Hurricane Ike

Everyone is talking about Hurricane Ike. Normally, I would be watching the news and finding out how the people living in the Gulf Regions are doing. However, something interesting happened on Sunday. Hurricane Ike came to Kentucky.


We knew the remnants of Hurricane Ike would be in Kentucky and the news was reporting 30-40 mph winds. However, their predictions were incorrect. We ended up with 50 mph sustained winds with gusts up to 80 mph. On Sunday we got hit hard. There is tons of tree damage. We haven't had electricity since Sunday afternoon and they are saying it could be up to 14 days before all the electricity coverage is restored. There were over 300,000 homes without electricity in the Louisville area on Sunday and hundreds of poles and power lines were down. There are still about 152,000 homes without electricity (mine included). I'm writing this post at work during my lunch break because I can't do anything at home except stare at the candles while the food in my refrigerator spoils. I had to throw away just about everything in my fridge last night despite my best efforts to keep ice on everything.


The damage was widespread. A neighbor's tree broke and fell in my back yard. (Once my electricity is restored at home, I will post photos of the damage.) It bent my chain link fence but it didn't hit my house or garage, which is good. However, my cousin wasn't so lucky. A tree fell on her car and caved in the roof, busted out a window, and buckled the frame so she can't open the passenger-side door. It's a complete mess. There are power lines down everywhere.

Honestly, I can deal with living without electricity until I get hot. If it is too hot in the house, I can't sleep. It has to be 70 degrees or cooler in the house before I can sleep. Sunday night it was around 75 degrees in the house and I was absolutely miserable. I guess I've been spoiled by my air conditioning and ceiling fans for too long.

You never fully appreciate the little conveniences provided to you by electricity until you have to go without them. I forget that the electricity is out so I keep flipping on the light switch expecting something to happen. It's very tricky trying to shower, dress, and put make-up on by candle light. My co-workers were surprised to see that my hair is naturally curly since I couldn't use my hair dryer or flat iron. My cellular provider has been having problems since Sunday. Calls won't go through or get dropped even though your phone shows you have coverage.

You also notice sounds you usually tune out like crickets, cicadas, and dogs barking. You have a lot of time to think about things without the distraction of the television. A friend of mine whose elderly mother lives with her told me she has had more conversations with her mother since the electricity has been out than she ever has. And that is probably a good thing. Maybe we should all "unplug" for a week and discover a few things about our family, friends, and world around us.

I can definitely better understand the feelings of those whose lives have been completely derailed by Hurricanes like Katrina and Ike. I know the aggravation I am going through now is nothing compared to the struggles they have had and still have. We must always remember to keep others in our thoughts and prayers and help in any way we can. You never know how some small act of kindness can affect someone who is going through difficult times.

May the Lord bless all those who have been affected by natural disasters and give them comfort in their time of distress.

Jenny The Bloggess

The other day I had a strange conversation with my husband, Cameron, on the way to work. It made me think of Jenny "The Bloggess." Whenever I read her posts I always think, "I never have funny or interesting conversations like she does." After this morning, I began to rethink that...


Me: I had this dream last night that you had come in from jogging and you were all sweaty and you tried to hug me and I ran away. You chased after me trying to get sweat on me because you thought it was funny. I hate sweat. It grosses me out.


Cameron: What if someone peed on you? Would that bother you?


Me: Not really.


Cameron: Why are you grossed out by someone getting sweat on you but not grossed out by someone peeing on you? They are essentially the same thing.


Me: Pee is sterile, so it really isn't the same thing. Sweat gets mixed in with all of the germs on your skin. It's gross.


Cameron: It's still the same idea.


Me: I'd rather have someone vomit on me than sweat on me. However, baby sweat doesn't bother me. Like when Connor (my nephew) falls asleep on me, he sweats but that doesn't bother me.


Cameron: You're weird.


Me: I don't mind baby sweat or baby vomit even. I'd rather not have an adult vomit on me, but I'd rather they vomit on me than sweat on me.


Cameron: This is a strange conversation we are having this morning.


Of course this isn't verbatim, but its pretty close. It also probably isn't as witty or funny as Jenny would write it, but it was funny to me at the time. (If you aren't offended by a little profanity, then you MUST check out Jenny's blog! http://thebloggess.com/ )


It just makes me wonder how many similar conversations Cameron and I have had in the last 10 years. I think I'll pay more attention from now on.

Flowers and Friends

Flowers are a staple of my photography. Everywhere I go, I'm always looking for flowers to photograph. As I've mentioned before, I'm not a gardener. I just document the gardening skills of others. However, these particular photos are actually from my garden. They are flowering bushes, which don't require any real gardening skills. Just water and sunshine. Just the way I like it!


