The Little Things...

Last Friday was Texas Independence Day...for those who did not know... Therefore, I had the day off from my "day job". Once I got my kids off to school, I pulled my
hair back in a ponytail and took off...in search of SOMETHING to assure me that Spring was indeed right around the corner. So...the Carleen Bright Arboretum it was.



Funny thing about the Arboretum...you can drive there, circle around their driveway, and never see the beauty of it all. If you aren't looking, that is. I used to do that...do a quick drive-thru, see no wonderful blooms out in the open, and take off. But then one day I went there and just needed peace and quiet. So I got out, lugging the camera along with me, and found a world of beauty hiding in the shadows. What looks like wet grass from the driveway is actually an entire world of glistening diamonds and lakes and rivers...at least from a bug's perspective. I am sure I must look quite funny...I will walk down a path, leaning this way and that....trying to find the right light. And when I do.....I go into super-shooter mode! I have currently misplaced my tri-pod so I have to rely on a steady hand to get the shot...therefore, I shoot....ummmmm...perhaps a million shots...of a tiny droplet!!


Occasionally, I am truly blessed and a "critter" (what I call any living, animated thing) will stop by to take a drink or to load up on pollen. This past Friday, I had no such luck. But soon enough.....there will be bees and lady bugs and road runners....OH MY!!!

Go enjoy some nature!





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Who Knows Ya, Baby?

In a Facebook post the other day, I told one of my friends to give me a blog topic...saying that she knows what goes on in my head more than most.... That got me to thinking....who, in our transient world, knows me the best?

Right off, I will eliminate family. Not because they don't know me, but they shouldn't count. So let's look at friends. I think because i have moved around a lot in my life, I always categorize my friends...there are childhood friends, work friends, school friends, family friends, church friends, photography friends, and my kids' friends' parents... I hope that doesn't sound offensive, the fact that I have categories. I also have what my husband and I refer to as "lifetime friends"...anyone from the other categories can, at anytime, also hold a spot in this category.

If you know me on a friendship level at all, you know certain things about me....I love photography. I am a rule-follower. At least when it comes to some things (I rarely speed and never call in sick when I am not for instance) BUT...I also like to break other rules at times. I do not worry about wearing the latest fashion...I wear the same boring style shoes for a year at a time...day in and day out...(I also claim that funky shoes are my mid-life crisis, which actually breaks my own rule about boring shoes!!). If you tell me I can't, I will sure try to prove you wrong... I don't talk religion or politics, but have a very strong faith and my own opinions of government. I'm a tough mama who hands out very little sympathy to my kids.....but if you cross them ya better watch out...MAMA BEAR CAN GET MAD!! Also....if you haven't noticed, I type as I speak...some pauses, overuse of commas and periods.... (see what I mean) but I am also naturally talented in the area of grammar....I just choose to break those rules.

My two oldest friends (in terms of years known) are twins...a good thing about that is I never have to worry about that friendship "competition" thing....after all...they shared a womb...I just joined them as soon as I could. Ha! Somewhere in this world, we have recordings of us being kids, carrying on about boys and dramas of pre-teen life. These recordings were made in a tent one night during a sleepover. We also have our references that others just would not get...if one of them texts me that they are stressed with life....I just send back "coo-coo pigeon" and KNOW that I made them smile. Star-gazing, hot-dogs, marshmallows over the fence, the Fantasy Van, the clubhouse, coke through the nose, Dirti, Ditzi, Mr. Bubble....there's a story to each of those!! We have our differences at times and we all live too far apart, but they would be there in a minute if I needed them to be.

I'm not a "party gal" kind of girl, AT ALL, so a lot of my friends are made through work, kids' activities, etc.... These friends may not know all of my historical details, but they know my immediate concerns. These are the friends who know my day to day concerns about work, my photography, the days I have energy (they often pray for their own strength when I am hyper), and the days I can barely make it home at night because I am exhausted. They give me rides home when I get sick, they rally around me in daily struggles....sometimes they even make dinner suggestions. They lecture to me when I need it and let me pout when I don't like the lecture I just got. They roll their eyes...which is alright by me...and most of all...they let me be me.

