Foto Friday: Someone You Love

*I hope that I remembered the challenge correctly for this week--if not, this is still one of my favorite photos from the week!*

Gracen and I went to the University Arboretum this afternoon. We found a quiet little spot with a very calm pond. The day was beautiful and we spent a while watching the fish, frogs, and dragonflies around the pond.

I happened to look down and see her reflection in the water. So, here's the picture of my girl that I love!

Foto Friday: Memories of Childhood

I didn't complete the challenge this week--this picture is a favorite and it does remind me of childhood, though not my own. But it was not taken this week. Life has been, well, life and the camera and my inspiration have sat idle!

I took this picture while Gracen was playing one day. She had her babies outside and had just perched Samuel in the swing. Every once in a while she'd come by and give him a push.

I've found myself somewhat nostalgic for the earlier years of her childhood, not that I'm not enjoying her childhood now. I am. But, 12 year old childhood entails much more than 7 year old childhood. It's a different stage.

Still, through the good and the bad, the easy and the hard, I'm reminded by this picture that childhood passes all too quickly!

Foto Friday: Sunflare

This week's challenge was really a challenge! First, I had to look up sunflare and once I figured out what it was, I had my doubts as to whether I could actually capture anything even close to that.

This picture certainly doesn't compare to some that I saw in my search but...I got lots of ideas for my next sunflare attempt!

Foto Friday: Silhouette

Time for Foto Friday but on a Saturday.

This isn't necessarily a great photo but it is one of my most favorite subjects!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Foto Friday: Animals

It's Foto Friday time again! In all truthfulness, I didn't even pick up the camera this week. School started Monday and I simply didn't have time so these are shots from the archives. So, a frog and a friend's pretty barn cat are it for me this week!

A Combination

Today I'm combining a couple of things. First, Foto Friday. The theme was fresh fruit, well, I didn't make it to the farmer's market and the closest thing to fresh fruit I currently have is a couple of apples whose freshness may be suspect.

So, I'm posting this pretty bloom (which incidentally is no longer there, thanks to the bazillion degree weather we've been having).

The other thing I've wanted to do for some time. This blog has 5 minute Fridays. She gives a topic and you write for 5 minutes on that topic--no edits, just write. I've wanted to do it for a while but have never been brave enough. But, I'm going to give it a shot.

The idea this week is WHOLE. Here goes:

This word is a tough one for me. In some ways, I never feel completely whole. Missing a limb and walking on something that isn't God-given creates a longing, I suppose.

I know when I wake up in the morning a piece of me is in the corner, having been "juiced up" overnight. It is a part of me and yet it isn't.

It's funny how something can be so much a part of you--you almost can't imagine life without it. And yet it isn't really part of you at all. It's an add-on, a nice something that some how, kind of takes the place of the real one but not quite.

The add-on, while making life easier and creating in me a grateful heart, doesn't take away the memory of the real thing. Sometimes I have to think really hard but I do remember what life was like with my 2 God-given legs.

But I've learned that God in His grace and mercy can take something that is an "add-on" and uses it. He teaches through it and fills the longing.

My five minutes are up! It's not nearly as long as I thought!

Foto Friday (of sorts), Plant Question, and Other Things

The theme for this week's Foto Friday was sunset. I didn't catch a single sunset picture--we've had a thunderstorm move in almost every evening this week.

I was so excited to get this picture though. We have a huge bleeding heart plant in our back yard that Nanny gave me years ago. She calls it a bleeding heart but it doesn't look like these. It looks like this--so if anyone (like my cousin, Ashley, who has the most amazing green thumb) can tell me if this another kind of bleeding heart or something else, I'd love to know more about this plant.

Anyway, the hummingbirds LOVE the blooms and I have tried to get a picture of one of them actually at the bloom but the first picture was the clearest I got. Those sweet little birds move fast!!

I haven't written in a while, not because there hasn't been a lot going on (there has been) and not because there isn't stuff to write about it (there is). I've shared here before that writing for me, at least in part, is about processing. Much of what I've been dealing with that needs processing are things that I'm not sure are share-able right now. Suffice it to say that my prayers of late have included repeated requests for wisdom and understanding!

