Pieces of My Life

Every time i lift my camera to my eye. I realized that every photo i take is a piece of my life i will never get back, but i will always be able to see again and again. - Malcolm Flowers

I borrowed this quote from one of my Facebook friends today.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Choices

"I choose…to live by choice, not by chance. To make changes, not excuses. To be motivated, not manipulated. To be useful, not used. To excel, not compete. I choose self-esteem, not self pity. I choose to listen to my inner voice. Not the random opinion of others."

~Unknown

We all have many choices to make in life.  Those range from the simple things, like what am I going to wear today to what am I going to do with the rest of my life.   The choices we make determine how successful we're going to be, how happy we're going to be, etc.  These choices, however, don't only effect us; they effect all those who we meet.   They determine whether we're going to be a positive force in the lives of those we meet, or a negative one.  So,  when you're faced with important decisions today, or in the future, think about the long-term effects those decisions will have on your life and the lives of others.

I wish you well.

Beauty

"It is the mind which creates the world around us,
and even though we stand side by side in the same meadow,
my eyes will never see what is behold by yours,
my heart will never stir to the same emotions
with which yours is touched."
George Gissing (1857-1903) England/France

Well, after conducting my five day photo workshop, spending 3 1/2 weeks in Yellowstone, and then trying to catch up after returning home,  I think I can finally start doing this blog again.   I hope you've missed my posts just a little bit.  :-)

I think this quote is so true.  What one person finds beautiful, and what stirs emotions within them, may not effect another person at all.  We're all different and what effects us depends on our past, our emotional screens, etc.  As a photographer, I try to photograph not only what moves me, but also what I think stirs the same emotions in my viewer.  One way to do that is to look at publications, fine art, etc. to see what is being produced and, more importly, what is sellnig.  Determining what will sell is one of the biggest challenges for any kind of artist, because it's an ever-changing target.

It's Your Life - Live It!

I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.  I don't know who wrote this, but I saw it on Facebook today and thought it was worth sharing.

Are you living the life you want?   Are you proud of what you're doing?  Do you wish things were different?  Do you think you can do a better job?   Only you are in control of those things.  Only you can change your life and make it want YOU want.  If you're not living a life you're proud of, only you can make a difference.   If you're not happy with the way things are, why not start making changes today that will give you the life you were meant to live?  Until you do, nothing will change.  So, if you need to make changes, start making them today.  Live the life you want.  Don't settle for anything less! 

I wish these things for you and hope you have a wonderful day.

Look and Listen

Are you looking at the world or just seeing it?  Do you really listen to music or just hear it?

Does this sound crazy?  If so, just think about it for a minute, because it makes sense.  When you walk around, your eyes are open, so you're naturally going to SEE things, but are you really looking?  Assumming your ears work, you are going to hear sounds, but are you really listening?   Are you looking at the details of a flower or noticing how the light brings out the brilliant colors of a simple object?  Are you noticing the variety of colors in a sunset or the reflections in a puddle of water?   If  not, you're missing the joy and the  wonder of the world around you.

When you hear music, are you listening to the beat or to the sounds of the different musical instruments?  Do you hear the nuances of the musical score or notice the compleities of the chords or do you merely HEAR the music?  If you truly listen, you'll notice these things and the music will be more enjoyable and more meaningful to you.

Just for today, try really looking at your world and really listening to the music you hear and to the sounds of nature.  You'll probably be surprised at how much more you enjoy your day.

New Opportunities

Every day brings us a new opportunity to start over.  Yesterday is gone and you can't change it.  You can, however, make changes in your life today that will improve your life in the future.  So, take a few minutes to evaluate how your life is going, determine what changes you need to make to improve it and start making those changes today. Life is too short to procrastinate about doing the important things.  Once a day is gone, it's gone and you can't get it back.  Make each day be your best day and start now.

This picture was taken at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park a few years ago.  Every time we go there it looks different.  It's effected by many things, such as the weather, how dry the air is, how well the hot springs are working, the passage ot time, etc.  What things are effecting your life?  What things are making you change?  Are you changing for the better or sliding backwards?  What changes do you need to make to ensure that your life is going in the right direction?   This natural wonder has no control over what happens to it, but you do.  Each day when you get up, remember that this is the first day of the rest of your life and that what you do, and how you think, does have an impact on the rest of your life.  So, put a smile on your face and have a wonderful and productive day.

