Savannah, Georgia

Here is a picture of Forsyth Park Fountain, created in 1858 and restored in 1988.



This image was one of the first abstract images I ever tried, in camera.



Savannah, Georgia’s history began in 1733. General James Oglethorpe landed at Savannah, along with 120 passengers on the ship “Anne.” Oglethorpe named the area Georgia after King George II.

Savannah had her great times. She was a very wealthy city when cotton was king in the south.

Savannah also had very difficult times. In 1820 there was such an outbreak of yellow fever that a tenth of the population died.

Savannah has survived fires, epidemics, hurricanes and even tourists.



Here is the door to just one of the many beautiful old churches located around the squares in Savannah.

This last is one of the many gates that lead into private areas. You can tell the brick work has been around for hundreds of years.

Mitch and I have been to Savannah several times. The last time we were headed to Savannah we thought we had been there enough. Then when we finished the photography workshop we were there to attend, we decided we actually needed to go again. I hope we do get to go again. It is a beautiful city with lots to explore.

Keeping William

A couple of days this week, Mitch and I had the privilege of keeping our grandson, William. His mom had to work and we were delighted to keep him for her. He is eighteen months old and learning so much so fast.

William loves hats! Actually base ball caps, hats not so much. So, we bought him a new “hat.” Mitch had not yet had the opportunity to really know how much our grandson likes hats. When we first showed the new hat to William, he was at his grandpa’s knee. William bent his head down. Mitch wasn’t sure what that meant. I told him, William wanted the new hat put on his head. Mitch put it on William’s head and William just grinned. He loves hats!

William also loves ceiling fans. I am not sure what the attraction is. I know as an infant he would just lay down under the fan and watch the fan go around and around. When Mitch turned off the ceiling fan, he found out that William wants it on. His comment was, “I need the fan.” He continued saying that until Mitch turned it back on.

Of course, we are remembering just how quick children at eighteen months can get in to stuff. I did feel my age somewhat once we were through.

We were so blessed. It was a lot of fun!

Yaaaay

Our grandson, William, was working at a small activity table we gave him. When he would get the square object in the square hole, he would say, “YaaaaaY!”

Well, that was me yesterday. I had a “yaaay” day. I was in the right place at the right time.

We took our 16 foot Carolina Skiff, the “Miller Time”, and went for a ride. We rode up Spring Creek. We took the back channels by Silver Lake WMA. We rode over to Jack Wingate’s, a local “fish camp” as it is called around here. (We were going to have lunch there, but as we got off the boat Mitch remembered he did not have his wallet.)

Then we rode back home by way of the “big lake”.

It was a beautiful day. The sky was just an incredible shade of blue. The Cypress trees are turning red. Other trees are turning red and gold.

We saw a number of Coots that have come down for the winter. We also saw a number of Cormorants (they can go back home). They too have come for the winter.

We also saw a number of Anhingas, Great Blue Herons, and White Egrets. These are not unusual to see any time.

I had taken my small point and shoot camera, as I was really just wanting a boat ride. However, after we got going, there were several times I wished I had taken my bigger camera and a long lens.

It was a good fit. Yaaaaay!

Windows

This window is on an old barn. The barn is on the Silver Lake WMA that I mentioned earlier.


This window is in the house where Mitch, Michelle (our youngest daughter), and I stayed in Churchtown, PA. We were there on vacation last year in early October.

Looking at these two windows started me thinking about the various kinds of windows. The one in the barn was probably used to load feed into the upper reaches of the barn. There was most likely a pulley system where bags or bales could be picked up and carried up to the top. So, it was a working window.

The second window, well, it was a working window. For me, though, in the short time I was there it was a dreaming window. I imagine for some young girl, in the past, it was a dreaming window. I sat there and looked out over rolling hills with Amish farms in them. It was a beautiful, peaceful site, which I enjoyed very much.

I have a dreaming, working window now. It is at the place where my sewing machine sits. I can sit there and work on quilts. While working, I can look out my window to see deer crossing our yard, foxes crossing our yard, or Blue birds in the bird bath. Some times a Fox squirrel will come sit in the yard. The sun comes up on this side of the house. It is a great window.

I hope you have a place to dream a bit while you are working.

