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

301: Fireman and Kids

Seem the year will end with some excitement in the neighborhood. The lady across the street from us smelled gas and called the fire department. Well this event attracted a crowd. After everything was resolved one of the fireman walked across the street to a young lad and asked if he might like to have his picture taken in the firetruck. As the family photographer ran home to grab a camera, I did like wise.

Future Fireman?

What happened next I have see countless times before. It seems to me an unspoken requirement to be a good fireman is to love kids. This fireman was no exception he spent several minutes making the youngster's experience a delight. The fireman also paid careful attention not only in meeting the child's needs, he (by his actions) suggested the best photo ops.

Great Job, MR Fireman, Thanks!!!

In closing I need to point out this is a male specific comments. Some of the nicest firemen I have ever met were ladies and I mean real ladies, the kind I have the utmost respect for.

300:The Meaning of Christmas

Message from the Manger

Ever since I started this project I have said God provided me with some images, These Images have turned out to be the better ones not only photographically but with messages for others. This time It was not the best image and possibly not the best message for others but the very best message for me. So here is the story.

Last Christmas I sat out to photograph a manger scene and in my search I found only a couple none of which spoke to me through the camera. This year I was determined to accomplish my task. Of the three that I found this is the only one I felt might provide some artistic value.

The Manger

It did say what I wanted, we need to put the Birth of Christ in the spotlight in front of everything else. This is the real meaning of Christmas. But there was another message.

Over the years a lot of bad things have happened to me during the Christmas Season. These resulted in The Christmas season being a rather difficult time for me. As I was taking this image I noticed a car creeping buy and my first thought was here come the Cops, again. But then I noticed the car stop a few houses up the road. Four people go out of the car each carrying an arm load of stuff. They went up to the house placed the stuff on the front porch and three returned to the car. Then the person who had remained on the porch knocked on the door and ran back to the car. The car sped away and a minute or so later a lady came to the door saw the stuff and looked up and down the street but saw no one.

As I continued to watch from my concealed location, I saw the stuff contained clothes, food and toys. No matter what you say there is a Santa Clause. The real moral of the story love. Love is the sharing with others and never expecting anything in return. And what better time to get started sharing love on a daily basis, than right now during the Christmas Season. AS for me I need to focus on the Good not the Bad. (Thinks to the folks at coffee this morning who set the stage for this message.)

Merry Christmas and God bless Each and every one of you.

Elmo Clause

299: The Christmas Hat

The Christmas Hat
A Christmas Story

Thank goodness I have always been a nice jovial chap. RIGHT!!! I was so jovial that when my second youngest daughter was about 3 looked me straight in the face and said: “You Ozzie Gouch” and walked away. But then came the Christmas Hat.

The Christmas Hat

The story goes like this. Right after Thanksgiving Day several years ago, I was shopping at the local big box store. When I came out I notice a small crowd gathered around my truck. As I got to my truck I was found out that a lady had backed into my truck, as she was getting out of her parking space across the aisle. The lady was really upset and after I surveyed the damage, I told her there was not a problem. It took several minutes to convince her that that nothing was wrong, and there was nothing wrong. All she had done was changed the character of the patina I had been collecting on my truck for several years. The only issue was she had stolen some of the patina, and it was on the rubber bumper guard of her vehicle, so I reclaimed the stolen patina.

After she finally calmed down and realized I had no intention of trying to carry her and her insurance company to the cleaners, or even making any type of claim for that matter, she reached into bag of stuff she had just purchased an produced the Christmas Hat. She said she did not know why she had bought the hat until right then. She told me with my long white hair and beard, I needed the hat to go along with my Christmas Spirit. I started wearing the hat and noticed people smiling at me and that made me feel good and I started smiling back and telling everyone MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Over the intervening years I have worn out several hats because I can hardly wait for the day after Thanksgiving to put on my Christmas hat, fill my pockets with candy canes and go out and enjoy the season with others. So this is my Christmas Card I am sharing with you.

God Bless and have a Merry CHRISTmas.

THElmo
AKA  Elmo Clause

This Second part was added Dec 10, 2012

The CHRISTmas Hat --- Cont’..  A true life tale..

Last season the CHRISTmas hat was walking in Walmart when a young lady came up from behind and  tugged on his sleeve.  As the Hat turned around the lady said “My little girl thinks you are Santa Clause and wants to tell you something.   The Hat replied in likely the most profound statement he ever made: “Well you can never be for sure who Santa might be. “  As the Hat got down on one knee and the little girl began her tale..   “ Santa, I made a mistake I wrote you too early and asked for only one of the five things I listed. But I have found what I really need, and is it too late to change my request?”  And through the bright and sparkling eyes, she continued describing a doll.  The Hat look up toward her mom, who you could tell was really down on her luck, and mom with a tear in her eye shook her head no.  Now what is the Hat supposed to say?

Then the Hat out of the corner of his eye noticed a man who had been watching signaling with his hand and saying no don’t tell her.  When the man saw he had the Hat’s attention he leaned over and whispered something in the mom’s ear and expression of joy and amazement filled the mother’s face and the man turned and walked away.  And the Hat then told the little girl he thought it might be possible to get the order changed.  A short time later the man sought the Hat out and explained he had lost his wife and daughter several years before this was the first time he had felt the CHRISTmas sprit since and he had bought the doll for the little girl and sneaked it to her mother so the little girl would be surprised on CHRISTmas morning.. 

Neat story and it is true, but there is more…  Last week when the CHRISTmas Hat was at Walmart, and a young lady walked up from behind and tugged on his coat sleeve.  As the Hat turned around the young lady said “Do you remember us?”  As The Hat struggled to recognize the face, she reminded him of the afore mentioned incident and he acknowledged her.  Seems they had been looking for The Hat to tell him thanks for being there to make there last CHRISTmas bright.  Then the Thank you continued, it seems that because the Hat had been there last year, beginning on the day after Thanksgiving this year the little girl had a new dad, mom had a new husband, and the man had both a new wife and a new daughter..

Now you know the rest of the story… And the moral?
Sometimes it is best to be available and let God do the work….