Recipe with a Story

A recipe is a simple thing. You buy the ingredients, you put them together and you serve it. Done. But sometimes there's more to it. Sometimes a recipe is more than just simply cooking something. Sometimes there's a story that goes along with it. My chicken tortilla soup recipe has a story.

When my youngest son was in college, I began making chicken tortilla soup and he absolutely fell in love with  it. Every time he was home for the weekend, I had to make a batch. He would eat bowl after bowl until it was gone and if there was any left he would take it back to school with him.

Then he went across the country to law school. His visits home weren't as often as when he was in college only two hours away. His first winter in Virginia was hard on him -- a desert kid getting used to cloudy days, cold and snow. He was also studying for his first law school finals and understandably stressed.

I wanted to send him a "care package" and knew the thing he would love receiving most would be some chicken tortilla soup. But how could I get it clear across the country and have it still be fit to eat? My husband said to call FedEx and see if it was possible. And that was the beginning of the most expensive soup ever made!

I made up a double batch of the soup, poured it into a large glass jar (one of the canning kinds with the clamp-down lid and rubber seal), and put the jar in the freezer overnight. The next afternoon I took it out of the freezer and packed it into a small Styrofoam cooler with ice packs all around it. (Unfortunately, dry ice is prohibited by FedEx.) Then I put the cooler into a cardboard box filled with foam peanuts, sealed it up and drove it to the FedEx station where drivers made their last pick-up before heading to the airport. It was 6:30 at night and the soup arrived on my son's doorstep (2,275 miles away) at 9:00 the next morning with the center still frozen. Of course, he poured it into a pan and had some for breakfast!  He says it was the one thing that got him through his first law school finals, not only the warming soup on a cold winter day but knowing how much love went into making it and getting it to him.

Do you have a recipe that has a story attached to it?  I would love to hear it. If you have a blog, why not post about it and join our linky party?  Click  on the "Add Your Link" button below and you will be able to paste in the URL of your image from Flickr or your blog or any photo hosting site. Visit the other photos in the party and feel free to leave comments.

Just wanted to let you know that July's "water" theme will extend through August 3 so you still have a chance to post a shot in our Flickr pool to be considered for an IN FOCUS selection.  And I want to thank all of you who have posted your wonderful "water" shots so far this month.  I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one.

Linky party will stay active through Friday, August 3rd.

Beach Reflections

I have always loved the beach. The smell of salty water, the wind in my face, the gentle roar of the waves all combine to create a sense of peace and calm.

                                                                                                                                 -- Anonymous

What early memories of the beach or water-related adventures do you have? My earliest memories, literally, are of the ocean when, at age 2, I got lost from my parents while I was digging on the beach. I kept "running out of sand" so I kept moving on down the beach. The story has a happy ending since an aunt who was parked a few yards (miles?) down the beach saw me and carried me back to my frantic parents.

Growing up on Long Island (New York) as I did, I spent many days at the beach with my cousins. I quickly learned to time the waves and jump them, or later, body surf, and when to outrun the monster waves which were abundant on Fire Island when the tide was right. But the beach always represented fun and adventure for me. Here's a short list of beachy things etched in my memory bank.

• Sand so hot it burned my feet
• Miles of storm fencing
• White lifeguard stands dotting the beaches with those ominous flags that told us whether or not we could swim
• Smelly bath houses (Might as well tell it like it was.)
• Seaweed entangled about my ankles
• Jelly fish --- ewwwwwww!
• Tuna salad sandwiches on French rolls seasoned with the salt and sand of the beach (Is there anything better?)
• Our favorite take-along beverage in big thermos jugs, grape juice mixed with lemonade Oh, my! The pause that refreshed.

These days I live in a landlocked state, no quick trips to the ocean side for me. (Kim and Carol - you're eating my heart out!) Now it takes advance planning and a drive of many miles to get there, nevertheless, like the ancient sea turtles, we return to the sea each year. (You can read a bit more about this at my personal blog, Camper.)

Don't grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach.

                                                                                     -- Michelle Held

This brings us full circle to my original question: What early memories of the beach or water-related adventures do you have?

By now you've guessed that this post has nothing to do with photography, and that's okay. What I hope I've done is stir some of your cherished, long-forgotten childhood memories of water adventures, wherever that might have been, in a pool, a lake, an ocean. Even the bathtub if you must. But come on over to the comment page and share with us some of your special water memories.

While you're at it, don't forget to trot on over to our Flickr page to post (and label) your "water" photos. We've had some absolutely sublime water photos this month. Choosing the "In Focus" feature has been a challenge because all of the photos you've contributed are outstanding. 

