Engaged... by the grace of God!

Well, our son, Garrett, FINALLY got back from Iraq on Tuesday. He came home for the weekend and brought a female person with him. She had flown down from Chicago the day before and was coming to "meet the family". They met when she was assigned to his office as an interpreter and were pretty much twitterpated. Anyone know where that word comes from?
I knew he was going to pop the question, the big one, and was trying to help him think of a way that both would remember for a lifetime. I came up with this: I was having a photography exhibition in the main gallery of our local art gallery. The Emma Kelly Theater is the building beside it. I arranged with the director to have WILL YOU MARRY ME LINDA put on the marquee outside.
It all went beautifully, but because I was inside making a speech while he was outside making his, I didn't get to see it. There are pictures (thanks, Charlotte) that I'll post later.
She said, "Yes!" So in order to show her what kind of family she was marrying into, everyone but me got up at 5:00 the next morning and went dove hunting. She borrowed some shoes and a jacket from Darcie and a camo shirt from Gayle (her future father-in-law). I'll have to say that she's a good sport!
I said, "Engaged...by the grace of God" in the title because when Garrett left for Iraq he said, "How am I going to be able to find a wife in Iraq? I AM NOT marrying anyone in the army!" I said, "Well, you never know how God is going to work things out. I just know that it'll be at the right time and it'll be good."
I knew he was very skeptical and doubtful, but finding a wife there anyway, who wasn't in the army, has been a big boost to his faith. God can do in abundance more than we can ever imagine.
More pics later as they become available. No wedding date has been set yet, but since soldier son has to be in Ft. Sill, OK in May, it'll be before then...and in Chicago...and an Eastern Orthodox Assyrian affair. I'll bet she'll have lots to teach this southern family.

Snow Day by Billy Coffey

Snow had always been one of the wider gulfs between grown-ups and children. Adults wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible and so get on with their lives; children wanted to keep it around for as long as possible and so enjoy theirs more.
This quote is from Snow Day by Billy Coffey. I first heard of him when I was reading his blog http://www.billycoffey.com/ He's one insightful man, so I was glad to see his book in my local library.
I mostly enjoyed it but felt that at times he was too didactic; trying to cram in way too many lessons learned in a short amount of time. One day actually. I'd recommend it, though. It made me think.

Night in the Tropics

My tropical garden at night during the month of October.

Ghost gums

I'm not entirely sure that they are ghost gums, but in that light they seem to have that sort of appearance. This morning my latest attempt to escape the heat took me to Austinville. I figured I could go a little further on this morning's ride after the earlier start -- I had given up the attempt to sleep at around 3.45am. The dirt road in the final stretch (visible in the lower portion of that picture) seemed a little rougher than it was last time I was here (about a month ago). Looks like the storms may have taken their toll out there.

Some very minor flooding on one of the causeways offered some relief, but in reality it was never going to be enough water. That said, the air is always slightly cooler and cleaner in the rainforest -- perhaps I should have just stayed there.

Surprise Pressie

Mom tried to help me paw out our address, but it sure is messy! However, check out the cool address label! Wow!
Look who I got this neat package from! Huge woofs for this pawesome card!!! And look! I've already got my snooter deep into the box!
Oh sooo cool! I love this squeakie stuffie!!! I love it so much that...
... I immediately carry it two rooms away to my bed before I investigate the rest of the box! That's stuffie love!
Dad lures me back to this amazing-lookie box and you won't believe what's inside! Yumzers smell!
Ohhhhhhh! Cookies!!! Not only that! They are homemade by Sedona's Girl Twin! Givemeonegivemeonegivemeone Dad.... Please?????
Aren't these gorgeous? I don't know how she made them, but they are delicious as well as bootiful! She oughtta go into bizness hehee! And here's a movie of me sampling a couple of these exquisite petits-bones! Thank you so, so much Sedona and Girl Twin! xoxoxoxoxo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qls3o7h2xjc

Balance Defined

This is our latest family photo taken last Sunday when our new daughter-in-law's Assyrian family came for a visit. Unfortunately, our son-in-law is missing, because he was taking the photo.
If we do not limit our inflow, we become swamped by the life demands of others. If we practice too much solitude, we risk being flooded by stagnation and a moody narcissism as our life and our art become emptied of all but the big question "How am I doing?" What we are after is a balance, enough containment and autonomy to make our art, enough involvement and immersion in community to have someone and something to make art for. Taken from Walking in this World by Julia Cameron.
I've swung too far wide in both directions in the past. It's easier for me to now recognize when I get out of balance. If I stay home too much, I get slightly depressed and too inward-focused. If I stay away from home too much, I get grouchy because I'm not doing my work at home and also not being creative.
So I try to stay home as much as a twelve-year-old's schedule will allow. I do need contact with the outside world 2-3 times a week for me to feel connected. Of course, I'm talking to my children and parents on the phone throughout the week. I also connect with friends by e-mail and Facebook. I also try to have lunch once a month with a friend, and I have bookgroup and art association once a month. I keep my four grandsons at least once a week. Add church fellowship and homeschool group once a week, and that's plenty of 'peopletime' for me in a week.
My problem is having enough solitude and long stretches of time to think and be creative. That's the lack right now. Until the summer, that's the way it'll have to be; unfortunately.

A touch of color at Manido Falls

Okay, here is the first image that I am sharing from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is a close-up shot of one small section of Manido Falls on the Presque Isle River in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. I was enthralled by this waterfall! I spent a total of about 3 hours photographing this waterfall, 1 hour at dusk and 2 hours at dawn. There is just so much variety to it. It is a long waterfall with several steps and cascades. I spent a lot of time with my 100-400mm telephoto lens isolating different areas of the falls. I can't wait to go back and camp at this park and explore more of the wonderful beauty that it has to offer!