Contemplating.

Contemplating.
Wayzata, Minnesota

Monday, September 30, 2013

Roister

Funny thing we are nearer to spring this September, than we were in April of this year! I'm not the only one reveling with delight!

Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. - Mother Teresa



Saturday, September 28, 2013

Quote it Saturday - 28 September 2013

"I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things..... I play with leaves.  I skip down the street and run against the wind." - Lee Buscaglia


QUOTE IT SATURDAY

Freda at "Freda's Voice" offers "upset" as the theme word for this week.



So, what the heck, be happy instead, perhaps?  BUT, how can we make something wonderfully, exciting out of upset?




So, what is foremost upsetting me, right now?  As well as a few other northerners at the moment?


The bittersweet, magical approach of autumn arriving and our saying farewell, to another summer gone by, far too quickly.



 
Not that we don't enjoy autumn's approach.
 
The changing of the seasons is a magical experience for all.



Of course this can be upsetting. 

 
 
 
Still upset about the beginnings of fall?


 
 
Although, as pretty as that is,  aren't we all a bit UPSET about this truth below?
 


"I drive a lot in the summertime, but after that, I don't drive if there's snow predicted for anywhere in 500 miles."  - R. L. Stine
 
 

Truly, it's an artist's dream to have the backdrop of any autumn day unfold right before their eyes.



What to do?
 
 
 
 


To view other Quote it Saturday posts, or give us your own go here

http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2013/09/quote-it-saturday_27.html




Six Word Saturday 28 September 2013

Thoughts on the subject of Happiness


SIX WORD SATURDAY

Where Cate has a share something of what's happening in our life, in six words.


 
WHEN AUTUMN MEETS A DETERMINED SUMMER
 
 
THIS IS WHAT SPEAKS TO ME
 
 
Sleepy little towns, along any lake, and my car rolling along at a pleasant pace. 
 
Turn-of-the-20th-century treasures and nautical artifacts, a lost arrow-head found, and clasped in my hands.
If you're lucky ever-shifting sand dunes, (and buggies) remnants of the glaciers that once graced the landscape.
 
 
 
and nature calls, are you listening?
 
 
 
One of the lakes I grew up on.
 
Silver Lake Sand Dunes
 
As they say, between Silver Lake and Lake Michigan lie more than 2,000 acres of unspoiled, paradise and these delightfully, peaceful, (sometimes hard to walk in) ever shifting sand dunes, waiting, just for you.
 
 



Oh yeah, the grass grows long at home, but these are the days of summer one must gather quickly, before the snow begins to fall.


 
Northerners, enjoy what days of awe are left before, well you know that answer!
 
 
For other Six Word Saturday posts
with Cate, at Show my face, blog
 
go here
 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Thematic Photographic - Large Structures

"We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us." - Winston Churchill


THEMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC


Carmi, from Written Inc. blog, has been revolving in a world of BIG lately, so with all the techie-stuff brewing and switching, he's offering "Large Structures" as our theme.


Early morning hours in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota I spot one employee surrounded by "Large Structures" and will he catch my wave and send one back to me? 


defining structure: the arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of something complex."

 
 
So, of course, "Large Structures" can be found in other forms, besides big buildings.




Portobello Road Market, in the Notting Hill District of West London, on Portobello Road.
It's one of the most interestingly complex "Large structure" of a market place that I toured in a long while.  I'm not sure which was more fun, viewing all the antiques or just simply people watching.



 
"Buildings, too, are children of Earth and Sun." Frank Lloyd Wright

To view other TP - Large Structures
go here

http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2013/09/thematic-photographic-262-large.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FkIoA+%28Written+Inc.%29
 

Alphabe-Thursday - Sleepy Hollow Awaits

"Villainy wears many masks, none of which so dangerous as virtue...." - Ichabod Crane

ALPHABE-THURSDAY
For Jenny at "Off on my tangent" blog, my post is dedicated to the story of Sleepy Hollow,
for this week's letter "S".





The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow
New York.
 
Brought to life by Washington Irving
 
However did he write the story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?
The legend, complete with headless horseman and all which concerns this spectre, begins with the body of the trooper, which was buried in this very church-yard.
The ghost rides back and forth nightly to this scene, in battle for the quest of his head.  He rides with such commanding speed that sometimes as he passes along the Hollow, it's as if he were shot from a cannon.   When actually, he's in desperate pursuit to return to the church-yard before daybreak. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Welcome to Sleepy Hollow.
 
 


Gather around for a telling tale of the ever famous Headless Horseman tale of Sleepy Hollow.
 
 
To Believe or Not to Believe
That is what you must discover for yourself.
 
 
 
 
 


The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow as it is today.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Above is how it appeared in the beginning, when Washington Irving wrote his short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, in 1819.
 
It was from his visit to relatives in Tarrytown as a child in the late 1790's and his love for their local community that brought forth his great story.
 
It seems he combined many of the folk tales he'd heard over the years with local traditions and wasn't shy in using names of many prominent families.
 
Katrina Van Tassel, the Old Dutch Church, Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman will forever remind us of the historic and legendary past.
 
Irving purchased the old Van Tassel farm in Tarrytown and at the end of his life he was buried in the Tarrytown Cemetery, now renamed the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
 
Perhaps you recall one or all of these books from your childhood.
 


 
 
 
 
 
Or, perhaps you are excitedly watching the new television series
of Sleepy Hollow.
 
The truth is, the Headless Horseman will forever be the main event in every tale told.
 

 
 
 
 
Sure there is much folly surrounding this famous legend of Sleepy Hollow-
but there is just as much truth to be uncovered as well.
 
