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Oh how we say time flies, but then there are those days that just seem to stay frozen in time. It was just about two years ago that I had to put my good friend down. I still feel a little lost without him. I miss his fierce protection of all under my roof. I miss his smell. Probably only true dog folks can follow that, but every dog I have owned had their own distinctive smell along with their own pedigree of personality:

Samantha (the sweetest), Pork Chop (the happiest), Midnight (a troubled black lab I could never quite follow), Clovis (the only dog we ever paid for, unconditionally the smartest and who was so tight with his pack) and then comes Grace (our blue-eyed deaf rescue found abandoned at a West Texas railroad station and who is now my only four-legged shadow).

I have loved each of them greatly and differently. Each one has brought me their lifetime of joy and buckets of tears upon leaving. Clovis was my poser dog. Whenever I got out my Nikon, he was quick to notice and quicker to upstage anyone and anything.

Since I lost Clovis, I have not, with any degree of seriousness, picked up a camera. He just took that out of me. I have tried to shoot at some images, but every time I pick up a camera I hear his tags a jingle, a bump on the leg wanting to know where he should pose. My heart goes adrift and the camera back in the backpack.

I am a sentimental old coot and damn but I miss them all and can pull up many a tearful memory. I have to ask, how can a dog steal my vision? Hey, if they can steal your heart, vision is pretty much a simple task.

Get busy living or get busy dying!…”Red”…aka S. King

Peace Out,   jasL

Shades of Gray from Grayson Co, TX #887 – Blah, Blah, Blah…

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Just having a hard time with my finding images. My eyes just fail to see.

It all  seems so, I don’t know, bland, boring, l and only worth half an effort.

Been reading a lot about Eugene Smith, Dorthea Lange and the I watched the movie “Salt of the Earth” a story about the photographer Salgado. If you are a photographer and have not seen it, treat yourself, but be prepared to feel pretty tiny after watching it. I just have this overwhelming feeling of a wasted life, wrong choices, just feeling very small. I chased too many material ideals and I even failed at that.

So here is another frigging flower. It is what us old guys fall back on when all else fails. I used to hate flowers images ( except for Georgia O’Keefe) and now it is my go to small choice…….monos en theos….james

Shades of Gray from Grayson Co, TX #857…A Portrait of Pride

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One of the more pleasurable benefits of moving to a new part of the state is the getting to know new people. The added enjoyment comes from getting to know different cultures.

It Southwest Texas we were very blessed to become entrenched with the Mexican culture. We were very privileged to become close to many families and the learning was constant.

Now moving to North Central Tx we are also have the extreme pleasure of getting to know our Black neighbors.

This young man worked a full day of really hard labor cutting Bamboo and using the cane to built a fence for us. He was extremely proud of his work. When I pulled out my camera he wanted a photo of his fence. While impressed with his fence, I was much more enthralled with his confident heart that beamed through his face.

Come to know your neighbors and you will find and receive love…†…monos en theos…jim

IMAGES OF SMALL THINGS FROM THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS #730 – LIVING LIVE BY THE DROP!

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Hello there my old friend
Not so long ago it was till the end
We played outside in the pourin’ rain
On our way up the road we started over again

You’re livin’ out dreams of you on top
My mind is achin’ oh lord it won’t stop
that’s how it happened livin’ life by the drop

Up and down the road in our worn out shoes
Talkin’ ’bout good things and singin’ the blues
You went your way and I stayed behind
We both knew it was just a matter or time

You’re livin’ out dreams of you on top
My mind is achin’ oh lord it won’t stop
that’s how it happened life by the drop

No waste of time we’re allowed today
Churnin’ up the past, there’s no easier way
Times been between us,a means to a end
God its good to be here walkin’ together my friend

Livin’ our dreams
My mind stoped achin’
that’s how it happened livin’ life by the drop…DOYLE BRAMHALL

Hello there to my old friend Doyle. Don’t ever think that you are forgotten! en theos monos

IMAGES OF SMALL THINGS FROM THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS #721 – THERE IS POWER IN A SINGLE BLOOM!

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“I would rather have a little rose from the garden of a friend,

Than flowers strewn around my casket when my days on earth must end.

I would rather have a living smile from one I know is true,

Than tears shed `round my casket when this world I bid adieu.

Bring me all the flowers today whether pink or white or red,

I would rather have one blossom now than a truckload when I`m dead.”

Author unknown

I would sure like to meet this person named “unknown”, they put out some good stuff! en theos monos ††† jim

IMAGES OF SMALL THINGS FROM THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS #636 – BRIGHTEN UP SOMEONE’S MAILBOX !

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No, I am not referring to throwing some bright paint on your neighbors mailbox. It’s too cold to be outside for that kind of a DIY. Although we might consider that for a warmer day.

I am referring that lesser known ritual, write someone a letter today. And, I don’t mean email. Dare I use the “S” word in this semi-cyber age. Yes, I mean snail mail. Sit your butt down by the fire, fix that second cup of tea and reflect on someone that has been on your heart. Blow the dust off some of that fancy stationery that you have stuck away in a drawer or closet.

Put your heart on some paper. We all have someone that we think about, we mean to call and email is so, well like the weather – cold. Hell, even the IRS takes the time to send you a real letter.  Share your feelings, make someone’s day. If nothing else think of the guilt you can shower down. Lick a stamp, well the postal folks already lick the stamp for you. Give someone the magic of a brightened mailbox.

Do you remember the first time you got a real letter? Do you remember the last time?

Enjoy the fun of writing with a pen today. ††† en theos †††jw

IMAGES OF SMALL THINGS FROM THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS #615 – OLD FRIENDS ARE THE BEST FRIENDS

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Stories still to be told, hugs, smiles yet to be given. Cherish them if you got em.

“Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.”
Francis Bacon

Hug one today. ††† en theos ††† jimwork

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IMAGES OF SMALL THINGS FROM THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS #609 – LIFE ON THE EDGE #2!

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If you are going to walk on the edge, you need people that will help you keep your balance. It is way too easy to get knocked off course.

“My friends and family are my support system. They tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear and they are there for me in the good and bad times. Without them I have no idea where I would be and I know that their love for me is what’s keeping my head above the water.”
Kelly Clarkson

Find someone to help you find the balance! ††† en theos ††† jimwork

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IMAGES OF SMALL THINGS FROM THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS #590 – and what you got to complain about!

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We had a wonderful weekend hanging with some old friends. We shared our scars and talked of our aches, pains and complaints. On our way home, we stopped to visit with truly an old friend who is now living in a nursing home.

She greeted us warmly just like our other friends. Pushing ninety, she knew of true aches and pains, but had no complaints. My aches and pains paled and my small bit of arthritis became non existent in comparison.

I savored her hugs, her zest, the twinkle still in her faded blue eyes. I enjoyed her smell of age and each and every scar she shared.

Sometimes, we get to see how good we have it. It takes away a lot of what you think is an ache or a pain. en theos ††† jimwork

IMAGES OF SMALL THINGS FROM THE BIGGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS #561 – The bedraggled & pretty share the bounty

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We planted some new butterfly bushes to give us another area to attract some of the lovelies.  I had hardly put the shovel away and these two kindred spirits were sharing the nectar of the new additions. Albeit the passion butterfly was a bit more road weary than the monarch.

But hey, share your flower with one who needs it more than you. ††† en theos ††† jimwork