trip | Change Is Hard

October 26, 2013
by dawnkinster 25 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Horizon

WordPress has issued the weekly photo challenge. You know how much I love photo challenges and as soon as I saw the topic – horizon – I knew where I wanted to look. When I think of wide open spaces and a visible horizon here in Michigan I immediately think of our Great Lakes. So I looked through my archives and found a couple of possibilities.

But the road called. I admit it…I’ll grab any excuse for a road trip. Even a short road trip. So early this morning I set out heading north and east, targeting Lake Huron for my horizon shot. I didn’t know exactly where I’d end up, but the weather guy said there were gale force winds and 10 to 15 foot waves. I wanted to see that.

Turns out the weather guy was wrong. No waves but I did find this (click on photos to see the detail):

Lake Huron

Don’t you wonder what that is out there on the horizon? Of course you do. It’s the remnants of a structure that was built in the mid 1800’s to load gypsum onto ships from the quarry onshore. Want to see it a little closer?

Originally built in 1862

There was a pier built on the big concrete pilings all the way out to the loading building which is multiple stories high. It’s huge, even from far away. If you Googlemap Lake Huron near the town of Tawas you can see it jutting out into the lake.

Here’s some information, found at a historical market near the beach.

Historical explanation.

So that’s my submission for ‘horizon.’ Except that on my drive back I stopped at another little beach and found this fisherman. I thought this was a nice way to view the horizon too.

Fishing Lake Huron

I enjoyed looking for the horizon today. The sky was interesting and the lake was, as it always is, pulling at my heartstrings. It was good to take a few moments to enjoy the view even though I didn’t get to see any giant waves.

Walking toward the horizon.

October 15, 2013
by dawnkinster 19 Comments

The big adventure

At a rest stop.

Katie here. I just have to tell you about my big adventure. I’d have told you while I was adventuring but I was having too much fun to blog. And then I was so exhausted that I had to sleep. A lot. Mama had to wake me up just to type this. She is wicked that Mama.

So anyway, you know how my Mama is always taking me on adventures? She gets me all excited and then we just go to my park (which I like and all, but it’s hardly an adventure!) or to the store, or worse, we tour the back yard. Well this time when she told me we were going on an adventure she wasn’t kidding around!

We drove and drove for about forty days and forty nights. (OK, it was 4 hours, maybe a little more.) We stopped at 3 rest stops along the way and I liked all the new smells a lot. But still it was a long car ride.

My chariot.

When I was just about to explode and tell her off we were there! Guess what? We went to visit Ricky! Yes, THAT Ricky!

Little Ricky!

And he has a cool fenced in back yard and we got to run through his tunnel and jump over his jumps and everything! (No pictures of that because we were all having too much fun to remember the camera.)

Ricky and I got along just fine. He showed me lots of stuff, like how to do stairs. He has a lot of stairs at his house. I don’t do stairs, unless I have to when Mama isn’t looking. But mostly I don’t have to because, as you all know, I am a princess. So my Mama carries me up and down them because I whine about it. It’s a skill.

Mama! Come get me!

But you know what the best part of the trip was? We went to Ricky’s park. It is sooooo wonderful! It has woods and a ravine and a creek and gardens! There are so many things to look at and sniff I could hardly stand it!

Me and Ricky.

Ricky and I and our Moms spent a long time there and I didn’t complain once about having to walk so far.

Pretty gardens!

And I sat in the back seat of Ricky’s Mom’s car without trying to crawl into my Mama’s lap! See? I can be a good girl.

We sat in the back seat. Together.

Ricky is a good influence on me. He’s also a good friend, and so is his Mom and Dad, cause they let me stay in his house and sleep in his room on his sofa! Well. He might not know I did that, so maybe we won’t tell him.

Our ride home was very long too…and I did not sleep not one bit. OK. maybe a little. But I didn’t put my head down until we were almost home!

Just resting my eyes.

It was a wonderful trip. Next time my Mama tells me we’re going on an adventure I hope it’s as exciting as this one. Though I don’t know how she could top it.

I don’t get my feet wet either. Just saying.

I’m off to take another nap now. Gonna have the best dreams ever!

Thanks Ricky!

September 19, 2013
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

Small town

Before this week gets away from me I wanted to share a few more photos from my adventure last Sunday. Photos that are not barns. Because really there is more to life in rural Michigan.

