Through the Lens

Taking Photographs to Record "Life"

2012-01-18T08:42:00.000-05:00

Valley of the Gods, Colorado

I have always taken pictures. As far back as I can remember. My first camera was given to me for my 10th birthday, probably because my dad also took a lot of pictures and I kept borrowing his! So, for almost 50 years (emphasis on the "almost") I have been holding a camera to my face, looking through the lens, and taking pictures. Some good, some bad, but I was always doing exactly what I wanted to be doing.

Pete's Lake, Munising area, Upper Peninsula

Early pictures were of family vacations, friends, camp, and the dog. Scenery, of course, while on vacation. Events. Then kids and our own family vacations, friends, events...etc. I studied and evolved my skills as I worked toward more fine art photography, really wanting to make a statement with my photographs.

Tequamenon Falls in the Autumn, Upper Peninsula

The first time I was published was fabulous! And the first magazine cover...outstanding.

American Tree Sparrow

However, I also now take more photographs with the goal of recording and remembering things! The older I get the more I may find myself doing this, too:). You have no idea how many bird pictures I have just because I want to record how many we see during a given period of time, and figure out which species they are!

Tufted Titmouse

In my new year's post I posted a photo of a stack of quilts - yes, because I thought the stack was a little artsy looking, but also to remember what I did for whom over the past year! With 6 children and 10 grandchildren, I want to make sure everyone receives their just due over time. And I also wanted to remember which designs I created, and which I liked best (which sometimes translates to which were easiest).

Granddaughters and their Christmas quilts. Kailey, on the left, received a T-shirt quilt and Emily a quilt made in a fall class, called strip-tease. You can't see it very well, but the patterned pieces are girl scout themed.

An easy strip quilt, twin bed size, with matching pillowcases for a grandson. (Not a Christmas gift - a "moved into a new house"/early birthday gift.)

My daughter with the music-themed throw she received for Christmas.

As per the request of a good friend, I am including these expanded versions of some of the quilts, along with some of the recipients. As cold weather sets in for a while, I am already planning my next project, and I think it's for me!

Taken at a class. Same pattern for all, but very different looks.

I'm very fond of the black and white I chose.

Enjoy!

Winter Bird Photography

2012-01-09T12:24:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, our days of outdoor winter photography have changed with our increasing health issues. So we are getting creative with winter blinds - like this new set-up following the holidays.

We start with this, our Christmas tree. The last few years we've purchased a potted tree, which we decorate with lights, and set on the deck outside the family room window. Up until this year we have brought it in for a few days around Christmas, so the grandchildren can open presents "beneath" it. But this year we left it outside and everyone seemed satisfied. After the festivities, we end up with this.

Instead of putting the tree in it's final location, a stand of trees out front where we're beginning a wind-break, we created a spot to anchor the tree just off the deck. The idea is to create a bird-feeding area where we can get some good bird shots from the warmth of our dining room:). We have some pretty great windows to work from. So now we add this:

and this:

and we get this:

and this:

Now we do need some snow to add more color and texture to our images, but I do think we have a good start to our winter bird photography. The next thing I need to add is a dark backdrop in the house, as when that lovely southern exposure we love is flooded with sunlight we get quite a bit of reflection on the wall facing the windows. This creates reflection in the windows, and not the clear, sharp images we need.

For now, however, I'm pretty excited.

Do any of you have winter "blinds" you work from? Please share your ideas, and I'll link to your posts.

Enjoy!

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-07T07:37:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!

I know many people make formal resolutions, and I used to do the same thing, but the older I get the more pressure that seems to be! Yes, I'd like to do some things differently this year, and I'd also like to accomplish a few things which have been on my wish list for years. But I do think I also want to learn to take one day at a time and enjoy it for what it is.

So today I am doing some much needed writing on a project which is very exciting, and the grocery shopping needs to be done. A salad needs to be invented to take to a pot-luck tonight, and a few house-work items need to be accomplished. This all seems doable and enjoyable. A good day.

Of course, I can't help but think of a few other things which should be done within the next couple of days. Like the photos which need to be selected, edited, resized and submitted for competition Tuesday. Then there's the desk which needs to be swept clean so I can prepare for my first classes this coming week. The computer files need some reshuffling and organizing for my classes, too. Should I take down the rest of the Christmas decorations? The deep cleaning can wait:). When will I get to that totally irresistable t-shirt quilt I want to make out of my old directing shirts? As if I didn't go on a quilt-making frenzy all fall?!

And once again I'm caught up in the life which takes over and keeps you from settling into a calm, day-at-a-time mindset. Did I say Mindset? That's the book sitting here waiting to be finished. Excellent read, by the way. There's also the book I just received for Christmas, the new Stephen King book about what would have happened if the Kennedy assasination had been stopped.

Or maybe I'll just sit down with Roamin and plot our next photo adventure. Yes, that sounds like just the ticket on a cold winter's evening, in front of the fire.

Maybe tomorrow.

What about you? Did you make any resolutions, or are you planning anything exciting?

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T22:37:00.002-05:00

Have a wonderful holiday season, whatever holiday you are celebrating:).

Believe!

Let it Snow

2011-12-09T07:59:00.001-05:00

Seldom do I ever wish for snow. I'm not much of a winter person; I get too cold and uncomfortable. I also don't do well with the dark and gloomy days. But there's something about a seasonal snowfall which really warms my heart and spirit.

So when we had a little snow a week ago I enjoyed it tremendously. It was a day I didn't need to go anywhere so there was no stress about driving on the first real ice and snow of the season. All I had to do was enjoy it. Though I'm by no means "ready" for Christmas I began to feel the excitement.

And when the following weekend we were able to see our granddaughter perform in the Nutcracker Suite...well, the holiday season had arrived. It's not official until you've attended your favorite Christmas performance, you know. Though I think Thanksgiving gets lost in the commercial hype surrounding Christmas, we can work hard to keep our mind on the spirit and joy in each celebration.

The preparations are underway. My semester is nearly over. And I'm ready for some coffee by the fire, and reflection on the meaning of Christmas. Keep joy in your heart during the moments you feel most frazzled.

Focus! :)

The Cold Wind Blows

2011-11-18T11:50:00.000-05:00

As winter begins to show it's face, all I want to do is sit by the fire, under a lap quilt, and read. The alternative to that is to go to a fabulous book store, browse the shelves and take in the scent of paper and ink...and coffee.

The Kindle -fire may be calling my name...but there's still nothing like the touch and smell of a "real" book.

Who's using a Kindle or iPad to read these days?

Fading Fall

2011-11-08T07:30:00.002-05:00

My least favorite color seems to be the predominant color in my favorite season. Only in the fall do I gravitate to the color orange. It's everywhere. Orange makes the ordinary more dramatic, don't you think?

And only in the fall do you find such unusual vegetables:). I've never been able to draw, or mold, or create anything which involves fine motor tools, so I find it amazing someone can create these masterpieces out of a pumpkin.

Trying to eek out the last days of a truly beautiful autumn, I sort pictures and ignore the cold draft from the north wind.

What's your favorite season?

It's About Time

2011-11-04T15:38:00.000-04:00

Not just "it's about time I posted," but "it's about time passing so quickly and there not being enough hours in the day!"

When I looked at the date of the last time I posted I was amazed. August was full of health issues, September was frantic getting back on pace with my teaching schedule, October just howled past... and now it's November. November. So it's time to give thanks.

We were able to get away for a week last month, enjoying time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and rediscovering the peace and serenity which come from being outside in the woods, and by the water. It was also our anniversary so it was time to reconnect with ourselves. Lovely:)

Time was also spent with friends who enjoy photography and the out-of-doors as much as we do. A good time was had by all.

As I try to get on top of my life I would also like to thank all of you for stopping by and checking in, even if I didn't have up-to-date posts.

Times are changing, however, and you can expect to hear from me much more regularly. There are actually some projects in the works which are exciting to us and I'm anxious to share these new ventures as plans unfold.

The photos here are from our October trip. Looking out the window I see colors are fading and winds are picking up. The advent of winter is not always embraced in our household, but the holiday times help keep spirits up:).

Looking forward to "seeing" you soon.

Enjoy!

Seeing the "Same Thing" in a New Way

2011-09-02T15:48:00.016-04:00

The 2001 Gratiot Community Airport Open House was another fun event for our community. We didn't have as many visitors as other years, but it was also a very busy weekend. Everyone trying to plan those end-of-summer gatherings, and excursions. We also had a little weather fly in the first day of the open house, but it did little to dampen the spirits of this group of aviators.

I found myself taking the same pictures, however, that I do every year. We've been married nearly 26 years, and have attended countless airshows, open houses, events and informal gatherings of pilots and their aircraft. How many jets can I take photos of from how many angles? How many people wandering the tarmac? And how many photos do I need of the same group of planes and pilots which come every year to many of these gatherings? I think anyone who takes a lot of pictures, whether a professional, semi-professional, amateur or family-album-keeper variety of photographer, needs to really stretch his/her vision to become more observant and creative.

So as I wandered yet another gathering of plane and pilot, I tried to find a few non-traditional photos to add to my repertoire. I was only able to be there for a short while each day, but found a couple of new views.

What do you do to find that "different," or "unusual" shot?

Please share your ideas so we can all learn to look a little more closely at the world around us.

Happy Friday!

2011-08-26T16:38:00.003-04:00

I've been a bit under-the-weather lately, but wanted to wish everyone a joyous weekend -

the last one in August!

Find something to do which makes you smile:).

Fabulous Finds

2011-08-16T20:33:00.000-04:00

Isn't it amazing how many people take their little idea and turn it into an empire? We talk about those entrepreneurs out there...those people who not only have the vision but know how to carry it out. There was a television program a few months ago highlighting Michigan entrepreneurs, and low and behold I recently found myself walking into the brainchild of one of these talented idealists.

Sweetie-licious Bakery Cafe is a delightful blast from the past. When you walk in to this bakery in downtown DeWitt, MI you are engulfed in the aroma of fresh pastries. Cookies, muffins, and the famous pies. The decor is definitely 1950's - with all employees wearing aprons, pearls, cute and perky headbands, and wide smiles. Pony tails? Sure:) And curls. An EZ-Bake Oven is perched on a partition, vintage cookbooks, aprons, pictures and other memorabilia are tastefully displayed around the shop.

The woman who founded this well-known empire is Linda Hundt, and she has been featured on the Food Network and Today Show. An award winner, she also holds pie-making classes which have a minimum waiting list of 6 months!

If you find yourself near this small town near Lansing, please stop and enjoy the fare. There are a few breakfast and lunch items available; the day I was there with a friend we enjoyed the fresh quiche. It was served with fruit, and a choice of bread and cheese or muffin. Delicious. Grab a coke from the old frig and sit a while. What a fabulous find.

Of course, if you take one of the delicious pies home (they're available by the slice, 5" or 9"), make sure you supervise the serving area closely. I'm not a product photographer, so was working to find a way to show off the incredible Cherry Berry Berry Pie (cherries, blueberries and raspberries), and it was only by luck that I saved that ice cream from a local predator.

Enjoy!

Experimenting with Photographs

2011-08-12T16:37:00.004-04:00

I do know we're not even close to Halloween, but I was in the mood to play today. It's been an unispiring summer so I had to dig through a number of folders before I found something to "do." I took this picture last year after a member of our photography club created a splendid haunted house photo using this exact house. The deserted house is on my work route, and I shot it from a number of angles.

Photoshop and I have a rather tentative relationship. I can remover color from a photo and create a basic black & white. I can then increase constrast and play with light and dark...but I still can't change colors within a photo. This is something I had in mind to do with this shot, actually. I want to learn to change the dark windows to earie light. However, I remembered another site I've had fun experimenting with so decided to go there... Picnik.

Basic usage is free, and there's an upgrade which only costs $25.00 a year. Very reasonable for all the fun you can have. Besides the slightly spooky highlight, I added 4 details to this photo. Can you find them?

Maybe by the time October comes I will learn how to do the rest of the things I want to to this photo. Until then, I'll keep experimenting.

Have a great weekend. Find something creative to do!

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...Help!

2011-08-07T20:48:00.011-04:00

This has not been the year of the garden. Last year I had lots of help, and lots of time...two things in short supply this summer. I always have this grand idea of what my garden should look like, and how much time I will spend photographing gorgeous blooms. But first it's heat and drought, then it's heat and humidity, and add in a vacation...well, a few things are doing okay. For instance, my new planting - cone flowers. I'm waiting for the butterflies to find them so I can get some of those fabulous photos.

