The More You Know - The More You Don't Know - Don't Ya Know

I sometimes wish I was in my 20s during this time...but only for one reason. Photographic Technology and Information. With the digital age, there is so much information on everything photography related and a lot of it is FREE! It amazes me, and awakens the desire to learn and do more. I now understand much better what typically goes into most of the photographs that I admire.

Now when I look at my pictures, I look to see if there is a photograph there. Does the picture tell a story, evoke an emotion, or provide a depth beyond 2D. I've come to the conclusion I shoot snaps, once in awhile a photograph, and I can make my snaps look a little "snappier" with the aid of digital darkroom techniques. I am coming to terms with that. Sadly, but I am. The more I learn, the more critical of my pics I have become and very few evoke the "I really like that" phrase from me.. I am a bit depressed over this.

I don't have small children (or any children for that matter) hanging around. So much of photography is practice and small kids can make such great subjects. So I shoot Mattie and the cats (yes I will post on the cats soon) the cabin, flowers etc., all the while trying to improve technique. But I just can't seem to get the emotion to come through the pic. Cap'n Steve isn't a whole lot a help, though sometimes he can be a kid himself.
I take that back - I do have a small child.

What do these two have in common this summer?

And as you are pondering this little teaser.. I will take a minute and editorialize a bit.. I will unveil the answer next Wednesday...

This is not just a post about golf or sports in general, but if you don't want to continue reading , I understand. Feel free to go on to something you find much more interesting than my dribble.. my feelings won't be hurt - I promise.. but please do come back.. I will miss you if you don't!

Okay - if you didn't see any of the last two rounds or the playoff round of the US Open (for Golf)- you missed an outstanding show of competitiveness, perseverance, skill, determination, and CLASS on both Tiger and Rocco's parts... it was one of the great sports moments I have ever watched - especially the playoff round. My hat's off to Rocco Mediate, and I am sorry that he lost, but if he had to lose to someone, in the fashion that he did, I am sure he must be satisfied that it was to Tiger Woods..In this day and age, I watch the world with jaded glasses. This is something that comes with age as I remember clearly being 20 something and optimistic. I am not pessimistic mind you, but I am dubious of most everything. Sports stars are paid too much, whine too loud, and overall just not the role models that people make them out to be. Well these two men make me believe there is a Santa Claus, at least in sports figures. I can remember watching a few events like this. Curt Schilling in game 2 of the 2004 World Series - BoSox vs Cardinals

and Keri Strug in the 1996 Olympics - which I was fortunate enough to witness in person. My friend Teresa and I knew we saw something pretty incredible that day.

Anyway - just wanted to say it's always good to read about or witness events that are uplifting such as these. Events that show the human spirit at its' best certainly aren't limited to sports. Too bad our political system never even comes close to producing moments such as these. I have to say Al Gore's concession speech in the 2000 election was a rare moment of class in politics and political history, though certainly what lead up to that concession speech was pretty much like a spoiled child trying to get their way. Okay - time to get off the soapbox...

A little levity... I don't know about you - but I could use some...

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

BARACK OBAMA:
The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE! The chicken wanted CHANGE!

JOHN MC CAIN:
My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON:
When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure — right from Day One! — that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn’t about me…….

DR. PHIL:
The problem we have here is that this chicken won’t realize that he must first deal with the problem on ‘THIS’ side of the road before it goes after the problem on the ‘OTHER SIDE’ of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he’s acting by not taking on his ‘CURRENT’ problems before adding ‘NEW’ problems.

OPRAH:
Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I’m going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

GEORGE W. BUSH:
We don’t really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our
side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL:
Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the
road…

ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:
We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the
other side of the road.

JOHN KERRY:
Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken’s intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

NANCY GRACE:
That chicken crossed the road because he’s GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN:
To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART:
No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer’s Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS:
Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I’ve not been told.

GRANDPA:
In my day we didn’t ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS:
Isn’t that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart-warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life-long dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE:
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON:
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES:
I have just released eChicken2009, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new platform is much more stable and will never cra………… Reboot.

ALBERT EINSTEIN:
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

BILL CLINTON:
I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS:
Did I miss one?

DICK CHENEY:
Where’s my gun?

AL SHARPTON:
Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

This was taken from one of my favorite food bloggers: Check out the original post and the comments for even more hilarity: Jaden's Steamy Kitchen

Happy Father's Day - Daddy

Yes, I am Southern to the core and don't mind you knowing that..I am a fi...fi...fi..(I still can't say it) something woman who calls her father "daddy"... JEALOUS??? I love tradition... probably would call my mom "mommy" if it didn't sound like I was still.. well we won't go there...

