sharleenstuart365 -2015 One day at a time: February 2015
Posted on March 10, 2015
Day 32: February 1, 2015
I took a walk into the wetlands today. I like to get out and clear my head a bit after a busy work week. I love the intricacy of a spider web. It always amazes me how beautiful they are built.
Day 33: February 2, 2015
Orchids remind me of my father. Whenever they bloom, I can picture him inside his shade house pottering with his many orchids. They bring a smile to my face and a warmth to my heart.
Day 34: February 3, 2015
I have looked at this tractor a number of times driving to work. I recently was invited to join a group that works in textures and this was my first attempt to create a textured image.
Day 35: February 4, 2015
Say hi to Heuy, Dewey and Louie. They hang out on the back canal waiting for the ducks to finish up with the seed. They are also very good at aerating the grass.
Day 36: February 5, 2015
Thursday was one of those late days when I knew I was not going to get home in time to get any photo’s and I had not got some in the morning. Stopping off to pick up some roses not only pleases me but it allows me to take my daily image.
Day 37: February 6, 2015
It’s Friday and I am at home. I love spending the day outside. I hate it when I have to clean house. Today was a have to clean house kind of day and so my photo was taken out in the garden.
Day 38: February 7, 2015
I walked in the wetlands today but decided to my daily photograph would be something different. I love weeds, they are very pretty when you get up close. Today I decided I like the common blackjack.
Day 39: February 8, 2015
It is Sunday and I am back out in the garden watching the critters. This tiny little Palm Warbler (I believe) has been hanging out around the garden.
Day 40: February 9, 2015
It’s Monday and back to work, so a quick step outside in the morning to feed the ducks. Hewy and Dewey are out. Not sure what happened to Louie this morning.
Day 41: February 10, 2015
Early morning Tuesday and a quick breakfast shot before I head out on the road. I am gone for the next few days.
Day 42: February 11, 2015
Wednesday morning and I am in Gainesville, Florida, at the University of Florida Dental Department. My daughter Amy is having surgery. I am trying to escape the Dental Office Police (aka the front desk assistant) who was insisting I sit in a chair and wait for 2 hours. With the excuse that I was taking my coffee cup and jacket to the car (which I did – so no lies), I managed to escape from that chair. Winter is very evident in Gainesville and the change is scenery is very beautiful.
Day 43: February 12, 2015
Surgery seemed to go well for Amy. Today it was Xeno’s (the rat) turn. She was having surgery to remove some mammary tumors that had developed on her little body. She was at the vet until 4:30, so Amy and I decided to visit the Sante Fe Rehabilitation and Training Zoo. This Ocelot was one of the animals we got to see there.
Day 44: February 13, 2015
The pain kicked in on Thursday evening, but Amy asked me around lunch time today if I wanted to go to Paynes Prarie. I had mentioned that I wanted to go and look for wild horses. Of course I did not get to see the wild horses but I did manage to see a Bald Eagle in the wild and there was the obvious highlight of spending time with my daughter.
Day 45: February 14, 2015
Having been gone most of the week, I was glad to get home to Richard and Moonshine. I missed being with both of them while I was away.
Day 46: February 15, 2015
Today is a day to relax. I was tired from all the driving. I just wanted to sit on the bank and watch the world go by. This Dandelion blossomed in the grass close by to where I was sitting.
Day 47: February 16, 2015
It’s Monday morning and I head out to feed the ducks before I head off to work and the canal has this awesome fog all over it. This appears to be the start of the foggy season.
Day 48: February 17, 2015
There were no images this morning and nearly none in the evening. I stopped along the road on my way home to capture this sunset.
Day 49: February 18, 2015
Today was a special treat. I got to celebrate in the retirement of a volunteer who had volunteered with our organization for over 30 years, at the age of 90 years old. Oh my, what a treat. What a character and what character. Marian shared her stories of her life, and my only response to her was to write them all down. She served in so many capacities during her lifetime. I hope I can look back on my life as Marian did with hers, and say I made a difference.
Day 50: February 19, 2015
Driving home from work today, saw these guys watering their crops. I could not help but stop and enjoy the sunset and all the activity going on.
Day 51: February 20, 2015
Day 51 and it is Friday and the weekend has started. I pottered around the house until about 2:30 and then decided to go for a walk in the wetlands. What a thrill it was for me to see Bobcat in the wild.
