Humpday history

A feature of this project that I just kind of started a few weeks ago is the documentation of photos I took before the blog began.   It's been pretty fun in that I have looked at earlier pictures and have noticed a transformation already in the pre-blog shoots and those I have been taking now.   I have grown a bit in the field and have given a lot more thought into shooting things with regards to background, setting, and even the time of day.   I tend to see things now with a different eye, in a sense, as I want to set things in a way that would make a good story.   On the other hand, I have become more aware of what is happening around me because good shots, I had learned, usually come about when I have least expected it and when I have planned to shoot something else.   One great example of that is when we attended a car show around the town square earlier this summer.   I know I wanted to have some good shots of the cars and the intricate decor that each one had, like the hood ornaments or brands that told their stories.   I found myself in front of a Buick Eight shooting the curves and color of the car when I noticed that the courthouse was well-reflected in its metal.   My original intention was to shoot the courthouse from the trunk of the car because I thought it would come out very well.    It wasn't until I downloaded the photos that I realized that, when I tried to get a shot of the fender's curves with the headlight, I had captured the moment I really wanted and it turned out very well.   The most interesting and telling photos really do come out when they are not expected, driving my interest and inspiration even more each day.

Don't freeze me, bro

Photographing frosty leaves and plants have usually left me with a foggy picture as the lens would always mist up upon stepping outside.   I've learned over the years to give myself plenty of time between going out and taking off the lens caps before finding subjects to shoot.   I take the foggy lens out of the equation and am able to take pretty neat shots of nature in full force.   It helps out a bit during this season since I won't see spring-like temps for several months, so my outdoor shoots have to take a bit more planning than just hopping out of the car for a quick shot.   I took this shot of a plant of some sort with its leaves covered with frosty needles and ice on an early morning walk in MO over the weekend.   The crystals always make the neatest patterns but what is interesting is that if you touch them, they melt instantly because of the heat differential from body heat and the outside temps.   I'll admit that I tested that theory a few times on the plants and leaves I saw.   The frost melted away shortly after this shot was taken so I felt pretty lucky to be able to have been there to see it.   As with most things, this past weekend gave me a lot of opportunities to be lucky enough to experience with family.

Yes, deer

Several years ago, visiting my wife's grandparents in Missouri, I sampled some very tasty venison summer sausage that her grandpa had made from one of the many deer he has gotten from his back porch.   While it was pretty good, as I have had others since, I mentioned to him how good it was.   A short time later, he brought up about a pound or so of the scrumptious sausage for me to take home.   Each time I have been back, the subject of the venison always comes up which is pretty endearing to me that he would remember how much I enjoyed it.   This year was no exception as the discussion of the day eventually turned to deer season and whether or not he was successful this year.   He mentioned how he got a deer, but it was much smaller than years' past, and had it processed for his freezer.   While no sausage was made from the meat, he remembered how much I enjoyed it and said that grandma had gone out and purchased some to enjoy.   I'm sure because of all the stuff going on over the weekend the subject was quickly forgotten; however, I know that next time we visit there will be plenty to snack on.   The sign I photographed is set just off his back porch near the big garden that gets planted each year.   I liked it a lot and I believe I may have mentioned something to him about it as well.   Next summer when we make our next trip, I wouldn't be surprised to see it wrapped along with some salted meats for us to enjoy once again.

Line of Tanenbaums

While it's not a beautiful vista of an Alaskan National Park with amazing, white-tipped volcanoes stretched out behind a massive, crystal clear sea, the pond behind my wife's grandparents' house substituted quite well for the former when I walked out to capture some of the morning activities in wildlife.   I really liked being able to capture some of the reflection of the native pine trees encircling the pond, some of them serving as nesting areas for some red-tailed hawks, golden chested woodpeckers, and lots of blue jays.   I saw some tracks where the deer have used the pond as a watering hole as well as some burrows where the rabbits and foxes dug out for their homes.   There was a very, thin layer of ice around the edge of the pond which definitely did not deter the gaggle of Canadian geese gathering there, resting for a bit before their trip continued a bit farther south.   Of course, by the time I got there with my camera clanking against my chest and my footsteps not being very quiet, they had left.   I was happy to get some photos of the trees reflecting in the lake with the water being relatively still.   I was happier, still, when I left the chilly weather behind me, making my way back up to the warm confines of the house.

The blind side

Near the back of my grandparents-in-law's farm is a giant man-made lake stocked with all sorts of regional fish like the tasty bluegill and the bass.   I've only been out there in the middle of it once, with no luck at the sport of fishing, but enjoyed the serenity of sitting in a boat out there.   My wife has had good luck in that pond, as a young one, catching more of her share of the nightly dinner.   During our trip there, I trekked out by the pond to see if there was anything new I haven't seen since the last few times I've been out to their house.   I thought about clambering up the ladder to the treehouse that was installed several years ago for the young grandchildren to play in, but since I'm not that young age any more and I neglected to pack proper footwear with which to hike in, I decided against it.   Coming around the back of the lake, I started back to the house when I saw a deer blind nestled back in a group of trees that I had never seen before.   Probably because I have never been there in the winter months, so the foliage would have definitely covered it then.   It's lost it's purpose these days, as my wife's grandpa just uses the convenience of his back porch as a gun perch when the deer season comes around.   He's pretty successful at it each year since his freezer is pretty well stocked with all sorts of venison cuts.   It was a neat subject to shoot, even though there was not much color at that time.   I can just imagine how much fun it used to be to sit out there waiting for that trophy buck to put up on the wall.

Welcome

In front of my wife's grandparents' house is a nice, little, stone statue of a girl just sitting on a bench near the front door.   Every time we go and visit, it's almost like she's aware that we are there, welcoming us into their house.   I've always seen it there and have commented on it, either quietly to myself or aloud to anyone within earshot, about how neat it is and what the purpose of it is.   This time, I mentioned to nobody in particular that it would make a great picture and it would be interesting to know why she made her way to that particular spot.   With most things; however, when all the hustle and bustle of arriving, unloading, hugging, talking, and unpacking got into full force, the impending question of its origin disappeared into the night along with the warm spell.   The next day, I went out early to catch some good photos of frost and saw her still sitting there on her perch welcoming the new day.   As I snapped the picture of her, I made a mental note to myself to ask what the purpose of her sentry was, and I continued throughout the farm.   Walking around, I saw birds, ducks, hawks, and all sorts of other interesting things that I soon forgot about my little friend near the front door.    When I came back to the house, I barely gave her a glance when I went inside.  It wasn't until leaving this morning that I thought about running back inside to get the information I so wanted.   We left, though, so I suppose she'll still be there in the future, sitting on her bench, welcoming all who gather there, never giving out her secret of how she got there in the first place.  

