Give A Girl A Camera

Hi y'all

In March I got to spend a little time at The Tyler Azalea Trials with one of my favorite little people and her mom.  Let's be honest,  back yards full of flowers can be pretty boring when you are 4, so I carry an old digital point and shoot camera in my bag.   When I realized Miss J wasn't really "in to" having her picture taken in the flowers, I gave her the camera and showed her how to use it. 
What happened next was AMAZING!  She SAW the world!  She SAW every flower through that viewfinder!  With that camera in her hand, what could have been a boring walk for her through the flowers was an adventure.  She went from flower to flower and would excitedly say "look at this one"  "oh! look at this one" .  

When I have a camera in hand that is how I see and feel about the world but I never expected this excitement from a young child.  It was so exciting to watch, and a reminder that photography is not just taking pictures, it is SEEING the world one frame at a time. Really focusing on our surroundings.    My heart melted when we drove by a home with some of the most amazing tulips and Miss J said    "stop! I need to take a picture!" 


Here she is getting down to get a good shot of the squirrel crossing the sidewalk in front of her.  Does it get any cuter??

Some of her family thinks there is a slight possibility she has watched Miss Jeanne too much.  I was SO proud of her, such a smart girl  *wink*

While we were "shooting" the tulips she asked if she could use my camera.  After reassuring her mom it was OK and taking a deep breath I handed it over. She was very careful and DELIGHTED when she took the picture and it appeared on the screen on the back.   Look closely....she even has my wrist strap around her arm.   I ask you again...does it get any cuter?

 I came away from the day with a great photograph of her sweet face and those amazing tulips, (snapped while she wasn't looking) and an appreciation for that tiny piece of glass known as the viewfinder. 

A wonderful reminder to not just look at the beautiful world God has given us, but to SEE it! 



   

Give a girl a camera.....she will see the world

 

Love y'all

Jeanne

I think a photography class should be a requirement in all educational programs because it makes you see the world rather than just look at it. ~Author Unknown

 

 

 

 

Hold the door

I do believe all children and most adults should be taught and reminded of these lessons daily.

The world would be a better place....

Jeanne
Thank you Kim Bongiorno at letmestartbysayingblog.com

...hello blog

Helloooo Blog!!
I have missed you!
In January I officially said goodbye to this blog.  I had decided that life needed to be simplified so something had to go.  The blog got the axe!   I was posting on this blog and then my business blog and since I am obsessed with pictures it felt like I was sharing all of the same info and pics twice.... crazy!    SO I will post family updates and misc stuff  here and include links to more pictures on Brick Road Photo. The majority of my photography will be posted on Brick Road Photo.  Hopefully this will help me stay a little more focused (photo pun intended) 

If you would like to see who or what I am "shooting" this week click on over to my photo blog. This month I am sharing my new obsession, street photography. There are some pretty interesting and unique people out there!    www.brickroadphoto.blogspot.com 

Here is a quick recap of our year so far.

We had a great Christmas with Robert and Jeremy and SNOW!

On Valentines day Jessica and I spent the day exploring Nacogdoches.  It is the oldest town in Texas and full of wonderful old businesses and historical places including an amazing old cemetery.   I will share more on this trip later since I have TONS of pics (imagine that) *wink*

Also in February NIK was born.  He and I are having a lot of fun adventures and are in the process of writing a digital children's book.  Be sure to check him out.  He WILL make you smile   http://brickroadphoto.blogspot.com/2013/02/meet-nik.html

 

Spring started to arrive late February.  The daffodils were amazing this year and we got to share them with Colleen and Roger! It was so great to get to spend some time sharing the beautiful area we live in with them.  We are so blessed to have such an amazing family.  

 And of course NO spring is complete without a trip through the azalea trail in Tyler. Stunning!

March took us to New Orleans.  It was amazing! More pictures and a post specific to "Nawlins" will follow. So much to see and share.

