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- On the Path of Wind and Water
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Category Archives: Photo Essay
Strong Civil War Connection to Fredericksburg
I lived in the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania, Virginia area for 23 years, but I did not find out about my “Strong” and personal connection to the Civil War and the Battle of Fredericksburg until a few years after I moved to Texas. … Continue reading
Posted in American Civil War, History, Photo Essay, photography
Tagged Cemetery, Civil War, Decoration Day, Fredericksburg, God Bless America, Memorial Day
33 Comments
Pulte New Home Nightmare
Our Pulte built home is less than 3 years old—AND—it has cracked and separated exterior brick/mortar, cracked drywall and floor tiles, doors and windows that are out of square (one window is jammed), diagonal cracks in drywall above door and … Continue reading
Posted in American Dream, Construction Defects, Photo Essay, Pulte Homes, PulteGroup, Texas
Tagged Del Webb 55+, Dream, Home, Nightmare, Pulte
63 Comments
Foster Kitten’s Grateful Prayer
Dear God, I can’t see or walk very good yet and I am too little to take care of myself, so I am grateful that you gave me a foster mom and a safe place to stay. Without her, I … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, cats, Family, Pets, Photo Essay, photography
Tagged foster mom, kittens, prayer
28 Comments
On the Path of Wind and Water
Sailing on water created by winds of thought, my soul travels on. Many years ago, in the late 1970s, a 29 foot sailboat carried me around the Hawaiian Islands on a path of wind and water. Although the old photos … Continue reading
Christmas Cat on Night Patrol
It was the night before Christmas, and the area directly beneath the sparkling tree was under close surveillance by our two stealthy cats. I could tell by the stern looks on their faces that they were not going to let … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Pets, Photo Essay, photography
Tagged cats, Christmas, Jobs, presents
42 Comments
Marine Corps Reserve ‘Toys for Tots’ Christmas Magic
The spirit of Christmas put a warm arm around me and suddenly I believed. This year, the Veteran’s Club in our community coordinated a drive for donations of new, unwrapped toys for the Marine Corps Reserve ‘Toys for Tots’ program. … Continue reading
Posted in Children, Christmas, Inspiration, Music, Photo Essay, photography
Tagged Marines, Santa Claus, Toys for Tots
8 Comments
Virginia to Texas through Hail and High Water
Illuminated by lightning striking darkness followed by thunder, Gulf Coast toad shivers drips falling on the threshold of an unknown door. When wild winds blow and rain falls sideways, normal vanishes and new directions appear. ~ms Considering everything that I … Continue reading
Posted in Nature, Photo Essay, Poetry, Storms
Tagged Alabama, Floods, Georgia, Hail, Misssissippi, Monroe Louisiana, Samaritan's Purse, Texas, Toads
25 Comments
Winter’s Shroud Descending
Birds quickly flew away through barren earthbound trees, in hopes of escaping the coming winter storm. One crow remained behind like a cold grim reaper staring down from above at foolish souls below. And then the snow appeared carried on … Continue reading
Posted in Nature, Photo Essay, photography, Poetry, Snow, Storms, Winter
Tagged Crows, Death, east coast
22 Comments
Car Creativity Unleashed
Rather difficult to explain parked on the edge of extreme… car creativity unleashed! In the summer of 2013, I saw this unique vehicle parked in a rest area on I-95 (south of Fredericksburg and north of Richmond, Virginia). I don’t … Continue reading
Seasons at Celebrate Virginia – Beautiful Apartments
Years ago, it was hard to find an apartment with a washer and dryer, much less a dishwasher. Constantly collecting quarters and wasting hours at the laundromat was no fun. Thank goodness thing have changed! Now the newer apartments include … Continue reading
Posted in Nature, Photo Essay, photography
Tagged apartments, butterfly, flowers, Fredericksburg, landscaping, pools
38 Comments
Dishpan and Buckets
Underneath a tree little Buddha me sitting in a dishpan filled with water. Joy floats easily into an open mind. I laughed when the words “joy floats easily” fell out of my fingers and splashed onto the computer keyboard. Strangely … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Memories, Photo Essay