Jack Frost

Walking around my grandparents-in-law's farm this morning gave me a great opportunity to see a lot of foliage covered in the first major frost of the year for this part of the country.   It was quite brisk as I took the stroll and the scenery was definitely not disappointing.   Tree branches, wood piles, grass stems, and wildflower remnants were covered with all shapes and sizes of frost.   There is a lake here on their farm that I wanted to walk down to as well and saw a thin layer of ice around the perimeter of the man-made water hole.   I heard birds chirping, or rather screeching as I walked too close to their nests, as well as other wildlife scampering away from the menacing human carrying nothing more than camera equipment.   I had many shooting opportunities this morning and look forward to the next few days I'm here to make up for some lost time traveling yesterday for my blog entry.   This photograph is of some wild berries growing pretty fruitful in the woods.   With the sun rising behind me, the light was a much welcomed assistant to my photography giving the berries amazing color and allowing the frost gathering on the plants a neat contrast. Next time I go out, though, jackets are a must have, along with a pair of hiking boots as I realized after taking these pictures that I was a long way from home.

Anticipation

The countdown has begun as it most always does before we take a long road trip.   This weekend, we are making the trek down to Farmington, MO to visit with my wife's grandparents and a lot of her family.   It's been quite a while since I've been able to make the trip and I am very excited to be able to go and see all of them again.   Of course, the stressful part is just beginning: deciding what to pack, how many pairs of socks will I need, is the car properly conditioned for the ride, will my backside be able to survive the road?   All the fun things running through my head as we gear up.   Like always, my intentions are good and sound.   I want to leave as early as humanly possible, make stops very few and far between, and get to my destination before nightfall.   As with most things; however, my intentions never really pan out.   We will stop probably at each rest stop for bathroom breaks, the stars will be well overhead before we get to where we are going, and the snooze button for the 4AM alarm will be hit many more times than the manufacturer's suggested usage allows.   I thought of a clever way to document this day and I wanted to do a suitcase photo that may suggest what we are feeling.   Overflowing with clothes shots were out because of my decency of not wanting others to see our dirty laundry and I didn't want to shoot a stuffed animal trying to escape from the confines of the case so I wouldn't arouse the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Stuffed Animals (SPCSA).   Just the simple case in the yard was good enough for me.   It will be a great trip and nice to see all of the relatives I haven't seen in a while.   Even if we turn this 8-hour trip into little over 11.

Another Wednesday walkback

Several months ago, I heard about a "reenactment" that was being held about 45 miles Southwest of here.   I use the quotations because while it was a living history event, there was no actual battle being fought on this ground, nor were there any historical skirmishes being reenacted.    The land it was held on had been designated a spot just for reenactments and the battle was the fictitious battle of Morseville.   What is interesting is that each time the battle is fought, there is no pre-determined winner.   Whoever shows the most tactical savvy and drill perfection is declared the winner for another year.   I met up with a lot of new people that enjoy the hobby and hope to be able to be part of them for the festivities next year.   What made this outing fun was that I went along with a co-worker who, I found out only a few weeks earlier, was as much into Civil War living history as I am.   He enthusiastically went with me, albeit suffering through the abnormally high temps, and enjoyed the historians blasting at each other with cannon fire and musket rounds.   Standing with the rest of the spectators, I found a great shot with the battlefield in the background and him looking away.   I found it to be a pretty telling photo and was glad that I could catch him in that moment.  

The stormy present

Christmas time around our house has become stuff of legends with regards to some of the lengths we will go to try and surprise each other with gift-giving.   One year, I sent a gift ahead to Nashville when we were first married to have my wife have a gift to open at my mom's.   We've opened email accounts under assumed names to hide online purchases and changed passwords to hide ebay bids so that we could do a lot of surprises.   There have been times that we were generally surprised at what was given, but most years, there is an ongoing dilemma on how we can get each other.   Most years; however, one or the other of us tend to guess what the gift is and make the holiday miserable for the other one.   It's almost an inhumane sense of humor, but it has passed down to our daughter.   She loves to play the game and the fun part of it is when she gives out the clues as to what could be in the box.   More often than not, her clues are exactly what is in the box making the guess work pretty easy.   My favorite part is to pick up the boxes and do the old "shake test" to rile up the gift giver in hoping the secret is given up.   This year, I have yet to launch a successful guess so it looks as if this year will be one of those memorable ones that will lead to a big surprise.   I guess I'll have to start early for next year, create a new account, and let the bidding begin on that special gift that will surpass anything from Christmases past.

Dog tired

My dogs have lots of personality, as would most dog owners say about their canine friends, but I would have to say mine will never cease to surprise me.   I was having a bit of a mental block today, as I couldn't think of anything to shoot for my entry today.   While I was watching a little bit of television this morning, I looked over on the couch and saw both my greyhound and mixed breed dog sharing a small space on the couch for a nap.   I've seen them before napping together, but they usually have a bit of a more comfortable position for their bodies.   This time, while there is plenty of space on the couch, my grey has his head, neck, and almost the top third of his body hanging off the couch, almost touching the floor with his nose.   Instead of snuggling up next to him, my mixed breed dog kind of propped herself up on the corner of the couch looking like a human just lounging around for a movie.   It most certainly doesn't look comfortable to me for either one of them, but they seem to be okay as they laid there for a time well after I took the picture.   What this has to do with personality, it's pretty evident that only some dogs who have a bit of crazy attributed to them would even attempt to lay like this.   Tomorrow will bring another day and probably more silly antics from my dogs, even if it is something as simple as lying on the couch.

Special Delivery

Driving east out of Monroe, just past the small town of Brodhead, there is a house situated essentially on the Green County/Rock County line.   A long driveway winds its way from the main street up to the large farmhouse through quite a few trees obviously planted long ago for protection from the wind.   At the entrance of the driveway, the occupants of the house always place large planters throughout the year that have fun themes to them.   This past year, we have seen an old-fashioned bicycle with flowers planted in the front basket as well as a wooden wheelbarrow stuffed full with topiary.   Today, as we were driving past, there was an antique truck filled with Christmas trees as if on its way to a delivery stop somewhere.   What made the whole scene dramatic was the life sized mannequin of Santa Claus, so realistic that you would have to make a double take to ensure it wasn't someone broken down.   His face was pretty authentic as well as his hands on the wheel.   Walking up to him, I half expected him to offer up a "howdy" and ask how the day was going for me.    I was pretty fortunate to be able to catch him before the sun dropped below the horizon, actually allowing the deep red colors of the truck and his flannel shirt to come out.   I have to admit though, as he was pretty realistic and seemed to be watching, I had to remember that I have to behave for at least one more week in order to stay on the nice list.