The "Water" theme will continue through Friday so please add some more of your masterpieces to our Flickr page.

IN FOCUS - July 28

July 28, 2012

July Theme: Water

echie52's stunning photo of water

was selected for our INFOCUS choice this week. 

The shallow depth of field and the focus along the edge of the leaf
as well as the amazing bokeh makes this such a wonderful shot!

You can view more of her work on her Flickr stream.

Thank you for sharing this with us at Focusing on Life, Maria!

Take An Umbrella

When my husband was a young man, prior to our meeting (on a blind date!) he got the yearning to become an actor.  He began his "career" at a summer theatre in Traverse City Michigan, "The Cherry County Playhouse".  It brought in at the time "famous" actors for the lead roles and the extras or "co-stars" were those that were considered "the company".  Gary was part of the company.  His time spent at Cherry County Playhouse was a memory that he kept for a long, long time.  He saved all the newspaper clippings & photographs and made a scrapbook that he proudly shared with all who showed the least bit of interest. 

While there, he "costarred" in a play entitled "The Curious Savage", a story about an elderly woman who had been placed at "Happy Dale" by her family.  A place where those that were residence had been brought there by the men in "white coats".  Mrs. Savage was far from needing men in white coats and while there left an indelible impression on all she met.  She taught everyone she encountered that there are many ways to show love, one of those was "to take an umbrella, it might rain".  In other-words I care about you, and love you enough to remind you to take precautions. 

This made such an impression on Gary, the fact that there are other ways to say I love you than just verbally, that with each letter he wrote to me before marriage and after we were married he always drew a little umbrella either on the envelope or under his name.  I saved most of his letters and pulled one out today to share his umbrella with you. 

So if it happens to be raining in your part of this wide world, "take an umbrella," I care. 

"Love has a way of making places sacred and moments meaningful"  ~  Janet Hobson

Don't forget, you only have a very short while to post your "water" pictures on our flickr site.  You may just find your image featured right here. 

Christmas in July

Does the thought of Christmas make you cringe right now?

Maybe the thought of Christmas brings a flood of happy memories, like the wide-eyed wonder of a child or the anticipation of cooler temperatures and the first snowfall of the season.

I'll go with happy memories, minus the snowfall (since it rarely snows here) and I love the sights and sounds of the Holiday Season.

I think of friends and family, food-lots of yummy food!, lots of shopping! and gathering together and sharing.

Being home, being together with loved ones, sharing and creating memories, that's what the thought of Christmas brings.

I have several relatives and friends that are active in the military and are currently or have been deployed in places far away from home.  I'm sure you also have loved ones in the same situation, and know how much they cherish contact from home.

Mail is something they look forward to and getting a letter or package from home will make their day. Imagine how they would feel is they received packages from home everyday for about a week?

Packages filled with cookies, candy, newspapers, magazines, letters, pictures, socks and love!

There is a group that does just that for our service men and women!  They are called Operation Baking Gals.

Every month, they organize into groups across the country, to bake, buy, package and ship goodies and love to these people stationed far from home.  Just imagine how happy these brave men and women are when they start getting so many packages!

Participation is voluntary, but you do have to sign up.  This is something I have done with my granddaughter. We baked cookies, packed them up and shipped them off.  Both of us were so happy to do it.

For more information about Operation Baking Gals go here.

If baking is not your thing and your closets are over-flowing with fabric/yarn (don't be like me!) you can sew/knit/crochet receiving blankets and donate them to your local police/fire station or hospital.  Sometimes the first responders need a blanket for a tiny victim, and hospitals like to send gifts home with the new babies. Check with your local police, fire station and hospital for more information.

Do you drive past a homeless person on a corner, standing with a cardboard sign asking for help?  Do you hand that person a few dollars if you have them?

I know it is so hard to pass these people.  A friend of mine gave a great idea I am going to share.  When she knew she was going to go by an area where homeless people would be on the corner, she packed simple lunches in brown paper bags for them.  Nothing fancy, just PB&J, apple, cookies, water.  She would hand that to them.  Even just a bottled water or a bag of cookies would be fine.

I know sometimes, as you drive away, you see the person look inside your bag then toss it in the bushes.  Don't let that discourage you!  The first time someone looks into your eyes and says "God bless you!" you will forget all about it!

These are just a few ideas to keep the spirit of Christmas alive all year.  Just because the season is over, the sharing and caring can continue!

