Group Portrait

Since we are spending some time with family in Arizona again, you might think that I could get some great group portrait shots. I have. But most of them don't seem to work for the header.

This one doesn't crop for the shape I prefer for my headers. And the garbage cans....

 I obviously didn't take this one.

I probably could use this one. Great smiles!

My Arizona girls. What are you doing Patty?

And graduation isn't till tonight.

I came prepare with some pictures from my files.

This is the group picture I didn't get into in India. My fear of heights--well, it can be high as long as it isn't there at the edge of the cliff...

I took this one of some random strangers while taking a photo class. I've always liked it.

This one from our trip to Siberia has a back story. My husband, our interpreter, and the Assistant District Director discussing mosquito control.

Our hiking group in Scotland. Don't know how those university students put up with us old folks.

Does someone look familiar?

I am going to use this one that I took after First Communion. I had taken the group photo for the parish archives and stepped aside for parents, siblings,  and godparents to have a turn. 

I believe it was Craver who proposed the theme of Group Portrait. A link to his blog and to the other headbangers will be found near the top of my sidebar. I wonder what they have managed.

The Desert is Blooming

Celebrate

Our header theme is Celebrate.

We have had a lot to celebrate at church the last few weeks.

starting with Confirmation a few weeks ago.

 

followed by First Communion last weekend, with more to come in a couple of weeks.

 

Last night we celebrated our volunteers with an appreciation meal. I had my camera along, but in the midst of several gallons of homemade chili, several pans of cornbread, a huge bowl of salad, and dozens and dozens of cookies, it sat on the counter.  But before the event started the hall looked something like this picture from an earlier gathering:

Hmmm. It seems that several of us took home some leftover chili. (Always better to have too much than to run out.) A few cuts of cornbread, and a small bowl of salad also went home. Roses were sent home. But somehow no cookies went home with anyone. How did that happen?

 

A couple of months ago I celebrated meeting the author of Jesus; A Pilgrimage, Fr. James Martin S.J. (It's a great book, by the way.)

My brother sent me this picture with which we celebrate Spencer's schooling.

OK, apparently I never posted a picture of my brother's puppy Spencer here on the blog. This is Spencer on the right and his brother Chester on the left. Or is it Spencer on the left and Chester on the right. Oh, Lynne and Connor are on the other end of the leashes--my niece and grandnephew who live with Chester. Aren't they gorgeous? (All four of them.)

 

The problem was, Spencer's manners left much to be desired. Spencer has now been to school (with my brother Don in tow) and is making great progress. Something to be celebrated.

 

 

All great celebrations. But every day in every way we take time to celebrate life and what health we have and every day we still have left together. This time last fall on a hike in Chinook Pass to Sheep Lake.

 

What are my headbanger friends celebrating? I have to go have a look as I may be the latest posting today. Their links are in my sidebar.

 



Rain

When

 

there

 

is

 

such

 

a cloudburst

 

as this

 

and

 

the sun

 

so bright

 

there

 

HAS

 

to

 

be

 

 

a rainbow.

 double

both sides

 

 

and then

 

all

the way

across.

 



Header Challenge--Nature

I have a bit of a challenge with this challenge. The challenge is not finding a picture to use in my header. The challenge is that I have hundreds--even thousands of images that fit the theme.

 

From this evening's meditation from Fr. James Martin, as he ponders the wonder we had about the world when we were kids:

"Tonight think of something that captivated you today by its beauty or strangeness or mystery. Then thank God for the ability to be amazed."

 

Should I choose one from far, such as this one from India...

 ...or my favorite picture from our trip to Siberia. I have a poster sized copy of the taiga forest on the wall near my desk.

 Should I look closely in my  Scotland files?

 Should I go green?

 ...or zoom in over the sea?

 Do I go north to Alaska?

 ...or south to Arizona?

 Should I look to the skies?

 ...to the treetops?

 to the top?

 ...or the bottom?

 right in close? 

My Headbanger colleagues will have their nature Headers up soon.

Check them out from their links in my sidebar.

What captivated you today?

Waterfall Chasing

My friend Linda visited Horse Tail Falls earlier in the week and we decided to take a look ourselves.

The sign near the falls suggested that we were not the only ones "looking".

Reflection in the pond nearby.

Then we went looking for Quartz Creek Falls.

 

 Oops! sorry! Didn't mean to interrupt your lunch.

Lupine is coming up.

Sounds like there is a falls near here.

There is definitely a canyon for the water to fall into.

Is that it across the canyon?

No, look back behind us.

 Quartz Creek Falls drops about 100 feet. Makes quite a splash.

 The other one? I call these "Serendipity" Falls. Unnamed and usually temporary.

lichen

There is Quartz Creek Falls again.

 Then we went looking for Salmon Falls. This one is not tall--it is a cascade. There is a fish ladder along side it.

 This rock near Salmon Falls is part of a basalt column.

Next on the agenda was Union Creek Falls, but here are the reasons we did not reach it, even though it was not far up the trail.