Snow birds

I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later this year; however, no matter how much I think I'm prepared for it, I never expect it when it finally does snow.   You'd think that after so many years of living here that I would already have supplies, gear, and whatnot for the snow season, but I don't.   While today's snowfall wasn't anything for the record books (a mere 3 inches), it still drove home the reality that I never can get prepared early enough.   Today, after the temps rose a bit to melt some away, my daughter and I drove up to Madison to do some last minute shopping.   Coming home, I stopped in the small town of Monticello and took some shots of Lake Montesian, documenting the winter wonderland.   It was iced over with a layer of snow on top, making it look pretty inviting to go and make an ice skating attempt.   Obviously, it wasn't a good idea for that and my skills of skating are pretty bad, so we just decided to make it a photographic trip instead.  I shot the bridge linking the banks with the small island in the middle of the lake where many a fisherman has tried their luck at catching dinner.   While we both walked around a bit, we took some more pictures and got ready to get back in the car.   At that moment, a couple of geese thought it should be their moment in the spotlight and flew in at the right time, posing for their fifteen minutes of fame.

Kilroy Claus was here

In an earlier post, I referenced the once-famous "Kilroy" phase that has its origins sometime around the Second World War.   It was so prevalent in the war effort that there are reports that the graffiti would show up behind enemy lines causing the enemy leaders to believe that it was an Allied spy ring with a code agent named "Kilroy".   There are other versions of the graffiti hero in other countries, but the best known is of the bald figure peeking over the wall with just his hands showing that I have come to know and love.   Here in Monroe, probably done without this intention, is a Santa playhouse for the little ones to occupy themselves in while waiting in line to see the big guy.   On the chimney is a wooden Santa appearing to either slide down the chimney or climb out of it.   The figure is constructed in a way that makes it appear to be "Kilroy-like", at least to me.   I thought it would make a good picture and it was finally a morning where we didn't have rain, clouds, or high winds so the colors and structure would be photographed well.   Looking at it through the viewfinder, I had a fleeting moment where I thought it would be funny to grab a Sharpie and make the indelible mark under his face.   Since none of the children visiting the house would get it, and I might have had to write this blog from the Green County Jail, I thought against it.   Kilroy Claus will just have to fade back into history along with the pet rock and Tab.

Walkin it back, Wednesday

Today is a pretty awful day for picture taking, as it is raining and will be throughout the day.   Not like one of those light drizzles but a full-on, Forrest Gump-like "fat rain" that is just persistent and is forecasted to stay throughout the day.   Since the conditions are going to fight me in photographing something new, I've decided to do a "flashback" of a picture I took earlier this year.   Last June, my daughter had a camping event with her Girl Scouts that I wanted to go to with her because I thought about how her and I would be able to bond, camping together in a tent.   My expectations were high as I went through all the fun stories we would tell and games we'd play trying to go to sleep.   Of course, all of that changed quickly when she wanted to sleep in others' tents and hang out with her friends.   I walked around a lot that night taking pictures of them making Smores, singing songs, and just being best friends.   As her and some of her friends were playing around the campfire, I stood up on a pile of stumps and started taking pictures of them as they were hugging each other and going around in circles.   What transpired was a great photo of my daughter and two of her friends in a moment of sheer happiness.   My favorite part of the photograph is how my daughter's love for her stuffed rabbit is evident, including it in her fun.   All three of them were full of joy and their embrace completed the human "Circle of Friends".

I'm with the band

Who hasn't been to the park during the summer concert season and heard their favorite Sousa march played by the community brass band or taken part in a theatrical portrayal of a neighborhood Shakespeare festival?   Bandshells are an essential part of park recreation and serve as meeting spots for family and friends alike.   Whether they are made from wood and steel or erected out of overlying stones, they are a timeless reminder of the coliseums and amphitheaters of ancient Rome.   Shakespeare's England was full of these neighborhood concert venues and their very shape allowed for magnification of voices and instruments without the modern invention of microphones.  

Here in Monroe stands the aptly named Twining Park bandshell dedicated in 1960 and modeled in the Swiss-style construction.   During the Independence holiday, the community band sets up shop in the bandshell and plays the standards from Sousa and originals from local composers.   Theater is performed there from the most intricate English tragedies to simple skits and talent shows.   And when there is nothing going on, it stands as a play area for adventure seeking kids or people like me looking for time to kill and a picture to take.   I would lie if I didn't stand up there and face the empty audience, try out a bit of stand-up comedy, and imagine one or two people laughing at my adolescent humor.   Judging from the cool reception I got from the empty seats, I figure I'll stick with trying to improve my camera skills.

Up, up, and away

Santa sightings are in full force this holiday season and it's always a treat to find out how someone will display the big guy on their lawn or somewhere on their house.   One I look forward to every year I've been here is the display on top of the bank on the town square.   While there really isn't anything special about the display, it's a lot of fun to turn the corner and drive up the east side of the square and see him in his sleigh ready to pull off with his reindeer.   It's a hit with kids also who may be strolling around the courthouse with their parents looking at all the woodcarvings and decorations in the shop windows.   They look up high in the air with anticipation as they see his sleigh and immediately begin to wonder about that magical night when time seems to stand still so he can deliver his toys throughout the world.   I wanted to capture it in a different light, so to speak, as there have been quite a few pictures taken of the display since it was erected several weeks ago.   Shooting it from an angle made a neat story as it appears that he is getting some assistance from gravity to get his toy-laden sleigh up in the air with as little effort at all.   The original picture was a bit more severe in its angle, so I straightened it a little bit, which made it more powerful in the story telling.   The sky was neat also, as the clouds, blueish hue, and rising sun came together to make a great backdrop.   Now, the question remains, as to where the man in red will make his next appearance and be a subject for an aspiring photographer.

Don't look down.

Today, my daughter and I went to run some errands and we had planned to go for a little walk around the square for some decoration sightings and a picture or two with the Zoli-inspired Santas.   It took a little bit of a detour; however, when we were passing the pedestrian bridge installed earlier this year over one of the main roads here in town.   I asked her if she wanted to jump out and walk across it since we really had nothing else to do today.   Of course, walking across this wide span seemed like a great idea to me at the time, but when I got to the middle of the bridge, my incessant fear of heights and the swaying of the structure from the passing cars underneath caused me to quickly turn around and high tail it to the beginning.   I thought about the times when I attempted a cross of the swinging rope bridge at Fall Creek Falls, going all the way to the end of the Infinity Room at the House on the Rock, or not even walking 1/4 of the way up the Shelby Pedestrian Bridge in Nashville.   For some reason, high bridges are not my cup of tea.   Not so with my daughter, though, as she enjoyed standing there watching the cars pass underneath.   She went from side to side checking out the traffic and decided not to do any posing for me, so I just had to wing it on this one.   That was actually a pretty good accident, as I believe I caught some really good moments with her just horsing around.   It helped that I was on solid ground and had to live the experience through her eyes and the laughter she made when playing around.