Preserve Our Natural Resources

"The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value."  Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), USA

Do you think Teddy Roosevelt would be proud of the way we're treating our natureal resources?  I seriously doubt that he would.  He'd probably think that we're being totally irresponsible in how we're using, and abusing, them.   Are most of our citizens recycling instead of sending everythinng to the landfills?  Are we keeping our water clean to preserve health?  Are we protecting our animals?   I'd say that the answer to most of these question is no.  Why aren't our leaders providing more ways to recycle?  Why aren't our water sources being protected?   Why aren't our animals being protected instead of driven into extinction?   If every person would start recycling, think about how much difference that would make.  Are you doing everything you can to preserve our resources for the next generation?  If not, spend a few minutes today, thinking about what more you could do.

I've been busy and haven't been keeping up with my blogging, but I'll try to do better.  If you enjoy reading it, please let me know, so I'll know that it's worth continuing to post on a regular basis.   I hope you have a wonderful day!

Enjoy Nature

I heard on TV this morning that looking at trees and flowers increases mental clarity, even if it's just looking at them in pictures.  So, next time you're having a spell of brain fog, just get outside and enjoy nature's bounty or, at least, look at a beautiful picture of nature.  It'll increase your thinking ability and productivity.  I also heard that spending a few minutes on sites such as Facebook can increase your ability to focus when you return to work.  Of course, they added that you should remember to return to work after just a few minutes.  Otherwise, you may have trouble with your employer.  Or, if you're self-employed, like me, you may not get anything done.

I hope you have a wonderful and productive day.  Don't forget to spend some time enjoying nature.  You'll be glad you did.

The Ocean

"The Ocean: A body of water occupying about two-thirds of a world made for man -  who has no gills."
Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914), USA

Interesting!

I Believe

"I believe in the sun even if it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent."

This quote was in an email I received today and I thought it was worth sharing.   The picture that came with the quote was of a statue in Iraq showing one of our soldiers mourning the loss of his comrades.  Let's remember, and pray for, our brave soldiers today as they fight for freedom.  It doesn't matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat or whether or not you support the war, the soldiers still need your prayers & your support.

At The Water Hole

"We return to old water holes for more than water, we return because friends and dreams are there to meet us."  An old African saying

Isn't it true that we return to places where friends and family members are there to greet us and to nourish our souls?   We need those connections in our lives, those ties that bind us to the past and give us strength to face the future. 

Now for a photo tip.  I used a Topaz plug-in to get the painterly look in this photo.  If you've never tried these plug-ins, they're a lot of fun and fairly inexpensive.  Just go to topaz.com and try the plug-ins free for 30 days.  If you like them, you can buy them after that.  If not, at least you'll have fun playing with them for awhile.

The Cathedral of Summer

"I walk without flinching through the cathedral of the summer.  My bank of wild grass is majestic & full of music.  It is a fire that solitude presses against my lips."  Violette Leduc (1907-1972), France

If you look hard enough, you can find beauty almost everywhere.  All you have to do is look at the world through the eyes of a child, because children see beauty and wonder in the simplest things.  So, try to find that child-like quality  in yourself when you look at the world.  It will look like a better place if you do.

A Better World

Have you improved someone's day today?  Have you made someone's life a little brighter? Have you made someone feel important?  Think how much better the world would be if each of us tried to do that each day.  You may be thinking "I don't have time." or "I don't know what to do."  Well, if you think about it, you probably have a friend or family member who would appreciate it if you spent 5 minutes talking to them on the phone or stopped by for a short visit.  Or perhaps the checker at the grocery store would feel better if you just smiled at her.  If someone is having a bad day, something as simple as a smile or a kind word can make them feel like there is hope, that life isn't so bad, after all.   Often the simplest things can make someone feel better & turn their day around.  So, join me in trying to make at least one person feel better each day.  And, while we're at it, let's not forget that those closest to us need those positive vibes each day too.  For now,  I hope these flowers improve your day.  :-)

Into The Light

 "Come forth into the light of things, Let nature be your teacher." ~Wordsworth

Nature can be a wonderful teacher if you just take enough time to let the lessons sink in.   This may require that you go sit in the woods and let the golden rays of the sun shine through the trees until they rest on your head.  The energy of the sun will then soak into you and give you warmth, hope and a new sense of peace.

