt that day!

As a different take on the Thematic Photographic theme, blur, the blacksmith is partially obscured by his environment, rather than my photo flub.

There are just a couple more days for this week's theme. Visit Carmi at Written, Inc. to share your blurry photos and to check out other's like a beautiful butterfly that MB posted.

Macro Monday

2008-10-20T11:42:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite outings is going to the zoo with camera in tow. So for this week's macro I pulled up some files I haven't looked at for quite some time. What fun to look at so many photos I had nearly forgotten about! Here's an assortment from zoos in San Diego, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.

Eeww! Sticky! And purple!

Serenity

Waiting for lunch

Sweetness

Reptile Love

Astonishing Beauty

Unconscious Mutterings

2008-10-19T20:50:00.003-05:00

This is a fun "free association" exercise passed on by Lisa at Lisa's Chaos. In case you want to play along I'll leave the list blank here, you can copy it and paste it to your blog with your own matching words, or put it in a comment here. Either way, let me know if you've done your own list. It's great fun to see how others think, too. Scroll down to see my matches.

1. Magical ::
2. Shrimp ::
3. Project Runway ::
4. Economy ::
5. Porch ::
6. State of affairs ::
7. .com ::
8. Fifty cents ::
9. Ripping ::
10. Bull ::

1. Magical :: Mystery Tour
2. Shrimp :: Scampi
3. Project Runway :: Not in my closet!
4. Economy :: A plot for a whodunnit book
5. Porch :: Swing
6. State of affairs :: on which soap opera?
7. .com :: .org
8. Fifty cents :: two coins to rub together
9. Ripping :: up junk mail
10. Bull :: well, I've sworn off profanity in my blogs, so my second thought was Durham

That was fun! Give it a try!

Thematic Photographic 20 - Blur: Waiting for Coffee

2008-10-19T12:33:00.002-05:00

What's more blurry than the world before that first morning cup of coffee? In the spirit of Thematic Photographic: Blur, here is a photo of my coffee maker with my favorite cup standing by. In case you can't read the cup, it has a drawing of a camera and says "Photographers always keep things in focus" -- a gift from my hubby.

There are some really fun and beautiful blurry shots being shared this week. One of my favorites is over at ivoryfrog's blog --- take a look!

Thematic Photographic 20 - Blur: Equal Time for Bill Medley

2008-10-17T23:04:00.004-05:00

Since I referred to Bill Medley in my previous Thematic Photographic post, I think it's only fair that I show a blurry photo of him, also. I seem to get many blurry shots in a dark theater and not using flash.

However, I do get some pretty good ones, too. Like this one:

..... and this one ......

.... and this one ......

Mmmmmm .... I can't wait to see the show again next week!

Be sure to show us your blurry shots this week! Jump over to Written, Inc. for the rules and to see other fun blurs.

Thematic Photographic 20 - Blur: The Ride of Paul Revere!

2008-10-16T19:16:00.003-05:00

Here we are at the beginning of week 20 of Thematic Photographic, without a doubt the most fun photographic meme in the blogosphere! Thank you, Carmi at Written, Inc. for starting this way back when. The theme this week is blur, which is what I often end up with when trying to be creative, or not using a tripod in delicate settings, or when I just move the camera at the wrong time.

The character in the tricorn hat above is none other than Paul Revere, of Paul Revere and the Raiders.... you know, back in the 70s, Hungry.... Kicks.... Steppin' Out.... Louie Louie? You don't remember? Ok, go ask your parents... or grandparents. Anyway, Paul Revere lives here in Branson and teams up with another Bransonite Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers for one of the best shows in Branson. The zaneeeness of Paul Revere and the mellowness of Bill Medley is like a roller coaster ride in a Rolls Royce!

Ok, so what does all this have to do with the photos above? Obviously the photos have some blur to them. I took this photo last year (pre-Canon 40D) during Bill's part of their Christmas show. As is his custom, Paul careens across the stage on one of his motorized toys... this one being an ice chest on wheels pulling wagons full of toys and Twinkies. (During the summer months he scoots across on a mini scooter.) The burst on the Canon Rebel wasn't fast enough for quick, clear shots, thus the blurs. I will try again to freeze the motion with the 40D -- he can't be that fast! We are taking my 17-year old niece to their show next week --- maybe I'd better explain who they are to her first.

Show us your blurs! Come on, I know you have some! Visit here for the rules and to post your links in the comments.

