Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is the day! And it’s a going to be weird one because I am on a business trip out of town. As luck would have it, I need to attend some meetings in Chattanooga. Ah, the joys of temporarily coming out of retirement! Thank goodness it is only a day trip and I’m coming home tonight! I know that hubby will be baking and decorating a cake for our joint birthday celebration (his is July 3). I will be daydreaming of it during my meetings. Let’s hope that I don’t pull a Homer Simpson and spontaneously utter, “mmmm, cake” during the business discussions! Or start singing the cake's birthday song!

Joy

Joy is what happens to us

when we allow ourselves to recognize

how good things really are.

~ Marianne Williamson ~

We Have a Winner!

It’s time to announce who won the book, Until Tuesday, a true story about an assistance dog and wounded war veteran! When I read your comments, I was so pleased to hear interest in the story and the dedication of these special dogs. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and entering the giveaway! Marty hopped to the computer this morning, leaving a meandering trail of fur remnants, and got right to work with a random number generator. After he had breakfast, of course. 

And the winner is: 

Long-time cyber-friend, Cindy of  The Gathering Room! 

Congratulations Miz Cindy! Now that you are retired once again, you can add this book to your stack of reading materials to enjoy out on your beautiful porch!

Timeless Taos - Outside the Pueblo

Our visit to Taos was only for a day and we commuted from our temporary base in Santa Fe. We also got sidetracked a bit on the drive over, so we spent very little time outside the Pueblo area. But we made of point of finding the famous San Francisco de Asis Mission Church (see photo in April 30th post). The area around the historic church has declined into a hodgepodge of tacky gift shops for tourists. (Why, oh why, does this happen so often?) We were solely interested in photographing unique scenes like this one of an old abandoned building, just a stone’s throw away from the mission. Can you imagine what stories this place could tell?

And nearby, we saw a simple view that dramatically captures the New Mexico spirit. I had seen photographic examples of this particular scene before. I was delighted to have accidentally discovered it and then recorded it for our own travel memories.

Timeless Taos - Adobe Charm

I have a few more photos to share with you of this lovely area in the next couple of weeks. (It won’t be long before we depart on our Alaska trip and my blog takes a little siesta.) After this series is over, I plan to feature photos of other New Mexico historical landmarks and landscapes throughout the summer. 

As I have revealed before, the tourists come and go, but routine life continues throughout the Taos Pueblo and about 150 people call this place home. One of the unusual things in this day and age is that there is a strict prohibition of electricity and running water within the pueblo border. Wood stoves have been introduced into some of the homes for cooking, but many residents continue to cook right in their fireplaces. As this perspective of the North House shows, there are also some craftsmen shops where visitors may purchase hand-made treasures such as clay pots, jewelry, and paintings. It was great fun looking in these shops. And yes, I did purchase a keepsake. That will be featured in a later post.

The adobe charm is unique to this area of the country. And with old structures like this, there is no such thing as a straight line! The roofs are supported by large timbers call vigas. Smaller wood pieces, called latillas, are placed across the vigas. The roofs are them compacted with earth.

A Reverse Birthday Gift (Giveaway)

My birthday is coming up next week, and I want to do something a bit different here on my blog. I am going to give a blogging friend a “reverse” birthday gift. I also want to raise awareness about assistance dogs.

"Until Tuesday" is a book about a wounded Iraqi war veteran and the golden retriever who saved him. The author possesses some different political beliefs than I do. But I greatly appreciate the sacrifices he has made for our country, and I admire the strides he has taken to live independently and try to find peace after his painful experiences. And I also applaud his adorable assistance dog, Tuesday, who has been instrumental in helping him along his life’s journey.

Most folks think assistance dogs are for those individuals who have visual impairments. However, these well-trained companions serve people with a wide range of issues, including hearing impairments, physical disabilities, autism, and seizure disorders. These special dogs provide independence and dignity for their human friends. One of our primary charities is Paws with a Cause, which provides training and placement of assistance dogs throughout the country. We are proud of the work that they do and take heart in the lives that have been forever changed for the better.

