LuAnn Hunt Photography

Photographing an Angel

2012-01-11T00:04:00.000-05:00

Today I said goodbye in this life to a precious young woman, Breanna.

I met Breanna in October and spent a couple hours with her and her stepmom taking her casual senior photos. Breanna was 17 and a senior at Lynchburg Christian Academy. She was planning on going to college at the Savannah Art Institute. She told me she was interested in marketing and fashion. Breanna's Mom, Kristi, works at the bank where I do my photography business and personal banking. Kristi has been very supportive of my photography business and I was excited to have the opportunity to take her daughter's senior photos.

From the onset of meeting her, Breanna had a composure that exceeded her 17 years. Her eyes sparkled and her smile lit up my camera's viewfinder. She was a natural in front of the camera, and from the photos her Mom had shown me, Breanna was also a very good photographer.

We waltzed around downtown Lynchburg taking a variety of shots and poses. Breanna was game for sitting on the pavement, jumping high more than once, and at a moment's notice, (knowing she loved shoes), I asked her for a quick pose in front of an old shoe factory, now an art studio. That shot turned out to be her Mom's favorite. We finished up at a closed gas station that had unique black and white graffiti all over it's windows and walls. I asked her to spin so I could capture that flying hair look. She laughed and spun several times. The last photo I took of Breanna was with her stepmom... afterall she had followed us everywhere and was a great audience as we took photos.

On January 6, 2012, Breanna left this world to go in the arms of Jesus. She died as a result of a tragic car accident. Her friend who was driving also died. Little did I know that the photos I took of Breanna would make up the slideshow at her visitation. Little did I know that these photos would be the last professional images taken of Kristi's daughter.

It is so very hard to put into words how this tragedy has affected me. I suppose it reminds me of how precious life is and that our days here on earth are a gift. In just two hours of knowing Breanna, I knew the time I had spent with her that day was a gift; a gift I will treasure.

The Circle of Life

2011-09-30T22:38:00.005-04:00

[click on the date to see the entire post]
Have you ever had one of those days when it's all just too much? Seems I'm having one of those years. I'm not really complaining though. God has poured out his blessings on my family in the midst of the difficulties. But still, things have a way of piling up.

We've seen 2 rainbows in the last two weeks.
God is reminding us he's still here.

My mother-in-law is dying. She's slowly dehydrating. Just the other day when my husband laid his hand on shoulder, she looked up at him and said very clearly (in the midst of her Alzheimer's), "Larry, don't make me eat." That was the first time she's called him by name in weeks. Mama has stopped eating and she's only sipping water or soda sparingly. In her right mind she has decided, "enough." She wants to go home to heaven. Her mom and dad are there as well as a brother and various other relatives and friends. Her beloved kitties, Zing and Max, are there too.

My father-in-law is broken-hearted. He has been married to Mama for 58 years. He has known her for nearly his entire life. He is lonely. We take meals to him, have him over for a glass of wine, listen to him reminiscing, encourage him to continue his coffee mornings with his buddies, but his heart is still breaking.

My husband is frustrated and sad. He is watching his mother die from Alzheimer's. He is watching his father die of a broken heart. My husband is sad over this and understandably so. He's frustrated about the legalities of the health care system (or lack there of). He's frustrated with Social Services, his father's bank, and various other things he's now required to manage due to his mother's illness. He's irritated with our politcal system because those in power who can make positive changes to the health care system are more concerned with getting votes instead of helping the elderly die with dignity.

Yet among the difficulties, blessings flow. Our granddaughter Olivia is now 5 months old and is a joy to behold. My granddaughter Halle believed me when I told her that the swooshing noises she was hearing just before she fell asleep were really her guardian angel's wings (my son said it was the air conditioner turning on, but Halle wasn't buying that). My grandson Josh is growing from toddlerhood to little boy and can focus on swinging at a baseball for hours.

The Village (7 couples who are our closest friends) gets together every so often for a good meal and has a great time telling stories and laughing over old stories.

Both my husband and I have dealt with several health issues, but as it turns out, we've either healed or it turned out not to be a major issue. We're both very healthy (minus a few aches and pains that come with mid-life), and for that I am so grateful.

Our faith is in tact. Quite possibly even stronger because of all we are facing right now. The love of God is the one thing in our world that we can count on to never change nor ever leave. God is the glue that keeps our lives from breaking apart. God's love for us gives us hope and joy no matter the cicumstance we face. I can't imagine life without Him, and I don't have to.

