La Piedra Beach

Malibu has three "hidden" beaches. They are hidden because the PCH goes above the cliff rather than at ocean level here. While there are road signs marking the entrance, you really cant' see the beauty from the road. These small scenic beaches are part of California's state park system. And there are "trails" that lead from the top of the cliff down to the bottom. The largest is El Matador Beach . The path is steep but there are several long sets of stairs that make it relatively easy to get down to the ocean level.

El Pescador has two trails leading to it - one is very manicured and smooth, I suspect it goes up to one of the exclusive houses at the top of the cliff. The other has some "steps" created by landscaping timbers and sand, uneven, but helpful in getting to the beach. I went down there one day this week. There was a family having a picnic at one of the spots I was hoping for. But I moved further down the beach. I spent some time here last summer and was hoping to recreate some shots I took with the water rushing around the rocks. Naturally, I was hoping to improve both with my better camera and the knowledge of what I should have done better last year. A lone surfer came out to catch the last waves of the day.


La Piedra is the middle beach. I first visited La Piedra in November 04. I went by myself with the jeep. I don't think I was actually on the main trail at first, because it was very steep and not well marked. But I slid my way along. As I got closer to the beach I remember using the sit method where I sit on a rock and slide my feet down rather than trying to use it as a "step."

The tide was out revealing kelp filled tide pools. I waded out carefully and took my shots. There was another photographer. When darkness fell, I asked him if he would hang around until I made it up. He was gracious and stayed behind me all the way up. I'm sure I slowed him down because I was heavier then and out of shape. I could make it up, but I had to stop and catch my breath. He waited patiently. I was grateful because if I had fallen or slipped, there was someone who could call 911.

This year I wanted to go back again. Henry came with me, but stayed at the jeep working on his writing. I tried to make sure I was going down the main pathway. The path is narrow and steep. Small lizards would scamper into the waist high vegetation lining the path. One seemed curious and stayed to watch me pass. The rains over the last few years have eroded the path creating a small 8-12 inch gully in the middle. In one area they have tried to stem this erosion by placing leaves and branches. I was not too sure about walking on it, but I made my way carefully through and kept on going down.

I must confess that I am much more confident going uphill. Yes, I get winded going uphill, but I trust my footing better. Goind downhill, I fight several fears: Perhaps I will fall forward tumbling out of control down the trail. My foot might slide out from underneath me - either causing an abrupt and painful seating or an unplanned gymnastic split. (And I was NEVER good at doing the splits.) So while I do not let this fear keep me from steep trails, I work my way slowly and painstakingly to reach my destination. It always takes me a long time to get to the bottom.

Despite my struggles going downhill, it was a pleasant hike - the canyon is pretty, the sea was a beautiful blue ahead of me, and I could hear the roar ofthe surf. But when I reached the beach area, the surf was coming all the way to the cliff. What beach????? As I surveyed the scene, I noted the huge swarm of flies feeding on a dark blob on the rock. There was no safe place to stand at water level. No way to get down between arrival of the waves at the base of the rocks where I was standing. Even if I could get down to the beach level, there were only a few areas where the surf did not reach. To add to the danger was a huge tree complete with branches being tossed to and fro in the surf. It was slowly working its way in my direction. Hum . . . . I felt dismay. The only place to be was to sit on these stairlike rocks among the thousands of flies. This long, treacherous walk seemed pointless. But, now that I was here, I was determined to see what I could get. I found a place to sit on a narrow ledge of rock. I set up my tripod - all the legs were at a different length on different rocks. Fortunately, the flies were more interested in the food on the rock near me (whatever it was) rather than me. Only the largest waves or a few of my movements caused them to swarm. The waves lapped at the rocks two feet below my feet. Most of the time I was high enough to stay dry. A couple of large waves sprayed me lightly over the course of the evening.

I found myself glad to be down here, enjoying the roar of the surf and the loud crackling as the water rushed over the rocks on its way back to the sea. A unique sound, rather hollow, snapping, popping, roar as the water rushes around the individual rocks forcing its way down the slope in a glorious rip tide. Rejecting the temptation to just give up and go back to the car, I started trying to find my photos.