I wish you a day filled with peace, love and joy.  :-)

I Am

"I am the dust of the sunlight, I am the ball of the sun.
I am the mist of morning, the breath of evening.
I am the spark in the stone, the gleam of gold in the metal.
The rose and the nightingale drunk with its fragrance.
I am the chain of being, the circle of the spheres,
The scale of creation, the rise and the fall.
I am what is and what is not . . . .
I am the soul in all.
Jalil al-Din Rumi (1207-1273), Persia

Courage

"Whatever you do, you need courage.
Whatever course you decide upon,
there is always someone to tell you
that you are wrong.
There are always difficulties arising
that tempt you to believe that your
critics are right.
To map out a course of action and follow
it to the end requires some of the same
courage that a soldier needs.
Peace has its victories, but it takes brave
men and women to win them."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), USA

Meditation

"An ancient master said.
The mountains, the rivers, the whole earth,
the entire array of phenomena are all oneself.
If you can absorb the essence of this message,
there are no activities outside of meditation:
you dress in meditation & eat in meditation;
you walk, stand, sit and lie down in meditation;
you preserve and think in meditation;
you experience joy, anger, sadness,
and happiness in meditation."
Muso (1275-1351, (Japen)

This goes way beyond what I think of as meditation but, perhaps, if we're in-tune with ourselves, we are always meditating to some extent.  I don't know.  What do you think?

Good vs Evil

A Native American was talking to his grandson about how he felt.

He said:
"I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart.
One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one.
The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one."

The grandson asked him,
"Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?"

The grandfather answered,
"The one I feed."

Native American parable

We all have internal struggles.  Whether the good or the bad wins out, depends on which one we focus on and which one we "feed".

What Soothes Your Soul?

"It is the mind which creates the world around us,
and even though we stand side by side in the same meadow,
my eyes will never see what is beheld by yours,
my heart will never stir to the emotions with which yours is touched."
George Gissing

I firmly believe this is true, because we all see things, hear things, understand things based on our own filters.  The experiences we have in life have a profound impact on how we react to what happens in life, be it observing a beautiful scene or trying to recover from a disastrous event.  No two of us are exactly alike.  I'm not even sure about identical twins, because they must have some unique experiences that make them see things just a little bit differently.  Since I'm not a scientist, I don't know that for sure, but it makes sense to me.

What unique experiences have you had that make you appreciate certain types of art, literature or music?   If you had been raised in a different place, or had different parents, would you see things differently?   Which one of these pictures "soothes your soul"?  Or, maybe none of them do and that's ok too.  Art is very subjective and we don't have to like the same things or react to thing in the same manner. 

Feel free to leave your thought here for others to read.  Plus, that way I'll know that someone is still reading my blog.

Emotions Out of Control

"Emotion turning back on itself,
and not leading on to thought or action,
is the element of madness." John Sterling (1806-1844), Scotland/England

Do these clouds remind you of a world gone mad?  Is this how you feel when you don't deal with your emotions?  Do you feel totally out of control & subject to whatever the world wants to dump on you?   When you have negative feelings, or positive ones for that matter, deal with them.  Don't hide them away or at some point, when you least expect it, they'll re-surface and bite you in the behind.  It's better to deal with emotions when we initially experience them and may be better prepared to deal with them.  Emotions seem to build if they're repressed, so deal with those feeling when they arise.  It may be difficult, but you'll be better off for it in the long run. 

Reflections

Reflections can make very interesting subjects for pictures, but you have to make sure that the subject itself is interesting.  Sometimes something as simple as these rocks will work to bring the viewer into the picture.  There was too much distracting information in the background here, so I eliminated it to focus on the rocks and a few of the weeds.  I hope you enjoy it.

The Power of Music

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." Victor Hugo (1802-1855), France

Sometimes music can express what words can't.  If you don't believe this, look at the number of opera goers who are wiping their eyes during the entire opera even though they can't understand one single word of the song.  The tone, the expression of the singer, the beauty of the voice can often say volumes.  Although you might not be able to tell exactly what problems the actor/actress is having, you can feel the deepness of their pain through the music.  One of my cousins told me recently about listening to a song while on vacation.  She couldn't understand one single word of what the singer was saying, but the music was so powerful that it moved her to tears.   They say that music can soothe the soul.  I don't know about you, but I think it's true. 

