Jack Doodle

It has been quite a while since I have posted.  Other things have kept me busy.  I've become the happy grandmother of a new grandson who lives in Denver.  I just returned from a visit to see him. He is nearly 10 months old now.  He is such a joy.  I will update his latest photos soon.

More on Cell Phones

What did people do without them? We went to see a good movie for my birthday today ("One Day" with Anne Hathaway). For once, nobody tried to turn on their phones during the movie, which was amazing. BUT - the minute the movie ended, nearly EVERYONE in the audience immediately turned on their phones to check for texts, messages, or missed calls. So, I repeat - how on earth did people enjoy life without their cells. Then, we went out to eat. In the next booth, while waiting for people to join then, instead of enjoying a nice conversation, Mother, Dad and girl child were all playing with their respective cell phones. Will people one day forget how to talk to each other and merely text, "Please pass the peas" during dinner?

Save the Trees - Stop Junk on Cash Register Receipts

Does anyone pay any attention to all of that extra junk at the bottom of your cash register receipts? It's the ones that want to give you something, but all you have to do is go to their web site and give them your information. For that, you either have a chance to receive a free short stack of pancakes from IHop, or fill out a survey, or enter Walgreen's monthly sweepstakes to win $3,000 in cash, or whatever. I would like to know if anyone has ever gotten anything for giving up their e-mail address besides more e-mail? Think about it - they all have that junk at the bottom.

It's rather a pain in the neck when you keep your receipts and are balancing your checkbook, or reconciling your debit card charges when your bank statement comes in to find the dates and prices in the middle of all of those offers. I end up tearing it off the bottom when I save my receipts to balance my checkbook, so it does them no good to put it on my receipts.
Think about it - how many trees are wasted with so much extra junk printed on the extra paper that can range from 2 " to 4" or more of extra paper on a receipt for practically every store you go into? This happens all over the country. Maybe all over the world. It has to be millions of trees yearly.
What can you do about it? I sometimes tear the extra off and leave it with the cashier and tell her to tell the manager to pass the word on to "Save the Trees". Sometimes they even agree. I wonder who thought this up? Why did the practice spread so fast? Do they really think that people are going to believe that you get something for nothing?
Plus, at the grocery stores they print out a foot or more of savings coupons for things you never purchase. That's more trees. Leave that at the check-out counter, too.
We have no privacy anymore. Everything we do online can be seen, especially by Facebook (that's another post for another time). Every time we give some company our e-mail address, it gets passed on or used.
So, stop the madness and Save the Trees! Pass this on to your merchants. Tell them that you don't want extra junk printed on your cash register receipts.

Off to the Gem and Mineral Show

I'm off to the Gem and Mineral Show to see what I can find for my jewelry. Maybe some opals, or some nice sliced Geodes.

Cell Phones in Theaters

I go to The Grand Theater in D'Iberville pretty often. After years of having people using their cell phones to check messages and text during movies and driving others crazy, they established a no tolerance policy concerning cell phones. The policy states that if you use your phone during a movie, you will be asked to leave and you won't be refunded your money. I thought that policy was wonderful until I tested it. Not long into a movie last week, a woman in front of me opened her phone and started checking messages. I told her that she needed to turn it off or she would be kicked out. She just turned around and grinned at me. I said, O.K. and got up and got the person who is in charge of enforcing the rule. She did get the woman out, but a few minutes later, she was back in her seat. After I left, my husband said that she tried to pass the phone to someone else in her party. Soon after, the man sitting two seats from me on my row turned his on. He saw that the policy isn't being enforced. I don't know how the inconsiderate woman got back in, but I think that they should have a No Excuse policy that includes grown-ups, not just teenagers.

The problem is - why do people pay good money to go to a movie only to check their e-mails and messages and text all throughout the movie? Don't they realize that the bright light distracts others? In the case of people who have had cataract surgery, bright lights really bother their (my) eyes. Besides the fact that when a bright light comes on, your attention is distracted from the screen and you miss part of the movie. People used to be able to live without thier cell phone as another appendage to their body. They used to go to movies and their only vice was talking too much. They used to be able to go grocery shopping without having to talk up and down the aisle talking non-stop. They used to be able to drive a car without talking on their phone. And, worse of all, texting while driving. Texting while driving is the most dangerous thing that any stupid person could do. What is wrong with people like that? Texts can wait - they can't be that important. Don't these people have any sense of self? Must they always be talking to someone else? I think is that it would be a Wonderful World if people would just "grow up" and use their cell phones wisely, - not be co-dependent on them. It makes me wonder, "What's the world coming to?" I shudder to think.

What a Wonderful World It Would Be

I've always wanted to write a column to express my views on what would make our world and our lives a better and nicer place to live. I'm a fairly outspoken person, and I also feel that right is right and wrong is wrong - I'm a black and white person.

Since today's media and newspapers are so strictly driven by the everloving dollar, there is no room for easy reading. Newspapers delivers news (mostly bad) and is driven by advertisements.. Articles deal with rapes, murder, drugs, food, movie stars, world terror and lots of sports. You can't read articles about manners or self-improvement.

It is my aim to use my photography web site to still publish my photography while being to express my feelings about things that go on in the world. I'm hoping that you will not only follow me, but leave your comments.