Blog Bling to Pass On

2008-10-16T18:20:00.003-05:00

Lisa at Lisa's Chaos also passed on two more awards that I am proud to display and happy to pass along.

The blogging community provides a unique blend of friendship. For all who are reading this blog, you are part of that community and I invite you to grab this Perfect Blend of Friendship Award for your blog.

Comments are an important part of this blogging community. If you have left a comment on my blog (any of them) this week, please take this SuperCommenter Award for yourself with my thanks.

An Award!!

2008-10-16T17:48:00.004-05:00

The rules of the award are:

1. The winner can put the logo on their blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated.

Lisa at Lisa's Chaos passed this one and I’ll pass it along to:

Heidi's Photos

Here and There Photos

What's Up Spotty Chop

These are all terrific blogs for their creativity, talents, and inspiration. Please pay them a visit; you just might love their blogs, too.

Thematic Photographic 19 - Grounded - One More

2008-10-14T14:49:00.003-05:00

I have one more entry for this week's Thematic Photographic theme: grounded. When I took pictures for the series of the raccoon's eye view, I also took shots like this one of the forest floor where the raccoons walk. These leaves fell to the ground last year, as did the acorns from the oak trees. If you kook closely you will see the caps of the acorns, but maybe only one or two of the nuts. I expect by the end of this week we will see a more colorful forest floor as the leaves are now beginning to turn color and fall.

As for the stick: yes, this city girl's heart did briefly beat wildly in preparation for flight until reality revealed it was not a s-n-a-k-e !

Macro Monday

2008-10-13T12:10:00.016-05:00

This week I am once again showing close-ups of flowers. I took myself on a very pleasant photo shoot at Silver Dollar City where they have fantastic fall decorations and flower gardens. I shot 300 photos and dozens of those are of flowers. Here are just a few:

These white and red flowers are very delicate and have a shimmer like natural glitter. The center looks like a little dancing Tinkerbelle!

The fall daises were in so many different colors. I love these with the light lavender tips on the petals.

I can't resist catching a little critter hiding in the center, like this polka-dotted green beetle.

The honey bees were buzzing from one flower to another as fast as they could!

To American Voters

2008-10-12T11:17:00.007-05:00

There are a lot of angry voters out there. Anger that comes from fear, anger that comes from disgust, anger that comes from desperation, and anger that come from mistrust.

There are a lot of voters out there who follow the pied piper of their choice because they hear music they want to hear, because they hear the music they prefer, because they hear the music that is different, because they hear music that hypnotizes.

There are a lot of voters out there who are idol worshippers because the idol of their choice is bigger than life, because their idol has made history, because their idol talks a good talk, because their idol just is.

There are a lot of voters out there who want. They want change, they want guarantees, they want justice for those who did them wrong, they want scapegoats, they just want.

How many voters are following their heads over their hearts? How many voters really know when they hear a misstatement, a half-truth, a lie? How many voters are taking score rather than taking notice? How many voters truly know the difference between a right, a privilege, and a responsibility?

How many voters remember John F. Kennedy (or at least studied about him)? How many voters remember he is the one who said "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."? How many know that he also said "My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."?

How many voters remember reading in history books why this country was founded? How many voters really know what our rights mean? How many voters are asking "What's in it for me?" when they should be asking "What can I do?" How many voters understand what Thomas Jefferson meant when he said "What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?"?

This is the most critical election of my lifetime --- and I still have a lot of lifetime yet to live. My prayer is that the voters of America do these things:

Vote: with careful thought
Know the issues: at home and abroad
Know the consequences: for the present and for the future of our children
Think: with facts not feelings
Contribute: with patriotism, honor, compassion, and truth
Give your elected officials a report card now with your vote: pass or fail!
Keep in touch with your government, not just during elections, but everyday; hold the elected officials responsible.
Take a stand, don't pick sides.
Speak up!

Recently I stated that I didn't want to use this blog for politics. Well, self-examination revealed that I wasn't practicing what I've been preaching, especially when it comes to speaking up, participating, and holding myself responsible as an American voter. In blogs we have a tool to use any way we want to. We can write without censorship. Whether to get people to agree or disagree with our words may or may not be the bloggers' goals. But to simply write is my goal and if I make a difference, so be it. I read what others write, because I can, and I do. Sometimes they make a difference, sometimes they don't, and that's ok, too. Wherever you are in the world, you are important, and what you have to say is important. Please don't be hurtful, but be compassionate; don't be hateful, but be understanding; don't be apathetic, be a good citizen.

