Life: Through the Lens

 So Much Information! Early Detroit Working on my genealogy research is like jumping from one rabbit hole to the next.  I was at a sewing group this week and one of the women, whom I have known for a very long time, has been working on her own research for years. And she is very organized, and suggested a few ways to become more organized.  They all sound lovely.  And they all suggest a lot of work - as I have to admit to being a little sloppy when gathering information.  Not that I don't have some good organizational strategies, and I do have properly labeled notebooks and folders, and photographs sorted into category according to my current research trend.   I put together a very nice collection of recipes (copying the actual card with original handwriting, photos of each person, when available).   BUT...I had no idea what I was getting into years ago, and  what the shear volume of "stuff" would be.  So now...no, I do not have a proper...

 Procrastination! The name of the game this past week has been "procrastination."  I have a list of things I want to work on.  I even prioritize them.  There is not a lack of choices.  There is even some variety.  And yet....I choose a puzzle, which of course I can not stop putting in just a couple more pieces.  It must be time to walk the dog, as well.  We can't forget our devoted companion!   There is certainly something entertaining outside my window, as well.  All I have to do is look up from that puzzle!   Maybe I should head down to Ballyhoo Books and Brew to see if there is a must-read on the shelf,  and I must purchase a chai latte while I warm by the fire on these chilly January afternoons.  Then I finally get out my list, ready to start working on my of my projects, and there is one more thing to distract me.  I must say, it IS a windy wintery day today! Well, tomorrow is another day.     How ...

    Happy New Year! I love the freshness of a new year.  It feels like a reboot, a blank page.  Now it's time to start filling the 2024 pages. I am not writing a list of resolutions, but I am making a promise to myself.  This year I will discover/rediscover my creative passions.  It seems as if life keeps giving me twists and turns which redirect me. This will be a year to reboot my writing and photography!  If I can add more travel to this wish-list, that's all the better!  Darn, I used the word "list."  Well, the organized part of me will be important, too! Winter is sometimes a bit like the dog-days of summer, where you want to stay inside in the coziness of your home.  (Air conditioning in the summer, and heat in the winter).  But Kaycee and I are on a mission this winter - stay active and engaged!      So let's go!  Here's to the New Year and all it has in store. What about you?  Please share your ...

We have been in a creative funk, and I decided it was time to do something about that!  We went into slow-mo prior to the pandemic, but once that hit it seemed we stopped moving forward.  No travel.  Little, if any photography, but we did turn to reading A LOT!  Political, mystery, self-help (well, not much of that)...not all bad, really.  There was gardening, movie watching and jig-saw puzzles (which really is NOT our cup-of-tea). Coming out of this slow period of life,  we have finally picked up speed.  Maybe a bit too much!  I have SO many projects on my plate, and I have decided to tackle one more.  A new shift in the blog - I hope this will provide the motivation I need to get moving! Stay tuned! Roamin' is back!

The Mad Hatter Bistro, on Old Woodward Ave. Jumping down the rabbit hole and appearing at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, in the town of your childhood, is an incredibly surreal experience. I traveled to Birmingham with a friend today, to have a real "tea party" at the Mad Hatter's Bistro.  We had seen it advertised on Facebook and it seemed like just the ticket to escape the doldrums of a mid-Michigan winter.  Birmingham is also the city I grew up in, yet it was nothing like the town I remembered.   The Birmingham Theatre, where I first saw the opening of Romeo & Juliet in October 1968! That's not all bad.  It was a bustling environment, with lots to see and do.  We worked hard to find a parking spot, went in and out of shops, had our tea party, and scouted the old neighborhood.  What a treat this adventure was. The house where I grew up - with the addition of a bay window which we used to talk about putting in, but never did. But wait...

We are so fortunate to have a group of friends who share our love of photography, and sense of adventure.  This fall we have had two weekends to explore our beautiful state, reconnecting with old friends and stretching our skills.  Here is a recap of our first weekend away this October. Day 1 - Mackinaw City First stop - the Icebreaker Mackinaw.  We loved touring the ship and seeing and hearing the history of this important part of the Great Lakes story.  The last stop on the tour was the gift shop, of course, and we were delighted to see Tyler Benson's series about Onyx, the Coastguard dog.  Such a great series of books for kids. We do not tire of visiting the beach and lighthouse, getting that familiar view of the bridge. Attempts at night photography met with mixed results, but it was so much fun watching the sunset, and seeing the stars appear in the crisp night air. I captured the big dipper, though it wasn't dar...