Ready To Ride
His & hers Harley-Davidson motorcycles, sitting on the front lawn, waiting patiently for the next ride.
Friends of ours had a 2nd wedding reception at their home, for their daughter who was married on the East coast earlier. We had a great time, celebrating and enjoying the hospitality of really good people.
To save space for the reception events and guests, they moved their motorcycles out to the front lawn. As Karen and I were leaving, I saw this and just had to grab a frame. The grass was deep green, and the sky was turning from a super blue to being covered by a blanket of white clouds.
I can still recall my one and only time motoring a cycle. I loved it. The wind, whipping though my then much longer hair, and the feeling of power surrounding my body, feeling the combustion chambers firing away just inches next to my legs. Quite a thrill.
I can see why many folks just love motorcycling their way around the countryside. Son Chris has one. I to, would like to have one. But, I have other priorities for my income at the moment. That moment has lasted over 40 years.
Perhaps one day.
This is one of those desires that I don't mind not being fulfilled. I've got so many others which are more important, and am working on them.
I can pause, and get a thrill just looking at the fun, packed into these two, and parked in a beautiful setting.
mattpenning.com
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Dec 18, 2009
3 comments
Me
Last year, I did 366 self portraits.
It got to be a real challenge to come up with something new. I got to where I was counting it as a self portrait if any part of me or my shadow were in the photo.
I stuck with it.
I had made a self-commitment, and made it all the way to the end.
I've been thinking about commitment again. The new year brings many times for self-reflection, goal review and setting anew.
Karen asked me earlier, what I wanted as a Christmas gift. I'm a hard one to buy a gift for it seems. The thought made me pause and really dig deep inside to answer the question.
10 pounds, I said. Lost and never found again.
That felt so good I got goosebumps just thinking about it. The idea of losing 10 more of the extra poundage that I've carried around for far too long, and saying goodbye to it, never to see it on me again.
Nice.
So I've been giving that a try. First the goal was to make it by Christmas, but I started a bit too late. Then I fell off the wagon a bit with a holiday lunch that I had with my staff at work. With a final bit of grit and determination, I may make it half way or a bit more by the time next Friday rolls around.
Whatever the final total, I'll be pleased at having thought enough of me that I would give it a real, determined effort.
I'm worth taking care of, and that's a great gift, I can give myself.
mattpenning.com
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Dec 17, 2009
2 comments
Holiday Sparkle - Memories
My second Bah Humbug entry for this holiday season.
I helped put up the tree and get the lights hooked up. That's it.
Karen has the fun, joy, and all the duty of decorating the tree from her vast collection of special ornaments. She's collected them throughout her life, and our life together. She finds a special satisfaction from both decorating the tree and simple sitting in the dark room, admiring the tree, lit only by the tree.
Me, I think it goes back to the years growing up, where we had an aluminum tree. Each "branch" was a stick with "needles" of strips of aluminum. With the dry winters we have in the Central Plains of Illinois, and a rug on the floor, static electricity would build up and I'd regularly get a whopper of a shock by accidentally or on purpose, touching the tree. Yow! It could be that negative feedback has me pooh-poohing the whole Christmas decoration thing.
Not to worry, I still can enjoy the beauty of the lit tree, well decorated.
This is one of Karen's ornaments. I loved the glistening sparkle of these bells and berries. I had my Panasonic LX3 in my hand, and set to macro, got this one quick and easy.
Not that it has anything to do with the photo, but I've had several folks in my life get some bad news about their health in the past few months. That makes the moments of life shared with family and friends that much sweeter to me. Never take a moment for granted and put off to tomorrow a hug, a smile, a word of encouragement, or some meaningful conversation. Time is fleeting, no matter how much you think you have, the moment passes and is never put back into the top of the hourglass.
Cherish the people in your life. They are gifts which are gone far too soon.
mattpenning.com
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Dec 16, 2009
4 comments
One
The celebration of Hanukkah, is the eight day festival of lights celebrating the miracle of one day's candle oil lasting a full eight days when the Maccabees regained control of the temple in Jerusalem in 168 B.C.E. I was driving home, after helping friends with their computer woes, listening to WUIS, the local National Public Radio station, which was playing a collection of stories called Hanukkah Lights. The hour long feature has been repeated at least a couple of times, which is when I've caught it while driving in the past few days. I've found myself sitting in the car, waiting for the end of one of the audio essays before moving on with my errands.
The warmth of a lit candle came to mind.
The cold outside has a way of seeping inside, and into my bones. The image of a single candle, that I imagined, brought an instant smile and a bit of that warm glow inside.
I'm that one candle.
When I lend a hand, offer a word of encouragement, a hug, any number of ways to give what I can, when I can, I do the same as this one candle did for me tonight.
I'm just one person, but one person at a time, the ripple effect of my positive action in someone's life carries wide and far. I've seen it in action throughout my life, which encourages me to keep doing what I do.
It's like looking for a photograph, opening my eyes to seeing what can be seen. I likewise, open up to seeing what I can do to give a nudge, a helping hand, just like was given to me, and still is by folks in my life.
Just one, but mighty, one person at a time.
mattpenning.com
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Dec 15, 2009
3 comments
Soaking It All In
On a crisp weekend afternoon, when Autumn is in full bloom, the sunlight soaks into the carpet of pine needles surrounding the trees from whose branches they have shed.
The sunlight glistening on those pine needles is what drew me in, the park bench just beyond the trees completed the composition.
It looked like a great place to sit and let the last of the warmth from the late afternoon sun cover you, working it's way into your chilled bones.
A quick take on a fleeting scene.
I was heading for the arboretum in Washington Park, and needed that sunlight to fill the dome, giving me some help in capturing the flowers that grow within. So, I spent a minute, taking a small few frames and moved on. Now, I've come back to revel in the glistening pine needles once again.
I can see Karen and I on that park bench, holding hands and commenting on the parks natural beauty, the dogs pulling their masters around, the children running free. That's one to store for a warmer day, then again, sitting and listening to the bells of the carillon is fun no matter what time of year.
It's nice to have these photographs to recall and spark ideas for new memories
mattpenning.com
All rights reserved
Uploaded on Dec 14, 2009
4 comments
|
|
