Sunday ~ Mules ~ Donkeys

 Opal looking like the grand old lady.

Thor, holding up a foot.

Fred taking a mud bath.

That's it for today!
Enjoy, hope to get some time for a hike later this week.
Working a 6 day stretch of 12 and 10 hr shifts since I got back from Virginia.

 

Home is a nice place....

Well, the trip is done and I am home.

Morris had a fantastic trip, he'll probably tell you all about his exciting adventures with his other human family later on this week.  All I know is that when he left John and Nancy's he was not only sad about it, but also very tired and happy.

One could never ask for better people to take care of my dog while I was on vacation.
They asked when they could have him again!

It seems that fall is upon us in full force!  Most of the trees and undergrowth have changed their colors and leaves have fallen.  There are some stragglers of color which makes it still worth going out for a drive...let me rephrase that...the colors are still interesting enough for my drive to work and back this week.

I'm able to enjoy glimpses of color through the windshield as it gets a bit lighter out on my way to work.  

It is pretty much going to be a crazy few days.  I'm working 6 days in a row from pre dawn to after dark.
So much for my plans for working with Siera and taking fall photos!

I won't mind the extra pay as it will allow me to set aside some money for some things I'd like to add to my photography arsenal.  One major thing being a very good tripod.  
I got to use one in Virginia that belonged to my brother and it spoiled me.

My brother and his wife were absolutely wonderful guests and hosts, I enjoyed my visit with them so much.  I think I won't have to worry about eating for at least a week or so!

However ...it simply is nice to be back home again.


 
 

My Connection is WHERE???

Flying from Virginia.
Mom leans over and says "Haven't you got enough photos of clouds?"
I laugh and say "Never!  I need them for artwork."

She passes me the Kindle for my turn on Scrabble.  She is whupping my butt but I don't mind.  She is happy and content.

The Steward starts to say something about flights and connections, but neither of us can understand his heavy accent.  We liked 'Tom the Cabin Guy' that was on both flights to Charlottesville.  He told us exactly what was going on.

Carlos got a thumbs down in our book.

We landed in good time.  I was confident that we'd have no trouble making our way to the next flight.
Mom and I stood and waited patiently for our Valet Luggage.  We'd flown a puddle jumper to Chicago and all carry ons had to be put in the belly of the plane.

I grabbed out bags and headed up the ramp with mom in tow.
I looked at the Departure Board.
Um.
Our flight would appear and then disappear in the next second or two.  There was a blank one moment and the next it said 'Gate L2A'.

We were in the G's.  Um.
I checked with a group of American Airlines gate people.  Yup, Gate L2A.
They might has well said 'MARS'!

I explained to mom that we had a long hard walk ahead of us and told her to 'keep up'.  And that I might get ahead of her, but I would not lose her.

She was a bit upset that the connection wasn't right there like last time and kept asking why it wasn't so.  I just said, 'Follow me!'  And trucked on.  After all, my sweatshirt was BLAZE orange she shouldn't lose sight of me
.
We power walked.
I kept looking over my shoulder.  A few times mom looked as if she were completely overwhelmed or ... out of breath. 
I assured her again that I would not lose her.

She is 79 yrs old and will be 80 in April.  This airport thing was not her cup of tea and she made that very clear.  
We got to the gate with 5 minutes to spare before boarding started.

It was close.  I found mom a chair in which she promptly sat and proclaimed that she'd never even think about flying without me again.

I smiled, sort of.  That was a compliment, I'm sure.
I apologized for the hustle getting her to the gate and knelt before her chair and held her hand.  I told her she was a super champ for making this race to the gate with me.  That she was the coolest bestest ever 79'er.


Our pilot for the Chicago to Milwaukee flight was a good one.  Captain Amanda was pleasant and did a great take off and landing.  Her 'Cabin Guy' Mark was also extremely nice and helpful.

Airline travel.
Be prepared for anything.

Tomorrow I drive across the state to get home.
I cannot wait to get home...really, I can't!

I miss hubby AND Morris!

 

Busy in Virginia

Normally I am pretty good at keeping up to date...
Whoops, shouldn't fib should I?

Okay, normally I try to keep up to date and lately I have!

I'm visiting my brother in Charlottesville and have been enjoying the beautiful fall weather here.

Odd how today I checked and the weather here will be cooler than it will be in the Midwest where I live.
In fact it will be sunny and pleasant the rest of the week while here in Virginia it will be cold and rainy.
Now that is a switch!

I've been taking morning walks and watching the sunset each day from my brother's front porch.
I should probably just say...
I love his porch!

