Hay Fever...

My whole life I have endured summer allergies! Hay Fever to be exact! I remember once upon a time, I had it so bad, my mother and father took me to the hospital. I could hardly see out of my eyes, they were so swollen.  I remember it was such a scary place for me, the hospital!

Hay Fever.....

I also remember the doctor coming at me with a needle that was atleast a foot long! Im not kidding! even today, I remember it like it was yesterday.

Another vivid memory I have is my sister and I on the bus, heading home from school. It was our last day and I was crying. I didn't want to say goodbye to my teacher, Mrs. Schaver. I had just completed my kindergarten year and I felt like my world was coming to an end.

My big sister, who had just finished first grade, held me in her arms while I cried, warding off the other classmates, as they made fun of me for crying! "It's her Hay Fever!" She told them and to leave me alone.... She was my hero that day, and I can tell you, I remember as if it were only yesterday that she had me in her arms.

It is that time of year once again, but now I have a different kind of Hay Fever......

I find it quite, how should I put this delicately... Hot! to see those huge farm vehicles plowing the fields, the men in their wranglers or Levi's or what ever it is that they wear, and their stained tee shirts, soaked from the summer sun, and the endless hours behind the wheel of their hay rakes and balers and such oh my!

To see a convoy of farmers in their farm rigs coming towards me on a country road takes hold of me like no other. I can't quite explain the feeling that comes over me, but I would like nothing more than to pull over, grab my camera and record every second I can.

Gypsy, looking for her dad

I spent a summer with my uncle while he cut and baled his fields and filled his barn to put up for the winter for his cattle during the cold winter months.

It is very hard work. I have hefted a bale or two (the small ones)  and they are each about 60 pounds!  I have a high respect for all those who put on their boots and gloves and hats despite the heat of the summer sun every year and do what they gotta do, and do what they gotta love.

I can't imagine a farmer who would be doing it because he or she hated it.

So the next time you see a farmer driving down a country road, with his flashers on his rig, whether it is an antique or the newest model on the market, pull over, give a slight nod and enjoy the view!

Thanks for coming by,

S~

Life...

Life, it's better when you have someone to share it with....

I have had such a full week! House / cat sitting while taking care of me own house and me own adorable kitty Saphira, two birthday parties, of which both celebrated milestones and a family reunion!

Whew!

They kept me busy!

MaryEllen celebrated her 90th birthday this week! Oh.... the things she must have seen in her lifetime. The changes she has witnessed, the technology, the presidents she has seen sworn into office, Halley's Comet has come around twice since she was born!

She has seen her sons grow into men, and they in turn have raised their own families and her legacy continues.

When I arrived at MaryEllen' party, I hugged her and wished her a happy birthday.  She looked into my eyes and with a smile said "I was hoping you would be here, I would like some family pictures"  I smiled back at her and said... "I think I can take care of that for you".

MaryEllen,

There are no words to describe the impact your words had on me at that moment. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I wont apologize, as this is who I am, but I kept the tears inside and me heart grew a little bigger in that moment!

You made me feel welcome from the moment I met you, and I thank you.

Happy birthday sweet girl, I hope all of your wishes have come true.



Life, it's better when you have someone to share it with....



Hugs,

S ~

World Beat Festival 2012

World Beat Festival 2012~

It is all "worlds" coming together in celebrating us, as a "whole" people. We are truly all the same.  We have different back grounds, we have different beliefs, we live in different parts of this planet that we call Earth, and we are all the same.

We are one in the manner that we all require the same things in order to live and to survive. We all require nutrition, we all require the warmth of the sun, without it, we could not survive as it is as good for our bodies as it is for our fields. We require water to sustain us, and sometimes, it just happens that it separates us from our neighbors. We require love and affection, without that, we will not survive as a people.  We as a people love, and bleed, and hurt, and grieve.

I took my camera to capture some of the intimate moments in peoples lives, people from all walks of life, who came together to share their story, their culture with anyone who would care to take a moment and see.

There were people from all corners of this planet at the festival.

Two women were walking by, dressed in their "regalia", so bright and colorful. I grabbed my camera and snapped a photograph of this beautiful woman.  Our eyes met as soon as I took the camera away and set it in my lap, and she thanked me. I was speechless.  I bowed my head ever so slightly to her in the only way I could say you are welcome. I wanted to cry, if I was alone, I would have. We were two people who live worlds apart and we had such an intimate moment only her and I could share.

I was now bent down on one knee taking photographs of dancers from Africa. Such beautiful people, and very sensual. I don't know exactly for sure what their dances meant, but from what I could gather in my own mind, they were saying they were ready for a mate.

While I was taking the photographs, I noticed this little girl in her mothers arms, her mother set her down on the ground and she came to me and put her hand on my knee as she looked into my eyes and smiled. My heart got a lot bigger in that very moment.  She snuggled right in and watched the show with me, as if her and I were from the same family. It was comfortable and it was right!

I learned that her name is Maria and she is 16 months old and her father is from Africa. I would like you to meet them as they were so kind to let me take their photograph and let their baby girl comfort me for a while.

We as a people are not alone in this world. Sometimes water and land separate us. So we build bridges and roads. But mostly beliefs and ignorance are the biggest problems we face and it must stop.

While I was there at the festival, there was no prejudices. There were people, celebrating each other, and all the while I was trying to figure out how I can get to these other places like Africa and India, and will that ever happen for me. I hope so.

It does make me sad that I will probably never see that beautiful woman again, or Maria and her family. What does life hold for them, and will they think of me?

I hope you have enjoyed my blog. I am posting a lot of pictures on my facebook fan page (too many to post here. you can copy this link and paste it into your browser)  or search Sandra Lynns Photography in your facebook search window. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sandra-Lynns-Photography/271691662904788 if you would like to see more of what I saw.

Thank you for coming by and truly, love your neighbor.

Hugs, S ~