Day 52: February 21, 2015
Lake Worth, Florida has an amazing Street Art painting weekend and this was the first year that I got to visit. I know I will be going back. To see more of this street art click here. I was pretty impressed with this living statue. I have seen this before and I am always amazed that a person can keep still for that long. I remember as a child an uncle timing me to see how long I could sit still. It was not very long, I can promise you that.
Day 53: February 22, 2015
Sunday afternoon and it is a lazy day. Dinner time is outback on the patio, enjoying the sunset.
Day 54: February 23, 2015
This was by far my favorite morning. It was so foggy outside and I was driving out. I drove past this young boy walking, decided to turn around and head back down to the beginning of the road and take the photo. Some days you just have to do that.
Day 55: February 24, 2015
After work today I decided to do a quick detour to the Wetlands to see what was happening with the chicks. Of course, they are growing. However, my favorite shot of the day was this Woodstork flying into the rookery and the Anhinga throwing a fit. The Wood stork was just a little too close to their nest.
Day 56: February 25, 2015
Nothing happening out back this morning. Ms Squirrel sleeps late when it is cold. I managed to get a quick shot of her before I had to head out to class again.
Day 57: February 26, 2015
Today was a rough day photograph wise. There was nothing happening out back before I went to work, and I worked late so by the time I was driving home it was starting to darken. I also stopped to get groceries so I got home around 7pm. No light, but I did have an Arum Lily in a pot and so it had the privilege of being my model today.
Day 58: February 27, 2015
I was sitting out on the back on the bank watching the critters, and Big Blue decided to go fishing. I loved watching him do that, however I wasn’t too crazy when he caught and swallowed the fish.
Day 59: February 28, 2015
Today I remember my father and my brother, both who were born on February 28. My dad passed away in 1995, and Mark died at the age of 5 in the year 1962. I never had the chance to know my brother, but his memory through the stories of many lives in my heart. Both are missed dearly, both are loved.
“Everything in the Universe has a rhythm, everything dances”.
~ Maya Angelou
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Project 365 …For mothers just like me: February 2015
Posted on March 3, 2015
Project 365 – For mothers just like me…is a group of moms with young children who graciously allowed me to tag along with the group as an accountability group for taking photographs. Both of my children are much older and living out of home. I hope to continue with this group as I have enjoyed every moment of my time spent with them and getting to know each family.
Day 32: February 1, 2015
Walking through the wetlands is always a pleasure for me and there appeared to be a feeding frenzy of Woodstork and Ibis. I managed to catch this Juvenile White Ibis as he flew in.
Day 33: February 2, 2015
The Blue Jays give the Squirrels a hard time in the mornings stealing their peanuts before the Squirrels have a chance to finish one.
Day 34: February 3, 2015
Sunsets out back are always a beautiful and peaceful time of day for me.
Day 35: February 4, 2015
Early mornings are never great for me but it does help when I get to see a beautiful magenta sky.
Day 36: February 5, 2015
Roses are some of my favorite flowers. I wish they lasted longer. I loved playing with the sepia tones in this image,
Day 37: February 6, 2015
I happened to wander outside and find this Glossy Ibis hanging out on the back canal.
Day 38: February 7, 2015
We got to go to a birthday party in the park. What is nicer than watching the beautiful butterflies settle on the tiny little plants.
Day 39: February 8, 2015
It is Sunday and after church I headed for the wetlands. The Great Blue Heron chicks are growing and I am missing out on seeing them.
Day 40: February 9, 2015
It’s a work day and I fed the ducks and then gave Ms Squirrel her 3 peanuts and headed off to work. I love that I can have these brief moments in time to enjoy nature.
Day 41: February 10, 2015
I have to laugh at these little Grebe’s. They will swim happily down the canal until they see me. Then they duck under water and swim past me and pop up so far down the canal that taking a photo of them is pretty useless. I wish they were a little braver.
Day 42: February 11, 2015
I am up in Gainesville and it amazes me how air plants and Spanish Moss have taken over the trees.
Day 43: February 12, 2015
This was such a sweet sight. I walked outside one morning to see all these stray/feral cats hanging out outside this door. A short while later they all had piles of food on the sidewalk. I am so glad that someone takes the time to feed them.
Day 44: February 13, 2015
We walked through Paynes Prairie today. What a thrill it was to see a Bald Eagle in the wild.
