Gulfport, Santa Barbara,Hazelwood,Mpls, Huntsville,Atlanta

During my school years I went to 9 schools between 1st and 11th grades. I continued this pattern in college and went to 3 colleges during a 4 year period. My Dad was a contract engineer and we moved every couple of years following defense and aerospace contracts. When we got to St. Louis (Hazelwood) I had found a home and I didn't want to leave but that was not going to happen and after 2.5 blissful years there I managed to squeeze in 2 more schools before taking early graduation and heading off to college.

We are just about ready to carpet the Guest Quarters and I have been cleaning out things I should never have moved (6 years ago)from our home in Atlanta (Tucker area). I am on my last box.. my personal box.. memorabilia from when I was 6 years old to college. It's not a big box - so I can afford to let it be - but going down memory lane these last couple of nights I wonder.. Do I need to throw this away so when I croak - nobody needs to do it for me... or is there some sort of hidden art work in here that I just don't see.. I have autograph books from when I was 6-12yo with autographs from teachers and friends of all the schools I had been in at that time (4) - I have my girl scout sash and badges I never sewed on (and there's a sewing badge in there - the irony!)because we moved and I never rejoined.. There are pictures of some family vacations and weekend camping trips taken in 1968, that show no promise of a budding artist photographer...There's a picture of my first best friend, Janie Hastings, and me taken right before she moved. I was so sad to see her go...we were all of 7 or so. I have notes written by friends and boyfriends from Jr. High when writing notes was the thing to do. I have the note from the then boyfriend, breaking up with me, the first time I was ever dumped.. I also have a stack of letters from friends who wrote to me and tried to keep up with my travels after I left Hazelwood..but life moves on.

Do I keep this little time machine.. and pull it out and look at it every 10 years or so? Cap'n Steve, who is no hoarder of sentimentality, surprisingly votes yes.

Some Samples: Remember you can click on any picture in my blog to see a larger size.





Camping late fall, Minnesota - circa 1968 - I would keep this because my mom refuses to have her picture made and this is a rare find indeed! Hey Bossy, We were the original Tent Trailer Campers - LOL


Best Friends - circa 1966 - Huntsville, Al.

Into The West

I sat down at the computer this morning and started my media player on shuffle and this song was the first song it played. I had never heard it before.. Cap'n Steve says he never downloaded it .. The song is from The Lord of the Rings, performed by Annie Lennox who is one of my favorites... Needless to say it brought tears to my eyes. Click the link to be taken to Ms. Lennox's full recorded performance of this beautiful and haunting song or enjoy her abbreviated performance at the Oscars here...



Into The West

Lay down,
your sweet and weary head.
Night is falling.
You have come to journey’s end.

Sleep now, and dream
of the ones who came before.
They are calling,
from across a distant shore.

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see.
All of your fears will pass away.
Safe in my arms,
you’re only sleeping.

What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
All souls pass.

Hope fades,
Into the world of night.
Through shadows falling,
Out of memory and time.

Don’t say,
We have come now to the end.
White shores are calling.
You and I will meet again.
And you’ll be here in my arms,
Just sleeping.

What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
Grey ships pass
Into the West.

Inaugural Posting

Sometimes I like the pictures I take and I want to remember why I liked them. It might be a fleeting moment. I am shy about posting my pictures publicly as I know they are not technically perfect, but if they elicit emotion from me, then I am happy. I take pictures for myself.

I enjoy taking pictures of our animules, so amongst the hard core photography crowd, one of my favorite subjects is de rigeur...

This picture is of our newest cat (kitten) who literally jumped out of the gutter and into my arms. Moe (as in one Mo' kitty) is quite the devil amongst our menagerie of two dogs and two other cats. He has provided new poses for my collection.. The smallness of this space doesn't do this picture all the justice it deserves. I love the detail in the eyes, fur and tongue.

Unless asked, I won't get into what I shoot with. It's about the picture, not the gear. And for those who know about this stuff, I usually don't strip my exif info.

Welcome aboard. I hope you enjoy the ride.