The Art of Hospitality

The Inn on the Creek - Salado


I'm convinced that hospitality is an art. The ability to create an environment that is pleasing and restful and the ability to make strangers feel at home do not come naturally to everyone.

Our stay at The Inn on the Creek has been a wonderful experience. It has given me an appreciation for the art of hospitality. I think there are three components that combine to create a sense of a hospitable place.





The first is to create a sense of place that is beautiful, relaxing and welcoming. The elegant Victorian house with its cheerful and beautiful rooms and serene creekside outdoor space provided a wonderful place to rest and relax.






Another aspect of hospitality involves making someone feel welcome and at ease. At the inn, we were greeted with a warm smile and made to feel at home. Every time Will saw us, he acknowledged our presence with a smile and a wave. There was no doubt in our mind that we were welcome guests! We were lucky enough to have the house to ourselves and we were encouraged to explore.

Finally, the ability and willingness to anticipate needs and the art of joyful service made our stay memorable. A bowl of chocolates was a treat in the common area. We were asked, "Did we want coffee in the morning?" It was ready on time. Did we have special food requirements? They were met. At breakfast, we never had to ask for more hot water for our tea, they were watching and alert for what we might need or want.

As Christians, we are encouraged to practice hospitality. Do I have all of these down to an art . . . . no, not at all. But what a privilege it was to experience this level of hospitality! And an encouragement to do what I can at my home to create a place where people can feel comfortable and at ease!

Oasis

America has a culture of productiveness. We value ourselves by what we accomplish. "Busy-ness" is part of our culture. Many things compete for our time.

My life has always had its hectic times. Currently trying to juggle starting a photography enterprise, the care for aging and ill relatives, finishing a Bible study book, and trying to attain and keep order in my home compete for my time. Stress is unavoidable.

But today, I have arrived at a life oasis. I left yesterday for the traditional birthday celebration with two of my closest friends. We are in Salado at a wonderful bed and breakfast on the creek.


This morning I got to spend time by the creek. Herons fished, birds sang, and little fish jumped out of the water. I closed my eyes for a different form of meditation and I felt the cool breeze on my face and even caught a whiff of the gentle smell of the creek.

My reading in my abundance book today:
"Take time to pamper yourself. This is especially important if you spend a great deal of time nurturing others. Your well will run dry if you don't give yourself permission to fill it. Your body needs rest."

I will have two days here in Salado. Time to sit by the creek, soak in the serenity, and center myself. A time to think of other things besides the things that are worthy of grief in my life right now.

Yes, I brought my computer and hard drive so that if I have some time, I can be "productive" while I am here.

But more important, is to fill the cups of serentity and peace - so that I will be ready to return both home and to Amarillo, re-equpped for the tasks God has laid out for me.

Bluebirds

I went to bed tired last night and woke up tired. After hot tubbing and getting dressed for the day, I decided to have a more substantial breakfast (still staying on the low carb diet). I also wanted to spend time outside this morning, so I took my breakfast, a cup of hot tea, binoculars to watch the birds, and my morning devotional materials.

Yesterday I had been some birds along the fenceline that I wanted to identify. One of them had come up near the house. I've been hoping for bluebirds and this one had blue coloration, but not that of a bluebird. After consulting the bird books yesterday, my best guess was that this one was a female bunting of some sort. It had definitely done bunting behaviors in the grass by the fence.

This morning, I had my binoculars ready. When I looked at the bird perched on the fence, I was SO excited. It WAS an eastern bluebird!!!!!!!!!!

Now you may ask, why did that make me so excited?????? I've had bird feeders out now for several years - I have the tall cylinders of bird seed that last several weeks. I have a bird feeder with both seed and suet. There is a ground feeder out in the yard. But last spring, I had seen some info on bluebirds and we put out two blue bird houses. I did see a sparrow come out of one of them last year, but otherwise they had been pretty unoccupied. I had put out a little of the suet snacks that are supposed to attract bluebirds . . . but they just went stale in the sun.

But now I have a real bluebird in the yard!!!!!!!! On today's agenda is to go get the mealy worms and a new package of suet treats!

And my scripture for today:
He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.

God's provision . . . . . . seeing the bluebird has cheered me up and helped get me going today!

Words from the Father

When I take time to spend time in God's word, I often find that the scriptures or study books that I am using often parallel what is currently going on in my life. With Gene going through the final stages of the aging process, my scripture reading jumped out at me today:

From Psalm 71
Be my rock of refuge to which I can always go . . . .
Do not cast me away when I am old;
do not forsake me when my strength is gone . . . .
Be not far from me, O God . . . .
Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God . . . .
Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
From the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

Such a wonderful reminder of the new life we have waiting for us beyond the grave.

Wildfire!

We are heading back to Hutto today. We've been reading about the wildfires up in the Panhandle. Fortunately, the persistance of the firefighters and an area wide rain have put these fires out. But the aftermath - over 800,000 acres burned, homes gutted, people dead, animals either dead or with no forage -this is a huge disaster. Since it was not too far off our path, we decided to detour and get a look at the damage from this powerful force of nature.

I've seen fire damage before. We drove through an area burned during the horrible California wildfires several years ago. Periodically we have grass fires in our area of Texas. In Central Texas when we have grass fires, the ground is left black. We have visited Yellowstone after the massive fires there. We learned about how fire makes mosaics - where some areas burn more than others, and some areas are left untouched. Even so, I was startled by the fire damaged area in the Panhandle.

We first saw fire signs along I-40 where there was an area where the fire burned along the right of way and in the median, but somehow they were able to keep it from burning any of the pasture, the burned area ended right at the fence line. We saw a service station set back from the road that was totally burned - flattened.

We found a road to head north where we were hoping to drive through miles and miles to get a sense of what the fires had done. We were in the "breaks" along one of the forks of the Red River. The fire had burned through some of the canyon areas where it would be difficult to fight. In some places, the ground was totally scoured - not black from fire, no blackened grass, just dirt and the remnants of yucca. We could see where they had replaced telephone poles because the bases had completely burned through. There were fences . . . . .some had the wooden posts partially burned, but in other areas nothing was left of the posts - nothing. All that was left of the fence were the strands of wire on the ground. But the mosaic effect held true. You would have a quarter mile or so of wires on the ground - then a few fence posts that were only partially burned. You would see fences that were mainly the metal t-bars that had wooden posts evey 10 posts or so. Some of these wooden were burned all but the top foot that was still hanging from the wires.

There was an area of sand dunes. Normally these have vegetation growing such that you might not realize this was sand. Now it is barren. For the land to be this devoid of anything living makes me think the fires were very hot. It also has me a little concerned that the topsoil may have been damaged from the heat - which could make it more difficult for the grass and prairie to recover.


We've seen that in Michigan. On the upper penninsula there in an area called the Kingston Plains, there are areas that used to be forested that are now barren because the topsoil was "sterilized" by wildfires over one hundred years ago. The only thing that grows there are spongy cladina lichens. The stumps from the massive logging are all that remain of the forest. I hope that the soils here in the Panhandle do not have that kind of damage.


In retrospect, I also realize that while I saw remnants of yucca, I did not see remnants of prickly pear cactus or cholla cactus. I know from past research that fire is one of the recommended ways to get rid of unwanted cactus. So . . . . . .if the land recovers there may be some blessings . . . . . later.

However, we also saw human tragedy. In some places the fires came right up to people's yards on their farms and ranches. The firemen obviously did a great job saving the structures. But some were not so lucky. We saw houses with nothing left but the foundation. We saw silos where the roofs now sat on the ground - all that was left - the metal roof. We saw what must have been barns totally destroyed.

I know from the news reports that both cattle and horses died in the fires. We saw some cattle grazing on areas that were spared. They were the lucky ones. On much of the burned areas, there will be no pasture this year. For those that had surviving herds, they will have to be moved or sold. And we did see where fresh round bales had been brought in.

Farming and ranching in west Texas is difficult. Rainfall is scarce, the aquifer that provides water for living and irrigation will some day be depleted and there are storms every year that bring damaging hail to someone's land. I fear that some of these ranchers may not have enough reserves for their agribusiness to survive this kind of devastation.

However, the generous nature that God gave people is also kicking in. People are helping each other. When I went in to exercise at the Curves in Amarillo, there was a sign talking about the collection of money to help those who had been affected by the fires. Ranchers and hay growers from other areas are trying to get feed in for the herds.