We had a very nice Easter.  We got to spend it with Robert, Christina and her two little ones.  The kids are Alexis(8) and AJ (3).  It was so much fun to have little ones in the house for Easter.  The little guy, AJ,  wasn't feeling well and slept most of the day so no pics of him yet.   Maybe next time.

So that is our Texas life in a nutshell (or blogpost)

 

Love and miss all of you

Jeanne

 

 



Good Bye Blog

Hi all!
I have made a HUGE decision. O.K. it is not THAT huge but it is important.
This will be my last blogpost on it's a simple little blog.
By January 30 it's a simple little blog will be getting the axe. That was kind of brutal wasn't it? I am not dissappearing completely, just simplifying life a bit.
I will still be posting on my Brick Road Photo blog. It is my hope that if I only have one blog I might actually post on it. Hey, a girl can dream....
Currently I manage two webpages, an online photo gallery, Etsy shop and three facebook pages. Since these are all connected to our businesses I decided axing one of them was probably not the best idea. SO the personal blog get's it!!

I have come to realize that I live through pictures. I feel like every FB post, blogpost, and email I write is naked without a picture. SO the Brick Road Photo Blog seems like the perfect place to share what I need to share.
To those of you that have been sweet enough to read my blog, THANK YOU! You have helped me justify all of the time I have spent talking to myself. *wink*
I do hope you follow me over to www.brickroadphoto.blogspot.com
you can also link to the blog through my website www.brickroadphoto.com
OR see my photo galleries at www.brickroadphoto.smugmug.com
Wow! I am starting to see a pattern here.....
Love to all of you....see you on the other side blog
Jeanne
HA! You thought I was going to forget a picture of some kind didn't you?


Good bye - love y'all

Steps

Happy New Year!
I am not a resolution maker, so I will spare you that "canned" blog post today. I do however try to think about and implement the steps that I can take to improve myself and my little corner of the world.
Confuscious said "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
Here are a few of the steps I plan on taking in 2013


I will strive to see the beauty in all things


I will cherish and preserve the past


I will make an effort to take better care of myself


I will remember and practice these two little words


I will pray more


I will play more


I will live each step

I wish each of you a wonderful 2013. Full of love and friendship. Remember to take it one step at a time. Cherish the moment
Love and miss y'all
Jeanne

Christmas treats

Today was spent making Christmas treats for our furry family members. Riker, Annie and Molly love these treats! The breeder that we got Riker and Annie from sent us the recipe a couple of years ago. The dogs line up in the kitchen for these when they are cooking. I will say these are not an amazing aroma like baking cookies but it's not a bad smell.

Peanut Butter Pooch Cookies
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup white flour
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 1/4 TBSP Baking Powder
1 TBSP honey
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup milk

Combine flours, oatmeal, baking powder. Combine milk, peanut butter and honey in a separate bowl and mix well. Stir peanut butter mixture into the flour/oatmeal mixture. Knead dough and roll out on floured surface to 1/4" thickness. Cut into treats using a cookie cutter. Place on a non stick cookie sheet and bake at 400 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes. 10 for small cookies.
I have found that these last longer in an air tight container.


I found these cute bone shaped cookie cutters at Bed Bath and Beyond. There are 3 sizes in a cute little tin.
I hope your fur babies enjoy these treats like mine do.
Merry furry Christmas!
Jeanne


~~All of the photos on this blog are protected by copyright and are the property of Jeanne May and Brick Road Photo. Thank you for not reproducing them without permission.~~ www.brickroadphoto.com

Silver Bells

Hi all!
The Christmas decorations are out of the attic and the decorating has begun. It has been two years since I have seen those boxes. Last year we were building and our Christmas decor consisted of 3 PEZ dispensers, Santa, a reindeer and a snowman, and a bad attitude. *wink*

After living in Colorado for so many years my primary concern when storing the Christmas boxes, was never putting anything in them that would get ruined if it froze. Snow globes are a really good example, trust me.
I have learned over the last three years of storing things in Texas, the heat can be just as damaging. I have also come to realize that the humidity is VERY hard on silver. It took years for silver to tarnish in Colorado. Here, I swear it happens overnight!
When I opened the Christmas box that contained the 38 silver bells "silver" isn't exactly how I would have described them. They were pretty ugly.
Why do I have 38 bells? We started buying the bells when the boys were tiny. We bought two dated bells, one for each boy, every year at christmas until they turned 21. One day I will pass them on to them......one day...

