SMUGMUG

Sharing is caring right?
I know a lot of  you bloggers out there take incredible photos.
Smugmug is the place to go.
For website, storage and sales.

I've been with them for quite a while now.
Their staff is quick to help, and well
they do back flips to make sure their customers are happy.


I'm uploading new photos every day!
Be sure to check out the travel section of my portfolio.
And while your at it grab yourself a Smugmug page!

                                                                                                                                                                                             Oregon 2011

One Tree Past the Fence Photography

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Thank You ...

Two words that look so simple and small.
Two words that hold a world of gratitude,
really aren't small at all.

Too often,

 we see this weekend as just a weekend to play

because of the holiday,  the extra day off,
the extended weekend.

Let us not forget what it's about. 

In remembrance of ... please share.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Portrait of a Man ...

O'War.

I know. I know they look like ....

I so want to run the commentary going on in my head.

The beaches of  Corpus Christie and South Padre Island were filled with them.

To tell you the truth I've never seen them up close, and so many.

Didn't stop me from playing.  Go big or go home, even if goin big sends you home.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

A Seal's Story

 

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Postcards from the Fence (5)

and they called it puppy love ...

        seal skamoes!

I'm thinking people should kiss more not less.

The world might be a happier place if they did ...

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

On the Subject of Love

Love is a force more formidable than any other. 

It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured, 

yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, 

and offer you more joy than any material possession could.

Barbara de Angelis

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Postcards from the Fence (4)

Happy girl.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Ponderings ....

I recently photographed this whale.
I saw the show. I clapped when the whale did
what he was trained to do. I was in awe of
his size and strength.  He was magnificent.
It was humbling.







I saw Dolphins do the same thing.
And I clapped, photographed and cheered as the dolphin performed.
I saw what was called a cove,
hold four or five dolphins. It was an outdoor
tank that was maybe the size of a hockey rink,
(and that's what it looked like)
okay maybe larger, but not even close to the size
of a football field. I was sad as I watched the
dolphins swim in circles. I wondered how deep it was.
They looked sad.  And bored. 


In my head I plotted their escape.
In my head I wondered how I'd feel if I were
held in captivity for the enjoyment of others.

I get that an animal born in captivity knows only the
life he was born into. But does he? Does instinct tell him there's more?
What about the ones who weren't.
The whales and dolphins who know the vastness of the ocean ...


I get the educational aspect. I do. 
But something just doesn't feel right about all of it.


I feel the same way when I leave the zoo.
It's so cool to see these animals I would normally
never get the chance to, but at what cost ...




that's the question I ask myself.


At what cost ...

I think I'll stick to the rides.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Postcards from the Fence (3)

Life ...
is what the Dr. Ordered!~

And it's good.
It's damn good.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

SHE'S HERE!!!! SHE'S HERE!!!

I do believe she's FINALLY come to stay.
I knew I'd find her in a southerly way.
And when I did,
Immediately, she apologized for her delay.

You know what's next? SUMMER!





I'm off to find big water, and catch a few fish.
I may be a little scarce,
Warm weather was meant to be enjoyed
and I intend to make the most of it.
Happy days!~













One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Postcards from the Fence (2)

I knew, of course, 

that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, 

branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. 

But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.

Edward Steichen

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Postcards from the Fence (1)

: )

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Taking flight ...

in search of Spring.

She is a little late this year.

Actually she's a lot late.

They're predicting snow today.

Obviously she is lost and needs help.

I'll be back once I've found her.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

On the Subject of Love

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get — 

only what you are expecting to give —

which is everything. 

What you will receive in return varies. 

But it really has no connection with what you give. 

You give because you love 

and cannot help giving." 

Katherine Hepburn

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

On the Subject of Emotional Baggage

Got Baggage?

 Accessories:

GUILT

SHAME

CODEPENDENCY

DENIAL

to name a few
add your own to the list.

They'll buy it all for $6.00

What a bargain eh?

Emotional baggage. 

Weighs you down in ways you don't even realize.
Why are you holding on to it?
No buts when you hear me say this ...
You choose to hold on to it, you realize that right?

What are you going to do about it?

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

A Cowgirl and Her Boys

Because they said I would ...I am.

was good to see you both. thnx for the invite.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Remembering Summer 1

C'mon spring ... you can do it. 

I got my fishin poles ready ...

One Love. One Peace Always and all ways.

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep ...

