All but one of tonight’s photos were taken by five year old grandgirl Phoebe. My daughter Robyn emailed me and asked if I could do a post on their visit here last week through Phoebe’s eyes. As a mother, she is rightly proud of her daughter. So here it is. This is Phoebe’s first foray into the world of photography. She used her mother’s Nikon camera.
Phoebe is pretty much attached to her mother’s hip at this point in her life, so of course she went with Robyn to check out and use the volunteer building’s bathroom. Only a five year old would document a men’s urinal.
Next up was documenting the patio. I had enough rockers this year that all of us got to sit in one.
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The first night involved picking out the dolls for her and her sister. She also got a shot of Chef Jay, but neglected to take a picture of his wife Linda, the maker of the dolls. Handsome men appear to be more important than crocheting ladies in this little girl’s eyes.
The next day we did the Painted Desert Trail hike, and all three of us were busy with our cameras.
 We did quite a bit of driving around, and I guess this is the view a five year old gets from the back seat. |  |
On the home front, water problems seem to follow me around. There was the brown water issue at Tamarac, the leaking fresh water tank since then, and here at Imperial the water quits running quite regularly. My water tank seems to have magically corrected itself so it’s not as much an issue as earlier. However, today a staff member delivered 35 bottles of water to my site. Even after having an electrician out the water problem has not been solved. Staff works four ten hour days here, so the water supply was to help me make it through the weekend should the water go out again. I’ve got 2/3 tank of water and all those bottles, so I think I’ll be OK. Aging physical infrastructure and budget cuts sure are effecting things on our refuges.
Lots of people love the desert southwest, but I’m thinking I’m not so enthusiastic about it. Aside from my disappointing experience here at Imperial, I find I really like the greenness of the east. Anahuac NWR is calling me home, and I do believe I’ll return there next winter. I’m happy I spent a winter in the desert, but I’m yearning to see High Island and the coastal marshes once again. Before my mother suffered from the ravages of Alzheimer's, she always said I’d end up in Texas. Perhaps she was right.
To finish up this post, I leave you with one last photo from Phoebe. It’s not my favorite for obvious reasons, but I guess the acorn doesn’t fall too far from the tree…
THE END!!
Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later, Judy
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She did a great job on her photos. A blogger in training!
ReplyDeleteI like the pictures and Jay likes his the most. Great pictures for a 5 year old.
ReplyDeleteA fun post. Good to know you will be closer next Winter. Thought of you last December as we made our first visit to Anahuac.
ReplyDeleteA budding photographer indeed and grandmas sense of humor too!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post Judy!
I sort of thought you might be happy to return to Anahuac. That is good news, but I am also glad that you will be around Oregon for a time before you head back to Texas. The coast will heal your soul I believe. Great shots from Phoebe!
ReplyDeleteHa! Good job Phoebe....love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Judy. Not thrilled about the desert. We're making a really good go of it though, and there are definitely some high points.
www.travelwithkevinandruth.com
Your grand did a great job! She will be a great photographer some day! I can tell you are a little depressed with the southwest you are just not yourself. I think those Roseate Spoonbills are calling your name for next winter:)
ReplyDeleteJudy they have a camera for kids it is very durable according to the mom. She said they also take great pictures. I forgot to ask where they bought it but the kid was having a blast with it at the zoo. I bet Phoebe could do wonders with her own camera
ReplyDeletePhoebe has a sharp eye for the unusual to photograph...especially that "End" picture! :cD
ReplyDeleteReally fun post! A neat idea to let Phoebe be a photographer. Something for her to look back on as she gets older, too. I very much agree with you about the desert. We made several trips driving from Texas to California. My heart always felt such a sense of relief when we reached the GREEN of North Texas. It was like a drink of water for a really thirsty man. I look at the wonderful pictures that Mark, Al, and Sue post,and I think they are wonderful, but give me the green of the North Shore of MN any day!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great story told through Phoebe's pictures. Love the end shot. The sun in the desert sw drives my eyes crazy. That aside, I think I was imprinted on east coast deciduous forests and adopted by the Atlantic.
ReplyDeletePhoebe has a good eye.... looks like a talent that will be fun to develop. As for different areas, you never know if you'll like something until you try it...
ReplyDeleteI see a blogger in the making. Great job Phoebe.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't been to the desert, but when I look at photos and all I see is brown dirt, it doesn't make me want to spend a winter there. I much prefer green vegetation, oceans, rivers and lakes.
