Fort McHenry #21

d to C: "This is also drilling no?"
C to d: "That is correct."
d to C: "This looks a little more convincing. . ."
d to C: "Do they just do this to get away from their wives for a while?"
C to d: "Where can I sign up?"

Fort McHenry #19

d to C (30 seconds later): "They're drilling?"
C to d: "Yes. . ."
d to C: "I don't understand, it just looks like they're walking around aimlessly shooting randomly."
C to d: "That's pretty much drilling, honey."
d to C: "Gawd help this country."

Fort McHenry #16

d to C: "What are they doing?"
C to d: "They're drilling."
d to C: "They're drilling?"
C to d: "Yes, they are drilling."

Fort McHenry #5

This apparently isn't considered a reenactment, rather a "living history demonstration." Whatever it was, I wasn't grasping the concept very well. . .

Happy Defender's Day!

Defender's Day commemorates the battle to save Baltimore from the British during the War of 1812.

Slurp slurp

Went to Defenders Day at Fort McHenry and Nicks Fish House for a few oysters. Yeah R Months!

R U Kiddin' Me?

My Paternal Grandfather was (I thought) a man of very few words. . . .I clearly stand corrected.. .Text exchange between sister T and me this evening. . .

[Please understand, T has an issue with speaking on the phone so she forces me to text message any meaningful or otherwise riveting "conversation." If T happens to be reading this, I don't apprecitate "Blackberry thumb."]

Anyhooooooo. . . .Here's how this goes. . .

T: LMFAO buddy im good. u dnt have 2 worry about me as pap pap alwas said happiness is a temporary thing!

d: Poppy said that? I can't imagine. Do u think he was miserable his whole life? Happiness is earned and sustained no?


T: No, it goes if u like things they way they r, you had better enjoy them because they won't last long if u didn't like the way things r don't worry they wont last long either.

T: happiness is such a fleetn commodity thats what he wrote and I totally agree

d: I think happines is something you work hard to find. . . IN the beauty of ur surroundings. I think its something u workin hard to sustain for others and yourself. Happiness is a human emotion - weird, unpredictable,fleeting. I think I'd like 2 see more of what he wrote.

T: It's a beautiful letter that i cherish so much and refer 2 often when Im' upset I cherish it.

(d - thinking. . .HE WROTE HER A LETTER!? All I get is an envelope? Still I framed it). . .Surely it counts if I framed it. . Send T this pic. . .

T: LMFAO!

d: Is it me or do I always get the shaft? LOL!!!

Oddly enough T is incommunicado! You know she is so snuggled up with that letter from Pap Pap. :)

D's Glass Art

Sample of Sister D's glass art. I cherish it so much I keep it hidden - until we refinish the basement - where it will have a big place of honor.

Look how cool the olives look! Painted on glass. Cheers!

Ordinary Angels Art Campaign

Sister D has commented and said she's all on board. Mother says it's a definite go for the October "bake sale" but not to bring too much "inventory" as they have little display space and they have a population that isn't easily able to afford "art."

EXACTLY!!! I said. "Art" need not be some expensive guild ed framed monstrosity. Art is something that can be perfectly ordinary, cheap, otherwise discarded. . .so long as it speaks to you.

D is on board. Her painting is amazing. She has found a niche by painting on discarded windows and other glass. It's beautiful. A lot of it looks like folk art but she has a tremendous range. . .

Could this Work? The Ordinary Angels Photo Campaign

Both sides of my family has been affected by cancer recently. I'm always happy to help a worthwhile cause and I'm particularly fond of Relay for Life.

This evening I've been wondering what would happen if I used several pics of the angel statues I took recently and created a limited series of prints that I could sell with a very generous percent of the proceeds going to Relay for Life? (I could price them so the prints covered only my costs to frame or mat. I would consider donating the actual prints - or a portion of the cost, depending on the number).

Now I realize these pics were taken in a cemetery - which might be a little odd in terms of supporting a cause like Relay for Life - but they aren't morbid and they do not necessarily look like memorial markers. They are beautiful pieces of weathered sculpture.

I'm not sure what kind of demand this might generate so I'm not sure how many prints I should limit it to - 25? 75? 100? As with anything, the key is marketing/audience.

What would I call this limited series? I was thinking something like "Ordinary Angels." The idea revolves around caring people that like art, support worthwhile causes, support their communities, love and respect their neighbors, and have big hearts. . .making ordinary life exceptionally enjoyable and at times demonstrating life is truly extraordinary. (Has this been done before? We all know I have barely an original thought ever - haha).

Is it presumptuous of me to think I could sell a series of photographs when I have no training taking photographs and I have zero reputation as a photographer? You call it presumptuous, I'd rather think of it as being fearless and believing in myself.

Maybe I do a few samples. . .See what the Relay Team thinks and then we can determine if it's a viable option. If they think it's viable, then I'll have a better idea about demand, setting the number of prints, etc.

Maybe I sit here and do nothing. Maybe all the pics I take sit gathering dust neatly catalogued in archival boxes.

I'm not exactly the sit around do nothing type. No harm ever came from trying. . .Well, unless you try that poisonous sea urchin sushi and it wasn't prepared correctly. . .

Ride the Ducks DONE!

The BBJ is reporting Ride the Ducks sightseeing operations ended in Baltimore as of Labor Day. No more "quacktacular fun" for Baltimore tourists!

Labor Day #45

Honey Bee. . .Respect and Protect our pollinators!!!! Pleased with this picture. It makes traipsing through "wilderness" in my Havaianas worth it.

For me, the best thing about photography is the way it forces me to appreciate things. It opens so many more windows on the world. Things we deem ordinary or might even miss, can become extraordinary with the right use of timing, shutter speed, and light. It reminds me to slow down and pay attention. It's a good life lesson.

I spent a great deal of time earlier today worried about whether I'd have a job in another week or so. Seeing these pictures makes me realize there are so many more fascinating things to ponder.

If I continue to be gainfully employed at my current position, I'll be grateful. If things don't work out that way, I'll be grateful for new opportunities. Life is too short to be continually nervous, agitated, worried, scared, over-stimulated and self involved.

I think our society suffers a great deal from being exactly that: nervous, agitated, worried, over-stimulated, self involved, even scared. The media preys on it and feeds it. I think parents and teachers unintentionally foster it. We continue to preach and teach everyone is a winner in an economy of capitalism and a society that clearly better rewards individuals that are more successful, creative, resourceful. Society offers a great deal of pressure and negativity and far too little in terms of coping skills and genuine encouragement.

Depressed? Take a pill.
Can't sleep? There's a pill for that too.
Can't focus? You must have ADD.

We want quick fixes and easy answers.

At what cost?

Labor Day #44

Labor Day #39

Oregon Ridge Park

Labor Day #34

Labor Day #35

Bee on Butterfly bush at Oregon Ridge Park. . .I might actually be getting the hang of this portrait/foreground focus/keep camera very steady stuff. . .

Labor Day #27

Oregon Ridge Park - That thing I like to do with photographing architecture works with trees too!

Labor Day #32

Labor Day #31

This cracks me up. Something tells me they should have consulted an attorney before using a phrase like "Please do not pick up any snake you cannot positively identify."

I'm pretty sure a sign encouraging visitors not to disturb the flora and fauna would have been a better option. However, given the way people really took heed of the "don't make turkey noises" at the turkey sign, it likely doesn't matter what they put on the sign.

Stupid people do stupid things all the time. It keeps doctors and lawyers in business.

Labor Day #30