WPC – Time

“How did it get so late so soon?”
― Dr. Seuss

I remember playing for hours at a time and the days seemed endless.  Looking back it was dream like and it was called childhood.

“Time is a game played beautifully by children.”
― Heraclitus, Fragments

When my son was in his teens I remember him asking me very seriously, “When did time start moving so fast?”  A very good question.

As for me, I think I instinctually knew this.  I started capturing moments when I was in Junior High.  Now that’s a term that will date you.  I still have photos from then.  I carried on through my family.  My youngest referred to me as the Paparazzi before he renamed me the Warden.  But we all love pictures and how it captures Time.  Moments of Happiness and every other emotion.  Pictures of our youth.

“Time is what we want most,but what we use worst.”
― William Penn

There were always photos in piles around the house and visitors and family would flip though them and share memories and laugh and sigh over the passage of time.  A photo of my father when he was still functioning okay (Huntington’s Disease) with my son and me.  Grandchildren, weddings, births…

I have always referred to the boards above as photo boards, but it could also be the timeline of my life.  The people, places and times that have touched my heart.

When my grandchildren and children come to visit, they always make a point of visiting the boards.  The grandchildren will pick a photo out and ask questions or laugh because they remember when it was taken.

Many times I will find one of my children examining the board and hear a chuckle and hear them call over one of their children and share a memory. This is my own personal Facebook and it covers the memorable and lovely times in my life.

As usual, I think Dr. Seuss said it best:

“How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”
― Dr. Seuss

Time

Weekly Photo Challenge – Connected

When I started this post it was going in a totally different direction.  Before I finished we were blessed with a visit from my two youngest grandchildren… both boys.  When they arrive they immediately tackle the stairs to Nana’s play space.  This is where I knit and sew and play on my computers.  It is also where they play.  It is filled with the toys of my sons’ childhood.  There are legos, duplos, wooden trains, Playmobile sets and matchbox cars.  Everything that can feed an imagination.  The youngest child is just starting to move from chasing balls and pushing things to playing with smaller toys.

M trying to connect duplos for the first time.

Like all boys everywhere, Legos and Duplos are great building blocks for the imagination.  But first you have to learn how to “connect” them.  It may seem simple but it requires a little something from your fine motor skills.

Getting the hang of it.

He was working very hard to build something.  Learning is all about connecting.  Connecting bits of information in a way that makes a concept understandable.

Success

Joy and Pride!  He has figured out how the connection works and is well on his way to creating new adventures.  Just like his dad before him, he wants to share each and everyone of his creations.  And I am his #1 fan.

Connected

 

Today Was a Good Day Photo Challenge

I would like to believe every day is a good day.  Some are better than others, but I strive to find the good in every day.  But, to me, a good day would include:

Family –

You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.

Desmond Tutu

We just returned from Arizona where we celebrated my mother’s life.  Her Arizona family was very dear to her.  They surrounded her with fun and love.  These are the cousins that started out as little toddlers.  They grew up and have definitely gone different and interesting directions.  So fun to get together with them and watch them share stories.  It is never often enough or long enough.

The little cousins grew up!

You can always find a friend!

The same trip found us shopping which can be a little tedious for grandchildren.  G always finds something to capture his interest…even it is him!  He makes a point to find the good in every day and he spreads that around.

Brother Britt and his daughter Brittany.

A visit to Arizona is never complete without visiting my brother.  Both of my brothers have Huntington’s Chorea.  It is a horrible disease.  I wish I could see him every day.  The quality of his care in AZ is so much better than I could get him here. A good day is when he has family to visit him.

Color and Creativity  –

“Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? no. Just as one can never learn how to paint.”
― Pablo Picasso

My current knitting project.

Only two squares left.  It has taken forever, but it has a wonderful calming to the creation of it.  I try to work on this a little every day and that makes it good.

For three happy grandmothers to give to their new grandchildren.

These just came back today.  Once I bind them they will be off to the grandmothers of the babies for which they were created.

Nature –

“I’m not a social butterfly. I’m a caterpillar.”
― Jarod Kintz

Caterpillars are fascinating. Butterflies have wings to fly.

I try to start every morning on the back porch watching nature wake up and start it’s day.  My mind wanders in and out of prayer and admiration for all that is nature.  It is a very peaceful and spiritual time.  A little bit of time out never hurt anybody.

