becauseidrift

Don’t be afraid to get down in the dirt.

That is what Jennifer Davidson told us at a photography class I took from her a few years ago.  The class was organized by our extension agent Charlene Belew and I waited until the very last-minute to sign up.  I guess, with the auto function on the camera, I didn’t really see the need to take classes.  Boy, was I pleasantly surprised.

I didn’t hear

what the rest of the class heard.  I am still an auto function snapper.  The whole set your ISO to this, and your aperture to that and make sure your shutter speed is slow or fast is just way to much to comprehend.  It was and is just to dang complicated.

While everyone was trying to set their cameras to the various settings to get the different effects, I was listening for bits and pieces to make my photography better.  I did the exercises with the class.  I changed my F stop, set my aperture, made sure the shutter speed was slow and got the shot Jennifer was asking us to do.  But, I cannot replicate it today.  I kept her papers and if I want to take a certain type of shot I have to go back and read how to set my camera.

So what did I hear that I can share, to make you a better photographer?

Don’t be afraid to get on the ground or climb a ladder.  Pictures look a whole lot different from different perspectives.  I took a picture of my grandson Jadon the other day while he was looking at the train under the Christmas tree.  It would have looked a whole lot different from a standing position.  On the ground at his level my snap tells a story.

It’s all about the light.

When I was growing up they always made us face the sun so the light was shining in our eyes.  Those were terrible pictures.  I have also taken a few pictures where the sun was at the kids backs. Those weren’t much better because everyone’s face was dark.  Where is the light?  Is it dawn or dusk?  Is it shining in their face or behind their back?  Look for the light source and try to use it the best you can in your shot.  This tip is probably the hardest of all the tips I picked up.  Sometimes I take a shot and look to see where the light in the snap is and make a few adjustments.  I am not talking adjustments to my camera.  I am talking about adjustments to where I am standing, kneeling or tippy toeing to get the shot.  I may have to take the shot from the side instead of straight on.

The third thing I picked up

was that just because a picture is blurry doesn’t make it bad.  For years I would take a picture and throw it out as soon as I saw that it wasn’t perfect.  Jennifer said that sometimes the blurry shots tell a story too!  Hmm.  That was something to think about.  The blurry shots tell a story too.  I must have thrown out a million stories because my photography was blurry.  Believe me I still trash a lot of blurry shots but I do keep some cool ones

The last bit of information

that stuck with me was to use reflections and shadows.  If the subject is standing and the shadow is cool try to get both in the snap.  If there is a  reflection  in a window or a mirror why not try to get a double image.

I guess what Jennifer was saying to me…

was that every picture tells a story and if I look at things just a bit differently, I can get the whole story not just the main body.  It is about the emotion and thoughts that pictures provoke that make them go from good to great.

Its Christmas

I challenge all of you to take some snaps…Use your phone, one shot camera or the big new camera you are getting for Christmas.

Be the one who records the story.

 

 

 

I am hearing you.

Many people have stopped me in the street and asked “why did you quit writing?”  I haven’t…. well, I have for a bit.

The truth is…

My heart is so heavy.  My mom has the forgetting disease. I know, IT has a name but she doesn’t want to be labeled so I am not going to say it either.  I have really been taking it hard because she thinks that I have been getting into her house when she is gone and stealing her things.

It’s really become

more prevalent since we were going to Cincinnati… her hometown.  Mom’s parents didn’t have much money or many monetary items to really speak of but, she did have this one amethyst ring.  The one her Uncle Bud found and gave to her mother.  The story goes that my grandparents took the ring to the jeweler to have it appraised and he switched out the stone.  So the ring, doesn’t have a real amethyst, it has a glass look a like.

Several years ago,

my mom took me into her bedroom and gave me several pieces of jewelry; a white gold brooch with pearls…they are real. We all scratched them on our teeth, a pair of earring jacks with pearls that Morgan and I both wore in our weddings, a sterling silver pocket purse with a sterling silver pocket knife.  Anyone who knows my mom knows that a purse is not complete without a pocketknife and that amethyst ring.