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am in a thousand winds that blow,

I am the softly falling snow.

I am the gentle showers of rain,

I am the fields of ripening grain.

I am in the morning hush,

I am in the graceful rush

Of beautiful birds in circling flight,

I am the starshine of the night.

I am in the flowers that bloom,

I am in a quiet room.

I am in the birds that sing,

I am in each lovely thing.

Do not stand at my grave bereft

I am not there. I have not left.

           ~Mary Elizabeth Frye

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

A Southern View

 Looks good to me ...

Beautiful isn't it.

 

"Guarding the sunset ... we all need a job"

Jan~

She captioned this over on FB.

I like it. 

I like it a lot.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Ten Rules for Being Human

I come across lists like this one every now and again.

I like them. I don't always agree with everything on the list,

but I like the intention, they're gentle nudgings.

They do that, they remind us of things I believe we already know,

they bring things back into perspective.

This I believe was written by Cherie Carter-Scott

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life."

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation.
The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."

4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned.
A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it.
When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.

5. Learning lessons does not end. There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons.
If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.

6. "There" is no better a place than "here." When your "there" has become a "here",
you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."

7. Other people are merely mirrors of you.
You cannot love or hate something about another person
unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
[I'm not sure I agree totally with this one]
[You can hate something in someone else without it reflecting something you hate about yourself].

8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need.
What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you.
All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.   
[unless your mentally unbalanced, then you might need medication first]

10. You will forget all this.  [some of us won't]




























One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Blog Tips

I'm still wearin the damn hat.
I love this hat.
It suits me.




I've been absent lately.
The minute I say I don't have much to say,
you can pretty much guarantee a good ramble.
I think I found something to say.

I've been asked a time or two for advice on putting together a blog.
I'm no pro.  But I do have a few thoughts.  They probably won't be popular.
Trust me I've been there and done it, made all the mistakes.
I've even gone back to earlier posts from my humble beginnings, edited the hell out of them.
Deleted photos, that at the time I thought were brilliant, so brilliant ...
I posted 3298454332 million per post.
[in hindsight I wonder what the hell was I thinking]
I've taken my years of experience, gone back and rewritten content
from circa 2001. I probably should fix a few more.
[yeh back then it was funnier in my head] most of the time it still is. 
.



Keep it Simple
If your background is so busy with "stuff ",  your content gets lost.
I know you think it's cute. It's distracting.
And not in a good way. It's like chotsky hoarding.
No one likes clutter. Not in your home, not on your page.

 Less is More
You may be a great photographer, you might not be, 8 million pictures
of the same thing at different angles, or 8 million pictures
from a trip on one post ... too much.
I understand, you have talent, and you like hearing people tell you so.
Don't get me wrong, great photographs/art should be shared.
If you're good you don't need more than a few per post,
more than a few, now you're just showing off.
If your pics are blurry and composition is lacking,
well ......it gets embarrassing, especially if you think you're skilled.
A few pics at a time gives me the reader a chance to really
take in what you've shown me.  Don't overwhelm me. Please?

We're Not Groupies 
or fans, kiddos or lovelies or any other name you want to give us.
We're your peers, so don't refer to us as anything but ...
If you refer to me, your reader, as anything other than a peer,
I won't read you,
I don't care who you are or how good you are.

Music
Don't do it. Don't ruin the music I'm already listening to
by forcing yours on me with those instant players.
Use them sure, but adjust the settings so your readers
can choose to play it.  Auto play sends me for the hills.
There's nothing worse than surfing blogs, listening to my own music,
 landing on a page and suddenly I'm knocked out of my chair
by some song I don't know where it came from clashing horrifically with my tunes.
Ruins my groove. Who am I kidding it's irritating and a pain in the ass
to have to stop what I'm doing turn off your player, and I'm usually using
ear plugs so I've been blasted deaf because you have the volume way
up on the player.

Blog Fame
I've seen some great blogs go what I call commercial.
By that I mean all of a sudden
they get hungry for comments, for more readers,
a ton of advertising I never click on.
I know you are hoping to make the list.
Make some money. I get it.
You want to be noticed.  You're going to be the next great blogger,
with readers in the hundreds, thousands, how good for your career if not your ego.
I shake my head. Usually that means a bunch of guest bloggers
going back and forth, groups that offer up an I'll follow you if you'll follow me,
I'll comment on yours if you'll comment on mine.
Spend a little time on blogs you like, comment,
the rest will follow.  People will check you out.  Yes they will.
 La Table De Nana is a wonderful example of quality writing,
food and photography, and because she's good, she has a great following.
Let me ask you this, what was your intention when you first started?
Is it the same now?
Listen, just do you, Be you.   If you're good they'll come.
If you're really good, they'll stay.