Though life is ending for some in our lives, it's beginning in others. It's all just a part of the circle of life. It's a gift that keeps on giving, and for those of us who believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit, the circle of life will be forever and ever.

Va Va Voom!

2011-07-05T23:01:00.000-04:00

This photo and the one after it are just two images from a set of photos I did over the weekend. It was a very special photoshoot, and one I had not done before. It was a boudoir shoot. The 43 year old woman I took the pictures of is a very special friend who used to work in my office. About 5 years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer and it was pretty bad. It turned out she has the genetic form of this type of cancer, and she's since learned that one of her daughters has the gene as well. Lisa had to have a double masectomy then underwent a lot of chemo. She is currently cancer free, praise the Lord! She's also had breast reconstruction surgery.

Well, her husband is going to be deployed to Afghanastan for a year at the end of July, and she has a 4-day pass to see him before he leaves. Lisa wanted to give him a CD with a slideshow of photos of her in sexy little (and I mean little) outfits. I did some research and looked at a training video on this type of photography and agreed to do it for her. Last night she saw the slideshow for the first time and she said she cried. She didn't know she could look that beautiful. And she had told me when I arrived at her home that she was not photogenic at all... I totally disagreed.

What I really liked most of all doing this photoshoot was that I had an opportunity to show someone who's been poked, prodded, cut apart, sewed up, and scarred that she truly is still beautiful and now even more so. God doesn't make bad stuff and he always gives each of us something beautiful. I had the pure blessing of helping her see that beauty again.

I'll post a couple more photos after I hear how Lisa's husband responded to this special gift, and I'll let you know what he said.

After talking with Lisa today I'm considering talking to our local cancer hospital to let them know that I'm willing and able to take special photos of women who have had this type of cancer (or any for that matter). It will be an honor and a privilidge to re-reveal a woman's true beauty to her.

Blue Angels

2011-05-26T21:42:00.002-04:00

The Navy & Marine's Blue Angels team performed in the Lynchburg Airshow on May 21 & 22. They had an awesome show! Unfortunately, the second day's show was cut short about 10 mins. as the Angels did a lower than normal maneuver. They were told by their commanding officer to "knock it off" which basically means, stop the show and land now! After looking at someones video on YouTube, I do remember the exact moment that occurred but didn't realize that they had come dangerously close to the ground. They were btw 50 & 60 feet over the runway in a diamond formation! It could have been disasterous. The Angels are on a Safety Standdown right now and have canceled performances in MD this weekend. They are in FL working on safety and practicing so that that never happens again.

Blue Angels, my set on Flickr.

angel wings

2011-04-01T22:33:00.002-04:00

angel wings, originally uploaded by LuAnn Hunt.

Spend all your time waiting
For that one second chance
For the break that would make it okay
There's always some reason
To feel not good enough
Oh, and it's hard at the end of the day

I need some distraction
Oh a beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
Let me be empty
And weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight

In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here

Dr. Thomas Littlejohn will be missed by his family and friends. Though I didn't personally know him, my thoughts and prayers still go out to his family. And they're like a family to my son.

Expecting!

2011-03-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

There's nothing quite so amazing as your own daughter preparing to give birth to her daughter. Candice is due in mid April and she and her husband Dan are fast becoming baby experts. They have prepared the nursery, washed the baby clothes, and put together the stroller. I think they have everything but diapers now. LOL! And us Moms know there will be LOTS of diapers!

On their last visit to Amherst, I was able to really feel little "Jelly Bean" kick! She gave me a whopper punch with one of her feet, [I think]. We call her Jelly Bean since Candice and Dan are being "mum" on the name as they want that to be a surprise.

I've given Candice strict orders to call me when she goes into labor so that her Dad and I can drive up to be with her when Jelly Bean makes her appearance. Unfortunately, I will have to wait a little extra to see her as Candice and Dan have made it clear that they will be alone with Jelly Bean for the first bit of time (hopefully less than an hour, as I will be biting at the bit to get some first photos).

What a special time for them! I remember back to when Candice was born. She didn't waste much time as she arrived an hour after I got to the hospital! When I first held her she just looked at me with dark eyes and seemed to say, "you'll do." Her eyes are now blue, courtsey of my Dad and Larry's Mom/Granddad, and I'm still the best mom she'll ever have.