Sandy Claws

Today, I volunteered my time to play Santa at a pet store up in Madison.   I've done it now for the past two years and have had a lot of fun doing it each time.   It's not difficult, really, as I just don a suit, sit in a chair near the front of the store, and talk to all the pet owners that happen by.   Being that Christmas is just a couple weeks away, the store was understandably busy and well traveled with customers wanting a quick photo with Santa.   It was all to benefit the Greyhound Pets of America group that we adopted our big guy from a few years ago.   Sitting there, I met all sorts of interesting pets: a chihuahua that barely fit in the palm of my hand, a greyhound well-known to the group, a puggle that couldn't get enough of my beard, and an amazing Akita that looked ferocious but had a coat on him that was softer than a goose down pillow.   Lots of traffic came through, earning the GPA a lot of much needed proceeds for the hounds, and I had a great time portraying the man in red.   While I wasn't able to take a picture of myself for the blog, I had a bobble head Santa that stood in for me just fine.   I hope that since I worked hard at listening to some kids' wishes as well as being helpful with the hounds, that Santa will remember this day and put me right back on the nice list.

Moonshot

Tomorrow morning, probably when the sun is coming up here in WI, there is going to be a total lunar eclipse.   I'm told that the best place to see it will be on the west coast and mountain region where there will still be some darkness before dawn comes.   It is supposed to occur here, as the totality happens, precisely when the sun rises, so I may not be fortunate enough to see it in its entirety.   I think I have only seen one or two total eclipses in my life and they are always spectacular.   Even if you are not an astronomy nut, the experience of it is truly amazing.   As a kid, I missed my very first one as it happened in the wee early hours and I was asleep.   I remember reading my older sister's journaling about the experience and she had written so eloquently about the different colors and hues that the moon turned during the event.   It was as if I was standing there next to her watching it.   Stellar events such as an eclipse aren't things that happen daily and I do my best to see as many as I can.   One night, several years ago, I witnessed the Northern Lights for the first time, an event I'm sure some of my friends can see whenever they wish.   Meteor showers, comets, and solar eclipses are many amazing scientific things that happen throughout one's life, bringing more show power and amazement than a Pink Floyd concert.   I walked outside tonight to pick up my daughter for our date when I saw the moon just hanging over the horizon like it was placed there on a nail.   I was pretty surprised to be able to capture the shadows of the moon in my photograph, thinking that it would be a great experience early tomorrow morning, watching the eclipse with my sister and dreaming of time gone by.

I dare you

Who hasn't played the game which brings all sorts of hijinks and hilarity with it all for the sake of causing someone else to hurt themselves in a funny stunt?   We've all done that: daring someone to take a leap off a high structure, walking outside in cold temps with nothing more than socks on, or eating a slice of limburger cheese without gagging.   It's all fun and games for us whether we are 6 or 76.   Making others laugh through the harsh antics we call the "dare" is just part of the humor we all have.   Sure, most of us control it and don't plan too many "bad" dares for others to do and resort to safer trickery to have fun.   Probably one of the first movies to have "the triple-dog-dare" as an iconic movie moment is The Christmas Story, on a short list of my favorite holiday films.   No matter how many times I watch it, I cringe each time that scene comes up as the tongue gets frozen to the pole.   Sure, it's cruel that they all dared him to do it in the first place and the debate can continue about how it correlates to the ongoing bullying problem in schools today, but it's a timeless event that I am sure is replicated in school yards, playgrounds, and frat house back yards, I'm sure, each time the temp plunges into the single digits.   I photographed one of the many "Christmas Story" ornaments that we get each year and was surprised at the lifelike resemblance to the character.   It was fun to do as I tried to make today's posting a bit more playful.   'Course with the temps to plunge into the single digits tomorrow, I am going to steer clear from any metal poles beckoning me to test the movie scene for myself.   Unless, of course, you employ the "triple-dog-dare" tactic.

Day of infamy

Taking a picture of a picture has never been something I've been keen on, as it is pretty hard to do.   It's a lot easier to just scan it and then work on it through Photoshop.   However, I thought that it would be a unique challenge to try and make it a good photograph.   The subject for today is a picture taken of my grandfather with some of his Navy buddies stationed somewhere during World War 2.   It depicts a pretty relaxed scene as they're all just having a good time drinking a few brews.   I can't imagine what must have gone through their young minds, though, just a few months or years earlier when the skies erupted with explosions from the attack on Pearl Harbor.   Who knows where they were at the time, but I can only imagine that they felt that same type of loss, devastation, anger, and revenge that I did 10 years ago on 9/11.   Unlike these days though, it seemed like there was a national call to action for everyone to get involved with protecting our homeland and defeating the enemy who brought the war to our soil.   I'm sure some of it could have been fabricated, but people were mesmerized by the war bond drives, the heroes of Iwo Jima, and Rosie the Riveter.   My grandpa was part of a blimp crew that flew up and down the coast searching for enemy subs on missions to harass our boys.   He answered the call of duty as did thousands of other young men on this day when bombs rained down upon a sleepy Naval base in Hawaii, killing too many soldiers and civilians.   All probably enjoying some quality time together not too unlike these sailors who met over a few cold bottles of liquid relaxation.

U-*-#-Y

What is it about the holidays that bring out the contests pitting all sorts of people against each other in a battle of jersey knit and appliquéd decorations?   I can't say I've ever participated in such contests; however, I have seen many of the entries in them and they can bring quite a bit of ugly with them.   Now, I must tread lightly because I don't want to offend anyone that may wear them proudly whether as a cherished tradition or merely as a cheap and affordable clothing piece to combat the seasonal chills.   This weekend, my wife is going to her annual Christmas party and will be participating in such a contest.   They may be calling it something else, like a holiday shirt contest, or most spirited shirt, as not to offend anyone there, but it's still nothing much more than a contest for shirts that may never be worn again as a part of every day outfits.   I think it's pretty creative, as she has taken a Santa purse and is in the process of putting it on the front of it.   Eventually, it will serve as a pouch for artfully made wrapping paper and presents made from felt and pipe cleaners.   It's almost ironic that the posting I did yesterday regarding stars came into play today as a bright yellow star is prominent in Santa's hat.   I'm pretty positive that if a contest is started for shirts, she will win it.   Of course, I will hope that it doesn't maneuver its way into her repertoire of outfits any time soon.

