Zippity-ZOO-Daw...Zippity Day!

Saturday morning came zipping up on us pretty quick. I was up with my boss and his technician friend working on the phone system in my house until 2 AM. The phone system still isn't fixed- but that's a whole OTHER story...Today- I'm going to share with you about our zoo visit on Saturday.

Gabe was skippity-doo-dawing all day Friday in anticipation of his girlyfriend Catherine (Cate) spending the day with us at the zoo. The whole zoo thing came to pass when Sam asked me if I would take him to the zoo....and one thing leads to another- and soon we have a date picked out and a whole van load of kids   (which isn't hard to do when you have 4 of your own!) and we were headed south to the NC state zoo.

We started in Africa- because as Jakey said, "Oh!? Africa??!!? I've never been to Africa before!" and with that realization....our safari began. I'm still not so sure that Jake really understood that we had not time warped to another location...because he kept making statements such as, "The wind is kinda chilly in Africa!" (grin) and "they have Sprite in Africa?? WOW!"  It became to tedious to explain...so I didn't.

Elephant. For those of you who missed the National Geographics latest documentary, "Horton Hears A Hoo" :)

The giraffes were fun. We wanted to do the feeding deck- but the giraffes were on their own safari...and missed their lunch feeding. Oh well.

Monkey holding acorns

Through the glass (hence the reflection). He's pretty serious.

I must tell you, "Africa" has some beautiful flowers! Our zoo has wonderful landscaping, exotic plants and flowers and they showcase them so beautifully. I really enjoyed the plants as much as the animals.

What an egg!

Mork & Mindy...I mean, Gabe and Cate

Russian Sage and bee. One of my favorite plants.

Sculture of an African vulture along the elephant loop

Gabe & Catherine....

Catherine is teaching Gabe to "stop and smell the roses" He's so going to kill me for posting this picture!

After our stint in Africa- we took the tram to North America. (which really confused Jake, cuz he thought Africa was FAR, FAR away!) North America was (to be honest) a dud- the polar bear was asleep, the eagles were put up, the foxes were in the den and the bears were sleeping too!

The harbor seals were quite active

I love watching the seals swim and play....very peaceful.

Taking break front to back: Jake, Gabe, Cate, Sarah, Sam & Rebekah

My four

Catherine and Gabe on their way to the tram

The sun started to go down behind the trees as we were leaving the zoo.

We had a long, wonderful day with plenty of sunshine, laughs and fun. I so enjoyed getting to know Cate better and obliging Sam's request to visit the zoo.

Shine all your light!

Cass

More Lolly-Gaggin'

Our day continued along the Blue Ridge Parkway, after spending an hour or so at Mabry Mills (see previous post) and we headed to Chateau-Morisette.  The chateau is a beautiful winery situated along the Blue Ridge Parkway. I don't drink, never have- but I LOVE visiting winery's! Unfortunately, for all the time we were there- I hardly took a single picture! What's up with that? (you may ask) Well, I guess I was so enjoying the shrimp, clam chowder and mountain music that I just never took the time to snap a picture. In my book- that's a good thing. :)

In the midst of enjoying being surrounded by good things- a friend snapped this picture of me sitting and listening to the music. 

While the others were doing the wine tasting-I wandered about the grounds of the property.

After the chateau we headed along the Blue Ridge Parkway's scenic stretch of roads and stopped at an overlook. From there we hiked along a trail, stopping to "smell the roses" -pausing to enjoy the circling pattern of a hawk, admiring the vistas, eachothers company and snapping pictures at whatever caught our fancy.

The view at the scenic overlook

Ferns are incredibly audacious specimens, and yet they seem so fragile and dainty. I wish I were like that, growing out beautifully-displaying vivid colors- between a rock and a hard place...

Knock-knock, anyone home?

While we were hiking up the trail, Rick (pictured above) stated that he had done all the hiking he ever planned on doing while he was in the Marines...and therefore he took advantage of the grassy knoll, light breeze and shade. This is how we found him after our excursion. :)  It seemed like such a great idea that we all laid down and rested before loading back up in the van. 


On our way up the Parkway I was made fun of because everyone was pointing out the beautiful fall colors in a field and I said, "Oooh! Look how pretty the dead tree is!"  All of the passengers collectively rolled their eyes and started poking fun at me. However, I stand by my statement- there's something kind of pretty about a bleached out dead tree-standing against a bright blue sky. The contrast. The textures. The shapes.

So, in light of the good fun they all made of me- I'm posting the below picture in memorandum of my strange sense of beauty. :) This isn't the tree I was talking about...and of course the lighting wasn't like this either. ;)

The sun was getting ready to set when we started heading back down the parkway. Our last destination was a stone church we had passed on our way up. The church had a graveyard in the yard- where everyone isntantly piled out and headed towards. (And they say I have a weird sense of beauty???) 

We were fortunate enough to be able to go inside....this is the only picture I took of the inside

Roses growing next to a headstone

Phototog buddy, Pete.

