Friday Photo Shootout

This weeks theme, circles, is brought to us by Kerry, in Corvallis, Oregon.

Imagine my delight this morning when I walked out the back door and found frost circles on the hot tub cover! Can you see them?


We see these circles every day when we grab the racket and hit balls for Willy. No, he does not bring them back. He is really just a Golden, not a Retreiver. He likes when the bucket fills up with water, when the ball hits the ground it sprays water all over him. He likes that.

The ubiquitous wild west wagon wheel...

Pathways through gravel yards...

Hubby's grandmother crocheted this table runner full of circles probably 75 years ago.

These circles smell exactly like roses!

Then there are these circles (they smell too)

To see more Circles from this weeks shootout, click here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

The Gull

Walking, listening to the waves pound the sand, alone. Gulls calling, watching, while sailing by. Water crashing all of the wrongs, all of the failed good intentions in my head. Its cold and I feel the brisk, moist air brush my face and hair as it works its way inland. The pelicans skim across the water, oblivious to anything but their hunger. It seems an easy existence, and yet, hunger, in any form, can be torture.

I sit on the berm, close to the waterline, and look out at the fog bank on the horizon. I think about each one of them, my people, their pain is palpable, each in their own way. They are lost, caught in the rip tide, struggling to swim towards land. I am helpless, lost, too. I tuck my knees to my chest, wrap my arms around them. I hold tight, trying to keep the scream from escaping.

As the wind picks up, the seabirds come to shore, flock together, heads tucked into the wind; as it should be. I turn my head in the other direction and notice a gull walking towards me. I lay my head on my knees and watch him. He walks, hesitantly, to within a couple of feet of me, turns to face the sea, and settles himself into the sand. His head cocks as he eyes me, top to bottom. I feel a surge of wonder, of forgiveness. A smile swells in my heart and rises to my lips. We both close our eyes.

What do you think?

There is an article in the newpaper about an amateur film maker looking for actors or anyone else interested in helping out with his project. The title of the film will be 13 Bullets, and is the story of a bunch of kids partying in the woods. One of those kids brings a gun to the party.

Really, that's all I read of the article. The plot can go any number of ways and probably will. You're thinking about how you would run with it right now, aren't you? Me too.

I'm also sitting here wondering what the difference is these days in how the younger generation thinks about guns. Guns have been around forever. We have a constitutional right to own guns. We own guns. But as a kid, I was always scared to death of them.

These days it's very hip & cool for a kid to have a gun, and usually the outcome of that is not good. My kids have told me about being at parties where it seemed like a normal occurrence to see a gun laying around. How frightening is that? Kids love to find a party, and they don't always know whose party it is, right? It’s scary. Having worked at the Juvenile Division of the County Attorney’s office, I know that kids can find them pretty easily, if they want them.

But like I said, guns have been around forever. Remember A Christmas Story and the Red Rider rifle? Is it Hollywood that has changed the way kids think of guns, that would make a kid want to carry a gun to have other kids look up to him/her? Is it the breakdown of the American family? What do you think?

Tuesday Walk Thru

Today we have a realtor walk through. We had a very small one just before Christmas. Only a handful of realtors showed up. Too close to Christmas, people out of town. So we are hoping for a much better showing today.

Our realtor suggested making cookies (me, not her) to entice them through here. Isn't that funny? I'm sure there are so many houses to look at on one of these once a month, Tuesday tours, but I thought it was funny that they would choose to see this house because we had cookies. No matter, I made them, and they are delicious!

I especially like the Coconut Cheese Drops. They have parmesan cheese in them! And they are addictive! My neighbor made fun of me for baking cookies for the realtors saying, "A cookie is not going to sell your house!" (She is not happy that we're moving on.) Then she popped over and I gave her a little baggie of them to take home. She finished them all and I had to give her more so she had at least a couple for her hubby.

I may tell the realtors whoever sells the house gets the recipe!

Weather

We seem to be done with inclement weather for a the next several days. I understand that the midwest to the east is getting pummelled with weather; ice, snow, loss of power, downed trees.

I'm praying that you're all safe and warm.

FRIDAY SHOOTOUT

Look Up, Look Down

Looking up at the construction site that we are shooting a video chronicle of for a client.
Looking up, I saw this sign. World famous? Really?

Looking up yesterday:

Looking down:

Looking at the sun coming up:

Looking at the sun going down.
Have a wonderful weekend!
To see other members ups and downs, or to add yours, go here!

Fear

I looked the word fear up in the dictionary today. Here's what I found.

fear
n.
1. A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
2. A state or condition marked by this feeling: living in fear.
3. A feeling of disquiet or apprehension: a fear of looking foolish.
4. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.
5. A reason for dread or apprehension: Being alone is my greatest fear.

When you really think about it, there are many different kinds of fear, and we've probably all experienced them at one time or another.

I'm thinking back on some that I have experienced. I have experienced the agitation caused by the imminence of danger (real or imagined.) Haven't we all?

Holy cow, I have absolutely experienced the fear of looking foolish, mostly when I was younger; I do so many goofy things. Luckily, as I grow older I am much more accepting of myself, and so, don't worry too much about it.

How about a fear of failure? For some, it holds them back. For others, it forces them forward.

Fear for the wellbeing of someone else. That's a toughie because you usually don't have any control over it.

There's healthy fear; something that keeps you from hurting yourself, or putting yourself in a bad situation.

There is also a "fun" fear (for lack of a better word). Scary movies or books.

Talk to me. About fear. What was your most fearful moment, and what did you do?