Fighting clutter

January is the perfect time to conquer clutter because there isn't much else to do. It often seems as if the clutter is winning. Not only is it taking over our small house, but it also has taken over our computer. Before I know it there are over 500 messages in my e-mail inbox that have to be deleted or filed under a category. If I don't keep up with that it takes hours to do. When it comes to computers I'm a packrat. I don't want to delete anything, unless I make a copy first.
Last weekend, my husband informed me that there were only 3 GB of free space on our hard drive left and I had to delete my photos. I reluctantly did, but not before I made sure that I had two copies: one on our external hard drive and one on my portable hard drive. Did I mention I'm a packrat? I acquired a portable hard drive a while ago after hearing stories about external hard drives that crashed. Of course, in a few years I will a. probably realize that many of my photos are not as great as they once seemed and that I got much better ones now; or b. our external hard drive will be full too.

Walking down memory lane

Like most serious photographers we have hundreds and hundreds of 35mm slides stashed away in our closet. We haven't looked at them in years, except for those that I had scanned into our computer years ago. However, when we bought a new computer it didn't have a connection for our trusty little scanner anymore and my scanning project came to a shrieking halt. What to do with all those slides? I would love to convert them into saleable photos and recently learned that I could get them scanned onto DVDs.
Now I am looking at all those slides, trying to decide which ones to get scanned first. It is a walk down memory lane. As I am glancing over images of city sights, fall foliage, a locked bicycle with missing wheels, a dead mouse (don't ask), flowers, waterfalls, rocks, churches, signs, palaces, street cars, covered bridges, etc. I realize that these photos are snapshots of our lives. How many of us write a journal every day? Not too many, I guess. Yet, most of us would remember a funny or sad incident connected with our photos. Whether it was that trip to Norway where I froze in July (and then ate enormous soft serves), the hike in Ohiopyle where I tripped over a root, our quest for covered bridges, our blossoming love for wildflowers, or shop signs in Germany--all of these are highlights of our lives and our photos recharge our memories about them. They are indeed photo journals.

A Fresh Start

Last week, we woke up to see this winter wonderland outside our windows. Knowing it wouldn't last long before a breeze would drop the snow off the branches, I grabbed my camera and took a few photos after breakfast. In case you're wondering why our arbor is lying on the ground, it was felled by a gust of wind around Thanksgiving.
The New Year is off to a busy, if not frigid start. Meetings that discontinued during the holiday season are resuming and everyone is making resolutions. My resolutions consist of writing, photography, and networking. The order is determined by the weather--meaning, I won't do any bird photography this week since my fingers are freezing inside the house. That means buying a better pair of gloves is high on my to-do list. Therefore, I am planning on decluttering my filing cabinet and the house, so when the weather does get better I can go out and enjoy it.
Happy New Year!

Around the world in three hours

One of the perks of being a freelance writer and photographer is that I can pick the assignments I would like to cover and then pitch them. And so I was happy to be able to photograph the Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh while they are decorated for the holidays.
The first room I photographed was the Austrian Room with a nativity scene that was handcarved in Austria. A wreath and guitar commemorate the origin of the song "Silent Night."
The German Room looked also very pretty with its Advents wreath and Christmas tree, but then I'm biased.
My goal was to photograph holidays in different cultures. The Chinese New Year is celebrated with an elaborate display of symbols, while the African room shows a simple Kwanzaa scene. From Russia to India to Italy, I photographed traditions around the world. But a photo shoot like this does not come without problems. The French Room, for example, showed a large creche under glass--impossible to photograph, especially when there are chairs posted in front of it. If you want to see how the holidays are observed in different cultures, I suggest a trip to the Cathedral of Learning. You will never get a cheaper deal on traveling around the world.

Party Like It's 1939

Perhaps 1939 wasn't the best year to choose as a party theme, but that's when my Toastmasters Club was founded. So, last Monday we celebrated our 70th anniversary with a phantastic wingding. Most of us played period roles and the illustrious crowd included Glenn Miller, Charles Lindbergh, Bob Hope, President Roosevelt, Rosi the Riveter, yours truly as John Steinbeck, and many others.
At the last minute I was asked to bring my camera to the festivities, and so I was pulling double duty as both photographer and participant. There was a lot of talent at the event - we had dancers, singers, a DJ, two photographers (Ansel Adams was the other one) and speakers, of course - and I'm glad someone recorded everything. I can't wait to see the movie, especially the parts that I missed because I was too busy.
Happy birthday, Toastmasters Club 144!