One person cannot do it all, but think of what we can achieve if we all did something!

Don't forget about the In Focus theme "water"!  Be sure to add your pictures to the flickr gallery!  Your pictures are so nice!  I love stopping over there to see them!

"I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year"  ~Charles Dickens

xo,

The Seed

As the summer winds down for us and we gear up for the start of school next week, I'm trying to get myself organized.  Try being the operative word.  Every year I start a new file folder on my desk for each of my kids.  I also label a box with their name and grade.  In the folder goes everything that I want to keep...photos, important papers, drawings, awards, etc... (the rest goes in the trash, but don't tell my almost 6 year old this!)  Then once the folder is full I move everything to the box.  I came across a poem from my son's second grade year.  This poem does not get put in the box.  I keep it out and read it from time to time.  Second grade was a magical year for Jack.  It was the year he had a teacher who not only inspired him, but one who truly "got" him and pushed him to his full potential.  She was kind, but firm.  She was creative, but structured.  She encouraged the kids to think outside the box.  I know that years down the road she will be that one who always stays with him in his heart when he recalls one of his favorite teachers.  I want to share with you all the poem that Mrs. Washington has her class memorize every year.  We gave her this poem printed on one of my photographs and it hangs outside her classroom.  Even now as Jack gets ready to start the fourth grade he can remember not only the words from "Ano Ano (the seed)" but also the meaning behind them.

ANO ANO

(the seed)

And they were taught the laws of life;

That their treatment of others

would return at last upon themselves.

Those who cheat will be cheated.

Those who slander will be slandered.

For every lie you tell, you will be lied to.

Brutality will be met with brutality.

We get what we give and to the same degree

and not always from the same people

with whom we've dealt.

But somewhere, sometime, somehow,

Someone will treat you in a like manner.

The good we do to others will return.

For your kindness to others,

you will received hospitality in far places yourself.

Understand the trouble of others

who come to you with their souls bared

and when you cry yourself,

you will be sympathetically understood.

We get what we give, like always attracts like.

The is the law and it is inevitable.

We cannot escape the results of our actions.

We get what we give.

In a world where we are overwhelmed with stories of hatred and violence I sincerely hope that there are more Mrs. Washington's who are helping children understand that they get what they give.  What they put in to something will come back to them twofold. Kindness is a very powerful thing. 

As July comes to a close next week, don't forget our theme of the month, Water.  There are some fabulous water shots in our Flickr Pool and we'd love to see even more! 

Turn up the heat . . .

Yeah, I know what you're thinking . . .  she's crazy, it's hot enough already!

But, the other day while driving and thinking (don't know about you, but I do a lot of that in the car when I'm by myself), and pondering about my next post, something popped into my head. Well, my train of thought went something like this:

Hmmm, I need to think about a topic for my next post. I already mused on our monthly theme of water, but I do really like this theme. Maybe I could share some of my favorite things about that large body of water I talked about in my last post. Wow, it's so hot today and the water in the gulf (of Mexico) was so warm yesterday, even warmer than bath water . . . in fact if it gets any hotter it may just be boiling hot the next time I'm there.

And then, oh so randomly (as if that wasn't random enough) it made me think about a video I've seen in the past about the boiling point of water. You may have seen it too, but I don't think the message ever gets old, at least for me, and it's something I definitely need to revisit from time to time. And if you haven't seen it, I know right about now you are wondering why is she talking about the boiling point of water and what does that have to do with anything. So, I'll start at the beginning.

The video starts out like this:

At 211 degrees water is hot. At 212 degrees, water boils. And with boiling water comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive. One extra degree makes all the difference. And the one extra degree in business and in life . . . separates the good from the great!

The message is one that reminds me that a lot of the time I'm living in a dream state of my passions and that I'm not putting enough effort into achieving the goals I desire, and that sometimes I lack a little a lot of focus and direction. It goes on to state a few statistics of the margins of victory between that of first and second place. In sports it's almost always a matter of mere seconds or fractions of seconds that separates the two.

The rest of the video goes on to say:

It's your life. You are responsible for your results. It's time to turn up the heat. To get what we've never had, we must do what we've never done.

*  212 degrees of Attitude: The only thing that stands between a person and what they want in life
    is the will to try and the faith to believe it is possible.

*  212 degrees of Kindness: "It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life . . . we can never
    help another without helping ourselves." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

*  212 degrees of Belief: Belief fuels enthusiasm, and enthusiasm explodes into passion. It fires
    our souls and lifts our spirits.

