You Capture - Lines

Beth's You Capture prompt this week was Lines.  Ouch.  It was boring and hard.  Oh wait, pretty much for me, if it's hard that makes it boring.  But when it's hard and I have to work a little more to get something to submit, I feel like I'm learning something too.  So boring is actually good...for growing.

Also, I tried to seek other Line angles.  Like the line you often have to wait in to get your lunch.  Here's a lunch line that's close to my heart.  And none of the bluebirds ever breaks the one-in-a-feeder-at-a-time rule. 

And then there are the lines that fill your heart with pride and love - like when your daughter delivers them flawlessly in the local production of Listen To Your Mother.  

 Next I turned to the line that has been an essential part of our backyard since we moved here almost 40 years ago - my clothesline.  This really was hard work because my camera couldn't seem to see the line much less focus on it.

 

 And the last lines I captured are the highly irregular lines in the fence bordering our backyard.

To see more lines of every kind, go to Beth's I Should Be Folding Laundry.  You'll not only see that Beth knows how to capture lines but so do other camera enthusiasts who linked up.

Evan Graham - Through the Years

Evan was born on a beautiful day in Hawaii fifteen years ago - oh wait every day in Hawaii is beautiful and thanks to his birth, we got to experience it firsthand.  We had everything carefully timed so that we'd be there to welcome him and then rush back to Evansville, IN to welcome his cousin who wasn't due for two more weeks.  Unfortunately, she 'jumped the gun' and we missed that one but that trip to Hawaii is one we'll never forget.  What could be better than welcoming a new grandchild in paradise!

Here's Evan pictorially 'through the years'.

Evan always has been, and continues to be, a joy to be around.  He's fun, smart and imaginative, the sweetest, nicest person you'd ever want to meet and mature beyond his years.

Like Emily, the only thing that could be better about him, would be seeing more of him.

So happy birthday, Evan.  Hope your 15th is your best birthday EVER!

You Capture - Simplicity

Simplicity, Beth's You Capture subject this week, should have been simple but it wasn't.  I even researched it (a little) and still was left floundering.  So here are my versions of Simplicity - right or wrong.

For more Simplicity photos and probably much better interpretations, visit Beth at I Should Be Folding laundry!

Emily Elizabeth Through the Years

Today is Emily's 15th birthday.  She made her appearance a couple of weeks early back in 1997 while we were in Hawaii for her cousin's birth.  (More on that Monday.)

Even though we couldn't be there for her birth, I got to spend a week getting to know her after we returned home.

Here's Emily pictorially 'through the years'.

Emily is a bright, beautiful, vivacious and smart young lady who we're always happy to see and always proud to hear about.

The only thing that could be better about Emily is seeing more of her.  Happy Birthday, Emily.  I hope your day has been and continues to be absolutely perfect!

We love you very much!

March of Dimes March for Babies

In May of 2004 our oldest daughter, Lori, lost the baby she was carrying at 23 weeks.  Her little boy was stillborn that day and he was perfect.   The shock and sorrow in our family was enormous.

Then, less than a year later, the unthinkable.  The baby girl she was carrying died - again midterm.  One might think that since it had happened before, we would have realized that it could happen again.   But instead we were even less prepared.  Who would have thought it could happen twice.

In February 2008, about the time we started to heal, our third daughter lost her twin boys.  This third blow was devastating.

I don't mean to wail about our terrible misfortune.  After all we have twenty beautiful, healthy grandchildren.  But each and every one was anticipated with joy and love and each one is a special gift to us.

So we truly appreciate the loss of those babies that we knew so briefly.  That's why we're joining the March for Babies tomorrow.  If our efforts can prevent the loss of even one baby or a premature birth or a birth defect, then we've truly accomplished something.  We're walking to try to prevent other families going through what we went through.

This is the final year that we will be 'walking' in the March for Babies but we will always support this effort.

If you can see your way clear to help, please contribute what you can.  Your donation is tax deductible but more importantly you'll be helping to ensure the health and lives of babies.  Maybe someday, all babies will be born healthy.

Any amount you can spare will be greatly appreciated.  To contribute online, go to my March of Dimes website.

Thank you!

 

You Capture - Spring

Beth's You Capture subject this week is Spring and it's one of my favorites.  I started with the freshly blooming azalea and found I wasn't the only one who appreciated it.

 Then a walk around the side of the house revealed some hardy geranium blooms.  I love these because not only are the blooms pretty and delicate, but the foliage is really interesting which is good because the blooms aren't all that prolific - at least not on mine.

 The peonies won't bloom for two or three weeks at least but the buds say Spring to me and have a beauty of their own. I wasn't the only one who appreciated these either.


Of course no Spring blog post would be complete without including a bluebird and maybe even some bluebird friends.

  Then yesterday I thought to address the flowers in front one last time.  The first is one of Mr. Right's favorites - the Columbine.
 

 And the next one is a sprig of spirea.  The blooms seem to have lasted extra long this year and I'm glad because it's one of my favorites.

Finally the worst picture of them all, because it was by far the most challenging to capture, had to be included because it says Spring more clearly than any of the others.

There are many other Spring pictures at Beth's I Should Be Folding Laundry.   Go take a look.

You Capture - Sunshine

  Beth's You Capture assignment this week was Sunshine and I have to say I just love the title - You Capture Sunshine.  I looked for sunshine in my backyard - of course - and started with the flower beds, spirea, and dogwood tree.

And quickly moved on to my very favorite things to photograph - bluebirds!  My challenge was to find them in the sunshine and I did.  I just hope I captured them well enough. 

 

 And finally I thought to broaden my horizons by looking for sunshine in the country at the end of the day.

 

 

And with that last glimpse of sunshine for the day, I concluded my project.  For more takes on 'Sunshine', go to Beth's I Should Be Folding Laundry and if you have some Sunshine inspiration of your own, join in.