And a Hello To You

Hello to You

This totally makes me think of a vehicle from the Disney movie Cars.  Like it's actually waving at me while I'm taking it's photo.  What a cute little Hummer that is. 

I tell you there is nothing like 4-wheeling in one of these babies - that is unless you want to feel every single bump that you encounter.

And since we are looking at so many paths in the background here, I got to thinking about all the options that are presented to us on a daily basis.  Everyday we make zillions and zillions of choices.  Some big and some not so big.  But they are still there - each and every one of them.  And really, when it comes right down to it, everything we do should be all about the experience and not about the ride we use to get there.   Don't you think?

Focus on the journey, not the destination.  Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.  ~ Ursula K. Le Guin

Another Animal

Protect that Toy

Man cannot live by bread alone; he must have peanut butter.  ~ James A. Garfield

Just had to share the peanut butter quote with a dog pic because . . . have you ever seen a dog eat peanut butter?  It is one of the single funniest things I have witnessed.  Just thinking about it makes me smile.

Get Some Rest Now

Rest

Scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job.  ~ Franklin P. Jones

Boy that is the truth with this particular dog.  He just loves to be touched.  You can see him relaxing when you pet him.  Which works out great for me, because I love to play with his super soft ears. 

Today was a pretty long and tiring day - my husband and I were chaperone's for my son's school field trip.  It was lots of fun, but also lots of walking.  Which is good since we split a funnel cake at the festival we attended.  I do love me some funnel cake.  I think festivals are held strictly as an excuse to make, buy and eat funnel cake!  Yummy goodness.

Aim

Take Aim

A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.  ~ Bruce Lee

I stumbled upon this photo about a week ago, and set it aside as one that I wanted to share once my son's pics were done.  Well, technically that is his arm, so I guess it could have been included in my memory lane week.  But, not really the point I was hoping to make, ya know?

And then, I found that quote by Bruce Lee and knew that tonight was the right time to share.  I have to admit that I am the worst at goal setting.  I just never have been good at it.  Although, I do "set" them just not in the traditional sense.  The act of setting goals has always seemed so restrictive to my free spirit ways.  I do however have aspirations and things that I would really love to accomplish.  I have my to do list staring at me every time I get on my computer and in some ways - those are tiny little goals.  So, okay, I am a goal setter.   Phew, got that little mystery solved.

How about you?  Are you goal setters out there, taking aim at the things that you would like to accomplish?

The Greenest I've Ever Seen

All About the Green

At the beginning of March, my son's school had an activity - lots of fun things for the kids, baskets to raffle off, music and of course food. It's all fun and raises lots of money for the school. Sure beats having to sell items to friends and family. This year they brought in a lot of new food options. And one of those options was called the Happy Hippie Hot Dogs - or something along those lines. I did not choose to eat there, but a friend did. She informed me that the Hippie was not that happy. We just could not get over how green that relish was! I did not enhance that green in processing at all - this is really how bright it was. I didn't notice her getting any sillier as the night went on, so all must have been good with the very green relish!


And, well you know me, I just had to photograph the dog. She put it down on the table and said are you really gonna photograph that? Silly question . . .

If people never did silly things nothing intelligent would ever get done. ~ Ludwig Wittgenstein

 
So go be silly today!

Youth

Candles & Cake

Tomorrow my little boy turns 12.  Wow, where did the time go?  Well, I will tell you . . . actually, more likely I will show you in pictures.  And that explains several of the pics from this week.  We have a pretty busy day planned for him.  Places to go, things to do and family to share the day with.  He is very excited for his day tomorrow.  And, thank goodness it's been a pretty busy - and very tiring - week off from school otherwise, he just might keep us up all night long.

And, why is it that when you have a break from your regular schedule you end up even more exhausted than normal?  Last night, Wednesday, just the middle of the week and we were all fighting to keep our eyes open as soon as the sun went down.  It's like that with vacations.  Have you ever noticed that?  When you go on vacation you come home needing a vacation to recover from your vacation.

Anyway . . . I am off to read for a bit before calling it a night.  I have a feeling the morning is going to come a little early in our house.  So, here is a fitting quote for the evening:

Youth comes but once in a lifetime.  ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Trust

Trust

Life is a series of surprises.  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have always liked this photo.  It is several years old - back when my "just barely shorter than me almost 12 year old" little guy was actually a very little guy.  Ain't he a cutie?  He's never been the daring type.  I would say more calculating.  Not in a manipulating way, just likes to weigh out options.  I'm okay with that. 

After bugging us for a year, last week he started tackle football.  He has been begging and even working to bring his school grades up so that he could play.  Tonight was his third practice and he was a little hesitant to go.  Mostly, I think, because he was super tired.  One friend spent the night over the weekend and another spent the night last night (we are on Spring Break).  But, once he got out on that field, he started having a really good time.  And, it's been fun to see an improvement in just three practices.  I'm so looking forward to the games.   And, have been having a nice time going down memory lane with the pictures this week.

Moment In Time

Shadow Cowboy

Each moment in time we have it all, even when we think we don't.  ~ Melody Beattie

Make Children Happy



Skate

Parents were invented to make children happy by giving them something to ignore.  ~ Ogden Nash

Love

Untitled

Love does not dominate; it cultivates.  ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A Little Shade on 4230

4230

Totally a late night.  I know that some of you out there are probably thinking I'm a little crazy - it's still early.  Well, when you get up between 4:30 and 5:00 in the morning anything after 9:30 or so is pretty darn late.