With deep gratitude for successfully completing another year in my life’s journey, I am going to give away a copy of “Until Tuesday”. Consider it my birthday gift to a friend. The last day to enter is Sunday, June 26

Here are my simple rules to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post to get one entry.  
2. If you follow my blog, please leave a separate comment for another entry. 
3. If you publicize this giveaway (e.g., on your sidebar), please leave a separate comment for another entry.
4. Entries outside the U.S. will be accepted. However, only those from bloggers with active web sites will be eligible.

Happy Father's Day!

My dad passed away 26 years ago, and a lot of my memories of him have faded. But I will always remember and cherish the times that he took me fishing. 

I started going on Sunday afternoon fishing trips with him when I was a little tiny thing, perhaps 6 or 7 years old. He taught me the names of the different types of fish that I caught. Bluegills were the most common and the easiest to pull in. I never was brave enough to put a slimy worm on the hook. Through trial and error, he realized that I would put little minnows on the hooks myself. (Sorry, but worms are too creepy for me to touch!) Once, I accidentally jerked my pole while he was putting a worm on the hook. Wouldn’t you know it, that hook went right into his hand! I was mortified by my carelessness. I apologized profusely during the drive to the emergency room, and was so grateful that he didn’t yell at me. 

When we got home from fishing, I would stay in the kitchen to watch him clean the fish. Mom would leave the room for that endeavor because it always grossed her out. We would always have a good feast at dinner after the filets were breaded and fried. 

A kid learns a bit of patience when they are taught to fish. You have to wait, sometimes for quite a while, until the red and white plastic bobber lets you know that you got a nibble on the end of the line. But while waiting, you get to notice the beautiful landscape and the multitude of nature sounds around the fishing hole. To this day, when I hear a bobwhite, I think of those fishing days so long ago that I spent with my dad. Thank you, Dad, for the lessons in patience and these fond memories.

Photo Challenge: Playing

After a change in sponsors and a short pause, it’s time once again for another Brenda Photo Challenge! The theme is Playing, and I didn’t get a chance to take any new pictures for the theme. I don’t have ready access to small children or playful animals, and my wee brain couldn’t think of anything creative. So I reached into my archives and pulled out a couple of photos that fit the bill.

First up is a picture of my sweet hubby. We were tiring ourselves out, taking some photos of petroglyphs on the outskirts of Albuquerque and heading back to the car. My mind was already imagining a cool beverage and a rest for my feet. Thus, I was hurrying on the trail, hoping that he was also willing to call an end to the day’s photo shoot. I looked back to see if he was keeping up with me. And photographers being photographers, when we look at each other on vacation, it is usually with cameras plastered to our faces. Here’s looking at him, looking at me. The camera settings were f/5.6, 1/500 second, and ISO 320.

One of our 2010 highlights was our trip to see polar bears in the tundra wilds of Manitoba, Canada. And I will remember for the rest of my days the inquisitive and playful bear that came up to visit our polar rover. Perhaps it was a bit of frustration on his part, rather than playfulness, when he couldn’t reach us because he decided to start eating the wooden bumper on the vehicle. That is a piece of wood sticking out of mister bear’s mouth! While laughing my head off, I’m hanging over the side of the vehicle, taking this shot. (What the heck, if you’re going to go, you might as well have a news article written about it!) The photo was taken at f/13, 1/400 second, and ISO 1000.

Now that you have seen my contributions to the challenge, scoot on over to the web link and see photos by other participants!

Flag Day 2011

May God bless the USA!

Armchair Journey with Time-Lapse Photography

Sacred Lands - Eastern California - Mindrelic Timelapse from Mindrelic on Vimeo.

I saw this video recording a few days ago, and I knew I had to share it with you. Time-lapse photography is quite involved and expensive, thus not lending itself to the casual hobbyist. But the end result from such hard work can provide a mental journey and a realistic experience, all from the comfort of our computer chairs. 

The music is by Ah Nee Mah, produced by David and Diane Arkenstone. We have several of their albums, filled with haunting, Southwest-inspired melodies. 

Enjoy!

Flower Visitor

Before I get back to processing some more of my New Mexico photos, here is another special daylily image. I am not fond of insects near me or in my home. But if one wants to pose for me during a photo shoot, that is quite all right! 

I hope that this makes you smile and brightens your day!

