Missing You

Still...

I had written this post a while back for Mother's Day. But, for the life of me, I could not find this photograph! I finally found it this week. Still appropriate in light of mom's 'anniversary' on Oct. 1.

What I wanted to share was more about my relationship with my mother who became a dear friend and kindred spirit to me in my adult life.

One of the things that my mom loved most was to have me wash her back when she was in the tub. I know it may sound odd, but it’s right in there with having your back scratched. It was one of life’s simple pleasures for her. There was a big mole on the left side of her back that looked as though it was ready to fall off. No matter how hard I scrubbed her back, it never fell off! From time to time, she would also have me wash her hair. It was a ritual that I’ve almost forgotten about. The old beige bath tub that often was all a family of 8 (four boys and two girls) had to bathe in when the other bathroom needed repair and dad was too busy working and my brothers were too young to know how (I seem to recall that that bathroom was out of commission for at least a full year). During the summer drought years, water was a scarcity and we would all have to share the same bath water.

Setting her hair was another ‘task’ of mine (although I never saw it as a task). I was mom’s helper not only in the household, but also in the ‘beauty‘ department. I must’ve started when I was 8 years old? It was pin curls back then. She showed me how to part her hair and pull up a strand of wet hair, twisting it gently and coiling it up and securing it with two bobbie pins criss-crossing each other, making an “x”. Later, sponge rollers became the craze and that’s what I set her hair with. After that came the rollers with the velcro on them. Raising six children all rather close in age and being a school teacher too, is an exhausting task. I know that these things that I did for her were her version of what we would see today as our spa retreats. Moments to relax and find peace from the hectic world. She was always appreciative of her live-in beautician. Quite a paradox since I was the world’s toughest tomboy!

Even after I was grown up and on my own, and would come home for visits, I would still do her hair and often her make up.

Sadly, after 30 years of marriage to my dad, they got divorced. It was a very traumatic event for all involved. I don’t think her heart ever mended from that, but she did learn to move forward. I don’t think the cause of death on the death certificate is ever listed as, “she died of a broken heart”. But, that would've been more accurate. In some ways, I think she did. I say this more in the context of observation than judgment.

In May of 1983 my older brother was getting married in Texas, so mom met up with me in San Diego where I was living at that time and we flew out to Texas together. Before flying out there, I took her on a shopping spree of sorts at Nordstrom’s to get her shoes, her dress, her lingerie for the wedding. My version of a ‘makeover’. I was a waitress back then and saved up for this spree. I did her hair. I did her make up. We wanted to look our best for this occasion; grabbing at whatever happiness we could as my marriage was not in the best of condition too as I was in the process of getting a divorce. We really didn’t know anyone at the wedding except my dad and my brother. The rest of our family couldn’t make the trip. The reception was at a lovely country club in Ft. Worth.This was the first time for me in this kind of setting! It seemed so posh. Mom and I hung out together at the reception and somewhere along the line, we needed to visit the ladies room. The bathroom had a foyer that had fantastic natural light that was softened by frosted glass. I had my old Nikon FE (film SLR) with me and grabbed the opportunity to photograph her. I made mom stand and pose for me and directed her on how to angle herself and how to look towards my camera. I propped the camera on the bathroom sink counter, set the timer, got in position as we both struck our poses. I was pleased as punch when I got the film developed. That portrait and the story behind it speaks volumes of the relationship I had with my mother.

I find myself compelled to tell bits and pieces of stories about my relationship with my mother, my kindred spirit. You’ll see postings about my mom around Mother’s Day and near the anniversary of her death. To see the other postings, type in the the word, “mom” in the search box at the top left of this blog. It should pull up all postings that I’ve done on my mom.

When you’re that close to someone, you never stop missing them. No matter how long it’s been since they’ve left.

