Safe from above

.....and on the ground and below the deep. Our country's servicemen, on who's blood our freedom is built are once a year memorialized on this national holiday. As a former member of our armed forces, I wanted to make today's post a tribute to their courage, obedience and sacrifice for our freedom.

This photo was taken of the Navy Blue Angles team aerial performance during a Sea Fair celebration a number of years ago over Lake Union in Seattle, Washington.

All too often, we take this sacrifice and commitment for granted in our sheltered, comfortable lives and never think about the lives lost from times past or those who are currently serve, protecting us from those who want to take our freedoms away. I am glad for today and the prompt to our memory, lest we forget.

Turn back the clock

Today, it has been one week and a handful of hours since my mom, Joan Knott suddenly passed away. After a vibrant active life, she is just gone, along with her warm smile, encouraging words (she always left comments for me here...anonymously....but I could tell it was her) and loving care for my growing family and I.

I knew after it happened that honoring her life somehow would be my next post, but I really struggled with an image and what to say. I didn't want to use a photo I already had, (although she had her favorites of mine) and knew I had to create something new, but had no clue as to what. Then I thought about just posting a photo of her, but realized that after more than a quarter century of making photographs, I had never taken a personal 'portrait' of her. I guess it never occurred to me to do so as I never thought she wouldn't be here. Now it is too late..... lesson learned.

The image today is one I made yesterday from her funeral flowers. She liked yellow and the unique, bending form of the Calla Lily was attractive to me, so I set up a small arrangement out by our pond and you see the results.

I wanted this post to reflect on her life, but now realize that anything I could possibly say here is woefully in-sufficient to begin to adequately describe the person she was to many and what she meant to me. In spite of the evidence before me, I cannot in my mind really believe that the edges of her life have now been set. The heavy hole that at times takes over my chest now is all the description I need and for some moments it is as if a deep well of tears has sprung from within me, robbing me of my thoughts for a time.

This second small photo that I have included is one that a friend of hers took while they were in a bush plane flying over Mt.McKinley in Alaska. If an image can contain a thousand words as it is said, then this loudly witnesses to her adventurous spirit and the sense of joy she had in living every day complete.



In short, she was a wonderful, cherished and inspirational human being who was greatly admired. Many have testified over this past week to our family what a huge impact she had on their lives. In spite of this tremendous loss I am thankfully left with a lifetime of memories and a wonderful family to comfort me and I know the sadness will someday turn to joy in seeing her again, but as of today, I really, really miss her and just want to turn back the clock.

Hidden Treasure

Once again, it has been quite a while between posts and in the interim, I have my 'pre-post' images as a slide show on my computer desktop staring at me daily. Today, this one stood out at me and inspired a post. It was taken in the french Quarter of New Orleans. While walking down a street in search of a restaurant, we walked past this tiny alley that leads to one of the hidden courtyards that are tucked away in this charming part of town. This one however, made me stop, turn around and peek in a bit more. These large, awesome earthen jars and the light from the arched window presented an interesting composition that made me want to explore more in depth. In the interest of the owners privacy, I stopped at this spot and made this exposure, but was left with longing to know what was around the corner.

In thinking about it today, with the window illuminating this otherwise narrow and dark hallway containing these vessels, I was brought back to a Biblical passage, 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 where it says: For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

As a Christian, I am also in essence a jar of clay, made from dust, simple and hollow of heart only to be filled with Him and His light. I hope you enjoy this image as I did.