Perhaps you are craving a bit of live story-telling?
 


 
Master Story-Teller Jonathan Kruk
 
 
Check out this link for the telling of this spooky adventure, if you dare.
 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Sepia Saturday - 196 - Reading Between the Lines

"You can't be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people."



"Don't you see, driving is by far cheaper than flying my dear!"



SEPIA SATURDAY





For a change I'm posting at the beginning of this week's Sepia Saturday call for #196.

Marilyn's theme photo may not be of sepia nature, but it's one of my favorite styles from ages ago, especially for advertising.  Although, today I'm more of a fan with the likes of this photo below. 


 
 
Reading Between the Lines
 
Marilyn's choice of photo this week brings family to mind for me. 
Family, is what consumed my life last week with a family road trip back home to Michigan. 
 
Yes, we drove rather comfortably in a good sized Grand Caravan.  On the first day of our trip we drove through 5 states.
Seriously!
Beginning in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and ending in Michigan
 about 8:30 pm that first evening.
 
 
We didn't have it so bad, I mean really, caravans often appeared much like this-
 


Don't you just adore her smile?
That smile can only arrive
via fun-family-fun-ing!
 
Oh, and lovely flowers too!
 
 
 
This was more often
the way it was.
 
 
I know, for the lucky ones.  Not every family had the luxury of such a fine automobile equipped with the latest of travel trailers.
 
 
Many of us had tents!
 
 
 
But, how lucky can you get? A daddy that plays the guitar, how incredibly wonderful that is.
 
Doesn't that picnic basket bring back the memories?
 
Another favorite thing my family often did was sit beside our car and enjoy the goodies my mother prepared for us.  Note: I brought boiled eggs just like my mother did.
 
Our quick meals back then resembled this first photo below.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
This last week, our quick stops (the first day) were more like this photo below!
 
 
HEY! There's a Mac and Don's ahead!
 
 
"Can we stop?  Can we please, please!"
 
Reading Between the Lines
of family
and why far too often, we let so many years
pass between trips.  It's mostly about time, and the amount it takes to travel so many miles.
 
Thankfully, we arrived safely at the Life Tribute
of my great aunt who lived a vigorously, pack filled and wonderful adventure all the days of her life.
From July 1913 to June 18, 2013.
 
Just a few photos from our day there.
 
 
 


 
My great aunt Doris, is sitting on the left at this family camping adventure, in 1923.
 
Later, they got their first family cabin pictured in the board below.




Here is another family grouping taken in 1927.




This is during my Great Aunt Doris and my Great Uncle Elgene's "Honeymoon" to Northern Michigan in 1937.
 
What a unit they had to drive in!
 


Just some family times throughout their lives together.  The baby in her arms is my second cousin Roberta.  The bottom right photo of the building, was Elgene's Maytag Store in Lansing, Michigan.  They owned and operated the business from 1952 through 1975, and quite some time ago I posted a photo of it and a brief story about their family business.

It was interesting to hear about the ups and downs of their life together, and much about the woes of running a family business, especially during the crime filled years.  The Lansing Police Department played a dramatic roll in their lives together, and a few even shared the day with us.  I can see quite a story ahead about their life, and Roberta and her husband, Larry are just the writers to do it too.


 
 
We truly enjoyed catching up with relatives and bringing out the stories of her life.
Complete with photos from her childhood, with days working at the Bartlett Resort, to honeymooning and the raising of their daughter, Roberta to her final days of living (as a widow) and spreading her joy, love for family and even her move to live with her daughter, Roberta in 1996 to garden in sunny California.
 
To see more Sepia Saturday posts go here
 

Monday, September 23, 2013

The Mag - 187

"Life is a frail moth flying caught in the web of the years that pass." Sara Teasdale




The Moth and The Lamp by Cesar Santos



Night Traveler
Cometh

Serendipitously
  All along
I've milked these years
as if you were
a day-flier.

Caught
in the web
of all those years

and your evening flight-
 
I stand still
eyes closed shut
forever willing
I'd catch
your landing.
 
Touched by
the wings of a moth
in jest
I'd feel
a thousand spirits before me
taking flight.
 
 On the wings of chance
serendipitously.
.






For more Magpie Tales
Presented by Tess Kincaid
for The Mag
go here
http://magpietales.blogspot.com/2013/09/mag-187.html

 

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Thematic Photographic #261

"The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be our friends." - Shirley MacLaine


Carmi, from "Written Inc. blog" has offered something mysterious for this week.

Strangers in our midst!

THEMATIC PHOTOGRAPHIC




Did he just happen upon our beach party by accident?  I'll never know.


 
 Hello stranger.
A stranger in our midst, among the rest of us, during our summer barbecue this year.
Still, he caught me, shooting random photos of family and friends.
 
Oddly enough, he didn't stay long enough-
so he's still a stranger.



 
At the time, I simply wanted to shoot the latest Fords on display at the fair.
But strangers were everywhere.



Has the thought of whether or not you should take the picture of a complete stranger,
 ever crossed your mind when shooting photos like this?
I know, when you gather at public functions you'd imagine no one would say, "Hey, don't take my picture." 
 
But, it does happen.




 
Shooting too many strangers to count, but I had to capture at least the crowd that sat behind me.
(Some of you may remember this photo from the link below)
 
 
http://twincitiesblather.blogspot.com/2013/09/another-911-arrived-cest-la-vie.html?showComment=1379366756535#c6673574791396900233


For other Thematic Photographic posts, or perhaps a chance to post your own stranger go here
 
 
Come on you know you have the feeling to post a stranger or two.