Silver Lake WMA

Last week, Mitch and spent an early evening at a recently opened wildlife management area, Silver Lake WMA. The land was owned by a paper company and then bought for preservation by government. It has several small lakes or ponds, along with some lovely woods. Last Friday evening, we went to take some pictures at sunset. We had tried to do this before, but we were a little late getting there. This time we got there as we wished.

The first image is from the barn. I wanted to be able to look through the barn and look at some beautiful maple trees that are changing colors. This is why we went at sunset.

The second image is from the woods. As we were driving through, I got the idea to try to make an abstract. Marti Jeffers, a photographer from Atlanta, taught me about in camera abstracts at a seminar that Mitch and I attended in Savannah. Time to try it!

Then the third image is from our Wednesday evening trip (last night). After our evening church service, we again went to Silver Lake; this time to take some images by moonlight. This image is of the barn, mentioned earlier. The image was taken, with about an eight minute open shutter. I then decided to make it into a black and white. Black and white seemed to fit the image better than color.

We really had a great time at this place. We have been there several different times and will probably go back.

Monday

Today was a slow day, especially when compared with yesterday’s hectic schedule. I taught the Sunday School class. As always I really enjoyed it. It was the Senior Adult Class, which is the over 60 years of age in our church. We have three adult classes and this was the oldest one. Then I led the worship service, filling in for our Choir Director. That is a joy for me, though it is certainly a tense time. I sang the morning special music, “I Call it Home.” It is a piece I had been practicing to sing with my Dad but that had not worked out. Since I needed a song, at the last minute so to speak, I sang this one.

Our daughters tease us about being retired and never knowing if it is the weekend or not. This is not so! For us the weekend is the busy time.

We live in an area which is mostly made up of weekenders, those that only come in for the weekend. Frequently on Friday and Saturday’s we are visiting with friends who come in. We usually go out, at least on Friday nights, to dinner with friends. Saturdays we may go out again.

If I am having lunch with friends, it is usually to meet them somewhere on Saturdays. We’ll have lunch and visit and maybe stroll through antique shops.

Then Sundays are always busy. Sunday School and Church in the morning then again Church in the evening. Mitch teaches a children’s class on Sunday nights. I have choir practice on Sunday afternoons (pre-evening services).

So, we really do know when the weekend rolls around. For us that is usually the busiest time of the week.

Then, Mondays are time to relax and catch up around the house. That was today.

I hope you have time to catch up, be it a week day or a weekend. Just some time to relax is always important.

Washing Windows

October 11, 2008

Washing Windows

Mitch asked me last night if a friend of ours had any windows for me to wash.

What he was referring to was the fact that I told one of the ladies at church I would teach her Sunday School class this Sunday. Then our choir director called and said she is not going to be in church Sunday, could I please handle the choir duties. That means that I will lead the church in singing hymns as well as come up with a solo to sing, because the choir has not practiced anything for Sunday.

Our joke around here, or at least Mitch’s joke, is to ask if anyone has any windows for me to wash, due to the fact that I can’t say NO to anyone. I am not sure how funny this is. Because it is painful!

In this case, I had agreed to teach this Sunday because the choir director was supposed to be here. I had filled in for her last Sunday, and thought I would be safe this weekend. I like teaching Sunday School, though I do like teaching Bible Studies a lot more. I like singing. I have even been known to say I would rather have music than food. Indeed if one could live on music that would be the case. So, I REALLY enjoy leading the choir and singing.

So, today, I have been “washing windows”. I had to complete my Sunday School lesson. Then, come up with a solo for the special music for tomorrow. Finally, we have a substitute pianist. That should really finish off my nerves for tomorrow.

So, let me say, God is good!

I get to teach God’s word tomorrow, prayerfully hoping that He will give me the words that someone needs to hear from Him. The lesson is partly on handling disappointments. I’ve had my share. Hopefully something in my words will echo in someone else’s life, making a bright spot in their day.

I get to sing for the Lord tomorrow. I always pray when I sing that God will give me a song that someone needs to hear. Tomorrow I am singing about home, about heaven. Surely that is a comforting thought for anyone.

May you find someone to provide a bright spot in your day. May you find home.

The Swing

This is where I spend a lot of my morning coffee time, this time of the year.

During the summer it is frequently too buggy. The gnats here in southern Georgia would drive anyone crazy, I do believe. It is warm in the mornings in the summer, but not too warm to sit and swing. So, if I can grab a fan, I may just be here in the summer.

