Beauty in the Morning

I am so thankful I live in a beautiful area. Sure, we are rural. There are pastures and tobacco barns all over the place. The roads can be dangerous if you are not a defensive driver, and even then.

But, it is such a BEAUTIFUL area.

Just another reminder to always be ready to take the shot.

This sunrise was at an intersection and behind me. I didn't realize the beauty until I turned to check for traffic. Absolutely amazing!

Sunrise Painting

As a photographer, I admit that getting "the shot" is not always easy. Sometimes you miss the shot, other times you are not prepared.

This morning, I almost missed the shot. I do not carry my big camera with me all the time. (There can be a major discussion with that, but not today.) However, I had my phone with me.

I took the shot.

I like to think I did not miss the shot.

What do you do when you see "the shot" and don't have your camera?

And don't get me wrong, I miss several. There were several other shots I could have captured this morning with the fog and the tobacco barns that were smoking through the valleys of the country on the way in to work.

Every writer needs an editor and a photographer a filter... hitting home for a minute

I am an individual with a creative streak that is a mile wide. I love to write, I love to photograph, I love to draw, I love to sing, and I love to decorate.

Sounds great, right? 

It is, except for with so many variations of creativity it can be quite distracting. The different pulls on my creativity can be so distracting that I may not put forth my best on any one area. That is when there is a problem.

I have become tied up in the berating myself here lately. See, I know I can do better when the conditions are right. The problem being that the conditions are not perfect and my full expectations are not met. I am distracted.

I have learned over the years how to control my quirks so that hardly anybody will notice them. Unfortunately, here lately I have been overwhelmed. The manifestation on my mind causes me to not be able to focus.

This lack of focus can be rather interesting. For the typical person, if they are unable to focus, they may forget their keys or a grocery list. For me, it is much different. When I lose my focus, I start with forgetting where I have placed things but then it gets worse. I get grouchy and moody, depending on what the causes of my lack of focus are. Then, when I know I have to step back and take some time off, I lose my filter. Not everybody understands that term. What is a filter?

In this instance, a filter is a gatekeeper or a channel that keeps the thinking before speaking in check. When the filter shuts down, I speak before I think but I also lose the ability to see where what I say can be received harshly. The basic social aspect of communication goes out the window.

Another side effect of my lack of focus is I become oddly sensitive. Say I was to say something that was harsh and the person I said it to complained about it to somebody else. This situation would wound me. The reason? Because when I am overwhelmed, I only allow certain people around me for more than pleasantries. This is because I expect those I allow in to understand me.

Man, I realize this looks like a rather selfish post. Sorry about that. I just feel the need to explain things. In order to do so, I have to talk about me. Anyhow, about writing and photography.

With my writing... my inner editor continually second-guesses what I write and I have been unable to complete a manuscript in two years. That takes a toll. Sure, I was making excuses, like having academic papers and research papers to write while working on various projects with church and school. (I am not saying these projects were not worth doing, they just took away from my desires.) I need to be able to focus. There is a story that has been evolving in my head for years and I need to get it written.

With my photography... I am eagerly waiting for the person that I can collaborate with and we can have an amazing photo shoot. Although I look forward to working with everybody. I feel the work I have done is lacking mostly because I am facing challenges that I knew would be there if I were to pursue photography as a career. I have been burned in a couple instances and regret the way things turned out. I am still taking pictures and want to enjoy working with individuals that want their portraits taken. I know I have the skill and ability; I need to work on my marketing.

Life in general. I have forgotten that I do not have to do it all. I also forgot whom I need to please and what it is that I am suppose to be doing. 

I am primarily a writer. I need a part time job with deadlines. I am pursuing my Masters and will be working (still waiting on confirmation) at the school this fall. I would love to have photo-sessions once or twice a month to boost an income. 

Have you ever gotten lost in the chaos around you? That is where I have been. We have had crazy personal stuff go on and instead of looking to the almighty Father; I have tried to fix it myself. This of course leads to being overwhelmed and stressed. (Which I am prone to anyway.) This however is not what God wants for us. 

God wants us to be happy. He wants us to have His strength. All we have to do is call out to Him.

Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!

The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. - Psalm 28:6-7 (NKJV)

Wildlife Excursion

Today I went to Montgomery Bell State Park to a Predators to Prey exhibit they had. It was quite interesting and the animals that were featured were gorgeous.

 

Candycane Corn Snake
 & Corn Snake

The first presentation was the corn snake. There were two of these friendly creatures, one being a Candycane Corn Snake and the other the Corn Snake. The lighter colored of the two is the Candycane Corn Snake and is a result of captive breeding.