End of an Era

All good things must end. For years, I've been part of a writers group that met in a church in the South Hills. I was there from the beginning and have seen quite a few people come and go. But life got in the way and "members" drifted out of it, one after the other. While it lasted, we have seen novels written and rewritten, babies born, articles published, and Christmas parties held.
Yesterday, the three people of the hard core decided to quit our group until further notice. Now, some of them are also Pennwriters and I know that I will see them again, but it was still a bittersweet experience.

An Anniversary to Remember

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. As I recall those days the first thing that comes to mind is that I was occupied with other things. As a newlywed, I had just decided to vacate my bachelor efficiency apartment. Scraping wallpaper, arranging the move of my few belongings, and finding a bigger apartment were foremost on my mind.
Disbelief was the first reaction I felt at the news that the most visible symbol of the Cold War had fallen. Just a few years before I had stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate in East Berlin--a mere two months after visiting West Berlin. The contrast between the bustling West Berlin and the almost empty streets of East Berlin (we could almost walk on the main street at night, that's how empty it was) could not have been greater. If I returned today I probably would not recognize the city.
A history buff, I have always been fascinated by castles, old houses, and museums. But back in 1989 it occured to me for the first time that I was living history. I had seen the Berlin Wall rise and fall in my lifetime.
For the first year, a shopping frenzy began. East Germans were buying cars, furniture, and traveled. They had a lot of catching up to do. And then reality set in as more and more of them lost their jobs. As with most things in life, euphoria does not last forever. It will take many years for the formerly two Germanys to be truly one. Tearing down a wall made of concrete is a lot easier than tearing down the walls in people's minds.

Work in progress

For several months now we have been looking for a contractor to have a minor bathroom renovation done. After talking to two contractors (who of course had different ideas of what we needed) we researched online. Contractor No. 2 decided that we needed a complete overhaul even though we had told him we only wanted a surround and other small upgrades. Therefore, his estimate was out of this world. Back to Contractor one. We now had an idea of the surround we liked. But... it turned out that the window that is in our bathroom is a big problem, and cutting the surround might crack it. So, we finally settled on the solution we had looked at at the beginning. Did I mention that we also talked to Contractor no. 3, recommended by Contractor no. 1? Fortunately, said person can do the job very soon. At this point, we just want the project done so we can move on with our lives, even it it means painting a small bathroom with lots of corners and tiny spaces. You know you're in trouble when you check out surrounds and vanity tops in every venue you visit.

Reflections

I have been very busy lately. Last weekend, I attended a wood duck photo workshop in Ohio and posted about it on my other blog, http://birdswithpersonality.blogspot.com. Such a trip requires almost as much time packing as the workshop takes. I was grateful for packing a parka and gloves because it was about 10 degrees colder up there than here in Pittsburgh. I haven't even put away my luggage yet and am still editing almost 800 photos.
Last night, my husband and I got free tickets to see Jean-Michel Cousteau at Heinz Hall. It was a very entertaining and thought-provoking speech. He showed several clips from his DVDs about Midway, an endangered fish, and a toxic test on Orca whales and humans, including himself. A woman (a vegetarian, no less) and her 4-year old son tested the highest in toxic elements in their bodies. One reason is that they live in California, which has a law requiring many household items to be flame-retardant. Evidently, those chemicals pass into the bodies of humans. Cousteau compared Orcas and humans because they are both at the top of the food chain. Orcas absorb toxins that are released into the water over decades, such as garbage, chemicals, sewage, etc.

A Not so Perfect Day

Yesterday, my husband and I headed to Presque Isle to see some bird migrants. At the first stop - where I expected to see warblers - we saw nothing but mosquitoes, hundreds and hundreds of them. We applied plenty of insect repellant and then declared defeat. There were no birds, warblers or otherwise. The second stop promised wildflowers and birds, according to my guidebook. What we found was a path so overgrown that we couldn't walk on it unless we wanted to get more inset bites than we already had. We retreated to the Perry Monument where I finally photographed some birds. Okay, they were gulls but I was determined to photograph something.
After a picnic at the beach - where I photographed more gulls - we walked through deep sand to the lighthouse. With camera and tripod in hand I wanted to get a better view of the lighthouse when I tripped over a sling root. The sand cushioned my fall. However, my hand was clutched to my camera and I sprained my thumb. That finally did it and I declared that I wanted to go home. I iced my hand on the drive home and my thumb is feeling much better now. At home I told my husband that, if I ever wanted to go to Presque Isle again, he should just point at my thumb.

