It's been a while since I last posted, but that's certainly not indicative of my being a lazy bones in the act of creating. Yesterday Utah experienced something we've never seen in my lifetime, at least, not that I can recall. Freezing rain. Yes, I realize many of you back east are well acquainted with this, but it is not so common here.

One of the surprising things was the ice resting on top of some recent snowfall we had. As my husband and I were out and about last night we both noticed how beautiful the light was as it shone on the ice covered snow. I couldn't resist, grabbed my camera, and began exploring the neighborhood. Here are a few of the pics I took.

Well hello everyone! I was just posting on my Musings blog when I looked over at the link for this one and almost cried out loud at seeing it's been a YEAR since I last posted here! It certainly isn't for a lack of creativity. I can only blame it on blogging laziness.

As I don't know where my little flash drive has gone to I thought I'd put up a picture of one of my most beautiful creations hands down. My oldest daughter. We were at the park one day, just playing around, and I was having a good time with the camera. She was looking at her feet in the river when I decided to try a bit of a close up, and immediately fell in love with what I captured.


I have no problem proclaiming to the world she is absolutely beautiful, though she own't admit it. I love the line of her eyebrows over her closed lids, the subtle smile on her face, and the way her hair is haphazardly flying about. It's almost as though we caught her in some private memory, and if we would only ask she might tell us of some secret something.

Fishin'

One of my all-time favorite places to go and take pictures is Silver Lake up by Brighton. While there I found this fisherman just enjoying the peaceful day and absolutely had to take a pic.

Dandelion Fluff

This probably seems like a weird thing to take a picture of, but the sight of this dandelion caught my eye and I couldn't refuse the chance to pick up my camera. It is even the current picture on my computer's wallpaper, where the light bring out details I hadn't even seen on the camera itself. I honestly believe this goes to show there is beauty in everything - even "weeds" :)

Surprise Pictures

I've been SUCH a slacker at this blog lately...forgive me??? I hope you will 'cause I have two surprise pictures to show you. I refer to them as a surprise because I had no idea my daughter had taken them.

Every once in a while M enjoys picking up the camera and taking various pictures of things like...her nose. As I downloaded new pics to the computer this time around two caught my attention, mostly because I had no memory of taking them. Each made me take a second look, however, something I deem to be a sign of a good picture.

This first one is of the new wind chime hanging out on the front porch. I think the sky and clouds as a background bring a depth to the picture one might not otherwise get.

This second one currently sits as the background picture on our computer. I think it's just plain beautiful!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures :) Hopefully it won't take so long to post something new!

Pre-Flight Takeoff

At my hubby's recent work party, there were SO many seagulls around looking for a bite. I managed to capture a pic of this one just as he grabbed a nibble of bread.

How About a Few More Pictures

Are you thinking, "Hmm," with the first picture? :) I wouldn't blame you. I fell in love with it, though. It's the inside of one of my roses. Isn't the color fantastic?

Here's another one of my "favorite" roses while in full bloom.

I love LOVE LOVE my lilies, even if the color never looks as good in pictures as they do in person.


I caught a picture of this little guy on one of my rosebushes this morning.

A cluster of the Monet roses. Just beautiful!

I absolutely love the color of this rose!

What a way to end this presentation, right?

First Roses of Spring

It's Springtime, and in case you haven't figured it out before, I'm deeply in love with every brightly colored flower out there! Among my favorites are - as I've mentioned tons before - ROSES!!! I adore them. I have several planted in my yard, but hope to one day have even more.

I thought this morning I'd share with you the first few blooms to come out of my roses, followed by one that's not a rose, but still very pretty. I wanted to capture the last one before they all disappeared. These are only three of my roses, but you can hopefully see why they make me so very happy.

This was originally supposed to be a black rose, but I still love how rosy red it is. Out of all my rosebuses it always grows the biggest (which can make getting out of the car a little prickly, but we live with it!).

I received this one for mother's day a few years ago, and stands as my favorite. No matter how many pictures I take of these incredibly colorful blossoms, they never look as good as the real thing. From the time they first bloom until the last petal falls, the colors on this rose constantly change.

This is one of the first rosebushes I planted in our yard. Known as the Monet Rose, the blossoms are rarely big, but the soft color more than makes up for what it lacks in size.

This is my Bleeding Heart, one of the first things to bring color to my yard in the Spring. The pink is a little faded, but still such a beautiful sight to behold.

Curious

Back when we were first given our digital camera, and the "newness" factor finally wore off, I actually read the instructions (shocking I know!) to see if I could figure out how to do cooler pictures.

My youngest was especially intrigued with the little screen on the back of the camera that showed all sorts of fun things...like the wall...her dad...my feet. Wherever it happened to be pointed.

