and Here's What it Looked Like in 'Action'...

Doing a little 'Wedding' stuff again...

I just LOVE doing this! Especially for people who are special to me. This is a Unity Candle for the son of our extended family, and his bride.

Night Sky

I'm kind of experimenting with lighting.
This was taken without fill flash...

With fill flash

Wearing out the doggie...

Ready..... Set....

...okay...really going to throw it now...

Here it comes.....

Dog returns...toy does not...

That's okay, dumb doggie!

It's a good thing you're cute!

Victoria's Dashing Dakota (aka Koty Dog)..Shih Tzu - age 3

He really does know how to fetch...see?

He's actually pretty smart...most of the time! He loves us and is always beside himself to see us, even if we just go out to the mailbox and back, he acts like it's the first time he's seen us in days! He drives the kitty bonkers, but that's normal, I guess. I think, that he thinks, he's a cat. He's been raised around Taz since he was 12 weeks old. I think he has watched her give herself a bath, and he thinks he has to do that, too! He is the 'lickingest' dog I've ever seen! He's a pretty good little guy...I guess we'll keep him for a while!

Well...

Canon 70-200 mm 2.8L USM...decisions, decisions...

...to be continued...

Should have listened to my sisters...

You know, I got this Nikon, even after my sisters told me Canon was so much better. I just wonder...did I do the right thing?

It has so many great features, so easy to use (even though I can't set it to take monochrome pictures, and it only has 5 focus points) and it's black...isn't it pretty? You should really give it a try, Mom.

Hmmm...well, I guess I could...

Okay, say 'Cheese'! Let me see how this compares to a Canon...

See, I KNEW it! Mom just LOVES my Nikon!

I have to be honest, son, a Canon is just hard to beat!

Dad, I really thought I did the right thing getting this Nikon, but...

Well, son what can I say? They tried to tell you...

Oh my achin' back!

Canon...the Cadillac of Cameras, for the 'serious' photographer!

*Disclaimer: I love my baby brother will all my heart. He's extremely talented in many areas and never ceases to amaze me. But, sibling rivalry being what it is, I will take advantage of any opportunity I can to rib him a little!

My Dearest Friend....continued...

Well, the day came, and went. She really did it, and didn't change her mind (like I secretly hoped she would!) Oh well. She picked out the choir special, and we did a special piece with the Orchestra. Her daughter sang 'I Bowed On My Knees' and 'Love Goes On'. My, what a morning! Then in the evening, she and I did a 'mini-concert'. We played 'Tis So Sweet' set to 'Claire de Lune'; 'Seek Ye First' set to 'Canon in D'; Via Dolorosa; His Glory (has 'Majesty & Glory in it...mercy!); and finished with an arrangment of 'Amazing Grace'. There's a story there...My first piano teacher was the church pianist, back in 1972. She and Joy played this same arrangement - the first piano/organ duet she ever played. She wanted it to be her last 'official' piece, so we did it. I just think it's really cool how God throws in very neat things like that at points in our lives. It ran full circle...how often does that happen?

Me and she...ain't we a pair?

We had cake, and lots of it!

Then, just when we thought we were the ones with the surprises, she surprised me...she had been working on this quilt for me. She said, 'The black and white color is for music...the keys; and red is the color of love.' She had traced the outline of my hands a couple of months ago. I thought it was weird, but hey! So she put an applique of my hands, beside an applique of her hands in the center of the quilt. On the back, she put an applique of the outline of her feet. (Organists play with their feet, too, you know!) She gave it to me after going through and remembering the years she had been there, and where the paths had led. It was so sweet, and touching, I was just stunned. (Oh, that's her daughter and her youngest granddaughter on the left.)

...and this is my amazing quilt. I LOVE IT, and will always treasure it. (I'll have to redecorate my back bedroom in these colors so I can hang it on the wall!)

I sure do love her a lot, and will really miss playing with her every week...but she'll still be around for some cameos!

My Dearest Friend...

This is one of my very dearest friends. I do not have many who are as close as she and I. She's been the organist at my church for 31 years, and she's retiring from the bench. We have played together for the past 13 years. We click, we have experienced multitudes of 'magic moments' in our music. We make the same mistakes at the same places (which works out pretty good sometimes!) I thought we would one day be little grey haired ladies together making them build us a handicap ramp to our instruments...but tomorrow is her last day, officially. Will she back back from time to time? Sure. We'll play together again, but it will never be the same. We have been through a lot together, she and I, some really tough stuff, but the Lord has brought us through, and made us closer. Our friendship is one that continues on, just naturally, even if we don't talk on the phone all day, or send hundreds of emails to each other. I know she's there if I need her, and she knows I'm here if she needs me.

I've known this day would come for the past few months, but have been trying not to dwell on it. I cry sometimes, like when I come across a piece of music that I fall in love with, and know that she would too. The first thing I think now is...who will I share this with that will have the same understanding as I do? No, it will not be the same for me, but I am happy for her. She needs to do this for herself, and I understand. I didn't say I liked it.

Tomorrow is it, she will be recognized and honored by our church family as she deserves to be. We will do our 'mini-concert' on Sunday evening, followed by a Reception in her honor. Then, that will be that. She will be sorely missed, there will be moments of many tears, like the bands of rain that pass by in a tropical storm, ebbing and flowing. My heart aches at the thought of her not being on the other piano in the choir room, not going shopping for more cool books at the music store, no chuch music seminars. As in all of life, there are so many things I wished I had done differently, or done, period. I just want her to know what a talented and beautiful lady she is, and how much she means to me as a fellow musician as well as a friend. I don't want to lose touch with her, and that is what I am afraid of. I'd still like to go to the mall, see a movie, check out the latest accomplishment at the house, you know, stuff like that.

So, tomorrow my life will change, her life will be different also. My perceptions will have to adjust, and I have to look around to see what I do next. But tomorrow is her day, and I will celebrate with her in it, because she is my dearest friend, and I love her more than she will ever know.