I can't help but to be solemn in a graveyard. The dates on headstones showing a life ending before it barely starts reminds us that we are not promised tomorrow. This picture is of a leaf on a gravemarker of an infant. Sad to think the leaf lived longer than a baby so full of promise.

 I found this little poem on a website that shows the parralell between the life of man and that of a leaf.

Such is the fate of man

riding on the winds of time

carried by the river of life

he too slowly vanishes

into the realms of unknown

Well, that was the only "heavy" moment of the whole afternoon! We loaded back up and continued on our way home. We stopped in a little community called "Fancy Gap" which is really just a name- nuthin' fancy about it! We had a most enjoyable dinner sitting outside on the patio- chit-chatting, getting to know eachother better and thoroughly enjoying our friendships. I think last Sunday will go down in my memory as one of the very best days of this year.

Whose up for another excursion?

Lolly-Gaggin' Mountain Style: Mabry Mills

On Sunday morning I woke up early and headed to the mountains with a gaggle of photography friends. Our first stop (on the parkway) of several that day (not counting the potty breaks) was Mabry Mills on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Mabry Mills is one of the most photographed locations in America- and definately one of the best loved stops along the Blue Ridge parkway. The weather was GORGEOUS. I love that we happened to be there on a day that they were doing some demonstrations of life at the mill during the early 1900's.

The lighting inside this building was nil. So, as you can see by the resolution of the picture I have my ISO jacked up pretty high. This is the Blacksmith giving a demonstration of the tools and farming implements the Mabry owner would have forged on his own. Blacksmithing always fascinates me.

Is it just me, or does this look like a painting? I just love this photograph! I want a spinning wheel soooo bad...one of those other fascinations of mine. I spoke with this lady at length about spinning, carding and dying the wools and fibers. One day I will be posting pics of my own wheel. ;)

 
Pretty

Under the Sluicebox

If you know me you know that I'm not a risk taker. I don't think "out of the box", I cross the street at crosswalks, I don't wear white shoes after Labor Day and I certainly never ignore a fence for the sake of a picture...  Well, at least I used to be able to say that. :) I have a friend who is always encouraging me to press the envelope, try a new perspective, different angle, think out of the box...and that's how the above picture came to be. I climbed down beneath the sluice box (yes, the sluice box that was dripping water) and got this picture. It's not a great picture, but I like it for the simple reason that I am seeing the mill from a different angle-from a point of view that I wouldn't have experienced if I stayed on the paved walkway. Ya know? So, the grass isn't always "greener on the otherside" but the view sure is different!

This old car was in the parking lot

This is one of my favorite pictures from the afternoon I like the contrast of colors, the rust, the composition and the crop. You don't have to agree...in fact, Sarah thought it was a pumpkin with a light stuck to the stem.

Another favorite from the day...this is called Queen Anne's Lace

The fall leaves are already vibrant and gorgeous

I took this picture from the van window as we left the parking lot.

Tomorrow, I will try to post more pictures from the next stop of the day- Chateau Morisette.

RULE OF THIRDS For Walnut Cove Basic Photography Students

I was going to take the time to post my own lesson, but once I came across this this http://www.digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds  I realized that your better off reading this and seeing their examples.

Enjoy!

Cass

The Sun, a Star and an Angel

The kiddos and I were headed home last night-and coming down our road this was our view:

I ran in and got my camera for obvious reasons!


I had to share these...I LOVE the way the light was coming in streams out of the clouds. Just beautiful!

As most of you know, I run a walk in tub company that sells bathtubs to people with limited mobility. So, my non-glam job involves speaking to elderly peeps about their various health ailments all day long...and sometimes I even sell a tub. (grin) This past week I got into one of those really long, drawn out conversations with a lady. We talked about everything from politics and religious views to hobos and varicose veins. (Seriously!)
Anyhow, after over an hour of talk- and me singing her a chorus of an Amy Grant song over the phone (yes, I'm still serious!) she purchased a tub from me.

Small sidenote here:My friend told me that sometimes he doesn't know if he feels more sorry for me who gets on the phone with a home-bound elderly person- or if he feels sorry for the home-bound elderly person who gets on the phone with a home-bound, socially deprived mom of four. :)

At any rate, even after me singing to her (which may be a new sales tactic that I should incorporate into all my sales pitches!) the lady purchased a walk in tub from me and told me who she was. However,I'm not at liberty to say who she was/ I mean IS...but I will say that she's a celebrity whose been in some pretty big films and whose rubbed elbows with some pretty prominent folks...and has even won an Emmy...and who was wonderfully down to earth and very fun to talk to. :) And.....she said that I sounded like Amy Grant. So...she's my new favorite actress! *ha!*

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Can you believe that Howie has turned a year old? A whole year old!! He's such an turkey...I mean angel!!! :)

I'm still going to the gym...I'm still making the scales go back down towards zero- and each month I'm inches smaller-so it's worth the effort and expense. But more than that....it's worth the DRIVE to the gym each morning. I admire the rural views and farm settings.Sarah and I were headed there on Tuesday and this is what we saw through the misty morning fog.
I put this photo through a filter program- and the original is actually much prettier- but I'm too lazy to run and get it off the other PC.

