Today is the finale of Strawberry Days. And as I have mentioned I have been running ragged, and taking the chance for naps anytime I can get it. This year's celebration allowed for some nap time thanks to two lovely ladies: Shanna and Cat.
They came on board with me as Photo Avengers! (Well, not really. But that kind of team name would be so cool.) Instead we are the Strawberry Days photography team. We divided the events and conquered them all. Cat still has the Saturday night rodeo but she will be great. Then we will have thousands of photos to sort though and edit and collect and turn into the committee and the City for the website and future print and web campaigns for years to come.
There is no way I could do another year like the last three. The events are bigger each year, and they add one or two more each time as well. I simply can't be in that many places at the same time. So these lovely women, out of the goodness of their hearts, volunteers to share the load.
Thanks is a tiny word to express my gratitude for having nap time and cohorts and team members who are smarter and more talented than I am. And they also inspire me to leanr more about my camera and its capabilities.
But for now I am just glad that I got the shots I did, and that they were there to lend a helping hand.
Photo-Avengers, Assemble!!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
They Call The Thing...RODEO
Wednesday night I was at the rodeo shooting it for the Strawberry Days committee. It was a patriotic, family-fun kind of night.
Cowboys, cowboys, everywhere. I must say, that you have to be a little
bit crazy to strap yourself onto the back of some of these beasts.
But these guys are also athletic. Take a look at this guy's stretch...his toe is completely to the left...and his hip is twisting clear around.
And here a lot of folks can't even touch their toes in yoga pants, and this guy is nearly a pretzel in wranglers and boots.
The mamas and their babies were introduced. Can't have a rodeo without the livestock program breeding these beautiful animals.
To quote Garth Brooks, "Well it's bulls and blood
It's dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in the buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo!"
It's dust and mud
It's the roar of a Sunday crowd
It's the white in his knuckles
The gold in the buckle
He'll win the next go 'round
It's boots and chaps
It's cowboy hats
It's spurs and latigo
It's the ropes and the reins
And the joy and the pain
And they call the thing rodeo!"
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Good Timing or Band Wagon Jumping?
It is Strawberry Days here in town and yesterday was the first big day of activities. The biggest being the Concert in the Park with Free Strawberries and Cream...a local delicacy.
After photpgraphing that this evening I came home and realized that I hadn't watered my garden in a few (very dry, hot) days. So I went out to check it. Here is what I found.
Four ripe, berries from my own strawberry plants. Do you think they were just worried they weren't getting the attention they deserved? Or was it maybe they just were joiners, and wanted to be a part of the fun?
Either way, they were delicious.
After photpgraphing that this evening I came home and realized that I hadn't watered my garden in a few (very dry, hot) days. So I went out to check it. Here is what I found.
Four ripe, berries from my own strawberry plants. Do you think they were just worried they weren't getting the attention they deserved? Or was it maybe they just were joiners, and wanted to be a part of the fun?
Either way, they were delicious.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Differences of Opinion
There is a little primary election about to take place in our state next Tuesday for the Republicans. Two candidates are running for our state legislative seat. Another two are running for US senate. Both races are getting ugly.
And I am a registered independent.
Because the primaries here are closed, I am unable to vote next week unless I change my party affiliation, just for the primary. Well, no republican around here is worth that feeling that I have sold myself off to the predominate party. So I am interested in what happens--let's be honest here. Republicans seem to rule the local world. What they decide affect me. But there are principles here that I wholeheartedly disagree with in these races.
One that came up yesterday was that a member of our stake, using our ward member emails, is emailing me very negative messages about the candidate that I will choose to support when the time comes that I can vote (in November). I support him because of his stand for public education issues that I believe in.
Her emails, as passionate as they can be, are not the truth as I have researched it. She is so convinced that the State Common Core standards are some kind of Obama-administration-led conspiracy theory to take over and run our local schools. The most curious part of this camp is that the majority of folks who so passionate declare these falsehoods are in the charter school or home schooling vein. They don't even have their kids in mainstream public education, and therefore, the common core does not apply. So of they get their way, parents who are not the majority of the public school students will be making choices for the students for whom they have not stewardship.
The other very disturbing thing, to me at least, is that these people seemingly have very strong testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which, as I understand and believe, relies heavily on an individual's right to choose for himself. But they want to deny me that choice for my own family. Just like the Sex Ed bill that tried to remove the "opt out" choice for parents in favor of teaching only abstinence. luckily for my mental health, the governor was wise enough to veto that one on the premise that parents should get to choose for their own kids.
The other disturbing part of this is the idea that one candidate is more "righteous" than another. That is not what that little "r" after their name means.
I just want it to be over. Waiting for the presidential election until November is unsettling enough, but this kind of neighborhood brawl waiting to happen just makes my stomach sick. And makes me less enthusiastic about the Strawberry Days parade...where these holier than thou candidates will certainly be this weekend.
And I am a registered independent.
Because the primaries here are closed, I am unable to vote next week unless I change my party affiliation, just for the primary. Well, no republican around here is worth that feeling that I have sold myself off to the predominate party. So I am interested in what happens--let's be honest here. Republicans seem to rule the local world. What they decide affect me. But there are principles here that I wholeheartedly disagree with in these races.
One that came up yesterday was that a member of our stake, using our ward member emails, is emailing me very negative messages about the candidate that I will choose to support when the time comes that I can vote (in November). I support him because of his stand for public education issues that I believe in.
Her emails, as passionate as they can be, are not the truth as I have researched it. She is so convinced that the State Common Core standards are some kind of Obama-administration-led conspiracy theory to take over and run our local schools. The most curious part of this camp is that the majority of folks who so passionate declare these falsehoods are in the charter school or home schooling vein. They don't even have their kids in mainstream public education, and therefore, the common core does not apply. So of they get their way, parents who are not the majority of the public school students will be making choices for the students for whom they have not stewardship.
The other very disturbing thing, to me at least, is that these people seemingly have very strong testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which, as I understand and believe, relies heavily on an individual's right to choose for himself. But they want to deny me that choice for my own family. Just like the Sex Ed bill that tried to remove the "opt out" choice for parents in favor of teaching only abstinence. luckily for my mental health, the governor was wise enough to veto that one on the premise that parents should get to choose for their own kids.
The other disturbing part of this is the idea that one candidate is more "righteous" than another. That is not what that little "r" after their name means.
I just want it to be over. Waiting for the presidential election until November is unsettling enough, but this kind of neighborhood brawl waiting to happen just makes my stomach sick. And makes me less enthusiastic about the Strawberry Days parade...where these holier than thou candidates will certainly be this weekend.
Monday, June 18, 2012
And...They're OFF!
The Boy looking too cool for his own good.
Genius Golfer and The Boy...before. For comparison with how dirty they will
undoubtedly be by Friday.
The whole group....they called themselves the Blue Man Group this morning. Happy Trails, boys.
Genius Golfer and The Boy left this morning for their weeklong, high-adventure trip with the Young Men from our ward. They had about 9 leaders and another 17 or so boys. They are headed to Moab, UT for a little slick-rock mountain biking, white eater rafting, and some slot canyon repelling.
I was happy the GG got to go with them. He is the leader for the 14-15 year old group of boys. I noticed that his vehicle--he drove my Durango--was the first vehicle to fill up with boys. Mr. Popularity, I guess. Here is hoping for a perfectly safe week and a lot of fun and memories along the way.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
