Life: Through the Lens

Grandma and Granddaughter, enjoying the ride. Sailing was fabulous...one of those days when you can feel the end of summer coming, but it's not giving up yet. We took the daughter and granddaughter with us, packed a picnic lunch, and spent 5 glorious hours on Saginaw Bay. Maybe there will be a few more sailing days left? What did you do this weekend?

Picture of the Week Found along the Rails to Trails path I rode this week. I am NOT ready ! And so it's Friday. Now that I'm back to work the week seems to disappear. I can only catch up on my favorite blogs once or twice a week, and new posts are as erratic as my schedule. Today is catch-up day and I'm basking in being alone in my house on a sunny, though chilly, morning, planning my day. Of course, I had to read for a while first, after getting Daryl off to work. For a working woman I seem to have too many books started. I spoke in a previous post about the fabulous book titled Visual Poetry , which is well written, easy to follow, and includes "workshop" ideas at the end of the section to fine-tune your eye and give you practice with the skills discussed. I love his approach (Chris Orwig), and want time over the next few days to do a couple of his exercises. One is clipping photos from magazines on this week's topic (portraits) just to find the types of p...

The story about Beethoven's Bust the other day has gotten me thinking about that last year of teaching, and the many blessings I keep tucked in my heart - the faces and voices and actions of former students. I taught at a combined junior/senior high school, which was a great arrangement as far as I was concerned. I could watch my middle level students grow and change, and shake their hands at graduation. The graduation cards I sent usually included photos of students from their time in my classes, and were great fun to revisit as we chatted about the future before them. Another great perk to this teaching situation was directing some of them in the high school musicals. It was another level of modeling and nurturing these students, and further bonded us I think. The last post I wrote was about my director's gift the last time I directed at the high school, and an extra special group of students. The Music Man is a very energetic production, with a large cast. Sometimes a larg...

The CD is Vivaldi, so has nothing to do with the story. I just borrowed this photo from an old post. Way back in the 100 Blessings post , I alluded to a story connected with this bust of a fabulous musician, Beethoven. It is now time to fill you in on "the rest of the story." (Do you hear Paul Harvey's voice here? I love the dramatic sound of it.) In the fall of 2002 I had retired from public school teaching, but was still co-directing the high school musical. On the opening day of deer hunting season, in November, I was at the school working on the technical aspects of lighting and sound, as opening weekend was coming up. Because deer hunting is so big in this rural area, students didn't have school and staff were working on a wide range of things. The building was relatively quiet, and when the loud speaker interrupted our concentration I was annoyed. How surprising that the announcement was for me to come to the office for a phone call. (This is pre-cell-phone day...

I love Sunday. As I lay in bed this morning waiting until that last possible minute before I had to jump out and get ready for church, I picked up a book on my bedside table thinking I'd read another chapter in a book I'm currently reading. Then another book caught my eye, buried at the bottom of a pile of books which has been sitting on this very crowded table for quite a while. Agatha Christie's Halloween . I used to read Agatha Christie in junior high, and have not revisited this classic author since that time. The same is true for other writers of classic literature, and I think I decided I've gotten to be a lazy reader. This gave me pause, as I consider myself a writer. And writers need to read good literature. So, I put down Janet Evonovich (Stephanie Plum knows "things happen"), picked up Agatha Christie, and fell in love all over again. The writing is rich and complex, without being high-brow. I had to tear myself away in order to get to church on ...

Labor Day. Doesn't it seem like the beginning of "fall?" Young people go back to school, teachers back to work, seasons begin to change. Michigan hosts two really interesting Labor Day traditions each year. One is the Mackinac Bridge Walk. Held every year since the bridge opened in 1957, it is a pilgrimage to Michiganders, one which must be made at least once in your life. We have walked the bridge as a couple twice, but my husband has done so more often. It means getting up very early to get in line to ride a bus to the side of the bridge from which the walk starts. Of course, if you are staying on that side, you just need to get there early. One side of the bridge is closed to vehicle traffic for most of the morning, and the governor of the state leads the way. It's really a very exciting event. For those of you who don't know about this fabulous bridge, it is the connector between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. Prior to it's completion 52 years...

While I am wishing to be here.... I am actually looking at this.... It's time to move from summer to fall, apparently. The calendar says it's September, and I do love autumn, but I just don't think I'm ready yet. It means going through the wardrobe and switching out clothes. But in Michigan it also means don't get all your warmer clothes out as there will still be warm days this month. September also makes me think of holidays! Crafts, baking, family times....lots of activity. The cider mill will open soon and I love those crisp apples and the smell of baked goods. Is anyone else thinking ahead already?