In years past we used a silver polish cloth, and with everyone's help had them shined in an evening. Yesterday, it was just me and 38 nasty black bells.
Typically I would call my mom and if that didn't work I would Google it, however decided the easy way (lazy way) out was to post something on FaceBook, certainly THAT would get me my easy quick answer. What it got me was a suggestion from a friend to Google it. Ha! Big bonus, she had already googled it and told me exactly what to search and viola! the quick fix was right before my eyes. Thank you Sheri!!
I read through the directions and ignored the little voice that said "what if this ruins the bells" and ultimately decided they either went back into storage black, or I tried it. IT. WAS. AMAZING!
This is what I did~
First you line a deep container with tin foil and then you put in the silver items, making sure they touch the foil.


Then you bring a gallon of water to a boil, remove the pan from the stove and set it in the sink. Add 1 cup of baking soda. This foams and gurgles, which is why you need the pan with the hot water in the sink, or you will have a much bigger mess than some tarnished silver.


Anyway.... Next you pour the hot water/soda mix over the silver, making sure everything is covered with water. Plug your nose! The sulphur smell is kind of nasty. My bells required about a 5 minute soak, then a wipe down with a soft cloth and they are prettier than they have been in years. It even got the tarnish out of the engraving lines! Bonus! 38 clean and shiny bells in under an hour WAHOO!


Here is a link to the complete instructions
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/homeexpts/TARNISH.html

The webpage contains some very cool scientific info on why things tarnish and why that polish cloth isn't always the best choice. Did you know that when you wipe away that black tarnish you are actually wiping away some of the silver? Yikes!

I am happy to report my bells are on the tree and looking rather shiny! Christmas memory preserved.

Enjoy your Christmas preparations. Treasure all of the memories and if you are not sure what to do........GOOGLE IT!

Happy rest of your week
Jeanne

~~All of the photos on this blog are protected by copyright and are the property of Jeanne May and Brick Road Photo. Thank you for not reproducing them without permission.~~ www.brickroadphoto.com

Make A Wish

In my last blog post "Strength"  I talked about an incredible family that had touched my life.  Yesterday they were featured on Texas Living on  KTXD TV Dallas, with Macy's and Make A Wish. 
Thought you might enjoy the interview
http://www.ktxdtv.com/story/20095353/make-a-wish#.UKVi3-CGyu9
Way to go guys!  You did a great job.
Be sure to get those letters to Santa written and delivered to your local Macy's store.
If you are considering making holiday donations, please consider The Make a Wish Foundation.

Jeanne

Strength

This blog post has been rolling around in my head, and my heart, for the past couple of days.  What I want to convey seems simple enough, but as most of you know I speak through pictures not words. Hope my message gets through.

Last weekend I attended a Sweet Sixteen birthday party with 6 giggling 14-16 year old girls.  Junk food, games, silliness, more junk food, silly pictures, boy talk, all the slumber party stuff with one major difference....  The majority of the girls at this party are or have been fighting serious life threatening illness.  I am not sure what I expected, but as I listened to them talk giggle I realized that what we see as pain and illness they take with a grain of salt.  In between the junk food and the games, they casually mentioned their blood levels, temperatures, Doctors etc. Everyone stepped over and around the oxygen lines strung on the floor as if they weren't there.   No panic, no drama, just nonchalant life as they know it.   
I was so touched by their strength and their commitment to each other and their families.  There were friends there from out of town they had met at camp, someone they had met at therapy, all bound by the same thing, illness.  They showed concern for other people who couldn't be there.  There was no poor me, no petty mean girl stuff, no judgement, just compassion and caring for one another. Teenage girls wise beyond their years, with a value and priority system we should all take note of... very touching 
One of the girls FB page has a memoriam section for friends she has lost.  This hurts my heart for her in a way I cannot describe.
We could all take a lesson from these girls.  We need to start LIVING each day, be more accepting, loving, I mean REALLY loving the people around us and making sure they know they are loved.  Living genuinely, honestly

