Weekly Photo Challenge: Abandoned

Colorful Memory. I LOVE to take photos of the old and abandoned. The antiqued among the new. I have a ton of these photos which I can share along the way.

I love it to see the past and what it means for the present. How far along has our world, society, technology has come along– and how far along it hasn’t.

The Sound of Silence (Weekly Post)

Sound of Silence.  This is a very interesting challenge for me to conquer.  To me silence is not just being quiet and not speaking or listening to music.  Silence, in fact, can be quite loud!  For me, when everything is quiet that is when I hear the most.  I do not have any distracting noise bothering me or keeping me from staying on my thoughts.  Even though, there is no music or TV in the background and there are no other people, meowing cats and barking dogs vying for my attention….my mind is still going on a mile a minute.  I listen to my thoughts about what is going on in my life… worrying about the state of my job status, my family, my art, my life in general.

It isn’t quiet.

I think it is the peace that is the missing piece in being in silent mode.  I believe one would have to be at peace within themselves, within their souls and their own thinking to have a true silent experience.   There have been times when I have felt this silent peace in my life.  These were not necessarily solitary experiences nor just ‘the one time’ but more the moment that it had occurred.   Times such as when I am at my hometown and I would sit alone on a warm boulder on a beautiful summer day in the middle of Red Rock Canyon (outside Las Vegas, NV).   The sun is hot and a slight breeze will blow to cool off. There is no traffic to be heard and no people to disturb.  The hawks are flying over and call out into the air.  A lizard scrambles on the rocks nearby and sits watching me thinking it is invisible! I don’t think of anything except how beautiful and comfortable this is.      

Another wonderful silent mode is when I would be alone in my own (clean!) home and again a beautiful day outside and I am holding my newborn.  Dave is at work and either time when I was holding Jess (1st child) or with Kenzie (2nd) and Jess was taking a nap. I just hold my baby and rock her. Staring at her blue eyes and feed her or play with her fingers and toes. Her smile when she looks at me.   Or when both girls are quietly chatting, playing or just sitting next to each other.       Even now, I cherish those moments.    I find these silent moments various places and times throughout my life and each one is just as special and meaningful to me.

Another silent moment is not always a pleasant one.  I am also a volunteer Find A Grave photographer and will try to locate grave sites for people who are searching their ancestors.  Photographing the graves, the headstones and the cemeteries can be heart-breaking. some are very old to just the other day.  The ones set aside for the babies and children can make one cry.  The military section can be very harsh as well.  Headstones are mostly uniform just like when they would stand in formation when they were in.  You can visit all military from the Indian wars, Spanish-American war on up to the latest Iraq/Afghanistan war.  Some have died during their time of conflict and some will live out their full life and still choose to be buried with their brothers and sisters in arms.  It is a heavy air when standing among them.

I named it– this feeling, this moment — the Quiet Noise of War .   And to me this Sound of Silence is deafening.

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I have never been a real fan of the cold. Yet, somehow, every time we move, we move more north and more cold.  I now live in Montana. We were living in Colorado and per the Air Force orders we were stationed here.  Before Colorado, my husband and I met and married and lived for a total of 6 years at Rhein Main AB, Germany.  We LOVED Europe and did not want to leave. Our oldest was born in Floresheim am Main (outside Frankfurt).   Now, we have thought of a possible move to ALASKA, however, that is not going to happen at the moment.

Ice fishing day

Well, what does this have to do with anything–not much except to lead up to a very nice day we had yesterday.  Dave (husband), Kenzie (youngest daughter), Blaze ( our ‘puppy’) and I took a day trip an hour way to Holter Lake where we did some ice fishing and kicking back in the sun with a light breeze.  The breeze made it a little chilly but it was in the 40’s F  and the sun shining so it was very comfortable.  I am posting of few of the photos of the surrounding area and of the lake.   These are just for fun and not entirely for any artistic attempts but hope you all enjoy them as well!

Just for fun, Blaze enjoying some cool air.

Blaze loves to play and eat the snow. Taking a break

Weekly Photo Challenge: ( Selfie )

Ok. I am trying this post a 2nd time and hopefully it posted for better viewing. I took this at a farm / tractor museum in Montana during a Scott Kelby WorldWide PhotoWalk.