313: Memories... The Gazebo .... OOPS!

The Gazebo by Morning Light.

Several days ago I saw this scene and  envisioned it in the morning light.  This morning I braved the chill and the image was even better than I had envisioned.. AS I made the image capture, I started thinking of the romantic scenes involving gazeboes,  Like in "The Sound of Music".  OH, the thoughts of our youth..

But, as I stood there shivering in the morning chill, I got a revelation. Over the past few images I had thoughs about the memories of my youth portrayed in the images, but the revelation was:  I was not photographing memories I was photographing things that reminded me of warm weather.  So I went home and sat by the fire...

Have a nice warm blessed day....

THElmo


PS: Maybe I am not as melancholy as I thought, Just cold...
E.

312: Memories and the Old Swimming Hole

Memories are special and individual things.  An image such as this might being to mind that special place with that special person and no matter how many other people were there you only saw that special one..

Fall at the Old Swimming Hole

So lets do this, click on the image, making it full screen.  Sit back enjoy the image and let it bring back your special memory..

And do have a blessed day...

THElmo

311: Memories and Tire Swings

I went out today in search of fall color to photograph.  I found some for tomorrow morning but none for today.  I did, however, caught a glimpse of this image and as I was continuing my search, I realized this was my image for the day.

The Old Tire Swing

As I get older my mind wanders back to the years of my youth and I have developed a strong urge to go back and visit some of those places.  Having visited some of those places previously,  I realize that it is not the place, it is the people with whom you associate those places with, that make the real memories. The places are seldom as beautiful as your memory has made them.  People make the memories, places just fix them in space and time.

Another thing about visiting memories, they may be somber, happy or perhaps both.  But to enjoy maximum benefit you need to have someone very special with you, someone that knows you, cares for you, and understands you.  At somber places this person needs to recognize those and be one that can walk up after a few moments and place a hand on you shoulder and in doing so say, I understand and I share your feelings.  At the happy places this same person needs to be one that will share your stories of happiness no matter what the situation.  So now this someone enhances the memory.

People are the key to memories, keep them and cherish them.
And may you make a new beautiful memory today.

And about Tire Swings ....some neat memories....

310: Decisions

During my quiet time this morning I realized that in a couple of weeks I was likely going to be faced with a big decision..  At that point I realized the subject of this blog entry.. I even visualized the exact location.. When I got there Political signs; Anybody need some used political signs, they are in my truck. When I got home and looked at the image...trash everywhere.. OK enough griping... On with the story.

A Fork in the Road...  Decisions..

Well we all know that to make a decision we need to know where we are going, right?  That is the first issue how many of us really know where we are going?  What I have learned the hard way is; where I want to go, often is not where God wants me to go!!  God has a plan for every one of us that is our first key, discover that plan.

Now the tricky part, sometimes what we envision as the way to go is not necessarily where we need to go.  I learned there are often a few things I needed to pick up along the way were not available on what I thought was the direct path.

But he most amazing part more times that not, by the time I got to the point I thought I was going to have to make the decision God had already fixed the problem and all my worry was wasted.. 

Prayer Fixes Things !!

PS: I do not claim to be an expert on this subject just relaying what works for me, when I let it work and not try to do it myself..
THElmo

309: I 'm Praying for You

I tell people over and over that the better images on this blog were taken under God;'s direction and He inspired the comments.  The not so good images are the ones I did on my own,  Today was different, He gave me a message and inspired the image.

 

I'm Praying for You

For some time now I have had several people on my prayer list that I felt needed assurance I was in fact praying for them every day.  To give the this assurance I sent them a message, each day,  including one specific item I prayed about as part of my prayer for them.  This was not the normal "comfort" item but something special for their general well being, not necessarily related to their difficulty..

I began to wonder if this was needed or was it just self serving on my part?  I meditated over the subject and prayed about it but still remained undecided. Today as I was talking to a friend about some normal things he suddenly said: "MY wife and I prayed for you last night..  All I can say is my prayer got answered, what a wonderful feeling to know someone one prayed for me last night. 

So if you get a note from me saying I prayed for you, I hope it makes you feel as good as it did me today..

Now you know the rest of the story..

308: What Happened to Thanksgiving

I am putting forth some effort to resurrect my blog.  So today I visualized 3 possible images and wouldn't you know it.  There was no way to make them work.  So after dark I headed to Downtown Monroe, where there are always good windows to shoot.  Not tonight!!!  It is not even Thanksgiving yet and all I saw was Christmas decorations  @#$#@%(&.  Call me old fashion, backwards, primitive, what ever; but Christmas season DOES NOT start until the day AFTER Thanksgiving.