Kayos, Kazoo, Kibosh and Kinkajous

ABC Wednesday is a word meme with participants from around the world. Our Host, Mrs. Nesbitt hails from Great Britain. Says Mrs. Nesbitt: "Some have been with us from the very first round, others have joined in along the way! What fun! Each week we are taken across the globe to see the varied and exciting contributions people have taken the time to discover and capture! ABC Wednesday is now entering a 3rd year of fun! I'll raise a glass to you all!". We started with the letter, "A" and each week we post something in regards to the next letter of the alphabet. This week's letter is, "K".

Kaleidescopes. What is it about kaleidoscopes? I find them to be mesmerizing and magical-two qualities that are hard for me to resist. This one is from a shop here in Albuquerque's Old Town called, La Casita de Kaleidescopes. I asked permission to take photos and let them know where they would be used and how. Shopkeeper, Pat Asay was very gracious about it. I will say that I was thrilled to find a kaleidoscope not too far from home. Between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, I didn't think one existed!

Katazome. Until September of 2007, I never heard of this process, let alone knew of it's existence! But, it was fascinating to learn about it and now I understand what an art it is to yield those beautiful shades of indigo on the textiles you see coming from Japan. Read more about the katazome workshop that I hosted here on my property two years ago here.

Kiln. In this case, a kiln for Raku firing. This is the kiln of the potter, Linda Vozar Sweet located in Jemez, NM.

Knot. As in, knots in wood (not ropes or your muscles!). I am perplexed as to how come this knot is lighter in color than the wood. Is it possible that whoever stained or painted this barn (which is where this knot is located) and skipped painting the knots just for this effect?

Ah, yes, and the 'new words' for the week! OK, I know EVERYONE knows what a kazoo is. But, it is a great "k" word, isn't it? And a lot of fun to play to the point of annoying your spouse with!!!

Kayo is slang for knockout (I didn't know that it was actually considered a word!). Kibosh is slang for nonsense or to put an end to. I don't think I've ever heard it used in a sentence. We'll all have to practice. Use it on your teenager to get that really puzzled look on their face!

And kinkajou? You might know it as a Sun Bear or a Honey Bear if you've seen it in a zoo. I wouldn't recommend it as a pet (mostly because most animals should be left in their natural habitat) because they are a nocturnal animal. It might not jive with your diurnal schedule!

In Loving Memory

This should be the motto of EVERY politician:

It seems that most if not all politicians loose focus of this (if they ever had it to begin with) and end up serving everything else but their constituents. But, not so with my dear friend, Delma Petrullo. She always went around saying that she is a lousy politician because she was here to serve her constituents.

She had the ability too, to make a huge impact on anyone that she crossed paths with. A very unique and special person she was.

This past Sept. 4th, the City of Rio Rancho dedicated and planted a tree in her memory. It was the first kind of tree memorial the city has had (you too can get one for someone for a mere $300.00 which is a lifetime guarantee along with the dedication plaque).

The dedication, having taken place early in the morning, lent itself to many, many shadows.

And many of our city's firemen were there too along with family and friends. Although, I did wonder why there was nary a police officer from the city there. A curious thing indeed.

This Sept. 24th, she would've been 61 years old/young.

Every week, a group of us from around the world post our shadow shots over at Hey Harriet. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted! You can also view all Shadow Shot postings I've done by scrolling all the way down and on the left side you will see an archive of labels for my posts. Look for Shadow Shot Sunday and click on that link for an "all you can view" buffet of shadow shots!

Juxtaposed Jabberwockys Juggling Their Joules

ABC Wednesday is a word meme with participants from around the world. Our Host, Mrs. Nesbitt hails from Great Britain. Says Mrs. Nesbitt: "Some have been with us from the very first round, others have joined in along the way! What fun! Each week we are taken across the globe to see the varied and exciting contributions people have taken the time to discover and capture! ABC Wednesday is now entering a 3rd year of fun! I'll raise a glass to you all!". We started with the letter, "A" and each week we post something in regards to the next letter of the alphabet. This week's letter is, "J".

Jalopy

This ol' beauty (aka jalopy) rests right off of the I-40 westbound not too far from the exit to the Petrified Forest in Arizona. It is there intentionally to commemorate the travel that took place on the historic Rt. 66.