And last year I planted these vivacious beauties...which are attracting ants, and bees, and haven't had their close-ups this year either. But I'm so excited to have something bright and eye-catching at my entry walk.

But here's the real story. In June we were working at a hanger/garage sale fundraiser at the airport and a gentleman stopped by to look. We all got to chatting and he said he had some tomato plants in the back of his truck if we were interested. Sure, says my husband, and he purchased a few plants.

Of course, we didn't have a garden tilled, and we were leaving on vacation, so I just stuck them in the ground on the sidewalk side of my front fence and left them to fend for themselves. When we got back from our trip we were surprised to see the plants surviving, and there were even a few little tomatoes to harvest. Yellow ones, which was new to me. They're sweet, and less acidic.
The plants looked a little peaked, but I watered them with the few other flowers and didn't think much about it. However, this last week we've gotten a lot of rain, and here is the result:
So now our visitors have something to talk about right as they enter the walkway! Unruly...massive...spreading everywhere....the plants are growing through the fence and threaten to overtake my cheery little flowers!

When I open the front door in the morning I just have to laugh. Other than the handful of tomatoes we found in July, we haven't seen any more fruit. There are little flowers...so we'll see what happens. Oh yes...if you look carefully to the right of this massive growth, you'll see the Iris trying to come up. Iris. In August. I'm pretty sure nothing will come of it, but with my luck you never know!

Living History

2011-08-01T11:23:00.016-04:00

It's unbelievable that today is August 1. Where have June and July gone? It's time to cram in the sailing, flying, biking, and other outdoor activities we enjoy so much when the weather is warm and the breezes are balmy.

However, stronger breezes are in order for sailing. Daryl loves to see the rail in the water, where I happen to love a gentler heel. The wind filling the sails, the water lapping on the bow, and the ability to sit back and bask in the motion, and the silence, of a ship under sail.

Our own boat is not in the water this summer, but we were able to enjoy a sail recently on the tall ship Friends Good Will, based in South Haven, MI. If you haven't had the opportunity to sail on one of these historic vessels, look for the nearest port and sign up for a fabulous experience.

Friends Good Will is a replica of an 1811 ship, chartered by the U.S. government to transport military supplies to Fort Dearborn (Chicago). The ship was captured by the British after being lured into the Mackinac Island Harbor, carrying furs and skins. The original ship played a small part in the War of 1812 - and was recaptured by Commodore Oliver Perry at the Battle of Lake Erie.

The replica of this ship is now a museum, and an adventure. You can even have the opportunity to work on the ship, both at dock and as it makes a summer loop of various ports on the Great Lakes. Doesn't that sound like a wonderful summer adventure?

We had a great afternoon on Friends Good Will, talking to the crew (dressed in period attire) and helping hoist sails (or watching others participate:)). The wind was mild, so no rails in the water this time. In fact, at one point we were all looking up, hoping for any breeze to fill those sails. But it was a great way to spend a summer day...leaving us wanting much more.

How are you filling your summer days? This includes trying to say cool during the terrible heat!

Indoor projects are another post!

Finding Your Muse

2011-07-28T16:45:00.010-04:00

An early morning escape reminded me of a poem I used when I taught middle school English.

The Fog

by Carl Sandberg
The fog comes
on little cat feet.It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

Lack of Inspiration

2011-07-25T23:16:00.009-04:00

This summer I'm suffering from a lack of inspiration, or maybe it's more a lack of motivation. I find myself creating a laundry list of things to "do," but everything seems rote and uninspiring. I'm enjoying the weather, but not spending time admiring the details.

Things have got to change. Now.

So tonight I've chosen a few images from this summer's trip west to visit family as a way to get back the spirit which usually fills my creative soul during the months of the year I love to be outdoors. And hopefully it will be the start of more regular posting....as my writing has suffered terribly during this creative dry-spell! Most of these photographs will be part of new blog posts within the next week or so, with details of time and place, as well as a few interesting stories.

Thank you for checking in from time to time, and keep coming back....

The best is yet to come.

Enjoy!

Seasons of Life

2011-07-11T10:59:00.011-04:00

We spent a week with "the kids" and their own kids, and we wonder where the time has gone. It's both a joy and a sadness when the grown children become self-sufficient and in charge of their own time and space. Sometimes it's frustrating, too:). But that goes with the territory. Sometimes things go awry - again, part of the growing process of stepping back and letting life go on. And sometimes you experience such a sense of accomplishment that everyone made it this far, in spite of yourself. I think all parents go through this, at least the ones I talk to.

Generationally, it's interesting to watch parenting styles emerge. Discipline and rewards...all part of raising children. And spending quality time doing what is important to raise your children to be independent thinkers and problem solvers. Personally, we think it very important for children to spend time outdoors, learning to appreciate nature. Did our children want to participate in this philosophy while we were raising them? Not particularly. But that didn't stop us from at least arranging opportunity - such as occasional camping trips and time fishing. We also encouraged summer camps and scouting.
Our own children are a mixed bag of appreciation. This week we spent time with two who have differing ideas on that "nature" piece. Both appreciate nature, but one is much more proactive about outdoor play time - both as a family and as individuals. My son and his wife have the good fortune to have access to a mountain cabin, with close proximity to many outdoor activities. My daughter, on the other hand, participates willingly but is more a "city kid."

How does this happen, when both are raised the same way? So interesting. Her kids go outside and play, don't get me wrong, but a trip to New York City is more up her alley, and her son already talks about going. He enjoyed fishing and playing in the woods, and even get dirty (which he really doesn't like very well). We laughed as he learned to play with his cousin, very much an outdoor, all-American boy. What fun it's been to see our own dreams for our kids come to life.

So funny that this granddaughter has the same aversion to grass that her mother did!

So now we head home, enjoying road-tripping across the country. As we build adult relationships with our children we keep in mind some very important advice:

Faith, hope and love...and the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

Have a blessed day.

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-03T00:01:00.005-04:00

We're traveling across country right now, to join family for a wonderful week of play and catching up. I've been reading up on taking good fireworks shots, and some of the most common recommendations include:

1. Use a tripod

2. Use the bulb setting, or leave the shutter open for long exposures
3. Have something interesting in the foreground and/or background - even wet down your street to capture reflections (this is a new one to me).
4. Capture multiple explosions on one frame.
5. Have fun!
6. Be safe!

Next week we'll have an opportunity to share, and since I'll be staying with family I hope to have some internet availability. Though, we will be spending part of the week at a cabin in the mountains.

If I don't get something posted until the end of the week
Happy 4th of July, and
have a wonderful week, and check back so we can share our images!

Garden Guests

2011-06-27T21:38:00.003-04:00

While investigating my roses the other day, I found my first "unknown" guest of the season. When I scared it from it's spot under the leaf of one flower, she skittered over to the lily bloom on the other side of the fence. She was very fascinating, in that "is it killing my flowers" type of questioning phase.

I say "she" because after snapping a few photos I took down my National Audubon Society Insects and Spiders reference book and flipped through the spider templates. There are some VERY ugly spiders out there, and I feel very fortunate not to have seen more than a handful in my life-time. Don't get me wrong - I'm not afraid of spiders. I do have that macro photography fascination for little critters. But I want my relationship with the little creepy crawlies to be purely professional, and on my own terms!

There she was. Template number 679. The Goldenrod spider. More information on page 907. Also known as the "Flower Spider" and "Red-spotted Crab Spider," the specimen in my garden was a female, and habituates meadows, fields, and gardens, particularly loving daisies, goldenrod and other white or yellow flowers. Bingo. White and yellow roses, and yellow lilies. It appears she eats insects which frequent these flowers, so I am hoping my blooms will not be affected negatively. Does anyone know anything different?

After I got over the initial surprise of having a white spider in my garden, I will admit to looking for her each time I go by. Today I didn't see her, and I see in my book that after creating her egg sack she doesn't live to see them emerge. I will be searching for that egg sack tomorrow, I think.

And now I'm thinking about Charlotte's Web, one of my all-time favorite films - how sad!

Joy in the Morning

2011-06-22T22:15:00.009-04:00

Morning is my favorite time of day. I love hearing the birds outside my window and lazily stretching, thinking about the moment. I make it a point to lay in bed thinking about the act of waking up every day - a gift. Thank YOU.

Then I'll get up, slip on my tourquoise robe (summer color), pour my first cup of coffee, and look out the kitchen window for a much-anticipated glimpse of our June guests.

Sometimes it's "the boys," a group of three young bucks working at growing those antlers in preparation for fall. Lately, however, it's the ladies. There are two mothers, each with new offspring to show off. They come across the field to pick up their youngsters, who scamper playfully through the tall grass, happy to be allowed to run and jump and play after hiding in the wetland all night. One doe has a very sweet young one...spotted and inquisitive. They move East to West across the property, mother intently watching for trouble, an innocent fawn at her side. The other doe moves cautiously across the landscape, seeming more nervous, looking anxiously this way and that - obviously more stressed than the other young mother. Wouldn't you be if you had TWO charges who were scampering all over, not knowing the dangers they faced? The twins are adorable as they kick up their heels and drive their mother crazy.

Summer. Mornings. Warmth. New beginnings. There is much to find joy about every day.

Want to find out what others are finding joy in? Check in with Sue, Meri, and Three in the Morning .

What about you? Favorite time of the day? Simple pleasure? Please share:).

More Festival Memories

2011-06-04T16:08:00.003-04:00

Besides the parade, the Arts and Crafts show is usually exceptional. This year there were a number of authors, selling their tales of mystery and magic. We always stop at the photography booths, or course; I love to get more ideas on how to display our photos, and what we might do with them as far as gifts and sales.

There's so much color and creative energy. While we wandered through the outdoor venue we chatted with people we don't see on a regular basis, talked with vendors and admired their wares, and generally just enjoyed being outside on a beautiful spring day.

Great fun. How did you spend your own Memorial Day weekend?

Memories

2011-06-02T17:07:00.005-04:00

Have you ever had one of those days when just about everything you do reminds you of some other time in your life? Memorial Day weekend we attended the 44th Highland Festival, an annual tradition in our town, and I suddenly realized how long I've been here, and how much of my life has revolved around/evolved here!

The first time I ever attended a festival was as a student in college, which was VERY long ago - 1971. In fact, I've even been part of the parade a time or two - like the time I rode with my sorority on a float, dressed like a scarecrow maybe? That memory is fuzzy - I wonder why:). I have built floats, lawn decorations, and attended many a Scottish celebration.

But the fun doesn't stop there. Then I settled down here...raising a family...and the fun REALLY began. I didn't have to build the floats anymore, or ride on them, but I wheeled strollers to every parade, then sat on rainy stadium bleachers or inside gymnasiums which absolutely vibrated with bagpipe music and the hum of many voices chatting, encouraging children, giving last-minute instructions - all to watch our budding Highland Dancers work to earn their points, medals and trophies. Let's not forget mopping up the disappointed tears of our offspring when they did not get a "prize."

Of course, besides dancing the children marched in the parade as members of one or another school band, sometimes playing instruments and sometimes twirling flags. Perhaps we waved as they walked by with their scout troop, as well. Riding on floats as part of some organization or another, or the year we had someone on the Highland Festival Queen's court, rounded out the many ways we have participated in this Scottish tradition.

Fortunately, there is usually something new and "updated" in each parade. This year I was particularly taken with this unique way to sport a kilt.

And just when you think you have it made, the kids have left the nest and we can choose whether or not to listen to the drone of the pipes or fight the congestion of the crowds - --grandchildren. In the parade, riding floats, and dancing their little feet off. We have laughed ruefully a few times, that's for sure. But we support the next generation the best we can,just as we've been doing for many years.

This year I may have seen a new spin on an old theme, as Daryl took his place in the parade, driving the cutest little airplane-cars a child would ever want to ride in. A granddaughter by his side....they made the parade route zoom by.

And one more year we watched our sleepy community rise into full Highland spirit, welcoming crowds of people from all over the world, celebrating the Scottish heritage of our town. Returning to normal on Sunday evening, we stored many new memories in journals and scrapbooks and drawers.

Do you have any traditions you "just can't miss?"

A Horse is a Horse....

2011-05-26T22:33:00.011-04:00

We had a great time a couple of weeks ago at the German Shorthair Dog Trials. The day was a bit chilly, but sun was shining and it was just wonderful to get out in nature and walk the fields. The trial itself is difficult to actually "see" unless you're on horse-back. So.... I enjoyed the walk and picture-hunting, and Daryl took off with a friend who had a dog in the competition.