Henry and I hope to go back to see how quickly this area recovers. Fire is a natural part of God's care for the earth. Just as we learned a lot about the role of fire in nature with the Yellowstone fires, we will learn the benefits of prairie fires.

Death and Dying

I can say I have good news about Gene for the moment. After a very scary day Sunday where he was SO helpless, Monday he rebounded. From being hardly able to reposition himself in a chair, he is back to walking easily, to being alert, and able to do some care for himself. Such dramatic changes occurred over just a four day time frame. From being good, to being very ill and incapacitated, to being good again.

I try to read from scripture on a regular basis. It is especially helpful when life crisis occur. My readings over the last few days have certainly been relevant. On March 25, my reading from Psalms 68 led my focus to God's goodness: father to the fatherless, defender of widows, setting the lonely in families, leading forth prisoners with singing, and giving abundant showers, refreshing a weary inheritance. This was Saturday, Gene was home from the hospital, walking was tortuous. How could I see God's goodness in this situation? As I reflected and struggled with this concept, the thoughts came in my mind, that Gene is already on the road through the valley of the shadow of death. That this life struggle is really just the means God is using to transport Gene to the place that Jesus has prepared for him. My sister-in-law reminded me that our arrival into this world as babies requires a painful and traumatic struggle through a small birth canal. While I don't fully understand why some people go quickly and relatively painlessly through death and others have sometimes years of illness and struggle, I do believe that God appointed our time of birth and death before we were ever born. As humans, God gave us a strong desire to live. So many people live longer than we expect in their final stretch of life because of that strong will to live - whether it be to a desire not to desert loved ones or an actual fear of dying. Sometimes it is the family's prayers that keep someone alive, until it finally becomes apparent that it is time for the suffering to end. Both the dying person and the family have to come to a point where it is time to let go.

Yesterday's scripture read before I saw how well Gene was doing seemed so appropriate to our situation. From Psalm 69:

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck,
I sink in the miry depths,
where there is not foothold.
I have come into the deep waters,
the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help,
my throat is parched.
. . . . . . .
But I pray to you, O Lord, in the time of your favor;
in your great love, O God, answer me up with your sure salvation,
Rescue me from the mire,
do not let me sink,
. . . . . . . .
Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
or the depths swallow me up
or the pit close its mouth over me.
Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love;
In your great mercy turn to me.
Do not hide your face from your servant;
Answer me quickly, for I am in trouble,
Come near and rescue me.

From Sunday's reading:
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens.

And today's reading????
Words of praise also from Psalm 69
I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving
. . . . . .
Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all that move in them.
for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it;
the children of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will dwell there.

How can one not be encouraged by these words from God, even in the midst of the pain of losing a loved one?
In many things over the last few days, God has sent things to bring joy and peace in the midst of the grief.
Yes . . . . . God is good!

Update

While we are grateful Gene was able to come home from the hospital today, it looks like we've had a serious setback. Two days ago, he was getting around the house well - even without the walker. He was agile even when getting up from the floor. Today each step is tediously slow and painful. He is not as bright and alert either.

We've known since the health problems in November, that our plans could change in an instant. When we came up for Evelyn's cataract surgery, I packed as though we could be here longer than originally planned. I brought the stuff I need to pay my monthly bills, all my photo files, my income tax records, etc. If it were just Evelyn, we could head home. Her cataract surgery has gone well. Using Mary's reading glasses, she can position things so she can read. She feels pretty good about her surgery. But with Gene, life is revealing how futile it can be to make plans. Last week, we could reasonably make plans a few weeks into the future. Right now it feels as though we can only plan for today, as tomorrow may have a new emergency.

But good things in life, also go on. At NANPA, I got to visit with one of the editors from the National Park Magazine. I presented an idea to her that she found interesting: A couple of years ago, Henry and I went back to visit a place from our dating years - Lake Meredith and Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument. We were disappointed at the time, because when we got to the National Monument - it was all locked up - tours had to be arranged in advance- the small portable building also locked and deserted - and the lake felt empty and lifeless. Even the surrounding communities had that dried up dying look to them. We mourned and decided that perhaps it was too painful to come back. My article idea was to research what had happened with this seemingly forgotten monument.

I had arranged a tour for Thursday, but the weather was very poor for a hiking excursion - very cold with snow on the ground. So I signed up for a tour on Saturday when the weather forecast was more promising. So . . . . . this morning we got up early and headed out.



The trip took much less time than we anticipated so we explored one of the roads into the recreation area. I got some good road runner shots and some good shots of ponds with birdwatching opportunities. We arrived on time for the tour - and found that our tour guide was delightful. He had worked full time for over 25 years and is now a retired volunteer guide. When I returned to Evelyn's, I was delighted to see that my photos look good and that I have most of what I need to produce an article! I've done some research via the internet (THANK GOD FOR INTERNET RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES - you can find almost anything you need to know on the internet!) and now I'm in the process of beginning the article. Let's hope she'll like it.

ER

Life at 86 has its ups and downs. One day you are feeling pretty good, getting around fairly well, and life is pretty good. The next day one part of your anatomy begins to scream for attention, you can barely walk, and you get to make a run to the emergency room.

We have been so blessed that my father in law has done so well since his hospitalizations in October and November. I truly believe that all of the prayers that have been offered up on his behalf have made a big difference. In November we were told that his kidneys were only functioning at 32%. At the time, the doctors did not seem to think that it was likely to get better. The kidney function test run in the last couple of weeks showed functioning at 60% - almost normal for his age! "Mona" (our nickname), the amazing medical machine that allows Evelyn and Gene to check his vitals every morning and send the data to the doctors via the phone lines, has been showing fairly stable life signs and an oxygen reading that is within the target range.

Last night, Gene's leg got very painful. The prescribed pain med did not dull the pain enough for him to get comfortable. The inevitable "panic" that pain often brings creates its own cycle - you feel excruciating pain, your body tenses up, your anxiety level increases, you move to get more comfortable, feel more pain, your body increases the tense muscles, the anxiety level increases . . . . . you get the picture. So after trying to get the feet up, a gentle massage of the painful areas, attempts to get him to sleep, a call to the doctor on call, the application of moist heat - when none of these worked - we managed painfully to get him into the car, out of the car, and into the emergency room.

Thankfully, the emergency room is relatively quiet after midnight. They got him into one of the rooms fairly quickly. A sonogram, blood work, and a cat scan did not reveal anything helpful to the doctors. While the morphine did not work immediately, by morning, I am thankful to say he is resting peacefully again. We have some theories from the doctor as to what is going on. For now, the hope is that after being observed until in the morning, we will be able to get him back home tomorrow.

I found that I got my best "rest" meditating on familiar Christian songs - those thankful ones. "For all that you've done I will thank you . . . . ." "This is the day, this is the day that the Lord hath made . . . I will rejoice, I will rejoice and be glad in it," etc. As I tried to dose in upright chairs, these words and tunes kept my mind occupied and somewhat free of anxiety. Henry found a more comfortable waiting area - and when it was my turn, I lay down on the sofa and once again began my song mantras. I feel pretty deeply asleep even though the sofa was a little short. When we finally got Gene to a regular hospital room, the reclining chair allowed me to finish my "night's" sleep. At 11:30 today, I feel much more rested than I deserve.

And the good news, both Gene and Evelyn are sleeping pretty soundly in the room next to me! Thank you, God!

Cataract Surgery

The marvels of modern medicine! Not only is cataract surgery quick and painless these days, the family can watch part of it! My mother in law had cataract surgery this week. You don't get to eat breakfast and surgery is not till almost noon. But once you are at the surgery center, they have you out complete with plant, drops, and instructions within two hours. While we did not get to witness the extraction of the lens with the cataract, we did get to watch both through a window and a magnified TV screen the implanting of the new lens, Evelyn's distance vision is pretty good without wearing any glasses, but it is obvious that she will need reading glasses - which won't officially come until a few weeks after the second surgery. The other new addition to the daily routine is 3 sets of drops - 2 delivered 4 times a day and a third one only 3 times a day. I can't help but wish that they all had the same delivery schedule- it would be SO much easier!

Wedding Photography

I am primarily a nature photographer by choice. I love getting outside, enjoying the landscapes, flowers, and animals. There is not a lot of pressure, because if the photos don't come out good enough, I can always go back and reshoot.