Think about those mosquitoes in Texas!! But really, everyone has their own ideas about perfect or best areas to live--Mike and I like the drier climates with few bugs.
ReplyDeleteWay to go Phoebe....you have a great eye for photography just like your Grandmother. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteSeeing all of the comments on Phoebe's pictures does my heart good. I knew that my Mom's followers would enjoy seeing her view point. Linda, she did take pictures of you.. but they were too blurry to post.. or, they were of your shoes :o)..
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute idea. I think Phoebe has a wonderful eye for beauty. We did a post a few years back...A Day in Bella's Life. It was amazing how many people liked the idea and did one of their pet. Tell Phoebe she did an outstanding job with her photography!
ReplyDeleteLooks like Phoebe will be following in her blogger grandmother's footsteps!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it good that we all don't like the same things. Just a few days ago we were discussing the Rio Grande Valley of TX vs the Yuma area. We both don't care if we ever go back to south TX again. Too buggy, too humid, no good hiking. For a birder, though, I can understand it.
Nice work Phoebe! I like the one's you took from your grandma since she's seldom in any of her own! Although I liked the desert, I have visions of green too Judy! I think only the knowledge of leaving soon makes me able to 'stand it' for a little longer ... that, and the upcoming cacti flowers!
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in California I choose the mountain location because we were surroundedby the trees. Last Spring as. we made our way north East toward Wisconsin from Lousiana, I felt drunk on the beautiful GREEN. I loved the green of Florida this winter, and as we drove West thru Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, I keep reminding myself to look at the beauty of the mountains. So many of our blogger friends love the West. But then consider their alternative: being burried in several feet of snow and temps below freezing.
ReplyDeletePhoebe did very well and I imagine that she enjoyed seeing you blog about it! I'm sorry that you are planning to go further east next winter, so I'll have to try to see more of you while you are still here!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for you--family times, even better than birding, yes? But how I most love that your daughter is named Robyn and your granddaughter is named Phoebe. Birds of a feather...
ReplyDeleteHaha, Judy, there's no escaping the camera when it's focused on you or your behind! You're so fortunate to have a daughter AND granddaughters. Hope their visit was superb!
ReplyDeleteA budding photographer!! It sounds like you'll be heading "home" next winter, and you know they'll be glad to see you!!
ReplyDeleteTexas is best! Maybe we will get to visit you again at Anahuac!
ReplyDeleteJudy...that post is one of THE BEST EVER!...no offense.
ReplyDeleteHey, we want to go to the Lettuce Festival!! Which day you going? Call me
ReplyDeleteShe is going to have a great future as a photographer! She really nailed the end shot:)
ReplyDeleteThis is great! Good job, Phoebe! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't blame you for not liking the desert so much. I wouldn't either if I spent the season they way you did. I envisioned myself camping under redwood trees, pine trees, any big, green forest in my RV. The smell of the trees, the beautiful trees themselves. I love camping in the forest. That's how we used to camp when I was a kid. But when you dry camp, you need the sun on your solar panels, and so the wide open spaces of the desert become important. I wasn't so impressed at first,but over time I've grown to love the beauty of the desert. It kind of grows on you. Still - if I was camping without solar panels, I'd probably choose the greener places. :)
Since I will be at Anahuac NWR this spring for a bit as a volunteer………being the young dashing individual that I am I will make sure they know you are coming back and to lock the bloody gate.
ReplyDeleteYippee! If you decide on Anahuac we will make it a point of drop in. I am sure at some point we will be traveling I-10 between Lake Charles area and Houston.
ReplyDeleteKids love their turn behind the camera. She did a pretty good job too. Glad to see you coming back to Texas.
ReplyDeleteI think Phoebe is a budding photography artist.
ReplyDeleteAs you can see, I'm a month behind reading posts again. I read them all up to your most recent, but this is the one I felt compelled to comment on. Love your day from Phoebe's viewpoint, and glad you included your view of living in the desert. Someday I'll find out which one I'll prefer, I just suspect the answer won't be Florida! New Mexico or Texas maybe? Southern Utah appeals to me now, cold nights don't seem problematic compared to the Midwest and it's less crowded than the usual snowbird haunts. Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteIt's great post! Thanks for sharing!
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