Memorials

Project 15 - Day 78

Andersonville National Cemetary

Andersonville, GA

Happy Memorial Day to all.

Retirement - Take II

Project 15 - Day 77

It's not that I didn't get it right the first time. But recently I have been reminded of the many reasons I took the plunge two years ago. They are the same reasons that I have decided to do it again.

I am relinquishing my spot at the gallery. The Artist Colony at the Esplanade's Portside Studio will carry on without me beginning on June 15th. I loved working there in the midst of all of that creative energy. I made new friends, both artists and Colony visitors. I listened in quiet amazement as clients talked about the art. I sold my work. I laughed with my co-workers. I learned a lot about business, art marketing and myself. It was a once in a life-time opportunity, one I would not have missed for the world.

But in the end it wasn't a hard decision to make. I have a need to spend more time with family. My Nashville family. My Carolina family. My Pennsylvania family. I have a need to travel, to visit places I have never been. I want to capture it all on my Nikon (if it ever comes home again). And if those images never grace a stranger's home, so be it. They will be imprinted in my memory and on my heart.

The Artist Colony was never my dream, it was an opportunity. I have no regrets. (I would have it I hadn't participated.) I didn't become rich and famous; nor did I fall on my face. I can walk away content with myself.

Now it's time to get on with my dreams.

So family....ready or not, here I come.

A Snail's Place

Project 15 - Day 76

Taken in the Caribbean. This little guy was clinging to a low growing palm at the edge of the beach.

A Snail's Place

Harbor Light

Project 15 - Day 75

It's late. I'm tired. I don't have anything of value to say. Not that I ever have much of value to say, but tonight I'm making due with a photo. A photo of Sorrento Harbor from our visit to Maine last summer.

Oh how I wish this destination was on my radar again this year.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Project 15 - Day 74

I have parted with my faithful companion. My beloved Nikon. I packed it up on Monday and handed it over to Brown for safe transport. It hasn't been acting like itself lately and I thought maybe it was time to send it back to the factory for a check-up. I know it's necessary, but dang I hate parting with it, even for a few short weeks.

The D300 is my baby. My buddy. An extension of my right arm. I feel naked and exposed without it. I can't eat. I can't sleep. Yesterday I dusted off the old D70, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, but it's not the same. I miss the rapid fire shooting capability, the 3" LCD screen, the quick response and the way it fits in my hand. I am depressed. Prozac may be my only recourse.

Brown's tracking indicates she will reach her destination today. I hope they take good care of her, clean her sensor, upload new firmware, give her a thorough examination, fix what ails her. Then send her home where she belongs, good as new....tomorrow. Anything else is unacceptable.

In the meantime I shall be brave. I'll use the D70 in spite of its inadequacies and long for the day my baby returns.

In the mean time here's a picture of my other baby for your viewing pleasure.

Now excuse me while I go dry my tears.

It's Official

Project 15 - Day 72

Summer has officially arrived at mi casa. It has nothing to do with the date on the calendar or the outside temperature. It has everything to do with the number on the thermometer in the pool. Said temperature has now reached the requisite 84 degrees. Let the rafts float and the drinks flow.

(Nice pedicure, but someone, who shall remain nameless, needs to change her shoes once in awhile. Would you look at those tan lines?)

Devoted readers from points north may be shocked at the requirements in sunny Florida for comfortable pool play. But I make no apologies. It is my house, my rules. And I say 84 degrees is the minimum temperature for swimming, 86 - 88 is perfection.

We could partake of the good life year round. But that would require a heater. We haven't yet determined that the amount of use during those cooler months is equal or greater than the cost of the heat.

We could also entertain the use of a solar blanket. It's a no brainer for me. But for some reason it's a no go for The Kid. He talks of storage, and upkeep and maybe...next year. Next year never seems to come so I wait. And wait, for the the mercury to rise. Rise to the required 84 degrees. And then I jump in and proclaim that summer has arrived.

That's just what I did yesterday. And today, tomorrow, and many tomorrows hence forth you will find me right here.