It took a while but I finally found one window pane not out of season.  And this area made me think of my granddaughter Joy Anna who got married recently and the theme for her wedding was a "BOOT and SCOOT".  Well you can never say us TEXICIANS are opinionated or stick strictly to traditions.. 

 

BOOT and SCOOT

307: Isabelle

This afternoon I headed out to the last place the homeless guys were camped that I knew of.  I was sort of disappointed seeing the abandoned camp site..  But as I walked out of the woods I saw the picture of the day.

 Lady In the Wild Flowers..

(Click for larger image )

 I asked if I could take a picture and she said yes... Two things to note, I seldom take images containing people and when I do I normally don't ask.. Not only that I took pictures and more pictures..  She was a lovely model and I gave and she needed no instructions..  Not only that she stayed longer than she planned so I could shoot.. Young Lady -- Thank You..

But from that image you cannot tell just how lovely she really is  So folks today you get two for the price of one...

 Isabelle

 I really hope I spelled her name correctly..

306 Loneliness  
      

The Door and The Lamp

Well I decided to go stepping out this evening to find an image..As I wandered around town looking, this is the one I kept coming back too. I guess the old adage is true that an image most often reflects the attitude of the photographer.  And tonight I was feeling sort of alone, so the lonely feeling fits the bill for the evening..

305: A Little Rain

Purple Iris In The Rain.

In the past I have captured many images that I thought were nice and at a much later date took on a special meaning.. This is just such an image taken in 2008 now in 2012 it has gained a very special meaning and message.

 We have all heard the expression that into each life a little rain must fall.  Over the years I have met several people that within the last year have become very special people to me.  The sad part is some of the closest are currently in the midst of a sever storms.  The storms may be sudden and violent,  long term, seemingly without end or a flash flood following a previous storm: but a storm never the less.

Likewise we have also heard the expression April showers bring May flowers.  These people are beautiful flowers already (one is more of a thistle, but beautiful in its own right); so why the storm?.  This image offers an answer.

This Iris was located close to a road.. The storm came and washed away the grime and tarnish of life, restoring it to its original splendor.. The rain also provided rejuvenating nourishment filling it with new life, and also added additional sparkle to its natural grandeur.

And then, as this image indicates the storm dissipates and the sunshine returns and what beauty abounds.

304: Where is Church?

Of Little Artist Value

This morning when a friend and I were discussing our prayer concerns, the subject of churches came up.  Later this same friend sent me a link to a news paper article entitled "Where is Church?", regarding a book by the same name.  A short time later while waiting on another friend I noticed a section of natural forest containing various types of trees, bushes, vines, weed, grass and other stuff. This was the environment God created for His creatures to thrive and grow.  As the afternoon grew on I kept reflecting on the article and the natural forest and suddenly I recalled couple of images I had done based on a tree farm all one type of trees and nothing else.  I set out to capture the image above which, in my mind, possibly represents the modern "church."

I may be a little harsh, but after visiting over a hundred churches over the past couple of years it is my impression of most modern church congregations.    Only one type of tree is permitted even though other types might be of equal or greater value.  The only other thing present are a few straggly bushes and they will be removed every so often, usually by fire. So I pose the question: have our churches become like the artificially generated tree farm where only the select are allowed.  And should they not be more like the natural forest where all things can grow and thrive.

{Just thinking}

303: Nature's Bird House

Over the past years I have intended to put up some Blue Bird houses and never have. A day or two ago, while sitting on the porch I noticed some activity around the old snag in my yard. The same snag where I photographed the hawk a while back. The activity was a blue bird nest in the old snag. I grabbed a quick shot.

Nature's Bird House

It was my intention to get a better image when the light was better. Now the story goes astray. The people who are installing my roof, while unloading some stuff, hit the snag and knocked it down. No birdhouse or decent image, so sad. The moral when the image is there go get it.

Oh by the way, I am going to get a couple of Blue Bird Houses today. I hope they will come back! Maybe next year?

302: Zoom Browser

A friend asked me if Canon did not supply an editor with their camera. I had never checked. Today I snapped a quick image and processed it in the editor functions in Canon's Zoom Browser. It work but is a little difficult to get acquainted with.

Buzzard in Zoom Browser