With these eyes

I have never considered myself a photographer, but I have taken some very interesting photos over the years with inexpensive cameras. After sharing a photo I had taken several years ago, a friend commented, "an amazing photo Barbara, you capture so much". I was once told by a professional photographer that it is not the camera, but the eyes of the person using it that produces amazing pictures.

Today I want to share some photos from my repertoire for your enjoyment.

Be careful who you follow

Lately I have been checking out the people whom I believed at one time or other to be worthy of my following.

As I have changed and grown so have these people. Some of them have grown right out of my life, which is not always a bad thing.

I have asked myself some simple questions such as, is this person dependable of does he/she come and go like a puff of smoke from a chimney? Does this person follow through with promises made or does he/she disregard them as null and void as soon as they are spoken? Does the person make every effort to encourage and help promote others or is he/she more concerned with his/her own self worth?

Honestly addressing these questions makes it clear to me why some people are no longer in my life. They have simply proved over time that they were not who I originally thought them to be. Honesty and dependability are number one qualities that I require both for myself and those close to me.

We all have role models, people we look up to and desire to emulate. That's just fine as long as in the process we don't forget the fact that we are not them.

One of my first role models was my maternal grandmother. I believe I ended up being a lot like her, which always made my mother cringe. Nana was an ordinary woman, with honest values and a giving heart. When she saw something that needed doing she didn't ask questions, she just jumped in and did it. She taught me by example to value my creative gifts and to freely give them away to those who needed them. She taught me to appreciate the natural beauty of things. She taught me to strive for perfection in the way I presented myself to the rest of the world, being mindful not to become egotistical. She taught me to acknowledge a high power and to always be grateful for what I have.

As I think of my grandmother today I am thankful to have been one she chose to teach. If it were not for following her honest values my life could have gone in an entirely different direction.

An enjoyable evening

I spent an enjoyable evening last night at the amphitheater in our River Walk Park. The three person group playing was "Renaissance Man" and their music was oldies- my thing.

Besides listening to music that I really liked I had an opportunity to talk to many friends I hadn't seen in some time. It is interesting to note how people change over 20-30 years. Of course, some never do except to gain some extra pounds. Running through the audience off and on were a few of the kids I knew from working at our family center last year. One in particular is an adorable child named Harmony. She is the cutest little girl anyone would ever want to meet. Her smiling face makes me happy just being in her company.

The amphitheater has sat pretty much unused for years and it is nice that Grants Mainstreet has finally made use of the facility. Since June they have provided, free of charge, musical entertainment every Saturday night. Most of the groups have traveled from other places as far away as Albuquerque. The first group was the 44th Army Band which was making a tour of New Mexico just before Independence Day. They were a wonderful beginning and set the tone for a great summer of free entertainment.

A four piece group called "Rhythm Divine" will end the performances next Saturday. Just in time to celebrate our Fall Fiesta at the Fire & Ice park on October 11th. This event features a red-green-salsa chili cook off, with vendors, fun contests and live music. I think I'm getting hungry!

Amphitheater Grants, NM

Playing the game

My super athlete grandson, who recently turned 13, really surprised me this morning during his soccer game. He started out as a forward and made the first goal of the game with little effort. For some reason the coach switched him out about 15 minutes into the game. This surprised me as he didn't seem to be injured. He had played in the forward position most of the previous game and had scored the only goals for his team. His team won that game 2-1.

I was really surprised when the second half of today's' game started with my grandson in the defense position. What is the coach doing I wondered.

As the game went on I saw that the kid I was focusing on was responsible for keeping most of the opponents attempts at goals well out of range of the net. I also noticed that he is a fabulous kicker. The other team never had a chance of scoring. The final score was 8-0. Yay team!

New coach, new season, new team. Perhaps this coach sees something that none of the rest have!? In any case this is the time to find any hidden talents as next year he will be playing in the high school league. It's not if a player wins or loses, it's how he/she plays the game that counts!

Deleted posts

How fun! I just accidentally deleted all the posts I wrote from July 20, 2014 to now! So if you read any of them great if not it's too late!!

Of course, my first reaction was SHIT!

My second was SO WHAT!

I wonder what are you trying to tell me now, oh mighty universe? Is it time to stop writing my blog or is it just that once my thoughts are shared there is no longer a reason to keep a record?

While I ponder the possibilities please feel free to go on with your own lives.