A star is born

A very intriguing shape is that of the star.   It's found on flags of all nationalities, symbols of religions, and copied by young 6-year old artists worldwide.   You can find them on sidewalks depicting someone's life, on wallpaper in kids' rooms, and swirling around a cartoon's head after getting blown up by an ACME bomb.   Stars are everywhere in all shapes and sizes with all sorts of meanings behind them.   It can be used to describe sports heroes or musical artists and they twinkle up in the sky as we wish upon them.   It amuses me that we got the star shape from how the stars looked like in the sky to our ancestors, yet they are all round, according to scientists from time's past.   One of the biggest holidays depicting a star is, of course, Christmas.   We find stars topping our trees, stars for decorations, and even hold one particular star in a place of reverence for it's the one that led the shepherds to the manger.   We have a wooden star hanging on our front door for the season in place of a wreath usually hanging there.   It's interesting to me because of the structure giving the viewer two stars in one.   I attempted to get a shot of it earlier this season, but either lighting didn't cooperate or my observations didn't come to fruition.   This time, I believe, all of the variables fell into place giving me a good subject for today's writing.

Ye olde tanenbaum

I find it amusing that each year we never really set out to decorate our tree.   There's never one of those "Hallmark" moments where we bake some cookies, heat some warm cider, and have our favorite Christmas tunes playing on the stereo.   Snow's usually not falling and we're definitely not dressed up in our appliquéd sweatshirts depicting all sorts of holiday cheer.   This year was no exception as I had the tree put up several days ago.   I decided to go ahead and put the strings of lights on so that at least there would be a partially decorated tree to be proud of.   As it usually happens, our daughter came in wanting to put "her" ornaments on before I even had all the lights strung.   When they were all put up, I told her that we could go ahead and just put a few on, as I didn't really want to do it all then.   Since you can't really have a partially decorated tree, the few ornaments she put on turned into a full-fledged, all-hands-on-deck tree trimming festival.   We all converged on it like a hungry pack of dogs on a trash bin and got it all spruced up.    I was very pleased with the glow of the blue and white lights we have on the tree as they reflect on all of the ornaments, especially with the glass ones.   This picture shows one of my favorite ornaments: a simple silver word hanging up high in the tree.   There are a few more hanging which completes all of the decor, but this one looks very nice and essentially defines the year we are about to have before us.

Hitting and running

Today we had a gift practically thrown into our laps of a free babysitter for 8 hours.   Our daughter had a girl scout event that required her to be with her troop from 9 this morning until 5 this evening, making cookies.   Not to kick a gift horse in the mouth, we capitalized on the opportunity and made a run to Madison for some kiddo Christmas shopping and alone time.   It has been pretty rainy all day, not to mention a December-like cold temperature, so it would be safe to say that one would need to be a bit more careful when driving.   All that said, we had just gotten off the interstate getting ready to go to the mall when we got rear-ended.   Obviously that's not a feeling we're used to, so it took a minute or two to figure out what happened.   When I got out of the car, I checked on the guy that hit us and looked at his car which was pretty banged up.   While ours was not hurt really at all, except for a scratch or two and the small dent in the bumper, I told him that we'd pull off the main road over to the side and call the police.   He said he was okay and that there wasn't any need for it.   After I drove on to park, he got in another lane and took off.   A bit later, the police came out and did a report on everything and things were taken care of.   

I write about this all because of the humor that we found in the incident.   The guy wasn't driving his car as it wasn't registered to him and we kept playing out the conversation he would have when he got home to explain the busted up hood on his car.   Maybe he would say he hit a deer, a pole, or he was the victim of a hit and run.   Our car came out relatively okay, we were both fine, and the shopping trip continued on as planned, albeit a bit delayed and on more alert nerves.   My photo today was essentially for the insurance, but I thought I'd try to make it as interesting as I could to match the interesting story that complemented it.

Behind door #1

Ah yes.   The season is fast approaching with the ceremonial untangling of the Christmas tree lights, the obsessive sorting of the ornaments in color groups, and the NASA-inspired countdown to the big day.   One of the other traditions we have is that of the Advent Calendar, one that many families I know have as well.   I've had many different ones in the past as simple as a cardboard fixture pre-filled with tiny candies to the wood one we have now with hinged doors and ornately decorated.   With my family's penchant for all things peanut butter and chocolate, the candy of choice is always Reese cups.   Yet while we have fun with it and my daughter can hardly wait each day to open the door and grab the tasty treat behind it, the meaning of the calendar sometimes can be lost on us.   But, as with most things, we regroup and work to remember the spirit of the season and truly be thankful of the gifts we have gotten from our friends and family to get us to the place where we are today.   A journey made more enjoyable with a small morsel of peanut butter and chocolate to help out along the way.

OWL! That hurt.

After work last night, I came home and began my usual routine that happens almost as soon as I get in.   Greet the doggies, grab something out of the fridge, heat it up, pour a glass of tea, get my grub from the microwave, and head into the computer room to eat and check up on the day's events.   It was dark, as always, and I had just begun to see what had transpired across the world on CNN when something caught my eye.   Looking over, I could have sworn I saw a menacing great horned owl staring back at me with its yellow eyes as if to tell me to get out.   While I did see that big bird looking at me, it wasn't menacing nor was it beckoning me to leave.   What I saw was an amazing piece of art made by my wife and daughter at her girl scout meeting yesterday for a Christmas parade happening later this week.   It was constructed out of paper mache' and then my daughter glued feathers all over the head and neck.   While it has a few more things to make it complete, it looks like it already belongs in an art museum next to the likes of Rockwell, Pollock, and Warhol.   Sure, I may be a bit biased because of her rich lineage, but you will have to judge for yourself on the level of artistry in this piece.   While I won't be able to be there on Friday night when she joins her friends for the parade around the square, I can almost hear the gasps in the crowd when she walks dressed as the best looking great horned owl in the midwest.

Not on my shelf.