I shot my first wedding back in 1972. It was for the brother of a friend of ours. I was only 20 at the time. Iremember how nervous I was, because you only get one chance - you want the photos have to come out good because you can't "fix" it - you either get them . . . . .or you don't. And you want the bride and groom to have those photo memories of their important day. And that was in the days where all photography was film - so you did not know until you got them developed whether you had gotten the shots you wanted.

My next wedding event was a reception to honor a newly wedded couple. It was held indoors under incandescent light. I did not know to use a blue filter . . . . . . When I got the prints, I was very disappointed, because everything had this yellow cast. Fortunately, a trip back to the developers allowed them to do color correction (using a blue filter in the print process) and the photos were OK. I immediately got the appropriate filter so THAT would NOT happen again.

I think I did a couple more weddings - one that I videotaped.

This was all during the time frame where I was doing photography for fun and for memories of the things my family was doing. I had a few photos enlarged from some of our trips.

Most of you know that for the last three years, I've been much more serious about my photography - trying to get good skills, habits, and higher quality photographs. I'm much more sensitive to the details in a photograph. So wedding photography now has a new set of challenges.

The only weddings I have done have been small, special ceremonies for people that I feel close to. Weddings where I know that my work will be "good enough." Weddings that I try to do my best, but where if they are not "perfect," it will be OK.

The good part, I shoot digital - so I know right then if a shot is exposed properly and if I need to reshoot. But even so, I never feel confident about my work, until I have it up on my computer, where I can examine it for "noise", sharpness, exposures, etc. My current camera does a much better job capturing the images to begin with, but with digital there is still post processing. Once it is on my computer, I can see what worked . . . . and what did not.

Because I enter competitions with my work, I will notice things and wonder how the "professional" photographers deal with them. Both of the weddings and reception I shot recently were done in places that are used for other things. In the wedding in October, there was a bulletin board behind the table with the wedding cake and punch - NOT a "clean" or attractive background for the photograph. For that wedding, I spent a lot of time after the fact cleaning out electrical wiring and wall seams out of the wedding photographs. Things that were part of the scene, but from my current skill level were elements that would pull your eye away from my bridal pair subjects. At the wedding Sunday, I did try to find ways and angles to shoot that removed some of the distractions. But in most weddings the photographer can not control how things are decorated, where they are placed in a room, etc. I saw another photographers wedding shots - it was a daytime wedding and the reception table had a window behind it - so . . . . .not a clean background for the festivities.

And last of all (but very important) - lighting is an issue. You don't want to use big studio lights at a wedding, but to use the low ISO's for less noise, pictures come out blurred. So with my first wedding last fall, I looked at what my shutterspeeds and f/stops were at the lighting levels . . . . . I swallowed hard . . . . and shot at ISO 800. Between the new camera and Noise Ninja, I was pleased with the results. I also used flash . . . . . which introduces another undesirable element - unwanted shadows. I shot at high ISO's on Sunday also. And even so, a couple of shots were motion blurred.

God's Provision

Most of you know I hurt my shoulder falling on ice in a parking lot while in Colorado. Once we got back to Austin, I got started with a chiropracter to do some therapy to recover the full range of motion. Last week he gave me an exercise to do with a full milk jug to try to gently pull the bones apart in the jammed shoulder socket.

I needed to run to Galveston to check the condition of the condo there in preparation for some new furniture and to attend the annual homeowners' meeting. To my dismay, when I walked in the room, it had not been cleaned after the previous occupant (hopefully my sister-in-law, Martha rather than a stranger.) I called down and got a new set of sheets and towels brought up. The sheets were the wrong size, but I was able to make them work - no pillowcases, however. It was easy to get grumbly when it is late and you are tired and things are not going smoothly.

But . . . . . .I have to say I also see God's hand in this situation. I had not brought a jug with me to do my exercises. And what was sitting on top of the kitchen counter . . . . . . . . A gallon jug of water. I was able to do my exercise for my shoulder before I went to bed last night. I did not go to bed grumpy.

(Of course, I set the alarm and it woke me for some unknown reason in the middle of the night . . . . . . but I am posting this to remember to keep my thoughts on the positive things . . . . . Even though a little tired today, I refuse to be grumpy!!!!!!! God is too good!)

Today . . . . .

Let me say upfront, I am not usually good with things that require daily disciplines - I am too easily distracted and usually have many things or projects going on in my life. But a practice that I try to keep going, however irregularly, is a "quiet" time with God. As part of that time, I have a journal. When I browse through the pages and realize how irratic it is . . . . I grimace inwardly.

The Bible I use with my daily time is a One Year Bible with scriptures set up to read an Old Testament passage, a New Testament passage, a Psalms passage, and a verse or two from Proverbs. I started in January trying to read all of them in the hope that I would make it through the entire Bible this year. I found, however, that I was just reading it - without having time to contemplate on the meaning for me, today, at this point in my life. So, I've gone back to reading the Psalm passage for a given day. If a miss a few days, I go ahead and read the passage for today's date. I start with the Psalm - and if I find meaning for my life, I may highlight or underline the verses that resonated with me. Because I've been doing this several years - coming back to a marked passage usually reinforces what had special meaning for me.

On a few rare days, the Psalms passage does not have a verse or two that jumps out at me - so I search in the other passages for the day. Generally, I find something on which to focus my thoughts. Today was a day when nothing in the daily passages really leaped out at me, leaving me searching through other back-up resources. My book on Abundance is one that I added yesterday for further enrichment. But today I was still searching . . . . I thumbed back through my journal, happy that over the last several months, I have more entries and more pages, a hint of a little more consistancy. But then I found the thoughts that resonated . . . for today. I found them in prior pages in my journal from perhaps a couple of years ago. Sometimes I note where I found what I journaled - this time I don't know whether I was writing from a source material, or if these were my own thoughts. But they were encouraging to me, and I am posting them here, because I think they might be helpful to others:

Each day is a new beginning, an unwritten page, a clean slate, unspoiled.
Nothing that happened in the past can be changed.
In God's book, it is in the past, forgiven, forgotten.
The past should not be allowed to spoil a new day.
Each day brings new opportunities.
Each day should start with joy:
"I am ALIVE!"
"I have a chance to make today beautiful!"

While there may be times when I need to bring out something ugly from the past to examine it or to understand it, for today, I will keep it in a mental "box" - so that I can enjoy the present.

Today I will look for beauty.
Today I will spend time with God
Today I will be joyful.
Today I will be optimistic - not letting little things obscure the big picture.
Today I will be courageous, trusting God to meet my needs and protect me.

Soap Box

I found this link over at Karen's Blog. For all of us who are a little tired of receiving those emails where you seem to be expected to forward to at least 10 people or have some dire fate await you . . . . . you will enjoy this link: Soapbox. Be sure to allow it plenty of time to load and have your volume turned up. This even brought Henry into my office and gave him a good laugh!

Abundance

It is so easy to get frustrated and worried when you don't see immediate solutions to life's daily challenges. But abundant living through God's provision is a solid Biblical concept. My morning's devotional from "The Art of Abundance" by Candy Paull reflected living life with that faith and hope that God IS going to provide the things we need. We put away our fear and open our lives and hearts up each day to experience God's gifts for today.

At the macro workshop, Nancy Rotenberg , made a comment that really spoke to me of abundance. Instead of previsualizing her shots for a day, she goes out and sees what shows up. She said that it was her experience that if you went out and waited, something usually presented itself as a photographic opportunity.

Today is a day that I need to get one or maybe two submissions out the door and in the mail. I have asked God to help me get past my fears - both known and hidden- and to help me experience the gift of His abundance in my life today.

Congratulations, Jeremy!!!!!!

I just got word that Jeremy's film, "High Score" won a popularity award at the Southwest Film Festival in Austin!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the link to see a report of the Film Awards at SXSW. Looks like Jeremy won an Audience Award in the category "Emerging Visions."

I'm so excited and happy for him. A lot of hard work is paying off.

Way to go, Jeremy!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Visit to the Past

One of my long time friends is Jane Mack. She lives in San Antonio and has three children. One of these children, Jeremy, has always been artistically creative. Last night I got to see his latest endeavor, a documentary, "High Score." It has two showings at the Austin South by Southwest Festival.

This is a great film about a young man who set out to beat a 25 year old record score on the original arcade game, Missile Command. The star of the film shows amazing determination as he faces the obstacles inherent in dealing with older, outdated equipment.