The Corn Snake is a nonpoisonous snake that is indigenous to corn fields. This is a type of rat snake and kills its prey with constriction.

The Corn Snake is often a beginner pet to snake and reptile lovers.

Are you interested in Corn Snakes? Check out this link. Do remember if you choose to home a Corn Snake, you need to check into your local government's laws to see if possession is legal.

Caiman 

The next creature that was shared with us, was the Caiman. Our presenter stressed that this fella is not the friendly type. While this guy was rather small at only about 20 inches, we were told he could do damage if he got ahold of a finger.

Caimans are from Central and South America. They can get up to about five foot in length.

For more information about this cousin to the alligator, check out this link.

Prairie Dog

The next animal that we all fell in love with was the prairie dog. We were given a lot of information about him and his family. While we were told that he is closely related to the squirrel, he lives underground and doesn't eat trees.

In the United States, prairie dogs are very beneficial to the eco-system but they were treated like pests and many were destroyed. They are indigenous to the Western United States where there are four known 'cities'.

Fr more information on the Prairie Dog, check out this link.

Eurasian Eagle Owl

The treat of the exhibit was the Eurasian Eagle Owl. One of the largest birds on the planet and a magnificent specimen. With a wingspan of five-foot, this particular owl is not quite full grown.

Eurasian Eagle Owl

Approximately twenty months old, he weighs right about five pounds. His wings are silent and he is a ninja of the skies. Look out small animals, when this fella gets hungry he is coming to get you.

As his name suggests, he is indigenous to Eurasia.

For more information about the Eurasian Eagle Owl, please check out this link.

Bobcat

Last but not least, we met a lovely teenager that could very well live right outside here in the South. He is known as the Bobcat. During the exhibit this fella was rather lazy and wanted to be carried around.

He looks rather large, and weighing in at 22 pounds he is the size of a medium breed dog. (We laughed because our Neko-chan is 20 pounds but he is not quite as large.)

Bobcat

The Bobcat is known for being elusive and nocturnal (most cats are nocturnal). He is named for his bobbed tail that is really longer than a typical bob. They are carnivores and eat small animals. This is a good reminder to not leave your small pets out and unprotected.

Evidence of Bobcats shows that they cover the majority of North America and are not picky about the environment.

For more information of this great cat, please visit this link.



I know I had fun getting to know a little more about these animals and reptiles, I hope you did too!

Honorable, they say

I entered the Sky's The Limit photography contest that the Renaissance Center in Dickson, Tennessee had this fall. The photos are currently on display in their gallery until November 2.

On October 5th, there was a reception where the winners of the contest were announced. There were over 300 entries, 40 finalist and it came down to a tense couple of minutes.

Red Hawks Soar

I was pleasantly surprised to be included as the honorable mention of the finalists. This photo is of the 2012-13 Creekwood High School Drill Team just after one of their competitions.I am so proud of these young men and women.

I am greatly humbled to have received the Honorable Mention. This was the first photo contest I entered.

Where is the pleasure in reading?

My own children have asked me, "Why do I have to read?"

We have fought over school work that involves reading, and I understand the why. If the content of what an individual is reading does not grab them, then they do not connect with it. 

I could get on a soapbox about the content that my children have brought home as required reading. It truly is no wonder why there is a fight to get them to read. That is not the nature of this post though.

The pleasure in reading. 

I remember the first time I read The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, I was transported into the land with the Unicorn, Schmendrick the Magician and Molly Grue as they sought the where-a-bouts of the other unicorns. Their journey to King Haggard's land was grueling, as was the meeting with the Red Bull. Then when Amalthea fell in love with Prince Lir. The book really grasped the imagination of my then twelve year old self.

Reading is for information, inspiration, imagination, escape, and simply to relax.

The key to enjoying reading is being interested in what is read. I have been known to read a book series that was poorly written (grammar-wise) but had a plot that interested me and kept me reading. Was the plot believable? No. The whole reason the book captivated me was because it was not believable, yet the characters seemed like people I had possibly met.

An individual does not have to be a fan of Charles Dickens in order to love reading. They do not have to be a fan of Neil Gaiman either.

There are thousands upon thousands of authors out there that literally write something for everyone. If you have a child that does not enjoy reading, keep trying. We did not think we would ever get our youngest to read and then he discovered Dr. Seuss. It zipped through every one of the Seuss books he could find. His most recent discovery is Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan.

Find a topic that is of interest and then go from there. Visit your local library often.