August 31, 2009

there's a new blog in town....

and
I hope you have a chance to stop by
and
say "howdy partner"
maybe even by horseback
~now that I've picked up a strange twang in my voice~
~~
anyhow
let's see
the new blog
well
it's about sharing and friendship between lots of women who only know each other from blogging who all share a passion for people and life and photos and words
~~
pretty amazing isn't it
?
you can find us roaming the open fields
under bright sunny skies
with the wind in our hair
*


August 30, 2009

grasping....

sometimes I just hang on
~~
to careless feelings
silly ideas that feel out of reach
dreams I'm convinced will never come true
wishes that could have been
~if only all the candles had been blown out~
my clouded points of view
thoughts that only I could possibly understand
visions that can only be seen through my rose colored glasses
and
big lopsided tears that hang dangerously close to the edge
~~
feeling that if I let them go
I will have let
"hope"
go
~~
everyday I hear from everyone
everywhere
"I hope"
something
~~
I hope she feels better
I hope I don't make that mistake again
I hope it doesn't rain
I hope she didn't see me
I hope he didn't take that wrong
I hope he gets home on time
I hope they like me
I hope she knows how upset I am
~~
and
don't get me started on big "hope"
like
I hope she survives the surgery
or
I hope they weren't on the plane that crashed
nope I don't want to go there right now
~~
so today
hang onto your
hope
~~
tie a perfect sailor's knot onto it if you have to
tight and noticeable
if that's what feels best
~~
because
really
isn't hope all we have
?


real quick....

if you are interested in joining a totally fun project
hosted by se'lah
here's your last chance to jump on board
~~
oops
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and
QUICK
come and play in a totally different way here

August 29, 2009

well, I'm going to have a baby...

hopefully sextuplets
if all goes well
~~
and
now that I have your full attention
let me tell you about my babies by showing you some really sucky photos
~~
because of my sister and our love for anything living and the fact that she lives in the country with milk weed plants
we are both going to be new mommas
~quadruplets for her~
~~
she hasn't had any strange food cravings yet
while I think my need for chocolate has increased a bit
and
surprisingly we both look slim
with our due dates only 12 days away
~well approximately of course~
~~
I'm working on names at the moment
and
decorating the nursery
~otherwise known as the screened in porch~
and
basically
just putting my feet up and relaxing
~~
snort
belly laugh
~~
I know
what's the big deal
?
everyone has seen monarch butterflies and if you've seen one you've seen them all
but
I've never started with a caterpillar and watched it morph into a chrysalis
while living in a cool whip container with a terrible make shift lid
and
I've never had to scramble to save two that didn't "hang tight" and are now super glued
to a shish kabob stick
~~
but I am now
and
I can't wait to see the end result
~~
I just hope they don't have my nose





taken with my little point and shoot
~hopefully some better photos soon of all six of them~

August 28, 2009

flying with hope...


IMGP7066-2

in a field
filled with late summer flowers basking in the falling afternoon sun
and
weeds arching their backs towards the thirsty ground
I didn't see her
~~
do you see her
?
~~
she flies with love and hope on the tips of her wings
and
a tiara on the top of her head
~or are those ears~
~~
look a little closer
~~
now do you see her
?
she's a fairy
made of flowers and weeds dancing in just the right place
at the right time
and
she made me smile
~and do I see the wings of another one coming up behind her~
?
have I mentioned that I love little surprises
especially in my photos
?
well I do
I really really do
*
I'm still going through all of your suggestions from yesterday and can I just say
you guys rock
really really
rock
*





August 27, 2009

help...