If only I had a pool boy.

Oh wait, I do. Heh Kid! KID. Over here. I could use a refill.

Hasta luego mis amegos.

Backyard Fun

Project 15 - Day 71

I am fairly certain I have reached the bottom of the barrel as far as pictures from my last trip to SC. This should be the final group. What ever shall I do? Maybe I will just have to go back. Yes, that's it. I'll start checking flights while you enjoy the photos.

Dad was none too pleased to see the G-man taking a hammer to his newly installed flagstone.

This little man is about as animated as they come. He has also never met a photo shoot he shied away from. I'm sure that will change.

I tried to catch Miss A in the sandbox but everytime I would position myself she would turn around. She's a sly one.

She is such a beautiful mix of princess and tom-boy.

Helping Dad.

Just in case you were wondering, I don't think this group was effected by my little focusing problem.

The End

The Glass House

Project 15 - Day 70

If I were a good blogger committed to educating my readership I would Google butterflies and be able to tell you that:

1. Butterflies are day flying insects. (It doesn't seem quite right to classify the beautiful butterfly in the same category as the mosquito or the pesky no-seeum but that's the way of it.)

2. A few species migrate, sometimes thousands of miles. If that were me I would be DOA (dead on arrival) or at least in dire need of a cold beverage.

3. Adult butterflies have a life span of between 1-week and almost a year depending on the species. Those poor creatures who only live a week. Makes you wonder if it's worth all the effort they expend scratching their way out of those cocoons.

If I were a good blogger I would also have done my research and be able to tell you what species each and every one of these belongs to. Sorry, I didn't do my research. That probably means I won't receive the Blogger of the Year Award. I'll try and accept it.

I can tell you that behind this building at Callaway Gardens lies a large, glass house that is filled with colorful, free flying butterflies of all kinds. It is a sight to behold, at least it is when you can find them. Mother Nature has provided them with camouflage that keeps them hidden from predators. But when they are flying, the air in that glass house is filled with colorful creatures flitting here and there with no particular place to go.

On the day we visited it was also filled with a lot of free flying school children on field trips. It was a noisy venue but I think the children kept the butterflies on the move because once the kids left, the butterflies were much harder to locate.

The giant pictured above must have had a wing span of 6" or more. It was enormous. By far the largest butterfly I had ever seen. Up close. In person. This guy didn't seem to feel threatened at all. Just hung out on his tree and ignored the chaos surrounding him.

This little dude has his proboscis rolled up nice and tight. That's the way boat line is supposed to look when not in use. Ours never does. Just so you know.

All in all it was a good day for butterflies and school children. And photographers too.

Not Home Alone

Project 15 - Day 69

The Kid is home.

All is right in our world.

Home Alone

Project 15 - Day 68

Last weekend The Kid received an SOS call from S. It seemed there were a few projects that needed completing in a timely fashion. S figured his Dad had nothing but time on his hands and would be a good candidate for the job. In a matter of hours a suitcase was packed and the car was heading north on I75 bound for SC.

I was staying behind. The thought of six days at home alone was enough to get my heart pumping. I don't think I've been home alone since The Kid retired. I was giddy with excitement. I awoke early on Monday morning and waved good-bye as the beast pulled out of the driveway. I poured a cup of coffee, sank into my corner of the couch, and let out a long, blissful sigh. Home Alone. The week stretched out before me, six wonderful days of endless possibilities.

On Monday I flitted around the house, planning my meals, logging on and off of the computer to my hearts content and mentally listing all of the wonderful things I might do during my vacation. Please don’t misunderstand. I love my husband. Love him dearly. But we have spent the better part of the last 2 years joined at the hip. An entire week home by myself was a gift from above. One that I planned on unwrapping pronto.

On Tuesday I went shopping. All day.

On Wednesday I paid a visit to the local video store and rented all of the chick flicks I had been wanting to watch and knew he would hate.

On Thursday I spent endless hours on the computer playing Mah Jong and surfing the net. I had a photo shoot with Henna.