There's a group of us "lifetime friends" that get together as often as possible....friends since childhood, their spouses and children, and even some of our parents....This group started with a group of guys in scouts...in the 70s and 80s. There is such a feeling of belonging when we get together...we hang out at the campfire...tell old stories as well as new....enjoy watching the kids play together....we'll enjoy good food, good laughter and take at least....ohhhh....about 1,000 photos of the weekend. We've had to miss a few years due to some issues of life getting in the way...but I know we'll pick back up again soon.

So...back to the question....who knows me best? I don't have the answer.....but I do know I am blessed to have the friends in my life that I do....old ones, new ones, silly ones, serious ones.....all I ask for are honest ones!!!

Who knows YOU best?


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Learn something new everyday

Soooo....I've been trying to find a way to write my blog when it's convenient for ME... I started last week, while waiting outside at one of my son's activities. I wrote it in my Noteshelf app, waited till I got home to my WI FI, and then went into Safari, opened my Blogger page, copied and pasted. Worked ok...but had to forgo the photos because I wasn't sure they would work. So this week, I followed same procedure, but added photos. Previewed the post, saw the photos, and submitted it. Now I can't see the photos. Boo!!

Last night I was winding down for the day and found BlogPress. Downloaded the app, and tested it this morning....so far...so good....

So...perhaps I'll blog more often with this convenience. For now...let me post a few things to celebrate tomorrow....Texas Independence Day...
















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

just testing this to see if it works



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

I have a theory about leap-day...that once-every-four-years day that will make its appearance tomorrow. When I was young I had a hard time remembering which year was leap year. I also had a hard time remembering which year was a presidential election year....and for that matter, which year had the Olympics going on...back when the winter and summer games were in the same year...GUESS WHAT...THEY WERE ALL THE SAME YEAR!!!

My theory is that we had SO MUCH going on that they had to add an extra day. Of course, as I've grown older (and much much more weary) I am convinced we have the extra day so that we can be TORTURED by politicians....ugh!

Anyway....let's not dwell on that.

Guess what??? I have "SPRING FEVER". I am trying not to...knowing that there is likely bad, cold weather ahead of us, but have you FELT the vibes lately? I take my daughter in at 6:30 most mornings....and I grumble about it a lot....but by the time I get back to the house, I find myself amazed at the birds chirping and the fresh smell in the air....beautiful.

As a photographer, I am usually fighting stereotypes....we all do. But photographers are SUPPOSED to like wildflowers and spring scenes and longer days. I confess...each summer, as the remnants of the last flowers are withering in the hot sun, I take stock of my spring shots and decide that SURELY I have enough photos of bluebonnets and Indian blankets to last a lifetime. I swear that NEXT YEAR I will forgo the urge to run out to the Arboretum and snap away. But guess what....I always return. And I find myself taking deep breaths and nudging whoever I dragged along with me and saying, "Just SMELL that.....have you ever smelled anything so beautiful?"

Two years ago I went out after a rain and found droplets of water on the daisies, reflecting other daisies. You would have thought I scored a touchdown! I've got some shots of our football guys running off the field after a great win, and they are 2 feet off the ground, pumping their fists in the air....that was me after getting the shots of the daisies and water droplets.... Just goes to show that there is always room and time for one more look, one more shot.

Last year, with the drought in Central Texas, I kept waiting and waiting for the flowers, and basically they never showed up. Therefore, I am doubly anxious this year to spot the first bluebonnet peeping through the ground.....stay tuned....

In the meantime, enjoy some from years past. And remember....if you are going to take shots in the bluebonnets....seek out the patches in parks and the ones that are WAY OFF of the road.... SAFETY FIRST!!!

