Photography

Photography has always been my passion. My Great Aunt Lucille let me play with a Brownie camera when I stayed with her during the summer months as a child. To me, the box with the funny looking glass hole was intriguing to play with.

I pretended to take pictures for the photo album on my Aunt's coffee table, then I would draw a picture of a tree on a piece of paper, add some flowers, and tell her I took a picture with the brown box.
I hope she was amused.

My first camera was a Polaroid “Swinger” instant camera that I got for Christmas in the 1960's. I took that Swinger to the first Doors concert in San Diego when the Doors were just beginning as a group and not even on the charts. I still have those few black and white pictures somewhere. Yea right, I know exactly where they are.

I always have a camera or two with me and continue to take candid moments of life. Thanks to the digital age, I am now in photo heaven.

Dana Point Harbor

A walk at the Harbor 

is nothing

short of fantastic, 

especially when

the moon is full 

and the two resident 

Tall Ships hauntingly 

creak with the 

rippling tide, 

silhouetting the 

darkening skyline 

with soft reflections 

of Harbor lights 

dancing across 

the waters.

Oh Witch Tree

oh witch tree
dear witch tree
I saw you
last year
surrounded by
wildflowers
and haunting
the deer..
your hair
was askew
with rat tails
and wind
your troubled
arms flailing
as though
you were pinned
to the ground
by your skirt
you just
could not move..
I stood there
and watched
things did not
improve
so I left you
alone
as you screamed
and you scared..
all God’s creatures
away
no one
was spared
of your rath
and injustice
all-the-way
down the hill..
I can see you
ranting
and raving there
still..
for reasons
that are not quite
apparent to me
I hope I can
find you
again
oh witch tree

The Witch Tree off of Hiway 18 by Waterman Road, on the way to Lake Arrowhead.
Let me know if you find it again...

AWAKENING

I climbed to the
top of the hill
where the gazebo
overlooks the valley
to take a picture
of the billowing clouds
hanging over
the Saddleback
mountains
when I noticed a
thistle weed in
the view finder
and inched closer
to the subject...
anticipating
a perfect composition
I carefully aimed
the lens on
the purple
part of this prickly wonder
and stopped
in mid focus
to a familiar sound
of my youth
when my brothers and I
would scower the
canyons for pollywogs
and small tumbleweeds
until someone
yelled out..
RATTLE SNAKE!

this was
the best photo
I could manage
before I ran.

July 6, 2008

it's been
two years..
are you
still
watching me
watching
you