New babies are exciting and demanding, soft and tender, loud and stinky, sweet and cuddly, loving and beautiful, and I could go on... New babies are a time for new beginnings. It's the start of a complete family; an opportunity to mold and guide another human being into becoming better than yourself. I feel that my husband and I have done that with our two children. I believe that my children are doing that with their children.

The world will be a better place afterall.

Remember

2011-02-11T10:11:00.000-05:00

Mr. Clark is a facinating man. In his lifetime, he experienced first hand racial injustice in his own country. Despite the difficulties he faced, he perservered and today is a man highly respected in his community. I've had the honor to work with him in a small group that discussed race and racism in our community. We learned a lot from one another. And what I like best about Mr. Clark is that he is willing to share his past experiences, not to open old wounds, but rather to inform so that history doesn't repeat itself.

"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!" --Martin Luther King, Jr.

In America, February is set aside as Black History Month. To learn more: African American History Month
Listen to the entire "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King, Jr.
www.mlkonline.net

Alzheimer's: When It Struck My Family—When It Strikes Your Family

2011-01-12T08:00:00.016-05:00

Rita Hayworth, Perry Como, Sugar Ray Robinson, Charlton Heston, Sir Winston Churchhill, Senator Barry Goldwater, President Ronald Reagan, Helen Lamb Hunt. Each of these famous and not so famous people have one thing in common—Alzheimer’s.

Helen Lamb Hunt. Otherwise known as “Pat” or “MawMaw”, she has been my mother-in-law for 35 years. Over the years she has raised two sons, helped with four grandchildren and loved two great grandchildren; she has walked my driveway 1000’s of times, baked thousands of the best chocolate chip cookies, made 100’s of pounds of the best fudge on earth, been to church more than most people, read her Bible through and through, said “I love you” an untold number of times, and asked “Where’s Gene? [my father-in-law],” thousands of times. She’s almost stopped asking now.

Alzheimer’s disease is a complex disorder that causes a gradual loss of brain cells. There is no cure and drugs help only for a short time. The 10 most common warning signs of the disease are:

1. Memory changes that disrupt daily life.
MawMaw always remembered birthdays, anniversaries, and special events for all her family. Several years ago, yellow sticky notes with reminders began appearing all over her kitchen cabinets. Not only were they reminders for special days, but for taking a pill, turning the dishwasher on, paying a bill.

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems.
MawMaw always kept the bills paid and the checkbook balanced to the penny. She was meticulous in her math and paying bills early. About 3 years ago she could no longer balance the checkbook. One day there was a cancelation notice in the mailbox that their insurance had been canceled due to non-payment. MawMaw said the post office lost the check, but in fact, the check was never written.

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.
MawMaw always made good coffee, sometimes twice a day. One day she didn’t know how to make the coffee.

4. Confusion with time or place.
MawMaw fractured her hip recently and was in the hospital. She asked often where she was.

5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships.
MawMaw was an avid reader. She could finish a good book in a day’s sitting. She read her Bible every day. One day she stopped reading. She said it was because of her cataracts. After her cataract surgery she didn’t read because her glasses weren’t good. Now, I read to MawMaw.

6. New problems with words in speaking or writing.
MawMaw repeats a lot. Two years ago she rode home in the car with me from our week at the beach. PawPaw was riding home with my husband. She asked “Where’s Gene” about every 5 minutes. She chewed an entire large pack of gum (after about 5 mins. she would spit the gum out, and then a few minutes later would start to chew another piece because she forgot she just chewed a piece of gum.

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
MawMaw has kept a lot of things over the years and she’s always known exactly where they were. She can no longer find her clothes in the closet or where she keeps the dish towels.

8. Decreased or poor judgment.
MawMaw has had a tight curly perm since I’ve known her. Every three months she would drive to Lynchburg to have Miss Betty give her a perm. MawMaw has not had curls for three years. She no longer even brushes her hair unless someone asks her to.

9. Withdrawal from work or social activities.
MawMaw loved going to Sunday School and preaching. She was in the same Sunday School class for as many years as I’ve been married. MawMaw stopped going to church two years ago.

10. Changes in mood and personality.
MawMaw was always a caring and loving woman. She lavished kindness on all she knew. She loved babysitting my kids and only had to give them “the eye” to correct them. In the last three years MawMaw has had numerous tantrums. She has broken windows and dishes. She has cut her skin open banging her arm on her hospital bed. She has torn a hospital telephone from the wall.