We have been constantly busy.  I have been on as many walks as I possibly can take.  The scenery is quite beautiful. 
I haven't been to the mountains yet this time and hope to see some of it today before the rain sets in.

However this is 'mom's' trip so we've tried to gear things to what she likes to do.

I'll be putting a "Mom's Big Adventure" book together for her at some point after this trip.

This morning I'm off for new adventures in photography.  
There is a place near here that I want to take some photographs of, I will have to get back to everyone about the history of this unusual spot!

Until then!

Have a Happy HumpDay!

 

Trip-ing

Virginia.  Oregon.  Washington.
Texas...and the list goes on and on...

Everyone should visit each of our magnificent states.  They are all on my 'bucket' list.

So where did the term 'bucket list' come from anyway?

From the Urban Dictionary Site:
A list of things you want to do before you die. I believe the term comes from a Rob Reiner movie called "The Bucket List" in which 2 terminally ill men (played by Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson) go on a road trip to do the things they wanted to do before they died (kicked the bucket)...or it could be that the term pre-dated the movie (?) and that was the reason they called the movie what they did.

Okay.
Mom wants to see horse racing so we'll be making a rip to West Virginia to check out racing.


Meanwhile.
I'm taking hikes and walks enjoying the countryside.

Leaving on a Jet Plane!

But I do know when we get back again.

I got to my mom's place right on schedule!  She was as pleased as punch to have me show up.

She told me not to 'mind' the smell in her house.  She is making saurkraut the OLD fashioned way.  Letting it ferment in a huge crock. 
We immediately jumped in her car and took off.  She wanted a new pair of jeans since all of her were so faded.

Can you imagine the fun I had getting her to try on neon purple 'skinny' jeans?  They fit, but she felt it was a bit bold for a 79 yr old woman.  We finally found some pants that felt and looked good.  The lady at the changing room couldn't believe mom was 79 and told her..."honey, if you got it, flaunt it!"

Seriously, my mom is not a made up beauty queen nor is she a primma donna.  She is a weather worn woman who is as down to earth as you can get.

She can't hear worth a damn any more so our conversations are a hoot.
"Mom, what time did you want to go to Sara's to drop off the dog?"
Her:  "I really liked that pizza we had tonight."
Me:  "Mom what time should we go with the dog?"
Mom:  "I think that was a good choice don't you?  We'll have fruit in the morning!"

Me.
Grinning like an idiot.  "Okay, fruit sounds great!"
Her:  "We'll take the dog to Sara's around noon tomorrow."
Pffft!

Seniors are cool, gotta give them that right?

Professional Photographer?

I've been asked now to do 3 weddings.  And I have done them as they were for people I really knew well and I was able to do 'things my way'.
Doing portraits of people have not been my 'thing' so to speak.
I don't have all the proper equipment [think speed lights, back drops, a studio].

I have done a photo - shoot for my neighbor when she wanted photos last year for Christmas cards and presents to all the grandparents.

But to go professional, I've been advised by a pro...  that you need to give up your free time, be available at the drop of a hat.
You must be willing to work all hours and put photography FIRST in your life and everything else second.

I comment on this today because I've seen 2 people that have 'gone pro' just recently.  I've looked for their portfolios and don't see any previous work.
It is like one day they are a housewife and the next day they get a camera...and go Pro.

I do like taking photos of my family and of the grandkids.  But that is on my time and with what I have.
My husband pushes at me to 'become a Pro' "You are good enough"  "You need to sell your work and promote it!"
That is not me.
I'm not a promoter.  
I'll do weddings in the future as a favor or work with another photographer and be their second.  

But I'm not going to dive into Pro-dom as I see so many people that pick up a DSLR do.

I do my nature and landscape photography for myself, because I enjoy it immensely.

Oh and if you do want to check out my artwork and other things, I do have a portfolio that can be browsed at Mulewings PhotoArt~ ... my Zenfolio account.
I have a few different types of photos there.  My Nature Gallery is the first thing you would see and then there is a Wedding Album, a Graphic Art Album, an Artsy Creations Album, and a Baby Album.

The money to be made in photography is not in nature photography but 'people' photography.

It just makes me scratch my head sometimes when people just buy a DSLR and suddenly decide that they are now professionals.

Granted, I have taken some absolutely award winning shots with my Ugly Pink Plastic Sanyo camera.
So you don't need the absolute best equipment to do great.
You need a good eye and lots of practice along with knowledge.

Me Pro?  No.  
But I'll continue to do things for fun and enjoy my photography.