field of dreams
okay blog lovelies
~that I trust completely~
I need your help
~~
I'm going to be working on a new photography website
with the help of my wonderful apple "kids" during my one to one visits
{yes "kids" as these geniuses are all way younger than I am}
and
I need a name for myself
~I think~
don't I
?
~~
also
while standing around the blog water cooler on my breaks
I've noticed the concern about photo stealing
and
watermarking seems to be the best way to slap those nasty people
on the hands
~~
did I mention I hate watermarking my photos
?
well I do
~~
so anyhow here's where I need your help
~~
sure I can do the normal and plain and uninspiring
"beth's photography"
on everything
~yawn~
or
all of you who have gotten to know me quite well this past year
can throw some ideas and names my way for me to play with
can't you
?
please
can you
?
~~
and
now don't get too excited
but if someone comes up with an idea that I fall in love with and decide to use
there will be a prize
~~
I'm not sure what it will be yet
obviously something to do with one of my photos
but
it will be a good one
I promise
~~
so now don't go off and think too hard about this
~which is what I keep doing and there's only room for me on that think.too.hard.couch~
as off the cuff ideas are usually best
so
just start throwing
drop kicking
chucking
lobbing
and
tossing
my way
and
let's see what lands where
~~
and
now about this photo that I am over the moon about
it was taken with my macro lens while I was at the sunflower field
and
I have not touched it other than adding a ~gag~ watermark to it
and
well
I'm just so completely in love with it
~just thought you should know~
*

August 26, 2009

not a self portrait but I think you'll laugh a little...

I didn't really share many of my colorado photos with you
not because you're not worthy of seeing them
it's just that sometimes I think "trip photos" if you weren't on the trip
just aren't very interesting
~~
~please no nasty comments as that's just my opinion~
~~
anyhow
since I've really been just plain awful
trying to participate with misty in her self portrait wednesdays
I decided it was time to go into the archives to see what I could find
~~
and
this my sweet friends is the best I could do
~~
here's the set up
the hubby and I were at the "garden of the gods"
along with hundreds of our favorite friends
that we call tourists
where he had to wait patiently
~well we both did~
for everyone to clear out so he could get this shot of me
~~
well almost everyone
~
do you see the girl behind me
posed perfectly in between my legs
looking up at my butt
?
well he didn't
~~
and
this is why I love him so incredibly much
*

August 25, 2009

admitting to what you don't love...



lucy

I grew up a dog lover
~~
my mom has always been allergic to cats
so we never visited any homes while I was growing up
~those important informative years~
if cats or kittens where on the premises
and
probably because of that
~and the fact that I can't stand anything that loses more hair than I do~
there has never been a day that I have ever entertained the thought of owning one
until now
my sister and her family
~also dog people~
recently moved into the country and now they have kittens that I find to be the most entertaining and amusing things I've seen
since my hubby left
{and isn't around to make me laugh everyday}

lucy has the black goatee and is the newest edition to the family
and
even with all of her antics and personality and pure silliness when it comes to stalking chipmunks and climbing trees
it's the one
above
and
below
that has stolen my heart
~he belongs to my niece can you tell~
?
chester is perfect
~~
chester is a cat dog or is it a dog cat
?
you know
when a cat acts like a dog and takes unassuming people like myself
who tells people
"I hate cats"
and
turns our hearts to mush because they act like lap dogs and love to be petted and pay attention to you when you're talking to them
and
don't have that
"screw you attitude"
~~
come on
you totally know what I'm talking about
~~
anyhow
if you're new to my blog
my hubby didn't "leave leave"
he's just off on a new job and we are still very much in love
but
soon
based on my feelings from this past weekend and these photos
this crazy heart of mine
just might replace him with a kitten
*
well, as soon as I find the magic pill that keeps kittens from turning into cats
~then I might do it~

August 24, 2009

captured, but not always what I want...

while trying to capture this sunset that was blinding me
I used my zoom lens
but with great caution
due to the
"don't look into direct sunlight"
directions that are in bold letters on the box it came in
~~
"may cause retina damage"
it says
~~
now that's enough to scare someone who calls herself a photographer under her hushed breath
from ever shooting towards the sun again
right
?
well kind of
does squinting count for not looking
?

