it's here - whit's due date - baby coming soon!

Well, I can't wait and I know dear- Whitter is feeling the same! 'Our' baby will be here soon - I keep telling her to 'bank' some sleep (naps, naps, naps) just in case he shows up in the middle of the night!

MORE COMING SOON!

wow, what a week/wow, what a week ahead

***(check back in an hour - photos will be added. I'm downloading marathon photos as we speak, and it won't allow me to add my photos right now!!!)

MESA FALLS MARATHON -

I took the photo above, last year in the fall - just about this time. The marathon of 600+ runners ran past these falls and wound all around the mountains and then finished in the little town of Ashton.

NEW photo website for LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

I've concluded - LIFE HAS GONE CRAZY! I have been too busy to blog (*****gasp*****).

Heather, my daughter and my good friend Kelly (who's really like my 3rd daughter) and I were commissioned to cover (photograph) the Mesa Falls Marathon on Saturday. My alarm went off at 4 a.m. Saturday morning (I kid you not) and hubby and I were heading to the mountains for a 6:30 a.m. start - some runners starting at 5:30 a.m.! Okay, now I know I've gone CRAZY - I kept saying to myself as we drove in the dark to find the start of the race. Met up with Heather and Kelly and headed further into the mountains. You could literally smell fall in the air. We figured out where each of us would be stationed and went about the task of waiting - waiting until the first runners came our direction. Race volunteers already had the STARTING point of the race blocked off - so we able to unable catch that, not a good thing when you're shooting a marathon!!!

Hubby and I were stationed at mile post #9 and as we sat in the cold, we could hear elk bugling all around us - pretty cool sound and the smell of the forest was refreshing and invigorating - almost made you want to run 26 miles (in my dreams!). A half-dozen runners came our way just as the sun was rising - they weren't official 'race runners' - but they run the route every year - just for fun. It was too dark to capture them so I just waved as they passed by! We waited and waited and the runners finally arrived in all their glory! The lighting was horrible because the sun was just rising and the trees shaded everything - so I really struggled with the photos blurring - but finally got into a rhythm and things began to flow and I was having a blast with all the runners! There were the 'super-serious' runners and those who were clowning around (and I thought would never-in-a-million-years make it to the finish line) and having a great time - but they were all so FUN and FULL OF LIFE - you couldn't meet a friendlier group of people!

After several hours at mile-post 9, we headed to town to capture the runners crossing the finish line! The crowds were meager and I hoped more would show up to show their support and, eventually they did and it was not disappointing! This little town of Ashton you have to pass through if you're going to West Yellowstone - so, many of you have been there and don't even know it!!!

Seriously, when we were done, I was draggin'-my-wagon and, when we got home, I crashed on the couch and took an hour nap - I was thrashed! After seeing everyone expend so much energy, I had to refuel for them!!!

team up thursday - "NATURE"

nature |ˈnā ch ər|

1 the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations : the breathtaking beauty of nature.





nature |ˈnā ch ər|

2 [in sing. ] the basic or inherent features of something, esp. when seen as characteristic of it : helping them to realize the nature of their problems | there are a lot of other documents of that nature.
• the innate or essential qualities or character of a person or animal : it's not in her nature to listen to advice | I'm not violent by nature.

That being said, Corey captured perfection in her NATURE photo (above) - so clean and clear. The sun shining makes me happy right through her photo - her creation is breath taking just as described in the definition above! Corey has a talent of capturing whatever she's photographing in a distinct way. I think it's beautiful in every way - and BTW, so is she!

I too, automatically, was going for the outdoor theme -nature at it's finest - what could be better than Idaho and nature? It goes hand in hand. In most of our themes I always try and think if there is a dual-meaning, a way of thinking of the word in a different way. This week's theme did fit into that category. My daughter and I were doing a photo shoot for a playground equipment company when this little girl went down the slide (below) - perfectly 'girly' in every way. The boys playing in the yard were just as 'boy' as you could get (see photo below) - both were doing what was in their NATURE. I couldn't get over it - how it's inborn in both genders - a perfect balance to make them who they are AND who you and I are as well. Ha!

Drop by Megan's for some interesting and delightful Team Up Thursday!

See what I mean (photo above) - the true nature of boys!

SPECIAL NOTE:

I'm having to break up our DIPTYCH as they just don't fit right in this new blog templet going on here! Hope that doesn't offend anyone - haha!

happy 'birfday', shadester

See this handsome dude! He's my oldest grandson - his name is Shade (an old family name). He's 15 years old TODAY! He looks just like his dad (sorry Kandee Lou!) - except, I do think he has his mom's eyes!!!! He and his dad share the same birthday-week, his dad's 'birfday' is in three days - plus, they look alike! He's an amazingly cool kid - he's got big muscles and cool shoes too!!!!