By Friday I was wandering aimlessly around the house taking pictures of anything and everything that caught my attention.

The plant on the lanai.

My shadow.

The window blinds.

It is now Saturday. The Kid comes home today. My week is spent.

I am once again sitting in my corner of the couch, coffee in hand. Only this time I am reflecting on how pathetic I am. The window blinds? Really, how lame is that?

I only have one question. What happened to all of those endless possibilities?

Focusing on the Problem

Project 15 - Day 67

I believe I have mentioned the fact that I've been struggling with some focusing issues with my photography. (I also have non photography related focusing issues too but we'll not go there today.) Nothing seems sharp to me anymore. I haven't figured out if the problem is camera or photographer related. The easier fix would be camera. It is much easier to repair a broken camera than a broken photographer.

In an attempt to figure it out I took a lot of pictures of the grandkids during my last visit. (Not that I need an excuse to fill every memory card I own with photos of the two smartest and most beautiful children in the world.) But I really was trying to work it out. On my last day we took a little walk before dinner. I ended up in the middle of the street while A & the G-man rode their bikes around me. I've found it works out best for all involved if they get preoccupied with fun and forget about Grammy and her camera.

The above photo of Miss A looks stunning on the IMac desktop. But once I resized it, uploaded it to Flickr and moved it over here something changed with the color. What's up with that? But look at that sweet smile. There's no whine or cheese. It's natural. It's her. Our beautiful little girl.

The two close-ups are adequately sharp but something's not right. They both appear soft around the eyes.

This focusing thing has me stymied. When I pull back, shoot a little farther away I don't think it's as noticeable, but it's still there. Tack sharp they are not. One always strives for tack sharp, especially the eyes. The eyes are the window to the soul and the key to good portraiture.

There's nothing like a puppy to provide a little distraction. This is a wonderful shot except for the soft, slightly out of focus eyes, and the G-man's little hand reaching in for some puppy love.

There they go riding off into the sunset... around the bend to the brick house on the corner. A little old school flavor provided by Matt Nicolosi's Italian Texture Collection and a touch of chocolate milk courtesy of Flora Bella. (Thank you -k- for the Flora Bella hook-up, beautiful textures and actions.)

If I don't resolve my focusing issues soon I think a second trip to SC might be in order. You know, to further study the problem; or maybe I should just get new glasses.

Analytically Speaking

Project 15 - Day 66

I know who you are. I know where you come from. I know how you arrive and I know how long you stay. I even know what you ate for breakfast. Big Brother is watching. (Just kidding about breakfast. Most likely you don't eat breakfast. You should you know, eat breakfast that is.)

During my most recent stay in SC, S hooked B & I up with Google Analytics. It is a very cool feature that tracks the comings and goings of a web site.

The data available is pure gold for entrepreneurs running on-line businesses. Most of it I don't understand. I could probably figure it out and make charts and graphs, learn all about key words and how to use them, have expensive give-aways like the Pioneer Woman (wonderful blog by the way, you ought to check her out) and transform this blog into one lean, mean blogging machine read by thousands, maybe even millions. Dream big, that's what they say.

But for me checking in with Google Analytics is all about fun. Did you know that I have 3 faithful followers from Mississippi? I don't know anyone in Mississippi. I knew someone once but they moved. Most of you hail from Pennsylvania, no surprise there. But what does surprise me is how many of you there are and how you get here. I know that my oldest and dearest friend logs in faithfully every day from Connecticut. (Thank you A, I may have some news for you soon.) And that -k- in Tennessee is very loyal as well as K in Alabama. There is another group of you from north Alabama that blows me away. Your numbers vary from day to day but there are more of you than I thought. And then there is Maryland. Is that you Chris?

What's really fun is seeing people check in from Canada, Australia, the Phillipines and Russia. Most of these folks don't come back. I must be doing something wrong. Maybe it's the endless display of flower pictures.

Sometimes you don't stay long. It's called the bounce rate and on some days it's quite high.

