TAKING A BREATH...

October? Already? Are you kidding? When did that happen??

September was a long month; one which I'm glad is over! It signified many things, most of which were quite unpleasant. However, a few bright spots managed to make a presence.

One day at the office a week or so ago we had a visitor in our building. SANTA!!! After assuring him I'd been a really good girl this year I asked if I could take his picture. He complied and I was happy. (Santa was there to appear in a photo another tenant was making to use as a Christmas card).


After not having been on an adventure in weeks I threw caution to the wind and set out to Lake Lavon, a lake in the general area but which was unexplored territory. Imagine seeing a camel near the lake. There was actually a sign on the fence which read "Pet the Camel $10.00". Decided a free picture was more in line with my budget.

I've concluded that in a "former life" (not that I believe in such things, but if it is a possibility), I was a farm girl. There is something so soothing and appealing about cattle. Their low, bawling calls are pleasing to my ears. A scene such as this makes me sigh with contented peace. This bull was showing off his favorite gal by the fence as we drove past.

We ended up in a small town to which I'd never ventured. Farmersville, Texas has the distinction of having once been the Onion Capital of North Texas. From this location the Santa Fe railroad picked up bundles of onions for market from a multitude of "onion sheds". Several are still used as farmer's market venues, picnic pavilions in the town park, and refurbished in to office buildings. The town square (although its really a T rather than a square) has a do-wop diner. It was closed on Saturday afternoon, but the decor was precious... even snapped through a less than sparkling window.

More of the quaint, local ambiance.

This shot is for my kids.... they'll know why.

Finally we reached our destination. Lake Lavon. It was a very windy day and the water was white-capping far out into the center of the lake. The waves crashing against the beach were bigger than some I've seen at the Gulf. Really.

It was a good little jaunt. Probably no more than 80 miles round trip. But it put an end to the "no adventures" drought and refreshed my soul.

Then I actually had some more excitement which will be in the next post but not...

Until I upload more photos...

TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE...

It's been a few weeks since I last blogged and I decided I finally had some adventures to share. I haven't adventured too much lately due to household circumstances so I was happy to again be able to take pictures and share them here.

Last Saturday we ventured to the Great American Trucking Show at the Dallas Convention Center. Not a function high on my list of wanna-do, but it was free and I knew H would enjoy it thoroughly... and he did. He accommodates my whims quite frequently, so it was my turn to accompany him on an outing of interest to him.

I spent the time at the show taking photos of trucks and people... playing mostly... practicing unusual angles, blurred motion, etc.


An Evil Knievel motorcycle...

Part of the show included a Pride & Polish contest for "fancy" rigs. I felt like I was in a scene from the show Trick My Trick!!

However, seeing Captain Jack Sparrow wasn't exactly disliked.

I called this truck "cute" and H about clobbered me.

WHOOP!!!!! This truck is obviously owned by some Aggies!!

It was a day filled with lots of walking and lots of "guy stuff". After the show we went out to dinner at the Chinese Buffet.

A few days later something exciting happened. I was asked if I'd like to use a couple of extra tickets to the Dallas Cowboy - Miami Dolphins pre-season game on Thursday night. Considering there is no way I can afford to purchase a ticket during regular season... and parking generally runs in the area of $50 - $75 per game.... I jumped at the chance. My cousin is the one who got the tickets and he found a DEAL on parking. If you ate dinner at J. Gilligan's Bar before the game, you could purchase a shuttle pass for $6 per person. We likewise grabbed that bargain and considered ourselves fortunate to have found it.

So we ate... then shuttled.... then arrived at "Jerry's House" ..... (aka Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas)

It is a massive structure with many huge architectural elements.

Our seats were in the nose-bleed section.... but what can you expect for FREE? It was still an adventure all the same... and not something likely to be repeated any time soon.

The photo above is outside the stadium at the end of the game. The Cowboys won 27-25; that in itself was odd since all the other times I attend games of our local professional teams the home team loses. I'm developing a complex about being a jinx. I even wondered if I could approach the opposing teams and offer to attend when they are in town so they would automatically have an advantage.

There you have it.... two adventures in one post.....two birds with one stone.

