Goodbye Blogspot.com

This is probably my last post on judyholmphotography.blogspot.com.

For those of you who read this on a daily basis, don't fret.  I am just switching websites.  This site does not support the slideshows that I want to post every so often.  So, I thought it was time for me to make a change.  It hasn't been easy because I am technically challenged.

My new website is:

judyholmphotography.wordpress.com

I hope you copy and paste this new address in your browser, bookmark it or add it to your favorites.  I don't want to lose you!

I have posted something on my new blog site, so please take a few minutes and check it out.

Thank you! ~ Judy 

I couldn't go without a picture in my last post!

Dave at Fahey Ranch in Long Barn.

How many times have you uploaded your pictures when you got home from a trip and are disappointed because they don't look like you remember the scene to be?  For me, it's almost every time. 

We were on a hike when I took this picture.  It was a cloudy, dark, moody day and this little meadow surrounded by trees grabbed my attention.  I remember having to hurry because it was starting to rain.  When I got home and looked at my pictures, I asked myself, "Why did I take this??"

Then I remembered the feeling I had when I was there and how much I liked that little spot.  I worked with the picture until I could say... "Ahhh... this is how I remember it."

Boxer Billy

Every so often something happens at school that will forever be one of my 'favorite stories'.  Today was one of those days.

Right after the morning bell rang a crying 2nd grade boy was sent to the office.  His note said, "Billy forgot his pants."  What??  Sure enough, there he stood in front of me with just his boxer shorts and no pants.  We've had students come in their pajamas before because their parents had threatened them if they didn't hurry they would have to go to school in their pajamas... and they kept their word!  But never, ever has a student come without his pants.

Billy's brother had walked him to school and I guess they were in a hurry.  When I started to call home, that just made him cry harder because he was afraid he would get in trouble.  So, I found some shorts that fit him that he could wear for the day.  I told him to bring them back tomorrow.  That didn't stop the crying.  He was afraid to wear the shorts home.  I asked him if he would feel better if he brought the shorts back to me at the end of the day before going home.  He said yes, and finally the tears disappeared and he went back to class.

Sure enough, when the 3:00 bell rang Billy came running into the office.  He stripped off his shorts, handed them to me and walked out of the building... with just his boxer shorts.

Sorry... no picture of 'boxer boy'.  (I had to restrain myself!)

Peace Builders

Today I have to attend a 'Peace Builders' workshop.  It is something that all the schools are participating in, in fact, I think we are one of the last.  I am not looking forward to being away from my already overloaded desk for the day, but on the upside, our school is combining with Enslen School for this workshop.  That means Joyce and I will learn to be Peace Builders together.  (Whatever that means!)

This picture came to mind when I think about today's workshop with Joyce!

If We Couldn't Laugh We'd Cry!

After only two weeks of school and we're already going wacco! 

Two people who make me laugh every day... Char and Jane

Sleepy Time

Every time I start to read a book I fall asleep.  Every time.

Sheep Ranch

18 cents a gallon for gas... too bad they were closed!!

I Had It First!

"Ha ha... I got to it first!"

"Let Go!"  "No, you let go!"  "I'm not going to let go!"  "I'm not going to let go either!"

Geeze... when it comes to sharing these two are worse than kids!

Cooling Off

Thank you Joyce for calling and asking us to join you Saturday at Tenaya Lake in Yosemite.  Not only did it feel great to spend the day in 75 degree temperature vs. the 106 degrees at home, it was just good ol' fun for Dave and I to spend the day with you and Chuck.  I've missed that!

Having a Vision

As hard as the first day of school was, you would think the rest of the week would be better.

• Tuesday - The two knocked out permanent front teeth
• Wednesday - An ambulance called for a child that would not come out of seizure
• Thursday - A 4-year old broke both bones in his arm... in half!

 But, today is going to be great... I can feel it!

When I came home from work on Tuesday, I had an idea for a picture.  I wanted it to include a cocktail or liquor bottle.  I saw the almost empty bottle of wine on the counter and poured what was left in a glass.  Next I had to look for a setting.  I knew my coffee table would provide some reflection of the bottle and glass, and the brown couch would give me the solid background I needed to get the result I was after.

I got my tripod, set up the self-timer on the camera and ignored the "what the heck are you doing" coming from Dave and Kevin.  I didn't want my tired, haggard face in the picture, so I put my head down.

I snapped one picture.

So even though it looked like I relaxed after a hard day at work with a bottle of wine, my relaxation came from sitting in front of my computer editing this picture.

** An update on the kindergartner who stayed in the circle on Tuesday because the teacher never called the color he was wearing:  She asked him the next day... "Why didn't you go outside, I called the color green?"  His answer, "I was wearing teal."  (I think he can skip the lesson on colors this year!!)

It's Miller Time!!

Another First Day of School under my belt.  Are they getting harder because I am getting older, or are they just getting harder?

• Angry parents because their child is not on a class list.  (Duh... you have to register first!!)

• Five criers (three students/two parents).  Seven if you count me and Char.

• 98% of the students and parents coming thru the office need help to find their classroom.

• Two parents wanting their child switched to another classroom.  Now.  Today.  One wanting a ten minute explanation from me on how we place the students in their classes.  (All while the 98% of the students and parents needing help finding their classrooms are waiting in the office!)

• FIVE paraprofessional subs.  Each had different hours and I had to figure out who went where.  (Of course while the 98%..........)

• An upset parent because we don't sell water at school.  "What are they going to drink?"  "We have water fountains outside."   "Is it cold water?"  "No."  "Well, you should start selling water."  (Under my breath.)  "Ya... we'll get right on that."