The tradition goes by several monikers: "Elf on the Shelf", "Gnome in the Home", or "Troll in the Bowl", but the one we use is the story of Christopher Pop-in-Kins.   Sure, the "troll" and "gnome" ones are probably not traditions that are well known, and ones that I made up, but the first one I have heard about many times.   Several years ago, we began the tradition here at our home with Chris and it is a much anticipated event each year.   On Thursday night, we will read the book of Christopher Pop-in-Kins and how he is an elf much smaller in size than the other elves at the North Pole.   Wanting so bad to be part of the build-up to Christmas, Chris goes to Santa and asks if there is anything he can do in order to help with the season.   The big guy tells him that he is to go into the houses at the beginning of December and keep the little children's minds busy by playing hide and seek with them each night, only to move to another place in the house the next night.   Of course, if a child touches him, he loses the magic and must return immediately to the North Pole.   Watching our daughter get excited about the tradition only makes me want to continue it as long as we are able.   When I started to take his picture today, it was as if I saw a twinkle in his eye as if to say that he is just as excited about the journey as we are.   How he moves from place to place each night is a mystery to me, but soon I'm going to catch him making his jump from shelf to shelf and spill his secret.   I'm watching you, Christopher.

Who needs skates?

I've attempted to ice-skate just once.   It was many years ago and the entire experienced probably lasted about 10 minutes.   Gravity was my enemy that day and after the umpteenth time that I found myself sitting on the ice rather than standing over it, I hung up my ice skates never to grab them again.   My daughter had an opportunity to experience the ice skating fun with her girl scouts and, at the last minute, decided that she really wanted to go.   While dropping her off, I had that eerie shiver go up my spine as I had those visions of her falling all over the ice as she has picked up some of the gracefulness that I have when it comes to extensions of our feet.   As a concerned parent, I kept hoping that the phone wouldn't ring telling me that there was a terrible injury or something like that.   Thankfully it never did, and when I went to pick her up, she was having the time of her life.   Not from having skates on her feet, but figuring out that having fun meant that she could still be on the ice with a chair in front of her to balance her out.   She was pushing that thing around as fast as an Olympic skater and almost as graceful.   Her friends would then join the chairs and form a human train to push around.   I thought back about how much more enjoyable my brief ice skating career could have been if I had only had a folding chair to pull out of my pocket for balancing.   Maybe we could have skated together during this outing and had a great time.   But, watching her have fun was just as great.

Zoli Claus is coming to town!

As with the summer season, our acclaimed wood artist, Zoli the Woodcarver, has decorated the square with his amazing works of art carved from a tree trunk.   There is a 7-foot nutcracker standing guard in front of the Cheese tavern, a Santa accepting mail in front of the bank, and another two Santas striking poses around the other parts of the downtown area.   The tree will be decorated this weekend with a parade to top off the festivities.   Kids of all ages will march with handmade signs and costumes to mark the occasion no matter how cold it may get by then.   The lights around the square are being put up rapidly and soon the lighted Santa sleigh with his reindeer will be landing on the top of the bank.   It's definitely Christmas season here in Monroe.   I wanted to try and capture this moment along with an inclusion of the iconic clock tower I've challenged myself to get in different lights.   The sunset actually helped me catch a lot of the warmer hues in the brick of the courthouse and the santa sculpture.   The woodcarving also included a toy bag thrown across his back and it had a lot of detail in it, from bulges depicting large boxes to small trinkets poking out from the top of the bag.   Zoli has done it again, giving the city of Monroe an amazing gift to share with all who go to see the seasonal decorations.

What's next?

It's hard to believe that this is my 100th blog posting.   When I began this back in August, I had a bit of an idea that it would be a journey, but really no idea where it would take me both in the art of photography, but also picking subjects for the blog.   I thought it would be pretty easy when I started out, as there were so many things here in Monroe to document.   However, when it continued, I began to realize that my blog really wasn't about taking pictures about stuff about town, but creating art with the pictures that I take.   Whether they be of landmarks, people, or historical buildings, the photos that I take really aren't about documenting the history of them.   I have come to believe that the photos are of every day life and what they mean to me.   My project is nearly 1/3 of the way done and I have so many more ideas for subject matter for it that I am excited to see what more I can do in 265 more postings.   I thought that the photo of a blank sheet of paper with a pen was poignant in that it represents a clean slate of sorts; an empty box waiting to be filled with ideas to be put in photographs.   Getting better at this art is my goal as well as sharing the journey with the ones that read the blog.  

Karma is a funny thing

It has always been a running gag in our house that I've had a hard time believing when my wife is sick with anything more than a stuffy nose.   I look back, lovingly of course, at the countless trips to the ER to find out that the terrible bout of fever, sweats, headaches, stiff joints was not anything but a cold or sinus infection of sorts.   There is no immunity for me from this, because I, too, have had to make those quick trips as well from things as small as a rash to as serious as cardiac issues.   However, it was earlier this week that I needed to rush home from work to assist my ailing wife, calling me to tell me to come home as soon as I could.   Being the non-believer, I brought her to the ER to ensure that her cold was properly treated.   Looking back, however, it was probably a good choice to do that since she had been traveling for the previous two weeks and could have caught a serious bug from overseas.   This history all comes back to yesterday.   While my wife began the road to recovery and felt much better during our Thanksgiving holiday, almost as soon as she was on the mend, I felt myself going down the same track.   This morning, I woke up feeling like I just got run over by the same truck that hit her earlier in the week.   So, as with most things, I really shouldn't have questioned the health and wellbeing of my wife, supported her a bit more, and not rushed her off to the hospital to quell my own doubts of her illness.   I will remember to do that next time, as I focus now on sucking down the water, eating as much Advil and Sudaphed as I can, and wiping my runny nose, feeling like I'm sure she did earlier this week as she laid on the couch needing me to be with her.

Giving Thanks

I would love to say that this holiday was well planned, that the menus were carefully put together from old family recipes, and the bird had been brined to perfection.   It would be great to think back on how we polished the silverware and set the dinner table with the fine china and wine glasses.   Picking the right music to accompany our meal is also generally a priority but all these things just didn't happen as they usually do on this day.   This year, we fell a bit behind the 8-ball and just didn't get things going as quickly as we would have liked.   That resulted in my last-ditch effort to run to the store and pick up all the things we normally make: green beans for the casserole, rolls, sausage for the stuffing, and of course the pumpkin pie.   The bird was put in the oven to bake and that was our cue to relax for a minute or two before beginning the other preparations.   Well, that minute or two turned into several hours which resulted in a mad dash by my wife and I to get things together since the turkey was already done.   While it may have not been planned out the best, the best thing was that we were both cooking together and spending quality time as a couple and a family.

I am very thankful for having a great family and being part of an even bigger support system from my family and in-laws.   Being the parent of a smart, healthy, and happy young girl is also a reason for being thankful.   She volunteered to help me walk our dogs tonight, which triggered the opportunity for photographing it.   While the low light wasn't ideal, it was a great time to take this shot of her giving some affection to our dog, Sam.   While only one day of the year is set aside for giving thanks, not a day goes by when I'm not thankful for being her dad.