Everyone of us could take a lesson from this family on how to deal with adversity and life in general.  Three teenagers all effected by mitochondrial disease in some way.  They almost lost their dad this summer when he was hit by a car on his bicycle and was critically injured.  At some point during his recovery there was concern he may not survive, then concern he would never ride a bike a again (his passion)....This week, less than 6 months later against all odds,  he will be riding his bike for the first time since the accident.  This is a family of fighters,  of survivors! 
Standing behind all of them is an amazing woman.  Amidst all of this she has a quiet strength that amazes me, she holds things together, she is kind and caring, an advocate for all.  I stand in awe of the woman who runs his household.    

The remainder of this verse reads:
"When she speaks,
her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.

She carefully
watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.

Her children stand
and bless her.  Her husband praises her"








I am very humbled to have had the chance to get to know this family and see them in action. An amazing reminder of how thankful I should be for my health and the health of my family. As well as how ashamed I should be for complaining about aches and pains, when so many people struggle with so much daily.

Be thankful today....for everything
Jeanne    
"The most beautiful people are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” unknown
This incredible family is a very large part of The Make A Wish Foundation and are continually raising funds for Mito Family and other camps. If you would like to make a difference for them please contact me privately at notmpoppins@yahoo.com
Educate yourself and others about Mitochondrial Disease

 

East Texas Fall

Fall is finally trying to make an appearance in East Texas. Hallelujah! After a long, nasty, hot humid summer the 70s are feeling pretty amazing.
Our pond is a little low so we are hoping for some rain soon. This time last year we lived in our little guest house in a construction zone of mud. What a difference a year makes. This was taken from across our pond looking at the back of the house.


Standing on the dam, looking across the pond


Lovely fall sky


As fall progresses I am looking forward to the vivid red sweet gum trees and more amazing blue skies. I do miss fall in the mountains but I love fall in East Texas! Looking forward to a long one!
Love and miss y'all
Jeanne

~~All of the photos on this blog are protected by copyright and are the property of Jeanne May and Brick Road Photo. Thank you for not reproducing them without permission.~~ www.brickroadphoto.com

Location:Happy Fall!

Roasted peanuts

Hi y'all!! I bet you thought I was never coming back didn't you? No excuses, just a crazy month plus a poor attitude equals NO blog posts.

Today Shaun and I went to First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX. It only takes us about 30 minutes to get to one of the largest open air markets in the United States. How lucky are we?? It is an amazing place to wander, eat fried snickers and shop the treasurers. Today was crazy! I have never seen so many people there. WOW! Shoulder to shoulder.
We wandered a little off the beaten path today to escape some of the people. We ended up WAY out in a field full of "antique" vendors. As we were standing amongst the junk a very familiar scent came floating by. (Not to worry, it was a good scent.). Scent is the most amazing memory trigger. It took me a minute, but I suddenly realized it was peanuts roasting!! I haven't smelled that since I was young. My grandparents lived in Oklahoma in and around peanut and watermelon fields. I remember staying with them in the summers and my grandpa and dad bringing in fresh peanuts and roasting them. That smell almost brought a tear to my eye. It brought back great memories of two great men. Strong quiet men who I miss very much.
I did find that smell and bought some peanuts from the sweetest little man. He was roasting the nuts in two big black belt driven roasters powered by a John Deere motor. Very nostalgic


I mentioned how wonderful the smell was and he offered to "set me up, little girl" in the peanut roasting business. What a sweetie. I thought of hugging him for the sweet memory, but couldn't choke back the tears long enough to explain why a stranger was hugging him over the smell of peanuts.

I did however manage to take a few pics of the "antiques" that lingered in the back corner of Trade Days. Question....what do bubble gum and milkshake machines, a walker, and mailbox have in common? Canton, TX !








