29 March, 2010

Draco



Sometimes things happen that remind you that people that are gone are still with us. I always associate Dragon Flies with a specific person who passed away in 2008, someone I have been thinking of a lot lately. So needless to say when a Dragon Fly paid a visit with me and some friends yesterday, I was very pleased and even felt at peace inside knowing that even though people are gone… a piece of them still is with you.

The last time a Dragon Fly visited… was the day that my friend left us… We miss you Loraine!




28 March, 2010

Spring in the Air



The weather is changing, and aside from a few rather cool days, I feel it is safe to say that the cold is behind us. The wild onions are blooming and the other flowers and trees are following suit, spring has arrived in Mississippi! Today I spent some time with some of my adopted-family at the Ross Barnett reservoir having a picnic and enjoying the warm Mississippi sun. It was a perfect time… one of those memories that you will cherish for all time, I am lucky for the various wonderful people in my life!



A Still of the wild onions....





Scenic Sunday


Not so still....

23 March, 2010

Brandon Park



Mississippi does not lack in places to visit for scenery, as one of the more rural states in the USA we have many parks and outdoors places to go and spend our days. One of my favourite places to visit and play tennis, or just sit and chat with my friends is Brandon Park in Brandon, Mississippi. It has something for everyone, a large place for children to play, a historical museum, a place to sit and enjoy nature… and an outcropping a Mississippi sandstone with fossils.

This is part of my world, to glance into other people’s world… Click Here...

22 March, 2010

Eyes



It is one of the most repeated quotes known to man, “eyes are the windows to the soul.” Granted this is the truth, you can look into person’s eyes and learn so much about them. It is also one of my favourite things to photograph… it does not matter whose they are, it is one of natures most wonderful gifts, no matter the species… they offer a glimpse into the beauty of nature that exists in each of us. The above photo is of one of my best friends Debbie, she was watching her daughter play soccer, I got some interesting photos, and this is one of my favourites.



These are my eyes…



These are my friend Lisa’s young son BB’s eyes…

African Goodies


The world is a mystical place. Many people I know are geocentric; there is nothing outside the borders of the USA. I personally have always been interested and embrace the world outside the borders of my home country, yes the USA has much to offer… but so does our brethren on foreign shores. I have only had the chance to travel beyond the borders of my home country once, thus far… but I love to send and receive packages from my friends in their home countries and continents. Today I received such a package from a friend and fellow blogger Jo, the package contained many goodies from Africa. I received Rooibos Tea from South Africa, as well as dried beef, and fruit, coins from Namibia and the Sudan, beautiful shells, rocks, and crisp bread… all items that are new to me and I can not wait to try, and cherish. This made my day so much brighter, Thank you so much Jo!

If anyone else out there would be interested in a similar cultural exchange… I am always in!

21 March, 2010

... not exactly.


Sometimes things do not go the way you expect it… sometimes it is serious: health, transportation, a job… Sometimes it is minor like a photo… However we prefer things to go the way we need them to, we never stop to think about the reason it is not going correct, it is in those times we need to recuperate and reevaluate the direction we are pushing for, and adjust headings. It is only then that we will be able to appreciate what we have, and work on fixing what is wrong. This photo was of some interesting shapes in a few trees, but the sun was too bright… I kept the photo because I thought it was interesting.

16 March, 2010

Rolling Back the Rivers of Time....


Time rolls like a river, and we are all floating along for the ride. We do not know where we are going, and at times we want to stop and visit destinations past. However the current is too strong, and it just carries us forward, all we have to remember the past are our memories. Memories are the most precious gifts that we are given, and we need to cherish them for all time. It is our only way to roll back the river of time… The River Avon in Stratford-Upon-Avon is one of the world’s most beautiful rivers. It has seen the rise and fall of empires and the birth and death of some of the world’s greatest people.

15 March, 2010

Solidarity


Sometimes in the face of adversity, you have to stand strong… ready to take what ever life throws at you by the horns, sometimes it puts up a fight this just makes victory sweeter. This bull stands guard over the shoppers at the Bull Ring in Birmingham, UK. Permanently standing as a reminder of British solidarity in times of abundance and strife, he is a wonderful symbol for the people of the great country.

14 March, 2010

Anniversary


One year ago to the day I embarked on a journey unlike any in my past. One year ago I traveled further than any member of my immediate family in one trip. One year ago my life changed. One year ago…. For the next two weeks my life will be marked by anniversaries that changed my life. I will go at it alone, for the one that was special, has chosen to go their own way. Why this was a decision that caused me pain, now I am left with memories…. The memories of a trip that made me a different person, and I am better for it. I will forever remember the feelings I had when I did what many said was impossible, and a bit crazy. I crossed an ocean to be with someone I cared for, someone I will always care for… but was not meant for me in this life. However I am forever linked with the beautiful country of many of my ancestors, the United Kingdom forever holds a place on my heart… specifically my adopted hometown of Birmingham, seen here from atop Dudley castle.


Scenic Sunday

11 March, 2010

Common Threads


On Earth, many of us are separated by vast distances. No matter if we do not share the same dirt under our feet, no matter if we are under the same clouds, in the vast scheme of things, there are a few things that we all share, that we can all see at the same moment, countries away.

The Sun is the same sun,
The Moon is the same moon.

The Continents may be different, the stars may even be different… but no matter what, there are always common threads in us all.

Photobucket

09 March, 2010

traditions



Many Native American traditions do not exist anymore, lost in the pages of time never to be seen again. This is one of the saddest legacies of the United States, and European colonization in general, the loss of the native culture. I have always found an interest in the native cultures that once called this entire continent their home, now they are segregated into tiny “Sovereign Dependant Nations” within the United States, nothing as they once were. They fight for their culture to continue on, and in many ways it does. I am 1/8 provable Choctaw, however the number is closer to 1/4 in actuality. I feel a connection to the land that my ancestors once called home, and in many ways I feel a connection to the culture that I would love to learn more about. Many times in my past I have been exposed to this culture, and it is something that I feel should be expressed more to all people, it is a human legacy as well as an American one. Building on traditions in something a few of my friends and I do try to do through many means. We have built a sweat lodge in order to meditate and come closer to our spiritual side, through heat and controlled hardship. The sweat lodge is one of the Native American traditions that still exists, and can be shared for all…

07 March, 2010

Mississippi Spring


It seems that spring may have finally arrived here in Mississippi. Many of these trees will soon have leaves and the ground will be green with grass. We have had an unusually cold winter this year, by many standards, and a record amount of snowfalls for one winter season. I know that the warmer weather will be welcomed with open arms, and the colours of the spring will be welcomed with my camera.


Scenic Sunday

06 March, 2010

Life After People



We go through our lives not alone, many people make appearances and affect us so profoundly. No matter the short time these people spent in our lives, they made an impact, they left their mark… and that will never change. This photo was taken on my last trip to Biloxi, Mississippi in May. It was a fun day considering that someone very important had just voluntarily made an exit from my life…. They were important to me, and it took a while for me to accept and move on, but now I feel that not only am I better for having had them in my life, but I know that everything happens for a reason.