Metamorphosis

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature;

the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB

Living life.
Capturing life.

Christine

Visit my family blog!
Indeed My Heritage

Tucker: The Dog Days of Summer

Yep, summer is for the dogs.  Well, no, not really, but the days from July 3 through August 11 are considered to be the dog days of summer.  Really, it's just a celestial thing.

I don't think dogs really enjoy summer.  They pant and lie around looking miserable on those scorching so-called dog days.  It takes something special to perk up their ears and put them in motion.  Like a Jet Ski.

Tucker is my cousins' dog.  He's still pretty much a puppy, which means he's normally pretty playful.  But this particular afternoon was hot.  However, Terri decided to take the Jet Ski for a spin.  And Tucker knew what was coming.

He waited, not patiently, while Terri made sure everything was running smoothly.  Then she cruised in to the bay, and Tucker jumped on.

After the ride, Tucker seemed to be in a better mood.  Of course, it helped that Danny spent some time giving him a good petting.

Ahh, a dog's life.  But only sometimes.  :)

Living life.
Capturing life.

Christine

Visit my family blog!
Indeed My Heritage

Dead or Alive?

Still waiting for the return of my camera...

I love old downtown areas, with their old buildings and architecture.  Small-town downtown areas are the best.  Just a block or two, but people gather there on a Friday night, and everyone knows everyone.  Carthage, New York, is just such a town, about 4-5,000 residents, and a small downtown which, over its 210-year existence, has experienced a number of major fires.  But the old downtown lives on, with its beautiful buildings and open park areas.

downtown Carthage, New York

On the 30-minute drive to the farmer's market in Carthage, my mom and I passed a new sign, "Black Creek Cemetery."  We commented on it each time we drove past.  One day, after eating at Stefano's Pizzeria (under the green awnings in the above photo), the six of us, plus Dad and Mom, decided to turn in and see what was hiding behind the trees along Route 3.  Two ruts were all that marked the way, but a turnoff appeared not even 50 feet beyond the road.

Someone had dedicated this quiet place to the American military of long ago.  A number of headstones were still lying where they had fallen, but the little cemetery in the clearing was freshly mowed and well tended to.

We meandered through, reading--or trying to read--inscriptions dating back to the early 1800s.  Inscriptions on two headstones struck me--those of a 19-year-old daughter, and her sister of five.  To endure the loss of not one, but two children, in two different stages of life...

We didn't read any flowery words of praise; most stones contained simply dates and names, and wife of ___.  There is something sobering about an old cemetery, knowing I am walking among those who have died.  But some of these who have died have gone on to glory--those whose lives were His, whose names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

I'm so very thankful that death isn't something to fear.  My name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.  I am His.  I am sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable,

and this mortal will have put on immortality,

then will come about the saying that is written,

"Death is swallowed up in victory."

1 Corinthians 15:54 NASB

And so I trod carefully through the graveyard, with the humble knowledge that in the end, death will not have victory over me.

"O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?"

1 Corinthians 15:55 NASB

Living life.
Capturing life.

Christine

Visit my family blog!
Indeed My Heritage

Dock Dates

Now that our air conditioning is off, it's so nice to enjoy the sounds of outside.  Well, I meant the natural sounds, not the pool filter, sump pump, traffic, or ambulance sirens.  Surprisingly, if I listen, I hear the chirping and buzzing of insects, and the occasional bird call.  A bench in my unfinished flower garden calls, and I rarely answer.  I need to grab my Bible and head out there before the cold keeps me indoors.

One thing I can't enjoy from my home in the suburbs is sunsets.  With a grocery and other retail stores just to our west, we don't exactly have an unobstructed view.  So sunset photos are rare.

Not so at the Lake!

This was the first year at the Lake that I had my digital camera.  So every night I carted my camera bag and tripod down to the dock, where Fernando spent the twilight hours fishing.

We called them our dock dates.  No scintillating conversation.  Actually, almost no conversation at all.  But simply time spent together, not necessarily doing together, just being together.

In the second week of vacation, during our dock dates, we started hearing the loons call to each other.  The lonely, haunting call stirred my soul with a renewed longing for my life to reflect God's beauty.

I found that these sunset hours were the only time I could be still and enjoy the Lord's creation, with no need to feel like I had accomplished something.

Thanking the Lord for His sunsets.

Living life.
Capturing life.

Christine

Visit my family blog!
Indeed My Heritage

The Oswegatchie

Oswegatchie:  An Iroquois word meaning "going or coming around a hill."  I supposed this river is aptly named, as it meanders through upstate New York in three branches.  Two of its branches merge near Harrisville, New York.  That is where this particular park is located, and where we shared lunch with Dad & Mom.  Even though I'd been having trouble with my camera, I was able to capture several scenic shots.

This clover bloomed in the grass beside the river.

Blooming along the river.

Red flower blooming.

Along the Oswegatchie.

These flowers happily bloomed on this rock in the middle of the river.

Bubbling on downstream.

I closed the aperture down (F22) for this softly flowing shot.

The waters of the Oswegatchie appear rusty, but rust is not the issue.  The water is tannin-stained, which gives it that brownish look.  The water of many of the rivers we've visited up in this neck of the woods have the same rust-colored look.

Trees make a pretty frame.  I love this photo.  :)

I hope you enjoyed your tour of this little section of the Oswegatchie!

Living life.
Capturing life.

Christine

Visit my family blog!
Indeed My Heritage

Revisiting Old Friends

Since this is a brand-new blog, I wanted to revisit some old friends.  Well, specifically their children, since that's what I photographed.  :)

This wonderful lady brings all her little ones over, and lets me shoot however I want.  She has all the patience in the world, too, if I want to actually pose the children.  It makes for a lot of fun running around trying to capture busy little boys and girls.  And it makes me want to go out and capture them again.  Hmm, maybe I should give her a call...

Like a little child,
Christine

The Kiddos of Upstate New York

Ahhh, home from vacation.  We had a wonderful time, but it is always comforting to be home again.  While in the Adirondacks, we went to Al Stock.  This is a combination of my cousin Al plus a Woodstock-style get-together.  Though I don't like the music (if you're reading this I hope you're not surprised), I love grabbing my 300mm lens and stealth-capturing images.  And once again, I fell in love with children.  Here are a few that I captured last week.

Like a little child,
Christine