Letting Go

Letting go is hard, even from a distance.
My Grandpa Herman has been on my mind constantly the past few weeks. And now, as he is moving on from a life well-lived, I am holding on to the memories.

I hope my Grandpa knows how much I love him. This is how I want to remember him:

Focus

This week, I've been playing with a new camera: a Canon Rebel SLR camera. What fun! The weather has not really been conducive to taking outdoor pictures (everything's brown, windblown and overcast), but I tried my hand at some action pictures last night.


I had a ball taking the pics and really liked the speed of the camera -- I could take pictures continuously, rather than wait for the camera to catch up. By the end of the game, I had about 150 pictures.


Let me clarify. One hundred and fifty blurry pictures.







That's what happens when you don't read & memorize the owner's manual from cover to cover. But I learned my lesson. The camera has to be changed to a different setting so I can change the ISO (shutter speed) to a higher number. Simply putting the camera on the "Action" setting doesn't do the job in a fast-moving setting like a basketball game. Oops.

I can't wait for the next game. I'm hoping to make it to Will's third-grade team's game on Saturday -- the shorter, slower players should be great subjects.

Spring is in the air

We've made it to mid-February, and it's almost spring! I've already survived the first "flood-in" of the season this week. I'm still not quite sure I like living so far out in the sticks -- whenever we get a lot of rain, I get stuck in the hollow because the low-water bridges are under water. Call me chicken, but I didn't want to drive through this yesterday. The creek is much lower (and slower) today.
Yes, I know we are in the 21st century, but here in the hollow, we don't have a) cell phone service or b) normal bridges that don't get flooded with rushing water when it rains. We do, however, have electricity, Internet and running water. What more can a girl ask for?

It's almost time to start thinking about my gardens! Last fall, I planted some new bulbs, and they are starting to poke through already. I can't remember what I planted, so it will be interesting to see what blooms in a month or so.

This year, I plan to re-seed the front and side gardens with the Zinnia seeds I harvested in the fall. Last spring, I neglected to plant them, and everyone commented on missing those spectacular flowers. I know I missed them, too. I may also add a few new plants to one of the beds, perhaps something that can climb up the side of the house. I've had some success with Morning Glories, but they tend to wilt in the heat of the south-facing bed. Any suggestions? And what are you looking forward to planting this spring?