Jabberwocky

A fantasy creature from the book, "Through the Looking Glass" written by Lewis Carroll. "Beware the jabberwock, my son!". Jabberwocky is more commonly (and I'm laughing to myself by using he reference of "commonly") as nonsensical writing in speech; especially for a comical effect.

Jongleur

"A wandering minstrel, poet, or entertainer in medieval England and France." (from the freedictionary.com). This is an image done by artist Marc Chagall.

Jackalope

No, I'm not the one who contrived this image of a Jackalope. I went out looking for one, but all I saw was a jackrabbit running across the road in front of me. He was traveling too fast for me to respond. Click here to see where I got this image from (interesting blog). I'm not sure if this is their own image or if they got it from some other source, but it is a great image! Right down to the antelope eyes. Too clever.

And, in hopes of delivering new words to your repertoire today, don't forget about jackscrew, juxtapose (another one of my favorite words), joule and jimson!

Molokai Canoe Club

"If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it!"

Unknown

One of my favorite early morning visits when I go home to Molokai is to swing by the Molokai Canoe Club just to see what kinds of canoes are parked there. I imagine the young men and women who practice paddling the canoe several times a week; maybe more as competition time approaches.

That's the Kaunakakai wharf that you see off in the background. Summers at home meant watching the barges come and go each day. The barge parked at the very end of the wharf and was filled up one large crate at a time full of the pineapples that were being harvested. When no more crates could fit on the barge, off it would go. I think there would be at least two barges a day coming and going between Molokai and Oahu. A moving, rectangular brown box going across the often turbulent, sapphire blue channel. It was like a measurement of time.

Funny, when I visit this spot in the early morning, I never run into anyone there. It is so peaceful and quiet; yet you can feel the energy that lives within these canoes. The energy from the paddlers. Even the location itself has a certain kind of energy. I can't quite describe it. It's like the energy that comes from the center of your being. Powerful. Quiet. But, there.

There are a lot of shadows that live here. I caught quite a few of them. But, I am releasing them to you all slowly, one by one. So, know that there are more shadows to come from this spot!

Every week, a group of us from around the world post our shadow shots over at Hey Harriet. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted! You can also view all Shadow Shot postings I've done by scrolling all the way down and on the left side you will see an archive of labels for my posts. Look for Shadow Shot Sunday and click on that link for an "all you can view" buffet of shadow shots!

Iambic, Incognito and Inane

"The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience."

-Emily Dickinson

ABC Wednesday is a word meme with participants from around the world. Our Host, Mrs. Nesbitt hails from Great Britain. Says Mrs. Nesbitt: "Some have been with us from the very first round, others have joined in along the way! What fun! Each week we are taken across the globe to see the varied and exciting contributions people have taken the time to discover and capture! ABC Wednesday is now entering a 3rd year of fun! I'll raise a glass to you all!". We started with the letter, "A" and each week we post something in regards to the next letter of the alphabet. This week's letter is, "I".

Imprints

Imprints of oryx tracks at White Sands Monument, NM. These creatures get very large and will defend themselves with their horns. They are residents of the White Sands Desert (brought in). Folks have told tales that their horns are sharp enough to go through a radiator. Some have seen a coyote impaled by these creatures...

Anyway, I was fortunate to NOT have a first hand encounter with this animal!

Ipu

This one is specifically a ipu heke. A Hawaiian percussion instrument used for hula dancing. Check out the provided links to find out more about this instrument. This is a particularly large ipu heke.

Incense

Incognito

That would be yours truly going incognito. Nothing like a pair of sunglasses and a hat to go 'underground' with!

And, let's not forget one of my most favorite "I" words: iambic as in iambic pentameter. I htink rap music falls into the definition of this.

Another good "I" word that I find myself using quite regularly is, inane.

And, last, but not least, is the imperial system. Before I committ any more infractions, I shall stop here!

