Category Archives: Life
Llano Texas Eagles Nest…
It has been awhile since I’ve been able to wander over towards Llano and see how the Eagles are doing. They have been nesting near there for quite a few years. I found they’ve moved the nest a little down the road but to my joy the nest is a little closer to the road (for all of us photographers out there this is wonderful).
It can take a little patience while you’re out there watching. Nothing interesting may happen for awhile – but sometimes you get lucky.
Momma and Daddy flew off and we were all wondering why they would leave the babies alone for so long. After about 45 minutes lunch was being servied in the nest.
Watching a Bald Eagle in the wild is fascinating. I don’t have as much luck fishing as these birds did (though I enjoy it) and I couldn’t help but to be inspired. What a joy to spend a morning watching these magnificent birds.
I’m told the babies will fledge around the first week of March – then one can only hope the Eagles return to nest again next year. It’s wonderful having such a sight within driving distance. You sort of adopt them and find yourself going out there to check on them.
Thank you for stopping by. If you’re ever near Llano, Texas the nest is outside the city limits on Hwy 29. Enjoy!
Peace, Love, and God Bless America,
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Austin Vibe…
I love Austin, Texas. I wish there was a better, more articulate way of saying it, but that’s the truth. I love to just BE in Austin. I think it has a ‘vibe’ all of its own.
I love to go down around 1st Street or Congress Avenue and just people watch. Well, and dog watch as well I suppose.
People come out to exercise or play with their pets and just relax and enjoy the day or unwind after work. I can’t explain it really it’s just a ‘feeling’ about the place.
Lots of folks like to throw tennis balls or sticks out in to the water and have their dog go fetch it. It’s great for the dog who gets to cool off in the lake. There are days so hot though makes you want to jumpin with him.
Austin is a great place to meet people – and who knows – your pet may even come away with making a new friend.
I do like to come down here and people watch, relax, and pay my respects to Stevie Ray Vaughn. Reminds me of a family/friend of mine who played like him who recently passed away – I guess they’re playing together now. (R.I.P. Jason Baric).
Just thought I would share a little about this wonderful place so bring your dog, rent a canoe or kayak and come down and chill out with some wonderful folks, make a few friends and enjoy the day.
Peace, Love, and Good Vibes,
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Takamine Time…
I’ve been so busy with work and fixing things, not to mention blogging, that I haven’t really paid much attention to my guitar.
I like accoustic music. Anything that I can play along with (Yes, I started with Stairway to Heaven and worked up to Dust in the Wind). I just like to play.
I have a Takamine Steve Wariner Limited Edition (Autographed and numbered 215 by Steve Wariner). I swear I could leave this guitar in the case for a year and pull it out and it will still be in tune. – The best guitar I’ve ever owned. It was good to take it out and tinker a bit.
Peace, Love, and Picking,
V7 Network 30 Day Bloggers Challenge
Talking Animals…
Have you ever imagined animals talking to you or is it just me? Alright, I’m going out on a limb here. I’ve been thinking all day “what am I going to blog about for this challenge?” I have all this work to do and then I have to get gas and have all these things to do after work.
So I’m sitting there in my truck this morning – and then I look out my window and there is this bird sitting on the curb staring up at me.
So I eased my camera over to my eye and snapped his picture. He didn’t blink – just sat there. And I could swear he said “So. You think you can just come along and park on my food and expect me to be all happy about it? I’m just sitting here with my stale McDonald’s french fry and YOU decided you had to have THIS parking space and darn near killed me mid bite”.
That must have been what he was trying to tell me. Because at lunch I come out and…
Well, I found his friends expressing themselves on top of my truck.
So there you have it. All because I didn’t listen or was too busy worrying about MY life to apologize to the little fella I got my truck pooped on. I guess that’ll show me, eh?
I plan to donate my fries to him and all his friends tomorrow. Sort of throw an “I apologize” party and learn to pay closer attention to what’s going on around me.
Well. I’m off to bed now. Big party tomorrow, you know.