Horses have always made me a little nervous. They're so big! But there is also something so majestic and historic about these creatures. I decided I would focus my photo efforts on finding a way to showcase the power, and soul, of the horses. Going outside my comfort zone a bit, I moved in close and found some shots:But of course, since the day was really about the beautiful, hard-working bird dogs, we had to take some shots of favorites. What personality.

And at the end of the day, a welcome rest.

It was so nice to be outside, enjoying sunshine and calm weather. A day outdoors listening to the creek run, the dogs yelp, and the horses stomp.

Yes, spring has sprung and everyone is ready for it.

Enjoy!

Taking a Deep Breath

2011-05-13T22:12:00.004-04:00

Another spring post - we've been waiting so long! I've finished my school commitments and now it's time to rest and refresh.

The last three days I've been at a university conference and it was the perfect way to end the school year. I have a collection of ideas for fall, and time to play with them. I also was able to meet some new people and start an extended network. Very rejuvenating.

And now back to my writing and photography and small trips, and bigger trips. Enjoying walks in the field and wood, getting that bicycle out and dusted off, and maybe even riding it:).

Have a wonderful weekend!

At Last....

2011-05-03T10:24:00.005-04:00

Spring. Finally! Relative warmth, sun, rain, and flowers. Color is coming back - greens, reds, yellows, pinks...riots of color blowing in the breeze.

AND the end of the semester! What more could I ask?

(That's another post!)

Blessed Easter!

2011-04-23T20:41:00.006-04:00

Today was our annual egg hunt...grandchildren and eggs and decorating...and delicious food. And sugar. Lots and lots of sugar. This year's culinary experiment was creating cupcakes to look like Easter eggs in the grass. Interesting. I usually create the first few before the grandkids get here, just to work out the "bugs," then we complete the decorating process while their parents hide the eggs outside. It keeps everyone pleasantly distracted and it's fun, too!

May you all have a wonderful Easter celebration.

Is it Spring Yet?

2011-04-19T18:44:00.004-04:00

Spring has been long in coming. I'm busy trying to wrap up the semester, and take care of other university business, and that distracts me somewhat. The tease of warmth and sunshine appears periodically. But mostly it feels like we've been waiting and waiting...snow, rain, sleet, sun, snow, rain, sleet....you get the picture. I just heard thunder, which is a really good sign! It makes up for the snow of about an hour ago.

The annual Easter egg hunt is here Saturday and it would be so wonderful to have good weather for this event. I'm busy planning the activity I'll lead with the grandchildren while the eggs are being hidden outside. One idea is to decorate eggs, another is to decorate cupcakes. Right now the cupcakes are winning!

The Votes are In

2011-03-30T08:04:00.010-04:00

Nothing Can Stop Me Now

Oshkosh,Wisconsin

Husband and wife team, Amanda and Kyle Franklin

In a tragic aside, both were recently injured in an airshow in Texas when

their engine caught fire and the plane crashed. Both survived, but were burned.

Last night was the St. Johns Camera Club "Transportation" competition. Here are some of the top point scorers; there were so many outstanding images it was very difficult to judge. Yes, I was asked to vote this competition, so when my own photos came up I had to enter a "0." There is a formula to compute a fair score.

Market Day in Ghana

This is the Life

Heritage Flight

Legends and Mustangs airshow

Columbus,OH

Fishing Canoes, Ghana

It was so much fun trying to pull together creative images for this competition. We had a total of 12 entries and each did well. I will be contacting those wonderful people who helped us collect ideas for this competition, as my folder is very full of images we gathered before making our final decisions on entry photos. Everyone's a winner!

Stay tuned...next competition title is Traces of Time.

Our wheels are spinning, what about yours?

Transportation Competition Coming Up

2011-03-20T15:17:00.004-04:00

And so, after a few weeks of collecting ideas, sorting photos, and taking new ones, the competition is almost upon us. We got some great ideas from some of you - thank you! Of course, until the competition itself, which is Tuesday, March 29, we can't reveal which images we've decided to use. There are some members of our photography group "lurking" on Facebook and visiting the blog and we sure wouldn't want to give them our great ideas!

Thank you we blog artists, Meri , georgia b, Char, Jeanie, Dagmar, and Marion (a Facebook friend) for your wonderful suggestions and well wishes. Stay tuned for our decisions, and your thank you gifts. I'll email for addresses to send the selections to:).

It promises to be a busy work week, but I also have some wonderful hints of spring to share. Stop back in the next few days, as I hope to pick up my pace and spend more time doing what I love to do best...sharing nature, photography and stories with other creative souls.

Happy Spring!

New Theme - Give-away

2011-03-02T15:53:00.006-05:00

As you may have read in my last post, Camera Club competitions happen throughout the school year. "Motion" was last month's theme, and it was a lot of fun looking for potential images. This month, however, is leaving me a bit mystified.

"Transportation" is the theme, and it's wide open. We have a lot of aviation photographs, which club members will anticipate us entering. We also have a lot of boating photographs, which may garner one or two for us to choose from. However, we want something different.

Unique. Show-stopper, would be nice.

Please leave us some suggestions for potential images we should take for this competition. If we choose your ideas we will be glad to send each winner a copy of the entered image. There could be a lot of winners, as we enter three themed images each. We need to shoot soon, so the window for this give-away is small.

Please post suggestions by Friday, March 11. Yes, that's right. Only a little over a week away. Let's hear how creative, and helpful, you can be!

Thank you!

A Little Competition is a Good Thing

2011-02-28T16:07:00.006-05:00

As I've mentioned before, we belong to a camera club. Monthly meetings 9 months of the year bring us together to have workshops on various photography topics and skills, as well as to have themed competitions. February's competition , Motion, was great fun.

Members can enter either digital or print images; slides have gone by the wayside, I'm afraid. But this makes the set-up very easy and the meetings run smoothly between the two venues. Three judges enter scores for the entries and the results are averaged. If someone enters photos and is also judging, this person enters a "0" when their photo is displayed, and the other scores are averaged. It works. The highest score you can get is an 18, which means you've earned a "6" from each judge.

Fortunately, neither of us is fiercely competitive, so though our photos compete against each other we haven't had a major meltdown yet:) Here's a perfect example, from this month's competition.

This Sandhill Crane was photographed in Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, in New Mexico. The bird is in sharp focus, but the background blurred, indicating the movement of the bird. This photo earned me a 17 in competition this month.

This fireworks shot was taken last summer at Fort Hood, Texas, while we were there visiting family. It's sharp, with very little distracting smoke, is well composed as a horizontal image with three main areas of display (odd numbers of objects are preferable). It also shows motion in the blur of the pyrotechnics as they shoot into the air, and fall out of it. This photo earned Daryl a perfect 18.

So, if we were competitive this might cause a little friction. But not so. Peace reigns. Of course, it helped that we had a group of people in the car on the ride home so there was no opportunity for "discussion." Yes, timing is everything.

Does anyone else choose a theme for photography practice?

Joyous Reunion

2011-02-12T14:53:00.003-05:00

And he's home.!

Photo ops were numerous, to say the least. So many excited children and tearful husbands and wives. And my sister and her husband, and the rest of the family, were among those shedding tears of joy.

Justin looks great, and was SO excited to get himself settled in an apartment off base and begin life States-side. It sounds as if there's a decent system in place for helping our soldiers re-enter a more "normal" life. And Justin has people to talk to. This will help.

At least three days this week there were flights arriving from overseas 2-3 times a day. And at least three days this week, more groups were departing.

God bless those home, and those now so far away.

Red, WHITE, and Blue

2011-02-07T17:32:00.004-05:00

I'm trying to live one day at a time. Really. We left on Saturday morning for our drive to Clarksville, TN, to see my nephew return from Afghanistan. The further south we drove the nicer the weather got (well, after a couple of hours of the dicey stuff in southern Michigan and northern Indiana). But then the clouds lifted, the sun came out, and milder temperature reigned! It was wonderful.

Even our arrival on Sunday was greeted with mild temperatures and sunshine. Then Monday arrived, starting with rain....and moving quickly to snow and cold.

Tonight we will sit in a hanger waiting for a midnight arrival...bundled and expectant. A "little bird" revealed the forcast for our journey home. Lovely.

But our mission will have been accomplished and a wonderful event will take place before that journey.

Welcome home to a group of very deserving soldiers!

Waiting for the Sun

2011-02-03T23:29:00.010-05:00

A good old-fashioned blizzard, the kind we haven't seen in years. Swirling fingers of snow dancing across the landscape, and up into the air.

And then calm settles in, and the sun shines upon us.

It's hard to appreciate nature's gifts when the cold has settled deep into your bones,

but the view was mesmerizing,

and the coffee was piping hot!

School Presentations - Teaching

2011-01-31T20:13:00.011-05:00

Last week I did one of my favorite things - gave a presentation to a group of 5th grade students. They were learning about the slave trade, and I was more than happy to offer my expertise and photography to the class.

While in Ghana we visited what was once called the Gold Coast, the area along the Gulf of Guinea from which slaves were sent to various destinations around the world. These two pictures were taken at Cape Coast Castle, an important seat of government and also a slave holding area. We toured the "castle," and visited the cells and dungeons. What an experience.

From the top of the castle you could look down at the sea, and the working fishing town. Here the people still dig their canoes by hand, head out to sea, throw out the nets, and pull in their catch.

After lunch, we continued down the coast to Elmina Castle. These "castles" line the coast of West Africa, and the students were very intrigued by my photographs of maps as well as the locations pulled from history.

It was easy to put ourselves back into this time period, and the historians and guides who directed us through the tours were very proud to tell the tales of horror, and how the African people had risen out of this past to recover their nation.

Outside the walls of each of the slave castles we visited were children selling their wares. They followed us around and didn't mind posing for a photo or two. So many vendors on the streets, and so much color and atmosphere. Okay, maybe a little pushy at times:). One thing we did remind ourselves of periodically was that this a developing country, and people need to earn a living as best they can.

And how can you resist these smiles?

Another interesting historical piece - Cape Coast Castle was visited by President and Mrs. Obama in 2009. This is an event the Ghanaians talk about a lot, and there are posters of him with their president posted all over the capital. This plaque hangs prominently on a courtyard wall, and is part of the tour:

As we went through the PowerPoint presentation and talked about slavery and the historical implications to both continents, and other parts of the world, I remembered why I went into education. The children were engaged in learning; they were inquisitive and excited to learn something new and make it their own.

Doing presentations also gives our photography a purpose. We love taking pictures, but they're no good stored in a computer (or in a stack of shoeboxes and slide storage units in the cupboards). By creating projects, photography books, articles, and presentations we can not only share our vision, but educate others.

What do you do with your own photographs?

Are there special projects you create, or ways to display them which are unique and interesting?

Please share those ideas so we can grow our toolboxes!

Cold days, Warm Memories

2011-01-28T18:50:00.009-05:00

We love to watch the birds at our feeders. Colorful birds, such as the Blue Jay and Cardinal, quiet and gentle birds like the White-throated, White-crowned and the Chipping Sparrows. Then there is the splash of slate color which is the Dark-eyed Junco, the red of the Purple Finch, and the various woodpeckers: Red-bellied , Downy and Hairy. Black-capped Chickadees flit in and out all the time, and I particularly love the subtle grey-blue of the Tufted Titmouse.

However, every time I see the Nuthatch I think of my father-in-law, and his quiet sense of humor.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

I will remember forever that day in the kitchen of his apartment. We were standing at the sink, looking out at his bird-feeders. They were his pride and joy and he would spend hours caring for, and watching, his birds. When a cute little bird landed upside down on his peanut feeder, I fell in love with it, asking its name. He softly murmered that it was an "Assup."

I thought it an unusual name, and remember looking at him in surprise. That's when I saw the corner of his mouth begin to turn up, and the sparkle in his eye.

An "Assup?" Oh my goodness!

White-breasted Nuthatch

Yes, I think of my father-in-law when we watch the birds...memories which will always warm our hearts.

What are memories which warm your own hearts? Post one of your own treasures on

Monday

and send me an email - I'll link you to my own post.

Links to posts which will warm everyone's hearts on a cold winter day.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-16T22:17:00.009-05:00

Ah, the adjustment to the cold and snowy wonderland of Michigan following the heat and sun of Ghana. When we got back we were right into the swing of things...family, holidays, new semester. This weekend we decided we needed an outing, and time for photography, so off to the International Dog Sled races in Kalkaska.

The weather was not cooperating. Wind chills close to zero degrees, and blowing snow, kept everyone bundled from head to foot, with heads ducked down to protect faces from the elements. But the dogs didn't seem to mind at all. They were so excited to run...straining at their leads...howling for attention. And the racers seems just as intense about their race.

The children didn't seem to mind, either. The youngsters above were very busy devising their own races.