black dark thick clouds are pretty amazing but harder to capture
because well
it's dark outside
and
I pretty much hate using my flash
ever
for anything
there I said it...I'm a flash hater
~~
admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery
right
?
this photo
was taken while I held the camera low and shot up
in order to capture the moving clouds a little more clearly
~~
the only thing I like about it is that I captured a bug in flight
and
then the other night I whipped my car off to the side of the road
because
well
come on
the sky was orange
and
who doesn't want a photo of an orange sky
right
?
~~
and
then I realized the only way to get anything from where I was at
was to do
of telephone wires
which she has perfected
and
me
well I kind of felt like they were in my way
but
once I got home and looked at the photo
well
I think maybe she's onto something
that gorgeous creative friend of mine
~~
even though my focus and composition
suck
~and don't tell me otherwise...I'll have none of that today~
hee hee
*


August 23, 2009

sometimes life just isn't fair...

I had been keeping a watchful eye on all of our barn swallow nests all week
knowing that any day they'd be empty
and
I'd be able to finally clean up the unbelievable mess they always leave behind
when
I heard
"mom...bring the camera, quick"
sure enough
just like that the nests were empty
and
they were all gone
except for this one
who had been pushed out of the nest by his big bully brother
I suspect
and
had fallen and broken his wing
his eyes were huge
with a
"I didn't ask for this"
look
that melted my heart
and
jack asked me
"now what"
?
~~
and
just like that the little bird tried to fly out of his hand
and
landed head first onto the cement patio
breaking his neck
and
died
instantly
~~
not only is life not always fair
sometimes it just really sucks
~~
but
maybe mother nature knows
that a quick relatively painless death is better than a long drawn out one
when it comes to broken wings
~~
at least for today
that's what I have to believe
*

August 22, 2009

heaven...



heaven

I lifted my eyes
from where they had carefully been keeping track of my tiny steps
on the perfectly manicured path
where tall trees
with broad shoulders
had stretched out like umbrellas protecting me from the blinding sun
and
suddenly I stopped
with a jolt
like I had just run head first into a transparent wall
~~
catching my breath
I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the unraveling strings of sunshine
dangling from the quilt in the sky
to be blinded instead
by
a field of sunflowers
~~
I stood there
mesmerized
watching
while they danced to a rhythm
I didn't know
~~
they moved with grace
and
strength
bobbing their heads with dignity and pride
even though
their days of dancing are quickly coming to an end
and
I felt sad
~~
so
tomorrow I'm going back to that field
with my head bobbing and my body swaying
and
I'm going to learn the dance
of
the sunflower
*



August 21, 2009

it's great to reach an age where you don't care what others think...

this was from my birthday 2 weeks ago
and
learning imovie was a blast but took me a little longer than I expected
but here it is
so now just make sure your volume is on

August 20, 2009

sneak peek...

slow down
actually go ahead and stop
~~
if you're participating in the kindness swap that armani
a.k.a. pixiedust
is hosting
don't go any further or you'll ruin the surprise
~~
the rest of you blog lovelies
well
you're safe

the kindness swap is all about sending love and encouraging thoughts
to someone
~~
most likely
a complete stranger
because who doesn't need a hug
?
so I took out some of my 4x6 photos
and
some goodies from my pile of ephemera
{thank you teesha moore}
and
my stamps and card stock
and
mixed them all together with some kinds words
and
created my postcards
~~
just so you know
I totally and completely
loved every single minute of being in my studio
~that has been a stranger of late~
making a mess and getting glue all over my fingers
on a perfectly sunny day
~~
soon
armani
will be addressing the cards and sending them onward
and
lucky me
I'll get three sent to me from other participants in the swap
~~
hugs in the form of handmade postcards
waiting quietly in your mailbox
are a really good thing
don't you think
?
click on the photos if you want a close up of my postcard making talents
~and the quotes are all by... who knows~

August 19, 2009

guess what...I mean who...

finally

baby boy

my beautiful baby boy

gets his time in front of my camera

for his senior photos

and
had no problem letting me know when it was time to quit
*
thanks kid for being so much fun and making me and your sister laugh the entire time

August 18, 2009

the middle place...

