Hotel Rooms

Seems to me I wrote about sitting in hotel rooms some time ago. Here I am again.

Tomorrow I am speaking in Winter Haven, Florida, at a ladies' luncheon. It is at a Christian Women's organization luncheon. I have been sitting here thinking about home and tweeting with my family. I enjoy these trips to speak with other women. I do miss home though when I come off by myself.

So, I decided to share an image from "home". This is a image taken over Lake Seminole on a day back in February 2009. We had decided to try and take sunrise pictures each month somewhere around Lake Seminole. This is a composite of three pictures, in order to get the right color.



It is nice to think of home when you are away!

Baby Bird at St. Augustine Alligator Farm

Whew, I have been busy. I can not believe it has been almost a month since I posted anything. I have been working on my SoFoBoMo (Solo Photo Book Month) project and was only one day (I think) late. I had my images all ready but getting them into a PDF for posting on the web page (http://www.sofobomo.org/2009/) was very difficult.

Then I was also working on a presentation for a ladies’ tea at our former church. I spoke there on the topic “Passing on Our Remarkable Christian Heritage – May the Lord Find Us Faithful.” I use quilts as a motif in giving my testimony for a ladies ministry group. This time I used quilts as a motif for passing on our heritage. I had about a month from the time they asked until the time I presented, so that was busy. Plus it fell during the time I was doing the above project.

But, you know what, EVERYONE is busy. I don’t know how your life is but I can pretty well guess that you are busy. Enough about that!

During the month of June, on our way back from a Daytona Beach, Florida, my husband and I went through St. Augustine, Florida. We stopped at the Alligator Farm. There were lots and lots and lots of alligators. However we can see them at home almost any time we want to. (Yeah, why would we want to?)

Also in the Alligator Farm are LOTS of birds, mainly Egrets, some Herons. This picture is one of several that I took. I will post more later.



I hope you are having a good July. I am incredibly thankful that I live here in the United States of America. We have problems, who doesn’t, but I am glad to be here.

Creamed Corn

This image is one that my husband shot, while I was creaming (scraping) an ear of corn. The corn is in – meaning that the corn crop is ready to be harvested, at least some of it. We went to the “corn cooler”, a place where the farmer’s fresh picked corn is taken for distribution. This is actually a commercial establishment, but individuals can go and get a few crates. We have gone there for the last several years and bought corn.

Then we sit on the back porch and Mitch shucks the ears. He then hands them to me and I run them across this “grater” to cut the kernels and then again to pull out the middle (just want to be sure I get all of the good stuff) of the kernels. It is hot and messy work.

I use a “grater” or “scraper” that was my Grandmother’s. I enjoy sitting there and thinking about her using it and now I am using it. While it is hard work, it is peace giving work for me to think about her.

I don’t get carried away by my recall – when the peas come in, I buy them already shelled. Then Mitch and I blanch them and put them up – freeze them.

I enjoy summer, fresh peaches, fresh corn, fresh tomatoes, fresh peas, and so on. I simply can not get enough.

However, the key to this is that in the middle of winter, I get the taste of summer, right out of my own freezer.

I hope you have memories that come to you this time of year and give you peace and pleasure.

Black and White Gardenia Petals

Our Gardenia bush is so loaded that when it rains the limbs almost fall to the ground. Last week, I went out and took some photographs and am working with them. This is an image of just petals singled out. I love black and white pictures, thus I converted it to a black and white. I like this, though I am still working on other images.

It has been a blessing in our house this past week and a half. My house smells so good with the Gardenias in it. Also, when we walk outside, especially after a fresh rain, the blessing extends out over the yard. There are so many blooms they just “smell up” the yard.

I hope you are receiving blessings this week.

I do not have a Memorial Day image to post, but I must remind each of us that because of those who have given their lives for us, we can celebrate this day as we wish. Please, remember you are blessed because of the lives of others.

William and the Lizard

Spring is a time for new beginnings and I love Spring. Children, baby animals and birds, new growth on trees, flowers, all of it, it is just all wonderful. New discoveries are made.

Here is a picture of our grandson and his first discovery of a lizard. William had no qualms about touching the lizard. Part of that is he hasn’t been hurt by one yet. However, a major part of that is his mom. I would find frogs, lizards, and eventually snake skins in her pockets or in her bedroom. William has a great role model for his years ahead.

Here is a toast to new things – William was two years old in March – so he is a part of the wonders of Spring.

I hope you still have the wonder of a small child in yourself!

Sunrise on Lake Seminole in May

This is the April edition of the year’s sunrise images. We went to Sneads, FL, and shot back toward the east over the lake. So far all of our focus has been on the lake. I hope to move away from the lake in May to shoot some of the surrounding area.

Our area is an agricultural one and I think there are some beautiful sunrises waiting out there over fields and pastures.

After the 15th of May, I will be focusing on another project though. You can see it at my other blog, set up specifically for the project, http://swgeorgiacourthouses.blogspot.com. I have 30 days to take and publish in a book form 35 images. I have selected southwest Georgia courthouses as my subject. I signed on for this project in an effort to get me out photographing more.

I will still add photos here once a week, so please do come back and look.

I hope you are having a great spring. As you can see, it is beautiful here on the lake.

Baby Egrets

On the theme of babies, here is an image of a couple of baby Egrets. This picture was taken at the Venice Rookery, back at the beginning of April.

There were two here together that the parents would come and feed. One of them was much more active than the other. Here you can see that one "trying out his wings."

I couldn't help but be amused. Mom and Dad go off and like most children he tries to see what he can get into.

Hope you are having great spring weather.