Beyond this open door, the world beckons. "Come out", it says. Commands. Pleads. Still, I am hesitant to obey. There is comfort in this home. This inner world is safe and comfortable.
Or maybe, I just forgot to shut the door and the breeze is flowing in.
There is one in every flock that I have been a part of. The black sheep. The one that is the bad boy. The flaunter of rules. The one that walks their own road. In nature, the black sheep is the result of a genetic mutation. In our own species, they seem to be the result of the nurture verses nature conundrum.
All that I know is that I have always in some way admired the black sheep for their ability to be true to themselves. Assuming they don't break laws or hurt others, I am just fine with black sheep. As a matter of fact, I think I married a black sheep. I'll have to give that one some more thought. Hmmm… I think I'll just ask.
Me: Jodi, are you a black sheep?
Jodi: Babe, I am anything you want me to be. Are you going to hand me my coke or just stand there?
Me: If you are not a black sheep, then what are you?
Jodi: Pretty.
This past weekend, I had the chance to speak at length with a remarkable woman named Elizabeth, a volunteer at Carriage Hill Farm. I want to say young girl or young lady, but Elizabeth showed such poise, intelligence, and maturity that I found her age to be completely immaterial. I think my mother would say that Elizabeth seemed to have an "old soul". Still, there is no denying her youth.
As I get older, I am sometimes presented with "opportunities" to feel my age. When in the presence of young adults, in their physical prime, full of hopes, plans, and wide open potential, the difference in age between us is difficult to ignore.
Don't think that I look at these remarkable young people with envy. I can remember the tough choices, and challenges that life inevitably throws in the way of each of us. They will change as life molds them. Sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. Some will be blown about, struggling to find a path forward while others will stick to their goals with tenacity.
So, I take these "opportunities" as they present themselves. Invariably, I think about my own life. The choices that I made. The times I was blown about and the times that I forged my own path. I like the person that I have become. I like the happiness that I enjoy. The home that is filled with laughter. My family. My friends. My wonderful wife.
In many ways, I am more creative than ever. I am comfortable in my own skin. Something that I never experienced when I was young. Middle age seems to have a lot of advantages of its own. Yes my joints sometimes ache and my feet pop when I get up in the morning, but those are small complaints.
Maybe, there is such a thing as "flush of life". And just maybe, there is no age limit to the flush of life.
There are occasions when brute force is the best plan of action. Making a strap for a civil war era gun carriage seems to be just such an event.
However, as with any application of great force, planning and testing are all required to ensure the force is applied properly and without adverse effect. Preparations be hind us, go ahead, grab ahold, and pull with everything you have got. This is after all, brute force.
It seems as though the author, who penned this graffiti, was suffering from a lack of conviction. Why the great perhaps? Such an interesting choice of words. Was he going to his death? To a job interview? Maybe he was going to a dentists appointment? Could he have been voicing his philosophy of how he lived his life? Perhaps…I don't know. What do you think?
I came across this rusty door knob on a recent photo walk in downtown Springfield, OH. I liked the texture on the knob and took the picture. Now all of you are looking at a black and white photo of a rusty door knob. All because I liked the door knob.
Now, you are beginning to see the power and influence of the photographer.
Jodi (not pictured) and her troupe danced for the veterans in Dayton to help celebrate the Memorial Day holiday. There were several WW2 veterans in the audience and they all had a great time. There was a lot of smiling and winking going on. It seems that these 80 something "kids" have not changed at all over the years. A pretty girl is a pretty girl as far as they are concerned. Cameras in hand, they recorded the entire event.
In keeping with Jodi's full dance season, she had a performance on Saturday night. Unfortunately, in the middle of the performance, the sprinklers came on and soaked the audience. The lawn seating cleared in an instant.
Not to be deterred, the troup simply moved to the parking lot where the audience gathered around and watched the girls finish dancing. When you are a photographer and a dance hsuband, you never know what you will see. Life is certainly interesting and full of surprises.
There are two new cats at the farm, yet to be named. It seems that somebody "dropped" them off and that they've taken up residence. Longtime feline resident, Sarah, commented "Wtf? People just slow down and flip a pair of cats out the window?"
No comment Sarah. No Comment.
tim mcmurdo 