I stopped in the small farming community of Coleman. I think it’s a farming community because right in the center of town is a grain elevator.

The working parts

I thought the whole thing was picturesque. I suppose if you’re a farmer it’s just equipment.

Buy your feed here

But to an outsider it’s all color and angles.

Years of feed sold here

Interesting. In a dusty sort of way.

At least the driver can see

I parked near a store. Can you guess what they sell?

You guessed it!

They sell auto and bicycle parts! Cool combination.

Along the way I also passed this garden. I actually turned around and went back for these photos.

So pretty

They even had a cow.

Moo!

It was a fun adventure. I’m glad I went. Hopefully I can get back on the road sometime soon!

Glory

May 13, 2013
by dawnkinster 9 Comments

Windows of DC

I could not resist capturing photos of windows (click on any of them for more detail) I saw while in DC.

Geometric

I wasn’t looking for windows in particular, but as the days went on I began to think maybe I should start a archive file just for them.

Reflective

They are fascinating…

Multiples

…in their shapes….

One opens

and their colors…

Home

…and the worlds that are just beyond the glass…

Endurance

…that we can only imagine.

Patient love

And here’s a door. Just because.

Welcome

May 11, 2013
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

Just a few more places to share with you.

Here’s just a few more photos to show you from our trip to DC. Click on any of them for more detail.

The Jefferson Monument.

I thought you might like to see some of the iconic sights…

Vietnam Wall reflections.

…and some you might not have seen before.

Korean Memorial.

And of course I knew you’d want to see the dog.

FDR’s Memorial is a lovely place along the river.

…plus just a couple cool things I saw along the way.

Georgetown during the ‘blue hour.’

Some things just begged to be photographed…

We were followed everywhere by the ‘kids in blue.’

…and others were hidden away.

Almost modern art.

Tomorrow…or sometime soon… I’m going to show you windows. But Katie-girl is coming home tomorrow so it might be awhile.

You know how she is.

Mr. Lincoln

May 10, 2013
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

Would you like to see the National Cathedral?

We spent today at several monuments and I’ll probably show you some of those, but for tonight, how about I show you the National Cathedral? (click on any photo to see more detail.) It sits high on a hill and is massive.

Front facade.

Inside it is all angles and arches…

Arches repeated.

…stained glass windows…

Warmth flows through the windows.

…and muted colors.

Columns bathed in light.

The light is amazing.

Light and arches.

And you could get lost in it’s massive naive.

Lit corridor.

I’ve never visited the Cathedral before, I’d go again. It’s photogenic, peaceful and best of all quiet which is hard to find in Washington DC.

More later…I have so much to show you.

Trio of pretty.

May 10, 2013
by dawnkinster 7 Comments

On the Mall

Dome through the visitor center ceiling.

For all my hours and days of tromping around the hill I’ve never visited the Capitol building. Yesterday was the day. Senator Stabenow’s (D-MI) transportation expert gave us passes to visit the Senate and the House galleries. And we lucked out; when we visited the House Sander Levin (D-MI) was debating Dave Camp (R-MI) on the Full Faith and Credit Act. Each Representative gave their opening statements, then called in other House Members including Representative Rangle (D-NY) and Representative Lewis (D-GA), to support their sides of the issue. Sometimes it got quite heated. The only thing they agreed on was that the United States would not default on our bills. The argument seemed to be who got paid first, the Chinese bond holders or the Social Security and disabled veterans. After about an hour of this I was so confused I’m not sure even reading the bill would help me sort it out.

Upper windows are in hallway from the House Gallery.

Then we moved over to the Senate gallery, just as a long discussion about Syria was started. Senator McCain (R-AZ), Senator Levin (D-MI), Senator Menendez (R-NJ), and Senator Graham(R-SC) all asked the President to put additional military pressure on Syria in an effort to stop their use of chemical weapons and begin the end of that government’s reign. That was interesting, if not a little frightening. Then Senator Boxer (D-CA) who is Chairwoman of the Senate Committee of Environment and Public Works, began speaking about a water bill, complete with charts. That was interesting too.

The dome is so large I couldn’t get it all!