Day 45: February 14, 2015
I am back home and like always I wandered out onto the bank to find this tiny sunflower growing on the edge of the bank. Seems like a sunflower seed must have been carried from the ducks bowl and dropped on the bank.
Day 46: February 15, 2015
Sunset out back from the patio is always special. It is nice to be able to chill and just enjoy.
Day 47: February 16, 2015
It is Sunday morning and breakfast time for all of us, including Ms Squirrel.
Day 48: February 17, 2015
Today was a work day with nothing happening in the morning. I managed to get home just in time to grab the sunset.
Day 49: February 18, 2015
Today was a special day. We said farewell to an amazing volunteer who has spent the last 30 years volunteering with our organization. Marian served during the 2nd World War, she worked as a missionary in a number of countries. She has a rich history, and at 90 years old she has decided to move closer to her sister. As she closed out she was wondering what opportunities she would have to serve in her new home. Oh, to be someone like Marian. To be able to give unconditionally knowing that you do not expect anything in return. I hope she takes time to write down her life history.
Day 50: February 19, 2015
I happened to be watching the sunset driving home when I spotted these guys watering their plants. Fortunately there was a pull off point that allowed me to stop suddenly. I loved watching the movement of the water across the sky.
Day 51: February 20, 2015
This was a special treat today – I have only seen this once before and I was so thrilled to see a Bobcat in the wild. Not only did I see one but shortly after that a second one came in. What a beautiful sight.
Day 52: February 21, 2015
Something different today. I went to a street painting expo in Lake Worth, Florida. The street is their canvas, chalk is their tool. The mind is limitless as the images slowly emerge. You can see more of this event here. I loved seeing all these shoes neatly stacked at the side of the road.
Day 53: February 22, 2015
Hewy and Dewey are out on the canal today, but I am not sure where Louie is. The day is pretty gray and this photo really leaned towards a black and white photo.
Day 54: February 23, 2015
Monday morning was another gray day. When I went outside to feed the ducks it was really foggy. Driving out of the community I spotted an opportunity for a eerie sort of image. I had to stop and turn around and go back to the start of the road to catch this photo.
Day 55: February 24, 2015
After work I did a detour past the wetlands to check on the baby chicks. I was pretty excited to see these tufts of fluff. Anhinga chicks are so sweet. There are 3 chicks in this nest.
Day 56: February 25, 2015
It is Wednesday morning and the Blue Jays are stealing the Squirrels food again. The come in packs and before the Squirrel knows it all her peanuts have gone.
Day 57: February 26, 2015
Arum Lily and Anthurium remind me of my mother. She had both growing in her garden. She enjoyed having them in a vase in her house. Those were the two flowers you could guarantee to see displayed. I love both of them as well. This Arum Lily is sitting on the window sill of my office.
Day 58: February 27, 2015
Hewy and Dewey headed into the water, but Louie was not interested and getting his feet wet. Big Blue was fishing and they were curious. It was a beautiful time out on the bank. Big Blue, the Great Blue Heron, Hewy, Dewey and Louie, the American White Ibis, Mix and Match (since I never know if they are the same Mallard Ducks), Ms Squirrel and the Blue Jays, all made my day.
Day 59: February 28, 2015
Tulips are another of my favorite flowers and I had bought myself some on Thursday thinking I would not get a photo in the evening. And then I took the Arum Lily. The day was gray and the tulips opened beautifully today, so what better beauty than that of a gorgeous flower.
Tell Me a Story: Paynes Prairie: Hunting wild horses
Posted on February 28, 2015
I traveled to Gainesville to stay with my daughter Amy while she had surgery. Her surgery was done on Wednesday morning. Thursday Xeno, the pet rat, had surgery. Mom had two patients to take care of. Amy was pretty easy. The meds kicked in and she slept. Xeno on the other hand, was a lot harder. The poor little mite did not understand the need for a great big collar on her tiny neck. For a good part of Thursday I had to hold her just to keep her still.
Friday Amy felt a little better and the meds did help. Around lunch time she asked if I would like to go to Paynes Prairie State Park. I had mentioned that I had seen a photo of wild horses and was really keen to get out and see if I could find them. So with a swollen face, Amy graciously and courageously went out with me.
I went with all the details and so we made out way to the furthest point of the park where the horses had been seen, parked the car, and started to walk.
Walking through the forest was kind of chilly. I am fascinated by the Spanish moss that drapes the trees. The walkways are quiet and restful. Occasional benches are set along the way for folk to rest.