I have a special post that will be coming after the State Fair of Texas completes it's run, usually around October 12 or so. Stay tuned.

Until more adventures...

A PLACE TO BE

Here is where I want to be. Well, not exactly be as in "at that location" (even though it is a lovely spot on Lake Ray Roberts), but this is how I want to feel.

I want the calm and serenity;
To be undisturbed or unrippled
So I reflect the beauty of my surroundings.

I want to breathe the unfettered tranquility;
To quench my soul like a magical elixir
So discordant harmonies within can cease to clash.

My grandmother died last week. That event, compounded by a multitude of other tribulations, has turned my world upside down. I hope to get to a place where I can write a tribute to her memory. But not yet.

Until a better day...

THE PAST.... AND PRESENT

We are currently experiencing the hottest temperatures of the year; as I type this the thermometer reads 104 degrees. We have been promised no break in this pattern for the duration of the next week and beyond. So I thought I'd remind myself of the weather we were experiencing on February 11, 2010....... ahhhhh!!! Some of this COLD would feel good about now.



Because of the insufferable heat, I've opted to stay indoors working on projects and other things which require me to stay in the comfort of the air conditioning. I've been recovering the seat cushions to my dining room chairs. I finished the project in less time than I estimated; perhaps the heat wave was the motivation I needed. Regardless, here is the BEFORE.....

And the AFTER..... looks a little better with my lightened walls and window treatments. I will also be rotating the table coverings to balance the lighter, breezier feel of the room.

I continue the de-clutter project in my sewing room by sorting through the shelves of fabric, designating more for disposal than for keeping. I plan to notify all my gal pals in the local area who sew to come browse and take home some goodies. The rest will be donated.

So, no matter the duration of this infernal blast, I have plenty to keep me busy indoors. However, I am going stir-crazy to be some place taking photos! Tonight I intend to pack a sandwich and head to the lake around sundown. Surely I can find a thing or two worthy of digital capture.

Until another time...

IT'S JULY???

Believing it is July is extremely difficult. Where did the first half of 2010 go? Many things have happened - and at the same time nothing exciting has occurred - since the last post.

Made a trek to Central Market over the weekend. Saw these interesting items in the produce department. They were with the fingerling potatoes, which I've always wanted to try. The sign called these Oca Potatoes and mentioned they were from New Zealand. Feeling adventurous, I bought a few to try. They were different. First, I googled for recipes and preparation suggestions. Seeing them referred to as tubers of the oxalis plant didn't help. I have oxalis growing in the yard and would certainly never eat the little "bulbs" as I call them. Anyway, I cooked them the easy way. Boiled them and served them with butter, salt, and pepper. The verdict: reminded me of a cooked carrot in texture. The flavor was a cross between a yam and acorn squash. So now I can say I've tried Oca Potatoes from New Zealand.


The painting job in the living room is complete. I did not replace the wall decor which got removed prior to painting. Instead, I opted to make a mini-gallery of my favorite photos. I can change them at random. I suppose I could even be thematic if I desired. I am pleased with the results.

Now I am working on reupholstering the dining room chairs. They were covered in a dark hunter green. With the light walls they needed to be brightened a bit. I've selected a floral print on a creamy background. Not a favorite choice, but the price was right so I made myself like it. I have completed a couple of the seats and will share photos when the entire task is finished.

Speaking of photographs, today I officially entered the photography contest at the upcoming State Fair of Texas. Thousands of people submit entries so I am not expecting to win ....or place, but being an entrant is one more thing I can cross off the Things-I-Regret-Not-Doing list.

Until another post...

COLOR MY WORLD??

Recently I painted (with the help of a son) the ceiling and walls in the living and dining rooms. The color was changed from a darkish mauve/plum to a neutral beige. I had a purpose for the change.

I take lots of digital photos and have quite a few favorites. However, since they are digital, the only place they can be seen are on my computer. Someone dear to me thinks FILM is the only way to go because you can have the prints forever. Yes, I agree there are no prints but at the same time, think of all the money one saves by not purchasing bad prints just to get a few great ones! In an effort to compromise, I started printing out some of my favorite shots.