I recently signed up for an account on facebook. I had heard about it before, but I had never visited the site. A friend from work had mentioned that she had a facebook page and she began telling me how she was able to locate some friends from her high school and college years using facebook. I began thinking about how I would like to speak to my friends from high school and see how they are doing, thus, this is why I now have a facebook account. I'm still learning how to use facebook so I don't have a whole lot going on there yet.


I remember being in high school wishing that I was finished with school. Now that I'm a little older and a little wiser I look back and have fond memories of my high school days. I would never want to go back to high school because it was a difficult time for me. It was also a lot of fun at times and I had some great friends. I still remember the excitement of the first day of school and wearing new clothes, new shoes, and carrying new school supplies. I remember how nervous I always was on the first day of school. Thinking about thinks like: would any of my friends be in my classes, would the teacher be boring or interesting, and would I be able to make new friends. After a week or so, the anxiety and excitement would go away and then I would just be frustrated at having to get up early in the morning.


I think getting up early is the thing I hated most about school. If school had started at noon, I think I would have been a straight A student my entire school career. I'm a night owl and I like to stay up late and sleep in. I work an 8 to 5 Monday through Friday job, so I try to be in bed by 11 pm. It is really difficult for me though. On Friday and Saturday nights I am usually up until 1 or 2 am (or later). More businesses should accommodate people like me who would rather work from 10 to 6 or 11 to 7. That would be awesome! Oh well. I guess I'll just have to settle for 8 to 5 until I can pursue photography as a career.


Here are some examples of my amateur photography skills. Some day I'll get a degree in photography and then I can do the thing I love most and choose my own schedule.

Pink Bundle

Hot Pink Blooms

Feeling Prickly

I've been so busy that I haven't had time to create any new posts. I usually try to post something new each weekend, but I just didn't have the time this past weekend. Forgive me for taking so long to post new photos.


I chose these cactus photos today because I'm feeling a little prickly. The main reason I'm feeling prickly is because of something I heard on the radio yesterday. I was listening to a Christian talk radio show called Jay Seculow Live. Jay Seculow is an attorney with the American Center for Law and Justice (http://aclj.org/). They are kind of like the ACLU, except they defend religious freedoms that the ACLU tries so hard to curtail these days. Yesterday their discussion was about a new organization the United Nations is trying to setup. The purpose of this organization is to prevent Christians from discussing the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit) in public because it may offend Muslims. I can't tell you how tired I am of hearing such and such may offend so and so, so you can't say that anymore. WHO EVER SAID EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT NOT TO BE OFFENDED?? I just don't get where this mentality comes from. It is time for people to stop trying to sue everyone just because someone said something that offends you. So what?! Are you going to drop dead because someone offended you? I sincerely don't think so. I believe there should be laws to prevent discrimination based on sex, religion, age, disability, race, sexual orientation, and weight (which isn't in the law books, but should be). However, I don't think we need any laws to protect us from being offended by something someone else says. If people continue on this path of thinking that they have the right not to be offended, then this country will soon lose the right to free speech. What is worse, being offended by something someone says, or not being able to express your opinions at all for fear of offending someone and therefore breaking the law? If the United Nations is able to create this organization they are pushing for, then Christians (especially in the middle-east) may no longer to be able to discuss their religion in public. In some countries, breaking the law by speaking openly about the Holy Trinity (which some say offends Muslims) will be punishable by death! We need to work together and be proactive to promote free speech for everyone in all countries. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and every other religion should be able to discuss their religion openly without fear of persecution. Even if we disagree with someone's religious views, that doesn't give us the right to prevent them from speaking in public. Thinking about how ridiculous and thin-skinned people are becoming has really got me feeling prickly today.

Aloe Cactus

Prickly Cactus Spines

H2O

Water is one of the most important things to life. Growing up mainly in Kentucky, I never thought much about how important water is. Louisville normally gets plenty of rain and it also sits along side the Ohio River, so water was never much of a concern for us. Even during a drought, the Ohio never goes dry. When I moved to Arizona, I learned how important water can be. Once you've lived in a desert area, you really begin to appreciate water. Don't get me wrong, we always had water running from our tap, but it may not rain for months there. Tucson uses groundwater for drinking water. Sometimes so much water would be pulled from a certain area that the ground would literally drop a few feet in that area. My husband would jokingly tell me how the government tried to prevent using too much groundwater by creating The Central Arizona Project. The government dug a trench beginning at the Colorado River in northern Arizona and ending near Mexico. They lined the trench with concrete and diverted water from the Colorado River to this trench. He said it was the most horrible tasting water you've ever tasted and soon the citizens of Tucson lead a revolt. The government relented and began using groundwater again. They now use the water from The Central Arizona Project and use it for irrigating farmland and to replenish the groundwater. After living in Arizona for 2 years, the things I missed most were an occasional rainy day, green trees, and especially running water. If you head up into the mountain areas in Arizona, sometimes you can find a running stream. Here are a few photos I took in the mountains of Arizona.