As a friend of the family, I got to spend a short time getting to visit with both Jeremy and Bill. So I have some inside information as to why some things happened as they did.

If you live in the Austin area, the next showing is Thursday night at 7:15 at the Convention Center. It shows my age, but watching the game action brought back memories of not only playing this game, but memories of at time when this was considered "high tech" gaming. How far we have come . . . . .

The Search for a Dress

While there are many special occasions in life, a wedding is one of the most important. It is a day where a woman truly wants to look her very best. It is also a day where most women do look their most beautiful. Finding that special dress can be elusive.

In Debra's young years, she loved dressing up. There were days we went through three or more changes of clothes. We had all sorts of creative dress up outfits. And, of course, we had sentimental clothing stored in the attic. When we discovered the Renaissance Festival (along with the Science Fiction Conventions), costumes became an important part of our lives. I even have Renaissance outfits.

When Debra was in high school, finding a prom dress for her senior prom was a challenge. We searched all the shops in the Austin area with no success. We had travel opportunities to Dallas and Los Angeles where we went looking. We looked on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and some other posh stores. Why do they think that only women with size 9 figures want to look pretty? It was frustrating. Fortunately, Debra finally discovered a store in Austin and the "perfect" prom dress became reality.

So when it came time to shop for wedding dresses, I knew that finding the right dress might be another challenge. During the fall we went through a very intensive dress shopping effort. All the bridal stores in Austin became familiar places as we haunted them trying to find "the dress." We made a jaunt down to the Renaissance Festival to see if it was to be found there. No such luck. And then Debra got sick . . . . . . the search for the dress got put on hold.

The search for "the dress" began anew this week . . . . . . and I can report "the dress" is found! She will look beautiful on her wedding day!

Thank you, God!

Writer's Block

One of my goals in coming home is to start getting my work out to photo editors who might buy my photographic work. What I am finding in the quest to be a professional photographer is that it is EASY to go out and get your photos. It is fun, exciting, rewarding to get out in the early morning hours, to sit and wait for wildlife, and to create beautiful photos. But it is a very different thing to get work sent out.

Step One - Figuring out which in a set of photos are the "best" ones. Which photos are going to please which editor? The self doubt - are these good enough, sharp enough, well processed enough? So the first hurdle is to choose which photos to send to a particular market. This one can be hard for me - requires a lot of intense decision making. As well as post processing the final candidates.

Step Two - To which market should a particular photo go? Should it go to Alamy as a stock image? Should my flower shots go to a card company or to stock? Should I send my Lost Maple fall shots to Texas Highways or Texas Parks and Wildlife? Which photo project should I work on and finish first?

Step Three- Writing captions or even short articles to go with the photos. On the articles, I'm finding that I have a hard time getting the words started on the computer. They are whirling around in my head, trying to come out. I remember Henry talking about this . . . . I think the answer is going to be a discipline issue - just make myself sit down at the computer and start typing. Editing it can come later. Even my blog has fallen victim . . . .

If I am going to make it as a professional photographer and writer, I've got to overcome these issues.

Coming Home

We got home with a wintry, icy weekend - so we enjoyed a weekend around the fireplace resting and enjoying spending time with Debra and Jonathan. It was a nice transition from the travel days to being home. I've cocooned a little also. Since October, life has been very busy with many transitions, lots of activity, lots of photo opportunities, seemingly constant activity. Having a couple of peaceful, restful days was a good beginning.

We've been home two weeks. I have found that after I've been gone for awhile, it takes a few weeks to get "back on track" at home. For one thing there is mail . . . . .tons of mail. Then there are the chores . . . . And the home routines are different than the travel routines. Plus we had a dishwasher that had gone out and a water line to the icemaker leaking . . . . etc. We still have work that needs to be done on the pool. A day spent just getting laundry caught up. Even with two weeks passed, it feels like I have a lot left to do.

When we were home for a few days in December, I tried to get together with as many of my friends as I could. This time, I've taken things more slowly, trying to get a handle on my projects, and trying to get rested. I thoroughly enjoyed our Ladies' Retreat in Salado. It was a good chance to get reconnected at church. I got together yesterday with my friend, Debbie. We went to San Antonio, eating at one of my favorite places, the Carriage House at the Botanical Gardens. Then we went over and saw a travelling exhibit at the San Antonio Museum of Art. I look foward to getting to reconnecting with my other friends over the next couple of weeks.

Post Conference

The nice thing about a conference is that there is a lot to see and do. The bad thing about a conference is there is a lot to see and do.

Overall, I have a really good feeling leaving this event. In my mind, I had placed a lot of importance on how well my photos were received with the portfolio reviews. I've worked hard the last two years to improve the quality of my work as a nature photographer. It was very important to me that my work be at a professional level. With one exception, the reviewers seemed pleased with my work. I have several opportunities as a result of attending. I am very pleased and grateful to have reached this point. Now it is my job to follow up on these opportunities. And I hope and pray that God will bless my work.

I've gotten a little behind in my blogging, but there are some other things I want to share. We moved from the Hyatt today - and you should have seen the bell men loading up all our belongings. Because I had not finished my portfolio, we had brought the printer and its big box as well as all our clothes, computers, camera equipment, etc. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get everything repackaged as quickly as I did. I also had photos that I wanted to get in the mail to a magazine editor . . . so those needed to be printed before we left. There is much that I am hoping I don't have to remove from the car again until we get home.

I have packed some of the information that I want to blog - such as things that I learned from the Color Management session.

So for those of you that are reading my blog for photo information, please keep checking in. I do plan to do several more blogs about the conference. There is still much to share . . . . .

The Raptor Field Trip

One of the special events at this NANPA was a visit to Fort Collins to visit the raptors that are part of the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program. This program nurses injured birds back to health and provides programs for education. We got to see and photograph six birds - an American kestral, a swainson hawk, a golden eagle, a great horned owl, a long eared owl, and a burrowing owl. The volunteers were especially good at placing the birds so that we had natural backgrounds for our photos.

Yes, these are captive birds, but they have all been injured or damaged in some way, and probably would not survive in the wild. The burrowing owl had lost one eye - they don't know how but suspect he got hit by a car. One of my positions on captive animals is that they act as good will ambassadors for their species. By educating our children as to the beauty, magesty, and purpose of these animals, they will learn to appreciate nature and hopefully gain the desire to preserve our natural resources.

When I have attended various sessions such as this, it helps me better identify the birds in the wild. I also appreciate the beauty of their feather patterns and their keen intelligence. It is truly a joy and a privilege to spend time with these incredible birds of prey.

Personal Reflections on today

While I learned a lot at the Keynote and the Breakout Sessions - today had its own anxieties. I am doing portfolio reviews to learn how to improve my work, to see how my work measures up, and with the hopes of eventually getting my work published. I had two reviews today. I was very pleased that the Nature's Best editor liked my work. I will be entering two contests this year - one that I learned about today. I was not too surprised that the Corbis editor was not as interested in my work. It is hard to compete with Arthur Morris' bird photography and Darrel Gulin's flowers.

I also showed ten of my Death Valley Flowers at the Member Slideshow. It is good experience for me to participate and show my work before this audience (a friendly one I might add). If you are lucky enough to get to participate, you get to show 10 slides and give a three and one half minute talk. Those of you that know me, know that I am "long winded" at times. So the time limit gives me an anxiety I might not have in other situations. Plus, as I hear the other presentations, my mind tends to make adjustments - not always for the best.

Another note, I have two images that made the NANPA Impressions journal. So this is my first real publication credit. It was fun and gratifying today to see my own work in a publication.

A start in the right direction, at least.

Jack Dykinga - Where does it come from?

Jack Dykinga gave the morning keynote speech. His desert photography is truly amazing as he finds such wonderful morning lighting and creates photos from agave and saguaro with such wonderful use of form, line, and pattern. His speech and photos really spoke to some ways that I have approached photography. I really liked his concept of "living with the subject", returning over and over to the same area to find not only the "right" lighting, but also the variety of light, clouds, atmosphere, and weather to create beautiful visions for us to enjoy. In so many of the online critiques I have received over time, people keep wanting detail in the shadows - but he used black shadows and silhouettes as part of his planned canvas. He also used black shadows to create diagonal lines and to provide symbolism. When he found a great compositions, he would return and take the same shot under different conditions. Another strategy he used that I can identify with - was to thoroughly explore your area - he mentioned hiking in concentric circles - finding the soul and essence of a place.