It was a great day. I got to spend a beautiful fall day with my favorite guy and relive a memory of two very special men with the smell of peanuts.

It's the simple things that make life perfect

Jeanne


~~All of the photos on this blog are protected by copyright and are the property of Jeanne May and Brick Road Photo. Thank you for not reproducing them without permission.~~ www.brickroadphoto.com

MSA The Gate to the Beach

The Gate to the Beach is located in Plymouth, MA. The iron work is everywhere here and I LOVE it!


I can't help but wonder what the pilgrims would have thought if they had seen "The Gate to the Beach", or the sign to clean up after our dogs, or not swim at night....


Or the parking lot and parking meters....

Things change, places change, people change, pictures don't change
Get out there and capture a moment today. It may not be the same tomorrow.

Jeanne
~~All of the photos on this blog are protected by copyright and are the property of Jeanne May and Brick Road Photo. Thank you for not reproducing them without permission.~~ www.brickroadphoto.com

MSA Mineola, Texas

My Metal Street Art entry today comes from downtown Mineola, TX. LOVE this water meter cover. In Mineola you take a pretty good step up from the roadway to the sidewalk. This cover is in the sidewalk and looks like it has been extended to meet the sidewalk level and then "patched" into the concrete OR maybe the road was lowered and new sidewalk poured around the meter cover and bricks that surrounded it. Either way...very cool... Mineola has great history


By MSA standards it's a good one! Great character

Look up, look down, look all around, treasures live on the ground

Keep snappin'
Jeanne
~~All of the photos on this blog are protected by copyright and are the property of Jeanne May and Brick Road Photo. Thank you for not reproducing them without permission.~~ www.brickroadphoto.com

By The Sea B and B

While we were in Plymouth, MA we stayed in the cutest B and B. The attention to detail and charm were truly over the top. I felt as if I was staying at Grandmas house. SO very quaint and comfortable.


We had the Governor Bradford Suite. A bedroom, our own little kitchen, living area and bath complete with claw foot tub. This is the entry to our home away from home and private deck that looks out to the Mayflower and beautiful ocean.


SO very welcoming


A beautiful hand quilted quilt on the bed to make us feel at home.


How sweet is this little pantry, the collection of china and hand crocheted pot holders?


Or this cute little kitchen, complete with Kincaid painting and collection of depression glass in the cabinet?


The enclosed porch and meeting place for morning coffee and cake.


The Mayflower Suite. Look at that 180 degree view of the ocean! And YES you CAN see The Mayflower from this room!





The owner is a tole painter. She has left sweet little touch's everywhere


I am so thrilled that Colleen found this B and B at the last minute for us. We were very lucky they had a cancelation the day before. What a wonderful experience.


Colleen relaxing in the front garden of By The Sea B and B. She deserves it! She works so hard to make special times like this happen. Thank you so much for all you do Colleen! Love you more than you know

Jeanne
~~All of the photos on this blog are protected by copyright and are the property of Jeanne May and Brick Road Photo. Thank you for not reproducing them without permission.~~ www.brickroadphoto.com

The Pilgrim Memorial

The Pilgrims Memorial building, in Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA
Its purpose is to commemorate the Mayflower Pilgrims’ first landing in the New World in Provincetown, in November 1620. Here the Pilgrims spent 5 weeks exploring the tip of Cape Cod, before they sailed on to Plymouth. They also drew up and signed the Mayflower Compact. VERY COOL to know that one of Shaun's direct ancestors was one of the thirteen who signed the compact. More to come about that soon.


President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone in 1907. In 1910, President William Howard Taft dedicated the finished 252-foot tower. It is the tallest all-granite structure in the United States and is 350 feet above sea level.


Never look down...... Our view from part way up, looking down


It's a long way to the top! I held my camera out into the center and snapped. Terrible picture, but gives you an idea how far we had left to go to get to the top. 116 steps and 60 ramps are all it takes to get there. Can you say burning thighs?
Great piece of history
Jeanne

Location:Provincetown, MA