So…

when I went to Cincinnati for Tacoma’s wedding shower I spent Thursday night with my parents.  We were sitting in their living room watching TV and mom said, “You know, I am going to take that ring to Cinci to give to my cousins, if I can find them.”  I replied, “Oh, what ring?”  She told me the story again about the ring.   I said, “Oh, I have that ring… You gave it to me many years ago.”  All she said was….”YOU HAVE THE RING.”  Needless to say… It’s a deal….A really big deal.

For Colton’s wedding party

she came to the house and saw all my pictures hanging on the wall and kept complimenting me on how my wall looked like hers, and how much she liked it.  But, when she got home it turned into, I took them out of her scrapbook.  If something is missing, it’s because I took it on Monday when she and daddy work at St. Vincent De Paul.  The other day when we were at Seadrift looking over all the damage done by hurricane Harvey she said she was missing a toilet brush.  She turned to me and said…”I wonder who could have taken that?” 

A coupe days ago,

she sent me a note telling me to bring everything back or she was going to call the police on me…. Today, she did just that…..

So now what?

What do I do?  I have been pondering over this issue for some time.  I have cried many tears trying to figure this out. I have so many questions.   How can I help her?  How can I help my dad?   Why does she think I am the thief when I live so far away?   I always come up with the same answer… I can LOVE her anyways….

If you know me at all,

I try to find the silver lining in everything.  I think……I think….. the silver lining in all of this is that she still knows who I am.

Cecilia the Thief….

Here is a picture of my parents with Jadon my grandson at Colton’s wedding in Cincinnati… Her hometown.

 

 

 

 

Can you believe Christmas is just around the corner?

Yep, in just about six months the whole what am I going to get my husband and children for Christmas starts.  For some, those who shop early or hand make their gifts, it has already started.

Let me tell you what we did when the kids were growing up…

Tools are expensive.  To give a tool box full of tools will cost you a fortune.  So, when our kids including Morgan started kindergarten, we started giving them closet tools.  Sears runs a black Friday sale the day after Thanksgiving, and we would buy them a screwdriver set for 10 bucks.  Santa would put it under the tree and the kids would unwrap it.  Look at it and throw it down for a better more interesting gift. I would tell them to just put it in their closet.  The next year it would be a socket set, then a standard wrench set followed by metric.  As they got older the tools got bigger.  One year they all got battery operated impact wrenches and sockets to fit lug nuts so if they had a flat it was easier to change.

When the kids left for college

they had an entire tool box full of tools.  It was easy to do ten dollars at a time.  Now instead of being disappointed by the tool Santa is bringing, they are excited.  Plus, doing it the way we did gave us ample time to teach them how to use the tools in the box.

Just a thought from the crazy drifter.

 

 

I haven’t posted in a while…

because I have really been working hard at getting the “She” ready for company.  While SHE is almost ready, I still have a few finishing touches which include septic for the commode and sink.

With that said,

May was my month for bunco…. So on the 30th I realized, I only had one day left.  An impromptu bunco party was held in the “She.” Instead of bunco, I had a little project set up for my friends.  We sat and drank a little Vino and Beer while, we all colored and created a self-portrait.  I thought it was fun and the LADIES did great.

The project we did at bunco

was first tried out on Morgans second grade class.  It was just the right project before school was out for the summer.  The kids did amazing work and I thoroughly enjoyed the day.  The only draw back was that we laminated them.  Since, oil pastels are used in part of this process some of the art work melted in the lamina-tor.  They are still good.  Just more abstract.

This was Morgans before it was laminated .

 

I wish I could take credit for coming up with the self-portrait project but I cannot.  I found it on Pinterest, (smallhandsbigart.com).  I like different art and I like stuff that is original to each person participating.  Plus, it gives me a chance to discus color and the color-wheel especially with my younger participants.