Gearing up

The end of summer is near and fall promises to be a busy one. I'm gearing up to attend some shows and a networking event. That means that I have to order prints and make note cards. I just learned that I can attend the Bridgewater Bookfest in September by sharing a canopy with a Pennwriter friend. In addition to that I have found several bookstores willing to sell my work.
After the bookfest my husband and I want to squeeze in a vacation, which means we want to go birding. Because spring was cold and sometimes wet, I haven't been able to add any new bird species to my stock photo list. I want to remedy that in the fall and do some birding between my many meetings.

Picture Perfect

Sometimes the best photographic subjects are close to home. When we planted a new native garden this year we bought a Joe-pye-weed. Now it is blooming and a big draw for bees and butterflies alike. Last Sunday, for example, I saw an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on the Joe-pye and grabbed my camera. I then spent some time capturing this beautiful specimen. A few days later, on a recent bright overcast day - perfect lighting for macro photography - I went ouside to take photos of our lobelias. But then I saw a Monarch butterfly landing on the Joe-pye and chased it instead. It had long been my wish to get a closer picture of one with its wings open. It was not easy. The Monarch did not like my close presence and kept flitting away to the other side of the plant, with me in hot pursuit. Finally, I decided that I must have something good on that flash card and left the Monarch alone. I was right.
People who see my photos often say, "You must be very patient!" They're right, of course. But luck is also involved. Had I not gone out at the time when the Monarch was on the Joe-pye I would have never captures this photo.

In the Marsh

Last Saturday, my husband and I headed to Independence Marsh. Fog hung low over the valley when we arrived, but it soon lifted and gave way to warm sunrays. Bullfrogs honked from the ponds but we never saw one. A mockingbird eyed us suspiciously, with food for its chicks in its beak. While I finally got a mockingbird photo (on a powerline, unfortunately), our main goal was seeing wildflowers. A marsh is an awesome place to see summer wildflowers. We saw Joe-pye-weed, teasel, field thistle, green-headed coneflower, orange and yellow jewelweed, blue vervain, and countless others. Two hummingbird moths were fighting over a flower and a hawk flew over the lake. On the way back I flushed out a blue heron which I had not seen (otherwise I would have stalked him to get his photo). The hours flew by until the heat forced us to return home. It was a beautiful morning on the marsh.

Blazing Star

Last Sunday, my husband and I headed up north to the Jennings Environmental Center near Slippery Rock for a guided walk. The occasion was the blooming of the Blazing Star. While not all flowers were blooming yet (they never bloom entirely, but bloom from top to bottom), at least 30 or more people had turned out for the walk. Apparently, they had all read it in the newspaper like we did. There was a lot to learn about glaciers, Ice Age animals, the Massasauga snake, and temperatures on the prairie and how plants and wildlife adapt to them. A breeze kept the air temperatures tolerable, but prevented me from taking many pictures.
After making a stop for ice cream, we headed home and are pretty sure that we'll plant a Blazing Star in our garden next year.

My Travel Bag

When I travel overseas, I need a big tote bag. Nowadays, passengers need to bring along their own food in case the airplane fare is inedible for dietary or other reasons. I, for example, won't touch rock-hard buns or cold-as-ice desserts. So, I bring along cereal bars or a muffin. And then I need to take water, a camera, a cell phone (in case the plane is delayed), an i-pod, a book, money, boarding passes and itineraries and all the other hundred gadgets that make a long day a little less long.
For years and years, I've been taking my trusty tote bag along. It has lots of zippers and other pockets for the above mentioned gadgets. And it has lots of miles on it. In fact, if bags could get frequent flyer miles, my bag should earn me a free flight overseas.
Imagine my surprise when I walked through a sandwich restaurant at Cincinnati Airport and a woman said to me, "I like your bag!" She had the exact same bag I had. Hers was in much better shape than mine, but then mine gets kicked around airplanes a lot more than hers, I bet.
Some day I'll have to buy a new one, but I doubt it will last as long as this one did.

Lost Memories

A depressing aspect of my recent trip to Germany was that my mother didn't recognize me. She seemed convinced that I had a traveling companion, a woman I met on the plane. I was never sure whether she was talking to me or my "companion." She also didn't recognize my friends who came to pick me up.
She is in the early stages of dementia and changes in her memory came on so gradually that no one noticed at first - until I showed up. I also learned that she doesn't drink much and that dehydration can cause dementia. When her doctor returned from vacation I made an appointment for her. Needless to say, her reply was something like, "I'm old. Whatever do I need a doctor for?" Did I mention that she is very, very stubborn?
But I was undeterred and my brother and I took her to the doctor. Now she'll have to see a neurologist in a few weeks (it's vacation time). I'm glad I got the ball rolling after observing my mother all day long and am anxious to hear what the neurologist will find out.