• One missing kindergartner after school.  The class got dismissed by the color they were wearing and the teacher never called his color, so he was still sitting in 'the circle' in the classroom!... Gotta love a kid that follows the rules!!

•  Four calls asking me to check the classroom to make sure their child made it to school.

• Lost count of the calls asking us to 'remind' their child to ride the bus/not ride the bus.  Remind???  If you told them in the morning that should be good enough!

• A brand new student fell playing basketball and knocked out BOTH front teeth.  He bellowed and cried in the nurse's office for 15 minutes until his mom finally got there.  When I tried to calm him, he just wailed... "I want my precious teeth back!"  (I think he meant permanent teeth.)  He carried on so long I lost sympathy for him.  Enough already!!  (By now it is 2:00 and any shred of patience I might have had was long gone.)

• Angry parent because her child lost both his permanent front teeth.  Somehow it was our fault.

• Two 'leftover' students (meaning no one picked them up).  Apparently parents were still celebrating that school started.  All phone numbers were disconnected and their place of employment never heard of them.

So... how was your day???

First Comes Love...

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Bryan and Shawna with a.....

Dog!

 Meet Oliver!

Ollie is a three year old Yellow Lab and Chow mix

He really is a sweetheart.

I can't wait to babysit...

Yes... this is how they took him home!

Tears and Cheers

The day finally came.  Mom is done with her radiation treatments.  With dad by her side she came to Modesto every weekday for seven weeks to get zapped and burned.  Throughout this whole trying ordeal (including two surgeries before radiation) she never uttered a whimper or complaint.  Simply put, she was amazing!

To celebrate, Linda, Nancy, Joyce and I went to Memorial to surprise her when she came out of the treatment room.  All of us being there coupled with the relief of finally being finished was a little overwhelming for her (and dad). 

After all our hugs and tears, dad took us out to lunch.  It was a very special afternoon.

Cheers Mom!

Otter Pops

It wouldn't be summer without Otter Pops.  I can't tell you how many of these Kevin can eat!  He likes them a little 'slushy', not frozen hard, so his ritual is to take them out of the freezer at night to thaw, and when I get up in the morning there is a little 'sticky note' on the counter that reminds me to put them back in the freezer.  Then in the evening they are the perfect consistency for him!  (I have to admit I like them that way too!)

A few weeks ago when I had the boys for the day, while Micah was taking a nap, Collin and I enjoyed a warm summer day with a couple of Otter Pops.  It was nostalgic... seems like just yesterday that was Kevin and I.

Every boy should have two things: a dog, and a mother willing to let him have one. 

~ Anonymous 

Decisions

I need to make a decision.  Do I want to continue to pursue photography on the side or just for my own enjoyment?  Expenses and frustrations are leaning me toward just for my own enjoyment.  We'll see how it plays out.

I'd rather be...

After yesterday's post Joyce sent me this picture with her heading "I'd rather be here"...  (Yes, she is back to work too.)

Quite frankly, after this week at work I think I'd rather be here!!!

I'd rather be here....

A little bored?

When I start taking pictures of the Comcast guy up on the phone pole in the alley, I guess it is time for me to go back to work.  (He was pretty cute though!)

Major Blahs

I am having the major blahs today.  When this happens I try to pinpoint the reason and do something about it.  After some soul searching, there are a few reasons, but probably the most glaring is that I go back to work tomorrow.  I love my work.  I love the people I work with.  I miss the students, the laughter and fun.  So why am I feeling so bummed?  Probably because I didn't really do anything this summer... and even tho this is a picture of the beach, I didn't even go there.  Not for me anyway.

So now I'll try to think positive and remind myself that next summer is only a blink away.  (Who wants to go to the beach???!!)

My Katie Girl

Sorry for another Katie picture, but our focus has been on her this last week.

She was not getting off Kevin's bed to eat or go outside.  For days.  It was obvious something was very wrong, so we took her to the vet.  Without running a litany of tests, it would be impossible to get a diagnosis.  We did notice that when we put her down to walk she limped.  Bad. 

I suggested that before we spent $$$$ to run all the tests that we x-ray her front legs.  It turns out she has arthritis in both of her front elbows.  After an injection and some pills, she is getting up to eat again, and even going outside.  The jury is still out if this is her only problem, but for now we're hopeful.

Little Visitor

I had a special visitor yesterday.

Lucy usually runs, but yesterday she was completely intrigued by this little person.  And Natalie... well that's all she wanted was to be outside with Lucy.

So, I put a blanket down and she was content just to be outside watching my silly cat.

I only got to watch Natalie for a short time, and I promised myself I would not grab my camera, but... my name is Judy and I am an addict.  There, I said it.

Crapper Toilet With a View

Are you kidding me??  We have to walk around that cliff to get to the toilet?  It should have a bay window... the view was spectacular!

The trail to the right goes to the bathroom.

Of course Dave didn't care that it was on the side of a cliff!

Believe me... it was a lot steeper down than it looks in this picture.  You didn't just 'sit around', if you know what I mean!

Patio Shadows

No, I didn't put Collin behind bars.  Hmmm... good idea though!!  :-)

More E.S.

Back to my Eastern Sierra trip...

There are many lodges on the high country roads out of the Bishop area.  The Bishop Creek Lodge is on the way to North Lake and South Lake and one we stop at every time we are there... usually to get an ice cold beer and sit on the front porch drinking it while taking in the views.  On this day we 'just happened' to be in the area around lunch time.  (I have a way of planning things!!)  There were two things on the menu... a hamburger or chicken burger.  Anyone who knows me can guess which one I ordered.  Delicious!!