200th Post

I have been putting off posting this entry for some time now trying to decide whether or not I will continue with it. There have been so many changes in our lives since I first posted in June, 2006. My original intentions were to use this a journal type exercise to train myself to be more diligent with such tasks and to help me articulate what was happening with my family as my mother was entering her final days. This blog then became a way for me to let our family and friends know that we were indeed still living and adjusting to our new lives here in Delaware. Along the way I have used it as a travel journal of sorts and as a personal reminder of what is around us every day.

This is an "under the radar," as my friend Terry says, type of blog. It has been, at times, a valuable and unlikely communication tool. I know a lot of people look at, some simply for the images posted but then there are those who just check in to see what is happening in our lives. Since I don't belong to any blog communities or have a common link with other groups there are very few comments on my blog. There are a couple faithful readers who comment frequently and others who email with comments and those who complain that it is too hard to comment. I have thought about making it my "bully pulpit" but I would surely arouse the hackles of too many I hold dear. So, I guess it is not validation I am wanting. I just need it livelier. Purpose might be good and then again it might not.

So, what to do? I don't think I will abandon this just yet. Instead, I think I will ease back for a few weeks like I have been doing this past month and then decide. In the meantime, I will take in more of my surroundings. I will notice the new things like the turtle in the rain. Before coming to Delaware I had never seen a large turtle in a pond or signs along a highway warning of turtles crossing. I will learn more of the local history and I will enjoy my family and friends.

Last Week of June

Last week the first of the grain was harvested. The field I have been following was combined the day before I went to photograph progress. Now, I know that I cannot say with certainty whether or not the field was wheat or not I do know that it is a grain and I pretty sure that it wheat. The photos below are of an adjacent field being mowed. I am in awe of how close everything seems here.

The folks at our local farm stand say that the sweet corn will be ready in a few days. That is wonderful. I believe that the corn we get from local farms here in Sussex County Delaware is the best I have ever had. The same holds true for the local tomatoes. It is believed that this should be an excellent year for the farmers and consumers (good product) alike. Let's just hope that drought conditions like last summer do not raise their ugly heads.

Just across the road from the above crops is this field. I am pretty sure that it is barley. I love the color this grain is at this time.

While I was out taking these pictures a rain storm came into the area. As I was crossing the pond I was able to capture a turtle in rain and a couple waning cattails.

I have to admit that I enjoy going out and following the progress of the crops. Oh, I know that a lot of you are saying, "Get a life."

Camera

"If wishes were horses we'd all take a ride" is what I have to tell myself often. I have been wishing for a digital SLR camera for quite a while. Nothing fancy but one I could do a few more things with than my point-and-shoot. That wish finally came true and now I wish I knew how to use it. Will I ever be satisfied? Probably not.

I am jumping into taking pictures with my new camera a little slower than I usually do such things. I have read some of the instruction manual and watched one of the two videos that came with it. You know what, it came just in time for me to capture some of Spring coming.

A sure sign of around here is when the turtles start clinging to logs and other projections in the pond. With my old camera you could not see what was on the log. Now you can.

Here I zoomed in with Paint Shop so you could see them closer. These guys are the first of the season and I hope to actually get a much better shots as the season progresses.

While out and about today I stopped for few moments at the beach in Lewes.

These guys could care if there is a life guard on duty. In a few weeks there will hardly be room for the seagulls on the beach.

Still a little cool but the sun is shining.