Thinking about baseball...

Doubleday Field

Cooperstown, NY

Onenta, NY - Single "A" Minor League Baseball Game

With school back in session, my schedule is extremely full and in my limited amount of "free time", I have been trying to buy a house. In the midst of all this craziness, I've been drawn back to the game I love...baseball. October is just around the corner and I know it sounds silly, and even sort of "unimportant" as there as so many other things that I could spend my time following and learning about. But I'm drawn to the game...the daily games, the ups and downs of one team, the pennant race with my team still in first place and the many stories that connect us to "our team." Looking through some of my pictures tonight, I came across some favorite baseball pictures that I took this summer. 

America's Birthday....

For the Fourth of July,  I stayed home and enjoyed the holiday in the good 'ol midwest. I went to the city and went sailing, watched the Wheaton parade and of course, had some great BBQ!

 

Wrigley Building

Eastern Europe - May 2008

A small restaurant on a side street off the main/old square in Prague.

Charles Bridge - Prague 

Post Office in Budapest...Castle District

Train station  - Downtown Budapest

Bratislava, Slovakia

Vienna , Austria 

Mail box in Oradea, Romania

Smilin' faces...

I'm very blessed by the little children in my life... Whether they're my nieces or part of my extended Illinois family, their smiles bring such joy to my life. Without a word spoken, they can communicate such a powerful lesson of simplicity and beauty. What a gift they are...

Katie celebrating her 4th birthday...

Papa & Carly sharing a laugh at Roche Harbor, WA

As usual, Carly is charming the entire table with her smile...

Logan is all smiles at a backyard family party

Tyler isn't quite sure what to think of my camera...
but gives me a smile that will melt any heart.

Katie is always up for piggy back ride from Papa!

Something beautiful...

I'm learning how to say good-bye. In the midst of this lesson, I 'm realizing that I'm not very good at it. In August, my grandmother passed away. We were very close and I was lucky enough to spend a great deal of time with her. As much as I take comfort that she is no longer suffering and is in the presence of God, I'm still grieving. I miss her...there are many things that I encounter things that remind of her.

As a family in September, we cleaned out her home. Her home was grand central station for our family for over 60 years. It was a home that she purchased before she married my grandpa... A home that she shared with him for over 50 years... A home that she raised her two children, not to mention the many years her 5 grandchildren spent playing there... A home that hosted many Bible studies, family gatherings and Friday evening card games.

Throughout the last couple of months I've been surprised by the layers of my grief...One of those layers has created a desire to make something beautiful out of this loss. So, with my camera in hand I took advantage of the painful process of cleaning out her home and I tried to make something beautiful.

Adams Ave, Fullerton CA

The gate to my grandparents backyard.

My grandpa's tool box...

Grandpa's work bench

Grandma's Camry...I learned to drive in this car.

Butchart Gardens - June 2007

This summer, I was also lucky enough to spend some time at Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. This larger than life garden is a photographers dream come true... The colors of the flowers are so vibrant that it makes the pictures come alive. I remember visiting this special place as a child but it quickly became a favorite of mine as an adult. Enjoy...