* 212 degrees of Focus: Having a simple, clearly defined goal can capture the imagination and
    inspire passion. It can cut through the fog like a beam in the night.

* 212 degrees of Perseverance: "Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races, one after
   another." - Walter Elliot

I don't know about you but there are often times when I lose motivation, focus, and direction. And on those occasions when I stall or hit a plateau I have to remember that I can't give up because I am responsible for my results. Sometimes though, that's not enough. Sometimes it's that little extra effort of others, a comment or an action that ignites our flame again. Often it's someone else that helps to awaken us to our own possibilities, and that is something we can surely pass on to each other.

Turning up the heat doesn't mean we won't fail, because in life there are almost always failures along the way to reaching our goals. But with motivation and focus fueling our passions and desires hopefully we won't give up before we get there. So here's a toast, a nice glass of ice water, to getting some pots boiling. Are ya with me?

And speaking of water, don't forget to add your photos labeled with water in our Flickr group for a chance to be our InFocus selection of the week.

(If you would like to view the 212 degree video click here, it's less than 3 minutes.)

Junkyard Dog

I have become a junkyard dog.

One of the things I love to do with photography is to take something ugly or mundane and make it beautiful. No. That's not right, exactly. What I love to do, is to find the beauty in everything. Would you guess that the image above is a macro shot of a spot of rust on the side of a dumpster?

The pictures below are from a marine junkyard, next to a wharf. If I wasn't climbing around in there, do you think I would have seen that tiny starfish clinging onto the colorful netting? The goddess was an old brand label, about 2 inches big,  stuck on a sheet of metal that was probably some form of packaging.

The stacked metal racks that once functioned as palettes for unloading cargo have formed a virtual greenhouse in the years they've been sitting piled up in the junk yard.

        And then there's the graffiti!

Hunt down the ugly today! Or in fitting with the spirit of this prompt, how about submitting your water theme images using puddles, leaks or other unexpected, and not always desired sources of water? Your task, should you decide to accept it, is to breathe life into the most unexpected places and create a thing of beauty.

Dress Cinderella for the ball!  

Meet your inner Henry Higgins!

The beauty of the world is always around us. You have only to open your eyes and see.

"I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way."

                                    Jessica Rabbit

----------------------------------------------------------------------

(I hate to be a bummer but one note of caution - Be aware of your surroundings when shooting in crazy out-of-the-way places like this. Obtain whatever permissions are necessary, and let someone know where you are.)

IN FOCUS - July 21

July 21, 2012

July Theme: Water

Sue T @ Blue Moon's spectacular photo of water

was selected for our INFOCUS choice this week. 

Amazing depth of field and how can you go wrong with lily pads?

You can view more of her work on her Flickr stream.

Thank you for participating with us at Focusing on Life, Sue!

Fun Facts For Friday

Friday is a happy day to me. I wake up in a better mood. Getting to 5 o'clock doesn't seem to take nearly as long as on Monday. And it's a day to have some fun in anticipation of the weekend!

In that spirit, I have prepared two fun lists and a little competition for our time together today!

Many of you that stop by our blog know one or more of us through various means, either on-line or in person. And you've had a chance over the past six months to get to know us a little more intimately through our blog posts. But how much do you really know us??

I have collated a list below that contains 10 interesting and oh, so fun facts about us....one for each of the FOL sisters. I have purposefully left off the identifying name for each fact because that is your job! You must correctly match up each cool fact with the FOL beauty to whom it belongs. And to make this even MORE fun, I have a special prize for the person who makes the most correct matches....a $25 gift certificate to a photography-related class or store of your choice!

Please leave your answers in the comments below. I will share the answers and the winner on Saturday, so come back and check it out!

10 Totally Fun and Fabulous Facts About Us:

1.  I was a legal secretary for eleven years before I quit to have children. Who knew that I would have gone from a left-brained world (analytical, logical) to a right-brained hobby (artistic, intuitive)!  Terri
2. Records of my ancestors have been traced back to the mid 1300's in England as a descendent of Sir Warin de la Strode, a French Knight who accompanied William the Conqueror in the conquest of England.  Kim
3. I was Carl Sagan's personal banker when he came to the bank that I used to work at. I would escort him into the bank vault and I got to see all the amazing astronomy photos, film reels, books and other paperwork that he had stored there. He was a really cool man, and always came dressed in a suit and tie.  Judy
4. I am somewhat ambidextrous. I can bowl and play tennis both right and left handed.  Leigh
5. I was the valedictorian of my high school class.  Stephanie
6. I worked with Ron Howard, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in the movie "Far and Away." I worked hiring extras for the land rush team.  Claudia
7. I absolutely, completely and totally love to swim! The colder the water the better and especially completely submerged.  Carol
8. I went white water rafting in the Grand Canyon.  Dotti
9. I used to act in a community theater.  Deanna
10. Not very many people know this, it's been top secret for obvious reasons, but I'm gonna tell you now....I am Iron Woman.  Linda

I've kept all of these answers a secret, even from the other FOL ladies. Although they are not eligible for the prize, they will be guessing right along with you! So submit your answers below....you might be our winner!