I went a step further and turned my newly painted [but bare] living room walls into my private, one-woman photo gallery. I purchased some cheap, black frames and matted them identically. Now I can rotate favorite pictures in and out. That was all wonderful until I realized all my favorite photos are very neutral colors. Tan, black, rust.... throw in some blue from a sky and some green from a field and you just saw all the colors of my gallery prints. I started noticing things around me.... most buildings are neutral tones, skyscrapers are neutral, most cars are now white, black, silver, beige. What happened to purple, yellow, orange, and lime green? So I set out yesterday morning with the intention of taking photos of C O L O R to replace the 'drab' in my frames.

Farmer's Market is always a great place to find color.

The fish store is halfway between my house and the farmer's market. After the visual treats at the market, we stopped at the fish store. I needed to put a few more fish in my aquarium and rarely venture to the store without my camera.

Look at the color on this little guy!! I think he's some sort of shrimp.

This guy seems to smile. Yes, I know he isn't colorful, but his face was irresistible. So expressive. He looks wrinkled and wise.

This fish amazed me. He reminded me of a rainbow. On his tail there are reddish orange colors and by the tip of his nose we've gone through the entire spectrum of the rainbow... red, orange, yellow, green tints, blue, purple, and ending with white. AMAZING!

Yesterday was a good day. My faithful sidekick was celebrating his birthday. We spent the day doing things he enjoyed. Ended it with a wonderful birthday dinner. Many more happy ones, H... or at this age perhaps I should just wish you more of them??? Just kidding... I was honored to be the one to help you celebrate.

Until another post...

A DARK PERSPECTIVE

Although the local "powers that be" have fallen short of declaring us in a full-blown drought, it is early June and we have already experienced temperatures far higher than normal, with an accompanying rainfall total far fewer inches than is average for this time of year. The grasses along the highways and interstates are crisp and devoid of chlorophyll. The heat is on! There aren't many outdoor adventures planned in the heat of the day. I had my camera sitting in the passenger seat as I ran errands, necessitating some frequent pull-overs to snap a shot or two. This fountain has been going for a couple years. It is in a townhouse development which is failing to develop given the economic reality of the area. But the fountains remain inviting nonetheless.



There was a Balloon Festival and Air Show in a community south of Dallas. Wishing to digitally capture a Balloon Glow remains on my list of wanna-trys. Saturday night seemed the perfect opportunity. Except for one tiny little thing; it was too windy and it was called off. Being in the middle of a field, there was no way to call ahead to inquire the status of the event. So we drove to the venue to learn it had never materialized. No problem. Turned around and headed east to a charming town. Waxahachie, Texas. Location of one of my favorite county courthouses in all of Texas. Turned the adventure into one of capturing night shots of the town square as it lit up.

A pub on the square featured live performances. The stage is located in the front window. This young musician had just taken the stage as we walked by.

I continue my love affair with alleys. It amazed me that one light could illuminate so thoroughly. (I rarely use a flash; all these photos were taken using the available ambient lighting.)

For a small town I was amazed at the activity in the downtown square. Music could be heard wafting from several venues, local plays were being performed at two different locations on the square, a wedding was in full swing in the upstairs of another storefront as evidenced by the guests who spilled into the street when in need of a smoke or some fresh breeze. (Mind you, the temperature was 88 degrees at 10 p.m., but cool compared to the 98 high of the day.)

An hour after the first shot... and from the diagonally opposing corner.

As always, I was accompanied by my favorite fellow adventurer. It was a night time adventure that was altogether unexpected, but well worth the time spent. Memories were made and laughter was shared.

Until further adventures...

HAPPY 95th BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA!!

June 6, 2010 is a very special day!! It all started June 6, 1915....

My maternal grandmother, shown here by herself and then with my only brother, celebrated her 95th birthday today.

Grandma is my only surviving grandparent. I think she looks remarkable for 95 years old. I know at times she is in pain, unable to hear, unable to see well, and at times her mind doesn't cooperate with what goes on around her.... so it seems rather cruel to wish her "many more" happy birthdays. So I just wish her a wonderful year.

Until I think of something new to post...