Peace, Love, and Feed the Birds,
V7 Network 30 Day Bloggers Challenge
Learn to Be Still…
I often like looking at water. It reminds me of an Eagle’s song entitled “Learn to Be Still. It calms me when the world is all abuzz around me. Bills, new job, christmas, traffic. Water has always calmed me.
Not only that, but hiking is good for you. I’m beginning to explore the hiking trails around Austin and learning to relax a bit.
Peace, Love, and Calmness,
Veterans…
God Bless the people that serve our country. God Bless the fallen, and families of the fallen, at Fort Hood. God Bless the veterans who have seen and felt too much – and those that have bled and carry the scars of our country for the rest of their days for the sake of our freedom.
God bless the wives and children that wait for their husbands and fathers to come home for they also serve.
To all of the veterans that protect our freedom. Thank you and God Bless.
Peace, Love, and Honor a Vet,
Happy Veterans Day….
I just wanted to wish everyone a happy Veterans Day. Thank you to all who are serving around the world and who have served in the past.
I wanted to share my friends blog with you who is an excellent photographer and friend. Please visit the blog of Cricket Walker for some excellent photographs for veterans.
Peace, Love, and Happy Veterans Day,
River, Like Life…
I love water. Reflections. Watching it flow. Hearing it trickle, or even roar.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
Rivers are like life. Flowing smoothly reflecting everything around it. Enjoying the sunshine and good times.
Then it flows faster and the next thing you know you’ve fallen on hard times. Unemployment. Bill Collectors. And haveing to explain to little Bobby why he can’t have that $60.00 XBox game and that Christmas is going to be thin this year.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
Well, there are smoother times ahead. Another job. Things will be caught up and you’ll move ahead in to better opportunities.
Peace, Love, and Moving On,
Mornings…
I love mornings. The smell of coffee. Getting up a little bit early to sort of slowly wind up the day (versus jumping up and racing out the door).
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
I also like the wind in my face and the sound of surf. It makes me realize that I really do need more quiet in my life. Alas, those days are coming. The days when I can just walk down the boardwalk to the beach and enjoy the quiet. I think I want to retire someplace tropical. I’m just dreamin’.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
Peace, Love, and Quiet Time,
Irons in the Fire…
Seems these days I have alot of Irons in the Fire. So much so that I look at the lists of what I NEED to do; What I would LIKE to do; What I HAVE to do, and wonder where to start.
I haven’t updated the “Blahg” in awhile due to job hunting and stressing. Other than that I’ve managed a blurb or two on Facebook or a Tweet here and there on Twitter and haven’t really checked my Myspace.
So, Just how many social networking sites can one belong to? I dabble and test them all I suppose.
I do have a favorite blog I like to keep up with and that is the blog of Cricket Walker. There is a lot of life there as well as a lot of WONDERFUL photography. It’s like a very beautiful illustrated book, which is what a good blog should be, I think.
So head over to Cricket Walker’s Blog and relax and enjoy a good read. There are alot of good posts as well as links to wonderful tips and sites you should investigate.
Peace, Love, and Happy Blogging,
Georgetown Market Days…
Georgetown Texas Market Days went very well today with booths consisting of clothing, artwork, leather goods, handicrafts and lots of wonderful things.
Cher’s Creations from Round Rock features hand made custom wreaths and floral arrangements with no two being alike.
Silver Mallet Productions has hand tooled leather goods such as wallets, belts, and a whole score of other items.
Today’s Market Days had the theme of “In the Pink” in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. The next Market will be November 14th, “A Season of Giving”.
This will be perfect for early holiday shopping with all sorts of wonderful gift ideas.
Market Days is located on the square in downtown Georgetown, Texas. Not only do they have wonderfully unique vendors set up around the square but the square in Georgetown has very unique shops for everyone to enjoy making for a very relaxing and fun shopping experience.
Representatives from community organizations such as the American Legion were also on hand. BJ MacMillan, Dick Miller, Jean and Bill Brownlow and Marion Pierson were on hand enjoying music from Randall. The American Legion was chartered in 1919 by Congress as a patriotic, war-time veterans organization and has since grown to be the nation’s largest wartime organization founded on the values, contributions and sacrifices of those who answered the country’s call to arms. A valuable asset to veterans and the Georgetown community.