And because our blog focuses on our love of photography, I will leave you with one more list that hopefully provides you encouragement to get out there and keep shooting!

10 (or more!) Things We've Done Over the Past Few Years that Have Improved Our Photography:

1. Deanna - Learning the proper exposure so I don't have "blown-out" colors and becoming much more aware of composition.
2. Carol - Participating in workshops, particularly destination workshops. The emersion into the subject for days at a time, with little real-world interruption, allows for complete concentration. I always find I am leaps and bounds ahead when I come home, and it tends to stick with me.
3. Claudia - Approaching my photography from different perspectives. "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." ~Wayne Dyer
4. Dotti - Sharing my photos online in classes and groups.
5. Leigh - Shooting what I think is beautiful and not what I think other people will like. Photography is first and foremost something I do for myself and that crazy out of focus shot may not be something that others would even glance at, but to me is pure beauty.
6. Judy - To shoot, shoot, shoot. And doing it as often as I can. Reading photography books and taking courses has made a huge impact as well.
7. Kim - Simply practicing. And learning how to shoot in manual mode so that I could have more control over my creative outcome.
8. Stephanie - Being involved in photographic communities, either through flickr or Big Picture classes, where I can be inspired by and learn from others.
9. Terri - Shooting daily. Being involved in the "Picture" series classes with Tracey Clark at Big Picture Classes, I was forced to get out and shoot everyday. There is nothing like using your camera (and a little inspiration from others in the classes) that can improve your photography more!
10. Linda - I was always disappointed in my photography because all my pictures were so dark. I kept trying to figure it out and kept adjusting things without much luck. Then one day I figured out that I could take pretty decent photos when I took the lens cap off first! It was amazing! I highly recommend it to everyone!

I hope you enjoyed all of our fun facts for Friday! Don't forget to stop back tomorrow to see the answers and don't forget to keep posting your water photos to the flickr gallery!

Happy Friday and have a fantastic weekend!

July 22 - Updated 10 things about us with correct answers!

I Remember....

Ever since I've been a Mom I've wondered what childhood memories my children will have. What things, big or small, will they carry with them and hopefully remember fondly? That may seem strange, I know, but of course it comes from hoping that my children have many enjoyable moments as they grow, with tons of wonderful memories to come from those moments. It also comes from the fact that I have so many wonderful childhood memories myself. I love it when something from my childhood pops into my head! Now that it's summer, I've been thinking about my summers as a kid.

I remember....

1. Stepping out the back door on the first day of summer vacation and feeling like I had e n d l e s s  days of summer ahead of me. 
2. Going to the lake after dinner with a bar of soap.  We swam and had fun, and had the "bath" at the same time. (we had never even heard of environmental issues at that time!)
3. Climbing on the large wooden beams in my Dad's barn - high over the hay bales (and the hard wooden floor).
4. Losing my little sister when we were supposed to be paying attention as we all played. She wandered off into a corn field, fell asleep, and had, it seemed, the entire town, and surrounding towns, at our house for hours searching for her.
5. My dogs. We were real original with our pet names. Whitey, Blacky, Brownie (no, I'm not kidding). Although we did have a Teddy and a Laddie too.
6. Catching lighting bugs in an empty mayo jar, with holes poked in the top, only to find them all dead the next morning.
7. Laying in a lawn chair at night, looking up at the star filled sky and watching shooting stars.
8. All five of us kids piling into the family station wagon, no seat belts, fighting over who got a window seat, to go get ice cream cones.
9. Playing with my Barbie camper by the creek across the road from our house.
10. Watching my Dad march in all of the surrounding towns Fireman's Parades.
11. Singing into a hair brush and pretending I was Donna Summer, or The Bee Gees.
12. Walking barefoot down the creek, over rocks and slippery slate, stopping to look at the tadpoles, on our way to spend the afternoon swimming in the gorge.
13. Running over my little sister (yes, the one we had previously lost!) as she lay in the grass because I was riding my brothers bike that was too big for me, and I couldn't steer it or pedal it correctly! (She still won't let me live that one down!).
14. Trying to catch grasshoppers in a field of weeds.
15. Listening to the tar bubbles on the road pop as we rode in the back seat with our car windows down.
16. Being bare foot a l l the time.
17. Sweet corn on the cob at the picnic table, with lots of butter.
18. Badminton games over the clothes line.
19. Traveling cross country, with my parents and my four brothers and sisters. One station wagon, seven people. No air conditioning. No electronic games. And we still had fun! Singing to the radio. Searching for different license plates on the cars that passed by. Sitting on a cement picnic table, at a rest stop in the Painted Desert (ouch), trying to eat our sandwiches that Mom made before they became totally dehydrated from the dry air! (Well, ok, maybe that part wasn't fun!)
20. Sitting around the neighbors campfire, roasting marshmallows, and talking into the night.