After a couple of hours of watching people talk we needed to get up and move around, so we went on a tour of the Capitol, moving fro the visitor center up to the Rotunda, and into what was the first House of Representatives meeting room, then down through the crypt and back to the visitor center. I’m glad we did that, as it’s a truly magnificent building and everyone should see it at least once. I’m sure if I went again next time we are in DC I’ll see even ore interesting details that I missed on this tour.

Rosa Parks

We ate lunch in the visitor center and then headed out for a walk on the National Mall. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, bits of sunshine in between the clouds and a breeze to keep us cool. We walked and walked and walked…visiting a sculpture garden along the way…

Remember the typewriter eraser?

…and then finally sat down at the World War II memorial.

A corner of the WWII Memorial.

Our feet were tired, but we wanted to see everything.

Sounds of war.

When we finally got back to the hotel we rested for an hour or so, then walked the mile over Key Bridge to Georgetown for dinner. A little Advil keeps the feet going. Dinner at Clydes was wonderful…and the walk back across the Potomac for a good nights sleep in the warm night air felt nice too.

It was a good day.

Georgetown.

May 8, 2013
by dawnkinster 4 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

Treasury Building

Capital Building.

Library of Congress

Metro station.

May 4, 2013
by dawnkinster 14 Comments

River of hope

Lincoln Monument from the river.

Today was the first day of the Sorrow to Strength conference here in DC. We met in a conference room of the hotel and got to know each other a little bit, then listened to a media specialist give advice on handling reporters and doing interviews. She reminds us that we don’t have to be experts on statistics and safety issues, that all we need to do is tell our stories and stay focused on our message. Good advice. We’re just regular people not used to press reporters or television cameras. I was thinking that we should all watch politicians and learn from them; they never seem to answer the questions asked of them, and they always stay on task with their preplanned message.

Later in the day we heard from a grief specialist, Kathleen O’Hara. I feel a connection to Kathleen because my sister found her book several years ago and that’s how she came to work with the Truck Safety group. We are lucky to have her. She works with new families and helps them get set up with local grief counseling She was amazing. She talked about how grief changes over the years and where to find sources of strength, both from within ourselves and from outside.

Kathleen on the boat.

At the end of the day the whole group walked over to Georgetown and took a sunset river cruise. We held a remembrance ceremony on the boat, where people told stories about their lost loved ones and we laughed and cried. We were each given a paper boat and Kathleen told us to think about our person, make a wish and let the little boats drift free down the river. It was a beautiful and unspeakably sad moment.

Dad’s little orange boat.

Dad was a water person, he grew up on the Huron River and lived on or near water all his life. He and Mom went out on the lake often in the evenings to watch the sun set. The neighbors tell us that after she died he went out in the boat alone every night at sunset. So I felt a special connection with Dad tonight as we floated on the Potomac…as I watch my little paper boat float away.

Today was good. Kathleen reminds us to see the good in what we have left, to not dwell entirely on what we lost. Today I am reminded that I have a lot of good left…and the people at this conference are some of the very best of my life.

Hugs to all of them. May we always have the support of each other as we float down this river of hope toward our new tomorrows.

Georgetown at night.

March 27, 2013
by dawnkinster 28 Comments

Cheated!

Katie here. I just can not believe it. Never would I think my Mama would cheat on me! Not me! I’m the P.R.I.N.C.E.S.S.!

But Mama and Dad went away for the weekend and they didn’t take me! I had to go to the doggie spa! And it gets worse!

Mama with Chris and Ricky!

They went behind my back and met Ricky! Yes! THE Ricky! Without me! How could they!

And now Mama keeps talking about how cute he is. How he’s tiny. And adorable. And quieter then me.

Geeze. Well let me tell you, when she came to pick me up on Sunday I told her off. And I kept telling her off all the way home. I used my outside voice too. Even when we got home and I got to see my Dad I was still mad. And I made sure they knew it. Yes I did.

Little Ricky

You know what? They SMELLED like Ricky! Did they think I wouldn’t figure it out? Huh. Parents. What are you going to do with them.

Of course now Mom’s all like “We’ll take you with us next time Katie.” Yea sure. I never get to do anything fun.

But I got my revenge. I got my Mama up on Monday morning at 5:30. Just cause I can. I hope they’ve learned their lesson.

Now I need a nap. These people wear me out.

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

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