We managed to stay outside most of the time, retreating to the car on two occasions to warm our hands. Our cameras held up well, though battery life is a huge issue in cold weather. We manged to capture some good action shots before heading for home, stopping for a hot sandwich and coffee, of course. We love finding a local haunt while traveling.

And now we'll try to keep a good attitude until the first crocus poke up through the snow in April. One of my plans is to dust off the lensbaby I've toyed with for a couple of years, and the manual I purchased to help me really learn how to get some shots which look intentional. This means I need to clean off my shooting area, which leads me to looking at the other areas of the basement which need sorting and reorganizing. There is always something.

What are you doing while trying to keep warm this season? Any photography suggestions to get the creative juices flowing?

Merry Christmas to All - Ghana Style

2010-12-23T19:22:00.013-05:00

Children sat in their classroom groups, waiting their turn to

participate in a Christmas program. Each class performed a song for the crowd.

What a wonderful gift was given our group, as we approached the end of our time in Ghana. The kindergarten and preschool teachers decided that the Christmas program should be early, and that the student teachers should be in charge of planning and preparation, as well as implementation! Three young ladies were both excited, and nervous, and did an outstanding job pulling together a fabulous program for all. Santa needed to be cast as well, and Andrew pulled it off beautifully.

Elizabeth made a lovely MC, dressed in her new African outfit, made to order in the Tema marketplace.

Meghan also sported a newly created dress as she handed out Christmas crowns to her students.

Ashley showed her students there wasn't anything in the bag...yet:). Her own African dress was a favorite, and came from our field trip to Cape Coast.

Song and dance are integral parts of the lives of African children, and a Christmas program was no exception. Here, Elizabeth's class, and mentor teacher, start to get in the "groove" as Santa passes out gifts in the background.

Best wishes from our home to yours this blessed Christmas time.

Holidays Away From Home - Thanksgiving in Ghana

2010-12-20T21:21:00.009-05:00

Less than a week away from Christmas and so glad to be home. It would be difficult to be away from friends and family at this time, but not impossible, as we found out when we spent Thanksgiving a world away.

The students had found a scenic resort on the Beach Road between Tema and Accra. One of our favorite taxi drivers, Uncle Tee, was glad to stop and show the group around. When everyone got back "home" they excitedly said it was THE place for our Thanksgiving celebration. Sounded good to me. The fact that the Ave Maria Resort also sat on the Prime Meridian was an added incentive. I'd heard about "the rock," the point marking the exact Prime Meridian, and was excited to see it.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't that impressive - but still interesting, and fun.

When you know your meal is not going to be turkey with all the fixings, go to the extreme. The group sampled many dishes during our feast, including shrimp, steak, pizza, and octopus kabobs. And yes, those were delicious! We had also invited new friends to join us, teaching them about our heritage as they were teaching us about their own traditions and celebrations.

Special people create special times. Spending 7 weeks together helps you form a bond, and it was wonderful to share Thanksgiving with our new family in such a beautiful place.

Growing a Capital City - Ghana -10

2010-12-16T22:47:00.012-05:00

The capital city of Accra is a growing force in the country - with eateries and tourist attractions and arts centers. Our first look at the city was upon landing in the country, at the international airport.

Driving through the traffic circles and crowded roadways, billboards advertised the Ghanaian's sources of pride.

On one of our field trips to the city we were introduced to "Frankies," which soon became a favorite of the students. Hamburgers, fries and shakes...what more could a group of Americans want?
Government buildings were large and grand, with obvious British architectural design.

And let us not forget the monument to the national sport - football. We did attend a match, and enjoyed the play immensely.

The art center was beautiful to see. It's a shame we couldn't squeeze in attendance at a performance while there. It's on the list for the next group to check out.

The country of Ghana is new, created in 1957. It is a country of contrast - these monuments to modern growth and hopes for the future, next to rudimentary living conditions and people living in the kingdom-structure of its heritage. It will be interesting to watch the development of the country and its people as they work to grow to be world economic players, particularly with the discovery of oil off shore.

50 years old. What was the United States dealing with at that point in our own history? What was education like? What was the blend of old and new? This sounds like another post or two!

Student Choice Awards 1 - Ghana

2010-12-15T15:37:00.021-05:00

Sunrise, taken from the bus window on one of our first field trips.

My teachers were asked to choose two of their images which best represented the first half of our time in Ghana. They could be of something which touched them emotionally, or just made them laugh, but in some way they visually represented the Ghana experience of the first 3 1/2 weeks.

Enjoy their experience as told through photographs.

Helping fishermen in the Bay of Guinea bring in their morning catch.

Teachers celebrating.

Trying unusual foods is the theme for these two photos - fish heads served at lunch at school, and fu-fu, a native dish. When in Rome.....

A few of the students had drums carved at the Cultural Center in Accra, and received lessons afterwards.

The waterfront in Tema, where we stayed for our 7 weeks.

Our first field trip, to Mole, was also our first glimpse of native wildlife. Baboons are extraordinary creatures.

The students also made a strong impression; many have high aspirations.

Beautiful country, and beautiful people. The first part of our journey is considered a huge success.

The Amazing Race - revisited

2010-12-13T11:00:00.013-05:00

The title of this blog post is double-edged. We have arrived home from our jaunt across 5 time zones and two seasons - from dry season heat of 90 degrees and sun, to Michigan cold of 15 degrees and snow. I will continue blogging about Africa for a while longer, as we just didn't have the technology to keep up my posting during our 7 week adventure.

So this post is about another Amazing Race - the television program. A few weeks before our departure the show paid a visit to Ghana, and its capital city of Accra. When the students found out we were going on a day trip to the city, they came up with a "must see" list, and the coffin maker topped that list.

In Ghana, coffin creation is an art. You can order a coffin to fit the personality of the deceased, including planning your own final event. There are not factories in Ghana to create fine art, so you are getting hand-crafted goods wherever you go; far cry from our U.S. assembly lines. Hand carved out of trees chosen just for that purpose, there is little waste and a great deal of creative license.

We set off to find "the" coffin maker, as visited on the Amazing Race, and found the shop on Beach Road in Teshie, between Tema and Accra. You have to look carefully, as shops are clustered on top of each other, and in front and back. But the students knew what they were looking for. Take a look!

Someone must have called ahead and known Daryl's preference:

And then there was my personal favorite - what do you think? Made to order?

Kpong Airfield, Ghana - 7

2010-11-22T15:59:00.011-05:00

November 16 was a Muslim holiday so there was no school. Students headed off to do more shopping, enjoying Knaeshie Market in Accra, and time in a rather quaint area of the capital named Osu. For us, it was the day to find Kpong Airfield. Wherever we travel we must find an airport.
It’s challenging here, however, when there are only 8 general aviation airfields in the entire country. Fortunately a pilot friend back home, Gary, had located one only one hour north of where we are staying, so that’s where we headed.

Another challenge was finding a driver who knew where to take us. Uncle Tee is our driver of choice. We called him and worked out a charge for the journey, as we explained where we wanted to go. I do believe this involved some laughter on both our parts as we bridged the communication gap.

We left the city behind and headed north on our mission, arriving just one hour later at Kpong Airfield, south of the town of Kpong. We were shown around by Jonathan Porter, the owner and operator, who is originally from Great Britain. He has an interesting operation, trying to run a flight school for Ghanaians. Points are earned by the students instead of grades on their class work, and after they earn 60 points they can “spend” them on flight lessons, driving lessons, and other services. All are girls who are daring to dream. Patricia (in the white top) is already licensed and is beginning to do some instruction. She is excited and passionate about her work, and dreams to be the first black woman to be an aerobatic pilot – and travel to Oshkosh, WI.

Students come from poor families who could not otherwise afford this type of option for their children. Funding comes from donations and company support from Zenith aircraft and Rotax Engines, as well as other small sponsors. Funding is inadequate, so fund raising and other methods of raising money to keep the operation running are ongoing. The girls currently do maintenance at the airpark, and are learning to build and maintain the Zenith kit-built aircraft. They are learning engineering (mechanic) skills as they learn to fly. All have built confidence through the program and are learning to dream. Excited and intrigued, we rode back to Tema, planning another visit to the airpark before we leave the country. Maybe there would be an opportunity to fly over the countryside. A flat tire delayed our trip slightly, but two young men came out of the brush (a very common occurrence), and got us on our way in no time. Just another day in Paradise.

Teaching in a New Land-Ghana-6

2010-11-22T11:04:00.012-05:00

We are here to teach. And that is exactly what we are doing. It’s very different than in the United States, of course, and the comparison will help build the world experience these young people will bring to their own classrooms.

The country has national teaching standards, and all schools in Ghana follow them. The tests are the same, no matter where you go, and the level of expectation is high. In private schools. Public schools are trying, but don’t seem to have the same level of support, both emotionally and financially.

We are teaching in private schools, both the village schools and the International high schools. The testing procedure is British, with the International schools subscribing to the Cambridge testing system. This experience is coming up for a couple of the student teachers, so we’ll see what they think of the process and product.

The youngest of our students are preschool and kindergarten. Learning through play, there are a lot of games, singing, exercise/movement, and some basic lessons in color, shape, numbers and weather thrown in. The teachers do not have to have any special training to care for/teach the little ones, very unlike the U.S. and its Early Childhood Education certification. The school day is not defined, either, with children arriving between 7:45 and 8:15, and beginning the departure routine after lunch. Parents and caregivers pick up the youngest of our charges, where the older students may arrive on foot, by bus, or actually live on the grounds. But it works for them.

The SOS school philosophy is to educate young people until they are self-sufficient, and able to hold a job and live on their own. “We believe in you and now will let you fly.”

Student teaching here is very different, with far less lead-teacher time than we allow in the U.S. And there are other teaching students in some of the classrooms, as well. Those who train to go into teaching may apply for the premium private school jobs, or have a guaranteed job within the country. The system places all teachers where they are “needed,” which may not be where you necessarily want to live. However…it’s a guaranteed job.

And so we teach. I will conduct a couple of after school workshops for teachers. The principals have approached me with topics, including classroom management, assessment, and methodologies. We’ll see how that goes.

Seaside Adventures - Ghana - 5

2010-11-09T06:42:00.007-05:00

Fishing boat coming in along the shore of the Gulf of Guinea

On our way to Accra for an outing we were fortunate enough to drive the beach road - allowing us time to stop and watch this fishing boat come in with its catch.

Once the boat was ashore, all efforts turned to pulling in the net, which would take over two hours. The students were invited to help, which they did with enthusiasm. Of course, we didn't have two hours to wait, but most of us decided we'd like to come back when we have the time and watch the entire process.

The boats look to carry between 10 or 12 people, while they set the net.

While a group of men stayed to pull on the line, others repaired nets on the beach, and still others set out again with a new net. Watching the effort it takes to move the boat out across the waves we had a deeper appreciation for the hard working lives of the Ghanian people.

Our experiences are diverse, here, and each weekend we look forward to another adventure.

Time Out for Book Club

2010-11-08T12:03:00.004-05:00

Leave it to a group of teachers to find a trade fair. Welcome

to the International Book Fair, in Accra, Ghana.

This blog post deviates from my typical travel posts in order to accommodate my book club back home. We meet once a month at member’s homes and discuss the book-of-the-month – each book chosen by members of the club.

This month the book was Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Shiguro. It was a little difficult to get into and I will admit to putting it down more than once, convinced I’d never be able to read it with all my trip preparations. I even thought I’d read it on the flight over to Ghana, but once again couldn’t concentrate.

Then one hot African afternoon, while all my teachers were busy in the classroom, I picked it up and found myself pulled into the story. Four days later I am finished, and wish I could be sitting in Barb’s living room discussing the intricacies of plot and character and theme.

I have been reminded of Lois Lowry’s books, The Giver and Gathering Blue. For me there is a resemblance to the Utopian worlds of Lowry’s books, within the story of Never Let Me Go. I loved the connection to music, art, and literature and the idea that our lives should lead somewhere….should have meaning.

The primary setting: an idyllic boarding school in the English countryside.
The characters: children under the watchful eye of their teachers and guardians, 3 in particular
The plot: Coming of age in an environment rich with possibilities, though undercurrents of mystery might suggest a hidden purpose for the education of these young people.

Did I love the book? I was compelled to read it to the end and find out what happens. I had pretty much figured it out, but wanted verification. It also made me wonder, in this age of scientific possibility, if the bottom line of the story could really happen. Is the book science fiction? More than fantasy, yes.

Would I recommend this book? What would you think about using it in school? A quick read, but also a page-turner.