Alzheimer’s is no respecter of persons. Movie stars, authors, presidents, and even my mother-in-law have had or have Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that “in the United States, 5.3 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and a new individual is diagnosed with the disease every 70 seconds. Unless something is done, by 2050, up to 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s, and new case will be diagnosed every 33 seconds.”

Alzheimer’s has struck my family. However, MawMaw is still my mother-in-law. She loves me and I love her. I am willing and ready to do what I need to in order to care for her and it is an honor and a privilege to do so. I don’t believe any one of us can ask the question, what “if” Alzheimer’s affects my family, rather, ask “when.” Know the warning signs and be prepared to answer a thousand times a thousand “Where’s Gene?”

1-1-11

2011-01-01T18:08:00.001-05:00

1-1-11, originally uploaded by LuAnn Hunt - trying to catch up.

Do you get it? LOL! I just cracked myself up when I titled this one... didn't really know that I made a joke! Maybe I'm the only one laughing. Oh well.

What's left to do?

2010-12-13T23:26:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe it's the Christmas season already. I haven't even put up the Christmas tree yet! It would have happened tonight except it's a live tree and we have to saw about a half inch off the bottom before bringing it inside... and it's frigid outside with the wind making it even colder. So, the tree will have to stay outside for another day or two, or three...

UPDATE: 12/15/10
The tree is inside! And it's a biggie! Special thanks go out to two very special people...1st, my husband, and 2nd one of our best young friends, Jeremy. Jeremy is a "quasi" adopted son. Since high school, Jeremy has been a part of the church we attend (Amherst Baptist earlier, and now Oasis). Hopefully by this time tomorrow evening I'll be able to sit back and enjoy a decorated Christmas tree.

I have nearly completed my Christmas shopping--95% done and 85% wrapped. I have addressed all the Christmas cards though I still need stamps. I packed 6 Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gifts and they're on their way to children somewhere in the world. I just made the wine parfait sauce and all the jars have sealed. I have wrapped 3 "dirty Santa" gifts and have ham biscuits to make for tomorrow's office party. I put out the Nativity scene in its usual place in the living room. What's left to do? The most important...

I need to thank God for coming to us as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. I need to recall and meditate on why He did this for me (and you). I need to ask forgiveness for doing so much to get ready when what was really important was just a baby... a baby that saved the world... a baby that saved me. Jesus Christ, son of God is the true reason for the season. This is all that's necessary this Christmas--thank you Jesus.

A Tribute to Daddy

2010-11-24T09:13:00.000-05:00

Daddy,

It's hard to believe it's been 28 years since you were with us on this earth. Though you may not be here physically, you live in our hearts and in us and our children. You would be so proud to see how many grandchildren and great grandchildren you have. You fathered some fabulous kids! None of us are perfect and we all mess up from time to time, but the core values you taught us have stayed with us through out our lives. Thank you Daddy. We miss you and will always love you.

Your daughter,

LuAnn

A Real Vacation!

2010-10-27T10:39:00.001-04:00

Well I finally did it! My husband and I took a week long vacation - just the two of us. And this was the first real vacation I've had in over 10 years. Our summer trips are what I call "trip-cations". They're basically trips with the family - not a vacation in the true sense of the word. There are people to feed, beds to make, sunscreen to apply on little bodies, groceries to buy, etc. So, this past week we spent a week at North Myrtle Beach right on the water courtesy of my daughter-in-law's father who owns a condo on the beach.

Our days went something like this: rise about 7AM to see a gorgeous sunrise over the water (take photos), read Bible and write in journal, cook a yummy brunch, go walk on the beach a couple of miles, sit in beach chair for several hours reading a good book, take a shower, go out for a movie/putt putt/and/or dinner. Relax in the condo or stroll on the beach in the moonlight. (And take more photos throughout the day).

The one thing I definitely learned from this wonderful peaceful week is that I will definitely repeat this next October and the next.... you should try it too!

After the Rain

2010-09-20T23:20:00.001-04:00

As you might have noticed, I've changed the background and title photo of the blog. The photo above is titled "Summer Rains Pink." I am donating a 16x20 framed print of this photo to the 6th Annual Lynchburg Pink Auction. It will be auctioned on October 24, 2010 at the Holiday Inn Select downtown.

