115/365

A Second Look at the 64 GTO

This is the same GTO as shown several posts ago, but the lights are off and the hood is down.  Even though you can't see the entire body, anyone who knows cars will be able to recognize it and will know the year. I tried looking at this in color but I love the bw version so much better.

Others in my group posted theirs in color and the images are great.  I just prefer the bw version.

My heart is grateful for:

simple things like having a burger for dinner

114/365

Abandoned Gas Station

I pass this abandoned gas station every time I go to my daughter's house and every time I slow down to look at it.  This is a typical structure for old gas stations in the area, but for some reason this one seems to call my name every time I pass it.  

My heart is grateful for:

the sound of thunder and the hope of some rain

113/365

Looking Up at the Fire Escape

I found another fire escape in downtown Abilene today.  This building is two-stories tall so it was pretty easy to photograph the entire fire escape.  I just happen to like this image of just the small section.

My heart is grateful today for:

The smile on my grandson's face when I showed up at his lesson today

112/365

Angolan Colobus Monkeys

It seems like, despite my determination to photograph and post one image a day, there are times when I fall behind.  So this is my second photo for today, from the same zoo trip as the previous post.  

I don't remember seeing these monkeys the last time I was at the zoo.  There were quite a few of them in the enclosure and since it was a cool day and  late in the day, they were pretty active.

Right near the fence it looked like a mama giving her juvenile the once over, just like most mothers do with their young children.  The mama was persistent and the youth was incredibly patient with all the attention.

My heart is grateful for:

memories of my children when they were young

111/365

Curious Giraffe

I spent some time at the zoo this afternoon.  There are seven giraffes at this zoo which include 2 or 3 juveniles.   The enclosure makes it pretty difficult to photograph them without including some of the fence, but this particular creature was very curious and spent a lot of time right in front of me.  I would move to the right and she would move to her left.  After a while I moved left and, sure enough, she moved too.  

I don't know what she found so fascinating about me, but I was very happy for all the images I was able to make.  I only had to remove one thin wire from this image and voila, a great giraffe portrait.

Today I'm grateful for:

my renewed determination to lose a few more pounds

110/365

Angel Blowing Kisses

Seen in a small town cemetery.

I'm grateful for:

a comfortable bed to sleep in each night

109/365

A Man in His Man Cave

A very cooperative friend helped me out with this image.  It's not exactly what I had in mind in terms of the edit, but I love the pose.  

108/365

1964 GTO

One of the people in my photo group organized this retro car shoot tonight.  It was really fun~~great to photograph something out of the ordinary under great circumstances for a change.

My heart is grateful for:

a quick dinner after the session with an old friend and a new one

107/365

New Business Sign

I noticed that this business sign had been redesigned and repainted since the last time I was in the town. Definitely eye-catching.

I'm grateful for:

being able to travel wherever/whenever I want

106/365

While I was waiting for a friend in my fave coffee shop today, a girl got up from her table to leave.  I quickly snagged the table for us.

She left behind half of a perfectly good delicious blueberry muffin.

Who does that?  Asking for a friend.

I knew I couldn't eat it, but it was there, just asking to be photographed.

My heart is grateful today:

for the photo webinar I was able to watch this afternoon

105/365

First Baptist Church

I love the architecture of old churches.  Usually the columns are separate from the building, but these columns seem to be part of the building.  Still beautiful.  

I was using my wide-angle lens and was only about 2 feet away from the building while taking this shot.  So fun.

My heart is grateful for:

getting the good news that my baby-boy (now 35) and his wife are expecting their first child in early December

104/365

Apartment Fire Escape

I took a road trip today not only to find a photo op but to enjoy the wonderful weather again.

I've been to this town many other times and photographed this fire escape but today I decided to put my wide-angle lens on the camera and shoot only with it. 

I used to have a real fish-eye lens when I was using film, but when I switched to digital I decided that a compatible fish-eye was too expensive and I wouldn't use it enough.  So I opted for a very wide-angle lens. It's still a lot of fun.  

You can shoot differently with a wide-angle lens than with a long lens and it's usually a very fun experience, I just don't do it enough.  

My heart is grateful for:

how my living room is filled with sunlight at the end of the day

103/365

A second view of the Pecos Mission Church in Pecos National Historical Park outside of Santa Fe, NM.

The stone outlines were the foundations of living spaces for those who worked in the church.

My heart is grateful today for:

the chance/time to take a road trip today to look for photo ops

102/365

Doorway and shadows

It seems like when you're desperate enough and you get your mind off pre-conceived ideas for an image, you can find something to photograph anywhere.  I love when I come across a scene that I wasn't looking for but that grabs my attention.  

I like the graphic look of this image.

My heart is grateful today for:

pleasant memories

101/365

Fire escape seen in downtown Abilene, TX

There are some great fire escapes seen on buildings in most of the small towns I've been to in central Texas. 