Now my reading buddies – what did you think? I’m anxious to hear from you on this one.

Every Day is Market Day - Ghana-4

2010-11-05T10:30:00.010-04:00

Every day is market day. Whether it’s an organized day of the week, or a permanent part of the environment, Ghana thrives on the market atmosphere.

This is a "hidden picture" story. Do you see anything out of the ordinary here?

Driving through the numerous towns and villages on our ride to Mole we were able to watch the events as they unfolded. Early in the day groups of people, or singles, walking….walking. At first it was unclear where everyone was going. Then we reached a village and the riot of noise, color and odor assailed us. Baskets and containers of all kind were balanced on heads; people ran beside cars hoping to make a sale; cars and trucks were loaded down so heavily that we saw as many broken down vehicles as we did moving ones. Sheep balanced precariously on top of loaded trucks, or being driven by a shepherd were displayed for purchase. Cows, the same.

Running in the streets, trying to catch cars as they slowed in traffic, peddling their wares.

This describes the street markets which may occur once a week, or be permanently a fixture of the roadside. The full market experience comes, however, in a large, tightly knit, twisted alley form which is straight from an Indiana Jones film. Kumasi has the largest market area in West Africa, and we were fortunate enough to have a guide to help us navigate the intricacies of the inner sanctum.

We were coming back from Mole and knew this was one of our destinations. Coming over the hill, we saw the market laid out before us, a unique perspective, and a bit overwhelming. I will admit to being more than a bit nervous, mostly because I didn’t want to lose any of my teachers, or my husband! Or myself. Knowing we had a local guide helped, and the bus parked next to a tall, very red building I thought a perfect place to help guide us back.

Wrong. Three steps down and into the labyrinth, and the red building could not be seen. Onward we went. Past vegetables, house wares, jewelry, textiles, shoes, purses, empty stalls, sleeping people, large-eyed children, colorful costume, smiling faces….and more.

Our first “stop” was a stall which sold traditional Kente cloth, and the students wanted to get the narrow bands to wear with their robes at graduation. What fun. Then to a couple of stalls which sold “trinkets,” beads we could string, or necklaces to purchase. Again, traditional Ashanti stones/beads were popular, as were the brass charms which represented various symbols important to the culture.

Weaving our way back to the bus, with our fearless leader at the helm, I will admit we all felt a bit over-whelmed by the experience, yet exhilarated. We could not say we'd "mastered" the market experience, but we had taken baby steps in our attempt to get to know more about the African way of life.

Mole National Park-Ghana-3

2010-11-05T08:49:00.014-04:00

Mole National Park, Ghana’s largest wildlife sanctuary, is a gorgeous spot in the northwestern area of Ghana. There are more than 90 mammal species and at least 344 bird species within this protected area. Because of very poor road conditions the bus trip from Tema took us 15 hours. The students say their teachers laughed at them when they told them we were going to Mole (because of the driving conditions), but once there the drive was well worth the reward.

Notice the goats in the road. Very common, all over Ghana.

Surprisingly there is little, or no, "road-kill!"
.

The students rose early the next morning, headed to the waterhole overlook. What a gorgeous time of day, as the sun slowly rose and bathed the water and gorgeous tree limbs with warm light. This immediately became a favorite place for Paul, who could be found here whenever there was a free moment.

One of the first adventures we had was a guided, 2 hour hike through the forested area and alongside water reservoir/watering holes. We are here at the end of the rainy season so there were large flooded areas, which draw in wildlife.

Warthogs are common in the lodging area. We even managed to share breakfast space one morning, as we sat overlooking the largest waterhole. At one time we even wondered if a curious warthog would end up in the swimming pool!
Kob antelope and striped bushbuck were also common. It was exciting to walk the area, taking care to step around the deep elephant tracks. Peering through the brush were the various species of antelope, as well as baboon families, and the green monkey. Birds darted overhead and could be spotted in grassy field areas. A few we recognized, like the green heron and egrets. Birds of prey are also common, and we wished our son was with us to identify the hawks we saw along the way.

Besides the walking tour we took a ride deeper into the forest in late afternoon, looking for that elusive elephant. Elusive they remained.

As dusk settled over this sub-Saharan region of Ghana, we settled ourselves once more at the waterhole, hoping to see movement below. So calm, peaceful, and serene “wild Africa” is at this time of day.

The Village Schools - Ghana 2

2010-11-02T11:46:00.006-04:00

If I don't post twice today I'm not sure if I'll keep up with all the excitement and adventure! (As well as access to the internet!)

The view from our front gate is straight out of a folk tale. The flowers are in full bloom, everything is green and lush, and these school buildings blend right into the environment. The buildings in these photos are for the youngest children in the school - Creche (toddlers) to kindergarten (age 5). Children's voices are everywhere, as they begin their school learning experiences. I have 3 student teachers placed here, so it makes it very convenient for me!

Each building is painted a different theme, which only adds to the storytelling ambiance.

On our first day we took our own mini-tour, as we waited for the director who would show us around. Excitement overcame fatigue, and the group had a grand time with their first introduction to where they would be teaching and learning for almost 8 weeks.

(In case you were wondering, the new masthead photo was taken on our first excursion. More on this coming soon.)

Travels to the Edge - Ghana Style -1

2010-11-02T11:11:00.008-04:00

We arrived in Ghana over a week ago, but technology did not arrive with us. Today is a good day, and time is on our side (which is usually the case in Ghana).

Our journey was very long, but uneventful. My 9 students met us at Detroit Metro airport, where the journey began. Detroit to Atlanta was a quiet leg, and one which built our excitement. When we landed and made our way to the gate which would take us directly to Accra, the capital, we knew we were going to a strange and distant land. This leg of the journey would be extremely multi-cultural, for which we were ready (almost).

One really unique thing to us was the ability to track our flight on a screen mounted on the seat in front of us. We watched the journey, changed screens to check our altitude, flight speed, etc., and even had the chance to watch a movie or two. I finally got a look at Prince of Persia, but couldn't concentrate enough to watch the entire thing:).

From Atlanta to Accra was approximately 11 hours, a long, exhausting, and mostly sleepless flight for us. A few students managed to curl up and sleep - the benefit to having an overnight flight is the dark. We were fed meals, got pillows and blankets - and if we hadn't seen the 1st class section we might never have known how good it could really be.

During the flight the students were in one area of the plane, but not necessarily sitting together. This was a good thing, as they could mix with those from the area. Many discussions ensued surrounding what Africa/Ghana was like, what to see and do, etc.

Finally we arrived - landing smoothly in the capital city of Ghana. Greeted with the typical expression: Akwaaba (welcome).

Customs went smoothly, well, almost. My students and husband went through with no problem at all. When it came to my turn, for some reason the person checking me through decided I should stay for only 30 days, which she stamped onto my visa. When I joined the others I looked at my husband and suggested he pay close attention to how to do student teacher observations and evaluations, and electronic portfolios, etc.....as he'd be finishing up my assignment for me! Fortunately I am told I will just have to apply for an extension, which shouldn't be a problem. I love the word "shouldn't," do you?

A bus from the village in Tema was waiting, with a helpful driver, and air conditioning. The minute we were off the plane we knew were in Africa! A ride to the village, and a warm welcome helped round out the beginning of our fantastic adventure.

Our house awaits...again, with air conditioning, ceiling fans, bed, bath, living and dining areas, a back yard with coconut trees and exotic birds.....

...and a welcoming front porch from which to do my work and watch the children at play. Come and sit awhile and I'll tell you all about our journeys around Africa, and in the classrooms.

Akwaaba - welcome.

Adventure Bound

2010-10-20T23:42:00.004-04:00

Thanks to some caring students, we were gifted a readiness kit for our upcoming adventure! On Saturday we leave for Ghana, a country in western Africa, where we'll spend 7 intriguing and exciting weeks. As you can see, Roamin' is ready to go.

So much time and research has gone into our preparation, which began last spring. We will accompany 9 student teachers from Central Michigan University and their student teaching experience will continue in Ghanaian schools. My job is to supervise their teaching, as well as work with the teachers in the schools. Yes, Daryl is going as well, and he'll document our adventures and enjoy some exploration.

Besides teaching each day, we will take field trips around the country and learn about the country, its people and cultures. What an exciting journey. The journal is ready. The camera gear is spread out, some having been cleaned, some added to, and all are itching to record this trip of a lifetime.

If we're ready for it! The time becomes shorter, the lists become longer and the excitement and nervousness grows. We leave Saturday, arriving in Accra, Ghana on Sunday.

Look for photos and tales of adventure to come. First installment will be next week. Keep reading, as there will be rewards for those who come!

Point of View

2010-10-13T22:42:00.013-04:00

Sensory Overload - that's autumn in Michigan. The colors are so vibrant, and the sound of leaves crunching underfoot is exhilarating. The scent of burning leaves fills the air.

Sharing an autumn walk is both soothing and rejuvenating. I love taking time to be outdoors and reveling in this magnificent beauty. Of course, being photographers during this season is also exciting. Daryl and I love looking for autumn shots to fill our albums and decorate our walls. They also take up a lot of room on our hard drive!

What's also fun is the fact that we see the world around us quite differently. Daryl's a "big picture" type of guy. I love the details, the pictures within a picture. So when we were away last weekend for Crane Fest, we couldn't help but bring our unique styles to the 300+ images we brought home.

We hope you're enjoying the many facets of this beautiful season. Take the time to stop, look, listen, smell the air, and spend time with loved ones.

What do you like to photograph?

Are you a detail person, or a lover of the big picture?
Post an example and I'll like them together.

Let me know:)

Birds of a Feather

2010-10-11T22:30:00.012-04:00

Welcome to Crane Fest

Where birders of all ages

peer through binoculars, scopes and camera lenses

waiting to see the Greater Sandhill Crane stop, rest and feed

on their migration route to the South for the winter.

At the end of the day....

it's all about the sound of tens of thousands of birds,

wings beating and vocalizations filling the air,

as they make their way to warmer weather,

and continue to entrance those who take the time to

stop

look

and listen,

marveling once again in the wonders of the natural world.

Look up...it's an amazing world.

Field Trip - Chihuly Style

2010-09-24T20:56:00.012-04:00

Have you ever heard of Dale Chihuly...a master glass artist? I had seen one of his indoor exhibits in Chicago a few years ago and was intrigued by his use of color and design and medium set in natural settings. Each piece of glass, or exhibit, tells a story meant to blend art and nature.

Then just a week ago I accompanied my favorite 5th grade class, my classroom of budding photographers, on a field trip to Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, in Grand Rapids, MI, where a huge Chihuly exhibit was nestled not just indoors, but outdoors in waterfalls and ponds, over hillside and gardens. And I was blown away. His "fine art glass blowing" is exquisite.

My photographers did an awesome job of "looking at different angles," developing artistic "compositions" and determining "point of view" - all vocabulary terms they'd learned during my in-school instructional time with them. This age group just soaks up the arts, and I am once again moved to find a way to increase that appreciation for arts in the schools in any way I can.

This coming week I go in again, for the picture sharing as well as to hear the words they've created to further enhance their photographs. The classroom teacher has been working on poetry and descriptive writing, and the students are anxious to share their talents. Look for some examples next week!

If you have the chance to see a Chihuly exhibit, do. My personal favorites are the outdoor pieces, but I found some of the lily pads arranged in indoor gardens very beautiful as well.

Enjoy

Talk to the Animals

2010-09-13T16:33:00.010-04:00

Travels near and far takes us to the zoo this week. The last day of summer vacation before school started, we took two of our grandchildren to the zoo and had an excellent adventure. The weather was nice and cool, perfect for the animals to come out and play.

Okay, so maybe not ALL the animals wanted to play.

The picnic lunch was perfect, too, and there's always ice cream for desert at the concession stand.

The challenge with zoo photography is trying to get a shot of an animal without showing glass, or caging. One trick is getting in close so you can chase out that reflection, or shoot through the wires.

And sometimes there's not much you can do. It depends on your equipment, to some extent. In this case, I just didn't have either enough lens to allow me to zoom in through the bars, or a way to get so close I could actually put the face of my camera between the wires. This was definitely not one of those kinds of photo opportunities, as you can see by the expression on her face!

We enjoyed ourselves so much that we may take another trip to the zoo to practice animal shots, and reacquaint ourselves with the various settings on our cameras. There's a wonderful adventure coming soon and we need some serious photography practice before departing. This photo is a "hint" of stories yet to come!

This shot was taken through the glass of his enclosure, while he was waiting for his lunch to be delivered. I stood at a slight angle, to minimize reflection, and got in close. I was much more confident getting close to glass than I was to the bars of a cage.