The orginators of this auction are three lovely sisters, affectionately known as "The Mitchell Sisters," and they are very enthusiastic about this years' event. They have been collecting pink items throughout this past year with the purpose of auctioning them and then donating all the proceeds to cancer research, education, and prevention. Some of the monies will be used locally to fund the cost of mamograms for women who cannot afford them, some monies will be given to a state hospital for breast cancer education, and some monies will be given to the National Cancer Society to help fund research that one day soon may lead to a cure.

If you would like to bid on my print or other pink items in the auction, you'll need to purchase a ticket for $20 from one of the sisters, or tickets are available at Givens Books or the Heritage Connections Gift Shop at Holiday Inn Select. There are a limited number of tickets and this event has sold out in the past, so purchase early!

Dr. Suess Baby Shower for Allison

2010-08-21T23:41:00.002-04:00

Music is back on. YouTube disabled it because they thought I infringed on a copywrite, which I didn't. They have a form on line where you can contest their decision, so I did and it took about 4 days, but wha-la!! Thanks YouTube!

Allison & Brian.... and Raleigh on the Way!

2010-08-19T12:57:00.002-04:00

Why is it that whenever I did a family photo-shoot this summer, it turned out to be the muggiest, most humid day in the history of the world? At least this time I brought a towel to wipe my brow, my eyes, my neck, and so on. Fortunately the young people don't sweat like a menopausal woman does! LOL! Oh, and did I mention that I had to let all my lens air out for 20 minutes before shooting... they all fogged up like I was at the beach! Well, the shoot finally began and thankfully before Allison gave birth... and I think it was all worth it. Even their brown lab Lexie got in some of the shots, and sneaked in others (as you can see in this first shot).

God Has Given Us Beauty

2010-08-13T09:26:00.000-04:00

This is my first attempt at posting a video. I created it in a Windoes Movie Maker. These are my photos and the music is compliments of American Greetings.

Old and New

2010-07-27T23:41:00.001-04:00

This is a photo of the Sunset Island bridges, the old one and the new one. The new one is scheduled to open by the end of August. The old one is the last operating side-draw bridge in the United States. Many people aren't happy about the new bridge, and vice versa. I have yet to make up my mind.

Beach Music

2010-07-09T23:50:00.001-04:00

We're off to the beach for a whole week!! I can't wait till I smell the ocean air and feel the warm breezes. I hope you all have a great week.

Soar

2010-07-08T23:59:00.003-04:00

Sometimes you just have to soar, and if you catch the wind just right you can just float along! I'm heading to the beach this weekend and looking forward to floating along through a hot summer week. I'm looking forward to being with my family, eating lots of seafood, reading a couple of easy reads, meditating on God's Word by the ocean, and playing in the waves. I know I'm 52, but I still like to play! May you all have a blessed week!

An American Prayer

2010-07-04T01:19:00.003-04:00

A Prayer for America
by US Rep Dennis Kucinich, Feb. 17, 2002

I offer these brief remarks today as a prayer for our country, with love of democracy, as a celebration of our country. With love for our country. With hope for our country. With a belief that the light of freedom cannot be extinguished as long as it is inside of us. With a belief that freedom rings resoundingly in a democracy each time we speak freely. With the understanding that freedom stirs the human heart and fear stills it. With the belief that a free people cannot walk in fear and faith at the same time.

With the understanding that there is a deeper truth expressed in the unity of the United States. That implicit in the union of our country is the union of all people. That all people are essentially one. That the world is interconnected not only on the material level of economics, trade, communication, and transportation, but innerconnected through human consciousness, through the human heart, through the heart of the world, through the simply expressed impulse and yearning to be and to breathe free.

Read the rest of the prayer... www.commondreams.org/views02/0226-09.htm

America - Land of the Free

2010-07-02T23:48:00.003-04:00

View this 30 second video I put together... it's dedicated to the men and women who keep America free:

America - Land of the Free

Crocodile Hunter!

2010-07-01T22:42:00.000-04:00

The grand kids spent last weekend with us in VA. It was totally fun and totally exhausting! I'm glad we were really young when we had our kids... now we're still pretty young to be grandparents. In this pic, Halle and Josh were "staging" a skit about a handsome crocodile hunter saving a pretty lady in distress. As you can see, Josh the Hunter saved the pretty lady Halle in the nick of time... and he bagged a pretty big croc as well!

Splish Splash!