I hope everyone has a safe, fun and relaxing Labor Day weekend.

Shine all your Light!!

Cass

Lights, Camera, Action!

Today I was involved in my first ever TV commercial. The company I work for www.remainactive.com is airing a 30 second commercial for our walk in tubs. Today, we shot the commercial footage and streamlined the script. The commercial is only 30 seconds long, but it's amazing the amount of time that goes into THIRTY SECONDS!!!!

I was taken back this morning when I found out that I was the model for the commercial! They used my feet and hands- and I had to demonstrate getting in and out of the tub, and how easily it closes. Gosh. I wish I would have known before going!! It kinda wigged me out for a little bit. Just got me off guard.



Yesterday afternoon I worked for HOURS on getting the 90 words correct...and today-after shooting the commercial, I realize that I really need to start all over!

I'm working with really nice people, and they've made the whole process fun and easy. I look forward to seeing the results we get from the advertising. :)

In other news:

Gabe is in his dual-enrollment program with the tech college. He's been going for three weeks and is liking it, so far.

The kids and I are planning on going to Georgia this weekend for a campmeeting. I'm happy to see old friends and loved ones.

Jakey starts Kindergarten in ONE WEEK! Sarah starts Jr. High in ONE WEEK!! Rebekah starts High School in ONE WEEK! Wow. Just wow....that's all I can say!

The kids and I took on the project of making home made tomato soup a few weeks ago. Oh my goodness! SO much time and labor and materials....for 3 qts of soup. :(

I have been very slack in my photography. Very slack.

I am in the midst of lots of decision (aren't I always?) and am back to the drawing board on some stuff.

Hopefully, this upcoming trip will be the necessary distraction that I need.

Shine All Your Light- even when you don't feel too sunny! :)

Cass

Life's Crisco Moments

I'm reading a book called "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. The story takes place in Jacksonville, Mississippi in 1962.

The story (so far) is told in the words of a black maid who is wise, observant and doesn't miss a lick. This paragraph has stuck out to me. She had a son named Treelore who was in school and doing well. I loved this part of the book.

"Treelore didn't say nothing till he two either. By the time he in third grade, though, he get to talking better than the President a the United States, coming home using words like conjugation and parliamentary. He get in junior high and we play this game where I give him a real simple word and he got to come up with a fancy one like it. I say housecat, he say domesticized feline, I say mixer and he say motorized rotunda. One day I say Crisco. He scratch his head. He just can't believe I done won the game with something simple as Crisco. Came to be a secret joke with us, meaning something you can't dress up no matter how you try. We start calling his daddy Crisco cause you can't fancy up a man done run off on his family. Plus he be the greasiest no-count you ever known."




Yep. In my experience- somethings can't be white-washed or "fancied-up". As a mother, I have been guilty of sugar-coating truth. Truth hurts- and I have learned through the last several years that sometimes you swallow truth in small doses- and process it as you can. Some things are so "crisco" that not even a teaspoon of sugar helps it go down. Things like heartbreak.

Amy Grant has a song that says, "some truth you hold and some you let go"....I used to disagree with the lyrics. I thought- no, you never let go of truth. How naive I was. A few of lifes hard knocks have taught me- Yes, sometimes- you let truth go....you take the good with the bad and essentuate the positive in your life....let the ugly go...cuz truth can be so ugly, so dark, that you just let it go. Send it away from you- as far as the east is from the west. This life has a lot of "crisco scenarios" in it and sometimes you just have to take the junk life brings and put the "crisco" to use by deep-frying the truth-cause anything deep-fried goes down easier and tastes better. And....The Lord's peace works as an antacid- which chases away the heartburn of life's "deep fried crisco moments."

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Yesterday in a matter of three hours, my son changed "Career paths" four times. We went from graphic arts to journalism to advertising to engineering. Right now- we're holding steady with engineering.

Today, Jakey chose rocks out of our yard and painted them to reflect the animal that the rock resemebled. I love it.

Rebekah, my violinist, had picked up the guitar. She sits around singing "Ring of Fire" strumming the guitar. Um. What happened to El Shaddai or My Father's Eyes?

I completed an 8 week S.E.O. course yesterday. I made a 93% on the final exam. Now I can tell you what P^2/C, KEI, hashtables and SLS mean. Come on! Really folks, show some intrique! *LOL* I'm realizing that I'm more of a nerd than I want to admit.

I have lost more than 11 inches in all since starting at the gym in May.

Tomorrow we are taking advantage of the "Tax free" shopping days our state is offering. School shopping- here we come.



All of the photos were taken by me at my moms house on Tuesday.

Shine All your light,

Cass