I hope my dad doesn't mind me posting this. He has been a great father, even during the tough times (my hard headedness when it comes to math). And while we can't pick our parents, I am thankful for both of mine. I feel like I have their best traits ( and a few of their not so great ones too). I have been lucky in that my dad and I have shared some wonderful memories, but as I was going through my pictures - I realized I did not have many of them documented.. especially with pictures of the two of us together... for that, I am sorry, and I can remedy going forward. But Daddy, know that our experiences are wonderful pictures in my memory.

I love you,
m.

Guest Quarters - Another Peak

Finally making good on some more pics of the guest quarters. Here are a few of the bathroom. I know, how exciting. Between vacuum cleaner posts and bathrooms, it's a wonder I have friends and family left reading my dribble...

Okay, this is pretty much the bathroom in all its' glory..Cap'n Steve did some nice first time work in here.. the tile, the cabinets and the frame around the mirror. I have a decorating problem with the slanted wall - which also is at the other end of the living space (kitchen/dining area). I think I will be able to deal with it - I have a few ideas. But remember, I am decoratingly challenged.



Also this space is not so cramped like you see in a lot of suites. I remember all of the B&B's we have stayed in and many of them had bathrooms you could hardly turn around in. Not to mention most EU baths.. eeeeuuuuwwww. We do have lots of cabinet space in here and in the suite itself. I will answer the inevitable question of "Why do you have so much cabinet space?" at a later date.



I thought Cap'n Steve did a very nice job with the mirror frame. I am going to get him to make some frames for some of my photographs, once he finishes this project. Heaven knows I don't want to impede progress. There is light at the end of the tunnel!



So there are a few things left, which the Cap'n will be making; like towel holders and a tp holder from tree branches... but we are pretty good to go here.

Here's a shot of a couple of closet doors and some latches that Cap'n Steve designed. The handle of the latch is carved from tree branches... He's really good at that kind of thing.. who knew?..I hope when he is done with this project, he will fix the bifold closet doors in the 2nd and 3rd bedrooms of the cabin..let's see we have been in the cabin for 9 years now?



Sorry I didn't have the appropriate lens on to shoot the handle/latches but you can get an idea..



Also I have an update on the kitchen. Many of you know I decided to do curtains for most of the lower cabinets instead of doors... I think it will turn out okay. We have branches for rods.. and here's my first stab.. they aren't hemmed and completely pressed, but they give a pretty good idea...Also something funky with the color here - but it's late and I am not in the mood to mess around with the photos.



And a pic with the curtain/door open:



And two final pics of the kitchen as it is today.. Steve will start the tile next week..

And the Winner (?) Is?

There's probably nothing much more mundane than vacuuming... yet if you have animals and children, you usually have to do it more than once a week, unless of course you have help, in which case, I slightly envy you. But I like not having to work right now - so springing for help for stuff that I can do is not in the budget.. Not when there are geeky things to buy like cameras and lenses, and photoshop plugins, and Australian Shepherd puppies (non geeky thing).. but I digress..

A couple of weeks ago I emailed some friends who have animals and/or kids and asked for their recommendations. Three came back with Miele.. of which I am so out of it, I had never heard of before, and others came back with the usual suspects... we looked at all recommendations and chose NONE of them... well Cap'n Steve chose none of them. I have gone through several vacuums over the last several years (all while my oldie but goodie Bissel upright managed to hang in there). Having two homes necessitates two vacuums, I went to war with a Hoover upright and currently have a bagless Bissell upright in Florida that I am not stoked about..So after reading the reviews on consumer reports and taking into consideration friends recommendations I left the final decision up to Cap'n Steve, who vacuums maybe twice a year, more if I am traveling for a contract... I secretly wanted the Miele, but at 800 bucks I wanted a new lens or camera more.



We chose this Hoover based on consumer reviews (not on consumer reports). We will see how long it is before I can tear this one up..Any bets? Cap'n Steve says I am hard on equipment... I beg to differ..It seems good at this point.. It is much quieter than the uprights, so Lass doesn't go into a tizzy when I am vacuuming now. The suction and pulling up dog hair seems very good and I like the fact that I can control the suction.. The power head seems a bit heavy - but it is definitely livable. I always wait and reserve judgment for 6 months to a year down the road.. I didn't mention to Steve that one of my friends who has a Miele had a Hoover and had to have the motor rebuilt 3 times before they finally got their Miele...

Good thing I love the color green....

There is one thing about North Georgia - it is GREEN most of the year.

Now I am no master gardner - but we do have a few flowers around the place that I thoroughly enjoy. And they are starting to pop.. We have our day lillies that provide some nice oranges:



Our sick Hollyhock is giving it a good try..




It really should be producing something splendid like this:




And our first Gladiola is blooming - we should have a bumper crop this year. Finally after 5 years of these beautiful flowers, I have purchased appropriate vases. I am looking forward to using them instead of my old wine carafes and pitchers: Yes it does take me awhile to get around to some things...