So I left inspired to continue going back to my favorite places, with the hopes that with frequent visits I will find the magic combination of lighting and atmosphere to create my own "magic".

John Fielder and the Roxborough State Park Field Trip

When I became serious about doing something with my photography, one of the first books I picked up was John Fielder's Photographing the Landscape - The Art of Seeing. This was a formative book for me because it thoroughly explored both the technical aspects of composing, using light and color, etc and the creative areas.

On Wednesday, I chose his workshop because of the concept of photographing the "intimate landscape." It sounded like an interesting location - one I had not visited. John gave us a workshop and slideshow presentation before we did our hike around the park. It refreshed my memory of all the concepts I remembered from the book. He personally led us through Roxborough State Park. He and his assistant took time to look through our viewfinders to help us improve our compositions, as well as making suggestions to help us "see" those lines and shapes to make our shots more satisfactory.

John also gave the keynote speech this afternoon. I am very impressed with how he has combined his marketing background, his photography skills, and his genuine concern for the well being of the environment in Colorado. He brings a keen analytical mind to find solutions for some of the environmental issues facing our country today - and has shown a creativity in finding workable solutions. '

I would thoroughly recommend doing any of John Fielder workshops, because I think you would learn a lot and come away very inspired to create your vision of your world.

Macro Photography Workshop

My first workshop was with Nancy Rotenberg . I chose this workshop because I am fascinated with flowers and flower photography and I really wanted to improve my skills. This workshop provided all of that and more. Just walking into the room the first time was a delight. I had mentioned to Henry that if I was doing this workshop, I would have all sorts of flowers to work with. At the entrance to the room was a series of tables, all with something interesting and beautiful to photograph. She had background choices, flower choices, lighting, frosted and sculpted glass, water drop setups, all beautifully arranged. When she began, I was struck by her affirmation for each of us - her "can do" attitude. Of course, she also greeted each one of us warmly before the session even started. I have noticed among the photographers their worldview tends to be infinite rather than finite. There is room for each of us to be the individuals that we are. She stressed that each of us has an artist and poet within. I loved the book she chose: The Dot by Peter Reynolds. This book will be on my Christmas and birthday list for some of my friends (even though it IS a children's book.)


I really enjoyed the opportunity to try out different techniques that I had read and heard about, but that I had not constructed the setups for. We had all afternoon to play. She and her 3 assistants went around helping us without getting in our way.






As far as equipment ideas:






The flashlights that had different colored lights were really fun to play with - I've found a likely candidate at REI.









I want to get the Canon 500D - a closeup lens to fit over my 180mm macro for even closer shots.



The Plamp I've signed up in the silent auction for one of these.

All sorts of frosted and cut glass - I'll see if Henry can help me make stands for these.

Wimberly's Flash brackets - Macro Bracket-to adjust the angle for my flash (although I wasn't pleased with my use of flash at the workshop.)

North American Nature Photographers Association Summit

Today was the first day . . . . . I went to the Macro and Creativity Workshop . . . . . Look for more details tomorrow - it was WONDERFUL!!!!!!!

Winter Solitude

We left Breckenridge on Wednesday. After staying five weeks at the condo, there was much to pack up and load back into the car. And a doctor's call sent me to his office to get my shoulder checked before we could leave - one more thing to slow us down. But we did get off - and headed toward the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Instead of taking the fast paced, stressful I-70, we headed north out of Frisco and went through Kremling - leaving the populated areas of Dillon, Silverthorne, Frisco, and Breckenridge behind. It was snowing on our first pass through Rocky Mountain National Park. The highest peaks were hiding behind snow clouds. As we headed out of the park, we passed an area where the snowmobile trail paralleled the road complete with snowmobilers sharing the road with us. We found a hotel in Grand Lake Village - a small rustic town. I almost think that at this time of year the snowmobiles outnumber the cars - as there were snowmobiles to rent EVERYWHERE. It turns out there is a large trail system in the national forest just north of town. You could probably spend days exploring all of them. Grand Lake is obviously doing well financially based upon the well kept building and upscale souvenir shots, but this is not their big season. Our first search for restaurants found many of them "closed." We settled for the restaurant across the street from our hotel, Bear's Den & Paws Pub. The trout almondine was good and we ate there a couple of times during our stay.

It was snowing when we went to bed, and I was looking forward to getting out at dawn, hoping for a colorful mountain sunrise. We got out early and were the first ones to make tracks on the snow in the park - that is, the first human tracks . . . . . Over the next few days we had a lot of fun studying the animal tracks in the snow. The west side of the park gets much more snow and moisture than the eastern side. As a result, the snows are deeper in the winter, and many of the parks animal residents either hibernate or move down below to winter. Birds were few and far between - I think I saw only three or four during the days we were there. Our most common animal siting were the moose that frequented the road.







However, there were lots of animal tracks. Snowshoe hare was the most common,















followed by the moose that crashed through the snowberms along the road.






But we also saw some smaller tracks that were harder for us to identify.




We saw one series that were most likely coyote, complete with a trail "marker".





We saw tracks that were probably weasels and squirrels. I decided that it would be fun to photograph the tracks perhaps to identify later.

While there were a few people driving through, snowshoeing, or cross country skiing, Henry and I pretty much had the park to ourselves. We could hear the wind whistling through the trees, watch the snow devils across the frozen beaver swamps, and enjoy the falling snow.

The Dipper Revisited

Visiting the different wildlife refuges, we have learned that often you will see certain birds (or other animals) at the same area each time you visit or make the "rounds." Once we found the spot in the creek where the dipper was feeding, we saw him regularly there. And of course, we kept going back both to enjoy watching him and for me to try to get that award winning photo. The weather in Breckenridge this year was cold and snowy. I kept hoping for a day that would have just the right combination of sun angle or high light clouds. I wanted photos of the dipper with enough lighting for a sharp, crisp photo and with the lighting at my back so I was not shooting into the sun and fighting the silhouette effect. I had one more chance with better lighting. I put my teleconverter on and spent probably an hour moving upstream with the dipper. While these are not "prize winning" or commercial quality shots, I am pleased, because I got a set of intimate shots of a very shy creature. Plus I got the enjoyment of watching his antics. I was so surprised to see him disappear underneath the ice at the edges of the water. I even saw him go under an ice bridge and surface on the other side. Because I spent so many days watching and observing, I feel an affinity with this individual dipper. I find myself searching other icy creek beds hoping for a glimpse of another dipper.

Four Degress (Fahrenheit) Sunrise

We've had a lot of snow over the past several weeks. I've been checking the forecast to see if it is worth while to get up at sunrise and get out. Today looks promising. I wake up around 6:00 - check the sky - I can see stars . . . . a good sign. I check the temperature - 4 degrees - that's pretty cold.

Because of my arm, Henry is going out with me - I can manipulate the camera and the smaller tripod, but if I need my big lens and heavy tripod, I need help. So we throw our clothes - tons of layers for me, not so many for Henry - he just sits in the car working on his writing. For me, one layer of thermal underwear, wool socks, one long sleeved T-shirt, wool sweater, ski pants, wool hat, fancy mittens that allow my hand to stay warm, but have my fingers available to work with the camera, and my ski jacket. I wait until the last minute to put on the sweater and coat - too hot inside otherwise. And on my shoes go my YAKTRAX - a product that I just love. It is like little chains for my shoes. I don't slip anymore!

Next decision - where to go? I head for an overlook that has been productive recently. The sun is not up yet and the clouds over the mountains show promise for a spectacular sunrise. Only issue is there are also clouds to the east that may obscure the first light.


There it is - the first light on the mountain, but it is off in the distance, not lighting the clouds I had hoped for. Too far away and not bright enough for the magic I'm hoping for. Decision time . . . Yes, I'm going to move where I can be closer to the mountain peaks that are getting the sun.




So we head over to Hoosier Pass and I am hoping to still catch that early lighting. We get as far as Quandry Peak - yes, I like that blowing snow.

With two feet of snow in just the last few days, there is a lot of powder for the wind to blow. Sun looks good on it, too.

When we get to the top of the pass, I know it is going to be a good morning. Trees laden with snow, interesting weather on the peaks, the wind whipping up the fresh powder snow. Yes, it is cold, but, oh, how exciting and rewarding.