Ok. So I have been neglecting my blogging. And I hate that. So I challenged my friends to challenge me, and they have...so I shall blog.

What to blog about? It's not as if I have no ideas for blog entries. I have those ALL the time....driving down the road, fixing dinner, in the grocery store....I'm just never near a computer. Yeah....that's my excuse.... Wait! Isn't that why I got my iPad? So I could do things when not near a computer? My next excuse....hmmmmm....because I may have nothing of interest to say..... Wait! That won't work....I often have nothing of interest to SAY yet I talk every chance I get....I could go on and on finding excuses, but perhaps I should start blogging instead.

Still trying to define this blog. (that is another excuse)... And my definition will be this....it will be a DEENA BLOG. I am part photographer, part social worker, ALL wife and ALL mom, part cook, part crafter-wanna-be, ALL Christian, disgustingly (at times) optimistic and unapologetically honest (about myself and my crazy thoughts) Not true...I apologize a LOT....sorry about that!

So....I've blogged about blogging....not a bad re-start to the blogging thing. (are you shaking your head and rolling your eyes and my ability to ramble yet???)

I will soon be connecting up to some friends' blogs....and reconnecting with my sisters blog. Want to hear a secret? I secretly worry about reading other people's blogs, for fear of stealing their ideas.... It's not that I intend to steal ideas, but if their blog inspires me to contemplate things, and if I plan to blog about things I am contemplating.....well, you see where I am going....

I again challenge anyone reading this to challenge me to post again before the week is up....and I'll even try to include some photos next time....

Miracle Moments

During the minutes immediately surrounding my father's death in January, a "person" stole his wallet off of his body. Almost unfathomable, isn't it? We have a pretty good idea of the person responsible...but still no wallet.

The mental image of someone doing that to my father was almost more than I could handle. I felt physically sick. I plotted revenge. I swore that I would find justice. Nearly two months later I can honestly say that all of those feelings are still present to some extent, but it is getting better.

The loss of money was not really an issue. Daddy kept his cash in a separate pocket. Credit cards were cancelled within hours....and thankfully none had been used. Daddy's name was not by any means a common name, so the chances of identity theft are slim. Even security was arranged for my parents' house during the time we were gone for the funeral. With all of those concerns taken care of, you'd think it wouldn't have been a big deal.

But I wanted the wallet. Not for the money, or the credit cards, or the license and social security card. I wanted the wallet back because for as long as I can remember, whenever Daddy would pull his wallet out in front of me, I'd inevitably take it from him and flip through the photo inserts. I knew that my dad had some photos of all of us growing through the years. I clearly remembered the photo of us on the couch. Try as I may, I could not let go of the image of the "person" who stole the wallet finding no money in it and throwing it to the ground, photos and all. I imagined cars driving over it, rain ruining it over time. My brother, on the other hand, immediately remembered the $2 bill that Daddy had carried most of his life "for luck". THAT is what he wanted back. As much as I mourned the photos, I could tell that my brother equally mourned the loss of that $2 bill.

Daddy's co-workers searched the area for the wallet. They searched dumpsters and checked the ditches. They did all they could. The police interviewed the "person", but as you can imagine, with no proof, there was nothing they could do. So we moved on. Still with the images in my mind.

Then about 4 weeks after his death my mother was putting the phone on the charger and looked up on the shelf in their office and saw something. Curious, she reached up and pulled down three sleeves from a photo insert. From my daddy's wallet. They were no longer connected to each other, and the best we can figure is he put them there on the shelf until he could get a new insert to replace the old, worn-out one that had fallen apart.

Those particular inserts, miraculously, contained the photos I remember so fondly, photos of the grandkids....and the $2 bill.

Mom came for a visit last weekend. I took the wallet inserts and scanned them into my computer so that I will never forget the mysterious world we live in.

Some moments are just too precious not to share.