Family is the heart of the home and when my daughter had this stenciled on her wall, I thought it was brilliant!

Simple rules to live by. Something the kids will see every day. Perfect!

It's tough raising a family... lots of places where you can go wrong as a parent and lots of serious consequences for kids growing up when a wrong decision is made.

No one said it was going to be easy.

These words are simple, direct and to the point.

And even when your kids are grown... they are still your kids.

You love them, you worry about them and are so proud of them when you see them grow up to be good, caring human beings

and when you see them passing their values on to their children.

That's what I'm talking about! That's what it is all about!

Actually, I'm not very good at getting a self portrait but thought I would give it a try.

So this is the crazy woman in action.

This was taken in the bathroom mirror and then flipped so you could read the sign (well, part of it).

It says: Live Well... Laugh Often... Love Much

The sign was given to me by the Free Advice Guy at White Rock Lake in Dallas.

Sorry... I'm afraid there is another story coming.

So these two guys have been coming to the northwest shore of White Rock Lake in Dallas every Sunday for 18 years. I read about them but never actually saw them.

I think maybe they have only missed a couple times in the past 18 years.

I was wandering around the lake just looking for a photo op when I saw the two flags and the big sign saying "Free Advice".

Heck yeah! I could use some free advice so I went over and pulled up a lawn chair and Roddy introduced himself and engaged me in conversation.

His advice he explains is from the heart and he is a very gentle soul.

Anyone is welcome to join the group but only he and the person receiving advice are allowed to speak.

If people want to have other discussions then there is another group of chairs a little ways away where you can do so.

He does not give you answers to your problems but rather makes you more introspective about your own wants and needs.

There is no hurry and he is very observant as he talks with you.

In the end, I think you leave with a better feeling about yourself and perhaps have more direction to your life.

At the end of the conversation, he told me that he felt that I was a fascilitator as I seemed to encourage people to do better and that I celebrated their success, which I think is very true.

He gave me the sign that hangs behind me in the photo.

I felt so awkward taking the sign but the fella sitting next to me said to take it... that this is what the advice guy does.

So I sat there as others came and discussed their troubles and before I knew it, I had been sitting there for nearly 4 hours in 100° temperatures.

It was not only free advice but free entertainment in a strange sort of way.

One woman's story nearly brought me to tears. Funny how people will open up to Roddy.

Many times he would reach into his bag and pull out a book, or a video or a special coin to give to someone, and I venture to say, that his offerings will be cherished in a special kind of way.

It was all so fascinating, that I returned the next two Sundays to listen again and sat in the blistering heat to hear more of his good advice.

To read more about the "free advice" guy and to see some of my photos, go to:

http://theinquisitiveeye.zenfolio.com/blog

My day begins as I roll over and put my feet on the floor.

The beginning of another day and thankful for this opportunity of having another day.

Trudge to the kitchen, make coffee, dole out the pills, pop the toast in the toaster and settle in with the morning paper.

Same routine, day after day.

Read the Dallas Morning News.

Start with the headlines... usually depressing.

Read the business section. Omit the sports section.

Read the arts section.

I have left the best 'til last... the metro section.

Local news is also depressing: shootings, building more roads, child abuse, burglaries,and once in a while, news of something good.

And that brings me to the obituaries in the metro section of the paper.

Remember how I said we all have a story to tell? Well, this is the last chance and why not make it a good one?

I have been collecting interesting obituaries for well over 5 years now.

I know, I know... it sounds a bit strange.

As a matter of fact, I did not tell anyone about this hobby for quite some time as I too felt it was a bit strange.

It all started when I read one that had no photo but it listed date of birth and date of death, and of course I had to do the math.

He was a young fella and this is what it said:

"There will be no services. If you wished to see me, you would have seen me while I was alive."

End of obituary!

No... I did not clip that one because I had no idea that it would have such an impact on my life.

