yellow

for years and years...as long as i can remember actually, alabama was truly a land of cotton. over the last 10 years or so, little by little, many cotton fields are being replaced by subdivisons. the past couple of years, however, we are seeing oil fields replacing some of the old cotton fields....sunflowers are being grown and sold for vegetable oil and biodiesel. beautiful! i definitely see them as some of God's abundant gifts. :)

another sunset

grayton beach state park

red sky at night...

sailor's delight....

august sunset in panama city beach, florida

spring

oh how i love spring. it is really my favorite season. time of rebirth, color and mild temperatures...and always welcome have a long dreary winter. :) we do not have much spring color right now....the few things that have bloomed have been stung by freezing temps...but we are closer each day to a world of beautiful colors. this is an old photo...i've not been out much with my camera lately...though no excuse for today...absolutely goregous! but i've been very lazy.

water

sorry i'm late posting...early january i got this hair-brained idea to go back to school and get my bachelor's degree (i have an associate's in nursing), and with daily life, family, and work activities, i've barely even opened up my blog these past few weeks. i think posting will be sporadic for a while, but you never know when i might pop back in! :)


i love water shots...rivers, ponds, the ocean, puddles, the movement, reflections, the stillness...water just appeals to me. i took these shots last spring in during a visit to gulf shores, alabama.



reflections one afternoon at a lil road side park


gulf shores zoo


the beach

family

ok...i know i'm late, but posting anyway. my family is truly a gift for which i am very thankful. we are not perfect by any means...but we are family! :)

i only have a couple of photos and they are old. the top photo was taken Christmas a couple of years ago and pictures myself (front, 2nd from left) with my 4 siblings and parents.

here are our grandchildren. this was taken last year and one wasn't in attendance. since this time, we've added another, and next year we'll have yet another addition. i jokingly told my dad last year that they needed to buy a bigger house as theirs was getting smaller every year. :)

this has made me realize that we really need to try and get everyone together for more family shots.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is usually at Mom's and Dad's. All of us bring food, but Dad smokes the turkey and Mom makes the cornbread dressing and sweet potatoes. This year half of the family wasn't going to be present for one reason or the other, so Dad smoked a turkey breast.

Dad has always been particular about how things are sliced...he likes it even and just the right thickness...so he generally does the honors.

I've noticed over the years that their house has gotten smaller and smaller...the grandkids have gotten married and are now bringing great grands in...so we got in the habit a few years ago of serving buffet style.

I love Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for and it's one of the few times that most of our family gets together in one place at the same time. As I mentioned, this year there were a few missing, and I always hate when everyone isn't present, but for those who were there, it sure makes it special. Here are 2 of my grandchildren.

This is my 3rd and newest grandchild...he is 4 1/2 months old and such a happy baby.

Here is my son. He usually goofs off when I'm trying to take his photo, but I was very pleased with this one. I may even frame it.

One of the main things I am most grateful for this year is my Mom. She has been sick a lot this past year and is finally feeling better and getting some strength back. I am so happy to have another Thanksgiving with her. Here she is pictured with one of my brothers.

We had a wonderful Holiday, and I hope all of you did as well. God Bless you all!!

Churches

i love old churches. here are a few i've collected. this is a replica of the tabernacle of the Old Testament period....taken this summer on a tour of the Holy Land in eureka springs, ak, on the grounds of the Great Passion Play.an old church in germany....i wish i could remember how old. :)st louis cathedral on jackson square in new orleans...i wonder how it fares today after hurricane katrina.... i liked this old quaint church in nw georgiaa pretty wedding chapel in the great smoky mountainswhen we were in the san diego area a couple of years ago, we passed this beautiful church several times. it was just off the interstate. i thought 'ethereral' every time i saw it...especially at night when it was all lit up. i had to snap quickly as we drove by...after several attempts, i finally captured a shot i liked.