Vines dangle in mid air from the trees above.
Walking through the forest did not take to long, We did not see any wild horses in that section much to my disappointment. Through the stile and off we go along a dirt road that has obvious signs that horses have been out this way.
So far we have got to see a Cardinal.
And the real thrill, was to see a Bald Eagle in the wild. Such a majestic bird, that swooped in and settled on a stump not too far from us.
The area is very dry and the grasses are in abundance and my sinuses are not happy.
For some reason and I am not sure what it is, some of the images have a crazy pattern in the background. I am not sure if there was something on the lens or not, but I have re-edited a couple of times and they are still there. So I am going to leave the crazy patterns.
It is a beautiful day for strolling along the pathway. I wish we had walked further but my feet are not up to the long walk. Amy’s meds were also starting to wear off and she was ready to head on home. That aside we had left Xeno long enough.
Back up into the forest and the cool air once again.
I have to confess to being a little disappointed that I did not get to see wild horses, but like anything in nature you may see it and you may not and it really is the luck of the draw. I got to see a Bald Eagle in the wild and I got time with Amy.
I had asked Amy to model for me with a red umbrella. I only wanted one image but she really got into the swing of things and we go a whole series of them. For more on the umbrella story you can click here.
This was my last day with Amy before I head on home. I was so glad to be able to be up there when she had her surgery. As a mom, I always worry about my children and when I know that they are hurting or have to have a general anesthetic, I want to be there with them. Gainesville is an interesting town and I enjoyed spending a few days there, but it is back to work and the routine of an office again.
“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more”
~ George Gordon Byron
This is a circle blog so remember to go and check out what the other photographers have for you. Up next is LUPJi Photography and just a little hint – look out for the snow. As a Floridian, I have to be honest, I envy those who get to see snow, and yet I cannot begin to imagine spending too much time in the snow. I will freeze.
You can read the other blogs on Roadtripping to Gainesville – Day 1, Day 2, and Later in the afternoon.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Road tripping to Gainesville: Late afternoon day 2
Posted on February 27, 2015
I am cabin bound. Amy is sleeping and Xeno is curled in tight against her. Still can’t get over how a rat cuddles. If they weren’t so stinky I think I would have one for a pet as well. I decided to embrace the cold weather and head outside for a walk.
Weeds abound on the edges of the road.
Old houses, my favorite kind, are in abundance in this area. I loved looking at each of them. My favorite was the house with the red door.
Spanish Moss hangs from trees where ever you look.
I loved this little building for the Progressive Church Administration Office.
The house that I was staying in had a chimney. I am not sure this has ever been used.
This little plant was blowing in the chilly wind.
My favorite was of course all the cats that strolled the streets. There seems like there is a large amount of cats. Perhaps many of them were feral.
I loved the stretching this guy did as he woke up from lying in the limited rays of sun.
Time to head off and meet up with all the other cats.
The all congregated outside the door of the local hairdresser. Walk Ins Welcome seemed to be the appropriate sign for these guy.
“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
~ John Muir, John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir
If you are interested Road Tripping to Gainesville day 1 can be found here, and day 2 can be found here.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Road Tripping to Gainesville: Day 2
Posted on February 23, 2015
Day 2 was Xeno’s surgery day. Mom will now have two patients to watch. Xeno developed a mammary tumor that has kept getting bigger and bigger at a fairly rapid pace. So Amy decided that it needed to be removed. While prepping for surgery the vet found two smaller tumors. I cannot for the life of me begin to visualize surgery on a tiny rat, but clearly it can be done.
Our day started out pretty cold, somewhere down near 32 F or 0 C for those working in metric. That is cold for this African and reminded me of the old Pretoria days, where we had gas heaters and electric blankets in winter. Somehow that seems kind of silly for Florida, the apparent “Sunshine State”. I guess it is down south, but not in Gainesville. It is dry and bitterly cold.
We discovered that Xeno would be spending the day at the vet. After surgery she would be monitored. We could pick her up at 4:30. So what to do? Amy seemed to be feeling fine. Her mouth did not hurt and there was no swelling. All in all it seemed to be going well. So, since I had mentioned it, she asked me if I would like to go to the Sante’ Fe Rehabilitation and Teaching Zoo. Cameron had told me it was a place to visit and so I agreed. I will however start out by saying that while I will visit a zoo, I am not a big fan of animals in cages, even big cages. I also discovered from a photographers point of view bars are not what I want in my photo’s.