I had just discovered I could take pictures in Sepia and pointed the camera my daughter's way. She immediately started running at me to see what I was taking a picture of. I barely managed to take the picture. The end result was awesome! At least, I sure think so. You'll have to decide on that yourself.

A Lone Walker

Monet Rose

I thought we could use a bit of color during the winter season. Well, winter for me here in Utah. I had a good time playing with my camera and taking pictures of some of my roses this summer. This is one of my favorites, and one of the first rosebushes I ever planted.

One of My Favorite Subjects

I don't know what it is about this kid, but she practically screams for the camera to capture her cute face!

Salt Lake Temple at Christmas

A Gift for Andy

Around this time last year my next door neighbor died. For several weeks beforehand I'd been frantically trying to put together an afgan for him, as he was desperately sick. Unfortunately I didn't get the gift done in time. He died shortly after Christmas. When I did finally finish the afghan I took it to his widow on the same day as their wedding anniversary.

Out of this experience I was able to write a short story, one which I'd like to share. Things didn't happen exactly this way, but therein lies the magic of creating something beautiful. At the end are (badly taken) pictures of the finished product.

~~~~~

A Gift for Andy

The teal strand of supple yarn twisted between my fingers. Just one last row. It felt like a fool’s errand. He was already dead. Already dead. But I couldn’t stop. It had to be finished.

Double crochet, chain one, double crochet five times. By the tenth row I’d memorized the pattern. By the fifteenth my thoughts no longer dwelled on my task. Now the blue metalic hook flew on its’ own, a forgotten extension of my hand.

Each approaching row haunted me. Each completed row taunted me. Too late, they said. Too late for seventy-nine teal and plum colored rows.

It had started as a work of love. My sweet neighbor had been ill for some time. I recall the morning I awoke to an ambulance in front of his house. That time he almost hadn’t come home.

Double crochet, chain three and double crochet in the same stitch. His wife was devastated, as she should be. I sometimes heard her crying through the screen door as I worked in my yard. She needed someone, I knew that. But we hardly knew one another and I didn’t know what to say. I never knew what to say when it came to death.

Five more double crochets, end. I took out my tiny lime green-handled scissors and snipped. It was done. But it was too late.

I sat in back at the church. It was my first Catholic funeral. I didn’t understand most of what went on, just stood when they stood and sat when they sat. The priest kept referring to my friend as Andrew. Only he wasn’t Andrew. He was Andy. My friend Andy.

We began talking over the bushes that separated our yards over a year ago. He was always so warm and friendly, like a favorite uncle. I could always make him laugh. The sound of it made my heart light. I was never a fan of moustaches, but loved the way the ends of his would turn up every time he smiled.

Fold it once, twice, and three times. He was only fifty-five, though the ravages of alcohol made him look sixty. “Don’t you go down the same path,” he’d tell his grandsons. “This is what will happen.” He was always straight like that, telling it like it is. I always respected his honesty.

About two months ago he started to get really sick, you could see it in his yellowed eyes. He needed a liver transplant. The doctors all said even if one had come he’d never have made it through the surgery. That’s when I started the blanket. I wanted to make something special for my friend. He needed to know that I cared. But life got in the way. I had to put the blanket aside, just for a short while. By the time I got back to it a whole month had passed. I never thought my fingers wouldn’t go fast enough.

My feet barely made a noise as I passed through the bushes. She was crying again, but I couldn’t leave. Not yet. That other-world-like feeling is too strong. I needed to finish my task. Taking a deep breath, I sent up a silent prayer and knocked on the door.

“Evelyn, it’s me.”

She sniffled once or twice before opening the door, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen.

“I’m so sorry to bother you, but I wanted to bring you something.”

“Come in, please,” she said, ever the lady.

Evelyn sat down on the couch, so I perched next to her before handing over my little package.

The words choked in my throat. I blinked back many tears before I could talk.

“I started making this for Andy, back when he got so sick. I wanted him to have something I made, but I didn’t get it done fast enough.”

As she unwrapped the tissue paper I watched her eyes flood with tears once more.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, “I didn’t get it done in time. But I thought maybe you could have it instead.”

She took the blanket and wrapped it around her, brushing her face against the silky stitches.

“It’s so soft." Her gray eyes, magnified by tears, focused on me. “I was just praying…I’ve been feeling so alone since he died. I needed this.”

She reached out and took me in a tight embrace. Perhaps it wasn’t too late. Perhaps I’d been able to give Andy my gift after all.

Walking on Temple Square

Those who frequent my "Musings" blog might recognize this picture. I took it after the family visited the Church Museum. I loved that they were both barefoot.