But on other days you stay and visit awhile, or at least read the entire post. I thank you for that. And then there is the Unique Visitor category. I haven't exactly figured that one out yet. S tried to explain it to me but my mind was wandering and the info must have gotten lost or wandered out the other ear. I think that category should be off of the charts. After all, you are a very unique group of followers.

Google even breaks things down so one can determine how visitors get to one's site. Some of you come directly here. You do not pass go and you definitely do not collect $200. Others of you come by way of links from other blog sites. (Susan your readership is high and I think your readers think I'm you...LOL. Sorry folks a little name humor for my name sister.) Some come from random places I didn't know existed. A lot like purgatory I'm thinking. And a rare few arrive via key words.

Keywords are words typed in during a Google search. For instance 8, count em, 8 people landed here by Googling "Reef Knot." Reef Knot is one of the cottages we stayed in last summer in Maine. Go ahead try it. One of the few things that pops up is my Reef Knot post. Of course these folks don't usually hang around or come back. What am I doing wrong that these good people aren't charmed by the high quality of my writing and the amazing photography? Maybe you better not answer that.

But the most important thing that I have learned is this: some of you like me, you really do. I don't know why but you keep coming back for more. Returning day after day to see what I've been up to. I thank you for that my faithful followers.

I've learned something else too. There aren't 10 of you.

There are 11.

The Floral Follies, Part III

Project 15 - Day 65

Spring is such an under appreciated season. In our haste to rid ourselves of the cold dark days of winter we allow our thoughts to fast forward to the warm sunshine of summer. In the process we often overlook the beauty of the middle child - spring.

Part Three of the floral follies features one of the heartiest of the spring annuals, the Rhododendron. I remember Rhododendron bushes from my childhood in western PA, I remember planting them in our yard in Dansville, N.Y. and I even remember a few from our time in Alabama. I don't remember ever seeing any blooming in south Florida. If I've missed one somebody please mark it with your GPS and send me the location. I'll go take a picture!

Up first is Little Red Riding Hood.

She sure is looking good. She's everything the big, bad wolf could want.

Followed by: The Four Swans. (I know, the fairy tale says six swans. Work with me, it's late.)

And finally: The Snow Queen.

This has been the final installment of the floral follies. I believe I just heard a collective Amen from the masses. I have more. You know that I do. But I'll give you a break. I also have a few hundred of the grandchildren I'll just bet you are dying to see.

Until tomorrow.

Magnolia Madness

Project 15 - Day 64

Part deux of the floral follies is all about magnolias. These magnificent flowering trees are 100% southern. As southern as sipping sweet tea on the veranda and Scarlett O'Hara. But you can't think about them tomorrow, for tomorrow they might be gone.

Fortunately for me they were not gone on our recent visit to Callaway Gardens. Their sweet scent permeated the air mixing with the blooming honeysuckle to provide a feast for the senses.

The experience took me back in time, back to the 80s. One of my favorite television shows of all time is Designing Women. (You have to admit it was a great show, big hair and shoulder pads excluded.) I've named my magnolia blossoms after the four sassy proprietresses of Sugarbaker & Associates. Let's see if you agree with my selections.

Mary Jo

Julia

Charlene

Suzanne

So how'd I do?

Trifecta

Project 15 - Day 64

Blog Warning: You are about to be bombarded with photographs of flowers and other blooming things. This the inevitable by-product of a visit to Callaway Gardens in the great state of Georgia.

Today's edition of the floral follies is a Zinnia trifecta. One hot pink zinnia, 3 angles, 3 different effects. Which one is your favorite? Perhaps its the photo of decaying Fort Negley from two days ago, if so please keep that information to yourself. Thank you. The Management.

Up first is the Plain Jane. No frills, no fancy angles, no slight of hand, beauty au natural.

Contestant number 2 is The Cheerleader. All twirly action, bright and colorful, the attention seeker. She is screaming pick me - pick me!

And finally the Renascence Woman, dignified and classy, an ageless beauty.

Phone lines are now open.