139/365

Dalmation and Fire Hydrant

I saw this while walking through a residential area in Dunedin, Florida where a few of the homes were decked out in funky artistic styles.

I just thought this was cute.  

I wouldn't want it in front of my house, but to each their own, and it definitely makes a statement about the people living in that house.  Good for them!

My heart is grateful today for:

finally learning that it's not possible to be discouraged/depressed when feeling grateful

138/365

Hearts and Locks

Seen in Dunedin, Florida along one of the public walkways.  Many of the locks have sentiments of love inscribed on them.  This is one of the iconic tourist destinations in Dunedin.

My heart is grateful for:

having so many photo opportunities today

137/365

Sunset at the Beach

After walking through town and having a delicious ice cream, we wandered down to the beach and saw this beautiful sunset.  I've never been good at photographing sunsets, but I tried again.  

This is just an average image, but being near the ocean soothes my soul.

My heart is grateful for:

the opportunity to spend some time near the ocean with a good friend 

136/365

Disguising Electrical Boxes

Visiting a friend in a small coastal town in FL.  Walking around downtown I saw this wall art and how they used it to disguise these ugly electrical boxes.  If you were quickly walking by, you might not even notice the boxes, just the artwork.  What a great idea.

My heart is grateful for:

the safe trip to my friend's home

135/365

Wall Art

One of the newer burger places in town is in a complex with other food businesses.

Wherever there's a garbage bin area, the bins are surrounded on three sides with a cement wall and the walls are decorated with beautiful wall art.  

What a great way to provide some beauty to hide an ugly (but necessary) sight.

My heart is grateful for:

being able to celebrate Mother's Day with my daughter and her family

134/365

The Lamp

The burger place where we ate this afternoon had this lamp on display.  How fun.

My heart is grateful for:

being able to spend some casual time with my daughter, her husband and 

the grandkids.

133/365

Driftwood

I went to the local lake today and this was the most interesting thing I saw.  

Today I'm grateful for:

finally getting the energy and interest to run a few errands that I've been putting off for awhile

132/365

Cowboys in Training

Grateful today for:

spending time doing some volunteer work today

 131/365

Waiting for a Sale

The Western Heritage event at the Fairgrounds. An outdoor booth selling roping equipment.

I'm grateful for:

sharing a volunteer job with another companionable and friendly volunteer

130/365

Just One Word

Seen during my visit to the cemetery the other day.

My heart is grateful for:

being able to do a volunteer job today

129/365

Another Fire Escape

I spied this fire escape while cruising around downtown Abilene, TX looking for today's photo.  The building is a 1941 Carpenter building and even though the windows look fairly new, the building seems to be deserted.  It's located in a not-so-busy area of downtown.

My heart is grateful for:

the beautiful, sunny, breezy afternoon

128/365

Brazos Bend Cowboy Church

The building looks like it needs a little TLC  It probably has a small congregation so not financially able to spiffy things up.  The important part is sharing the Word of God with people.

I'm grateful for:

The Word of God and how blessed I am

127/365

Cowboy Church Sign

There are Cowboy Churches all over West Texas.  I was driving to a photo op location with a friend when I saw this sign for the church and stopped to take a photo of it.  

Grateful today for:

having no appointments or deadlines today

126/365

Another downtown Silo

I saw this from the main road, turned down the side street and was able to get this image.  I didn't see a name for this business so I don't know anything about it.

I just love the structure

My heart is grateful today for:

spending some time with a friend who was helping me learn more about LightRoom

125/365

Chapel on a Corner

This is a cute little chapel in downtown Abilene.  To the left of it is a serenity garden that I've seen before, but today the gate was locked and it looked like there might be some construction going on.

It's so good to see green leaves and green grass after the brown winter.  

My heart is grateful for:

the new elder who was installed at my church this morning

124/365

Flower

I made this image with my cell phone.  I think it was at a flower show that the local garden club held a few weeks ago.  I should have noted the name of it and I should have used my SLR.  But since I didn't, this is what you get to see.  

Still beautiful.

My heart is grateful for:

the rain we've had each afternoon for the past several days

123/365

Sign on Wall

There's a new bookstore downtown.  This is a sign painted on the outside of the business.

I think it's a perfect sentiment.

My heart is grateful:

that we've finally have a new elder at church and the burdens of ministry will be shared a little more evenly

122/365

Decor

Kind of desperate for a photo for today.  It's beautiful outside right now, but will get much warmer as the day progresses.  Grabbed this shot on my patio.

My heart is grateful for:

the anticipation of my visit with a friend I haven't seen in 4 years

121/365

Taylor County Courthouse

A family at church was finally able to finalize an adoption that seemed to take forever to complete and some of us from church were at the ceremony to help them celebrate.  

Most of us went out for ice cream afterwards and we had a great time visiting and enjoying the kids.

My heart is grateful for:

the new member of a beautiful family

120/365

Feed Mill

This feed mill produces animal feed and nutrition products.  It's located downtown along the railroad tracks for easy transportation.

Grateful for:

spending some time catching up with a friend after Bible Study tonight

119/365

Newborn Session

I'm trying to play catch-up by posting more than one pic a day since I didn't post for about 5 days due to my role as au pair this past weekend.  I felt like I had no life while I was chasing after 3 littles from dawn to dusk, and then had to attend to one, two or three of them throughout the night.

So this is a throwback image of one of them from a few years ago.  Once upon a time I thought I wanted to be a newborn photographer, then I came to my senses and decided I preferred architecture.  I still like capturing images of children, but I'm older, get more tired, and I don't really have the patience needed to deal with ill-behaved children.

This morning my heart is grateful for:

being able to sit on the patio, working, in the cool of the morning before starting my day

118/365

Blue and Gold Macaw

This Macaw is a resident of the Abilene Zoo.  He/She is on one of the branches of the tree almost all the time.  I don't think I've ever heard it talk, but maybe he's just not motivated when I'm there.  

These large parrots eat seeds, nuts, fruits, palm, fruits, leaves, flowers and stems as well as a large variety of vegetables.  They can live up to 60 years and often outlive their owners.  Macaws bond for life and are monogamous.

My heart is grateful for:

so much beauty in the animal kingdom 

 117/365

Sweet Little House

I got to my grandkid's lesson a little early today so I grabbed my camera and walked around the neighborhood a little.  Along the way, I saw this cute house and just had to grab a photo of it.  The architecture is way out of the box for all the new construction happening these days.  I love this.

My heart is grateful today for:

sleeping in my own bed after 4 nights away

116/365

Another abandoned gas station

I spent the weekend in a situation that didn't allow me one moment to have a thought to myself or take any photos, let alone post them.

But on my way home I saw this old, abandoned gas station, the style of which I just love, and I couldn't bear to drive by without getting a few shots.  

I really wonder why so many of them just stay abandoned, they could be made into such cute convenience stores, or even "little homes".  Maybe there are gas tanks underground and the expense of removing them prohibits people from wanting to bother with them.

My heart is grateful:

that I was able to do childcare so my daughter and her husband could get away for a few days to a convention to celebrate his wonderful achievements at work

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