School starts very soon here and Gracen is simply giddy. Not because school is starting (though I think she's a little excited about that) but because she's gotten to get school supplies! She loves the stuff but, maybe more than the stuff, she loves organizing it. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that my girl is going into 7th grade.

Foto Friday--Books

It seems that my blogging of late has been limited to Foto Fridays--and I almost missed this one!

Between VBS this week, a weekend conference at our church with Douglas and Nancy Wilson, and just life in general--I've not found a lot of time at the computer. (And, if you are local or within driving distance, please consider coming to the conference. Click on the link for more details.)

I have an affinity for old books--and this is one of my favorites so far. This is an 1892 copy of a collection of Edgar Allen Poe's poetry. I'm not a fan of Poe but loved the look of the book. I found it at an estate sale and paid $3 for it. According to the inscription inside, it was Clara Louise's Christmas gift from Anna in 1899.

Hopefully, next week will be a bit slower! Enjoy the weekend.

Foto Friday--On Monday!

I'm so late with this Foto Friday! The theme this week was CLOUDS, which obviously I didn't capture. Our clouds have either been scarce, covered by the hazy heat film for which the South is known, or very thick--to trick you into thinking there is going to a good rain but you get nothin' but thunder!

I did get this picture one afternoon after a few raindrops fell. It was so nice--we could use so much more though!

It seems that this summer has thrown me and my blogging schedule for a loop. I am hoping to get better with that soon. I find that I miss writing a lot.

But first, I have to head back to the doctor's office in painfully early hours tomorrow so that they can take a couple of stitches out that got left in my nose! I'm not looking forward to this. I am hoping that they will say that things are healing well in spite of this.

I'm so ready to be done with bandages and to be able breathe well again!

I hope that you all have a wonderful 4th of July! It's been a pretty great day around here so far--burgers and ice cream have been enjoyed, a mean Monopoly game is going on in the back, and I'm fairly certain that someone (who probably should have been doing something much more constructive) snuck in a nap...it was wonderful!

Foto Friday and The Nose

First off, this photo has absolutely nothing to do with this week's challenge of shoes! I just didn't want to miss another week of participating! And, in all honesty, this picture wasn't even taken this week--it's a favorite from a couple of weeks ago.

I am recuperating from surgery. A relatively minor surgery but don't tell my nose because it would probably not agree.

I had a skin cancer removed from my nose on Monday. It was supposed to be a minor deal. I should have had a clue when the doctor came in, quite cheerful for the unholy hour of 6:20 a.m., and asked if wanted something to "relax" me.

"No thanks, I think I'm fine." I dumbly replied. (Never turn down relaxation drugs is my new motto.) I was fine through the deadening of my nose (which required multiple shots with the stinging capacity of 10 wasps) and the removal of the first layer of skin. However, now that I knew what was coming--that whole ignorance is bliss thing only works for a while--I decided that the relaxation drugs were a good idea and asked if they were still available demanded them.

To make a long--and painful story--very short. Four layers of skin from the left side of my nose were removed and what was left (which I can only imagine wasn't much) was declared cancer free. Those four layers were replaced with skin from my collarbone area which required a 4-6 incision, more stitches, more stinging deadening shots, and my (ignored) request for more of the relaxation drugs combined with a shot of vodka, thank you very much.

I walked out of the torture chamber operating room with a bandage on my collarbone area and a bandage that looks like a small light bulb on the left side of my nose. So, to recap--currently, I have a huge bandage on my nose, a bandage on my collarbone, and an artificial right leg. I wonder if I could make some extra money as an extra in a war film?!

At least they had the good manners to send me home with a prescription for heavy pain killers!

The bandage on the nose has to stay on--and dry, tuck that in the back of your mind--until the 24th. The other bandage had to stay on for three days. My sweet husband, who deserves more gold stars than I can give him, has figured out how to help me put on my leg, how to wash my hair without getting any of my numerous bandages wet, and kept the nose jokes to a minimum.
And, though I look like I could frighten small children, my girl has been by my side helping with the house and keeping me company. We've watched a lot of I Love Lucy!

So, that's been my week--and why there isn't a new photo this week. I can't even get my camera in a good position to take a picture right now!