That sweet sound

Concerts and recitals have been such an integral part of my life since I was a young tyke learning how to play the trombone.   It was always such an emotional roller coaster when getting ready for a performance with all sorts of things running through my head.   Is my instrument in good, working order?   Do I look silly in my suit?   Did I practice enough with my accompanist?   What kind of response will the audience have?   That was only the 3 seconds before walking out on stage, not anywhere close to the thoughts running around my head for weeks beforehand.   After all those recitals and such, the endless dress rehearsals, the recordings from the concerts, the musical trips for performances, and the long nights in the practice room, I can only think that it made me that much better of a musician.   But what made all those years more special is that I would like to think that I was able to pass some of that talent and knowledge down to my daughter.   She loves to sing, draw, paint, and pretty much anything that is related to the arts.   I can't say that I've been prouder of her than when I got to see her annual fall concert with her classmates.   She'd been talking about it for weeks, especially after finding out that she was given a solo.   Sitting there in the audience, I was so proud when her teacher introduced her for the beginning of the "Rudolph" song, and brought her to the front.   She was amazing, obviously, and made her dad both proud of her performance and nervous for the many more I'm sure she will do after having many of the same nervous moments I experienced just a few years ago.

What's my name....pt. 2

As a continuance of yesterday's post, I wanted to continue of the subject of ancestral history and the treasure I once received that has a volume of information regarding my family's past.   A paternal grandparent thought that it would be a good idea a long time ago to write it all down so it couldn't be forgotten.   While the information is useful, the bigger picture was that it led me to discover so many more aspects of my life's beginnings.   Had I not opened the pages and researched the names, I would never have discovered that my great-grandfather had fought one of the hardest battles in the first World War at Argonnes, France.   I would not have known that my Woolfolk and Mehaffey fore-bearers actually lived next to each other in South Carolina back in the 19th century after immigrating from Scotland and Ireland.   It would have never led me to find my ancestors that fought valiantly in the bloody Civil War for North Carolina and continued the family growth that led to my mom being born.   It was in my college years before I began to fully understand where I came from and the mysteries surrounding my birth name.   My parents had decided to make a highly personal and very painful decision to completely change their names from their given ones to another one that better suited their situation then.   It was a decision that always seemed to bring roadblocks to understanding why I couldn't find any "Levia" ancestors in my bloodline.   Of course, understanding the words in the family bible's ancestral registry, it became a passion to bring it all together.   I applaud the efforts that a grandparent had to ensure that my daughter would have a source to go to in order to understand where her family tree branches out.

What's my name?

I constantly am amazed about how quick a photo journey changes course when the subject matter all of a sudden becomes something that was completely unintentional.   Just as in many of my previous posts, I had an idea of what to journal and even went so far as to stage the scene so I could get the shot right.   My original plan was to photo document a cherished artifact in my family that was inadvertently left behind many years ago in my family's possessions: a family bible.   As a kid, I always remember seeing the weathered and beaten leather bound bible, and even reading it many times.   There was a genealogical chart in the middle which I never thought to spend too much time looking at.   When I was a young boy, my "traditional" family had broken apart, causing new families to form with more brothers and sisters.   Moving many times throughout the years, I always packed the bible up and brought it with me, still not paying attention to what was written inside.   Eventually, I began to study the chart, did some research, and traced my ancestry back way before all the handwritten entries by a paternal grandparent were etched out.   I grew up a lot since then and continue to appreciate the lineage that is written out.

 

As far as the subject matter is concerned, it is almost too convenient that this chart and history is located right in the center of this bible.   The reason for it's convenience is that the book right before the chart begins is the Book of Jonah.   I flipped through the brief story and thought that this would most certainly be my picture of the day.   It would be such a great anecdote to say that my name was pulled straight from the pages of this book with all the trappings of having my birth name be that of a sea-faring traveler who had to cement his relationship with God.   If you hear my dad tell the story, he'll say my name came to him from behind a full moon.   Whatever the reasoning, I'm proud of my name and the history behind it, written down in the pages of this family bible by someone who could not bear to see the legacy disappear.

It takes a village

Today I made the annual trip to our neighborhood Lowe's store (I use "neighborhood" loosely as the closest store is about 75 miles away) in order to select my newest addition to the Christmas village I have slowly expanding in the dining room.   A thick fog of anticipation clouds my mind as the holiday season gets closer because I know that it means that my city can grow and prosper.   It's a lot of fun selecting the right house or business and even neater to see what kind of new design the makers will come up with this year.   I began this village in 2007 with the purchase of an Irish pub (of course) and continued with buildings each year since then.   This year, I added a Cheese factory (again, of course) and a house to add to the "residential" street, separated from the "businesses" as the collection is getting a bit larger now.   My subject is the piece that has an antique fire engine driven by horses.   I like how the firemen really look like they are racing to extinguish the flames as quickly as they can so that save the integrity of the village.   The Irish pub invites you to stop in for a pint after you've delivered your Christmas packages to the Post Office for that holiday delivery.   Soon, the lights will be added, the Barn Dance will be rotating with the dancers, and my Cheese shop will look as if it's ready for you to pick up the holiday box of dairy delectables.  

Mommies

So, I will first preface this by saying that my mother did not know I was taking her picture and will probably be mortified to know that it is one that I chose for the blog.   I wanted to get her in a moment that she didn't know I was taking it, which was quite hard as she was always watching.   Those of us with mommies still kicking are very lucky to have them be full of unconditional love for the kids that they have raised.   I am very happy to have such a great mom that is able to essentially put her life on hold for a week or two while I need some extra help being a parent.   She came here to WI in order to take care of my kid for me when I was at work and my wife was out of the country.   Not batting an eye, she jumped right in and started to make our daughter stay busy and not be focused on being mommy-less for the time.   Of course, I was treated to home cooking that only a son could enjoy and learn how to make biscuits with a bit of love.   My daughter and I both learned new crafts, as well as some new jokes to tell, and got to spend a lot of time just appreciating the time together.   My heart does hurt for those of my friends who, for some reason or another, don't have the ability to have their moms here anymore.   That only makes me thankful for the time I have with my mom and cherish each time I get to talk with her.   No matter how old we get, moms are the glue that holds us together with a simple hello, an embracing hug, or that twinkle in her eye when she is holding back on a surprise for you.  