Wow! It's been ages since I've posted a blog. I have to blame it on Facebook, which is one of the (seemingly) necessities of the Internet these days. I have to check it and read it, so it really does waste a lot of my valuable time. I am making myself a promise to post more of my photography here from now on. However, today I have to do some work outside in the yard today.

Mother's Day Bird

I had a glorious Mother's Day experience this morning. I had been hearing a little chirping sound since I got up. I looked out on the patio and there was a little fluffy baby bird flying all around the patio. It flitted from one place to another, chirping and trying out its new wings. I'll bet it had just come from the nest very recently, may be even this morning. It knew we were watching, but was too young to be frightened by humans. It tried to get into the water lily pond, but it was covered with netting to keep the falling leaves out. We figured it was thirsty, and discovered that all of our bird baths had dried out from the wind. I went out and filled all of the bird baths and little containers that we use for the birds to drink from. Then I came in and got busy. When I looked out the back bedroom window into My Secret Garden, there it was, sitting on the branch of a purple bush, preening its feathers. It looked like it had already been in the bird bath. It saw me but kept on sitting. Then, amazingly, its mother came and bright the baby some food. It opened its lttle mouth just like in pictures and accpeted the food. As I watched it she came back again with more food. It made me think about mothers and their children. As much as I love birds, this really made it a fantastic Mother's Day for me. Life it good! Nature is awesome! Happy Mother's Day, everyone. If you are't a mother, then all of you take time to enjoy nature today.

Spring is Here!

This is my first post of 2010. Where have I been?

Sometimes I wonder if anyone reads my posts. If you do, please let me know by commenting, otherwise, why have the blog???

I've been working in the garden pulling weeds and planting flowers and plants. We just got the plants out of the greenhouse and they were direly in need of attention. I so enjoy working in the yard - it's much more fun than cleaning house.

The azaleas are blooming all over everywhere, and are absolutely beautiful. I've planted several new plants and am enjoying those in bloom now.

New Year's Wish

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Here's wishing everyone a wonderful and peaceful New Year.

Christmas in the City

Vern and I will each have a booth at Christmas in the City this Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 - 4:00. We will be on the west end of the Vieu Marche in front of the Hospital parking lot. I plan to put a lot of my older, small works on sale for up to 50% off, so stop by and see if you can find any Christmas gifts. Plus, I will have some fresh homemade New Orleans Pralines for sale. I've made pralines for years and love them. Vern will have his pottery on display. Drop by our booth and browse.

Images in "The Virtual Travels of Two Soul Sisters"

Here are some of the images that will be in our exhibit. We hope our friends will attend our opening (information in previous post). Our art is a reflection of our travels to different countries so it will be interesting and diverse. We will have photography, paintings, collages, pottery, and jewelry based on the influences of our travels.

The Virtual Travels of Two Soul Sisters

Eagerly anticipating the opening of my art exhibit that I share with a good friend, Carole Marie Stuart. It will be Friday night, October 23 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at Gallery 782 located at 782 Water Street in Biloxi. The exhibit is now hanging and will remain up until December 23.

My Etsy "Southern Creations Photography Shop"

I thought I would put in a plug for my Etsy Photography Site. The link to get there is Here. Below are some of the photographs that you will see there. I hope you enjoy your visit to my "Southern Creations Photography Shop". Every once in a while the time runs out for some of my items, so not many will show up on this little promo, but I'll be adding more later.

World Wide Photo Walk

This is one of my photos from the World Wide Photo Walk. It was a fun afternoon, and I enjoyed getting out with a large group of other photographers. Just imagine, thousands of photographers (34,600) from over 900 cities all around the world. What an experience!

Pink Calla Lily

Taking photography to a new level, I've fantisized a simple calla lily that was photographed in my garden. It looks like Victorian wallpaper!

Under the Spiral Moon

Been working on a few collages / mixed media. This is pretty much a fantasy piece, with owls and comets and baby owl nests. Different to say the least. Prints are available.

Pendant Necklaces on Display

At Gallery 782 in Biloxi, I have a display of wearable art pendants. These photos under glass are time-consuming to make by hand, and are interesting to wear. They come in a variety of styles. Drop by the gallery to see them in person.

Gallery 782 Co-Art

I'm a founding member of Gallery 782 Co-Art, a wonderful co-op gallery in Biloxi, MS. It is located on Water and George E. Ohr Street, on the street right behind Mary Mahoney's Restaurant.

Below is a collage of some of my photography that is on exhibit durng this quarter.

Below is one of my Original Photograph Pendants-
II have created wearable art pendants using selected
photographs of mine that would be
appropriate for small images under glass.
The pendants are available in various images.
This is a butterfly on a Penta flower.

The Gallery is open Monday - Friday
10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Spring Has Sprung

It is nesting time for the great birds. This one is a Great White Egret. She's guarding her twig nest with eggs. She was photographed a Beaux Bridge in Louisiana, a noted bird rookery, but we have many of them here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We also have beautiful pelicans, graceful sea gulls, and skillful skimmers.
At the moment, we have a flock of migrating American Yellow Finches in our back yard. This year, we have had more than we have ever had before. At times, there are 4-6 on each of our three feeders. We constantly have to refill the feeders, but it's worth it to watch them feeding.
I love photographing birds. The main problem is getting them in a position where the background is nice enough for a photograph.
With all of the flowers bursting forth in bloom, springtime is a most wonderful time of the year!