Cousins

This past weekend I attended a professional conference in Nashville. It is always a great conference, but my favorite part is getting to spend time with my cousins who live in the Nashville area.

I may be biased, but I think my little second cousins are terribly cute.

Wonderfully sweet.

And smart and well-behaved.

And of course this is due to their being the children of my first cousin, who looked an awfully lot like her younger daughter (top photo) when she was about that age! And is sweet and smart, and was always well-behaved.

It's wonderful to have extended family. Even though we don't see each other nearly as often as we did when we were the young ones, it's a lovely thing to call somewhat up and know you'll be welcome to stay, even if they are in the midst of building a new garage, moving furniture, and one of them teething.

As it worked out, I was able to help out a bit by giving some pointers on how to use a metronome to the older girl, and watching the two littlest while all the moving was going on, so I hope that made up for the extra sheets that had to be washed the next day.

When I count my blessings, I count cousins.

(With apologies to the older son; I didn't get a picture of him, what with the moving and all going on once he came home.)

Another Night Scene

About three weeks ago, tornadoes were all around us here in Memphis.

Our part of town escaped, but for a while, more than once, it looked like one was heading our way. I was home by myself and had the TV on so that I could call Drazen, who was still at work, when the radar said the coast was clear for him to come home.

I've written before on this blog about how I love storms. I do take cover when appropriate, but in the in-between times, I'm out on the porch, soaking in the wind and wonder and the amazing reminder that we are not as "in control" of our lives as we like to think we are.

So, since some of you liked my moon photos, here's a shot looking the other direction, taken during some of the worst of the storm. In an in-between moment, of course. Though soon after I went out on the porch, a new warning system which I assume is on the university campus not far from our street, began saying, "This is a tornado warning. Take cover. Take cover. This is a tornado warning. Take cover. Take cover."

So I did.

To appreciate this photo, you have to click on it and enlarge it. It's darker than it seemed to me at the time, but perhaps that just adds to the mood. And I didn't realize my lens was getting wet, but that adds kind of a neat effect, too.

Guarda la Luna

A friend let me know about the lunar eclipse anticipated tonight. That's a true friend, isn't it, who knows you well enough to realize you'd want to know about it, and is thoughtful enough to send the email?

So, I went outside eagerly to our driveway, which I knew would be a good place for viewing.

And this is what I saw. Except it wasn't so blurry. Clouds as far as the eye could see.

It was a bit of a disappointment, yes.

But it just made me all the gladder that I had noticed the moon the night before when it looked like this. Of course, it wasn't actually blurry, either. (For anyone who knows, is it acceptable to say "all the gladder"? Never thought of it before, but that's what came out.)

I am very much a moon gazer. It occurs to me that perhaps that is why the disc in my neck ruptured....all those years of looking up? If so, then it was worth it.

I'm always writing little poems about the moon in my mind, and one has even made it onto paper, though it's not finished. Maybe someday. That moon just prompts so many thoughts, it's hard to get it in words.

But my pictures, like my poems, don't do justice, either!

Which is fine. I don't feel a need to define or describe or capture Sister Moon, as long as I can see her now and then.

Still Here, Sort Of

How's this for a Valentine's picture? It should make anyone feel that their life is romantic, or has that potential, compared to mine! Ha.

I have no idea how this photo turned out this way, but I use it here to represent how I felt a good bit of the time between the last time I blogged and today. I was rather stressed from some work situations, then became quite sick with the flu, and then have felt a bit overwhelmed with the aftermath of all the work missed.

Thus, the weird photo.

But my health and my life seem about ready to return to normal. Yea!

So I'll be back when I have more to say!

Happy Valentine's Day!