Dreamy Daylily Portrait

I have been experimenting and trying out some of Nik software that compliments our Photoshop program. Like the last daylily picture, this image was not taken in a studio. I took it outside in the flower bed near the front porch. The software lets me selectively black out the background with just a few mouse clicks. It’s amazing. And I used a “midnight” digital filter on this one, which gave the flower image a soft, ethereal glow.

I sure like how this photo turned out!

P.S. Don't forget to click on the image to see this one BIGGER! You'll be glad that you did!

June Means Daylily Blooms!

You know it is June in East Tennessee when the daylilies bloom! And they are blooming like gangbusters here at Grey Havens cottage! When we moved into our new home last year, we had to start all over again with planting flowerbeds. We have only a tiny fraction of land compared to our former place, so we had to be choosy. What couldn’t we live without? Lavender and daylilies! We’re fortunate that there is a local daylily grower less than 10 miles away. Not long after our move, we compiled a list of specific varieties and off we went to that garden to shop! We came back home with a wide selection, including some long-time favorites and a couple of new varieties to fill out the growing season and display an assortment of pretty colors. 

We saw very little growth and blooms last year, since the plants were only small clumps and needed to concentrate on building strong roots. But they have filled out since then and are thriving. We’re being rewarded with beautiful blooms like the one above. And now I don’t have to sneak into neighbors’ yards to take pictures of flowers!

Timeless Taos - Church Doors

I see that some of you are fans of those gorgeous doors on the San Geronimo Church! Here is a close-up for you! 

If you do a web search, you will find that there are many pictures available online of this historic church in the Taos Pueblo. Over the years, it has been a favorite subject by artists and photographers alike. But web images that reveal the close-up character of the church’s twin front doors are not that common. The pine foundation is embellished with carvings, obviously scooped with hand tools. Then stacked wooden trim is artfully arranged to form decorated crosses. Briefly pausing to step inside, one can’t help but also notice the stately iron hardware, admire the beauty created by regional craftsmen, and wonder about the rich history of everyone who has visited and worshiped at this holy place.

Timeless Taos - San Geronimo Church

New Mexico is known for its Spanish Mission churches and much has been written about the history and the cultures that have shaped the design of these landmarks. The current San Geronimo (St. Jerome) Church was built in 1850 and is one of the youngest buildings in the Pueblo. The cemetery now occupies the land where the original church once stood. That structure was built around 1619 and destroyed twice during Spanish and Indian conflicts.

A visit to the iconic Taos Pueblo is incomplete if you don’t take a picture of the San Geronimo Church and step inside its venerable walls. Photography is not permitted in the building, so if you have to see it in person to fully appreciate its beauty. A look inside reveals the thickness of the adobe walls, the craftsmanship of the wooden beams, and the rich mix of Spanish and Indian cultures embodied in the church’s furnishings and decorations. It is an architectural achievement that continues to serve an active congregation in these days and times.

Landscaping Improvement Project

Here is a rundown of the landscape improvements we had done since the first of the year! If you recall, back in February, we had several trees removed or trimmed in our back yard and a lot of brush/rock cleaned up. As a result, we were able to eliminate the wild jungle look that possessed the last ~40 feet to the property line. After smoothing down and prepping the soil, 5 large pallets of sod were put down.

For the last ~10 feet to the property edge, we had pine straw mulch applied to provide a transition for the wooded common area property. Leaves can be raked into this area this fall, and we can routinely spray with some roundup to keep the weeds at bay.

We also had a couple of hardscape areas installed. One was around the HVAC units on the side of the house. Some erosion problems were already starting to develop here because of the slope and jumble of equipment, so this was our happy solution.

The other hardscape was a stone path installed up near the garage. With a small lot, we don’t have a lot of space to secure and hide the garbage can. We haven’t wanted to keep it in the garage and the yard sloped too much for us to tuck it in at the side. So this was our solution. Instead of being permanently parked in front of the garage, it is now on a leveled area, hidden right behind the holly tree.

This side of the house is shielded from the storm fronts that come in from the west. And it is so easy to roll it right out to the street each week!

So there is a wrap-up of our landscaping improvement project! It took a longer than we planned (3-1/2 months) and lots of prodding to make the landscaping company get it all done, but we are tickled with the end results!