They definitely serve a good purpose and I think they add a nice piece of personality to the buildings.

My heart is grateful for:

coffee with a friend and being able to talk about my sky-diving experience

100/365

The Photo Album

The first Texas grand baby is having a milestone birthday this week.  His mom suggested I get him a photo  album since they gave him a camera.  He's been trying to take photos on a very old point-and-shoot camera of mom's, and obviously the pics don't look great since the camera is so old.

None of my kids followed in my photographic interests, so it's kind of exciting to give this album in the hopes he might like the hobby.  But he's young and interests change quickly for the young.

Several years ago one of my granddaughters showed an interest for about a year.  We went out on several photo excursions.  Then she lost interest, but it was fun for me while it lasted.

My heart is grateful today for: 

choices

99/365

Partial Silhouette

I was out today enjoying the incredibly beautiful weather and looking for a photo op.  I was at the local park/lake when I saw this scene.  The people were spaced apart nicely and when I saw the image on my camera it looked like a great partial silhouette.

So there ya go.

My heart is grateful today for:

ice cream

98/365

I took the first picture, a friend took the second pic of me.

Last year my kids gave me a sky-diving certificate for a milestone birthday.  The appointment last fall was canceled because of bad weather and was rescheduled for today.

It was a pretty amazing experience.

My heart is grateful today for:

fun new experiences

97/365

Pecos Mission Church

In Pecos National Historical Park, just 30 miles from Santa Fe, NM, the remains of this mission church  stands as a testimony to the early Spanish efforts to convert the Pecos Indians to Christianity.

The building was constructed of adobe and wooden beams, and in the area to the right of the image (not shown) are the foundational remains of the living quarters of the church leaders.

My heart is grateful today for:

some unexpected "down" time during the day

96/365

Abandoned Train Station

This train station has been out of use for a long time.  The train still runs right through the center of town, dividing the streets north and south but it's not a passenger train.

In spite of the NO TRESPASSING signs,  the remaining building receives new graffiti designs regularly and always makes for a good photo op.

My heart is grateful today for:

good books

95/365

My Shadow

I was in town today having coffee with a friend.  On my way home I stopped to make some photos of a church and when I looked down I saw my shadow.  I thought it was more interesting than the church, so I experimented with a few different compositions.

It's very difficult to hold the camera and press the shutter button with one hand while trying to strike an interesting pose.  This was the best I could do.   Too bad there weren't two of us.

My heart is grateful today for: 

everything getting greener before the heat really sets in for the summer

94/365

Street Workmen

I was sitting outside a store waiting for my friends to finish their shopping when I saw this scene.  I took it because I wanted to see how it would look as a black & white.  

I like it.

My heart is grateful today because:

my grandson seems to be getting the hang of his MixedMartialArts lessons and is interacting with a smile on his face.

93/365

The Staircase

In Santa Fe, NM there's a chapel that was built in the 1870s. (Loretto Chapel)  After it was completed, the nuns realized there was no way to get from the ground floor to the choir loft.  

They prayed a 9-day novena and on the 9th day a carpenter wandered in from the dessert.  He contracted with the nuns to build a spiral staircase and it took him 5 months to complete it.  His only tools were a carpenter's square, a saw and a hammer.  (he must have had the wood with him)

When the carpenter was finished, he left without payment.  There is no known record of the man and the subspecies of wood he used can't be traced.  They never heard from/about him again.

There is no center column and no side supports.  The only support for the staircase is the bottom step on the floor of the chapel.  He didn't put a railing on the staircase so for the first two years the nuns used the steps without railings or anything to hold on to when ascending & descending.  

The railing was added after two years of use.  

The Chapel was in use until a short while ago, but it's now a beautiful museum. The Chapel and especially the Staircase are strikingly beautiful.

My heart is grateful today for:

God's gifts to mankind for making beauty

92/365

Jesus Carrying the Cross

In the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, NM there are these small sculptures around the perimeter of the sanctuary on the walls.  They're depictions of Christ carrying the cross.  I didn't photograph all of them.  The other one I captured is the first Time Christ Fell.  

I'm not Catholic, we don't have these types of sculptures in my Protestant church.  Regardless I think they're beautiful art in a beautiful chapel. This chapel is where The Staircase is located.

The Staircase is an architectural marvel.  I'll post it tomorrow with the amazing history behind its construction.

My heart is grateful today:

for God's grace in my life

91/365

Fish Decor in a Cemetery

Seen in front of a headstone in a small town cemetery.  I'd guess that one of the deceased loved to fish.

I went to a Wellness Summit today where renowned Texas cardiologist Dr. McCullough spoke. He was giving away his book "The Courage to Face Covid-19" which has a forward written by

Robert Kennedy, Jr (who is the author of "The Real Anthony Fauci"~~very much a must read as far as I'm concerned)

Very interesting.

My heart is grateful for:

those who tell the truth about the covid plandemic