Uncategorized | Change Is Hard

Out along a country road someone plants sunflowers. They crowd each other between the corn fields and the road. They go on for almost a mile. Every year I remind myself that I need to stop and take pictures. Every year the frost gets to them before I do.

But this year I was inspired by PJ’s sunflower photo, and the one over on Gerry’s blog. So last weekend Katie and I went out specifically to get some photos. Katie had to stay in the car, but she was OK with that.

I had a great time standing among the sunflowers.

Katie was very patient.

She’s gotten used to this Mama and the camera thing. As long as she gets to ride in the car she’s totally supportive.

Treats are good too.

Wordless Wednesday

October 5, 2011 by dawnkinster 10 Comments

October 4, 2011
by dawnkinster 9 Comments

Stary anniversary

Some of you know that when I’m out with the dog and the stars are hanging bright I look to the sky for my Mom and Dad. For me Dad is the big dipper, Mom is Orion’s belt. Sometimes during the year they are both there in the sky together, Dad to the north, Mom to the south. But during the summer months Orion’s constellation swings too far south for me to see, and sometimes I can’t see the big dipper either.

I smiled this morning when Katie and I went out in the predawn hours and I saw both constellations shining down on us. I was glad to see them together again; it was totally appropriate. Today is their fifty-ninth wedding anniversary.

Happy anniversary. I miss you.

October 2, 2011
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

One mile in

So my training for next year’s ten mile road race starts this week, with me running/walking 1 mile 3x a week. My first mile was scheduled for this weekend.

I finished mowing the grass about 4:30 today and thought, ‘it’s a beautiful day, sunshine, cool, a nice breeze. It’s never going to get any better than this. So get yourself out there.’ I think I have been worried about how it would go, so have been avoiding the run all weekend.

I changed my clothes and got ready to leave. But Katie had other ideas. She figures, if Mama goes, Katie goes. And she has really big eyes when she’s begging. I figured I was going to walk most of it anyway, so I hooked her leash up and off we went.

We ran most of the first quarter – she thought I was chasing her and it was all a game – till she saw her first chipmunk. Then she was all business. We ran and walked the rest of the way to the 1/2 way turn around point. I was pretty proud of her. But on the way back she refused to run at all. Every time I started jogging she just stopped cold. Silly girl. So we pretty much walked back. With 1/4 mile left to go she asked to be picked up. I told her she was a woose. And I carried her a little bit, cause I’m a pushover. I told her that she should realize that I was going to have to go back out when we got home and do this all over again. She said she didn’t care.

So when we got home I made her supper and then headed back out. Ran the 1/2 mile to the turn around, walked a bit and pretty much ran the rest of the way back home. It felt good to be running. It felt really good when I got back back home and could stop running. I haven’t been this sweaty in a very long time.

Guess Katie’s walk was a good warm up. She’s sound asleep now.

Come on Mom!

October 1, 2011
by dawnkinster 7 Comments

You want me to look WHERE Mama?

I'll pose but I won't look at you

It’s cold and really windy, but this afternoon the sun came out so Katie and I took advantage of the perception of warmth and went for a drive. Mama took the camera. Katie sighed.

We went to a park that has a children’s play area. There’s a big sign filled with all the rules; one says ‘no pets.’

Not looking at you.

But since there wasn’t anyone around and since Katie can’t read we wandered in anyway.

Are you sure we can be here Mama?It smells like children! You know I don’t especially like children. They’re noisy. Noisier than me. And that’s saying something.

Hey, there’s lots of places to sniff. Wait. You want me to sit where? Under these weird things? OK. But I’ not going to look at you.

Not looking at you.

Nope just not gonna do it.

Nope.

Darn! You got me!

Now wait a minute. You want me to climb up THERE? Oh yea. I can do that! But I’m not gonna look at you. You might as well face it.

Not looking at you.

Hey Mama this is fun and everything, but can we just go for a walk out in the grass?

I sat good for all your stupid pictures, so can we, can we? Just go nose around all that pretty grass for awhile?

Of course we can baby-girl. Right after one last shot.

Ok. But I’m not looking at you.

September 30, 2011
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

Subtly of Fall

Today the temps were in the low 40’s, the wind was howling and the rain was coming down sideways. I miss summer already. Luckily Katie and I got to go to her favorite local park last Sunday while the sun was shining and the air was still warm.

She said it was about time she got to do something fun.

She ran around a lot…

…while I noticed all the subtle colors.

Despite today’s weather we are only beginning the fall season, and haven’t reached our peak color yet.

Still, if you look you’ll see beautiful soft color everywhere.

Katie says…Hurry up Mom! Geeze I have to wait for you all the time!

Coming baby-girl, Mama’s coming.

September 28, 2011
by dawnkinster 7 Comments

Walking stick

Today on my lunch time walk I saw a walking stick! The insect. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in real life before, though I remember reading about them as a kid. I almost stepped on it, and as I passed over it I suddenly realized the little twig had legs and was moving!

I turned around and watched it. It went stone still after it crawled into the grass. I touched it and it didn’t move. I guess that is it’s security, blending in with the landscape.

Anyway it was really cool. The video clip embedded above is of someone else with one…this is exactly like the one I saw. I’ve just read that there are actually many different kinds. Have any of you seen these in your parts of the country?

Wordless Wednesday

September 28, 2011 by dawnkinster 7 Comments

September 26, 2011
by dawnkinster 11 Comments

A little competition

I’ve been thinking about Scott’s photo challenge – to photograph some kind of competition. There are lots of things that come to mind; pie eating contests, lumberjack pole climbing contests, Renaissance jousting contests, dog shows, art fairs. But none of these things seemed likely to occur somewhere that I might be.

So I fell back to a sport I used to participate in – running. I found a small 5K race (that’s 3.1 miles) only a few miles away at a senior assisted living facility and on a Sunday morning I drove over there, feeling overdressed in my jeans and jacket, to watch a group of people head off on a beautiful run through the fall morning light. (Click on the photos to see them larger and with more detail.)

As at every race there was anticipation in the air as people prepared to run.

Volunteers were setting up a table with water and bagels for race finishers.

Soon everyone was getting last minute instructions.

And then they were off!

While the runners were out on the course, the residents of the assisted living facility did their own walk around the grounds and then crossed the finish line themselves…