Show Me State Games Weekend....

my nephew plays baseball...and although I'm not big on baseball....

I love to go and watch.  

oh...and take pictures  :-)   cant forget that....



this is my nephew.  He's been out of the game all year and this was his first time playing.  he tore his Meniscus in March...had surgery in April and has been in rehab ever since.  He finally got the clearance to play a week ago and this is was his first game to play. 

unfortuantely...it was the last game of the season before school starts  :-(

for me...taking photo's is liberating.  It makes me relaxed, comfortable and able to talk to complete strangers.  What is it about having a camera plastered to your face that makes people drop their boundaries?  I notice complete strangers will talk to me...while at the same time...

I talk to complete strangers.  With ease.  Ask me what camera I've got and by the end of the convo, you know who that my grandmother was half Irish.

on this day alone, 3 complete strangers struck up conversations with me and it was all about 'the perfect shot'.

well this was my perfect shot of the day.

We actually got rain today.  Much needed rain.  It cooled  off, not by much but enough for me to actually sit outside and enjoy being outside again.  Miyagi sat with me and as I listened to all the 'night sounds'...the birds singing, the frog's calling, the kids laughter I felt an overwhelming need to pray for all effected by the drought...

not just those effected by the heat but those people whose very lively-hood is in jeobardy because of something as simple as water.  being in the midwest, you could say farming is a big deal    

:-)

and even though there is a drought, area's are only getting a certain set amount from government assistance in helping their farms maintain, thrive and even survive

yes...this does mean high prices are in store for us for the next year but for some of these farmers...this is something that has been passed down from generation to generation.  that's all they know.  Some hold position in other walks of life AND run a farm as well and yeah...for the most part they will bounce back and recover but for those where...this is all they know...what an emotional feeling of loss that must be.

so...i  pray for them...I pray for not only their lively-hoods but for their will.   may God bless them with strength, grace, patience and a sound mind.

we are suppossed to be getting some rain today which is very much needed right about now.....

And so it begins....a love affair with a camera.....

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. ~ Confucius



“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future.” -Earl Nightingale



Live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment.



A duck's life....

I am not going to lie...when I was here I WAS getting the hy-be-geebe's.   I kept waiting to hear the chhhh chh chh chh sound.  This park reminded me so much of Camp Crystal Lake and Jason that EVERY sound I heard I pictured me in the movie, running for my life.   Then I started mentally  going through Criminal Mind episodes dealing with a dumb female hiker who was alone and was kidnapped...

My dad after his surgery on Tuesday...he already had a pacemaker but due to more complications and health issues, they added a difibulater.   I cant IMAGINE he would feel the effects this quickly but he has recovered....10 fold.  

My God...is an AWESOME God....

Daddy love...there's nothing like it.

here lately...I"ve been taking a LOT of pictures with my cell.  Its not a iphone but with the download of instagram...I'm kinda OVER liking this whole process.  I think it has more to do with being obscure.  EVERYONE walks around with a phone to their ear or pointed out in front of them.  Here, people are used to that. 

but when you walk around with a camera....you tend to stand out.  A LOT.   I've got to get over that standing out thing.

these pictures are kind of backwards ( meaning instead of going through correct chronological order...they are going backwards)  so please forgive me....

this year...the 4th was just not..the 4th.   with my dad just getting out of the hospital and then having to go back in for surgery on Tuesday....we kind of wanted to let him be quiet.  Yes...with 4 of us kids, we could have had a celebration but it just wouldnt feel right.  So this year, everything was on a smaller scale.

of course the city had its professional fireworks display.  Several small towns and cities around us cancelled their city displays due to the dryness but since our city is right on the Missouri River and we use a barge...they deemed it safe so we did have a small scale fireworks display.  

i'm afraid my last post might have come across as being 'bah humbug' in regards to Independence day.  A part of me wants to apologize and say that's really not how I am but truth be told...it IS the truth.  I guess that's why I'm not as 'ate' up about not having our usual celebration.

In any case my sister got me to come out and celebrate with her.  We of course went to the 'show' and ya'll know...I do love the pictures I can get....I love to play around with my settings and figure out what I need to do to get the

perfect shot.

I love the street carnivals that are going on. they block our 'little' downtown area off and have rides, open bars, petting zoo's and different performances.  one group, the touted it as a dance group but they also rapped. 



this little lady was part of the act....

I did get to get a little 'street photography' in...I'm more at ease with taking photo's when I KNOW there are ton's of other people around me taking photo's too so I can blend in more.  I just loved this little girls expression.  She just looked so tired. Hot and tired.

My sis is out there doing the Electric Slide..go sis go sis....get busy.....



this kid...well...He isnt a kid.  He's probably about 21 but to me he seemed so YOUNG!  When did that happen???? when did 21-30 become 'young' to me.  it used to be 15-20 was young...sheeesch....



the guy on the ground was probably more concerned about how freakin' hot the pavement was instead of how the tires rolling across his face. 



I DO hope your holiday was fun, relaxed, chillin' and cool. Until next year.....

It has been UNbelieveably hot for the past month...un be   lieveably.  And yes I know its summer time and yes it IS suppossed to be hot during this seaon but come on....this is ridiculous.  With it being so dry, people in the neighborhood have taken to water EVERYTHING

yards, house, bushes...each other....

and yes...he almost lost his life with this stunt here.  but I digress....

4th of July, as you know, tends to involve  little bombs being blown up all over the country....and because I said that let me clarify so that I'm not on any government watch list.

fireworks are nothing but little bombs.  seriously think about it.

I dont like them.  I never had.  not even as a kid.  I love the meaning behind Independence Day.  I love it that families get together and EAT and celebrate our freedom but

why did blowing crap up have to enter into the picture???  Again...I digress...

its been so dry here that most of my neighbors and myself have done away with setting off our own fireworks.  When you step on grass and it feels like little pieces of glass cutting your feet...its too dry.  we've been going against our water restrictions for the county and watering EVERYTHING.   We are bucking the system because

we live out of the city limits...people, who live in the city, come to our neighborhood and start lighting fireworks.  Now if you sensed a little anger in that statement...you sensed right.

it does make me angry because I am trying to protect our home and our possessions and yet people, NOT from my area can come to my area and destroy it.

Its just fireworks, right...I' m just being over-sensitive.

but still, deep in my heart I would like to wish everyone a

SAFE AND HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!