Music

“Ah, music,” he said, wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here!”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

I know there is more than this to make a good day… sometimes it is the simplest of things, a hug, a smile from a stranger, seeing someone helping another, and sometimes you just have to break your spirit free above the clouds to see the sunshine.

A Good Day Above the Clouds.

Today Was a Good Day

Share Your World – Week #32

I have to say, I love the questions this week.  Thank you, Cee!

• Are you a collector of anything?  While one could say I am a collector of fabric and yarn, I consider that stash.  I could part with them and it would cause me no pain… I would, however, have to go out and get more so I could continue knitting and quilting.  The truth is, I am a collector of memories.  Whether through photos, or just in my mind.  I am very good at pulling up tidbits of moments in the past.  My  grandchildren like it.  They like to hear about those moments when their fathers were young and, of course, made mistakes.  I have had school friends that wonder how I remember all of the moments.  I thought everyone did.  It is a gift this ability to collect and share memories.

“Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don’t go along with that. The memories I value most, I don’t ever see them fading.”
― Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go

• What is your biggest fear or phobia?  While I am not overly fond of spiders or snakes or the necessary “icky” inhabitants of our world, it is definitely not a phobia.  I’m not sure I have one… at least nothing pops immediately to mind and I would think a phobia would.  I long feared losing a child.  I would watch the path of a plane on the computer until I knew it landed safely.  I worried when they were young that something might happen that I could not control and they might be hurt.

“Lucy: Do you think you have Pantophobia, Charlie Brown?
Charlie: I don’t know, what is pantophobia?
Lucy: The fear of Everything.
Charlie: THAT’S IT!!!”
― Charles M. Schulz

• Do you prefer reading coffee table books, biographies, fiction, non-fiction, educational?  I would have to say yes to all of them.  I read almost anything.  I usually have two to three books going at a time.

• Complete this sentence:  If I Must Be Reincarnated In the Next Life I want to Be…   This is so easy… a Weatherwoman.  No pressure.  You can be right and you are a hero or you can be wrong and it’s not your fault… nobody has any expectations of you being right.
  Oh, I need to be serious?  Well, in all seriousness I have faith that I will be put where I am needed to try and learn what I need to learn and to teach and share what is needed.  Life is an adventure and to live it fully we must accept gracefully what is given and work our way through it and enjoy the good moments and learn from and improve those not so great.

• What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?  I am always grateful for my family and good friends and their continued good health.  I am grateful for meeting new friends.  I am grateful that my younger brother is in a good place being taken care of by people who care about him.
  I am looking forward to seeing some of my grandchildren this week and spending time with them.  I always look forward to the little surprises that pop up and make your day.  I hope that I can bring some joy or peace to someone I know or haven’t even met yet.

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Summer Winding Down

It seemed like just yesterday and I had a whole summer ahead of me.  I would like to say I have been so busy I haven’t had a chance to journal, but that isn’t really true.  I snoozed sadly through much of it missing my old friends.  It wasn’t until my sister-in-law urged me to look into Meetups that I started to wake up.

Last night I went to my first Meetup and it was a photography group from Ballantyne.  It was a very diverse group, but I really think I am going to enjoy it.  I was really sorry I missed their gathering at a local greenway.  So, today, Stretch and I went to the 6 Mile Greenway and checked it out.

With camera and tripod in hand we went looking for “something.”

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

This little guy kept buzzing around me wanting his picture taken.  He even posed several times and waited patiently while I fumbled with tripod and settings and finally went with automatic.

Hidden along the path was a hornets nest.  You can’t see any right now, but the hornets were actively entering and leaving this nest.  They were very efficient and I didn’t want to disturb them long.

I loved how the vines wrap themselves around the trees like a really clingy mother….  Not healthy but fascinating, especially when the tree expands around it and the vine becomes one with the tree.

And the last one is just because this little blue tailed skink is one of my grandchildren’s favorite reptiles to catch.  Yuck!

It was a sticky day today, but it was really satisfying.  I now know of a better greenway to get some photos of birds.