Tagged buddhism, camping, children, Joy dishwashing, poetry
47 Comments
Real and Ethereal
The real and ethereal merge into one thought when winter acquiesces to the warmth of spring and sunlight slowly melts into dark shadows. ~ms I have not written anything since December (I sincerely hope that I was missed). The winter … Continue reading
Posted in Photo Essay, photography, Poetry, Writing
Tagged cats, Pets, Spring, surgery, Winter
53 Comments
Leaf Litter Lament
A decaying leaf, image of mortality faded and riddled with holes, hanging in a tree with mouth wide open singing a bitter chant– The Leaf Litter Lament: Ungrateful humans! Why do you complain as you rake, blow, and mow, mulch, … Continue reading
Sunset Stories in Silhouettes
When day meets night on the edge of time, sunset stories speak in dark silhouettes. Standing in shadows cast by the fading sun, the man with his hand suspended in air appeared to be telling the age-old story of the … Continue reading
Posted in Nature, Photo Essay, photography, Poetry
Tagged Chincoteaque Island, silhouettes, summer, sunset
52 Comments
Where Earth and Shadows Play
A cool respite beneath tall trees where earth and shadows play, leaves refreshed by raindrops light on soft breezes sway. ~ms *** In the last photo–do you see the wooden tree creature that appears to be carrying something into the … Continue reading
Railroad Switchman Struck by Lightning (1937)
An old 1937 newspaper clipping and some faded photographs are definitive proof that Carl E. Spaid, a 45-year-old railroad switchman, was struck by lightning while working on the Burlington Route. As far as I know, a direct hit from a … Continue reading
Posted in History, Nature, Photo Essay, photography, Science, Trains
Tagged Burlington Route, Electricity, Storms
63 Comments
Virginia – Civil War Reenactment
Admittedly, even though I have lived in Virginia for the past 20 years, this weekend was the first time that I ever attended a Civil War reenactment. It was sponsored by Spotsylvania County and the Mason-Dixon Alliance (MDA), in commemoration … Continue reading
Rappahannock River Rising
Because of 3 days of torrential spring rain in Fredericksburg, Virginia and surrounding areas, the Rappahannock River began to rise and spill over its banks. Undoubtedly, those who own houses and businesses nearest to the river were watching anxiously as … Continue reading
Posted in Nature, Photo Essay, photography, River
Tagged Flood, Fredericksburg Virginia, Rappahannock River, Water
15 Comments
Cherry Trees Announcing Spring
A gift from Japan— cherry trees announcing spring blooms pink in D.C. ~ ms In 1912, the cherry trees that are now growing around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., were given to the United States as a … Continue reading
Posted in Haiku, Japan, Nature, Photo Essay, photography
Tagged Cherry Blossom Festival, flowers, Spring, trees, Washington D.C.
38 Comments
Lost Without Language
I went to Tijuana, Mexico a few times when I lived in California. Reading signs and communicating with other people was not a problem for me there, because I had a good understanding of the Spanish language. It was quite … Continue reading
Tired of Winter
Roads quickly vanished and all cars went nowhere on this stormy day. Searching for solace underneath an umbrella, four chairs leaned forward trying to escape blowing snow and freezing ice— Tired of winter! We were scheduled to fly out of … Continue reading
Posted in Nature, Photo Essay, photography, Poetry, Snow, Spring
47 Comments
Cold Cat Winter
6, 8, 10 degrees (Fahrenheit) at night, with freezing snow and ice— how will I survive? I gave away my blankets, my pillows and my bed, when blue eyes came begging without a word and said: “It’s a cold cat … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, cats, Photo Essay, photography
Tagged Humor, Pets, poetry, sleep, Winter
46 Comments
Life is a Dramatic Opera
It would be nice if life could always be comfortable and predictable—without arguments, misunderstandings, trials, or tribulations. But it’s not. Life is like a dramatic opera, filled with ups and downs, and love which sometimes goes awry. There are times … Continue reading
Before I Forget 