The White Headed Capuchin Monkey is a smallish black and white character and are catergorized as new world monkeys. They are commonly found in Central America. They are very instrumental in dispersing seeds and pollen in the rainforrest.
The Guanaco is part of the camel family and can be found in South America, typically in arid areas. This Guanaco had us chuckling with the sultry looks on her face. At one stage she looked like she was blowing a kiss.
Signs of winter are all over and I have really enjoyed seeing them. Living in South Florida we rarely see the true signs of winter. We go from a deep shade of green to a yellow shade of green but we never see the autumn colors of reds, yellows, oranges and greens.
The White Handed Gibbon is a primate. There were two in this cage – a dark brown Gibbon and this sandy colored Gibbon. The natural home to these Gibbons is Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand.
I walked around the corner to find Amy taking a photograph of something.
Turns out it was this gorgeous Kookaburra. The bird was incredibly active and it was hard to get a photo of it and then to try and focus on the bird and not on the cage wires. The Kookaburra is a type of Kingfisher and is native to Australia and New Guinea.
I am not sure what this was about but it did have something to do with Bees, and their nest building.
I felt like I was back in my homeland in this section of the zoo. The Leopard tortoise is found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape and is distinctive by its size and markings.
Added to that we were able to see the national animal of South Africa, the beautiful and gracefull Springbok. They run extremely fast, at times reaching speeds of 62mph or 100km/h. They tend to spring as they are running, hence the name.
The Ocelot is know as the dwarf leopard. They are typically found in South and Central America and on the islands of Trinidad and Margarita. These Ocelot pair were brought in for breeding purposes.
We meandered on through the trees, enjoying the quiet, restful environment.
I always like to catch photo’s of Amy whenever I have the chance because she does not live at home, and soon will be living a continent away. I am trying to spend as much time as I can with her over the next few months.
We moved on to the reptile area where the only way to view critters was through a glass window. Not my idea of fun and the photo’s are not what I would like them to be, however I did like these two. The top image is of the Florida Softshell Turtle, that I see quiet often in the wetlands. The lower image is of my least favorite creatures but I did try to catch the narrow depth of field with this snake. I believe that it is a Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake.
Last but not least were the beautiful and protected bird of prey, the American Bald Eagle. Both of these had been injured and were being treated at the Zoo. This was a first for me and I cannot begin to explain how beautiful this bird is. The Bald Eagle feeds mainly on fish and you will typically find them where there is a large body of water.
“You become excellent when you fly at a level that creates a wide gap between where you were before and where you are now. Fly like the eagle; the eagle flies as if it never remembered it was once an egg!”
~ Israelmore Ayivor, The Great Hand Book of Quotes.
Our day ended with us picking up Xeno. Poor little thing. It is pitiful to see a rat in a collar. She did not like it but since her little body looked like a tapestry, she had to have it on to protect her stitches. Added to that out of no where the bone graft pain arrived and the swelling quickly happened to Amy. Poor Amy, Poor Xeno. Mom got to nurse them both.
Amy quickly crashed as the meds took effect but Xeno was still struggling with her collar. One forgets that rats and other rodent type critters eat with their hands and so we had to remove her collar every time she needed to eat or drink. That night I kept this tiny rat as quiet as possible while Amy slept through the pain.
What mom’s will do for their children. I have to confess, since coming home, I have missed this little critter, as well as my daughter. I look forward to spending a brief amount of time with her in March.
If you are interested Road Tripping to Gainesville day 1 can be found here.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Road tripping to Gainesville: Day 1
Posted on February 23, 2015
You are probably asking …”Why Gainesville?”. Simple – my daughter lives there. She is a graduate biding time, waiting to leave for the Peace Corps. In December, Amy had an accident where she fractured the bone in her upper jaw. Six weeks later, she was now ready to have her bone graft to repair the damage. For me, if my baby is having surgery, that’s exactly where I want to be.
Wednesday morning we headed off the the surgical rooms. Amy was so ready for this to happen. My thought was that during the 2 hours that she was having surgery I would wander around on campus taking photo’s. Well the surgical police had a different agenda for me. Here is there chair where you will wait for 2 hours while she has her surgery…..ah no thank you. But she was very insistent.
So I mumbled something about taking my jacket and coffee cup to the car and I would be back shortly….Yay freedom.