2010-06-29T00:03:00.000-04:00

5 mins. to find sprinkler
10 minutes to set up sprinkler
5 minutes to dislodge balls from inside sprinkler that have been there for over a year
5 minutes for grandkids to slowly get wet
15 minutes of wet fun
10 seconds to say they've had enough are ready to take a bath!

The grandkids were up for the weekend and we had a blast. It was so hot Saturday that we pulled out the toy sprinkler and let the kids play. We figured this would give them at least an hour of so of fun and they could run off some energy, but it was over within 20 minutes after we got it set up. They were ready to go inside and take a bath! (Of course, my bathtub is as a big as pool--or so it seems to them).

The Artist

2010-06-26T08:04:00.001-04:00

River life is something to ponder. As you can see, artist Randy Smith stares intently at the scene before him to determine what final brush stroke to add to his canvas. It was the start of the 25th Anniversary of the James River Batteau Festival and more than 20 batteax were afloat and ready to go downstream. The usual river characters were there with their period costumes and canons! The skies were blue, the temperature hot, and the humidity close to uncomfortable. The atmosphere was pumped with feelings of excitement and apprehension as crews formulated plans on managing the river. On batteau day every year, the dam at Buena Vista releases extra water so the batteax can safely float out of Lynchburg when the river is low. This year was no exception, and from later accounts the river was pretty low and several boats pulled out after crews were exhausted from dislodging their boat from the rocks.

As a former member of the Travelogue Batteau, my memories bring me pleasure. I remember that no matter the time of day, it as was always "3 o'clock river time"... and how much futher to go..."2 more miles, just around the bend." We went through hours of bends! I remember the slow moments on the river when we floated with the current and the fast moments when we went over small falls and tricky sloops. My first time on the front sweep had me in the water within 5 minutes and once on the back sweep I managed to make the batteau horizontal in fast moving water--a real danger as batteau have been know to take on water and snap in two if that happens! I remember the campfire atmosphere in the evenings as we gathered to share our wild stories of the day with a cold beer or a glass of wine (I stuck to soft drinks--really I did). Most of all I remember my river family. Our hearts were bound together by the river and it's events. Great memories.... just great!

Bleeding Seas

2010-06-17T13:37:00.005-04:00

Epilogue:
I first posted this on June 17. Now that the bleeding is over, thank goodness, what happens next? I've already heard stories on the news that the oil is being broken up basically by Mother Nature. The ocean currents are stirring it up and supposedly BP put some kind of detergent in the oil stream to break it down faster. It seems to me that once a disaster is "officially" over, we Americans forget about it very quickly. I hope that doesn't happen here.

The livelyhoods of many fishermen and the tourism industry in the Gulf states may suffer from this bleed for a long time to come. BP is still drilling for oil, and though this accident has put a dent in their profits, I do hope the American government will hold their feet to the fire and make them pay enormous fines (and then use the fines to help supplement the industries they nearly shut down).

Finally, I hope this is a wake up call to all the oil industry tycoons who think it's all about making money. First and foremost, they must consider the safety of their employees and the environment. If they can not guarantee backup plans that will work in case of major accidents, then it's simple: don't drill! We don't need the oil if it is at the expense of the natural environment. If there is no liveable environment, then there is no need to drive anywhere!

BP, please, please, please, do the right thing. Don't wait for the government to force you to do the right thing. Set an example for the oil industry and the world that you care about what has happened--to the men who lost their lives and the families who will never be the same, to the fishermen who help feed this nation, to the tourism industry that encourages the world to visit our beautiful Gulf shores, to the wildlife that has been killed, to the water creatures who have had to leave their natural habitat, and so on.

FIRST POST, JUNE 17, 2010
"Every time we walk along a beach some ancient urge disturbs us so that we find ourselves shedding shoes and garments or scavenging among seaweed and whitened timbers like the homesick refugees of a long war..." (Loren Eiseley)

How sad it is to know that many Gulf coast beaches are now being raped by man's desire to get rich. See this NYTimes link: www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/us/29spill.html
(NOTE: Today on the National News it was reported that the oil is gushing at 50-60 THOUSAND barrels a day!)

As a young girl I was raised on the Gulf coast beaches and many a day we ran along the clean beaches playing and jumping in the salty water. The worst thing we had to watch out for was an occasional jelly fish. Today, boys and girls can't run along the beaches because crude oil has turned the once pristine sand into a red sludge and the waters are too toxic to swim in.