Lens Solution

To zoom or not to zoom, that is the question.   Close-up, wide-angle, low profile, or high POV are some of the other perspectives I try to work on when framing a shot or thinking up of a subject.   Keeping the flash on for some sharper images or turning it off to capture some warmer shots is another dilemma any photographer worth their weight in bologna tries to weigh in composing the picture.   Shooting the same subject with a variety of different lenses makes for unique stories and brings about the challenge of improving on a daily basis.   Years ago, I never understood why anyone would lug around a backpack stuffed with camera accoutrements and constantly switch out lenses while chasing his kids around the zoo. These days, I am that guy and struggle with the best of them all for the chance to capture a perfect moment in the lens.   Thinking that it would made a fun little subject, I put together a few of my lenses and tried to make the picture takers become the pictures themselves.   Whether or not I achieved that particular goal, it was neat to stage them in a way that makes me imagine more of the photographs that can come from them as I keep moving forward to become better at my craft.

The Shadow knows

Photographs of shadows have intrigued me because of the mystery surrounding the subject.   If you're indoors, it's a lot easier to manipulate the picture since the shadows are generally controlled by the photographer.   When you bring the camera outdoors, however, the background and subject is usually dictated by Mother Nature herself.   Clouds, plants, birds, or whatever else there is impedes the point of view of the photographer as they attempt to frame the shot.   Once in a while, though, the powers-that-be controlling all of those things fall into place and present a great picture opportunity.

Walking my dogs this afternoon, I found myself in the middle of one of those when I walked along the back of our yard where our neighbors installed a new fence.   The sun had positioned itself in the sky and the pickets of the fence cast long shadows against my yard making neat geometric patterns with the leaves. I wanted to try and catch a perspective of the ground along the fence line to make a good contrast.   Thankfully, I think, it all worked and I managed to capture one of those moments in my lens.   I can only hope that the lucky streak continues through the life of this blog.

War games

There's not much more entertainment to me than waking up after a night, not much colder than an arctic winter, in a canvas tent set out in the middle of the country.   The birds and insects are the alarm clocks of nature as the sun peeks out from beyond the horizon to announce another wonderful day.   Shortly thereafter, the air will crack with the thunder of cannon fire and the ground will tremble under the marching feet of several hundred men marching in step as they go toward the chaos of war.   Bugle calls blare across the field ringing in the orders from the generals, causing a macabre excitement of what's ahead.   After twenty minutes of endless musket fire and the perfection of Hardee's drill marching, the fight stops almost as soon as it begins.   While it may sound like a page right out of "Gettysburg", it's really a playground for big boys and girls who love nothing more than dressing up in period costume and reenacting a scene from the American Civil War.   I've been doing it for many years now and have always been interested in the historical aspect, but really began when I witnessed the excitement up close and jumped in with both feet.   My cartridge box and belt made a neat combination, as I got a new buckle and plate for them.   The photo is kind of a "keep tuned" type of picture as there will be plenty of times in the near future where I'll be able to live my hobby.   Then, as in events' past, I will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the next man, load my Enfield with a powder cartridge, and aim it across the field joining hundreds of others in a volley that would make the earth tremble.

Don't fret

Cash, King, Clapton, Waters, and Williams (Sr., not Jr.) are just a few of the names that are synonymous with great guitar pickers and players.   Nothing sounds more comforting than hearing the opening lick to "Layla" or listening to Frampton turn his guitar into a voice box.   I enjoy many different genres of guitar picking along with the banjo greats like Earl Scruggs or the jazz influences of Bela Fleck playing through the bluegrass standards of old or jazz fusion tunes written most recently on the back of napkins.   My family has a long history of musicianship from my grandmother's singing, my mom's ivory ticklin', and others.   What is more enjoyable than watching those famous songwriters and listening to sentimental tunes from my mom's repertoire is hearing my daughter belt out her version of "Rudolph" or strum some tunes on her junior guitar.   While the strings may be out of tune, her tenacity and passion for the craft certainly is far from it.   I have a great time teaching her about the music she enjoys and she benefits from a great music program at school that allows her to grow and learn new things.   I wanted to capture her guitar in a moment that could lead the viewer in imagining their own little one strumming away. I like seeing the contrast of the strings along the fretboard as the light casts shadows throughout.   While I'll never see B.B. King mistaking this guitar for his beloved Lucille, it comforts me in knowing that in the future, my daughter will be a better musician, partly due to this Little Lyon guitar she keeps in her room.

Coming right at ya!

There are still a few places here in town where the trees have not yet disposed of all their leaves and the colors are pretty vibrant.   In most of the area, like my neighborhood, the once-flourishing trees have changed to bare branches with their bountiful leaves now taking space as large piles in the street.   I went out to where we lived after we first moved to the Monroe area in 2008.   The property had four, very large, empty houses that once were the residents of an extended family, similar to a compound of sorts.   We were lucky enough to rent one of them and had essentially the whole estate to ourselves.   While it would take a couple of days just to mow the yard, having our own playground and field to play in was worth it.  They were situated in a circle accessed by a quarter mile-long driveway shaded on both sides by rows of trees.   It was neat driving home each day back then as if I was back in the deep south, driving up Magnolia Lane at Augusta during the Masters golf tournament (as if I've ever really done that).   I took a few pictures of the trees against the road and even had a couple of low angled, perspective shots.   As I continued that, I thought it would be neat to take a few pictures of our car in the midst of all of that and try to make it feel like one of those car commercials.   While it's far from the quality of advertising media, I thought it made a good photo story with our car as the subject looking as if it was coming right at me.

Hands on

All throughout our lives, there are always going to be those "teaching moments" that present themselves in all sorts of ways, especially when they are least expected.   There are also those moments that have a significance to them in that they will probably also never occur again.   Looking back, there have been many of those between my mom and I: learning the piano, understanding the finer points of biscuit making, and gaining a better appreciation of keeping my head in the window of a moving vehicle.   As a parent, it is exponentially more amazing when I get to witness her giving that knowledge to my daughter, a "passing of the torch" in some sense.   While my wife is galavanting across the continents for work assignments, we flew my mom here to help with the child-rearing while I work.   She brought with her a box full of craft supplies and in that is a collection of lap looms and many colors of yarn.   They began to work on small potholders, eventually graduating to dish towel-sized blankets for her stuffed rabbit.   Today, my daughter woke up and wanted to start right away on making another blanket for a toy animal and needed my mom to get her started.   It was a great moment when I saw her hands guiding the shuttle through the strings with my mom assisting her.   This photo of their hands is special in many ways, namely that they are working together, but that it transcends the generations as she learns the craft.   Years from now, she will remember this teaching moment as she passes the knowledge of looms and yarns to her granddaughter, lighting up a young child's mind as they see the project unfold in front of her young eyes.