I hope that this has made you think of some fond memories from your childhood. I'd love to hear about them! Leave me a comment and let me know what they are. And don't forget to post your water pictures in our flickr group as our water theme continues. Label them "water" to be considered for our INFOCUS selections this month. Oh, and we have exciting news! Focusing on Life now has its own button! Go to the sidebar on the right, copy the code, and paste it in your own blog!  Happy Summer! 

Heart Broken

I had just finished editing photos of 4 newborns babies.  Right before I starting finishing up the "paper work" portion for their individual account I decided to re-boot my computer.

I hit re-start and ran to refresh my ice-water.

Upon my return, nothing.

Nothing! what? nothing??

I unplugged, took out the battery, hit the power button and NOTHING!!!

Long story short, I called my dear friends and after apologizing for interrupting their Sunday HE suggested I bring the computer to his house. (5:30 pm)

By 10:30 pm my computer was in total parts all over his kitchen table. "Sorry Claudia it's fried."

Dead.
Done.
Gone.

I first I was sad then mad and now resolved.

For months, no, years I have promised myself to purchase an external hard drive to back up my photos. (Granted it wouldn't have helped my current situation) But I wouldn't have lost 3 years of edited work.

It seems I have become the poster child of what NOT to do!  Use my experience to RUN to the store and buy something for back-up. Whether it's a hard drive or burned discs or in the "cloud" back up.

(photo - Elijah Smithson)

Most recently here in Utah we have had devastating wildfires.

Fire fighters had to evacuate families in minutes! Dry summers such as ours this year have become ready fuel for Mother Natures storms or perhaps someones carelessness. As on lookers our hearts break and then the inevitable question comes to mind. What would you do in this situation?

What would you take if Firefighters pounded on your door telling you, you must abandon your home NOW!!

Reports have said that of course loved ones and pets would top the list with treasured photos next on the list of items that would be hurriedly fit into the car.

I had a dear photography friend in Colorado that didn't have the luxury of being home when her neighborhood was totally evacuated. Because she was at work she didn't get the chance to grab her cat or her grandmothers precious black and white photos or clients photos that she had backed up on several hard drives.

Both of these examples, mine not even remotely compared to my friends, reminds us to back up AND if there are treasures (and what photo isn't?) or your business is photography, back up and have copies in another location other than your home. Perhaps at your best friend's home across town or maybe a safe deposit box.

The word SAD doesn't begin to define the loss.

Hugs!

 PS. My friend brilliance breathed life back into my computer (phone call 12:30am) and I was able to provide new Moms and Dads with their baby's  first photos. BUT I really got a wake up call.

Please don't forget to add to our Flickr photo stream with your wonderful water photos!

Lemons or lemonade?

I began to post this last Friday afternoon and, lo and behold, I saw Dotti's post that was scheduled to post  the day before mine and which was titled "Raindrops - Falling on My Head."  Hmmm, I thought, I'm writing about rain too.  I wonder what she's saying about it.  So I let curiosity get the best of me and read her post (the day before it was scheduled). Well, as you will see when you read mine today, our minds were following along the same lines (you know what they say about great minds thinking alike!)  Rather than rewrite my post, I thought you might enjoy hearing another side of the same subject.

Living in the desert, we don't get a lot of rain.  The city where I live is nicknamed "the Valley of the Sun", and for good reason. We have about 360 days a year of sunshine.  This time of year is called "monsoon season" where we have evening thunderstorms and I do love sitting by a window and watching the flashes of lightning or lying in bed listening to the thunder. But if we get rain during the daylight hours, I'm not a happy girl.

