Love and Compassion

Last week, I lost my dog Sweetpea. In her early years, this little black and white dog travelled everywhere with me.

I remember her playing hide and seek with my son. It’s a great loss to lose your dog.

On July 1, after a long day in the sun, I came home to find that she was waiting for me. I sat with her and that look in her eyes said it all in her own way. I asked her if she wanted to rest. For an hour and a half, I comforted her until she was resting in peace. It’s a loss that has left a gaping hole in my heart.

Sweetpea gave us 11 wonderful years of faithful and unconditional love, service and companionship. No dog will ever be able to take her place. She was truly one of a kind … and one man’s best friend.

Avoiding or Ignoring

Yesterday started out as a great day.

Just as I got off the freeway and stopped at a traffic light, to my amazement, I saw the driver in the car to my left was driving on the RIGHT side of his Acura car. I was so intrigued by the car that I followed him to his work.  The young man told me he had the car imported from China.  He was so ecstatic that I was taking pictures of his car, especially because it was his birthday and all his co-workers came out to see what was going on.  Before I left, Chris happily invited me to a car show today.

Already late to my appointment, I stopped anyway at Jack in the Box for breakfast and coffee. As I walked in, there was a man and his son sitting at a table. We made eye contact and I just kept walking. As I ordered my food, the thought came to me that I had been rude to this man and his son. I immediately stopped ordering and approached them to say “Good morning”. I said how sorry I was for ignoring them.  The man then shook my hand and gave me a hug.

I felt like this deflated balloon – with no life and no sense of feeling – after ignoring this man. We, as a people, tend to ignore or avoid each other for one reason or another.  We shouldn’t take people for granted, no matter what.

There is a story around ever bend, just like Abilio and his dog, Annie, who were out for a ride in Norco, California. The NESW highway has never let me down.

P.S. CLICK ON PICTURES FOR A FULL VIEW

Rattle and Shake on the C-17 GLOBEMASTER III

		C-17 GLOBE MASTER III VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Thanks to the crew, the ride on the C-17 GLOBEMASTER III was exhilarating.

At first glimpse, this big bird looks like it will never get airborne.  Well, to my surprise, the 4 PW* engines make the plane roar and my bones shake.

As the plane banked at full throttle, in no time the C-17 was over San Clemente and then on to Santa Catalina island.

C-17 Globemaster III – March Air Force Base

click on picture

A special “thank you” to Ms. Weiz who made this ride a reality on Media Day.

*PW – Pratt & Whitney

Solo: To Be One

Solo: to be one. True or not?

The world looks at one as odd if one is doing the opposite of others.

Everyone stands on two feet and walks with one foot in front of the other. True or not?

While taking a picture, I saw four, maybe six. photographers or picture takers all doing the same.  I decided to lie down and see what the artist was trying to create in his art work.

As I walked away and turned back to take another look, I saw that those picture takers were NOW, too,  lying down on the floor taking the photo from another point of view. That just made me smile and laugh!

Another man's treasure says a lot.  Although outsiders were laughing as this man made his art, he pushed forward with all his heart. Today the question is: does he who laughs last, laugh louder or laugh better?

I laugh to see all those people enjoy what a “crazy” man did.  He was not, after all, crazy; he was a visionary who saw what others were blind to.

To treat people as equal is to enjoy what they offer, rich or poor. The gift of being is priceless. I see it in the treasure of art.

Onto my next stop down the NESW highway to find a million dog ears … LOL!

In The Wind

Butterfly and California Poppy and the warmth of the sun

Mother Nature never lies: what you see is what you get.

The beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yesterday was a great day to learn about being free.

The sun and wind made for great walking and photo taking. The humming bird had ADHD, and the butterflies were enjoying the nectar of the flowers.

The path of joy is taking a walk with your heart open to the beauty that surrounds us.

The Never Eat Soggy Waffles highway never lets me down.

Jack-O at Five is on the path.

Flora and Fauna

The day was so long knowing that this was the day my camera would be home.  It had been a very long week!

Once my camera got here, I couldn't wait to meet with Flora and Fauna.  It had been two weeks since we last saw each other.

It seemed like a lifetime as I drove at seventy miles per hour so I could test the new shutter on the camera.

I longed for a day out with my old friend.  And, with a click of the shutter, we were off and shooting … and shooting we did.

The day could not end without sushi and tea.

This weekend on the NESW highway will be great.  The laughter and the joy are back, and I look forward to seeing more of Flora and Fauna this weekend!

Error 20

I never really knew when spring came.  It never really mattered.  That is, until this year, when I started hearing other photographers talk about the flowers. 

Spring is here and so are the flowers!  Great!  Time to grab the camera and take off for another adventure along the Never Eat Soggy Waffles highway. 

Last Saturday was one of THOSE days, when everything seemed to go wrong.  It was pouring rain and I should have stayed in bed.  But not one to be deterred by a little rain and bad luck, I get back on the highway today and head north.  So it’s raining again, what could go wrong?  ERROR 20, that’s what!

I arrive at my destination and within 20 minutes of my arrival, I get an Error 20 on my camera.  What the …?!  Try this, try that – Error 20 keeps returning.  Time to put the camera away before it becomes a fancy paperweight … and time to go home.  It’s just another rainy day …