The Georgetown Fire Department was on hand thrilling the kids with tours of a fire truck and the Georgetown Fire Department Pipes and Drums folks played some bag pipes and made some wonderful music.
It was a wonderful day browsing the vendors and the shops on the square. The kettle corn and Gyros Veggie wraps and the wonderful people that make this happen. Hope to see you all November 14th 9:00a.m. – 4:00 p.m. for the next market days!
Peace, Love and Christmas Come Early Shopping,
Photographs Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
Competition…
I love photography and it is a huge part of how I keep my sanity in these troubled times.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
These seagulls all have one thing in common. They all the want the piece of bread I have in my hand. (I know – I conned them in to a photo op). Such is what I’m finding in the job market. There are now more people than ever competeting for that same piece of bread than ever before and I’m becoming frustrated.
It’s frustrating that with all the talk of job creation and “stimulous’ that WALL STREET seems to be the only one making a recovery and they are reporting that unemployment is going to get WORSE. That doesn’t seem to be what I remember being promised.
Nuff Said – back to job hunting.
Peace, Love, and We’ll Make it After the Next Election,
Lightning…
I’m not a big fan of lightning. It’s powerful. It’s fun to watch from the safety of indoors (unless of course it blows up the transformer across the street, then it gets more on the frightening side).
I searched the internet to find out how to photograph this wonder and decided to try it. The storm was so bad there was lightning every 10 seconds or so, therefor there was no question as to where to point to the camera.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
The advice I found on the internet was to use a tripod and your camer’s ‘bulb’ setting. The bulb setting allows you to hold the shutter open until you release it. So I set my camera in full manual mode, selected an f stop of f/11, ISO 200, and the shutter speed to ‘bulb’.
Then point the camera in the general direction you think it’s going to happen and simply press the shutter (I wasn’t worried about camera shake because it was dark) and hold it open until you see the flash. It’s not recommended to keep it open for longer than 2 minutes. If nothing happens in that amount of time then close the shutter – and try another shot. The above shot was ISO 200 / f/11 / and only 2 seconds. There was alot of lightning.
Other considerations are water. I was under the porch (Literally cowering under the porch…ha-ha) or you could use plastic to sheild your equipment from the rain. Or if you’re lucky, it’s not raining (yet). The number one thing to also consider is SAFETY. Please be safe because lightning is dangerous and you don’t want to be out in it with expensive camera equipment. I did, after all, run back inside as soon as this shot was taken.
Now that I have my first ever shot of lightning I guess I have to work on putting that beautiful scenery behind it like all of those famous photographers actually get. I’m getting better and loving the experience and lessons learned.
I hope this helps with your photography experience and if you get a chance stop by Barrett Photo Art and poke around if you like. I try to keep my best work there.
Thanks for stopping by and God Bless.
Peace, Love, and ‘There’s the Ka-Boom!”, (vague Marvin the Martian reference)
Peer Pressure…
I remember when I was young and how sometimes my mouth would override my abilities. I was taken down memory lane here recently when I watched as my grandson told a lovely little girl how he could make it across the monkey bars.
He had not taken in to account his physical limitations as he had already traversed the bars several times before. But THIS time would be the one to impress the ladies. The trip that counted. The one that mattered as it would win hearts.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
I was there to photograph the event and I knew what he was feeling (by the look on his face) as his arms began to give out while his friend looked on.
He quietly asked for help getting down, however, he was not embarrassed at all. He simply explained that he had done it so many times that he was tired but would be back to show the little girl he could do it once the cramps left his arms.
When you’re tired, keep going. If you fail, try again. But do it for yourself – she’ll still like you weather you make it across the monkey bars or not.
Thanks for visiting.