Sabino Canyon in the Catalina Mountains

Ramsey Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains

Children

My husband and I have been trying unsuccessfully to have a child for several years. Since we don't have children of our own, I live vicariously through my sister's children. My sister Wendy has also had her more than her fair share of difficulties having children. She has had two miscarriages and she had a daughter, Alexis, who was born prematurely and passed away after 3 days. When my sister got pregnant for the fourth time, my entire family was on pins and needles. Thanks to many, many prayers answered by the Lord, my sister gave birth to her son, Connor, in March 1995. My whole family was overcome with joy at the birth of her healthy little boy. Connor has been one of the most joyous things in my life. I look forward to the times when my sister calls me for my babysitting services. I also enjoy taking Connor to the zoo whenever I can. I try to see him every weekend. In early winter last year, my sister called to inform me she was pregnant again. I was extremely excited and also scared out of my mind. She didn't have any complications with her pregnancy and on July 1st, my sister gave birth to her daughter, Raelee Alexis. Again, our cups are overflowing. The Lord's blessings are abundant. Here are some photos of the lovely blessings my family has received.

Connor's Sweet Smile

A Ride on the Train

Raelee Alexis

Precious Sleeping Princess

The Proud Big Brother

Echinacea

So, let me tell you how little I know about flowers. I'm familiar with things like roses, daisies, carnations, tulips, sunflowers, and lilies. I can usually pick those out and give you the correct name. However, once I get past those few flowers that I recognize, I'm lost. I've seen these flowers in gardens all over the place. I really enjoy photographing them. I wanted to post a couple of these photos on my blog, but I didn't want to post them without naming them. Here is where my problem lies. I didn't know what they were called. I spent 20 minutes trying to find the name of this particular flower. All I have to say is thank goodness for Google and Flowers.org.uk or this post would have just been titled "Unknown Pink Flowers." After doing a little research, I can now proudly post these photographs of Echinacea.

Echinacea Standing Out From The Crowd

Echinacea Party

Black & White

Some photos just look more beautiful in black & white. I took the first photograph shown below in Virginia Beach. I saw a mother and her two young sons at the beach. It just reminded me of days past when children weren't consumed with video games, iPods, and text messaging and they actually spent time outdoors enjoying nature. I wanted to capture the innocence of the children playing and I thought black & white would better convey the innocence. The photo of the cabin was very rustic looking in both color and black & white, but I enjoyed the black & white photo more.

Family Enjoying the Beach

Cabin in Ramsey Canyon

Wild Beauty

Animals are some of God's most amazing creations (humans being the most magnificent of all because we are created in his image). I have a membership to the zoo just so I can photograph the beauty of the animals (I also enjoy taking my nephew, Connor, to the zoo. He is a another reason why I have a zoo membership). One of my dreams for the future is to travel the world and photograph some of God's amazing creatures in their natural habitats.

Sleeping Lioness

Inquisitive Giraffe

Clouds

I started college one year after I graduated high school. I always hated high school, but I found that I truly loved going to college. When I started college I was certain that I wanted to be a disc jockey on the radio, so I started taking communications classes. When we are young it is often difficult to decipher what you enjoy versus what your passion is. After two years of communication classes I found that I wasn't truly interested in communications. During the course of my education, I had an elective class in meteorology. It was one of the most fascinating classes to me. I have always been fascinated by clouds and weather. Whenever there is a tornado warning, most people do the wise thing and go down to their basements. I, on the other hand, go outside with my camera to see if I can photograph the power of nature. I know it isn't the wisest choice, but I can't help myself. At the end of my 2nd year, I thought that perhaps I should switch majors to meteorology. Beginning my 3rd year at college I found that I was having trouble concentrating in class. I started failing my courses even though I had been on the Dean's List for my first two years. I just figured I was burned out so I quit school. It wasn't until later that year when I started experiencing other symptoms such as fatigue, dry skin, shaky hands, hair loss, and constantly being cold that I went to the doctor. It was at that time that I discovered that I had hypothyroidism. The loss of concentration had been part of the symptoms. After three days of taking synthetic thyroid hormones, I was no longer tired, cold, and found that I could concentrate again. I had just started a new day job and I didn't want to quit to go back to school, so I just kept working. I never went back to college. It wasn't until years later when I finally figured out that my true passion is photography. I still enjoy photographing the clouds. Here are a few for your enjoyment.

Sunset in Northern Arizona

Storm Clouds