It Was A Dark and Stormy Night . . .

We had huge storms roll through about 1 a.m. last night.

Thunder, pounding rain, and hail as big as ping pong balls in a near by town.

I really don’t like big storms.

The run-of-the-mill thunderstorms are fun, but when the wind gets upwards of 60mph, then I start listening for the

sounds of freight trains.

I cuddled up next to David, planning on what I would grab to take into the closet with me if a tornado did hit us.

Of course, I’d grab the kids . . .

maybe the dog.

Our pear tree started blossoming today!

Oh, I was so, so happy to see the little white flowers begin to cover the branches.

And so, so happy that they decided to wait until today to make their debut.

They wouldn’t have made it through those winds last night.

I realized while on my run this morning, that running and photography are rather similar in that you can’t rush things.

You have to be patient as you begin to run, not setting off too fast because if you do, then you won’t have any

energy to climb that big hill or complete those miles you set yourself.

Photography is the same.

You have to be patient for just the right light, just the right focus, just the right angle.

If you cut corners and rush the shot, then you might miss what’s waiting to be discovered.

The thoughts that go through my head sometimes.

They leave everyone baffled.

Quotes and Creatures

She collects quotes like I collect photography books.

“Any kid who has two parents that are interested in him and has a house full of books isn’t poor”.  — Sam Levenson

I help her look for them, but more often than not her finds always are better.

“I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees.”—The Lorax, by Dr. Suess

He made this creature in his art class just in time to decorate our Christmas tree last year.

I thought it looked just like the Lorax, and snuggled it in amongst the branches amidst the ornaments and twinkling lights.

Now it lives on my bookshelf and makes me smile.

Hints

She was  teasing all the world this evening.

In the span of 5 minutes, she mocked blue jays, robins, and finches.

Then she looked over her shoulder at me, pleased as punch with herself.

I think fairies gather round these little bluets and dance.

Then they scamper and hide, but peek out at the Big Folk as they tromp around their little world.

But that’s just my opinion.

I took Langely for a walk over to the vacant lots that I run past every morning.

She is getting rather (ahem)  pudgy, and can certainly stand a good running.

She didn’t know what to think when I let her off her leash to run wild.

And run wild she did.

Until she discovered a pond, a pond that isn’t around those vacant lots but on someone else’s property.

That’s the thing about living in the country, I suppose: you get used to seeing stray dogs in your yard.

We headed back home shortly after that.

Quickly.

I love this guy.

He’s always off by himself, usually with a good patch of hay near by for snacking.

He wears a bored look on his face as he surveys his harem.

He’s just so BIG!

The air is gradually getting softer and there is a real hint of spring in the air.

It’s the light that gradually stays longer and longer to play that energizes me and makes me stay out of the house all day.

I heard robins singing this morning when I got up at 5:30.

You don’t realize that you’ve missed them until you hear them again for the first time since October.

They sounded so happy, greeting the day.

Hearing them at the end of the day is pretty nice, too.