 

I am eating the Elephant,

as my friend Tibby would say.  The “Studio” is finished except for the plumbing.  Now I am tackling the rest of the “She.” Which, consist of going through my entire stash and, pitching whats not cool and rearranging what is.  This is more than a two-day job for sure.  I am not sure I am brave enough to show you all a picture.  Oh, What the Heck.

 

While going through the boxes,

I came across a piece of calligraphy that I copied from a book, more than 30 years ago.  I am going to show you all but, please note… miracle spelt wrong.  I guess, I transposed the letters. 

Anyway, I only dated one boy in high school and that was my freshman year.  He broke my heart and I was not really ever interested in dating anyone else for a long time.  Don’t get me wrong…. I did date, but after the first date, if they did the littlest minute thing that reminded me of him…. They never got a second date.

I graduated in May of 87, from Texas Tech, at the age of 25.

My parents came to pick me up and move me home.  While stopping in San Angelo at my Aunt Dotties house for a travel break, I took a few boxes and my suit case off the truck. I don’t remember asking if I could move in with them… I just did.

Two weeks later,

James asked me out on a date.  A month later I moved in with him in St. Lawrence.    We were engaged in October and set wedding date for April 23,1988.  All was rockin’ along till I showed up preggers in March.  Yep, not the way you want to start a marriage.  But, like everything else in my life…. It was perfect!!!!  With that said,  This Sunday marks my 29th wedding anniversary to, James.

I often laugh….

after being married for this long, how did we ever get married? We are polar opposites.  He likes to save money… I like to spend money.  He is a night owl… I am a morning person.  He worries… I don’t… See what I mean… I also realize.  He fills my empty holes so that I can be WHOLE.  I would like to think that, I do the same for him.  He brings me stability, safety, comfort, silliness, and unconditional love.  What more could a girl ask for?

So while he is golfing with his friends, I am cleaning out the “SHE.”  He lights up my life and he is my miracle.

I Love You… James Schwartz

 

 

I

 

 

My studio is almost finished

Dennis is putting in the water heater and linen closet this week along with a small AC/Heater unit. Then “She” will be done and ready for some guest.

I have designated one wall in the studio for my vinyl.

Right now all my vinyl is in my washroom along with my cutter. It is a real hassle. Every time I want to cut something out I have to unpack the cutter and find the vinyl. So, I am cleaning it up and moving it out.

While going through this process,

I came across a little sculpture of two Love Birds sitting on a branch. Poof…… I am transported back to the 4^th grade and straight in front of Mrs. Hamills house knocking on the door.

To tell you the truth

I don’t remember who introduced me to her or how I ended up at her house. Mrs. Hamill was in her 70”s. She lived with her brother. As a kid, we were not allowed to call our elders by their first name so I don’t even remember that. I do remember that her family owned and ran Kleypas Monuments, in San Antonio. He, her brother, did hand carved medallions for furniture and she made little sculptures out of Play Dough. She gave me a little teddy bear and then said, “If you come back sometime I will give you another one.”

And so I did…

She and I became fast friends. She taught me how to play double solitary. She would make me a snack consisting of peanut butter and Ritz crackers and we would visit and play cards. Then, shortly after lunch, she would send me home so she could take a nap. At the end of the afternoon, she would ask, “Are you coming tomorrow?”

All summer

I spent my free days at her house. She would show me her new sculptures and I would listen to her tell me how she made them. She would explain how she used a toothpick to put texture in bodies of the bears and how she painted their eyes with a paintbrush and when she was done they got a coat of varnish so they shined. She loved what she did and she loved sharing her creations with all the kids in the neighborhood.

Then one day,

I went to visit her and she told me to “GO AWAY” and “DON’T COME BACK.” I couldn’t figure it out. We were friends. I spent my entire summer with her. I went home and cried to my mom. “Mom WHY would Mrs. Hamill tell me to go away?” Mom didn’t have any answers for me. I did go by her house a couple times after that but…. she didn’t answer the door. My heart was BROKEN.