You've probably seen this picture before, but I wanted to use it again with this quote.  The guitar was my moms.  She played it for me when I was a kid, played it for my grandsons & I've played it a little bit as well, although I'm not very good.  The sax is a Melody C, which my grandpa played in the Union Pacific Band years ago and my mom played later in high school.  She stopped playing it because they stopped producing music for it.  I don't know anything about saxophones, but my son said it's totally different than the one he played.  The violin is the one I played for about four years in junior high school.  I haven't touched it since and, unfortunately, the bridge is broken and the horsehair has come out of the bow.  Perhaps I'll get it fixed some day, but would have no idea how to play it now.

I hope you've enjoyed this rather long-winded blog and will visit again.  Have a wonderful week-end!

The Mind & The Sky

"The mind should be a vastness like the sky.  Mental events should be allowed to disperse like clouds."  Longchenpa  (1308-1363), Tibet

This seems like pretty good advice to me, because if we dwell on worthless or negative thoughts it impacts our entire state of being.  So, next time your thoughts get you down, just remember this quote & look up at the vastness of the sky & try to focus on something positive.  Most negative thoughts seem to get worse if you dwell on them, so try to rekax & put your thought in perspective.  Have a great day!

To Dare or Not To Dare

"The dare is to lose one's footing momentarily.  To not dare, is to lose oneself." Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Denmark

I'm not saying that it's necessary that you climb the Grand Teton.  What I am saying, however, is that sometimes you have to move out of your comfort zone and take a risk.  That risk may be a new job, the purchase of a new home or investment or, perhaps, just to stand up in front of people and give a speech.  Change & taking risks can be scary, but just like in this picture of The Grand,  reaching out and taking risks, can bring new light and unexpected pleasures.  I think we constantly have to analyze what we're doing to determine if we're growing, and expanding our horizons, or just staying where we're comfortable.  Comfort's great, but learning and doing new things can add new joy to our lives.  So, take a look at your life and see if you're happy with where you are.  If you're not you, and only you, have the opportunity to change it.

Superior or Inferior?

"The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to the other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creatures that cannot." Mark Twain (1835-1910), USA

Is man superior to other animals?  Does the fact that he can make decisions and then still do wrong make him inferior?   Mark Twain was always good about giving us things to think about.  What's your opinion?

Seeing

"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera." Dorothea Lange

I think this quote is so true.  Once you become a photographer it seems that your eyes see more and appreciate the world around you just a little bit more.  Looking through the viewfinder of a camera opens your eyes to beauty that you might not have noticed before, a spider web or maybe a drop of dew on a blade of grass.  You just seem to notice these things more than before you picked up a camera for the first time.  It is strange, though, because as photographers, we often travel to distant locations to get pictures of wonderful landscapes, architectural marvels, etc. when there are beautiful and interesting subjects in our own towns.  This is a picture of  an old, historic courthouse.  I've lived in this area for many years, but had not taken a picture of the courthouse until I was doing an assignment for a client last year.  Sometimes the things that are closest to us are the last things we think to photograph.  So, take advantage of this 4th of July week-end, grab your camera and photograph some wonderful things in your own town.   Then post them on Facebook, so we can all enjoy them.

Have a safe and wonderful 4th of July with your friends and family.

Opportunities

"Always remember that every obstacle is a test and an opportunity." Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Where would we be today if our forefathers had looked at the mountains as they were heading West, and decided that they were too tall, that there was absolutely no way around them, and just given up?  Or, what if Columbus had decided that the seas to the New World were too rough and just given up?  Sometimes things in life just aren't that easy.  That doesn't mean, however, that they're not worth working for or worth fighting for, and that we should just crawl back into our little shells and give up.  If you really want something badly enough, or think something is important enough, just do whatever it takes to get it done.  That's how changes are made, countries discovered and new things invented. It just takes perseverance, time and courage.  So, next time you encounter an obstacle that you think you can't overcome, figure out what you need to do to accomplish your goal and just do it.

A Glance of the Eye

"An eye can threaten like a leveled and loaded gun, or it can insult like hissing or kicking;  or, in its altered mood, by beams of kindness, it can make the heart dance for joy . . . .
One of the most wonderful things in nature is a glance of the eye; it transcends speech; it is the bodily symbol of identity." Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), USA

When you were a kid, did your mom ever give you one of those looks that made you know, without her saying one single word, that she meant business and that you'd better move?   Or, did your child ever look up at you, with such loving eyes, that you didn't really care about the mess they'd made?  Our eyes can express anger, frustration, sadness or love.  They can tell another person what kind of mood we're in.  They can be so intense that they stop us in our tracks.  They can give us away if we're lying and they can tell someone that we love them.  They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul.  I hope that today your eyes will express happiness, peace and love to all those who you meet.  Have a wonderful day!