IMGP7020_2lowcontrast


I'm the middle child
a leo
one of three girls
who tends to see grey
instead of black and white
~~
I believe in love
no matter where it comes from
lesbian
gay
straight
why do we need titles
?
we're all the same
~~
I grew up going to church
but I don't attend one now regularly
and
I believe in a god that might not be the same as your god
but I believe all of our prayers are heard
~~
beautiful skin color
fascinates me with my own jealousy
along with perfectly slanted eyes or an afro or an accent that forces me to concentrate on your lips when you speak
~~
I like life
outside the box
where I can make new footprints instead of walking in those that belong to others
~~
children and babies
stop me in my tracks
as I always need a second look at the innocence and beauty only they possess
~~
a field of wild flowers
can take my breath away
along with a whisper in my ear or a warm hand on my back
~~
half of my summer clothes haven't been worn this summer
but the rest of them have truly been lived in and if you wanted my favorite shirt
I'd give it to you
~~
I get up every morning with the attitude that today will not be wasted or forgotten or ruined by little things that need to be ignored or filled with ugly words or thoughts that make me think staying in bed would have been a better option
~~
I hug
often
here in my middle place
*


August 17, 2009

I think you should join me...

okay
~~
by now
after more than 400 posts
all of you have gotten to know me pretty well
as my life is a quite an open book
and
I've decided
that having fun
feels more important to me now
than it ever has before
so when I get a chance to jump
which always makes me laugh

believe me
I'm going to do it
*
{thanks to my hubby who shot this on my birthday weekend}

August 16, 2009

it's too muggy here to open the windows...



today

and
in other weekend news
~~
my son has been an angel
~
I hit my head so hard on the cabinet I was emptying out in the laundry room at my sister's house that I'm still wondering how I didn't get a concussion
~
it's supposed to storm here tonight and I hope it does because I love a good black and blue sky filled with noises and flashes of light
~
I haven't been eating as well as I should be
but I feel that the bowl of strawberries and bananas drowning in vanilla yogurt that I inhaled at lunch yesterday should make up for all the hot tamales that recently disappeared
~
I hate buying and wearing bras
but I found one at target yesterday in a sweet charcoal color that's not filled with mounds of padding meant for a small sofa
and
it pretty much molded itself to my body
so I think it's a keeper
~
how's your weekend going
?



August 15, 2009

a sorry list of seven things...


I'm sorry I don't have the easy pull back into a ponytail kind of hair
that would make our mornings so much easier
and
that I looked like a goon while we were dating in high school
~~
I'm sorry I don't like to cook and really only know how to make a few dishes that can be called "your favorites"
~~
I'm sorry my feet stink when I wear my tennis shoes
due to the fact that I can't stand to wear socks with my shoes
~~
I'm sorry my desk is always a mess
even though every time you need something I can find it in two seconds flat
which still amazes you after all these years
~~
I'm sorry I hog the clicker when we're watching television
sort of
~~
I'm sorry I leave cabinet doors open and never run into them
even though you do
~~
I'm sorry I'm addicted to my computer
~scratch that~
no I'm not
~~
but
I'm not sorry that even though I have a list 10 times longer than this one
you still love me
just the way I am
*
I was given an award and tagged "to tell you seven things about myself"
by dani and this is all I could come up with for today since my body
and mind are all mushy from working so hard helping my sister and her family move
into their new house
so
maybe tomorrow I'll be a little more coherent
but today I'm sore and missing my honey a little bit more than usual
so
I hope this makes you smile
or
at least confirms for you that
our teenagers today have it so easy
not having to live
through those flipped out farrah fawcett hair days
*