Certainly, the water was dancing over the rocks. I tried to capture that motion as a silky smooth blur leaving the rocks sharp, but defining the motion and current of the waves. I tried to capture the roar of water over those rocks. I felt that the large tree was a distraction to the beauty of the coast on my left (although in retrospect, I should have photographed it as a curiosity). The panoramic landscapes did not seem to be artistic enough. But the movement of the water around the rocks - yes that was where the art would be found if at all this night.

As I began to shoot, I quickly realized I was making my usual "mistakes." Getting the proper exposure is always a challenge to me. For shooting water, I set the aperture and try to guess where I want the meter to read to set the shutterspeed.Even with these "auto-like" settings, I am adjusting the dials for either more or less exposure depending on the situation. Areas with a lot of white need greater exposure because the brightness "tricks" the meter into under exposing. Black or dark objects need less. I set the aperture small to get a deep depth of field. That will naturally slow the shutterspeed to get the blurring of the water that is a popular photographic style right now. Common wisdom says to shoot as bright as possible without blowing the highlights. Easier said than done. And, even when successful, it seems that those shots look over exposed to me. Plus, when shooting either aperture priority or shutter priority, a slight variation as to which spot is metered will produce dramatically different results. I do check the histograms regularly, but I often find that I've just shot a sequence of shots that might have been usuable if the exposure had been better. Fortunately, RAW processing saves some of those shots for me.


By the time I've shot my five 1-gig cards, the sun is down and it is truly time to go back. It is easier going back up, but I still found myself scrambling up a few of the steeper rock areas. A few stops to catch my breath and I am finally up at the top, very tired. Looking through the shots in the back of the camera (chimping) leaves me thinking I sure did not get much tonight.

Back at the RV and in front of the computer, I realize that I did get some interesting shots tonight. Prize winning . . . way too soon to tell. In this part of a trip, I'm taking photos faster than I can process them to see what the final result will be. I'm way too tired and sore tonight to fully appreciate anything. But I can go to bed knowing that at least a few of them show promise.

Mission Accomplished

I've done it . . . . I've submitted my proposal to Evangelical Christian Publisher's Association's First Edition Manuscript Service . I first started preparing this proposal last June. Life events - spending time with Debra in California before she moved home, Thomas' house fire, Gene's illness, photography events as well as ordinary life chores kept my attention pulled away from my writing projects. For my next book, I must manage to get it written and submitted over a much shorter span of time.

But, today, I am rejoicing. I have completed the proposal. It takes the payment about a week to process. But, at that point, it will be up to God to provide a publisher. I ask those of you who read my blog to lift your voice with mine in prayer for this project. My hope is that this book with be an encouragement for people who are going through difficult times in their lives. For that to happen, it must get published.

So . . . . it is now in God's hands.

Emotional Responses

Malibu is another area that has the feel of home for me. I was looking forward to visiting my favorite places in this area. So I was totally unprepared to get hit emotionally as we hit the PCH at Santa Monica. Debra lived out here for three years. I had so much fun as she called me to check on how soon we would arrive, as she showed me her favorite places, and as we did fun things together. While I know God's plan for her is back in Texas with Jonathan, there was a missing person out here. I found myself remembering picking her up at a bus stop just outside Pepperdine, the visits to the English tea room, the walks at Michael Landon park . . . . . good times, sad times . . . . . I was not expecting to tear up as we drove into Malibu.

Life on the Road

Well, it has been a busy week. We left home a week ago. Mundane life things must go on. I balanced checkbooks and paid monthly bills while on the road. That task will need to be done again in a few days - as I was behind schedule due to the wedding and other activities.

I was pleased that I had an opportunity to stop in at the Tucson Mountain Park and continue my water fountain series there. I got a new set of species and their behavior at the water fountain. I also was able to get some shots that the editor at BIrder's World was interested in - the view of the water fountain and its surroundings. On my to do list is to send an updated submission to him. Driving into the Gilbert Ray campground had the feel of coming "home." I felt energized and alive. I have many places that feel like home to me!

In San Diego we stayed at a campground near the wedding site. It was a large campground located right on Mission Bay. We chose a simple site with just water and electricity - so we were out in the back forty so to speak. Martha and I visited the "beach" there a couple of times and enjoyed the pool and hot tub. A visit to the mall provided a dress for me to wear to the wedding.