Thematic Photographic 19 - Grounded Yet Swinging

2008-10-10T22:12:00.003-05:00

Sometimes the ground we walk on isn't solid ground at all, but a conveyance built to facilitate our travels. The fact that it bounces and swings over a rushing stream of ice cold, piranha-invested, murky water..... well, ok just a stream -- but it can be cold. When I crossed the swinging bridge at Silver Dollar City in Branson today I thought it would be an interesting entry for this week's Thematic Photographic. Join in the fun and check out all the TPers takes on "grounded".

Thematic Photographic 19 - Grounded

2008-10-09T18:57:00.006-05:00

The Thematic Photographic for this week is grounded. That is really low, Carmi! Interpretations of this theme are already very interesting. For today's contribution I decided to look at the world around our house from a very different perspective. We have a steeply sloping back yard, bounded by a wooded ravine. Within that ravine are critters, not often seen, but often heard. So the photos I took this morning required hiking into the woods and looking up from a raccoon's-eye level. I came out covered in twigs and seeds and even cob webs, but I think this little adventure was worth it.

Sitting at the edge of the woods, yet still well-concealed in the shade of the tall trees, the little raccoon is curious about what lies beyond.

A few steps further and he sees a very different world; very bright!

A wild lavender daisy plant looks like a giant from a raccoon's-eye view!

And the wild baby's breath looks like an impenetrable bush.

He has made it to the top of the hill. He smells food! But he can't get through the fence.
But if he ever does get through the fence he will be met by the Shih Tzu Patrol!

So ahead! Join the fun, get grounded --- whatever that might mean for you. And be sure to browse through the comments here to link up with other TPers.

Macro Monday

2008-10-06T15:58:00.008-05:00

It is my pleasure to join Lisa's Chaos Macro Monday. Macro photography is mystifying, magical, and always fun! So, here are some photos I took at the Xeriscape Garden in Springfield, MO. As fall gets underway here in southwestern Missouri you can expect to see some different colors, or maybe we'll find some microscopic magic right here in the house!

Visit Lisa's website and join in the Macro Monday Mania!

2008-10-06T12:33:00.002-05:00

Call For Life

Thematic Photographic 18 --- Kids: Me!

2008-10-05T09:22:00.006-05:00

In keeping with this week's Thematic Photographic subject, KIDS, I have some photos --- old photos --- of one kid in particular. I know this kid probably better than anyone, because I was, uh, am that kid. And because today is my birthday this little walk down memory lane is dedicated to my Mom, who would remember the days these photos were taken better than I, and to my Dad's memory, because he wanted a blonde little girl named Barbie.

While we look at pictures of our kids and our kids' kids, and the kids in the neighborhood, I also look at the kid in all of us. Some, by circumstance, didn't get to be a "kid" very long, taking on grown-up responsibilities at an early age to help the family. Then there are some who, by choice, keep that "kid" in them well into their adult years. But if I remember my Psych. 101, we all have the child in us for life, it just manifests itself in different ways throughout life's stages and events.

I know that I was once a kid. Here are the pictures to prove it. Though a pretty serious kid: studied, had my nose in a book all the time, wrote letters to everyone in the family and to penpals, began making my own clothes at a young age and cooking for the family, and was always involved in art of some kind. Today, I still study, read a lot, write -- though generally in my blog now. I rarely cook; a domestic diva I am not. And I gave up sewing a few years ago. Art is still a major part of my life, but now in the form of photography, cardmaking and writing.

So, happy birthday to me! I am still a kid in the ways that I have always been a kid. A wise young boy once said, "I won't ever grow up!" (Peter Pan) My analytical mind tells me that Peter Pan was a story about each and every one of us. So, as we celebrate kids in the TP this week, celebrate yourselves, too!

Thematic Photographic 18 - Kids: Grand-niece

2008-10-03T21:56:00.009-05:00

This week's Thematic Photographic subject is KIDS. Carmi has chosen a topic that allows us to open our brag books and files. As he mentions in the rules how we interpret the theme is entirely up to us. If all goes as planned, before the week is up I will post a different interpretation, but for tonight I am showing off my grand-niece Sienna. These pictures are so typical of this expressive, happy 19-month old, who also loves her daddy!

Join in the fun and show us your photos of kids. Then take a look at all the other TP participants in the comments at Carmi's blog.

P.S. For truth in publishing, I did not take these photos. Sienna's mom is so kind to send me regular updates via email. Thanks, Anita!