God sets the scene

I mentioned a couple months back that I felt God provided photographs for me to take. God sets the scene and puts me in place to snap the shutter. And I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I felt uninspired, that I had lost that connection. Well all it took was a ride through the eastern mountains. I’m headed to my daughter’s for Thanksgiving with a stop by my mother-in-law and I decided to make it a two day trip and get off 95. Some friends at artshow_photo@yahoogroups.com gave me a different route of picking up 26 in South Carolina, then to 77, then to 81. They said if I took this way I would never drive 95 again. They may be right, at least when my trip goes first to Charlottesville. Interstate 77 is breathtakingly beautiful in spots even with the trees not at their best because of the drought. Unfortunately, traffic was heavy and it was just too dangerous to pull off to the side on the interstate for a photograph. I did do a side trip looking for Lake Wateree State Park but I never did find the park or if I did it really wasn’t worth a mention on an interstate sign. I did find the lake but really didn’t find any good photographs there. So I was feeling inspired but frustrated.

I pulled out of a rest area and the truck wasn’t acting right. It could have been that it was not used to the kind of hills I was doing but it just didn’t feel right. So I took the next exit and stopped at a gas station just to turn it off for a few moments (and to get a Powerball ticket). While in the gas station I noticed that there was an antique store across the street with some cool looking stuff so I drove across the street. When I got out I saw the photograph above. I believe that coincidences are God choosing to remain anonymous and what coincidences had to transpire to put me in that place at that time. By the way, the truck worked fine after that.

Tonight I’m safely in a nice warm motel with an aching knee and tomorrow I head to Charlottesville via 11 and 64. My daughter has given me some directions to her place that send me through some of my favorite roads too. Hopefully there will be more photographs over the next few days.

I missed the mountains, especially in Fall. But if I were here all the time I would miss the warmth and birds of Florida. Snow flurries called for tomorrow. That part I don't miss!

Naples here I come

Well I have been heard to say lately that the west coast (of Florida) doesn’t seem to like me much, having gotten 5 rejections in the past two weeks, of which, all but one were the west coast. Well Bonita Springs, Tampa, and Ft. Myers may not like me but it appears that Naples does. I’m now in the Naples Invitational Art Festival and the Naples National Art Festival. I’m especially excited about getting into the Naples National because I’m going to take the time between St. Stephens and the Naples National to spend a week in the Everglades taking pictures. Hopefully my sister will join me and we can have an adventure together.

I’d planned on taking pictures all weekend but a change in plans for Thanksgiving has me preparing to leave for Virginia next weekend instead of the Monday after the weekend so I am Christmas shopping and getting my nails done and all that prep stuff. Tomorrow is free though and I intend to be out at dawn.

In my free time today I’ve been appeasing the photography bug by going through some of my older pictures and reworking them. Let me know what you think of the one above.

I probably won’t post again until after Thanksgiving so everyone remember that the key to having what you want is wanting what you have so be grateful for all the little things.

Lake Mary-Heathrow

Ahh, Lake Mary. I wish I could do that show every weekend. It’s close to home. I get to sleep in my own bed at night. And better yet, appreciative people who buy. And I had the wonderful experience of seeing previous buyers. It’s so nice to hear, “I bought a picture from you last year and it looks wonderful”. I can’t say enough nice things about the people who put on the show. They know me, come by and check on me, and really care how things are going. And I was awarded third place in photography. All in all, a pleasant weekend and a good end to the fall season.

No photographs this weekend. I chose to leave the camera at home and I regretted it. I’ll have to paint a word photograph – A beautiful calico cat sunning itself in the window across from my booth in a home with beige walls and black shutters which just match the colors of the cat, a tree just beside the window.

Since I didn’t get into Disney, I’m going to take next weekend to go take some new photographs. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. I think maybe I’ll go back to Ocala or maybe to Kissimmee and try to get some eagles in flight. Or do the boat ride on the Dora Canal. So many photographs to take, so little time.