Dream Tree, come with me

5.28.12:  This tree sits on the property of good friends who are moving out of town.  I took the picture on Sunday night during their farewell gathering of friends and neighbors.  I stopped by the house today to pick up a beautiful bowl she's leaving with me, and when I arrived the orange of the setting sun filled their living room like I've never noticed before.  When I mentioned it she pulled me into the 'sun room' to look out at the tree and the lake not knowing that I had taken the picture the night before.  She cleared the desk and window so we could see, stopped and took a deep breath.  This scene and place she'll always remember and appreciate, and in that moment I think that she placed it in her heart and mind to take with her. 

Taken they'll only be an hour and a half away in New Orleans, and it is their official return to their home city following the federal levee failures after Katrina.  Their home there is so beautiful and it also has a stunning Live Oak tree across the street in a park.  Family and friends are there to welcome them and a renewed lifestyle is ready for their participation.  They'll be missed, and we'll always feel fortunate that they entered our lives seven years ago.  I guess part of this Dream Tree will stay, too, so that we'll always remember and cherish.  :) xo

Her curves take me where I want to go

Another return to the back field today since the machinery in my usual morning spot with Sparkle was very active.  I actually had to go back on my own because she didn't want to make the trek probably because of the humidity.  Once I went through the gate, I stopped to soak in the tree covered with Spanish moss and greeted the gentleman who visits and trains his dog in the space.  I was going to search for wild orchids for a friend, but grabbed a perspective from under the tree instead.  It got me out of the morning sun, and I ended up not leaving the spot until my return home.

I want to say something eloquent about Spanish moss but am not pulling it together the way I'd like to.  There's a feel to the plant, an emotional feel, and I want my words to deliver that feeling. Maybe the best word is 'romantic'.  When I surround myself and go within it, I'm transported to another place, a good feeling place, where I wonder and let myself get absorbed.  :)

Will I see you again tomorrow?

This was my favorite find during a return walk in the back field.  It was SO humid out, and the webs were weighted with dew drops that seemed burdened themselves.  I remember the spectrum effect of past web shots with the sun, and am happy to see that the magic traveled home with me again.

Photo provided by Irene Kato :D

It made it!!  Page 2b in today's Advocate!  :)

Many thanks to The Advocate's Photo Chief John Ballance.  I appreciate his calls and attention to my set of  eclipse photos.  As of last night none of the images made the cut, but I was informed otherwise this morning by a friend.  I'll never forget my lesson about getting everyone's names that appear in my photos.  The 'man with the pinhole solar eclipse' viewer goes down in history.  That photo was the one most likely to be selected, but because I didn't have the man's name it couldn't.  I was crushed then embarrassed that I'd take the editor's time by submitting an image that had a risk of not qualifying.  Lesson learned and learned well.  Nice to have this appear as a follow-up lesson about going for it.

Either way my feelings told me that I care about this hobby and like seeing it go somewhere.  Time to be more conscious and committed with my actions.  My friends and family keep cheering me on, now I have to listen to myself and believe in cheering, too.  :)

5.28.12

A special thanks to friend, Marla Elsea, and her husband, Tim.  I now have a photo print of page 2B in my hands and I'm always appreciative of their support.  :)

Solar Eclipse - Baton Rouge

I drove out to the levee on my own tonight to catch some of the solar eclipse.  Upon arrival I was more than happy to see a small crowd of about twenty people finding the right spot to view with or without their devices.  I especially chuckled over the young man nearly putting his head into his box to check out what was happening.  The man and the woman watching through their iPad sparked my curiosity, too.  With a smile on my face I strolled through the people to stake out a location where I thought I'd avoid the tree line on the Mississippi.  I knew that we wouldn't make it to complete eclipse since the sun was already on its way to set, but I was still very excited when I saw the first little space of the sun covered.  I took a few shots hand held then realized that I wouldn't see much more where I was standing because of the sun's drop into the trees.  Scooting over a bit helped that, and I set the camera on the tripod in back display mode where I could see what was happening very nicely.  I had a good show with the gorgeous sunset colors and a few wispy clouds overhead.  Even with its quick departure, the little that I saw amazed me.  Sure it was a tease because I wanted more, but I was happy and satisfied to have been there.

I did get to meet a few folks who were nearby at the conclusion, a couple of them being the people with the iPad.  It was a nice exchange of images - mine on the camera and theirs on the iPad in real time.  It ends up that the iPad application, 'Star Track' I think it's called, gives you access to a calendar of planetary events, info about each of them, and a way to track and name what's happening in the skies in real time.  So thank you Jay, Adria, Marc and Betsy Fraiolis for sharing in the excitement and giving me a look into your media view of the event.  :)  On the way out I also met a nice group of folks who sat on the levee incline throughout.  I have a silhouette shot of them in the set - Corey, Heidi, Lauren and Laura.  I hope that they all peek in to take a look.  :)

Here's a small album with a few more images of the scene.  :)

I speak for the trees

 I walked out on my own tonight to finally inspect which trees came down over the past couple of days.  It was dark, but I was able to see that the few trees that sat near the 'entry' into the back field are gone with the grass now with dirt in its place.  It's shocking to see, and will be even harder to look at in the morning.  I'd like to return to listen for the song birds that usually sat in the trees that were knocked down.  Where did they go?  Did they escape harms way? 

I continue to hear "The Lorax" quotes in my head as I go along.  This one brings together my concern for the wildlife that lived there:

The Lorax: Yes, I am the Lorax who speaks for the trees, which you seem to be chopping as fast as you please. But I'm also in charge of the brown Bar-ba-loots, who played in the shade in their Bar-ba-loot suits and happily lived eating truffula fruits. Now, thanks to your hacking my trees to the ground, there's not enough truffula fruit to go 'round!
The Once-ler: I see your point. Yes, I do see your point.
The Lorax: They loved living here. But I can't let them stay. They'll have to find food, and I hope that they may. Good luck, boys! Good luck!

Trombone Shorty and Charlie Gabriel - Jazz Fest

The best concert moments don't have to be when the musicians are singing or playing their instruments. Here are two New Orleans greats on stage for the Preservation Hall Jazz Band's 50th Anniversary Set at Jazz Fest 2012. Brass player Trombone Shorty, 26 years old, and Preservation Hall Jazz Band's clarinetist Charlie Gabriel, 80 years old, shared some good times together during the performance. For me their pure joy and cross generational connection was tops. :)