Memories of the Conch Shell

I've been trying to photograph several conch shells that I own for quite some time. Each time, without the end result I was looking for. And then, a few weeks ago, while photographing the final images for this site, I discovered a suitable lighting situation for the conch! This image was taken with my cell phone. For you TMobile customers, I highly recommend the new phone that they came out with, the "myTouch" 3G phone that they just released. I usually don't have much use for "bells and whistles", but I love this phone! But, I digress....memories of the conch shell? Anyone who grew up in Hawaii knows that many a Hawaiian event-whether it's May Day or Aloha Week, or other various occasions that are specific Hawaiian celebrations, the pageantry, or show starts off with some young man dressed in skimpy attire (not unlike a loincloth) blowing a conch shell from the back of the auditorium. This is the 'announcement' that the ceremony is about to begin. He blows it as loud as he can once from the back. Then, he runs down to the center of the aisle, stops, and blows again. Then, he runs up to the front of the audience and blows it one last time. Each 'note' is blown as long and hard as he can hold it. Often, this announcement is followed by someone chanting in Hawaiian. When the chanting is complete, the rest of the 'show' begins. I just thought I'd share with you what is part of the norm of growing up in Hawaii. Looking at this shell and recalling those memories reminded me that this is not the experience for the rest of the world. My other shadow is from the remnants of a car sitting near a parking lot by the Flying Star restaurant in Bernalillo, New Mexico. I can't figure out why it is there; it's kind of like a random sculpture! Every week, a group of us from around the world post our shadow shots over at Hey Harriet. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted! You can also view all Shadow Shot postings I've done by scrolling all the way down and on the left side you will see an archive of labels for my posts. Look for Shadow Shot Sunday and click on that link for an "all you can view" buffet of shadow shots!

Hyssop, Howdah and Howitzers

ABC Wednesday is a word meme with participants from around the world. Our Host, Mrs. Nesbitt hails from Great Britain. Says Mrs. Nesbitt: "Some have been with us from the very first round, others have joined in along the way! What fun! Each week we are taken across the globe to see the varied and exciting contributions people have taken the time to discover and capture! ABC Wednesday is now entering a 3rd year of fun! I'll raise a glass to you all!". We started with the letter, "A" and each week we post something in regards to the next letter of the alphabet. This week's letter is, "H".

Hollyhocks outside of lovely windows like this one is a common sight here in New Mexico during he summer months.

A lovely 'head' created by a very gifted artist who works in the medium of pottery, Linda Vozar Sweet. She and her husband run a lovely bed and Breakfast cottages in Jemez, NM. The B&B link you can pick up from the link to Linda's page.

Horse shoes on a farm up in Angel Fire, NM. This family specializes in raising Tennessee walking horses.

This lovely pair of hands also grace the property of that B&B (Casa Blanca) in Jemez. They quietly sit under the eaves (or was it a window sill?) of the cottage.

Hyssop? Have you heard of hyssop? I have. Go to the link and note the uses for it in cologne, rituals and medicinal. As for howdah (new word for me), I found two different uses. You can get to the first one here and the second one here. Howitzer is a new one for me too. You can find out about it here. These are all humdingers, I think!

Presentation

Presentation

How an image is presented certainly influences the viewer's response to it.

Case in point demonstrated here.

A vase of curvy willow branches placed behind the sheer curtains-just by converting the file to grayscale immediately softened the image. I got an added bonus from the moire pattern created by the sheers. Lots of soft curves going on in this image.

Compared the the hard feel of this image-taken in the early morning hours because it provides shadows with sharp lines.

Both subject matter I consider to be organic in origin. The curvy willow branches are 'hard' but the image created is soft.

The feather is soft, but the image created is 'hard'.

All by way of choices in how the images are presented.

Every week, a group of us from around the world post our shadow shots over at Hey Harriet. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted!

You can also view all Shadow Shot postings I've done by scrolling all the way down and on the left side you will see an archive of labels for my posts. Look for Shadow Shot Sunday and click on that link for an "all you can view" buffet of shadow shots!