I'm saying that it's going to be a quick night, although there is quite a bit on my mind at the moment.  Searching for the perfect quote to share with you tonight.  And, I have a feeling that is going to determine the posting for tonight.  In the meantime . . . I'm feeling the need to change things up a bit.  Not sure if that's a good thing or not.  You don't fix what ain't broken and all.  Although, you never know how good something could be if you don't try something new.  I will think on this some more . . . while my brain is on overdrive, here's the quote for the evening:

Things start as hopes and end up as habits.  ~ Lillian Hellman

Have a wonderful Friday & weekend I guess since my next posting won't be until Sunday night. 

It Goes On

Tread

Another oldie from way back in the farm photo days.  If you aren't familiar with some of my other farm work, be sure to check out the Working Hard section of my gallery.  I had a very fun couple of days shooting a couple of nephews working & the very fun farm equipment that was just sitting around - begging to be photographed.

In three words, I can sum up everything I have learned about life:  it goes on.  ~ Robert Frost

And so it does.  Sometimes it is better, and much easier, to just roll with it.  Take what comes to you and make the best of it.  I like to look for the fun and something new that I can learn in every situation.

Change - as simple as Point of View

The Point

Here's another look at those circles from last night.  Amazing how changing your viewpoint changes everything isn't it?  I will not get too philosophical on that subject at the moment.  (And yes, I'm feeling just fine - I know it's not really like me not to share my philosophies).

I did however come across a quote today that was, well as soon as I read it, I knew it was the one to be shared this fine evening.  So, I will get right to it.

Things do not change; we change.  ~ Henry David Thoreau

Shapes Again - One of my Favorite Things to Look At

Circle after Circle after Circle

Contemplation often makes life miserable.  We should act more, think less, and stop watching ourselves live.  ~ Chamfort

Tonight is a bit of a revisit.  The photo tonight was taken a few years back.  And, at the moment one that I didn't really look at more than once.  As I was trying to decide which photo to share, I kept coming back to this one.  Something about the shapes that draws me in.  I mean, okay there are circles - that's fine and dandy.  But within and without those circles, there is much going on.  The lighting and the shadows.  Lots of interesting shapes to see.  Not sure if you would have any idea what this item is.  Not sure if you need to know.  Or is just fun to see the individual pieces and enjoy the shapes that they create?

Go Ahead, Just Jump Right In

Jumping In

You know, sometimes you just have to jump right in. Be it the ocean, a new job, moving, or just helping someone understand how their hurtful words just don't sit well. I heard this piece of advice at a seminar a long time ago. And, please forgive me, but I don't remember the exact words, just the basic principle. The speaker was talking about making decisions. She pointed out how each of us have times in our lives when we are faced with some really tough decisions. And, each of us knows how we want to handle the situation, if we would only dig down deep and listen to our inner soul. The answer is a part of us. Usually, we ignore it, and pay attention to all sorts of outside influence. You know, the well intended friend or sister or mother-in-law giving the advice that deep down you know to be completely wrong for you. The speaker says that in those cases, you are putting more stress on yourself by not making a decision. And when the time comes and the decision is made this great sense of relief comes to you. I don't know if you have experienced this or not - I do know that I have. And the best thing to do is learn from it and try to make those decisions earlier on - why put more stress in your life than is absolutely necessary? Just jump right in!

Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed. ~ Storm Jameson

An Aaah moment here

Aaah . . .

When you are having one of those days - the ones that last forever with no end in sight . . . just come to this photo and relax.  How can you go wrong with a sunset and two palm trees.  If this is not the image of relaxation, I do not know what is.  I can just picture a hammock swinging beneath those two trees, with a large beverage and a great book just waiting to be devoured. 

Or, maybe through those trees awaits the whitest sands and the bluest ocean you have ever seen.  Just enough of a breeze to keep the warm temperatures at bay.  And, maybe, just maybe some dolphins out for a swim. 

Nature does nothing in vain.  ~ Aristotle

The Best Medicine

Easy as 1-2-3

Reclaiming the belly laugh can cure a world of woes.  ~ Jamie Sams

My son has this friend in our neighborhood.  He's an interesting kid.  Two years younger and the same height as my son, with probably a good 50 pounds over my son.  He's pretty quiet.  Will speak to you when you speak to him and seems to get our rather strange sense of humor - or at least doesn't act like he wants to run from the house screaming.  He is, however, deathly afraid of bees.  You can probably hear him screaming bloody murder whenever a bee comes anywhere near them when they go swimming in the pool.  And, do you want to know what my favorite thing about this boy is?  He has the absolute best belly laugh.  My hubby and I will be in a completely different room and you can hear him laughing.  And, honestly, neither one of us can keep a straight face.  It's impossible.  We both bust out laughing whenever we hear that laugh of his.  It really is the best medicine!

Give Me Your Thoughts on This One Please

10 Upside Down

Sorry I missed you all last night.  I should have mentioned in my last posting that I was not going to make it Monday night.  We had tickets to go see one of my favorite bands - Linkin Park.  It turned out to be a really late night.  As soon as we got home, my head hit that pillow and I was out until the sun was well in the sky this morning.  It was a great concert and a fun evening. 

Did you miss me and my quote for the night?  I've got a great one for you tonight.  It's all about perspective . . . or is it about opportunity . . . or, well you tell me what does this quote say to you?

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.  ~ Richard Bach