Guest Blogging
A guest blogger every once in a while is great.
Variety is the spice of life, you bet it is.
But remember I come to read YOU.

Quality over Quantity ...
 wins every time.
Over posting.  It's not twitter.
Who can keep up with every single thing you do.
I can't. And I don't want to.  More than one posting a day is a bit much.
Believe me the most important things you do in life, you do away from the computer.
Remove your fingers from the keyboard slowly, c'mon you can do it, I know you can,
you won't miss a thing, it'll all be here when you come back.
Life happens when you turn the damn thing off.
I promise.

Keep it positive
No one likes a whiner.
If you sit in negativity that's all you're going to get.
We all have bad days, we surely do.  It's life.
Unless its truly tragic, or catastrophic ... suck it up.
A lot of people have it worse than you do.
Most days I want to see the good in people, the good in life.
If you sit on the toilet every damn day complaining about no toilet paper,
I'm not reading you.  I know right, nice analogy Kathleen.
[note to self, you couldn't come up with anything better than that?]
 
Roll and Scroll
I like to.
I like to roll and scroll right on down
to the bottom of the page, and click 'older posts'.
I'm seeing these new templates, that give bloggers the option to post mini feeds. You know
those squares with a picture and one sentence.  I'm lazy. If I have to click to read the rest of
your story. I probably won't, especially if I'm looking at ten of those squares on your page.
There is one blogger who says "jump for more butter". For her I will.
You all know who she is, and if you don't check out  USE REAL BUTTER

Comments 
Pop out comment boxes. Love them. They don't take you away from
the main page.   That's all I have to say about that.

Sharing is Caring
We have the opportunity to learn from each other, inspire one another,
share laughs, share hearts, share compassion,  it's the better part of this blogger world.
Share the best of you, not the worst of you. 



I think that's about it for now. 

Take it or leave it ...
This is just one readers view.
I was asked. I've answered.















One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Of Waves and Winter

Every now and then
someone comes a long and knocks you off your feet
in all the best ways.


I had posted this image and a few others from last weeks
trip to the big lake over on FB.  Much to my surprise a beautiful poem was
waiting for me in the guest comments underneath this image.  I was moved,
in all the best ways.

Good things must be shared.









Of the waves

washing, washing,

the land away,
...
slowly, slowly

an island make.

in summer light

surging, surging

a mist refresh

in fall twilight

foaming, foaming

a bitter crest.

cold winter comes,

sweeping, sweeping

snow and ice

tossing, tossing

onto rocks.

flowing, flowing

over again

a sheath of cold

swirling, swirling

petrified smooth

against rocky shore

holding, holding

the shape, of the coastline

like a glove.






Written by Emily McFarlane













One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Emeril Lagasse's Southern Brasied Greens wtih Bacon

Let's face it ...
Slow cooked greens aren't all that photogenic when finished.  

So you're not going to see the end result.  I will tell you, they're fantastic.

So is this recipe.

Ingredients

* 3/4 pound sliced bacon
* 3 cups sliced onions
* 8 cloves garlic, mashed
* 3 teaspoons salt
* 3/4 teaspoon cayenne
* 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 quart water
* 1 (12-ounce) can beer
* 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
* 2 tablespoons molasses or cane syrup
* 5 pounds fresh greens, such as mustard greens,
collard greens, turnip greens, or kale, rinsed well,
picked over and tough stems removed



Directions

In a large, heavy pot cook the bacon until it has rendered most of its fat, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the onions, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper and cook until the onions are wilted, about 4 minutes.
Add 1 quart of water, the beer, vinegar, and molasses and bring to a boil.
Begin adding the greens in batches, pressing down with a wooden spoon
to submerge them in the hot liquid and adding more as they wilt.
When all of the greens have been added, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the greens,
partially covered and stirring occasionally, for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender.














One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

On the Subject of Being

This ...

was written for me by someone I keep near to my heart.

To Be Without Apology

Why does the hurricane storm?

It blows and rips the very sea

It rages beyond control

Its outer shell tempered in the wind

It moves all in its path

Pushing and pulling, not to be subdued

Being just to be.