Here is just a few photo’s from the walk to and from my car….my very slow walk. Winter is in full force in Gainesville. The colors are beautiful. They air is dry and dusty. My sinuses were already killing me….
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
~ John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America
Amy’s surgery went well. In fact she felt fine, probably the meds at work. But we took it easy for the rest of the day. Hung out and watched movies.
Tomorrow is another day and Xeno is up for surgery. Xeno in case you are wondering, is Amy’s pet rat.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
30 Minutes in the Life: February 2015: Street Art
Posted on February 23, 2015
I have to confess, that I am a little envious of artists who can create beautiful images on a canvas. I like to doodle. I think I doodle well. I know you can make out what I am doodling, but to take a picture in your mind or one that you are looking at it, and create something big out of it, that is a gift. I did art at school, although I have to say pottery was my favorite part of the art class.
About 8 months ago I saw an image in a photography group and I had to ask where it had been taken. Lake Worth Street Painting was the answer. This weekend was the 2015 event, and I decided that we needed to go to it. Weather permitting of course. Friday was freezing. Saturday was overcast, but the promise of rain was only 25%. We decided to head out around the middle of the day as we thought that may be the warmest. And yes I know all the folk in the north are shaking their heads at me, but this African likes warm weather.
The roads were blocked off and after a short walk we arrived at the hustle and bustle of street artists, ranging from very young children up to the professionals.
It was hard to decide where to start my 30 minutes and where to end it. There was so much incredible work. What a riot of color and noise. This was a fun day, of artists, and music, and restaurants and take outs and beer.
I love graffiti and so I really enjoyed seeing what folk had to offer. This face caught my attention right off. It was dark and brooding and intriguing.
Fun, cartoonish and full of color.
Quite often the artist would have the work she was creating on a sheet in front of her, and so where I saw that I tried to capture it as well.
Work in progress was all over the place, and it was easy to see the designs taking shape. Perhaps we had gone a little bit early but I think we still enjoyed what was being created.
Knee pads graced knees, chalk dust graced butts.
We arrived at the food and drink area. On a podium in the park was live music. Take out caravans lined the streets. Food was in all varieties. Chinese take out, Philly Cheesesteaks, Gyros, cheese stuffed corn cakes, crab cakes. I could go on. And of course, there was beer. This wall resonated with me. I have seen this done before but never with the words “Before I die… I want to…” Makes you stop and think. I have a bucket list of things I want to do before I die.
Intensive concentration as they work to create their image. I am sympathizing – this event goes all weekend. To be on your knees and crouched in this position is going to be seriously painful by Sunday evening.
Of all the work, this had to have been my favorite. I am in a real black and white mode these days and this quickly grabbed my attention.
These young guys were creating a piece of artwork in the depiction of Jesus. They had outlined and were beginning to fill in. I overheard a conversation a lady was having with them. She asked them if they would like to be part of the event next year and they eagerly agreed that they would like to be a part of the 2016 event.
Another piece that spoke to my soul was the face with tears. I loved it. I loved the simplicity and the vulnerability I found in this image.
I am not sure how this woman can stand and work like that for the length of time she did. I can only assume she practices that crouching position daily. There ain’t no way my body would be able to do that. 🙂
Last image of the event. I am always impressed by the ability to create 3D artwork. You often see work of artist that will have you falling into a hole. This photo truly was like that. What creativity this woman has.
I will confess that I probably went 4 minutes over the 30 minutes. However, this is only half of the images that I saw today. It was a fun event, and I for sure will head on back there next year. It was time to head home, the sky was cloudy and dark and I kept thinking I hope it does not rain on their parade. To have all this incredible artwork washed away in one down pour would be so disheartening.
Talking rain – it certainly rained on our parade driving home. I hope that the rain stayed west and did not go east.
“It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”
~ Vincent van Gogh
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 minutes. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend, Olivia Gatti :: Click Click Love and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have for you.
If you want to know more about 30 Minutes in the Life head over to their facebook page, or to the blog page.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
P.S. I have a busy month ahead. Look out for the images from Gainesville coming up in this week. The Renaissance Festival is running and I will be heading their next weekend. The Theme for the weekend will be the Orient. I wanted the Warlords and the theme from Mordor, but I am traveling to Georgia that weekend and then to Nashville the following weekend. I guess I am going to have a lot of blogging coming up.