The Art of Photography

"I want to expose people to nature and wilderness and wildlife, and make a difference, but also do it in a way that has all the elements of what we consider traditional art: the creativity, the composition, the light, design, texture, whatever it might be, and the moment."  Conor Risch
I found this quote in PDN Magazine yesterday and thought it was worth sharing.  All of the things Conor mentions are important to good photography.  You can take pictures of a scene, but without the proper lighting it's not going to be as dramatic as it would be otherwise.  The same thing applies to "capturing the moment" when you're photographing wildlife or people.  You can take wonderful pictures, but if your subject is not doing something interesting, it's just not going to have the impact that you want. So, be patient, wait for the right light, compose creatively and capture the moment.

Have a great day and Happy Shooting!

The Sandhills of Yellowstone

Sometimes something as simple as a sandhill crane sitting on a nest in the middle of a pond can convey a sense of peace and joy.   Although we'd seen sandhills in Yellowstone before, I enjoyed watching this pair more than the others.  Perhaps it was because they were in such a beautiful setting,  because they were so interesting or because they looked so peaceful.  The female remained on the nest while the male dug in the shallow pond to get more debris for the nest.  He then flew over to the side of the pond to look for food for his mate.   Based on what we'd seen in other nests, it was too early for their eggs to have hatched, due to the extreme cold weather in Yellowstone this spring, but soon there will be little sandhill cranes running through the grass.  I wish we were going to be there to see them, but we had to return home to our normal lives.  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted and I guess all good things must come to an end.  Visit http://carolynfox.photoshelter.com/ to see more new pictures.

I hope you enjoy the sandhills and have a wonderful day.

Advice from Little Bear

Do you remember Little Bear?  Well, he decided to come out of hiding to give you a litlle piece of advice.  When he was in Yellowstone last year, he observed the workshop particants running here and there to get that "perfect" shot.  As you can see here, however, he sat down in front of these flowers and took a little time to relax.  Now that doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with trying hard to get the picture you want, or working diligently to succeed in your job.  But, sometimes if you slow down for just a few minutes and take time to "smell the roses", you replenish your sense of self and breathe a little extra passion into whatever project you're working on.  So, next time you're working so hard that you begin to lose track of where you are, start forgetting little details or get so tired that you can hardly move, remember this advice from Little Bear, because he knows things.  No matter what he's doing, he always takes time to smell the roses.   He never gets migraines.  He never gets an upset stomach and he's never going to have a stroke or a heart attack.  How about you?

I hope you have a wonderful day and take a few minutes to stop and smell the roses.

The Hunt

"Until the lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter." African Proverb

The Simple Beauty of Nature

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.  Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simply beauty of nature."  Anne Frank (1929-1945), Netherlands.

If you ever feel like things are too crazy and that your life is spinning out of control, find a beautiful spot outside where you can relax and commune with nature.  It will help to put things back into perspective and rejuvenate your soul.

I wish you a day filled with beauty, love and inspiration.

Make It Happen!

I know I've been neglecting my blog lately, but I'll try to get back with the program.  :-)

Whether you're trying to win a war or trying to learn to play a muscial instrument, this quote from Michael Jordon might apply.

"Some people want it to happen,
Some wish it would happen,
Others make it happen."

Make sure you're one of those who make it happen.  If it wasn't for those types of people, we probably wouldn't have electricity, wonderfully talented musicians or great works of art and we'd probably still be ruled by England.  It takes persistence, hard work and courage to change things or to learn something new, but the rewards can be tremendous.

I hope you have a wonderful day and learn at least one new thing.  We shouldn't stop learning, just because we stop going to school.  Learning should be a life-long process.

To alter or not to alter - That is the question

Colors can look quite different depending on the light and the time of the day we visit an area.  Sometimes, however, we can't be at a spot at the ideal time.  So, what do we do?   Do we just leave the picture the way it was taken or do we change it?   I guess purists would say that we should leave it the way it was taken, that we shouldn't mess with nature.   Although there is some validity in that point of view, I like to keep the original version and then see what I can do with the colors in PhotoShop.  The bottom version shows what the scene looked like, with a little lightening & a little color correction for too much blue.  The top version was modified to show how the colors would have looked if I'd taken the picture earlier in the day.  I like this one best because the colors are more like what I think of when I envision "fall colors".  Which do you prefer?