It is now time to separate the real men of character and integrity from the men of power and greed. And to help move things along, I'll be praying this happens quickly.

"...a third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed." Revelation 8:8-9

New World

2010-06-12T09:22:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you have to look closely to see new worlds. This iris takes on a whole new look magnified. What can you see today from the ground up?

The Look!

2010-06-06T08:36:00.002-04:00

This is an ospri. The photo was taken on Daufuskie Island, SC while my husband and I were visiting our daughter's inlaws for Memorial Day. At first, Larry and Bob thought they had spotted an American bald eagle, but after I zoomed in with my 300mm we were able to identify this magnificent bird.

Flowerpower

2010-05-28T10:03:00.002-04:00

Taking macro photos opens up a whole new world to me. I love seeing things from a different perspective and scale. If you look closely you might see a couple of critters in this dandelion. And the bluegreen color in the background is from a waterhose.

Cheers!

2010-05-22T09:53:00.000-04:00

One year ago I had the wonderful pleasure to photograph Elizabeth and Rhett's wedding day. It was one of the best weddings I've shot. The couple was wonderful to work with as well as the entire family. They've been married a year and are still in newlywed bliss!

The Window of Hope

2010-05-19T23:34:00.000-04:00

This photo was taken from inside the little Chapel at the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg. For me it's a window of hope for those that are waiting to hear the Gospel. How sad it is when many of our churches shut out the light and keep everything they learn of God within their walls. God said for the church to go–not stay.

The Adventure of the Village Ladies

2010-05-16T22:01:00.000-04:00

Several of my best girlfriends took one of our friends "in custody" for the day and went to Roanoke for some shopping and fun. Betty Sue (above) needed some R&R and we were happy she did as it got us all out of the house for the day without our husbands. As for the picture with the stuffed animals, we all picked out one we thought best represented us! LOL!!!

The day was so much fun and we were all worn out when we got home that night. It was such a sucess that we're going to make this a habit several times a year.

Seniors: Allen Twins

2010-05-12T22:07:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday I took Senior photos of twin boys that I hadn't seen since they were literally babies! Jonathon and Jeffrey were great to work with and didn't seem to mind all of the twin comments I made. What didn't surprise me was they both had girlfriends, but what did surprise me was that one's name was Laura and the other one was Lauren! How freaky is that.... I guess that's twins for you!

Senior: Melissa

2010-05-10T20:32:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of photographing a young lady who just finished high school. Melissa is a sweet girl with a wonderful smile. We spent an hour or so at Sweet Briar College, mostly down at the boat house, to get a variety of senior photos. The day was perfect, though a bit windy and as you can see, Melissa's long hair just did what it wanted to do in all that wind.

Best friends!

2010-05-08T17:56:00.000-04:00

Meet Daisy–Leigh Anne's new lab mix puppy. Daisy was adopted from the Humane Society. She has got to be the most gentle and best behaved puppy I've ever had the pleasure to meet. You might notice the healed wound under her neck...supposedly another dog attacked her at the shelter. It's a blessing that Leigh Anne rescued her. She is in good hands now. And as Leigh Anne can attest to, it takes a village to raise a puppy.

2010-04-27T22:26:00.000-04:00

It's good that I have a small point and shoot camera in my purse. The sky opened up one afternoon on my way home from work so I pulled into the grocery store parking lot and took a moment to capture the scene before me. Notice to the one bird flying below--almost as if a dove coming from heaven. It was a glorious sight. I can only imagine this is but a speck of what heaven truly is like.

nothing today

2010-03-21T16:53:00.000-04:00

more to come

2010-03-13T09:07:00.001-05:00

I'm not used to blogging yet, as you can see... it's been a while since I thought about this. Anyways, here's a photo of my kids/grandkids that was just recently published in Lynchburg Living magazine. I love the look on Josh's face as he takes his first major sleighride!

2009-08-25T13:42:00.000-04:00

I love it when old buildings are restored lovingly! Downtown Lynchburg is coming alive more each day! If you haven't been downtown lately, why don't you come take a look... and look up for lots of wonderful details!

2009-07-13T14:27:00.000-04:00

This guy is coming in for a landing. The bug was a surprise when I viewed the photo as I didn't know he was there until looking at the pictures on the computer. I love taking photos of things most people just pass over. There's so much out there in the world to see.