On our next great adventure, I wonder what type of shot I'll be able to get! Hint...hint.

Travel Back in Time

2010-09-08T20:49:00.010-04:00

The Old 27 Motor Tour

"Back in the Day"

Every year they come through, those old car enthusiasts and their spiffed up rods. Making pit stops along the way, they drive a route that used to be traveled all the time, but now has taken second place to the highway. The highway - that sign of "progress."

For a while in August, however, the Michigan "old 27" route is buzzing with the sound of mufflers, rough motors, and smooth ones. The sound of laughter evident, and the signs of a simpler time, as they say, are spit and shined for display. I remember my own pink poodle, Fifi, who went with me everywhere.

Now here's a great way to travel. Ready to hit the road!

So shiny you can catch the reflections of a glorious summer day.

Automobiles "smile" as hundreds of people come out to photograph them.

And luggage is packed for the journey...luggage which is as nostalgic as the vehicles.

For a little while everyone relaxes and reminisces and remembers the days which have come before - the slice of history each of us holds in our hearts.

What are your own memories? How do you keep them alive?

Travel Tuesday - Cuyahogo Valley National Park

2010-08-31T21:27:00.011-04:00

Only 5 1/2 hours from home, and a new experience opened before us. We went with a group of fellow photographers to a beautiful national park near Cleveland, OH, and came away with sweaty clothes, mosquito bites, and memories of good times and photo opportunities.

Every summer our photography group takes a field trip to a location not too far from home. Typically we leave on a Friday morning and return Sunday. The last couple of years we haven't been able to attend the entire weekend, but we go for whatever time we can. This year it was Friday and Saturday, returning in the evening so we could be here to photograph our airport open house on Sunday.

Of course, the weekend was as hot and humid as most of our summer, it seems, so we did the best we could to stay hydrated, and apply mosquito repellant as we walked a wonderful walkway through a swamp, early Saturday morning. That walk was heavily traveled, we found, by a large number of cyclists, walkers, and beautiful wildlife.

If we'd gotten up for a sunrise walk with a few members of our group, we might have seen the beaver family, or the otters. We did manage a 7:00 a.m. jaunt which included blue heron, ducks, a large variety of birds, turtles, water lilies, lush foliage and gentle fog. I photographed this beauty from the boardwalk, with a 200mm lens and 2x extender. She posed for us for quite a while, so I expect there will be a number of duck pics which will show up in our competitions this year.

We also visited a section of the park which danced with sparkling water - a glorious waterfall provided over an hour of photographic opportunity. We picked it apart, photographing sections of the falls, as well as the fall in its entirety. The slower the shutter speed, the more veil-like the water appears. A long exposure is your best friend at times, but use a tripod to keep everything in focus.

And at the end of the day, we found a sunset. Even when you're surrounded by trees, it's possible to find that last shot - a moment which captures the essence of the moment. There are star filters you can purchase, which will give you a number of different star patterns. They screw on the front of most lenses. But if you have the capability to change your camera's settings, a tripod, cable release or very steady hand, use the f22 setting to get results like this:

The summer is coming to an end, I'm back to work, yet more travels are in our future. The glorious autumn is coming, with crisp air and brilliant color. And then there's the trip I will take for work - I will be taking student teachers to Ghana, Africa in October, where we'll be for 7 weeks. If there aren't photo opportunities there, I'd be very surprised!

More to come on the preparation for this trip, as we make our lists and check them twice. Research is underway to determine which lenses will be the most important, and which locations will give us the most opportunity. Adventure ahead and we'll be keeping you posted!

Armchair Travel and Photography- To the Edge

2010-08-24T22:04:00.009-04:00

Sometimes all you need is a good book, or a good program, to take you away from your present location. For a while you can be lost in an adventure in a far away place. This is what Art Wolfe's Travels to the Edge does.

Image by Art Wolfe

Wolfe is a fabulous photographer, who can actually make a good living as an artist:). One of his many venues is public broadcasting, usually on Sunday night at 6:30 here. If you can't watch his program, all episodes are highlighted on his companion web site. He has 2 seasons of programs on places far and near, with information on how he got the shots, and what equipment he used to capture those magnificent photographs. There is also an episode about the making of his series.

Image by Art Wolfe

Of course, Wolfe has a crew to carry equipment and guides to get him into places most of us will never see. The people he meets and locations he visits are not only photographed, the cultures and ways of life are honored.

So when you are looking for a get-away, and just can't manage it, travel to the edge with Art Wolfe. You won't be sorry!

"Gone West" - missing man

2010-08-05T20:38:00.016-04:00

I learned a new term today. When I was teaching middle school I used to challenge my students to use "enhanced vocabulary," and today I had a flash-back to those years.

"Gone West"

to die; go west towards the setting sun; traced to WWI; traced to Mayan culture;

signifies the loss of a pilot

Pilots have a beautiful tradition when one of their own is lost, which involves having a group of pilots perform a formation fly-by overhead. As if the formation flying itself isn't enough, one pilot separates from the group, signifying a missing-man - the loss of a fellow pilot. Until yesterday I did not know that this missing-man flies west...into the setting sun.

Yesterday my husband had the honor of participating in just such a tribute, flying in formation during the laying-to-rest of Earl, a pilot, a friend, a man who perished in the plane crash in Lake Michigan nearly two weeks ago. In this instance, 4 planes participated in the event. Daryl flew lead, in Earl's plane, with an AT-6 on each side, and a Waco bi-plane in the rear. They flew in formation, over the cemetary, making a pass, south to north.

Sweeping back around, north to south, the AT-6's released their air show smoke overhead, a beautiful salute. As they completed the run overhead, the lead plane broke off, turning west, as the rest of the formation continued on course. The missing man heading into the setting sun.

So, Earl, this flight was for you...
a pilot "Gone West"

"Not alone into the sunset but into the company of friends who have gone before them."

Fly strong and swift, friend.

Travel Tuesday - Gardens

2010-08-03T08:28:00.018-04:00

We'll travel to the garden today, since mine is amazing me every day. When I planted my first real attempt to grow some lovely blooms, I was skeptical. My husband stood back with me and looked at my skimpy plantings and neither of us could see it coming to much. That's what lack of experience will bring you, I think.

There are still "mistakes" that have been made. I thought I planted a few blooms which would be tall - that didn't happen. I thought I planted marigolds just to keep out the rabbits, and found they are a very powerful flower all by themselves! However, I am very pleased with my organized chaos, and am taking notes for next year.

Along the way I have found other bloggers, like Traci, who have wonderful hints about growing fabulous blooms. I may even plant some hydrangeas, which weren't on my list of flowers to try. There are so many colors and textures out there, who said your garden needs to be the same each year? Live and learn!

So whether it's your own garden, a friend's garden, or a more formal garden, look at the color, patterns and textures within the overall picture. Your first impression can definitely be enhanced through further exploration. Visit S. Etole to see what else I have missed, and you should not, this summer. I have GOT to get up earlier in the morning to investigate my overnight residents!

The ribbons tied to the fence, in my garden shot, are there in honor and memory of our friends. A previous post explained our community has been in the midst of the trauma of the plane crash in Lake Michigan 10 days ago, and to show support our town is decked out in ribbons and signs and celebration of very special people and their families.

Travel Tuesday - interrupted

2010-07-31T18:03:00.005-04:00

Sunrise, Sunset

Swiftly flow the years.....

Our travel this past week has been to love and support and cry,

To run errands and help with paperwork,

To hold hands and tell some stories,

To celebrate the life of one person, and

To grieve the loss of four others.

Each person a role-model for living a caring

and meaningful

life.

Our journey is fragile.

One plane meets the decptively beautiful water,

Life changes forever,

And the community comes together as one.

Remember how we cared about each other

during this crisis,

as the years go by.

Remember to celebrate life

each day

of our lives.

Care, help, participate in the life we've been given.

Our journey is fragile.

God bless....

Travel Tuesday

2010-07-20T11:40:00.027-04:00

I've decided to create a Travel Tuesday regular feature, and we'll link our blogs together based on the travel theme. You can create a travel post based on a journey near or far - sometimes your back yard is the best place to travel, don't you think? Just send me a note and your blog address and I'll add links to your pages from my own.

I've been a bit negligent in keeping up with everyone's blogs, but I will say I enjoyed Georgia's post on being by the water, today. I'm sure her sentiments are shared by many. And Oasis, on Shuttersisters, speaks loudly to being in the moment, wherever you are. Lens.Us.Together has themed weeks, and this week is all about lazy summer days. So....whether you travel near or far, there is much to see in our world.

I caught up with Roamin' in the garden this morning. He's been feeling a bit left out lately, as he missed the trip to Texas and New Orleans. We began reminiscing about adventures we've had together, and those we've had apart, and I decided to share some of our thoughts on travel.

One place Roamin' hasn't been is the upper peninsula of Michigan in the fall. He's hoping to make the trip this year, if we can squeeze the time from work. The colors are fabulous, and being out in the fresh, crisp air is invigorating.

Another wonderful adventure was our trip to Costa Rica a number of years ago. Though hot and humid 24-7, we had an enjoyable and educational experience. Roamin' hadn't joined the family at that point and after he saw our photos he made me promise to take him to visit this lush and vibrant country some time; I assured him it's on our "bucket list" of places to return to.

The summers are made for excursions to various locations in the western U.S. which have been breathtaking. The extreme landscapes take your breath away...vast, wide-open spaces where you can imagine what it must have been like for our early settlers as they traveled to this new and untamed wilderness. The National Park system in our country was invented by those who were environmentalists, lovers of the land. Without those great thinkers we might not have the ability to enjoy our wild America, and appreciate our heritage. Through photography we can teach the next generations the wonders of the land and how important it is to preserve and maintain. Yes, we need to stand on our soapboxes:).

Then there's Oregon's Columbia River Gorge, Oshkosh, WI, sailing the Great Lakes, and our own back yard. Sometimes all we have to do is go for a walk in our community to find beauty and rejuvenation.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you as you send me links to your own adventures, and passions. Photography is such a wonderful medium to get our point across, particularly the more visual our society is getting. Short bites of information, with impact.

Enjoy! Celebrate! Share the joy of our beautiful world.

More Travels in New Orleans

2010-07-17T21:10:00.010-04:00

We do love photographing nature and wildlife, but we also love to photograph people and places. New Orleans is a wonderful location for architecture, culture and atmosphere.

Sometimes when you travel you have to grab your opportunities, and the shooting situations may not be "prime." This means, you may not have the best light, the best temperatures...the best time of day. I'd be willing to bet that if you have choices, you don't choose to go to a hot, humid climate when you know it's at its peak - like New Orleans in July! The only time we had for our whirlwind visit was on the way home from our daughter's, in Texas, and we didn't have much time to work with. This is how we found ourselves wandering the French Quarter of New Orleans on a hot, humid Friday morning in July.

Doing the best we could meant trying to shoot as few contrasty scenes as we could, which was really tough. The hazy morning certainly wasn't conducive to sharp, crisp images, so we worked with mood and atmosphere. The architecture was wonderful. There were also few people on the streets, fortunately. It was a wonderful morning, in spite of the less than favorable conditions. We came away with some good photos and an experience with culture and history which I'm sure we'll revisit.

I know many of you who read this blog love to travel, and to take photos. What are some of your favorite places, and why? Let's plan a TRAVEL TUESDAY for next week. You post a travel blog entry next Tuesday, July 20, let me know, and I'll put a link to your blog from my own post.

I'm looking forward to reading about your own explorations, and seeing photos which illustrate those adventures!

Resilience and the American Way

2010-07-12T08:38:00.020-04:00

We have just returned from a trip to Texas, welcoming grandchild 9 into the world and spending time with her parents and big brother. What a special time it was for everyone.

On the way home we decided to take a side-trip to Louisiana, specifically New Orleans. It is such an interesting area, and one touched by tragedy more than once. Three years after hurricane Katrina devastated the area, you can still see signs of the horror the people of this area must have experienced. There were concrete slabs where once there were homes. Boats rusted in marsh areas and tributaries of the mighty Mississippi. Buildings abandoned when water and storm damage made repairs impossible. In the retelling it sounds as if the area looks like a battle zone, but this is not the case. We found ourselves looking hard to find the evidence of the devastation, as the people have done a phenomenal job of rebuilding, and getting on with their lives. Unfortunately we weren't there long enough to really talk with anyone about the rebuild. And the latest tragedy is still making its mark.

Fishing boats moored, waiting for better days ahead

Beyond hope, this tug remains a reminder of the devastation hurricane Katrina brought.

