remembering February 19, 2006

It has been so hot lately, upper 90’s everyday. When I was at Addenbrook Park yesterday, I couldn’t help but remember the times I have been at the lake on cold winter days. Even though it was cool yesterday morning (at 5:30 a.m.) and the cool was amplified by the mist from the big sprinklers, memories of the frost-covered lake surface bring a sense of hope that we won’t always be this hot!

Sanctuary of the geese

Got up early and arrived at the Lake at Addenbrook Park by 5:22 a.m.
The sky was already full of pink and promise.
I tried not to drive too fast but there is a sense of urgency
when it comes to sunrise or sunset photography.

The colors were breathtaking for about 34 minutes, that’s all. That time passes in an instant as I click away and try different locations and settings.

A man walking his dog asked me if I was a photographer and what kind I camera I was using. I told him I was an amateur photographer. He said he was aspiring to be an amateur photographer. From his description of his favorite routes and subjects, I would say he is already there!


I spent the entire shoot dodging the large sprinklers that were drenching the area. After the colors faded, the sky was filled with textured white clouds. But it is the pink colors that touch me and keep me coming back.

gone too far!

“Get that damn camera out of my face!!”

He is SO much fun to tease!

Friday birds & cats!

I keep thinking that I would like to go somewhere to take photos rather than to the same place each morning.

Yet, the birds appear to do the same thing each morning and their songs seem to say that they are happy with life.

I will get out this weekend but for now I enjoy this morning beauty one more time!

And back at the ranch, Wiskerz keeps me company & even helps me as I post this!

wanderings

Trying to get back into the early morning routine;
Old familiar sunrises with all new beauty.
My mind wanders
from birds swooping across the field of viewto the eyes watching ME and then onto tree trunks in the morning light;
to the first light caressing my old favorite trees; and finally
to delicate mushrooms that appear overnight and somehow manage
to survive my firm step on this earth!

Respite

First the clouds arrived this afternoon UN-accompanied by a cool-down. Just as we gathered for dinner, the ferocious winds picked up and the smell of dry rain slinked inside. Thankfully, there was enough rain to wet the pavement and require an umbrella for my sunset photos.

Is our heat wave over?

Who knows, but I will embrace and celebrate this sweet and cool respite!

Windows wide open – temperature at 63ºF!

down on the lake

a most logical place to be in this heatwave!

Outside of my element
Out of my comfort zone
OUTSIDE working in 100º F for 10 hours each day this week.

New sights
New experiences
New knowledge

It is good to venture outside of your comfort zone, even if it means being out in 100º F for a few days!

p.s. I'm working in the Chihuahuan Desert this week!

Ptelea returns!

Back Home and digging my way out from under a work project from hell! I have been dragging out the completion of a project beyond all reason (no one to blame but myself). Today I was whining that I have to do everything for myself, no one ever helps me (which, of course is not true). This outburst came when I simply wanted to use the heavy-duty stapler to staple the latest version of my report. Whoever used it last left it empty! It wasn’t obvious how to fill it and we also had about 4 different sizes of staples that said they fit. My first inclination was to clip my report but then I decided to use my brain to figure out how to fill this stapler and find the right size staples. It took about 2 minutes to figure it out and move on. I remembered a valuable lesson – your attitude can make or break your success. If you face life with the attitude that things will go wrong – they probably will. But if you tackle problems and challenges head on, you are much more likely to succeed. After this little lesson, courtesy of the heavy duty stapler, I was able to go on and tackle numerous formatting problems in my word processing software!

Finally there is some light at the end of the tunnel. And against all reason, I took a week off and went far away to a place that might as well be above the clouds! While I was gone, no one finished my project, so I labor away for a little longer. I long for the day when I can be carefree. I am savoring the memories from my vacation and trying to get to that more carefree place. In the meantime, the sunrises and sunsets lift my spirits, no matter how low I feel or how tired I am.
Thank you for all of your comments!