The Dipper

Back when we were camping in our truck camper with the kids above Silverton, Colorado, we saw our first dipper.



We saw this cute bird that kept submerging himself in the icy cold, rushing waters of South Mineral Creek, jumping from rock to rock inbetween. He was easy to identify as a "dipper."

I've been trying to find good photographic spots around Breckenridge. (Yes, I know all of Breckenridge is scenic, but I've been trying to find magic, undiscovered places.)

I went up a road called Tiger Run and had found a creek that has areas with running, unfrozen water.


I'd been intrigued by the areas with running water surrounding rocks with caps of snow.



We've startled a beaver and watched him quickly dive out of site. One morning there was a mallard couple swimming and foraging. And we've consistently seen a dipper in this area.





I've had opportunites on three different days to photograph the dipper that frequents this area. None of the photos are competition quality. But I've had more fun watching. The first day he spent a lot of time running along the ice along the edge of the creek.


I had a lot of fun watching him fish one day. At the base of a beaver dam, I watched him catch a small fingerling trout. He bounced it on the ice until it quit wriggling and then swallowed it whole.


It is fun to watch him hop out of the water after he has been foraging on the bottom. Sure looks cold to me!

Today I watched him flip rocks searching for food underneath them. The fun ended when another dipper flew in. My dipper chirped and began to chase the intruder away. I saw him land some distance upstream. The visibility for viewing is not as good there. So I gave up for the day.

Because we know this dipper feeds here regularly, I will come by regularly in hopes that one day I'll get the right lighting, a good photogenic position, and perhaps even the catching of a fish! Whether I ever get an award winning photo of this cute creature, I get a lot of enjoyment spotting him and observing him.

Falling

I really love winter. I love snow and icicles and cold weather. I like walking in crunchy snow. I do NOT like walking on ice. There is a reason for this. One year when I was walking home from dinner with Thomas and Stephanie, I fell on a slippery porch on the east side of our River Mountain Condo. My head hit the brick floor with such a thud that the store worker in the stockroom came out to check on me. The kids insisted I go to the emergency room. No concussion, no problems the rest of the trip.

On another trip, Debra and I were walking in downtown Breckenridge - our last window shopping before leaving. My foot slipped out from underneath me and I landed on my back. When I got back to the condo garage, it was hurting bad enough, I started crying. Even though it was time to leave, we headed over to the emergency room. It was snowing out and I was the driver . . . .so he gave me one set of meds to take while driving and another one to take before I went to bed. By the next day it was much better.

On Thursday, we were headed over to a restaurant a couple of blocks from the condo. We've walked this stretch regularly the last few weeks. The parking lot looked like packed snow - which is pretty easy to walk in. The problem - underneath the two to three inches of snow was a layer of ice. When my foot started sliding, I tried to break my fall. But, of course, I landed flat on my back, shoulder hurting. Several people stopped to help, including a policeman. My first choice was to continue on to the restaurant, eat my lunch, and then go to the doctor.

The x-rays showed a possible tiny crack in my shoulder - the right arm just does not work very well. But at least I am not in pain, and each day it seems a little better. But, I suspect my skiing is over for this season.


Henry got me a pair of Yaktrax - like chains only for your shoes. I wore them for the first time today. Definitely better traction in the packed snow.

Do I still love a Colorado winter????? You betcha!

Catching Up

I had several things I had planned to blog over the last 3 weeks. Things have been busy . . . . . . So I am going back and posting - I should be caught up in a day or so . . . . . . So if you want to follow our adventures, take time to scroll down and catch up on the latest Melton adventures!

Christmas Day

We woke up and had another small Christmas with Evelyn and Gene. Gene is doing better - so the family has decided to let them have a chance to stay independent.

We leave Amarillo around noon on Christmas Day. We've never travelled on Christmas Day before. While there are gas stations open - restaurants were pretty much all closed. In Amarillo, the only thing open was a sitdown Sushi restaurant. Since we got off around lunchtime for our 8 hour drive to Breckenridge - we got things at the convenience gas station to get us started. The gas stop at Clayton (with so much closed, I was not taking any chances of running out of gas!) provided meaty burritos. And another convenience store in Colorado Springs provided the low carb energy bars that have been a staple on my low-carb diet.

We get to Breckenridge in time to hit another convenience store to have breakfast items - cereal, milk, juice, etc.

Because of Gene's illness, we did not know whether we would make it to Breckenridge this winter. But as we drop into Breckenridge from Hoosier Pass - it feels like we are coming home.

Christmas Eve

We arrived in Amarillo on the 23rd. When we saw Gene first thing Christmas Eve morning, we knew we were headed to the emergency room. His left eye was swollen like a tennis ball to the point he could not open it. A call to the physician on call led us to the hospital emergency room in case complicated tests were necessary.

The hospital was quiet on Christmas Eve. I went to the coffee shop to get coffee (and hot chocolate for Henry) all around while we waited for Gene to be seen. We were fortunate that the diagnosis was either an allergic reaction or the beginning of shingles. We got in early, were seen quickly, and were ready to leave by the time everyone had drunk their coffee. Definitely a blessing to get Gene back home rather than have another hospital stay at Christmas time.

Our niece, Staci, had a wonderful Christmas party for the whole family. While we have not made a practice of going to Amarillo for Christmas, there is something very special to be surrounded by loving family and friends at Christmas. I will have some good memories from this Christmas.

Christmas Cards on the Road

We only stayed in the Austin area a few days. We went by the Hubbard Museum of the American West to see my photos that made the exhibit. Then we spent four days at Bosque del Apache. We explored three other lesser known wildlife refuges in New Mexico.

But I knew that it was time to get the Christmas cards printed and delivered. I had done the preliminary designs in Amarillo. When we were in Austin we packed up the printer and the extra ink cartridges. One of the evenings at the Bosque I started printed out the cards. But, unfortunately, I ran out of a couple of colors of ink. So the next day at the mid-day break from photography we went back to Socorro where we were spending the night. We drove all around town looking for the office supply store we had located on the web. Turned out it was on the square. It was a cute little store with a little bit of everything. My printer requires 8 different colors of ink. They had two colors - not enough demand to stock all the colors. Naturally they were not the colors I needed. The other small complication in the first print run were some strange yellow spots. ARGHHH! But I did get enough printed to get one batch mailed off in Socorro.




When we drove through Albuquerque, we found the Office Depot near the interstate, and I stocked up. That night in the Comfort Inn in Las Vegas, we hauled all the stuff up the stairs to our room. And began the print process again. This time I was successful in getting all the cards printed and mailed off in Las Vegas.



And, for those that want to know, this Santa is VERY special - my kids know their daddy is the REAL Santa Claus!

A Photographer's Winter Morning

Early morning is a special time. Symbolically it is the start of a new day. While I am not a "morning" person, sunrises are worth getting up for. As a photographer, getting to your photographic spot well before dawn is important. Part of the experience is seeing the world turn from a dark, black and white place in a crescendo of brilliant colors. That first hint of glow in the east is a promise of a new beginning. And the sky joyfully gets brighter and brighter until the glory of the sun finally breaks the horizon in a golden burst.

The early morning is also a good time to view animals. We had a chance to go back to Bosque del Apache in New Mexico. In the winter months thousands of snow geese, sandhill cranes, and other water fowl migrate here to spend the winter. Arriving at the refuge before dawn allows one to experience these beautiful creatures' morning rituals.

The snow geese stay together in flocks of several thousand. They come and go in a noisy group of powerful, beating wings and loud, honking calls. This year they seemed to make one initial move before dawn filling the sky in the distance with beautiful white graceful V-shaped lines. So our first task each morning was to discover which pond they had chosen. Our first morning was the coldest, the ponds had a layer of ice. We found many of the snow geese asleep on top of the ice. The beautiful golden rays of the rising sun gave them almost a heavenly lighting. It was fun to watch them wake up, go through their morning grooming rituals, and then doze off again, floating in the water with their heads tucked under their wing.



As a photographer, I wanted to capture their incredible take off. I discovered that you do have a few moments warning. Something will startle them, they all begin honking. Sometimes it is a false alarm and they settle back in to splashing and grooming. But other times, that caucophony of sound is the signal, and they all leave the pond at once.