Alone in the Woods

"Deep in the woods I sat for a long time with the trees.
Feeling their roots reach deep in the ground,
watching their leaves stretch toward heaven,
basking in the joy of being present
with their beauty."  Author Unknown

This picture was taken in Montana a couple of years ago.   I added a little lens flare in PhotoShop to create a more dramatic effect.  Isn't it strange how we try to avoid lens flare "in camera" and then sometimes add it in PhotoShop?    LOL!

I hope you enjoy the quote and the picture.  Have a wonderful day.  :-)

The Negative and the Score

"The negative is comparable to the composer’s score and the print to its performance."  Ansel Adams.

It seems like Ansel Adams is trying to tell us that if we take pictures, but don't share them, so others can enjoy their beauty, it's like having beautiful music that never gets played.   So, don't just leave those wonderful photos on your hard drive, share them with others, so they can enjoy the beauty that you saw when you took the picture. 

Enjoy your day!

Great Blue"

"I asked the earth, I asked the seas and the deeps, among the living animals, the things that creep.  I asked the winds that blow,  I asked the heavens, the sun, the moon, the stars and all things that stand at the doors of my flesh . . .
My question was the gaze I turned to them.
Their answer was their beauty."
St. Augustine of Hippo  (354-430), North Africa

This is another version of the heron shot I posted a couple of days ago.  I almost deleted the original picture, because the heron was so far away.  Instead, I decided to keep it and see what I could come up with by using some filters, plug-ins, etc.  This is one of the results.  You may like it and you may not, but I'm glad I kept it. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week-end and a Happy Easter with friends and family.

Dance Like an Angel

"It is no doubt possible to fly - but first you must know how to dance like an angel."  Friedrich Nietzsche ((1844-1900),  Germany

I used a slow shutter speed to photograph this wind thing at the kite festival Sat.  Is this dancing like an angel?

Lake Butte Subadult - Known to locals as Snow

My husband and I watched Snow for about four hours yesterday.  It was interesting to see how she made her way through the many downed trees.  Sometimes she'd find food close to the logs and other times she would walk across the logs to get to another destination.  Walking across the logs is easier than trying to walk between the big pieces of dead wood and conserving energy is important for the bears especially this time of the year.  

There were no rangers present the whole time we were there which surprised me, but their summer staff is gone and there just aren't enough rangers to go around.  At one point Snow started to walk towards the road but apparently decided that she didn't want to deal with all the people and turned and started up the hill.  I'm glad she made that decision because she spends too much time on and near the road.  Although the rangers have been trying to change her behavior it's very difficult to do that when she was raised by the road.  I hope she stays inside the park and stays away from the road.  She's a beautiful bear and I want her to stay safe.

We Have The Power!

If someone treats you badly, or says something that upsets you, don't let that ruin your day.  Others cannot control our thoughts or our actions; only we can do that.  So, if you've had an unpleasant encounter with someone, just remember to rise above the situation and rely on your inner strength to see you through.   No one can make us happy or unhappy.  No one has control over our minds or our feelings.  Only we have that power.  We just have to remember to use it.

I hope you have a great day.

Did You Floss Today?

I saw this guy at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska on Tuesday.  To me, he seems to be saying, "Did you floss today?".  I wonder, do animals think?  Do they look at us sometimes and wonder what the heck we're thinking?   I had pets all the time I was growing up, everything from dogs and cats to horses, & I'm sure that's what they were thinking sometimes.  They'd just get that look in their eyes and you knew they were thinking something. 

 Anyway, I thought this little guy was cute and wanted to share him with you.  You're welcome to leave your opinion here on whether or not animals consciously think.  Personally, I'm sure they do.  Otherwise, how could they get those adorable looks in their eyes? 

Have a great week-end!

The Goose in the Moon

"I saw eternity the other night; Like a great ring of pure endless light, All calm, as it was bright;
And round beneath it, Time in hours, days, years, Driven by the spheres, Like a vast shadow moved."
By Henry Vaughn (1621-1695), Wales

This is one of the pictures I took in Nebraska a couple of weeks ago.  We didn't get any good shots of cranes that evening, but there were plenty of geese to shoot.   Have you even tried to get a picture of a goose in front of the moon?   It isn't easy.