Saturday Photo Hunt::View...

...our bird's-eye view of the baseball field from our seats at Yankee Stadium this summer. Really. Several times during the game birds flew below where we were sitting. Obviously a televised view of the game would have provided more detail, but then we wouldn't be able to say we'd been to a game in "The House Ruth Built."
 
...the Goodyear Blimp from a helicopter over the Caloosahatchee River in Ft. Myers, Florida. My heart skips a beat and my legs get all wobbly just thinking about Louis taking this photo from a helicopter. Louis loves it, but I'm grateful it's not part of my job description.

...a view across the creek through a potato and grape vine framed "window". This natural "window" intrigued me for weeks before seasonal changes created a more rugged and less charming opening through the thickets. Technorati tag - PhotoHunt

Finally....

...as promised. But first...

...we drove to Sebring this morning where Casey boarded the train to Jacksonville for orientation to a new job tomorrow. During the three weeks Casey has been here with us on Pollywog Creek, we agonized with him as he faced unemployment, and we rejoiced when gainful employment was offered and especially when he learned that he and Jessi are expecting a baby early next year. A baby. We're having another baby and we are thrilled. Some of us have a feeling that Jessi is having a girl this time, but we'd be just as delighted with another little boy, of course. 

Back to Thursday - it is an understatement to say that it was not what we had been expecting. You would have to know just how much Emily has adored President Bush to understand the depth of her disappointment. Just ask Abi, Anna and Britt, or Dave, Mark, Nathan and Matt. Her friends will testify to Emily's fierce loyalty to President Bush, and her unwillingness to be swayed by peer pressure to speak negatively about him in any way. Emily first learned about President Bush's trip to Florida and her opportunity to meet him a little more than three weeks ago. Bush's trip was rescheduled once during that time, and Emily battled doubts that meeting him would actually happen. To protect herself from disappointment, she tried not to get too excited. 

It helped that we were unusually busy, but after the White House called Wednesday morning to give her last minute instructions, she went to bed that night confident that she was going to meet President Bush the next day. The news the next morning that Bush had cancelled his trip to Florida was unbelievable. I was stunned and knew that Emily would be devastated. Desperate for wisdom, I emailed my prayer partners, grabbed my camera, and headed out the door for a long walk and talk with God. 

That's a good place to stop for now, don't you think? I promise I'll finish the story soon, but for now it's time for a last-day-of-summer walk around Pollywog Creek...

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Vice President..."

What a day! I'll tell you all about it tomorrow...

Saturday Photo Hunt::Wild...

...things on Pollywog Creek.

There could not have been a more difficult photo hunt theme for me than this week's "wild" theme. With thousands of wildflower and wildlife photographs in my archives to choose from, I have posted and deleted dozens - from dayflowers to bobcats to fox squirrels and goldfinches - in my attempt to complete this task. 

In a moment of frustration, I headed out the door with my camera and a determination that only whatever wild things I photographed around Pollywog Creek today would be included in this post. So there you have it. Wild things on Pollywog Creek - September 13, 2008! 

Technorati tag - PhotoHunt

Dawn to dusk...

  Morning Glory

I don't plan these things, you know. I'm not that good. Nicole C. Mullen sings it best I think...

"I'm so very - ordinary..."

Mexican Blue Bells

"Nothing special - on my own..."

Really. Just ask my children.

I live contently (most of the time) in a rural community in a rather modest home that begs for a fresh coat of paint and new flooring - and I take photographs with a simple point and click camera.

  Beautyberry at Dusk

With no clear destination or photographic subject in mind, I whisper the same prayer, "Lord, please open my eyes to glimpses of Your glory this day," as I grab my camera for a walk by the creek or around the pond and through the pasture.

And He shows me every time - in the fine dusting of glittery dew on the morning glories at dawn, in the bright reflection of the noonday sun on the Mexican violets, or in the shy gray lizard scurrying past the shiny berries of the beautyberry bush at dusk by the creek.

"When I call on Jesus - All things are possible..." 

Even with a point and click camera.