Each day I positioned myself in a different place to try to capture the magic of thousands of birds in close proximity taking to the air at once. I tried slow shutter speeds to catch an artistic blur and I tried faster shutter speeds to get sharp details on each bird.




The sandhill cranes have a total different morning regimen. The frantic flight of the geese leaves them undisturbed. The cranes leave for the feeding grounds in family groups of two to five. They run across the ice or water in order to gain enough momentum for flight.


There are also signs to watch for to be prepared to capture their take off. You will see a group begin to stretch their necks out together in one direction. It is almost as though they have to psyche themselves up. If you are patient and quick with your shutter finger, you can catch them in the act of running and slipping clumsily on the ice before they are finally airborne in an incredible graceful flight. Because so many congregate on the ponds, you have plenty of opportunities to practice your panning and your eye-hand coordination to capture their beauty and grace.

Independent Living

It is a natural desire to be independent. Two year olds express their indepence as they use the word "NO." High school kids can hardly wait to turn 18 - longing for indepence from their parents. They have to learn that being fully responsible for themselves can be challenging. And they make mistakes-and learn from them, and continue to grow and develop.

When people live long enough, they reach what we sometimes call the "declining years." As a culture we value independence, taking care of ourselves. Especially for people who lived through the depression years, being independent and not needing "help" is an important part of their self-esteem. But old age robs us of many dignities - and independence is one of them. Role reversal is difficult for both generations. For the aging, it is difficult to admit that you don't remember well enough, you don't see well enough, and you don't hear well enough. We have a mental image of ourselves - an idealized one - where we can do everything needed. But sometimes the reality is that age has robbed us of some abilities that we had when we were younger.

For the caregiving generation, it is difficult to know how to handle some things. My mother-in-law, Evelyn, so much wants to be able to do everything herself. And she has always been a capable, hard working individual. But at this period, she is up several times during the night with Gene. It is hard for her to remember all the things that are on the caregiving schedule for Gene. And the schedule is complex - first thing in the morning, blood sugar reading, one pill before breakfast, breakfast, 9 more pills, using the vital signs monitor, something that resembles a bath, shaving, lunch, mid-afternoon pill, supper, after supper pills. Not to mention, getting shoes on his feet, foot massages, keeping the feet propped up, therapeutic exercise, deep breathing, monitoring the fluids he gets during the day, and following a diet restricted by so many physical problems.

My quandry today is how much should I just do the things to keep things optimal for Gene's possible recovery and how much should I step back and see how much Evelyn is actually capable of doing. Are my assumptions incorrect, can she really do more than I think? (They did better using the monitor this morning than I expected - I left them alone to see what would happen.) If I let her do all of it for several days, will she get too tired? I truly don't want to hinder her ability to care for herself in the long run, and yet, I know that the physical care for Gene at this point has the potential to ruin the good health she has now. It would be easier if they were not fretting because they feel like they are imposing on us. It would be easier if they had had more realistic goals concerning their old age. They truly intended to take care of themselves until the very end in their own home without involving their children in their care. A noble goal, but very few people are lucky enough to achieve that.

How do you communicate these issues, how do you help them understand that this is the natural cycle of life, how do you help them come to terms and be fully at peace?

While I was beginning this entry, Evelyn came in. I had a chance (once again) to try to talk with her about some of these issues. We both had tears in our eyes.

Routine

Well, we've been here in Amarillo 3 1/2 weeks now. We've settled into a routine that seems to be working. I'm trying to do three meals a day with fresh fruits and vegetables. So far I've been pretty good about sticking with my diet (except for Thanksgiving Day). I weighed at Curves last week and it looks like I've lost 5 lbs since I got here.

I have always believed that every age has its challenges. I remember when my kids were babies - and everyone thinks babies have it so easy - because everything is taken care of for them. But some of my friend's babies had colic - that is NOT easy. Infants get sick and can not tell you where it hurts. Teething is painful and makes them fretful. Learning to walk is also a challlenge- toddlers fall down many times before they get the hang of walking. The twos and fours are times of learning to assert oneself and still learn the discipline of obedience. The school years bring the joys of friendship and the pain of rejection. My kids are now in their young adult years where they are establishing their own patterns for living - which is another set of challenges.

Here with Evelyn and Gene, I'm getting to watch again the frustrations of aging. The other day Gene told me he had some advice for me: "Don't let yourself get old." While we laughed together, the sad reality is that if we are fortunate to live long enough - we WILL get old. There are things we can do along the way to take care of ourselves - like we maintain our cars - diet, exercise, mental exhertion. But there are so many other factors we have no control over - our genetics, accidents, the illnesses we have- that make each person's old age different. My inlaws were active people - when they first bought the lake house, they had a big garden, they took the boat out on the lake, they walked to and from my sister-in-law's house. But with each passing year, activities began to slow down. They walk slower, they don't try to do as much. It is a gradual process.

How will I fare in old age? I'm already telling my daughter some things for her to remember when I get there. I hope that I can maintain a good attitude, minimize the complaining, and be cooperative with what my children think. My inlaws have set a good example - they face each day and take them as they come.

We are in good spirits for the most part. Right now Gene seems to have a good day and then the next day he doesn't seem as well, and then he'll have another good day. Today started out as a "bad" day because he fretted about something over night and did not get much sleep. However, this evening he surprised us big time by coming out on his own to the den where Henry and I were. He spent 30-45 minutes visiting with us out there. He was not even huffing and puffing when he got there. Definitely a count your blessings moment.

Thanksgiving

I was planning to spend one of the holidays with Henry's family this year - we've always lived far enough away that getting back to Amarillo was difficult. We had the largest gathering of family in a long time, and it was a sweet day. But also bittersweet, because Henry's dad was too sick to come. We have a wonderful family photo, but we were missing two . . . . Henry and his dad. I've thought about using my photoshop skills to take a photo of Gene at the house and try to work it into the shot. And I had meant to take a photo of Henry after he got over to our niece's house - so the lighting and background would be easy. But it has been a difficult choice - do I really want to take photos of Gene at this final stage of his life? Do I really want photos to remind us of how weak and feeble he has become.

And yet, when some of us gathered at the house with Gene Thanksgiving evening, I took photos. He's had time with these grandchildren- and he's had time recently with all of his children. As photographer, I have helped document the memories of these last times with Gene. I look at him and find myself being grateful for these last minutes in his presence. I have been grateful that I've had opportunity to try to make him physically comfortable.

Today I also got to spend time with Debra and her fiance, Jonathan. After the week in the hospital and the worry over how to best care for Gene, it was a pleasure to share memories of places we shared with my mom. Thankfully, Jonathan was patient. My mom would have been especially pleased at how much he enjoyed the trip to the ranch and some of the strange plants that grow there. Because I drove, Jonathan and Debra sat in the back - leaving the front passenger seat empty. How fanciful of me to think how appropriate that was - as that is where my mom would have been sitting. Surely some part of her joined us today - as Debra relived things we did with her grandmother. Even if only in our memories.

Life Musings

Henry's dad, Gene, is in the hospital right now. At 85 (almost 86), things can happen very quickly. While he had slowed down a lot over the last couple of years - he and Evelyn have been able to stay in their home, drive to church on Sundays, and maintain independent living. Three weeks ago, Gene was in the hospital for gall bladder and pancreas issues. Saturday he was admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit. We have both heart issues and kidney issues at this point. Most of our news has not been good. But as I have encouraged others to do: I want to list the things I am grateful for.

1. We have excellent doctors - we have confidence that they are competent and that they are trying to do everything that they can for Gene.

2. The nursing staff have been helpful, friendly, and are taking very good care of Gene.

3. Debra encouraged me to get started with Curves and work on my weight this year. I have the energy to do the things I need to do here.

4. Our preacher, Roger, sent me an email yesterday - his prayer: the perfect will of God for Gene. What more could I ask of God, but for his perfect, wise divine plan for Gene to unfold?

5. Gene was alert and much like his old self tonight. I even got him to crack a smile and chuckle a couple of times.

Life is uncertain - we will enjoy the time we are getting to spend with the family up here - and we will be grateful for the days that we can talk with Gene and spend time with him.