I'm lovng the match as a stand-in candle that decorates his cake!





Open wide, granny!

team up thursday - "WORDS"

Okay, I want you all to FOCUS on this diptych and tell me what you see? I'll leave you alone for a few seconds to see if you can figure it out!!! (***whistling sounds in the background****fingers tapping on the table, just to drive you crazy***)



Did you figure it out? I couldn't believe what I saw when Corey sent her fire-red photo! Well, actually I didn't spot it until I put the two photos together! Corey's "WORD" FOCUS and my photo with an EYEBALL! That being said (***oh Berta, who cares***), our theme this week is "WORDS".

I love Corey's word - it looks 'retro' to me even though it isn't - love the chrome lettering - so clear and clean. It reminded me of the car show we went to in Reno several weeks ago and am wondering if this car is sitting in Corey's driveway OR something she found around town? Perfect job, partner.

My photo is of a book I have sitting in the office - it's an amazing book - the photos are so earthy, so real. The book is called "WISDOM" by Andrew Zuckerman.

The book has small WORDS, big WORDS, interesting WORDS . . .

Sometimes it has no WORDS at all . . .

Every page has fabulous photos that speak volumes without speaking one WORD . . .


Sometimes I want to fill in the blank spaces with something - but then again, maybe not . . .

Sometimes the WORDS that speak in my book tell me to get back to reality and get on with life!

Now, put down that book and head over to Megan's and check more TEAM UP THURDAY STUFF!

"yeeeeeehawwwwwww!" - UPDATE HOLLYWOOD

For those who don't know, my son Griffin moved to Hollywood several years ago and set up a recording studio. He's worked his butt off and put in hours at his craft that many of us would never dream of. It's been non-stop since he got there with his wife, Katrina. Katrina is a lawyer and is working for a highly regarded law firm and has worked her way up the cooperate ladder so fast it would make your head spin - she's super-talented in what she does.




Griffin did a song in the U.K. for a group called "The Saturdays". Their album, "HEADLINES" just released in Europe 30 minutes ago and is already the #1 album on iTunes U.K.! ! ! His first major label placement goes #1 ! ! !

The song he did is "Puppet" and it's being looked at for the group's next single ! ! !

The album will release in the U.S. tomorrow. I think I'll log on and buy his song - how cool would that be if it hit #1 in the states?!

Grif co-wrote, produced and engineered the song "Puppet"! THAT'S HUGE!

new album released in UK - GRIF UPDATE

"the saturdays - PUPPET"

friday 13th, what a lucky day

I was in the kitchen the other day - Bob loves it when I TAKE MY TURN - when he walked in, grabbed me by my wrist and pulled me outside, not saying a word. I thought, "Oh geeeese, what did I do now!?" Then he drags me over to the planter and points, still not saying a word! "WOW, A ROSE, A REAL-LIVE ROSE!" You'd thought the two of us had never seen a flower before. But it was something special! We live on over an acre of property and we have a 'ka-jillion' trees and plants everywhere (we planted every blade of grass, shrub and tree ourselves.) It was a desolate piece of property when we bought it! We have many varieties of flowers and trees BUT, a rose as never grown here - ever, until now. How exciting is that. So, we're pretty proud parents and we're showing 'her' off to you!



My daughter-in-law Kandee and Shawn gave this bush to me for Mother's Day. It's one of those gifts that keep giving and giving (if we don't kill it first) BEWARE ALL GRANDKIDOS . . . . "STAY AWAY, OR GRANNY WILL BE AFTER Y.O.U.!"







This little dude is brand new too and sits right next to our little rose bush - I'm loving the little purple hairs and pop of yellow!






"Ain't she PRETTY?" See! Friday the 13th can be lucky after all!

JOURNAL NOTES:
I took grandma to the dentist at 10 a.m. this morning - she had some oral surgery scheduled and didn't pick her up until 5 p.m. tonight! She has been knocked out ever since! She looks like she LOST THE BATTLE on this deal - they really worked her over. She was scheduled for an implant but they had to cancel it because she bled too much - ouch. She's on medication to thin her blood and even though she stopped taking it 3 days before the surgery, they still had trouble. She was one 'drunk' lady when I got her home. So, tonight I'm sleeping and writing this blog post on her couch. When she awakes out of her coma tomorrow, she won't remember much - so says the dentist! I'm not sure if I were 87 years old I would want to go through that for anything!