Saturday Fun and Sleepover…

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
― Henry James

Summer is one of the blessings that came with moving closer to family.  Although I am not a fan of the heat and high humidity, I am a fan of pool time with family.  Graham loves pool time at Nana’s.  Our neighborhood pool is wonderful and is very family friendly.

The kids live 25 minutes away, but every once in awhile they come south for a sleepover.  We love those times, and so do they,

Lots of pool fun, good food and ‘lovin.

We get to enjoy big and small moments in their lives like first crawls and giggle moments.  Movie time and snacks just before bedtime finish off the day.  ‘

Morning comes early with little one.  Pancakes and Disney and playing with Daddy’s toys from when he was a boy.

Matchbox, Playmobile, pirates and spaceships.  They all mix together for wonderful playtime imaginings.

It reminds me of one of my favorite children’s books, The Napping House by Audrey Wood and illustrated by her husband – Don Wood.

“And on that granny / there is a child / a dreaming child / on a snoring granny / on a cozy bed / in a napping house, / where everyone is sleeping.”

Perfect!

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Flowers

“Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into.”
– Henry Ward Beecher

These azaleas were at Brookgreen Gardens.  What a fabulous combination of man’s art and God’s art.  So peaceful and beautiful.

I love Wisteria, but, for someone reason I always thought it lived off other plants and trees.  Since moving South though, I have discovered Wisteria trees.  I may have to rethink this…. I do love it.  I am partially right… here is an explanation on Wisteria.

I did a little bit of work on these only in the sense that I blackened out all the background.  It was already pretty dark, but I loved the contrast so much I wanted it all that way.  Please forgive me for messing with Mother Nature does so well herself.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be the South without out bright pink Azaleas.  I am looking forward to viewing everyone’s photos of flowers as they happen to be one of my favorite photographic subjects.

To see others participating click on the icon. 

Charlotte Garden Tour 2014

“The master of the garden is the one who waters it, trims the branches, plants the seeds, and pulls the weeds. If you merely stroll through the garden, you are but an acolyte.”
― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

Well, this weekend I viewed a few masters of the garden and I was just an acolyte.  And I will probably remain an acolyte until I can find my way around this rock hard clay.  In the meantime, walk along the paths…

I loved this gate.  The location on the shady side of an out building was perfect.  It looks like it has been there forever and makes you wonder what treasures are on the other side.

One of my favorite parts of gardens are the secret, hidden places that reveal treasures in the dappled light and shadow.

“An ordinary visit to a beautiful garden always creates an extraordinary time!”
― Mehmet Murat ildan

The photo above is just one tiny branch of a tree full of these delicate little flowers.  I have never seen one of these before.  A gentleman told me what it was – in Latin – most definitely a Master Gardener.  So beautiful and delicate.  Reminded me of the lacy white sweet autumn Clematis I had in my former garden.  I have really missed that garden this year.  Slowly but surely we will have this one going, but we are not as young and strong as before.

 

 

A Brief Visit to Brookgreen Gardens

“God made a beauteous garden
With lovely flowers strown,
But one straight, narrow pathway
That was not overgrown.
And to this beauteous garden
He brought mankind to live,
And said “To you, my children,
These lovely flowers I give.
Prune ye my vines and fig trees,
With care my flowers tend,
But keep the pathway open
Your home is at the end.”

God’s Garden”
― Robert Frost

The Foxglove were beautiful and plentiful.

Everyone might not see the beauty I see in this moss hanging from one of the great Oaks.  I love the tangled chaos of color.

More to come….later.

Basketball Weekend – Duke University

A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If you can get them all together, you have a fist. That’s how I want you to play.

Mike Krzyzewski

I am a big college basketball fan.  And as it happens, Duke is my favorite.  We were lucky to get seats or standing room for the last meeting between Duke and Maryland as an ACC competition.  While waiting for the game we walked around the beautiful campus.  Above is the Duke Chapel.

We enjoyed the campus and then on to Cameron to experience the Cameron Crazies and the unique experience that is a Duke home basketball game.

The Cameron Crazies were wild and ready for the cameras with their wild apparel, looks and signs.  The theme was Maryland leaving the ACC for the Big 10.

With all the yelling and commotion going on around me, it was nice to take note of this quiet teaching moment.

While there are no  bad seats in Cameron…. some seats are definitely better than others.  Tough game and luckily the score ended with Duke in the lead…barely.