Skywatch Friday

Blue, blue skies over Ft Clinch State Park, Fernandina Beach, FL, USA.

Click on this title (Skywatch Friday) for more shots from all over the world :)

That's my Boy!

Taking a picture of his cousin :)

Family Picture :)

From "Night of Stars"...

Debbie, Dad, Me

Beautiful Day for Pictures

I went out shooting with my friend Carol yesterday, it was a great morning for pictures. We started out at a nearby cemetery on the river.


Found this Lubber grasshopper lounging around on a headstone. He was a wary but willing model for our efforts ;)
After we saw all there was to see there, we headed on up the road to a favorite park, also on the river. Saw lots of action in the butterfly garden, but the sun was getting high, which meant it was getting hotter, so we headed to the river and some shade.
RJ had fun stump-jumping and exploring this fallen tree
It was a lot more shady by the water, but even with the little bit of breeze, it was still pretty hot. I'll be glad when some cooler weather comes our way!
I pushed RJ on the swing for a little bit, and then convinced him it was time to get some lunch. Only the promise of some ice cream would get him to budge!

Beautiful day, a good friend, photo ops galore and ice cream! What more could you want? ;oP

Jacksonville Praise Orchestra

Last Saturday night, we hosted the first ever concert of the newly formed "Jacksonville Praise Orchestra".
It was orchestras from several churches in the area that came together, almost 100 pieces. The director was Camp Kirkland, his name is on just about every piece of music we do at our church, and many other churches all over. He is a fantastic arranger, and a great director.

Here he is with the directors from the other churches represented -

It was a great night, fantastic music, and they took up an offering to benefit the Duval County School's music programs. I'm looking forward to many more of their concerts.

Rock Stars

I work in our church's preschool whenever there's an event that needs childcare. Right now there's a 10 week study going on, so I'm there every Tuesday morning. We always have fun, but sometimes it can be a challenge keeping a group of little ones entertained for a couple of hours. This particular Tuesday, we watched a video. Every classroom has one of these rockers, but of course EVERYONE had to have their own!

So I searched in every room up and down this hallway until I rounded up enough for us to have our own "Rocking Chair Theater" :)

Bro. Randall always pops in to say hello...

And this is little K, informing me that her baby is naked. :) Never-ending entertainment!

This last Tuesday was very exciting...I don't have any pics though. While we were in class, the fire alarm went off. Luckily, Melissa was with me. I'm so glad she was willing to stay and help! A perfect example of why there should always be two...I would have had a heck of a time getting 5 little ones (two of which had to be carried) out to safety by myself! Turned out to be a false alarm, but it was good practice. RJ still isn't over it though, it was pretty scary for a little one. Lights flashing, and a voice telling you to get out! LOL, he has been eyeing our smoke detectors at home with much suspicion ever since, and asking a million questions about fires, and fire alarms. As much as we try to reassure him that smoke alarms are GOOD, and are there to keep you safe, he just ain't buyin' it!

I'm ruined I tell ya

One of my photography group friends (and what a friend!!) loaned me his professional gear to shoot a concert last weekend. I stopped at a garden on the way home to practice a little, as the settings and all operate a little differently than what I'm used to.

I've been happy with what I have, but there is definitely a difference between semi-pro and REAL pro! These pictures were taken with a Canon 5D and 24-105L lens.

The Pirate Who Doesn't Do Anything

We pre-bought the new Veggietale's movie coming out on DVD and they gave us this "Pirate Playset" :)

If you're not familiar with Veggietales or the silly song "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything"...

Photography Field Trip

I recently went on a Photography field trip with about 7 other photographers. We started out getting on the Jacksonville Skyway express, a monorail that goes to a few different points in downtown Jacksonville. It's been there for years but I have not been on it until now.
This is the view leaving the station

Our first stop was the riverwalk and friendship fountain. There are a lot of photo ops of the downtown skyline and the fountain, not to mention the St Johns River.

This is a statue of Andrew Jackson, for whom Jacksonville was named.

We also took the river taxi and hit the Jacksonville Landing and did some walking downtown.
It was extremely hot and I was pretty exhausted when I got done, but it was great to be out with other photographers. They don't get mad at you when you stop to take a picture! LOL

Skywatch Friday

Blue skies over the Atlantic Ocean on Labor Day, St. Augustine Beach, Florida, USA

It was remarkable that the weather was so nice that day, seeing as how we were in between two tropical storm systems at the time.

And just for fun, my little boy buried in the sand :)

Click on my post title, "Skywatch Friday" to view other skywatchers from all over the world :)

Priceless!!

This is Republican VP candidate's youngest daughter, Piper, taking care of baby brother Trig during the RNC...



I didn't get to listen to all of it, but I was SO glad I was watching when this was captured. :) TOO cute!

RIP Jerry Reed

Singer-turned-actor Jerry Reed, known as "The Guitar Man" of country music, has died aged 71.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Reed released more than 40 albums over a long career that started when he was just 18.

After scoring US hits like Amos Moses and When You're Hot, he broke into cinema in the 1970s, appearing in all three Smokey and the Bandit movies.

The star, who had quadruple bypass surgery in 1999, died on Monday of complications arising from emphysema.

He had recently been cared for in a hospice, Country Music Television in Nashville reported.

Sony BMG Nashville Chairman Joe Galante called Reed a larger-than-life personality.

"Everything about Jerry was distinctive - his guitar playing, writing, voice and especially his sense of humour," Galante said.

"I was honoured to have worked with him."

Reed's booking agent, Carrie Moore-Reed (not a relation), called the singer-songwriter "one of the greatest entertainers in the world".

Trans Am

In the US, Reed had a string of hits that ran from 1967 to 1983, and won a Grammy for his 1971 single When You're Hot, You're Hot.

Two further Grammys came for his collaborations with Chet Atkins - and the guitarist went on to play and tour with the likes of Joan Baez and Ringo Starr.


Although he never had a hit in the UK, Reed's music will be familiar to many through soundtrack songs like Texas Bound and Flyin', which appeared on Smokey and the Bandit II.

Elvis also covered Reed's Guitar Man during his iconic 1968 Comeback Special, and the star played in his trademark "claw-lick" style on the studio recording.

In the mid-1970s, the singer teamed up with friend and actor Burt Reynolds, appearing in The Snowman, as well as his the Bandit series, where he played truck driver Cledus Snow.

Reynolds later gave him a shiny black 1980 Trans Am like the one they used in the films.

Modern audiences will also know him as the angry coach in Adam Sandler's comedy The Waterboy - but his main passion was music, and he continued touring into the 1990s.

Singer-guitarist Brad Paisley said Reed was one of country music's most influential players.

"Anyone who picks a country guitar knows of his mastery of the instrument - one of the most inspirational stylists in the history of country music, a complete master," Paisley said.

"I'm in debt to him for paving the way for myself and the other guitarists of today."

Labor Day at the Beach

In between Hurricane Gustave (now a tropical storm) and Hurricane Hanna, the weather was beautiful in St Augustine Beach. The waves were pretty crazy and the rip-currents were pulling strong. It was not the friendly ocean RJ was used to, so he stayed out of the water for the most part. It was fun for the rest of us though ;)

Yes, we had to play "Bury the Baby" again ~ he loves it :)

Hope everyone else had a fun, relaxing day that included no labor.