Our nephew, Jon Melton, had a beautiful wedding. There is a conference center at the marina with many rooms and outdoor areas perfect for weddings. Later in the evening I talked with an employee there - turns out there were ten weddings that day - several going on in different areas at the same time as the one we were attending. It is fun to watch a bride and groom enjoy their wedding.

We joined Roger and Linda for services at the Seminole Church of Christ near the university. We had called our great nephew, Blake, a Marine stationed at Camp Pembleton in hopes of getting together with him. He joined us for a nice family gathering with Roger, Linda, Jaycob, Martha, Henry and I at a restaurant near the marina. It was good to see him well and safe after his two tours in Iraq.

Then it was time to pack up and head to the Los Angeles area to visit more with our nephew David.

The Difficult First Step

In addition to regular reading from my "One Year Bible", I've been reading Grace Notes by Alexandra Stoddard. The June 12th reading from Grace Notes really hit home with me.

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Excerpt from "Grace Notes"

" Ah, but in such matters, it is only the first step that is difficult." Madame du Deffand

Perfectionists have the hardest time with beginings because they are waiting for the perfect moment, which never comes. Hours, days, weeks, and years slip by. Realize that the best time is when you take that first step. Take courage.

The first step has already been taken because you have gathered information and materials. Kandinsky didn't like to face a blank canvas so he put a little dot on the top and then relaxed and began to paint. Where are you going to put your symbolic dot today and take that first step.

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I have a written manuscript for a Christian Bible study for women. I started this book and wrote most of it four years ago. Granted it took several months to do the bulk of the writing. I printed review copies and circulated them among women I respect. Then I reworked the entire book. Last year I removed one chapter and added a new one. I lack very little to have a completed, polished book. Last summer I even began a proposal to submit to First Edition Manuscript Service. I completed all but one portion of the proposal. But "life" kept getting in the way. It seems as though everytime I get close to completing this work - other less important, but more urgent things steal my time. But wanting to submit a "perfect", saleable book also weighs on my mind.

My reading from "Grace Notes" is an encouragement to just call my book "finished." Yesterday I worked on the last portion of the proposal. Today mundane things (like broken gray water tanks, checkbooks that needed balancing so I could pay the monthly bills, and a one night stay at one of my favorite desert campgrounds) kept me away from that completion.

But I need to look at that Grace Note page everyday until I get my book proposal submitted. Alexandra Stoddard's theme definitely hit home to me. If I wait for a perfect product, I'll never reach my goal. I need to take the next step - submission for publication. But if God really wants this book published (and I have faith that this is the case) - my job is to write the book and submit it - His job is to send a publisher so other people can read it.

Our First Adventure

Well . . . . we have a history of "adventures." I really was not expecting this trip to be an exception.

Just outside the city limits of Odessa, we heard a loud pop, and then the unmistakable sound of tread thumping against the underside of the RV. By the time we pulled over, the thumping had stopped. A perusal of the tires did not reveal a problem. So . . . . we moved up a little - and after a few seconds the thumping started again. This inspection revealed a tire stripped of its thread. However, it was one of a pair of tires on each back axle - on the inside . . . . Now, if one must lose a tire - how much more best case can you get -a redundant tire, total control of the car, and the capability to drive yourself to get it changed. The later is important as it is not recommended to change RV tires yourself.

We pulled out our handy dandy internet capable cell phones and looked up the location of truck tire places in Odessa. But we saw a Western Auto in route. Now I have not seen many Western Auto stores recently. This one looked like it had big truck bays. I went in. The store was pretty empty. Two men were behind the counter. I go over, tell them about our blown tire, and ask if they have RV truck tires. They ask me what size. Now that is a reasonable question . . . . and yes, I probably should have looked at the tire size BEFORE I went into the store. But in my experience, at tire stores, they usually come out and check out the tire and "wait" on you. Now, because I know that the founder of Western Auto is also the founder of Pepperdine Univeristy, part of me wanted to buy my tires there. But part of me deplores the disappearance of sales people that are helpful. We ended up buying six tires - six truck tires. But not at Western Auto.

At the next place, they were more than willing to wait on us, noticing immediately that our front tire had a major crack (reinforcing my belief that all tires should be replaced.) However, they only had five tires . . . .

Third stop, the one I had originally chosen from the Yahoo yellow pages, had six matching tires, cheerfully waited on us, and we are now on our way.