Project 10: February 2015: Same
Posted on February 15, 2015
This past week, I spent 5 days with my daughter Amy. She had to have a bone graft and I wanted to be with her when it was done, and be there to nurse her if she needed her mommy, in the days that followed. We mistakenly believed that this surgery had been easier than the original accident that caused the need for the bone graft. However, 36 hours after the surgery her face started to swell and the pain kicked in. However, knowing that I wanted to go and look for wild horses at the Prairie, she bravely went out with me late Friday after taking her pain meds. We did not walk much, and I did not get to see the wild horses, but I did get quality time with my child.
Beyond that I had asked her if she would model for me so that I could get one photo of a red and black umbrella. Well Amy got into the swing of things and for a while I started thinking Mary Poppins. I chose not to take close ups of her face because truthfully it is swollen. She looks like she has had botox, poor child. But she was a real sport working with me.
Here is my take on the topic “Same”. Same umbrella, different poses, different colors, some without color.
As of today we heard the news that Amy will be leaving the USA on Sept 11 (her birthday) and joining up with the Peace Corp to teach in Macedonia. She is excited and ready for this. Mom is excited for her, but I am going to miss her a lot. I am going to have to start saving to visit her. Life experiences grow us all and she has had a few hard ones since December but she is strong and I have not doubt in my mind that she is going to love exploring new places.
“A bit of magic. It’s easy. You think. You wink. You do a double blink. You close your eyes… And jump”.
~ A quote from the film Mary Poppins.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
At the Lake
Posted on January 31, 2015
It’s that time of the month again, and I was stumped this month as to what to do. I have spent most of this month looking out at my back canal or in my office. My foot is slowly healing but I still have issues with swelling and some days by the end of the day my foot looks twice its size. So I have limited my walking to the minimum, which means no exploring for me. Added to that the holidays are over and it is back to the office 4 days a week and a new learning curve.
Richard, however, is itching to get away. He wants to go on a weekend vacation. In the meantime, he bought himself a paddle board and is really keen to try it out. Obviously he wants to go into the surf. Another challenge, I cannot wear a flip flop at this stage. So I would be that person on the beach wearing sneakers…not sure I am happy about that. But I am willing to try. The weather though is not cooperating, so his next plan is to go to the local park which has a big lake on it. I agree to that, and so he packs up two chairs, some drinks, the paddle board and off we go. I have the minumum – my camera and a book. I hope you enjoy my armchair photography……..
Richard heads off and I am left to hang out in the beautiful South Florida winter weather. It was breezy, but when the sun came out from behind the clouds the weather was really warm. I started to look around at what I could take photos of. No birds…… so I experimented a bit with black and white, blur and negative space.
Beyond the reeds there was not much else to take photos of so I began to eavesdrop on the lives of others. A little out of my comfort zone to take photo’s of strangers in public, especially when they are so close by.
There was a guy out on the water with his young son on a jet ski and I have to be honest my heart dropped a little at some of the moves they were doing but both seemed to be having a whole lot of fun.
Every time he went past the buoy the Tern took off and had to fly back to it’s post again. By the way, this was the only interesting bird I saw the entire time I was there.
Fishing is an option at the lake. This same guy went out on a paddle board and at some point in time he sat down on it and stuck his feet in the water. Here I am thinking, “Nooo that is not a good idea, alligators live in this area!” Nothing ate him, but I am not sure you would catch me doing that.
A number of little kids ventured towards the dock where they would hang over the edge and look for the fish. In fact, one little boy had to be carried away from there crying because he just did not want to leave.
During my meandering, I kept going back to the guy on the jet ski as he made waves around the lake.
Seems like it is also a great place for girl talk. Friends walked up a little later and the girl talk was quickly concluded.
This guy arrived and sat a short way away from me. Clearly he decided that today was a good day to head out with a book, a drink and a cigar and enjoy the beautiful weather.
I watched the two on the jet ski for a while longer, enjoyed the clouds and the weather and waited for Richard to come back. Sometimes it is just nice to drop your head back and bask in the winter sunlight. I leaves you feeling warm and rested. I have to confess that it was nice to be outside and not busy working in the house.
Finally the father and son team, gave up and headed back in to have some father and son time on the bank of the lake. I really enjoyed this sweet scene.
Richard arrived back safely after navigating the Lake and the winds. He thoroughly enjoyed himself and really wants to get out on the ocean now. So I guess that will be out next stop.