A few weeks ago

I talked to my dear friend Caroline about Mrs. Hamill because I remembered seeing her parent’s minister to Mrs. Hamill and her brother. And, from what I understood from our conversation… Mrs. Hamill had dementia or Alzheimer’s.

As I look back,

only fond memories of her come to mind.  She is one of those people who left a huge footprint on my heart. I didn’t understand then and I really don’t understand now why she shut me out.

What I can say is that,

I am GLAD and THANKFUL that she let me in at all. That was one of the best summers in my memory. She was my 70 something year old friend. I use to have a shelf full of teddy bears, bunnies and birds in every color Play Dough made but with time and moving and life this little sculpture is all that remains.

Mrs. Hamill…

you have made an impression on my heart… you were “MY” Play Dough artist, snack maker, and friend.

 

When I was four

we lived in the Old Neighborhood, on West Field, in a sub-division next to Lackland Air Force Base, in San Antonio.  It was here that I learned what happens when you break the 8th of  Ten Commandments.

Thou Shall Not Steal.

Mom and I went to the grocery store to pick a few things up and when we were leaving I took a piece of grape bubble gum.  I must have known it was wrong because I laid on the floor board of the car as I chewed it all the way home.

When we got home

mom said “did you steal that grape gum?”  I had already swallowed it so at four… “I wondered how she knew.”  She then said “GO TO YOUR ROOM. You are going to get a spanking.”

I did what every other four year old would do….

I went to my room and rolled as far under the bed as I could so that she couldn’t spank me.  She tried.  I can still see the belt getting really close while she was yelling “YOU BETTER COME OUT FROM UNDER THAT BED.”  I was so happy about that.  I didn’t get a spanking.  Whew…

But what happened next…

was worse.  She said ” you can come out now.  I am not going to spank you.”  “but, you are not going to get lunch.”  No big deal… “I am not hungry anyway.”  Then she proceeded to make my favorite lunch, Grilled Cheese.  My mom made me sit at the table and watch everyone eat a grilled cheese in front of me.

I cried… “I love grilled cheese.  I am hungry.  I will take the spanking….”

Lesson Learned.  I haven’t taken ANYTHING that didn’t belong to me since.  The spanking wouldn’t have worked anyway.  I have had a lot of spankings… I am that child.  But the lunch thing did.

It is 2017, and I have named my New Years resolution, the year of the FINISH…

“Just finish something,” is what my head and James are telling me.  Oh my goodness, as I look around in just my kitchen, there are many unfinished jobs; tile the back-splash, paint where the old cabinets stood, replace baseboards and crown molding.  This little list could all be done in one day, IF…. I would just do it.

This past Sunday was the day.  James was busy putting in recessed  lighting throughout the house.  Hooray!!!!! we are no longer in the dark.  While he was doing that, I decided to tile the back-splash. No big deal

Except….

While gathering supplies in the “She” I fell breaking my right wrist.  I still attempted the project.  Thank goodness the boys, Colton and Jake, were here to take over.  The splash is tiled.  It just needs the grout and it’s done.  James was even pleased because the boys did it which means it is LEVEL, STRAIGHT, AND SQUARE.

With all this said… I had to laugh “OUT LOUD.”

One more crazy scheme to get all my HONEY DO’s done.  It was a little drastic breaking my arm and all.  But, I have been known to start a project and do everything possible to have it turn out ugly so that James would drive up and help me do it right.  I am just saying Girls… that does work.  Also, playing total dumb on how to work a power tool is good for a few projects too!  I wouldn’t over use this one, unless, you really want to know how to use them.  Because, the Hubs might remember, he taught you how and might expect you to do it yourself.

It’s only a couple months into 2017 and I am Finishing this year.