Lost Maples - Day Two

While the morning started out cloudy, I was quite pleased because I have learned that the filtered light provides more even lighting for foliage. You have to frame your shot without the sky, but with the magic of photoshop the colors come out much better without the sun washing them out or creating deep shadows.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be posting some of my shots from this trip on my website:
Lost Maples Photos

For several reasons, I've been doing a lot of self-portraits lately. For one thing, I am trying to explore the income possibilities of stock photography. I need to improve my skills in photographing people. Things I learn in taking my portraits and the post processing will help me with other projects. For another, I am the one model who is always available (ha! ha!) Since I have lost so much weight, the Curves people have been asking for a photo - and I wanted a good one for them. Getting back to the stock photography - they seem to want "real" people - so since I am a "real" person - some of the shots I am doing will get sent to Alamy Images. We'll see if any of them sell.

Lost Maples

Living in the Austin area, I miss some of the brilliant colors that I remember from fall in Amarillo. In the Austin area, the fall colors are muted. There is yellow-brown, red-brown, brown . . . . . . My tallow trees (not native) have a pretty yellow and pink color. And the china-berry trees also are yellow.

While I had visited Lost Maples before, we had never gone in the fall. The color comes and goes quickly. While the kids were in school, there were too many activities going on to take off to see the maples here. But this year was my opportunity. I had been told that around Halloween is the peak time. When I first called to get reservations (November 1st), the park told me that the trees were still green - next week would be better. When I called the state office to make reservations, they said the 7th and 8th was too early - it would be another week (and no there were no available reservations THAT week). So I decided to go ahead and come this week. The reports said there was color in the canyons. I was planning to take the long hikes - so surely I would find some nice locations for fall photographs.

As we drove into the park, the first things I saw were the young maples around the visitor center in full color. Ahhh - fall color. I was able to extend our initial reservation through Thursday - so we were set.


The first afternoon, I took part of the Maple Trail. This trail follows the creek and comes back through the maple grove. I chose to stay along the creek both directions looking for reflective shots in the afternoon sunlight.

Wednesday

As I started my drive today, I could see some blue sky peeking out from behind the clouds. I started my drive going down the Hudson River on the east bank. As I began to see the Catskill Mountains, they "called" to me. So as the sky was definitely clearing, I crossed the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and headed into the Catskill Park. As my elevation changed - so did my weather. I went from fall - to snow covered winter scenes-and then back to fall. My focus for the day seemed to be to find waterfalls and streams surrounded by fall foliage.

It was a good day.

New York

I woke up to rain this morning. Not unexpected, but still disappointing. Since taking photographs in rain is not a lot of fun, I decided to explore some new territory. I headed west into New York State. I crossed over the bridge at the far south end of Lake Champlain. The mountain on the west was beautifully colored -well worth coming back for on another trip in better weather. I drove north following the shoreline. I then headed into the Adirondack Mountains. As I went up in elevation, the rain turned to snow. I got a few winter pictures, but I was not really dressed for snow. While my suitcase was heavy, I really had packed light planning to layer. I was thinking fall, not blizzard. I drove through the Lake Placid area - seeing the ski jump site and some of the other Olympic facilities.



But hours driving in snow without my four wheel drive vehicle (think security blanket) left me a little tense. I made my mental plans to stop when it got dark. I made it to Utica just after dark.

Vermont

While it seems a little strange to be in New England struggling with weather issues from a hurricane in Florida, such is life. I will be trying to find fall color until Thursday when I will fly back to Texas to attend a friend's wedding. Naturally the weather forecast all week is rain, snow, clouds, more rain. I am used to this. After all, while only the STRONGEST winter storms bring rain to Death Valley, it has rained on me every time I've been there!

I got up this morning to a gray sky. I took the time to rearrange my baggage so that each night I would only carry in small needed items - NOT the big bulky suitcase. I got all my camera gear out in easy reach in the car and cleaned the sensor and the lens I use most frequently. I had picked up some information yesterday at the Vermont Visitor's Center. After checking out the routes that still had color as of October 20, I headed north up highway 5 following the Connecticutt River.


I saw a side road marked "Old Connecticutt River Road" and took it. There was some lovely foliage with reflections on the smoothly moving water.











Closer to Windsor, I found a waterfall just begging me to photograph it. While I shot it from a couple of angles, looking at the shots closer tonight, I wish I HAD stood in the middle of the road . . . . On the other hand, from the middle of the road, you did not see the bottom of the waterfall. I DID want the fall foliage as part of the shot, but my nit with my favorite shot is that one of the branches crosses the waterfall. I have some new techniques to try on some of these shots, but for now I am posting my initial processing.

I followed the route listed in the brochure most of the day. After turning on Highway 4, I plotted the route again. The recommended route turned south on 100A. I had no need to make a loop and staying on 4/100 seemed to follow the river. I took another turn on some side roads and was rewarded with some shots that may work out. I had seen Texas falls on the map. I could not remember if Henry and I had been there, so I headed in that direction. Highway 125 is marked as scenic. I definitely agree, a narrow curving road through the mountains. While I got to Texas Falls while there was still light, I chose to enjoy them and not fight the fading light. But I also chose to spend the night nearby in hopes that the sky will be brighter in the morning.

I found my motel and my dinner at the next town. I've caught up with my blog and I'm hoping for clouds with only a little rain (I CAN hope, can't I?). I'm going to study the map a little more to choose a general route for tomorrow.

After the Convention - Heading for Adventure

After the Alamy meeting on Saturday, I walked around the Time Square area. Every other trip to New York, I have attended a Broadway show. I walked the theater district, but I did not find anything that jumped out at me. While I would like to see Brooke Shields, she is appearing in the musical "Chicago." I have seen the Broadway play once as well as the movie. Since I really don't like the premise, I was not tempted. I chose to eat at a French restaurant I had passed. Then I headed back to the hotel to finish the Photography blogs.

I tried to find a way to rent a car from the city to start my explorations. When the first car rental place said no to dropping the car off elsewhere, I was tired enough that the train ride to Connecticutt sounded like the best option. Sunday morning was the dreaded "moving day." I repacked my belongings - how did it get so heavy . . . . . . I must be more tired than I thought. Fortunately, Penn Station was one block away - two blocks to get to the entrance I thought was the right one. Stairs . . . . . I made it up stairs with those same belongings several days ago. As I stood there pondering whether to walk around to another entrance, a kind gentleman said, "May I help you?" With a sigh, I said yes and watched him walk those heavy bags down the steps. I got my ticket purchased and did not have long to wait. Down the escalators with those big bulky bags . . . . .Finally, on the train - one bag stored by the door, the other two in the overhead shelf. AHHHHHH. I pulled out the items I thought I would use - my Bible, my journal, my computer, my ipod . . . . About an hour down later, I realized that all I really needed was the IPOD. The station stops were short - so I loaded everything else back - so I could get off fairly quickly.

After the stop where they switched to a diesel engine (from the electric one I presume), I decided that lunch might be a good idea. I negotiated my way to the dining car (which was at the back of train.) While it was just a simple heated chicken sandwich, it tasted mighty good. At last we got to Hartford, where to my dismay it was down the stairs with the big suitcase to get off the train. The conductor was offering to help people . . . .sigh . . . . the big bag DID get off the train with me. From there it was not difficult to get to the taxi and then off to Bradley to get a rental car. My taxi driver was one of the most talkative ones I've ever had. He was from Africa and loves being in the States because we are free. He dropped me off at Budget. I asked for four wheel drive - they gave me a Trailblazer much like my trailblazer at home - complete with a Texas tag! Later in the afternoon, I realized that while it is a SUV, it is NOT four wheel drive. There is snow on the ground at the higher elevations in Vermont. But at least I have the ground clearance and the confidence to take this vehicle on dirt roads that I would not have wanted to take a car on.

I drove north through Massachusetts, enjoying the fall colors around me. I headed west in Vermont on highway 9. I immediately head out on those little dirt roads hoping for some little streams. All I found the first day was some very pretty foliage next to the road. I kept taking little roads - and finding myself looping. As it got dark, I headed back to Brattleboro for supper and a Motel 6.

A Victory for Me

This is the third year I have submitted photos to the Hubbard Museum of the American West's Photo Exhibit. Last year I had two photos that made the exhibit. I received a letter today that notified me that four of my images made it this year!

While these are "baby steps" in the process of trying establish a career as a photographer, I am very grateful that my work will be displayed. It is a beautiful museum and the photos last year were outstanding. I am also eager to learn which photos were chosen. Hummmmm . . . when I can make it to Ruiodoso to see the exhibit?