It's raining cats and dogs tonight - we needed the moisture and looks like it's going to do it for the rest of the night. My watch just went off - time to take mom her medicine! Chow!

team up thursday - "CLASSIC"

What is your favorite something that NEVER goes out of style or stays 'the best' forever - a book, a sweater, a movie, a song? Our theme this week is "CLASSIC" and both Corey and I came up with something that's "CLASSIC" to us.

Corey's photo (left) is, most definitely, a classic - been around for a long, long time. In fact, I remember it well - as if it were yesterday when my hubby and I were doing the same thing! I love the photo, love the colors - it's a "CLASSIC", for sure! Corey has a talent of capturing soft, subtle colors and feelings to her photography. I just love Corey, she's always up for any theme thrown her way and always hits a home run - great job, partner!



My photo is a "CLASSIC" as well - a paneled surfing wagon - the kind we had on the beaches of southern California where I grew up! I shot this gem in Tahoe while at a car show - my mouth was watering for this beauty! I always dreamed of owning one but it never happened. The closest I ever came to one is my 'back-door-neighbor' who has one in his garage as we speak - and in Idaho!!! When I see this wagon, my mind immediately goes back in time, like a time-machine, to the 'good ol' days'! I could stay there forever, except I snap back into reality when my dogs bark and want to go outside to pee! Oh well, reality strikes again!

Stop by Megan's for more diptych fun!

Here are some photos I took in Tahoe at a car show - "Hot August Nights". These photos are ROOC (right out of camera) - no alterations what-so-ever! The lighting was so brilliant the colors came out amazing! I wrote in an earlier post that I LOVE hot rods and classic cars - I really do! Click any photo for a closer look - my favorite, the flames!

"back soon - gone fishin'"

Did a photo shoot on 'the river' the other day. Cortney, my son, and his friend were up for a visit and wanted to do nothing but "Go Fishin'". Shawn, my oldest son was happy to oblige! I ended up taking over 400 photos and whittled them down to these to share with you!

"CAPTAIN OF THE RIVER"
Shawn picked us up on the jet boat and quickly cruised up the river to a choice spot he scouted out. It was quiet and there were fish galore!



"BLASTING THROUGH"
Shawn bought this jet boat several years ago - rather than oaring up and down the river, he can just jet up and scout prime locations - saves SO much time!



"TRANQUILITY"
This area is called the south fork of the Snake river - few people and SO, SO beautiful!



"HIGH SPY"
As Shawn was navigating up the river, he spotted an eagle and asked if I wanted a photo - heck yeah!



CORTNEY
This is my forth kid-o and he LOVES fishing!



"EAGLE"
This was kind of an interesting side of 'our' eagle - he didn't move a muscle just starred us down.



"ISLAND BOUND"
Shawn dropped Bob and I off on this little island and we went about taking photos - so fun!



"FISHIN'"


"RIVER FRIEND"
The trout (rainbow and browns) were biting but they were smaller in size than usual.



"SOARING"
As I was taking the photo (above) I looked up and there was a river bird soaring above.



"ONE WITH THE RIVER"
One of my favorite photos of Shawn fly fishing. For those of you who live in over-crowed places, notice the solitude - a place to take a deep breath. Another reason why we LOVE Idaho!



"BUSH MAN"
We had to walk through brush like this to get to each of our fisher-guys! I had sandals on (haha) - joke's on me! I was afraid we would find some snakes or worse but, didn't have any problems. The bugs weren't even bad!



"LOOP THE LOOP"
For those who fly fish, you will appreciate this photo!



CORT & JORY
Jory, Cortney's friend is an amazing and skilled craftsman. He crafts bamboo fishing poles that you wouldn't believe. Click HERE to view his craftmanship. Photos of his 'art' are taken by my son Cortney. He made Shawn (my oldest son) a pole and delivered it on this trip. Amazing, see what you think. Click HERE and HERE for more details on his process of creating these rods - amazing!



"COVE"
Love this photo with it's deep green. NO PHOTOSHOP HERE - this is what the area actually looked like - so green and beautiful.



"CATCH RELEASE 1"



"CATCH RELEASE 2"



"GOING HOME"
We spent 2+ hours (didn't really check my watch) on the river soaking up the sun and enjoying the peace and quiet. Next time I'm going to bring a camp chair and hang out and enjoy the peace and quiet. I love this photo of Shawn taking us back down the river - the scenery literally wraps around him like a friend.



"GOING HOME 2"
We'll be back because this is heaven!