.....refreshing............

summertime and the livin is easy...................

It is OFFICIAL!!!!  Summer is here......  quite frankly I thought summer had started about 5 weeks ago.....  with all this CRAZY heat that we've been having!!!  This week mine and Nicole's word is REFRESHING.......  and for some reason this word really reminded me of summertime.....  awesome memories flooded my mind of childhood summers!!!!  Summers spent at the lake with my family....  carefree endless summer days filled with frog chasin....  fish catchin.... green apple eatin.... adventures that will forever bring a smile to my face!!!   And the tradition of the 4th of July........  the day when my daddy took me to the firecracker stand and let me pick out whatever I wanted!!!  :)   HOLY COW....  THAT is the only day of the year that I couldn't wait for the sun to go down!!  :)  And every year.... without fail.... it ended with a big fat ice cold watermelon!!!!  It was (and still is) my favorite summertime thing!!!  OH the GOODNESS!!!  Sweet.... ice cold... and juicy!!!  So juicy that I was only allowed to eat it OUTSIDE!!  And after my belly was full...  a good hosing off was required before I could even go inside the house!!  :)  As a kid, I was one of those "bury your face" in the center of the slice kinda watermelon eaters!!!  :)  I have since refined my technique!!!  heeheehee  :)  I can think of nothing more refreshing than a big fat juicy watermelon...    So....  there was no question for me what my shot this week would be!!!  :)  now... if you will excuse me.... there is a watermelon in my fridge!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!

.... weathered............

Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated

This week mine and Nicole's word is WEATHERED.....  and I have to confess that my shot for this week is a cheat!!  :(  I did attempt a current shot for this week but nothing compared (in my mind) to THIS shot!!!  So THIS shot it is!!!  :)  Let me start by saying that I really have a passion for photographing street people.....  they are so authentic... raw.... baring their souls to those who would care to listen....  and I am drawn to their untold story....  and they all have one...  a story that is!!!  They are a walking reflection of a weathered life....  perhaps a life filled with struggles....  hardships....  sadness or pain...  when I see them I am never really sure why they are there.... on the street.... but their weathered face and hands silently speak  of a hard life....  and I am intrigued!!  What brought them to this place....  and while I do feel a certain sense of sadness for them.... I also, through my camera lens, see a simple peace in each of them....   and even though  I can never quit put my finger on that sense of peace that I capture in each of them, I know THAT is what draws me to each and every one that I photograph...  This fellow is a homeless man in Key West....  and when I saw him... I was drawn to the light on his face and beard.....  he sat quietly....  never asked for a dime....  in the warm ocean breeze....  his skin weathered by time....  by the sun.... by life....    he seemed so at peace.... this  weathered old man...  silently telling his story without speaking a word.

 Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot this week....  sorry for the cheat girl....  PROMISE I'll post a current shot next week!!!  :)  PS... welcome back!!!  :)

....growth...........

Growth begins when we begin to accept out own weakness

Week 19........  and we are in full blown summer mode around here....  it is HOT AS BLAZES!!!  Don't even want to think of how hot July and August will be....  why is it that I don't live in Portland again???!!!  :)  This weeks word for Nicole and I is GROWTH!!  Man... I would have loved this word back in March when everything was just starting to peek out of the ground....  totally found this little gem by accident....  we were moving the camper around in the yard... (yes we are going camping!!!  wish us luck!!!)  and I just happened to look up into the trees (the ones that were about to be wiped out by the camper!!) and there it was!!!  It was my lucky day for sure!!!  :)  And the quote is one that I try really hard to live by.....  the two together really put things in perspective for me....  no matter what my weakness is.... I have to own it.... accept it as mine!!!   And in the moment that I acknowledge my weakness it becomes my STRENGTH!!!  I grow....  beyond the boundaries that myself and others have created....  and become a better person.... a stronger person!!!  I believe that every circumstance.... every situation.... every challenge in this life presents you with an opportunity for growth!!!  I see this life as a journey that has been planned out for each of us by an Almighty God, who's intent is that we learn and grow from the day He puts us here until the day He takes us home....  and I sure don't plan on disappointing Him!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot this week too!!!  Her work is ALWAYS amazing!!!  :)  :)

.......temptation...........

I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it ~ Mae West

WOW!!!  What a word....  TEMPTATION!!!  My mind went in a million directions when I found out what this weeks word was!!!  Temptation by definition is an act that looks appealing to an individual. It is usually used to describe acts with negative connotations and generally, tends to lead a person to regret such actions, for various reasons!!  :)  My first thought was of CHOCOLATE (of course!!) and then I started thinking about the apple that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden....  seems that temptation has been around for a pretty long time!!!  It is such an appealing word....  in a strange (sorta bad) kinda way!!  And just like ol Mae West says...  I TRY to avoid all temptations....  unless I can't resist them!!  :)  And this week.....  I was weak!!!  yep... gave in to the temptation of a big fat OREO!!!  (and almost an entire loaf of fresh baked rosemary and sea salt bread from Louisa's Bakery!!  HOLY COW it was sooooo good!!!!)  And although I am riddled with guilt...  (NOT)  heeheehee  :)  I do believe that we must make some sacrifices to get the perfect shot!!!  :)  Man, I sure hope next weeks word is willpower!!!  :)  :)  :)  Be sure to check out Nicole's shot for this week too....  she never disappoints!!!