Looking back - Part 2

I have already mentioned that I met many old friends during my recent trip to Germany. We had lost track of each other after school, pursuing our different career and life paths. Most of us married, some have a partner, many have children and others - like me - don't. One chose traveling over having children, having been to every continent except Antarctica. Two of us emigrated to another country. I came to the U.S. and a friend emigrated to Australia. Needless to say, she was not at the reunion.
I also saw members of the club my brother and I belonged to in the late Seventies, early Eighties. We had weekly meetings, often followed by a trip to a dance or guesthouse. I was treasurer of the club for seven years and therefore very involved in our annual ball and other fundraising activities. A core of our club was a folk dance group. We practiced and performed at area festivals and took trips to the United States, Sweden, Hungary, France and any place in between. It was awesome to see so many foreign places at little cost for me since we stayed with host families. The club disbanded eventually when everybody got married and had kids.
Now they are meeting again several times a year for dinner and reminiscences. The Internet helps staying connected between meetings. Somewhere along the way, my friends have become respectable citizens. Two are judges and township council members and another one just got elected to her town's council. Eleven of them turned out to see me, which I take as a great compliment. While we all have had our ups and downs (health problems being at the top of the list), our years together have forged a bond that lasted over decades.
I don't get to do much sightseeing, but my trips to Germany would be a lot less enjoyable if I didn't see my friends.

Looking back

I've returned from Germany a few days ago. It's difficult to sum up my trip in one blog, so I'll break it up.
The best thing about my vacation was reconnecting with old friends. There were some faces that I had not seen since the early 70s and early 80s. Now that their child-rearing years are over, my friends have time to socialize again--and socialize we did. There were two "mini-reunions" from grade school, one from business school, one from a club my brother and I belonged to, and a couple of meetings with individuals. And I saw one friend (we go back to kindergarten, which begins at age 3) four times. Add to that visits to relatives and I can honestly say that I met everybody I wanted to meet. One girlfriend joked, "I'm glad you live in the States. Otherwise I would never see you!" It is gratifying to know that I brought people together, using my visit as an excuse for a meeting. Saying good-bye again so soon was the hardest part.
Another quest was visiting as many Italian ice cafes as possible. My favorite is spaghetti ice. It consists of whipped cream covered with vanilla ice cream pressed through a press, strawberry syrup and grated white chocolate. I skipped the whipped cream for health reasons, but the ice cream itself agreed with me. After I left the cafes probably noticed a dip in their profits. Ah, what would summer in Germany be without outdoor cafes?

Relief

Yesterday, I had an endoscopy done. I had to fast until afternoon. While my husband and I waited before the procedure it became clear that the office staff needed some sensitivity training. They began talking about what they had for dinner the night before, and then one of them began eating sweets. The patients - all with empty stomachs - looked at each other with disgust.
The procedure revealed that I don't have an ulcer, at least not any more. Apparently, the medicine I got at the ER, and since then, has relieved my symptoms. I have to stay on these capsules for a while and am now awaiting the biopsy results.
Now, I can finally eat again. Even though I had recently fasted for 24 hours I was incredibly hungry yesterday.
After fortifying myself, it's time to think about all the things I have to do before I head to Germany next week. After all these tests, I deserve a vacation.

A very long day

Last Tuesday was a very long day for us. My husband had to undergo a medical test at a major hospital and we had to get up way early. Then we waited, and waited, until they wheeled him down. I then went to eat something because I had missed breakfast. Hubbies test provided good news for us. Lifestyle changes and some medication should bring relief very soon.
However, during the afternoon I developed severe abdominal pain that came in waves. I managed to drive us home using backroads during rush hour. But even eating a plain meal of chicken noodle soup brought no relief and my pain got worse and worse. Finally, my husband (who was not supposed to drive) took me to the hospital where I had a CT scan done just five days before. I did not know the results yet but the ER doctor got to see them. After X-rays and blood tests etc. I received an IV with medicine to ease my acidic stomach, and a prescription. I was told to get the rest of my prescribed tests done and sent home. Apparently, it helped and we finally arrived at home after midnight. At our age, that was a long day indeed. Today I had an ultrasound test and next week I will get an endoscopy. More fasting! All signs point to another ulcer. I had an ulcer 21 years ago and learned that they can come back. Why, I don't know. It wasn't much fun the first time around.