So when I woke up this morning to rain, I wasn't surprised that it put me in a bad mood.  Rain?  In the daytime?  What's up with that?  If I could stay inside and just curl up with a good book, it wouldn't be so bad, but I hate driving in it, I suppose mainly because I'm not used to it.  And after one day of cloudy skies, I'm ready to see the sun again.

But then I remembered Judy's post a little over a week ago about shooting in the rain.  I went back and reread it and decided I was going to try to make the most of this rainy day.  Lately it has been so hot that going out to play with my camera has held no appeal and I'm suffering from withdrawal big time.  I didn't try Judy's suggestion about protecting your camera and actually shooting in the rain but I waited until the rain finally stopped and out I went, camera in hand.  The temperature was 82!  A far cry from the 113 of a couple of days ago.  Something to be thankful for right off the bat.  And  as I opened my eyes to the beauty around me, I forgot about my bad mood and began capturing all of the good things left by the rain -- jewels dripping off of flowers and the ripening fruit on my pomegranate tree, a seed pod cupping a glistening droplet of water -- things I never would have seen on an ordinary sunny summer day.  And the overcast sky gave everything such a rich, saturated color.

I was reminded of the quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein, "Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have."

The bigger picture here, I think, is how we choose to respond when life throws us a curveball.  Like the old saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade", do we grumble and complain that things aren't going as we  planned (the lemons) or do we take a different look at it and find the good that might be hiding there (and make lemonade)?  You can be sure that the next time it rains, I won't be moping around the house in a bad mood, I'll be grabbing my camera and making the most of it! 

I hope you have taken the time to look in our Flickr pool at all the amazing images that have been posted so far this month relating to our "water" theme.  Make sure to get yours uploaded and marked with the tag "water".  Who knows, you might just be our In Focus selection this week!

Raindrops - Falling on My Head

On Friday morning, I awoke to a sound I haven't heard in weeks: rain. Sweet, life-giving, moisture producing RAIN! Even as I wrestled with my umbrella while running errands I didn't complain. It had been so long since it's rained here that it was a welcome, blessed rain.

So what did I do first thing that morning when I woke up to the lovely sound of rain? I grabbed my camera, dressed it in its rain sleeve and took it out to play in the rain (per Judy's suggestion).

Here you see it on my camera after the rain adventure. The rain sleeve served me well and the collapsible lens hood that I use on my 50mm compact macro was ideal for shielding the lens from rain. Most any lens hood would probably do the trick. Although the camera appeared to be bone dry, I wiped it down well with a dry, clean rag and then did the same for the lens hood after removing it from the lens.

Now lets's take a look at what I found.

Lovely little droplets everywhere.

Impatiens that hadn't been this happy in weeks.

Birdbaths full to overflowing.

And, because you knew I couldn't resist it - raindrops on roses.

Although according to the official US drought map, we're just east of the drought area, our area is plenty dry and before Friday, certainly flirting with drought conditions. Our river birch trees have been struggling since they're water lovers; our grass is crunchy and yellow; our day lily beds have already gone to brown stalks; what flowers we have are stunted. Although we don't worry about watering grass, we do look after our trees, roses and flowerpots. Our next water bill may rival the national debt. So the rain from this past weekend was a welcome relief to us.

In addition to being overjoyed with the much-needed rainfall, I was tickled pink to be able to take Judy's suggestion from a couple of weeks ago and play out in the rain. What about you? Have you had a chance to play in the rain yet? If you have, I hope you'll share some of your rainy pictures with us on our Flickr page. In my book, they qualify as "Water".

Oh! And don't forget to label them.

A random thought: Have you ever thought about what fickle people we are? When there's not enough rain, we grumble. When there's too much rain, we complain. When it's too hot, we're unhappy. When it's too cold, we're grouchy. Something to ponder ...

(I'd also like to invite you to join me on my personal blog Camper where I did some musing on another kind of water.)

IN FOCUS - July 14

July 14, 2012

July Theme: Water

Natalie DeLuca's (hiddendoorfour)'s wonderful photo of water

was selected for our INFOCUS choice this week. 

We all loved the Impressionist painting look to this photo.

You can view more of her work on her Flickr stream.

Thank you for participating with us at Focusing on Life!

Pessimist or Optimist?

It has been written that an optimist is someone who can fall ten stories and call out to each floor in passing that everything is OK so far.  My son-in-law falls (no pun intended) into that category.  Sam always sees the bright side of every situation which is a good balance to my daughter who tends to lean toward the opposite, more pessimistic view of life.  But it has also been said that an optimist refuses to see things sometimes as they really are.