The words of this obit haunted me. Obviously, he knew he was dying and he was feeling bitter and alone.

And I wondered if maybe he had AIDS and his family and friends had shunned him.

My heart weeped for this young man.

I so badly wanted to know the rest of the story, and I was sure there was a huge story to go with his brief obit, but I never found that out.

That's when I started looking for and collecting interesting obits.

I now have 20 books filled and more to be logged in. You would not believe what I have found!

Some are so touching that they bring tears to your eyes even though you did not know the person.

Others are inspiring as they tell about overcoming great obstacles in life.

Some share tragedy at what should be the best of times in a person's life.

Some are just plain funny and make me wish I had known that quirky person in real life.

But they all teach a lesson in some way or another about life in general and what is really important.

They cut through the mundane and get to the heart of the matter.

I have them divided into sections.

I have the hat ladies and the hat men wearing their favorite chapeau in their photo.

Interesting ways we go: "flew with the angels", "passed into the arms of Jesus", "left for the milky way", etc.

And then there are those with a favorite pet in their arms, or the one that looks like a photograph and then when you read the obituary you realize it is a self portrait painted by the deceased.

I find the ones about inventors to be some of my favorites.

I have the inventor of the hoola hoop, the frisbee, the smiley face (who knew?), the artificial heart, etc., etc., etc.

One of my favorite inventors was Jack Kilby.

He won the Nobel Prize, was from Dallas and has changed our lives... every one of our lives, more than anyone else in our lifetime.

Yet, I venture to say, no one recognizes his name or can tell me what he invented.

And here you have the rest of the story! Be sure to read about Jack and his amazing invention and how it has impacted your life!

http://www.pbase.com/shutterpug/image/109945778

Except when my grandchildren play.

Two of the grandchildren play soccer and I enjoy watching and trying to shoot their games but come home with way too many photos and way too many deletes.

This is Alaina playing with her team, the Green Machine.

When I was young, we played softball in gym class.

I never liked to play very much and I would always run to the outfield because I could pick little wildflowers that would pop up in the turf

and also look at the clouds 'cause I knew the girls couldn't hit a ball that far!

When I went to a Ranger's baseball game, I think I was the only one in the stands doing a crossword puzzle.

My third grandchild was not wanting to join in any sports.

He is an excellent reader, does youtube videos about his Skylander collection, has a keen interest in music (both parents are band directors),

so rather than getting involved in sports, he is taking hip-hop dance lessons and having a blast!

My three grandchildren all get along so well and have such fun playing together.

By now they are used to seeing me with my camera and, as a matter of fact, if I don't have it with me they ask where it is.

So this particular day they were busy playing and I just wanted to get a quick shot of them together so I said... real quick, just line up over there so I can see who is the tallest.

They stood in a row and Alaina looks over and points and says...

"BIGGEST... BIGAMIST... LITTLEST"

And with that, all the adults in the room broke up laughing!

Of course I had to put that on their shirts so we would not forget her comment!

Change your viewpoint.

Wiser words were never spoken.

In photography as in most things, it is good to have a mentor... someone more experienced to guide you in your decision making in an effort to improve your photography.

This lesson rang true today when I went out with one of the crazy women to shoot at the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.

Remembering my mentor's words... "don't forget your macro", saved the day.

I went out anticipating to shoot birds... egrets, herons, pelicans, and cormorants.
But... Lake Texoma was also being affected by the extreme drought and the water level was down.
Water lilies were turning brown and dying for lack of water and where birds would normally be walking in water looking for their next meal,
there was now vegetation growing; consequently, the birds were at a further distance away making them difficult to shoot.

So... what was needed was a different viewpoint and I began looking for the little things to capture my attention.

This bumblebee caught my eye and I tried to capture him in between the bits of wind that would send the flowers swaying from side to side.
No, this is not what I was planning to shoot, but by changing my viewpoint I was able to literally focus on something different and come home with some keepers.