Two buildings, newly constructed to weather future storms. The one above is a private residence, the one below is a school.

The two buildings above were on the long stretch of highway leading to Venice, the "end of the world" as one DNR officer called it. This town is also the staging ground for the oil clean-up. Our intention was to get to the beach areas and see what was happening with the current clean-up operations. Not knowing the area, however, we found ourself stuck inland, surrounded by water we just couldn't get to. The road ends at the Delta National Wildlife Refuge, the convergence of the Mississippi River, multiple tributaries, Breton Sound, and finally the Gulf of Mexico.

We saw a number of species of wildlife on our drive, though not in the numbers you would normally expect to see in a refuge area. This we expected, based on reports of how the oil "spill" has impacted the area.

The DNR officer we talked to said that going out on the water, in areas normally teaming with wildlife, it felt rather like a Stephen King novel - eerie silence where once the sound of birds was almost deafening. However, he also indicated this was not all bad, as these birds were finding other areas to feed and nest in. Yes, there has been great loss and it will probably continue, but the wildlife is actually adapting and moving elsewhere. Hopefully to return home when all is well again.

The people we saw are working hard. Many fishermen are now carrying booms and other clean up materials to areas in need. There are many fishing boats moored at the docks, and though the fishing ban has been lifted, it's just catch-and-release fishing allowed. The main source of income is still gone for many. The people on these outlying areas have been given a one-two punch - rebuilding from Katrina, then loss of income due to the oil catastrophe. But they're keeping the faith and working hard to get on with life as best they can.

Fishing vessel readying to carry booms (yellow) and other clean up materials out to affected areas.

We never did make it to beach area, so didn't have the opportunity to see the oil damage first hand, though we passed boats which appeared to have an oil residue on the hull. This part of our trip was a lesson, however, in what a community can do when forced into a devastating situation. Reminders of what's important in life, as well. We can replace "things," but this story is deeper than what we scratched on the surface.

Pull together and help others. There's a great deal of satisfaction in the journey.

Celebration of our Heritage

2010-07-03T23:31:00.003-04:00

Another 4th of July - a day to celebrate how far we've come, and how far we yet have to go.

Enjoy time with friends and family, enjoy the celebration, and be grateful for the blessings bestowed upon us.

Enjoy!

On the Road

2010-06-27T21:24:00.006-04:00

On the road again, though you wouldn't know it from this photo. As many years as we've tried to find a fawn on our acreage, I had to come all the way across the country to have the chance to see, and photograph, one. My daughter and I were sitting looking out the window in the middle of the day, and there they came, walking across the back yard. I have lived on 40 acres and spent hours walking and looking and waiting, yet I can cross the country to a home in the suburbs and see one in the back yard the day after I arrive. This does not seem right!

One of the things I really like about traveling is finding those pockets of local color, still life unique to these different surroundings. A couple of days ago we visited a lovely little town nearby, where I found a number of things to photograph. Just look at the colors and textures in this photo, taken outside a shop which looked just as inviting as this colorful display.

Another thing I like is finding texture and pattern behind the color. The stones of this building were warm and brown, yet by removing this color you see the architecture better, I think, and the benches jump out at you.

Though we are actually waiting for a new baby, there is time to explore and refresh and take time to photograph new surroundings. I needed a creative refresher and am enjoying this opportunity to grab some new shots.

What are you photographing right now?

Nature, With a Boost

2010-06-16T21:52:00.007-04:00

This year we have a flower garden. Not that we haven't tried before, but the rabbits and deer seem to "win" more than we do. But this year I decided to be more aggressive in my attempt to grow flowers, for both decorative purposes and photography.

We put a fence in front of the front walk, close to the house for maximum control, and I have been nurturing a variety of flowers and plants for a few weeks now. Not known for my green thumb, I am going to defy all odds this year and demonstrate that I can, indeed, keep flowers not only alive, but thriving for an entire season!

I will keep you updated as the season progresses, and hopefully my posts will be both colorful and fragrant:).

Enjoy!

Get Ready for Nature Photography Day!

2010-06-13T23:55:00.005-04:00

Tuesday, June 15, is Nature Photography Day and everyone should try and spend some time in the great outdoors. My last post gave you a number of suggestions for how to spend your day, so let everyone know what you did.

You can do this a couple of different ways. You may email me your photo, and blog address, which I'll post at the end of the week, or you may run your own post and send me your link so I can spotlight it. I'd love to create a network of nature enthusiasts, taking the time to share the wonders of our great natural world.

Let me know what you have decided to do, and I'll make sure the network is created!

And don't forget....it doesn't matter the weather, as NATURE is glorious in sun, rain, color or black and white!

Happy Shooting!

Nature Photography Day - June 15

2010-06-09T20:47:00.008-04:00

June 15 is fast approaching, the 5th National Nature Photography Day. The challenge is to use this day to raise awareness, and take intentional photographs. The North American Nature Photography Association has some suggestions for celebrating the day:

There are dozens of ways, including these:

Pick a special spot to photograph a sunrise or sunset. Then plan to repeat that visit at the same time and location every Nature Photography Day.
If you teach, encourage your students to pick a subject they haven't yet photographed and arrange to shoot on June 15.
Visit a gallery or museum exhibit of nature photographs. Or start a gallery at home-by displaying your images of plants, animals, and natural scenes.
Invite friends and neighbors to join you on a nature adventure at a garden, trail, or even your own backyard. Find inspiration and beauty close by.
Select a subject in nature that is small or common and thus easily overlooked. Then photograph it in a way to make the ordinary seem extraordinary.
Take your kids and grand-kids on a nature trek and give them a single-use camera to use. Then print some of their photos and present them, in a mat or frame, to those young photographers.
Pick something that you've never photographed before, and then make plans to photograph that subject or scene every June 15.
Look for and photograph something that detracts from the beauty in nature - images that show how human beings sometimes adversely affect our environment.
Finally, ask yourself how your images can help to bring positive changes to your world!

***** In the next few days look for details about submitting one of the images you take that day, to be published here on our blog. We want to showcase the various ways people take advantage of this important "assignment." ******

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This afternoon I was reading an interesting article by Dewitt Jones in this month's issue of Outdoor Photographer. He was talking about "a net over a flood" to describe how sometimes it's almost impossible to isolate, or explain a scene we're trying to photograph. Sometimes there is so much "stuff" in the photo that you can't quite find the story. According to Jones, John Muir uses the language of art to put words to this visual dilemma: "When we try and pick out any one thing by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."~ John Muir

If this is the case, what are we going to do about taking a picture of this "mess" before us? We move back and forth, change the angle and distance between ourselves and our subject. We zoom in. We zoom out. What is the story to tell/show? Does everything need to be in focus? Only part of it? With digital we can play with our story quite a bit, can't we? We can take a number of shots until we feel we are getting the story we want to record/share.

It seems as if this is a valuable lesson to share with any photographer, of any level of expertise. There's a lot of emotion in our photography, and many purposes to our story telling. For aren't we storytellers?

For more visual examples of the "net over a flood", visit Mark Lissick's website , where Jones describes a seminar he co-taught in Monet's gardens outside Paris. The images are magical.

Enjoy, and Happy Outings!

Summer Fun

2010-06-01T20:40:00.003-04:00

Seriously...it's June already? Time seems to drag all winter, then spring has an insanely fast pace. I have had so little time for writing and photography throughout the school year, and am looking forward to warming up my tools and hitting the road, and keys.

I look forward to re-establishing communication with the blogging world, sharing new work, tips from the field, photos of wonderful people, places and things, and lessons learned along the way.

Hello again! Isn't summer wonderful? (Or winter, wherever you may be!)

Up in the Air

2010-04-26T11:41:00.011-04:00

National Museum in Dayton, OH

Last weekend we made a quick trip to Ohio and attended the 68th Anniversary celebration of Doolittle's Raiders - a famous WWII mission. Four of the remaining eight Raider's were in attendance, which was spectacular, and moving. They were part of a "nearly impossible" bombing raid over Japan. Each generation needs a reminder of what has come before, and how it has impacted their country, their world. With this in mind, we truly appreciated the fact that we had three generations in attendance, soaking up the history in our own ways. (Please check out the links for more information on this important time in U.S. history.)

War Memorial in the Park at the Museum

17 Replica B-25 Mitchell Bombers Flying in Salute

We also enjoyed the museum, and spent time looking at our own aviation passions. Mine, as I've shared before, is nose art.

Apparently, Daryl ALSO appreciates nose art:)

Daryl, his son, and granddaughter wandered the museum looking at some of their favorite aircraft, reveling in the history behind the artifacts.

Photography is such a great way to record events and history. Now the challenge is to find a way to organize the images! No more shoe boxes, but plenty of photos in computer files - where it's more difficult to share!

How do you organize your photos, and share them with friends, family, and others? All helpful hints are welcome!

Lasting Legacies

2010-04-13T15:37:00.009-04:00

Five of our (almost) nine grandchildren

Oh how we want things to last forever. Our loves, our families, our cherished memories, our lives. We want our "things" to last, as well.

Christmas mittens for a grandson

How long will our photographs really last? How many generations of our family will sort through albums, scrapbooks, and yes, boxes, guessing who everyone was and who was related to whom? Our stories are not just written, or shared using the oral traditions, they are told through the visual medium of photography.

My first quilt made from individual blocks.

Sometimes we forget that there are many aspects of ourselves we'd like future generations to know about as well. Yes, we're photographers, yet we are also parents, grandparents, teachers, pilots, readers, and crafters. As much as I want our photographs to be legacies of "family" and events in our lives, we have other things to share as well.

Results of a quilting class - learning new skills

So this post is for everyone out there who creates. Photograph, tell stories, and create lasting memories of who you are, what the time period represents - a slice of your life to share with others.

Baby blankets for family and friends

Leave remnants of the person you are and the time in which you live. Create your own history and it will live on for generations.

What historical artifacts are you creating today?

Photo Opportunities

2010-04-07T21:24:00.008-04:00

Camera Club Workshop

Put a group of photographers in a room with props, models and set-ups, and you have a recipe for a fun evening. If you ever have the opportunity to join a Camera Club, investigate the possibilities. We have a very good time together.

In the picture above, a few of our members take the time to set up some still-life sets, like the one below.

Another opportunity provided by a member who does studio shooting, was a set-up with some models who work for one of our other members. It was a perfect opportunity for them to get some free photos, taken by professional, semi-professional, and amateur members of the group. The girls brought prom dresses, as well. We gave the girls copies of all the photos taken as a "thank you."

We have other workshops during the year, such as taking HDR photos, using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, insect/macro photography and creating your own equipment (another blog entry, for sure!). It's one thing to read and study, and to talk to others about photography, but it's an entirely different experience to get a group together to share ideas and techniques.

When we aren't having workshops, we're having competitions. That's another experience, where you can not only practice honing your techniques while shooting specific themes, but you also compete against other members of the club and learn from visual study and critique.

So, check out your area and find a camera club nearby. We have friends who live in Denver, and are members of the Mile High Wildlife Photography Club. Look at their site for some neat ideas, too.

Attend a Camera Club meeting or two and see if it's for you....I think you'll be pleasantly surprised:).

A Good Life

2010-03-29T17:27:00.003-04:00

Last week we lost a beloved member of the family, our English Setter named Katy. Today we saw this poem and decided to pass along this loving tribute to all who have lost special members of the family - loyal companions who don't talk back, and love you unconditionally.

Rainbow Bridge

~author unknown

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here,

that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Backyard Wildlife

2010-03-22T20:39:00.007-04:00

Cottontail picking up the seed scattered from

the feeders above.

One day warm and one day cold.

One day sun and one day snow.

Welcome,

Spring.

Fox Squirrel caught in the act.

Outside the kitchen window we have seen a variety of critters congregating at the feeders. I have been unable to get a good shot of the deer which come in - much too dark and the deer are much to skittish. Having just finished reading an article about capturing a digital image of Bambi- a photograph we've been trying to get each of the 17 years we've lived in the country -we're cleaning off gear and counting the days to the start of our field excursions. So far we've seen Bambi jump and run, and a number of lovely does who could have been Bambi's mother. There have also been the bucks which entered my camera range on occasion. But not Bambi. Spring is upon us again, and we are planning our strategy for capturing this elusive spring visitor.

A Tufted Titmouse grabs a snack.

Until Bambi arrives, however, we love looking at the other lovely gems of our backyard wildlife extravaganza.

"Who's" hanging out at your house lately?