However, this story would be incomplete without a mention of God's provision and protection here. The blowout occurred within a few miles of where the tires could be purchased. We were able to drive to get the tires replaced rather than calling AAA. But first and foremost, it was the rear tire that blew - not the front tire. We thought back to when we had last purchased tires - turns out it was almost four years ago, and probably 40,000 to 50,000 miles back. Whiile the tread on the tires was still good, RV tires age. I feel very protected, and very grateful that we did not have the tire problems while crossing the vast areas of West Texas where there are not tire stores nearby and where we did not have to wait for the AAA tow truck people to come and rescue us. And we did not have a tire failure accident losing control of our vehicle.

Yes . . . God IS good!

On the road again!

Well - we did it - we got off this afternoon.

If someone were watching us - it would be a comedic site - here am I lugging out all this stuff . . . . . papers to file, boxes with files in them, camera gear (TONS of camera gear), clothing, towels, shoes (I must be insane - I brought most of my shoes - but couldn't find my newest pair) , computer equipment, photography DVD's . . . . did I say the kitchen sink - no . . . we already have one of those in the RV! I must have told Henry three or four times - well I've got it all - then to remember something else I wanted to bring.

And then . . . . there are the instructions for whoever is house sitting - this time Jonathan and Debra . . . . I haven't emailed them . . . yet.

But, I did get my last swim, hot tub, swim again, before showering and getting on the road. And one of the nice things . . . once we actually drive off, and get on the highway - I can relax. If I forgot something truly major - I can either buy it . . . or get the kids to ship it. We're off on a new adventure . . . . and I am ready for it.

California - here we come!

On the road again!

Well - we did it - we got off this afternoon.

If someone were watching us - it would be a comedic site - here am I lugging out all this stuff . . . . . papers to file, boxes with files in them, camera gear (TONS of camera gear), clothing, towels, shoes (I must be insane - I brought most of my shoes - but couldn't find my newest pair) , computer equipment, photography DVD's . . . . did I say the kitchen sink - no . . . we already have one of those in the RV! I must have told Henry three or four times - well I've got it all - then to remember something else I wanted to bring.

And then . . . . there are the instructions for whoever is house sitting - this time Jonathan and Debra . . . . I haven't emailed them . . . yet.

But, I did get my last swim, hot tub, swim again, before showering and getting on the road. And one of the nice things . . . once we actually drive off, and get on the highway - I can relax. If I forgot something truly major - I can either buy it . . . or get the kids to ship it. We're off on a new adventure . . . . and I am ready for it.

California - here we come!

Getting off!

Today is the day we need to leave on our California trip. My sister in law is going with us. I told her yesterday that getting off on a trip with the Meltons is a little chaotic. Needing that rest time has left me with many things that need to be done before we can pull out of the driveway. Some of them I will take with me, but that requires making sure I have everything. Today will be a rush around day. I have to call the air conditioner repair people because (of course it would happen right now) the air conditioner is creating a pond in my hallway. My son in law has agreed to be on hand if they can't get out today - thank goodness his job is flexible! I'm leaving a couple of other tasks for them regarding their horse. I did most of the laundry yesterday (including those extra towels used to soak up water in the hallway).

The nice thing about getting off on a trip - I usually get the adrenalin and motivation to get some things done that have been put off because other events had priority. If we truly get off today, I will need to let some of those "urgent" things wait till we get home next month.

As per my pattern, I woke up early today, knowing how much I need to get done before we leave.

With a couple of exceptions, we do always get off. Poor Henry - he is ALWAYS ready to go before I get my stuff done. I'm glad he is a patient man who has learned to go with the flow.

The Tortoise and the Hare

I really enjoyed the wedding - it was a happy, happy day. The first few days after the wedding were some finishing up things - returning tuxedo's, picking up Jonathan's truck, getting to see the wedding photos, etc. But I was definitely tired, happily tired, but tired - both mentally and physically.

I had a week between the wedding and Girl Scout Day Camp. The weekend before the wedding I got a call from Vicky. Her craft person had bailed on her two weeks before camp. Since I had been the director of that camp, I knew how vital it is to have sufficient adults. Both the state health department and the Girl Scouts require a ratio of adults to kids. Plus crafts are usually labor intensive - it was a week that I was "available" - so I said yes. (However, since I was asked before the wedding - I put in the proviso that all I could do was to show up - none of the shopping, etc) This year the craft adult had it easy - I had a wonderful older girl worker - all I had to do was sit back and watch her do the work. The crafts were simple - and I really enjoyed seeing the camp continue. I got to meet the new Membership Development Executive for the area - and I have to say she is wonderful - she also worked the entire week of camp. The downside - it was the hottest week of the year - temperature over 100. All but one day I came home wiped out, crashing to a sound sleep.