It is far better to expect the worst and then be pleasantly surprised when things turn out better than expected, the pessimist believes.  This attitude avoids any disappointment in the results.  But this attitude is almost like backing into a room, not seeing the beauty that is in front of her only to find out that she has backed into an elevator shaft.

We would not advance in life, love, or discoveries if all we expect is the worse, and going outside that realm of expecting the worse some believe is only daydreaming.  But where would we be without those that were optimists?  Discoveries such as cures for diseases, man flying to the moon, our early settlers that continued to think that moving west would prove fruitful, none of those things would have occurred without some optimism, a dreamer, a doer. Only the optimist believes there are things waiting for discovery and development.

Optimists are aware that the cherries in life have pits, but they are prepared to remove those pits in order to enjoy the sweetness that surrounds them.   I love going to flea markets.  Fighting the crowds, the dust, the heat any of these would stop a pessimist from even considering the trip. Me, all I think about is what treasures I might discover.

Are you an optimist or a pessimist, or a little of both?  I think I fall into that "little of both" category.  I want to always think positively, but sometimes that doubt of pessimism creeps into my thoughts.  Try this exercise, the next time you drive to the mall, the grocery store, the garden center....as you are driving think about that perfect parking spot, visualize it in your mind, concentrate on it, think positive and more than likely when you arrive at your destination that parking place will be waiting for you.  The power of positive/optimistic thinking at work.  This has worked for me time and time again.  Now if only my positive thoughts could bring us some rain and cooler weather.

Don't forget our theme for this month is water (oh would I like to see that fall from the sky).  Post all of your images relating to water on our flickr page and tag them "water" to be considered for our weekly chance to be featured here.

"If you're anticipating the worst while hoping for the best, you will usually get the worst.  Turn it around!  Imagine the best, expect the best and you'll usually get the best."  ~  Dan Zadra

Baby, it's hot outside!

Wasting away again in Margaritaville, searching for that last chocolate malt,

or something like that.

It's summer time here in the US!

I love summer.

I love the sights, sounds, smells and colors of it. The longer days and the farmers markets.

I begin to dream about it every year on January 1. I will stand at the window looking hopefully at the grass and trees outside, searching for a hint of growth. A little speck of that beautiful,soft green and new growth. A sign of warmer weather coming. Summer!.


I have always thought that Christmas time should be cold and that winter should last until we sang Auld Lang Syne. But as soon as we finish our midnight toasts, I'm done with winter.

I live near the state capital that is located the farthest south.  (can you name it?)  In my neck of the woods,
summer-time means searching for ways to beat the heat.  Everything from water recreation, hydrating and trying to stay near an air-conditioner because (it's an oven here) temperatures climb to dangerously high levels. Summer time means temperatures in the upper 90's and low100's.

I really don't mind.
(she's crazy!)

Water recreation is abundant here.  There are lakes and rivers and water parks and lots of pools.

get the duck, Penny!

say hello to aqua-girl!

Almost every house is equipped with an air-conditioner. A long time ago, before electricity, the  houses had sleeping porches.  They were, as their name describes, porches that were screened in on the outside of the house and people slept there in the summer  time because it was cooler there than being inside the house.

I don't know about that.  I've camped out here in the summer and believe me! it was hard to get to sleep because it was so hot until midnight at the earliest!

Of course hydration is important! And there are lots of ways to be sure you are staying hydrated in the summer time!

Being a southern girl, I have always liked iced tea.  Dotti's picture reminded me just how good a
glass of iced tea tastes on a hot summer day!  Click here to see it, go ahead, I'll wait.


Last summer I discovered iced coffee courtesy of the Pioneer Woman.

click here for the super-secret recipe

Keeping the kids hydrated is important too.  Although it's also fun for the grown-ups!

There's nothing like a pop-ice!

or a sno-cone!

Don't forget about the pets!

Reaching for an adult beverage fills the bill because sometimes you just want to stay in Margarita-ville!
It's 5 o'clock somewhere!

What's you favorite way to beat the heat?  Share it with us!  Tell us about it or post it in the flickr gallery!

We raise up our glasses against evil temperatures! Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses!

And speaking of H2O, (huh?) don't forget this month's In Focus theme is Water. Perfect theme for summer time!

Add your water shots to the Flikr gallery!


"I drifted into a summer-nap under the hot shade of July, serenaded by a cicadae lulliby, to drowsy-warm dreams of distant thunder." ~Terri Guillemets


xo,