My public service announcement for the week--wear lots of sunscreen and be thankful for your nose. Trust me, you don't want it out of commission!

Foto Friday--Wind

I'm totally cheating this week and using a picture from my archives!

Nothing says wind to me quite like a kite in flight--I'm always envious of those coordinated enough to actually get the kite up.

Hopefully, next week I'll have my photography mojo back and not have to cheat :)!

Foto Friday--Grow

These were 2 of my favorite photos from this week.

The orange lily is growing in the front yard; while the weed is growing around the back fence!



Enjoy the long weekend!!

Foto Friday--Beauty in the Ugly

This week's challenge was very tough for me. Unfortunately, because of the tornado that ripped through our city (and much of the state) on April 27, there is still a lot of ugly around. Much debris is still around and likely will be for a while yet.

The beauty of this photo is the "x" on what is left of the house. The most beautiful part of the "x"? The zero in the bottom of it. It means there was no one found in this structure. The tornado was rated an EF-5 by the weather service, was a mile wide, and plowed through some heavily populated areas in town. The fact that anyone survived is miraculous--and, indeed, beauty-worthy.

Foto Friday

The challenge for this week was April SHOWERS bring May flowers.

I got this picture after a rain. My hydrangea bush actually has more than one or two blooms this year! I probably shouldn't be as excited about this fact as I am :)!!

Foto Friday--After The Storm

This week's photo challenge was Easter. I had several pretty good pics of much of the fun of Easter.

That's all been put aside for now because these two pictures seemed much more important.

These were taken about 1 1/2 hours after a major tornado hit our town. We didn't have any damage at our house. Our town is devastated and the lives of many are changed forever.

There are simply no words to describe how things look and the feelings that come along with seeing the wreckage.

Please be in prayer for the city of Tuscaloosa, for the many who lost loved ones (the last report I saw put the death toll at 36 in Tuscaloosa and hundreds throughout the state of Alabama), and for those are putting all their efforts into recovery, clean up, and, later, rebuilding. There is much to be done and much help is needed.

"For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever."
Psalm 117:2

Foto Friday

The theme for this week's challenge was white. This was hard for me for some reason!

The top picture is my favorite and my initial thought of white--bright, pure light.

My dear husband and daughter didn't get white from the picture though! So, I also got a very literal interpretation (and a pretty yummy one too ;) )!

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend with those you love.

Foto Friday

This week's challenge was pets. Again, this is Gracen's picture. She was able to get Molly to cooperate. Biscuit the golden retriever was too busy trying to find a ball for someone to throw--she simply didn't have time for a photo op!

Oh, and please take a look here for last week's winner. A certain budding photographer was so very excited!

Foto Friday

I'm cheating this week and using 2 pictures that Gracen took on a recent trip to a local park--well, I too the bottom picture but, honestly, I like hers better!

The theme for this week's challenge was anything goes. Looking back at my recent pictures, I realized that I really need to expand beyond flowers. But they have been really pretty lately.


This iris (?) grew in our own backyard. I didn't do anything to it--which is probably the reason it is so pretty. My green thumb has been suffering lately!

Have a good weekend!

Foto Friday

Well, I'm late again with Foto Friday!

I wish that I could say that this was my favorite picture of the week or that it remotely had to do with this week's optional challenge (which was shoes, by the way) but....

I can say that it is my favorite photo in the sense that it is the only photo I took this week! This week has been one of the busiest we've had in a while. Good but busy.

PS--There was something over here that made me very happy on this early Saturday morning!

Oh--I'll tell...one of my pictures from last week was chosen as a winner in the photo contest! I love doing these challenges because it makes me think about photography and challenges me to look at things a bit different than usual. I am always completely amazed by some of the other photos entered. They are all so good.

Foto Friday

The theme of this week's optional challenge was "unfinished business". I didn't really get shots of the theme this week--I had some thoughts but only picked up my camera today!

So, these are some of my favorites from today.
Seeing all the pretty sparkles in black and white almost make me think the pollen is a nice addition. Then, my aching head brings me back to reality!

Maybe this is my unfinished business picture! We've got a lot of parenting yet to do but so grateful that we are parenting this pretty cool kid.