Peace, Love, and I Can Do That,
Central Texas Rain…
I’m so glad it rained. There is so much to see and do after a heavy downpour (other than dry off). I noticed my grandson’s bicycle had fallen over in the storm.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
Now you may be thinking that’s a shadow under the bicycle but it looks like God decided to draw on my porch.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
There on the pavement was the perfect outline of the bicycle like Peter Pan’s lost shadow.
Well, after being facinated by the outline on the porch we decided to go to San Gabriel Park to see what all the rain had done and sure enough the river now has water in it!
As you can see by this photo the San Gabriel bridge is coming along nicely — and you can also see why they are building it as illustrated by the vehicle crossing the low water crossing.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
The fishing was also fabulous down at the river after a storm. The carp was released and allowed to fight another day though.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
Well, it’s time to go get some fixin’s and get something to eat after being wet for a day or two. Enjoy your day and your family and thanks for reading my musings.
Peace, Love, and Running Rivers,
Old Buildings…
I love old buildings and small towns. It makes me wonder what it must have been like way back in the day when the town was growing up.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
Downtown Lockhart, Texas is a good example. There are alot of wonderful places to explore in that town. I think a great thing to do is to stop in a small town and go exploring.
Image Copyright © 2009, Barrett Photo Art
You never know what you will find around the corner. The alley ways are interesting. Faded signs and relics of a day gone by. History come to life.
Peace, Love, and Treasure Hunt,
Georgetown Fine Dining…
Georgetown Texas has a multi-award winning restaraunt on Austin Avenue. Silver & Stone was given an Award of Excellence for their wine list by Wine Spectator magazine.Silver & Stone is a family owned and operated restaurant headed up by Chef James Ramsey and Manager Corey Bailey. I can’t really say enough about this wonderful place. The atmosphere, the food, the people – the VIEW -it’s fantastic!
Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art
Silver & Stone has won national awards and features the best cuisine in Central Texas. It is the perfect place for a romantic evening.
Chef James Ramsey at work preparing Bananas Foster!.
You can visit their website at www.silverstonerestaurant.com and see all that is happening at Georgetown’s finest dining establishment.
Silver & Stone has special events, and upcoming cooking classes that will make your mouth water. Music is also being added to the list of perfect reasons to get out of the house and have a good time with a great meal.
Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art
Manager Corey Bailey who graciously paused long enough to allow me to snap this photo.
You absolutely MUST visit Silver & Stone and experience it for yourself – The top of the Tamiro Plaza building on Austin Ave near downtown.
Peace, Love, and Flambe!,
P.S. Don’t forget folks: Visit www.silverstonerestaurant.com website or just go on over there and have the finest wine and finest dining experience you ever had.
All is Quiet…
It’s the end of the day. The floors are swept. The lights turned out. All have left. The streets fall silent as the night takes over. It’s time to sleep now.
Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art
The quiet is nice at the end of a long day. The bench sits quietly waiting for morning when the customers will come and chat and people-watch and await their turn at the City Barber Shop in Georgetown, Texas.
Peace, Love, and Time for Bed,
Georgetown Texas…
I live in Georgetown, Texas North of Austin. I worked in Austin and commuted 47 miles to work.
I count that as a blessing as now I have the opportunity to find work in the town I love and live in.
Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art
They have a wonderful downtown square that is very active! Restaraunts, shops, boutiques, and an active theater that puts on fantastic plays! It has been so long since I’ve seen a live play and it’s quite an experience to watch.
Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art
Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art
The Winery is wonderful!
Also the Rough and Ready Antique Store is FULL of treasure.
Image Copyright ©Barrett Photo Art
Every Friday night the Downtown Georgetown Association hosts “Georgetown Music on the Square” where live music is performed by various local artists.
There is also a Street Dance on the square which is held on the First Friday of the month. August 7th will be the last Street Dance so ya’ll need to come!
Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art
Please visit the Downtown Georgetown Association Website and learn more about this wonderful place I live in! Downtown Georgetown Association
Come and spend a quiet day on the Square. The quality of the restaraunts and shops will amaze you and the wonderful people here will make you smile and never want to leave.
Image Copyright © Barrett Photo Art
Peace, Love, and Small Town Texas,