 

And since we just celebrated Grey Havens’ one-year anniversary, I have to show you what the front looks like now! I took this picture during Memorial Day weekend, hence all the little American flags in the main flowerbed. You’re welcome to come on in and visit with me a spell!

Timeless Taos - Hand Painted Door

As you have probably concluded with the progression of this photo journey series, I have a fondness for architectural features such as doors and windows. And at the Taos Pueblo, I was on the lookout for colorful embellishments that stood out against the rustic brown adobe walls. This charming door specimen is located in the South House complex, and it topped the list of the most unique. And I couldn’t help but do a little play on words with the title of the photo!

P.S. Donna (Made in Heaven) left an interesting comment about the meaning of the handprint. I have also read that the left hand, considered more sacred than the food hand, was placed on objects of religious meaning. It was only after I found this reference that I realized that all of the handprints on this door were made by a left hand! And a Google search reveals other photos of this door, including some showing an American flag draped in the window right after 9-11. It is truly fascinating to see examples of folk art like this and wonder about the personality of the “folk” behind the “art”!

June - A Month Ahead

Needless to say, I am having fits with time flying past so quickly! May was just a blur and now the calendar says we are firmly set in June. Part of May’s confusion and chaos was self-induced. After decades of using PCs, we bought new iMacs. And I wanted to know how to do everything right NOW. Reality and expectations did not completely coincide, LOL. I am getting along pretty well with the new computer at this point except that I still have to use a company-issued PC for my consulting work. So now my feeble and tired brain has to remember two operating systems. Ah, the challenges of modern life! 

May unfolded with several highlights. One standout is that we got to visit with sweet Lana of Honeysuckle Lane. She and her delightful daughter made a jaunt over to our home to buy my Nikon D70 camera body and a zoom lens. We had a nice chat and they got to see our little cottage. I usually see her each year at a local lavender festival, so it was a treat to get to visit with her in a more tranquil setting. If you are not familiar with her folk art, then you are in for a treat. I hope that you click on her blog link and celebrate her incredible, nationally-known talent by checking out and purchasing her lovely creations. 

I also started sharing some of my New Mexico photos here on my blog. That effort will continue this month with more virtual tours! I am quite pleased how a few treasured scenes are turning out after digital processing. I am finally hitting that sweet spot of being able to enhance photos the way that I can see them in my mind’s eye. The recently acquired Nik software tipped me over the edge, so it was a great investment. Several dear reader friends (you KNOW who you are, LOL) have swelled up my noggin lately by suggesting that I author a coffee table book. You make me blush! The answer? I'm not sure! I have been tinkering with the idea of starting an etsy shop, and I was going to put things in motion this year. But then the engineering consulting work started again and that income has been simply too good to turn down. In the meantime, I am concentrating on further improving the photo editing skills and framing up scenes. 

So what exactly are we up to in June? First of all, we’re going to enjoy the blooms in our yard and spend some quiet times on the porches. We plan to check out some local farmers markets and see a bit of the local countryside. We’re going to get some fresh air. I have to get out of the house! Poor hubby does too because he is tending to household chores while I am writing and editing technical procedures. We plan to get more exercise this month. This is our month of preparation for the BIG trip. We’re going to be living through this month with our eyes focused on July. 

What’s going on in July, you say? Ah, our grand 3-week photo adventure of interior Alaska! We will probably wear ourselves out in the process, but at least we’ll have smiles permanently etched on our faces and memories that will last the rest of our days. Hubby got a fresh cortisone shot for his bad hip earlier today, so he should be able to comfortably go the distance. My replaced knee isn’t as good as the original equipment, but it is going to have to go along for the ride. These two old farts are going to have another adventure of a lifetime!

Timeless Taos - A Red Door

With an out-of-town business trip this week thrown into the mix of my life, I haven’t had a chance to prepare a news-filled post. So how about another charming scene from the Taos Pueblo to tide you over in the meantime? 

Here is an interesting fact. At one time, there were no doorways in these adobe complexes. The only entryway into the homes was by ladder through openings in the rooftops. An added bonus is that these entrances provide light. The reason behind this original design was to provide security. If intruders to the Pueblo were discovered to be approaching, the ladders were pulled up from the ground levels to the rooftops.