During the fall and spring, it is just the right temperature and the bugs are not too bad. You may have an occasional mosquito, but that you can live with.

During the winter, a quilt can be taken outside to wrap up in. In some ways that is a favorite time, because I always love wrapping up in a quilt.

This is also a great place for prayer time in the morning, sitting outside surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation. Frequently you have bird song for your morning hymns. You may have a Fox Squirrel that decides to “preach” to you, if you are lucky. Occasionally you may see a fox or a deer.

It is just a great place to enjoy a peaceful beginning to my day.

I hope you have a place to get a filling of peace for your day.

Traveling Alone

Monday Night

It is interesting how lonely a hotel room can be.

When Mitch and I go out of town, and stay in a hotel, it seems we need at least three more rooms for the two of us. We always have camera equipment, a laptop, luggage (how much depends on how many days). There is hardly enough room for all our stuff in a single hotel room, even a really big hotel room. We have even begun trying to find state parks near where ever we are going. By getting a cabin in a state park, we get two bedrooms, a living room and dining room. It is great!

Yet, here I sit in a hotel, by myself, and the room seems HUGE! And, QUIET! which it never is with the two of us in one hotel room. I even think some times, when we are at a hotel, that I will go for a walk, so I can have some quiet.

I need to record this and read it the next time we go out of town together. “Hey, remember when you were by yourself and it was QUIET!” That ought to tell me.

The reason for my trip alone, I am speaking tomorrow at a women’s luncheon. This is the fifth such event where I have been invited to speak. The luncheon’s are for a national women’s Christian organization. I am thankful for the opportunity to give my testimony to a group of women.

Tuesday Night

I am home. It is great!

Living Today

What a wonderful couple of days. Yesterday, we made a trip up the Flint River with friends. Left in the early morning, went by the new marina and on up the river. We stopped for lunch, just anchored near the edge. Food just seems to taste better on the water. Then we made our way back home. It was quite cool when we started out but by the time we returned home it had warmed up considerably.

This was the first time for our friends, going up the river. Also, going across the open water on the lake was new to them. We saw a few ducks, a couple of Canvas Backs. It is still early times yet before the ducks get here.

Today, I went to a family reunion. It was a side of the family that I had not met before, or at least I had not met most of them. While I go almost every year to a reunion of my maternal Grandmother’s side, this was my maternal Grandfather’s side. There were a number of new people to meet. It was nice.

Seeing the people there relating to each other, young and old, made me reflect on what family means to me. As I did, I thought about the amount of time I have to spend with my family.

I read a post today and the person mentioned “time in a bottle.” Could I bottle up time and just use it sparingly? Can it be a “condensed” version, so that it lasts longer than you think? I am not a greedy person, but I can tell you that sometimes I do get greedy with time. I want more . . . more hours in my day, more days in my week, more weeks in my month. You get the picture!

Instead I just have to make sure I don’t waste any of what I have!

One of the quotes in my inspiration book (the book I put together when I found out I had breast cancer) says, “You may be forced to die young, but whatever you do, don’t die early.”

So, please, make sure you are living every minute of every day.

A Beautiful Day

Yesterday was a difficult day. It has been thirty years since my brother died. When I realize he has been gone more years than he was here, it is most difficult for me. I still miss him . . .

I mentioned earlier in the week that the weather had been beautiful. We had opened up the house and enjoyed fall weather. Then summer returned. It was much warmer during the day and the night. And now . . . here we have fall again. We have opened the house back up. It is so nice.

I know we need rain, however the clear, blue skies are lovely.

As I sat here early this morning on my computer, I looked out the doors to see a Blue Bird taking a bath at the bird bath. I saw several of them later on as I was outside.

Today I made cookies, to take with us tomorrow on a trip up the river. I washed the swing that sits out in the yard. Allie and I went for a walk. We sat in the swing for a little while. I had a cup of tea while sitting in a rocking chair on the back porch. I have been reading Max Lucado’s “Come Thirsty”, and I sat and read while I drank my tea.

Mitch went over to the parsonage to work on it for awhile this morning.

Tonight we had dinner with some friends out of town. It was a lovely evening and we sat outside at the restaurant, instead of inside. It is such a treat to sit and visit and talk.

It was a slow day pretty much. It was however a most enjoyable day.

I hope you are enjoying beautiful days.