Out and About

2010-03-16T21:42:00.005-04:00

Adorning buildings and side-walks, hearts and "I love you"

I ran away last weekend, for twenty-four chatter-filled hours. A friend of mine invited me to her weekend get-away and we walked and talked, went to a movie, attended the reading of a book written by the sister of a mutual friend, and got all caught up - in a way only possible when you're away from home and not staring at the windows which need washing, the laundry that needs to be done, the papers which need to be graded and the dust gathering on the top of the ceiling fan.

The city of Traverse City, MI is such a wonderful spot, full of life and activity and people with energy. The weather held, giving us beautiful blue skies and sunshine. We walked everywhere and it was so delightful to shake off the winter doldrums and clear out those cobwebs.

Outside the State Theatre was this wonderful photo just waiting to be taken. Treats for all those outdoor enthusiasts who walk their dogs downtown. Nice touch!

I hope you are finding pockets of sunshine and shaking winter off your shoulders.

Enjoy!

Portrait Lessons

2010-03-03T16:34:00.010-05:00

As you may have read in earlier posts, I work with a group of 5th graders each year, teaching them photography skills. These lessons are usually related to something they are studying, but currently we are actually working on "portraits."

The students are matched with seniors at the area senior center each spring, and they play games and cards and have lunch together. It's a great experience for both age groups. The classroom teacher and I decided that maybe they should learn a bit about portraiture, and take pictures of each of the seniors, with their "junior" from the elementary school. It hasn't been decided if the photos will be given as part of Grandparents day or a general "thank you" at the end of their time together.

What a hoot. One of the days we practiced the portraiture lesson, we set up a small back drop (too small) in the classroom and had students practice on each other. The lesson was on photos in which there were multiple people, and the students had a blast.

There are limitations, of course, when you have small spaces and limited equipment, but I think they're ready for their first session taking photos of the seniors, which is Friday of this week. Look for updates after that!

Macro Monday is Back

2010-03-01T12:44:00.004-05:00

If I felt more inspired by my surroundings I wouldn't have to work so hard to find photo subjects. March 1st seems like as good a time as any to

look harder,

and

create

more.

Happy Monday!

What are YOUR photographic subjects right now?

Judging Photography

2010-02-28T22:19:00.012-05:00

This month I tried my hand at judging our Camera Club entries. What a difficult thing that is, but SO interesting! There's a subjective component, of course, but there are also "rules" for judging.

Our club uses a 6-point scale. With three judges scoring each photo, it's possible to get a perfect 18 points. We're divided into bronze, silver or gold categories, so the divisions allow members to grow and advance, with the chance of earning awards at the end of the year. Each competition is themed, and a person can enter a total of 6 images, spread between the Assigned Category, Open Category, and Enhanced Category (digitally manipulated in some way).

This month's theme was Black and White, so the entries in the Assigned Category had to be Black and White images. You can enter anything (B&W or Color) in the Open Category. The same holds true in Enhanced.

There were so many great images. If you want to see the type of photos members of our club take, and read our newsletter, check out our web site: http://sjccmich.tripod.com/.

The photos within this blog entry are a sampling of what we submitted this month. Another point about judging which you need to know is that we don't score our own, or family member's, photos. We have electronic scoring, so when the familiar photograph comes up we simply enter a "0" for the score. The score of the other two judges is averaged, and I believe there's a formula which rounds up.

Though it can be crazy trying to get photographs around for competition, which includes any tweaking you want, or need to do (like turning color photos to B&W), and resizing, it's worth it. We show all photographs, either prints or digital submissions, judges submit the scores, then after all have been viewed we go back through them, announcing the photographer and his/her score, and then critique the photos. That's the most valuable aspect of the competition, I think.

So, enjoy the photos, and push yourself to new levels by creating your own competitions. Choose a subject and shoot it from all angles, or try black and white, or try some manipulation. What ever you do - enjoy it!

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T08:09:00.006-05:00

Meesha and I would like to wish you all a Happy Valentines Day, full of love and forgiveness.

We have an agreement in my house - one flower is more romantic, and cost-effective- than a dozen. And lasts just as long:).

Enjoy your day!

Winter Subjects

2010-01-23T10:06:00.003-05:00

As I may have mentioned before, motivation to get out in the cold and unappealing winter weather is rather difficult to muster sometimes. I had a discussion with two of the 'children', and they agreed. As you can see, laying in front of a register is a much more desirable activity than slogging through the heavy and slushy snow right now.

Maybe we'll get a good snow storm, bringing us a soft and sparkling mass of photographic possibilities. But for now, the register, or fireplace, is our best friend:).

Teaching Children to "See"

2010-01-15T09:36:00.009-05:00

I think I've mentioned before that I work with school children, each year a different photography project. I'd like to expand and work with more classes, but have been blessed to have a superb 5th grade teacher to work with, one who brings creativity in education to a new level. We were co-workers when I was still teaching for the district and our teaching styles blend well.

Last year's project was one the children came up with, in connection with a "Going Green" unit the teacher was introducing. The students wanted to clean up their community. With grant money they designed a sign - "Litter Bugs Me" - which they placed at each of the sites they visited, and cleaned.

The student teacher in the classroom was active in helping students design their project, and carry it out. My role was to teach them how to document the project - how to take photographs which told their story. They would use the photos as they presented their project to various community organizations, as well as the foundation which awarded the grant.

We gathered cameras from around the school, and a few students brought their own. I gave lessons in composition and lighting, as well as visual storytelling. We practiced taking shots around the school, and of themselves, of course, using their new skills. Put a camera in a child's hand, and they have so much fun! The trick is to get them to focus on learning new skills. After the initial lessons, we brainstormed various ways to document the project, and how to take a photo of something other than a piece of paper littering a field.

The results, as usual, were fabulous.

This year we're actually integrating photography throughout the school year. The first photo project is teaching the students how to tell the story of their school. These photos will be used in the school year book. I'll save that story for another day.

If you want to see other projects we've worked on, visit our web site at http://www.4pointsphotography.com/.

You can click on the link from our blog, if you'd like.

Once there, you will see the link to Literacy.

Winter Subjects

2010-01-14T12:24:00.006-05:00

It's difficult to get out and take photos in the winter. We have to work hard at finding motivation when the cold wind blows and the skies are gloomy. Sometimes it feels like we live in Siberia. This particular morning I couldn't make myself go outside, so I shot through the family room window - how lazy can you get?:) I particularly liked the sun trying to peek through, the dark sky, and the red barn adding a dash of color.

It is fun to play with angle of view - which is very limited when you use half a sliding door because there is a screen on the other half. There are also so many dog prints to work around, you know! So, I knelt down to try this angle.

Then I decided to get in tight, leaving the sky and sun out of it as much as possible. This is a nice shot, I think.
This weekend it's supposed to warm up a bit, so I'd like to get some dripping icicles, maybe some shadows and sparkling snow? We shall see. We need to get through the work-week first!

What are YOU shooting this winter?

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T19:59:00.006-05:00

Snow blankets the ground, the world is quiet...still...and cold.

As we pull out knitting, books, woodworking projects, and other indoor activities we have to force ourselves to get outside and look for winter scenes to photograph.

It's difficult to photograph snow, and get it to be "white." If you have a 35mm camera and you can adjust your settings, add about two stops of light to your photographs by using the +/- dial. Your camera wants to see "gray," so snow can look dingy. We are still struggling with that perfect setting, and the only way to do that is practice.

So last Saturday this is exactly what we did. Braving sub-zero wind chill factors, we bundled up and headed for snow-country.

You decide - did we get close to having "white" snow?

Merry Christmas

2009-12-22T12:05:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

May you have a peaceful holiday-

time with friends and family,

space to meditate on all that is right with the world,

and the ability to do at least one small thing for the greater good.

Pray

Rest

Revitalize

Laugh

Take Photographs...

The New Year will be fast upon us!

Give Thanks

2009-11-25T09:55:00.005-05:00

Up a Lazy River

Sometimes I just wonder what we're doing, careening through life as we do. The balance between work and play can quickly become unbalanced, leaving us frustrated and irritable. Going into the holiday season, we really need to refocus, remembering what's important. Setting priorities. Living each day without stressing over tomorrow.

In the spirit of my "rant," I have been playing catch-up this morning, as I had an unexpected cancellation in my schedule. The catch-up is with myself. My present "calling" is to take time to rejuvenate the spirit.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration - enjoy each moment.

Look for the Hidden Gems

2009-11-10T22:40:00.004-05:00

When was the last time you looked at something you see all the time, like this tiny pod, and saw something new? The patterns and colors are truly beautiful, and worthy of more attention.

Everything old is new again. What have YOU found lately that calls for a second look?

Having Fun with Gimmicks

2009-10-27T22:50:00.005-04:00

I'm not big on taking my photographs and tweaking them much. I try to recreate the image I see before me and not depend on gimmicks to make it "better."

However, I am trying to learn how to have more fun with photography, and maybe create some unique images for competitions, cards and family fun.

Tonight my daughter sent a couple of photos taken during Spirit Week, where she teaches, and I decided to make them true "spirit" week photos. I simply imported the photos into Picnik, and used their special Halloween effects. This type of tweaking may have possibilities!

Bursts of Color

2009-10-26T21:35:00.007-04:00

Otter Lake, in the Upper Peninsula

The wind has been blowing, the rain has been falling, and the colors are found more on the ground than on the trees. I love fall, but it just doesn't last long enough. It also seems like I have to work so hard that I'm missing the color and excitement, the smell of burning leaves and the feel of the fresh, damp breeze blowing my hair.

Work has also kept me from blogging, but my schedule is starting to ease a bit. I am looking forward to grabbing my camera again and getting outdoors - well, at least until the really cold air hits. I think that's next week.

One of my favorite views of our yard.

Color and Texture in Nature

Enjoy the color and vibrancy of the last of autumn, and welcome in the dormancy of winter. It's supposed to be a time of renewal, time to reflect and enjoy the silence.

Is this what winter means to you? What is your favorite season?

So Many Decisions

2009-10-13T21:48:00.009-04:00

There are so many decisions to make when deciding the angle from which to take your photo. Is it a horizontal or vertical image?

Sable Falls, Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Do you want a fast or slow shutter speed? This means, do you want to show texture and action, or smooth, veil-like water?

Do you take the photo of the falls in it's entirety, or just a portion of it?

What is your message? What do you want people to know about your subject?

These are all photos of Sable Falls, taken from different postitions and angles.

You be the judge. Which of these photos strikes you, and why?

Point of View

2009-10-10T22:24:00.008-04:00

When you take a photograph, do you take the time to look around? To look at your subject matter from a number of different perspectives? While meeting up with friends this week, we took the time to "work" a subject, the Crisp Point Lighthouse, on Lake Superior.

Which one do you prefer?

Have fun with friends, and photographic subjects!

Magical Waterfalls

2009-10-08T21:22:00.004-04:00

Scott Falls

Have you ever entered a magical world, a world which surprises you? I have seen this waterfall before, and have photographed this falls before, yet I have never gone behind this waterfall until this year. And when I did that, and looked out from behind that veil, I felt like a little girl again.

I used to have a hiding place, where I could perform magic and feel creative and airy and light. I solved many a mystery, and played the piano like a virtuoso. This waterfall brought that memory to life...and I was entralled.

When was your last dance with a waterfall, even metaphorically?

Rainy Days and ...Tuesdays

2009-10-06T21:03:00.008-04:00

Funny how that song title came to mind. We listen to music quite frequently, and today's overcast and rainy day was a Vivaldi day. Running the backroads of the upper peninsula, rain tapping on the windshield, vivid colors criss-crossing our vision, Vivaldi danced with our spirits as we gathered photographs and memories.

You musn't put your camera away when it rains. Some of the best photographs are made on the type of day in which you don't want the sky to show, but the colors just pop. Fall is a perfect season to play with color, shape and form.

.I must work tonight, but wanted to share a sampling of the last couple of days of our annual color "tour."

Enjoy.

2009-10-04T21:38:00.002-04:00

When I am away from my writing and photography too long, I start to become stressed. There is something soothing about taking pictures, writing, editing, sorting, matching photo to text...it's all part of the creative part of me which needs to be nurtured a bit.

I do love my job, but it's so time-consuming. Each year it feels like it takes me farther from where I should be..., whereever that is:). I trust I am being guided on this life's journey, and will work to keep my eyes open, ears tuned, and all senses on alert so I can gather the beauty along the way.

Though I am away from the blogosphere more than I want to be, physically, I think about it a great deal. I compose posts in the car. I see something I feel I should take a photograph of so I can share it here.

Fortunately, I am on a mini-break this week, of my own design, and am busy gathering fall sights, sounds, tastes, smells and touches as fast as I can. It should be a good week for pictures...and sharing!

Enjoy!