I learned several years ago that I am likely an adult with attention deficit disorder. I question the use of the word disorder here, because I find that it gives me many advantages. I have a high native energy (even at 54), I am great at multi tasking, and when the energy level is at its peak, I can get a lot of stuff done. I find adrenalin to be a good thing - most of the time. However, it makes certain kinds of organization much more difficult.

I have also figured out that there is more to that tortoise and hare story than the moral implies - you know - the slow but sure wins the race part. I have learned that there are really two (probably more than two) types of people - the tortoises and the hares. The tortoises are very good at planning things ahead and they slowly but surely and steadily accomplish what they need to do. The hares are good at planning things at the last minute, working on five major projects at one time, and are likely to procrastinate. I find that I am a hare - and in learning to work within that framework - I find that I am glad to be a hare. The years that I was camp director at Day Camp - I could pull it off whether I had enough worker bees or not. A friend of mine and I pulled off a women's retreat with about 6 weeks of planning and work. There ARE advantages in being the hare.

However, the down side - after a big event with lots of energy and effort, the hare must rest. And resting does NOT feel productive - it is depressive. But with God's help, I have learned to ride the tides of high energy efforts and the rest needed afterward. I can truly say - it is OK to be the hare. My moral to the time honored fable - know yourself, figure out if you are the tortoise or the hare - and work within your own personality type to accomplish the tasks God sets before you.

Today's the day!

Today is a special day for us. We add a new member to our family officially today. He is has already found his way into our hearts - he loves our daughter. It has been such a joy to watch a courtship where God is at the center. Our home has been filled with laughter and kisses.

Most of the work of the preparation for the wedding is done - hopefully all the last minute details have been accounted for and covered. God has kept sending me workers for the final step of getting the site ready for the wedding - getting the tables and chairs arranged and decorated, picking up the food and flowers, the last minute shopping.

Debra's Pepperdine friend, Mary, has been so helpful. She has worked ever so hard with the last minute preparations. She even stayed up last night to keep me awake as I finished the alterations on one of the bridesmaid's dresses.

While I have definitely gotten tired over the last couple of days - it has been a happy, excited kind of tired. God has brought two very special people together to create a new family.

My only prayer request for today - let all of the wedding party get sufficient rest and relaxation today - we are all tired.

Friendship

One of Debra's Pepperdine friends flew in from California. She'll be with us this week. So great at organization and helping us make lists of the remaining things (adding things I had not thought of.) I picked her up around 2:30 - and we had a lot of fun running errands.

As the RSVP's have come in- we are looking forward to seeing and visiting with good friends as we celebrate the wedding.

I'm hanging in there, but I can tell I'm getting a little tireder each day. The days are accelerating rapidly. The wedding will truly be here before we know it. But it WILL be a happy, special day.

Of quiet time and bird nests

For several years now, I like to get a cup of tea or coffee and sit on my front porch in the mornings. I take my One Year Bible and other inspirational books and try to find something that speaks to me today. Something that will encourage me, inspire me, or help me thank God and praise Him. It always amazes me when my reading material matches what is going on in my own life - as though God is finding this avenue to speak to me personally.

I've also been feeding birds. So I get to watch a progression of different species come to the hanging feeders and the ground feeders. Watching the birds and their behaviours and interactions is also encouraging and restful for me.

I also have roses next to my porch. I pruned them back this year. A few days ago, I noticed that I had a bird's nest in the rose bush right in front of my chair. I had been hearing a bird tweeting - now I know - it is mother cardinal wanting back on her nest. There are four beautiful eggs in that nest.

I guess I'll need to move to the back porch for awhile. I want to get to see those precious babies.

Wedding Excitement

This is a fun part of life - getting ready for a wedding for such a happy young couple. If I am lucky, I just finished addressing invitations. The flowers are ordered, the cakes are taken care of, the guys have been measured for their tuxes, the bridesmaids have their dresses, I have my mother-of-the bride dress, the simple food has been ordered, the bubbles have been bought, the napkins are here, the table decorations are planned. . . . I'm still working on music. And I still need to finish the alterations on Debra's gown and one of the bridesmaid's dresses.

