FAVORITE THING(S)

What is your favorite thing? Besides the obvious of family, friends a cold beer or a good Bloody Mary. Is it shopping, hunting, reading or is it something more like a worn out sweatshirt, comfy shoes or like me, a camera? I have many favorite things but much of them involve my camera. If it's something I love, it's getting photographed. The ever learning process in the art of photography is training my eye to pay attention to details and to notice things I never had before. Therefore, I've added many favorite things to my list. Yet it still boils down to my camera that brought me new favorites so it remains at the top of my list. My camera is with me on vacation, when I go for a walk, when I'm cooking, when I'm filling the birdfeeder, when I go to the mailbox ... I think you get the picture. Then there are the times I don't have my camera and I wish I did. Whenever I have my camera, I am not alone.

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence. ~Ansel Adams~

 

GOOD DOG CEDAR

This is Cedar. She's been part of our family since I subconsciously replaced my oldest son Andy with her when he went off to college 7 years ago. Just kidding Andy, you're irreplaceable. She's an "outside" dog and has a dog bed on the porch, in the garage, in the house and in the camper. Her favorite place to be is curled up in front of the fireplace this time of year. So much for claiming she's an "outside" dog. We all argue over who she "likes" best. She "likes" us all for different reasons. Bruce's purpose is to feed her and take her for 4-wheeler rides. Andy and Cedar are hunting buddies and she'll do anything to please him. She adores Prairie because she doesn't get to see her very often and soaks up all the love when she comes home to visit. My purpose is to give her treats and for her to take me on walks. She likes the UPS driver too, she has treats and scratches her ears. Life without this doggy would be lonely, she's a good listener too. Good Dog Cedar.

SPOTLIGHT ON SPARKY

 

This is Sparky. He's a very powerful photographer. I found him a few years ago at a craft show where his creator had many repurposed items converted into people. He's all about the nuts and bolts of taking a great photo. Sparky can socket to it and get the job done. No need to plug him in to get a spark.

 

Here are a few jokes related to photography for your entertainment.

 

What did Cinderella say when she left the photo store?
Someday my prints will come.

How does Santa Claus take pictures?
With his North Polearoid.

 

How do you get the professional photographer off your front porch?
Pay him for the pizza.

 

A fellow bought a Labrador puppy from the pet store and named him Kodak.
That way he could say he owned a Kodak lab.



MORNING

A voice spoke to me this morning and told me to leave for work early and take my camera with me. Thank you Prairie for calling me and being that voice. Because I listened to you, I was able to capture and enjoy this beautiful fall scene on Lake Wazeecha. 



Morning sun on the climb, before the wind blows.

The calm envelopes the awaiting busy surroundings.

Etch this moment to recall as the day overloads.

And reflect on what is important.

~Julie Kramer~







REACH FOR THE SKY

 

 

 

 

While traveling home from Green Bay on Sunday, the sky proved to be a source of entertainment for me. If I said it once, I said it one hundred times, "Oh, now look at the sky." Although Bruce didn't seem as thrilled as I was, I kept myself busy snapping photos out the car window. (I knew it was fruitless to ask him to stop every time I exclaimed, "Oh, now look at the sky.") Here is just a sampling of the (too) many photos I took. I hope they give you at least an ounce of enjoyment as they did me.

 

Disclaimer: I may have been a bit giddy and over zealous about the sky after spending a sunny afternoon at Lambeau watching the Packers tame the Lions. 

WHAT I'VE (RE)LEARNED



I have 2 weeks at my new job as an Instructional Aide at East Junior High under my belt. By day 2, I had my schedule memorized.  I was quickly reminded of the layout of the school from the 30 plus years ago that I attended my sophomore and junior year in the building. That was the easy part. I soon found out that I had some cobwebs to dust and rust to knock off to get the thinking gears moving. The gears need a little more oil but they are running smoother. I've relearned how to take notes. Within my notes, I learned from Health class, how to eliminate stress/stressors and applied it to my real life. I learned how the United Nations operates and about the different economies in the world from Government class and that 12.3cm = .000123km in Science class. I learned that the absolute value of |-3×6| = 18, (because -3×6 = -18, and |-18| = 18). I don't recall learning about absolute values way back when and if I did, I certainly didn't ever apply them anywhere. I also got to define the word aphrodisiac. After a few, um, um, lets see ... I think I pulled out a junior high explanation. Until next time ... Stay Calm and Learn On. (I'm thinking about getting a chain for my reading glasses. What do you think?)

MONDAY FUNNYS

 

Love has 4 letters, but then again so does beer.

 

Q: What is a man's idea of a balanced diet?
A: A Budweiser in each hand!

Beer doesn't make you fat... it makes you Lean...... on tables, chairs & random people.

 

I was drinking at the bar last night, so I took a bus home...That may not be a big deal to you,

 but I've never driven a bus before.

 

Boy: "I love you so much, I could never live without you."
Girl: "Is that you or the beer talking?"
Boy: "It's me talking to the beer."

 

If you put root beer in a square cup, do you get beer?

 

... LAST BUT NOT LEAST ...

Life and beer are very similar .....chill for best results.

 

ARTS-N-CRAFTS-N-BEER



You're never to old for an Arts-n-Crafts day. One rainy Sunday afternoon my daughter Prairie and her boyfriend were inspired to create on canvas and it didn't take long for me to join in on the fun. What started out as 2 dimensional paintings, turned into 3 dimensional wall art when my daughter suggested adding the faucets under the beer taps. The subject can't be to big of a surprise to anyone. How does the saying go ... "art imitates life".

LABOR OF LOVE



They say giving birth is a "labor of love". I say being a homeowner of a log home is a "labor of love". I often think I'd rather push out a kid then do the maintenance that goes with log home living. Don't get me wrong, I love my home. But every spring when it's time to wash the dust off the inside walls from heating with our fireplace during the long cold winter months in Wisconsin, I moan and groan which is more than I did giving birth to my children. To top it off, this was the year the outside needed to be stained. I swear I was still scrubbing the stain off of me from the last time ... just kidding about that part. It's been 6 days of moving scaffolding, an extension ladder, a step stool and tying myself off to hang from the roof ... that part probably isn't OSHA approved, but the job is complete. Next time this needs to be done I'll be ... let's just say older. This is where that other "labor of love" comes in handy. Hey, kids ... come help Mom stain the house. I'll make you cookies.

 

PS. (Although I did all the staining myself because my husband claims he doesn't know how to use a paint brush, he was responsible for pressure washing the logs and doing most of the ladder moving. He was also close by to call 911 when I was tied off hanging from the roof.)

THE END & CHAPTER ONE



It's "The End" of my "Summer Reading". I didn't accomplish my 3560 pages as I projected, but I did read 2033 pages that totaled 6 books and I'm happy with that. I had a fun filled summer that kept me too busy to reach my goal. I always have grandiose plans of reading, doing yard projects and traveling in my 83 days off. Before long I'm sleeping in late, going for bike rides and sitting around a campfire. That's when I realize, that's what summer is all about. So as I shelf my books and spend the last of my summer savings, (on house stain for one of my grandiose plans), I look forward to "Chapter One" as the school year begins. This year I will be in a new position at East Junior High working as an Instructional Aide. I'm excited and nervous and will probably learn more in the classroom then I did the first time around.