“Looking over the lake, I felt enveloped in the most peaceful, loving utopia”
~ Laurie Kahn
Thank you for joining me this month, remember this is a circle blog, so don’t forget to see what out newest member, Lupji has to offer you. I am excited to see more of his about him and his family and his part of the world. Make sure you follow the link and see what everyone else has.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
30 Minutes in the Life: In light of the Mockingjay…
Posted on January 26, 2015
30 Minutes in the Life is now live and I wanted to do something different this month, but what to do was the question. My son, Cameron, works at an archery business, that sells archery equipment, as well as has practice lanes for clients to come in and gain some experience shooting, and hold various archery competitions.
What I remember about archery is limited to my brother, Barry, and his bow and arrow and the points of the arrows barely missing my feet. My brother had these great games that we should play, somehow I was always the one on the wrong end of a very sharp point.
John, the owner of Palm Beach Archery, has been in the business for a number of years. John first started with a archery store in Boca Raton, however, the business has grown so rapidly, that within 4 years, John found himself needing new premises, and Cameron was part of the big move.
I am sure that with the advent of the movie, The Hunger Games, archery has become an even more popular sport. Right now I can just hear the music to the Mockingjay whispering in my ears. “Are you, Are you coming to the tree……”
So I decided to head over to Palm Beach Archery and see for myself what happens at the archery store. Walking up to the doors I can see people through the Archery sign. Walking in, there is a buzz of activity. University students hanging out, shooting arrows and just generally having a good time. There are 26 lanes and more than half of them were busy at 2pm on a Friday afternoon.
Bows line the walls and these are far superior to the little bow and arrow that my brother was using to shoot at my toes. Finally carved and strung to perfection, I was impressed at how advanced they were. Focus bows offer a low mass weight and custom craftsmanship. The Polaris bow is crafted from maple and walnut and is ideally suited to a young archer.
Arrows of different colors, and shapes and sizes are in bins for the clients to purchase. There are also bins of arrows for clients to use when they practice, if they do not have their own.
The targets start to look to like pin cushions as the students began to wrap up their time at Palm Beach Archery. The lanes on either side of the service area all needed their targets changed.
Katelee arrived to give a student a lesson, and so I asked her if she would be willing to shoot off a few arrows for me. Katelee was gracious enough to do so.
Katelee was very good at this. Apparently there is much more than just putting a bow in, pulling the arrow back and shooting. It is far more technical than I could ever imagine. Each bow has a level to ensure that you are balanced. There are sights to look through, a wrist sling, and various other things to take note of. Things my brother’s little bow and arrow certainly did not have.
She made it looks so easy, yet I know that this all takes practice. Posture, accuracy, precision can be taught to a new student.
Cameron on the other hand, was easily attracted to the more technical bow called Hoyt Nitrum 30, which is apparently one of the fastest and most accurate shooting bows on the market. I can vouch for it being fast. I decided that I would like to try and capture the arrow in flight. Can you hear me laughing? The arrow was in the target before I had even managed to put the button down. The bow has a mass weight of 3.9 lbs. It has a Zero Torque Cable Guard System, which resembles what looks like a pulley system. Overall it is pretty impressive. However, it does not look like your traditional bow.
This sweet bow, really look impressive, with all sorts of sensors and levels, however, that comes as an additional cost to the the basic bow.
At the end of the visit, I found that I had learned a few new things about bows and arrows. I was also pleased to see that folk were leaving the building happy and excited, chatting with each other about when they would be back again.
While I was writing this, I had the background music from the Hunger Games playing. This has to be one of the most haunting songs I have heard in a long time.
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where they strung up a man they say murdered three.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where the dead man called out for his love to flee.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where I told you to run, so we’d both be free.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.
Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.
~ Written by Suzanne Collins
~ Melody provided by the Lumineers
~ Sung by Jennifer Lawrence
I had written and completed this bog, when I headed off to finally see The Hobbit. I am not sure who was more impressive with the bow and arrow, Katniss in the Mockingjay, or Legolas in The Hobbit, but both made using a bow and arrow look like a walk in the park.
I hope you enjoyed my time spent at Palm Beach Archery. Remember this is a circle blog so don’t forget to look and see what my sweet friend Karen of Karen Hunt Photography / Remington VA Photographer has for you. I have loved getting to know Karen and her family over the past couple of years.
If you want to know more about Palm Beach Archery, check out their facebook page, or head over to their website.
If you want to read more about the 30 Minutes in the life group, check out their facebook page, or their website.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
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