Debra wants me to go the the spa with her the day of the wedding - so . . . . . my plan is to have most of my preparations done by Wednesday. Leaving the major tasks Thursday - picking up the flowers and the food and decorating. For my own wedding, I had gotten everything either done or delegated - so my wedding day was pretty calm. Hope it works that way this time!

Random Musings

It has been awhile since I have posted to my blog. Things have gotten very busy. We were in Amarillo to help with Evelyn's cataract surgeries. I had some opportunities to do some photography over at Lake Meredith and the Canadian River area. I was hoping to do wildflower shots on the way home . . . . but rain in Central Texas must have been spotty. Normally Willow City Loop is full of flowers . . . . this year there were hardly any - and I mean practically void of flowers and even the grass was pretty well eaten by the livestock. I was tired and there were storms coming in - so we came on in.

The next week, I got the "public" areas of my house back in shape. And . . . . . . Debra and Jonathan set their wedding date . . . . . . things are now super busy. But God has been good - I've found a lovely location for the wedding, Debra is going with my design for the invitations - and I am pleased with the end result, and I'm getting things done each day.

But . . . my photography and my blogging have had to take a back seat until we get more of the wedding preparations done. I have missed two opportunities this year. I have two more that I need to send in soon if I'm going to send them this year. Maybe tomorrow I'll have window to put together two quick submissions. But one of my victories today - I designed Debra's thank you cards to match the invitations. I have finally learned how to size and place them on the page and have them print correctly first try!!!!!!!!! And they fit properly in their envelope!!!!!!! And I now know where to get various sized envelopes - even in colors - locally!!!!!!! That means that perhaps I can put together some greeting cards to take to area businesses.

But for now - tomorrow's task - finish getting the wedding invitations out.

Wildfire!

In the news the last month has been the grassfires in the Texas Panhandle. Conditions are just right for this kind of natural disaster - a naturally dry region, prolonged drought, and warmer than average temperatures, and naturally high winds. The count now is over one million acres scorched.

When we were in Amarillo a couple of weeks ago, we drove by the worst hit areas north of I-40 around McLean. Since we were in the RV, we did not try to stop and do photos. Since I knew we were coming back for the next cataract surgery for my mother-in-law, I was planning to do my fire photographs then. Little did I know that I would have the opportunity to photograph wildfire damage on my own property.





My grandad bought ranchland in the 60's. I remember when he bought it . . . . I remember when he had the fence put in . . .










how proud he was of that fence - large cedar posts - he said it would last 100 years . . . .


A week ago today, high winds blew a power line down about a mile from this ranch igniting a grassfire that spread for two miles.


The winds were blowing about 50 - 70 miles an hour spreading the fire rapidly.

I am grateful for the playa lake on my neighbor's property that channeled the fire north, limiting the damage on my property.







The playa lake also saved my neighbor's house.











I am also grateful for the Oldham county crews that fought the fire, built a firebreak, limiting my damage to about 1/3 of the property.







This is what the ranchland normally looks like (the side that was spared).







This is the aftermath.








We won't graze the north half, but the south half is fine . . . . if we get rain . . . . .

I went out there today to survey the damage. Wildlife to note - 2 coyotes, one cottontail, one jackrabbit, numerous meadow larks, a family of bobwhite quail, and 2 longbilled curlews. While some of the obnoxious challa cactus survived the fire, quite a bit of it looks dead. The smaller prickly pear cactus (which the ranchers don't like because the cows won't eat up the grass near it) looks very dead. I was also glad to note that this fire burned quickly and not nearly as hot as the fires near McLean. My grass is scorched and black, but not burned to gray ash. I'm not worried that the ground was sterilized as I am about areas around McLean. Because of the firebreak line, it will be easy to identify the area burned, and we plan to watch it over time and see if we can identify the benefits that the fire will bring. I say this because fire is a natural part of God's plan for caring for the earth. Scientists have learned that from Yellowstone's fires.

While I could wish that we had not had the fire, I lost a minimal amount of fence. There was no damage to the windmill area. And the natural terrain and the excellent work of the firefighters limited the damage.

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!