You are the hurricane

strong beyond measure.

Flares of emotion as gusts of wind

Not controlled by the whims of others

You move those in your path

Far beyond their imagined place in life

Taking them with you on your journey

Being just to be.

Why does the hurricane rest?

In the center of it is peace,

Calm and glassy surfaces reign

Surrounded by the mists it shines

An eye that sees beyond dark clouds

Solitude in the tempest

Being just to be

You are the hurricane

You have the tranquil pools

surrounded by the violence and action

A core of harmony to be shared

Those that brave the storm

May chance to glimpse your sunshine

Being just to be

Why is the hurricane perfect?

It makes no excuses for what it is

It holds no anger in its wind

No hatred to direct its action

No more or less can be expected

No superficial pretense

Being just to be

You are the hurricane

You hold no malice in  your heart

No justifications needed for injuries inflicted

You act not as an aggressor

But as a natural being

Your nature is to be yourself

Not to be changed, beaten or compromised

The simplistic beauty of embracing who you are

Without apology, or need of one

Being just to be.

 
Oregon 2009

written by J. Anderson

*****************

It comes at a time when ...
I choose to say only that ...

you know I just get through things.
I don't think about who I am in it all.
I just do what I do.
I dig my heels in, face and embrace head on
the challenges with which I am presented.


Sometimes for a fleeting moment,
you get the opportunity to see yourself
through eyes other than your own, and it's mind blowing.
what they see is so much more than you ever dream of giving yourself credit for.

No ...
it's humbling.
it's humbling because you weren't trying to be bigger than yourself.
you were just being you.


thank you with all of my heart.
I needed this extra gust of wind ...




p.s.

the hurricane reference... lol...
someone gifted me the nickname Hurricane Kate years and years ago.
Good or bad, it stuck. I happen to like it, apparently I'm not alone.

and clearly I've never photographed a hurricane,
I hope these pictures do your words justice.





















One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Tyler Florence's Chicken and Dumplings

>

Ingredients

Chicken and Stock:

* 1 (3 to 31/2 pound) whole organic chicken

* 2 bay leaves

* 6 sprigs thyme

* 4 to 5 black peppercorns

* 1 head garlic, split through the equator

* 2 tablespoons salt

Directions

Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1 tablespoon baking powder

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 2 eggs

* 1/4 cup chopped chives

* 3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Sauce:

* 2 tablespoons butter

* 2 tablespoons oil

* 2 carrots, diced

* 2 stalks celery, diced

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* 2 bay leaves

* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

* 6 cups chicken stock

* 1 cup frozen peas

* 1 cup frozen pearl onions

* 1/4 cup heavy cream

* Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish

* Chopped chives, for garnish

okay so I was craving just the dumpling.

For the stock:

Place the chicken and all stock ingredients in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour until the chicken is tender. Skim the surface of fat and scum as it cooks.

When done remove the chicken to a cutting board. Strain the stock and shred the meat into big pieces - the stock will be used for the sauce and the chicken will be folded into it.

For the dumplings:

Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, chives and buttermilk together; pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together; the batter should be thick and cake-like.

To prepare sauce: In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, and bay leaves and saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to stir and cook for 2 minutes to coat the flour and remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add frozen peas and pearl onions.

Let sauce simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.

Fold the reserved shredded chicken into the sauce and bring up to a simmer. Using 2 spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be touching or crowded. Let the dumplings poach for 10 to 15 minutes until they are firm and puffy. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and garnish with chopped chives before serving.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

On the Subject of Happiness

Rhode Island

"The reason people find it so hard to be happy 

is that they always see the past better than it was, 

the present worse than it is, 

and the future less resolved than it will be"

 Marcel Pagnol


I don't know.
My past was better than I thought,
My present is always good.
My future is never anything I worry about.

and I'm very happy.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Canal Park

Catching up on editing I am, slowly but surely.
So I'm cranking out more than a few blogs this week.


I went out of town for the day last weekend ...
Where did you think I went? SMDH!      [grinning @ Lisa]

Always to my favorite big water.

Lake Superior.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

And then there was Karaoke!

Sometimes you gotta post fluff. I'm posting fun fluff!~

the cast of singers!

let the singing begin!

and dancing!Lots of dancing!

and more singing!

EVERYBODY LOVES BOB!

and lots and lots of laughter! Was a great night!~

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.