Looking Back

William Charlie Lee
December 05, 1903
Happy Birthday Paw Lee

I sit here this morning thinking about that Saturday 105 years ago and the chain of events that brought me to this place and just thinking that if just one event had changed or never happened I may not be here.

Grandpaw was the oldest of 5, 1 sister and 4 brothers. To say they had a hard time of if would be an understatement to say the least. Some how they made it through the hard times and he and Granny raised 2 sons. Dad being the oldest.

Grandpaw was, for the most part a quiet person, except when it came to politics. Maybe that's why I get up on my soapbox.


I do remember him plowing the cotton with an old mule like in the picture.
I can remember when Grandpaw wound come in from the field for lunch he would tie the mule off under the shade tree. After lunch he would go out on the front porch, which he always called the "gallery", and sit and smoke his pipe. Now he would not sit in a chair, he would sit on the the floor with his back against the the wall and just relax. He knew what hard work was and wasn't afraid of it. Those are genes he and Granny passed on to Dad.


The things he and Granny saw. The hard times, lossing 2 children at birth, Dad being in combat in Korea. I can see Grandpaw being in the field plowing and the mailman stopping at the mail box. I know he had to wonder if the mail was a letter from Dad or if it was bad news about Dad. No matter what staion of life you are in, we all have or have had the same kind of worries.

I remember a story that Mom told me about Grandpaw one time.. back in the 50's play dough only came in one color and that was pink and also bubble gum was the same color. Well for some reason Grandpaw picked up some of my play dough thinking it was my bubble gum. I don't know what he was thinking or just what he may have said after he tired it.. hahaha Little things like that only makes me see him as more of a real person.

One more story that's all I promise... When I was learning to drive the old truck and I mean old, if was a 1949 FORD we used on the farm, Grandpaw and I were going to the store using the back roads. Well all the roads up there then were back roads... anyway the intersection I had to stop and turn on to was at the top of a hill. If you've never driven you really want understand what a problem this can be for a new driver and on driving an old truck at that. Well at the top of the hill when I tried to trun on to the road the old truck went dead. I could not get the thing started for the life of me... I just could not do the clutch, break, and gas all at the same time. Finally after tring 3 or 4 times Grandpaw laughed and got out and got us going. Back when I was teaching Lauren to drive my standard shift she had the same problem. I couldn't help but smile and think of Grandpaw that summer day many years ago.

Although Grandpaw has been gone since 1984, I never pass the old home site without thinking about him or Granny. Some would say Grandpaw was tight with his money, but again Mom has told me that then things were bad Grandpaw would always have a little to help out. I never remember him buying himself anything, but I think when it came to us he would do anything. I feel like he knew what a dollar was and what it took to make one. I think he knew that maybe tomorrow the sun want be a bright and it's important to have a little put away for those dark days. I think I got some of that from him also. I do buy a few little things for myself, but for the kids and grandkids it doesn't matter... I'll get or give them anything I have.

I just hope there is life after we leave this one and I also hope Paw Lee can see what he has left behind and he can be happy knowing that a part of him lives on today. I regreat that my girls and now my grandsons never knew him the way I did, but maybe thru things like this he will be more than just a grave marker on a hill.

A Rare Sight

It's a rare sight I've read to see all 3 like this. Jupiter and Venus are the small pinheads of light down in the right hand corner. This was done Tues night about 7pm. I wish I had been able to get a picture Monday night while I was helping Lauren get her Christmas tree. All 3 were close together . Oh well, they say wait around another 40 years and we'll see it again... Well who knows... I'll only be 93 then.... hahaha

We're going to celebrate Chip's birthday today at work. Tomorrow he turns 40 and we just can't let this pass without some fanfare. Chip is just one of those that you just have to enjoy being around. He's funny and a hard worker. I'm so glad he wanted to be a part of the report writting team. It's been a big help to me.

This weekend, starting tomorrow, holds a lot of emotions for me. More about this as the weekend progresses.

This week at work... I ask you this.. WHY DO I TAKE OFF?? hahaha --- I know when I take off my request for special reports are going to go through the roof and sure enough that's all I've done these past 3 days. I've been working 9 or 10 hours a day trying to get back on top of things. Once I get everything done guess what... I'm going to be off a week at Christmas... I've made my mind up... I'm not going to let it stress me out. I'll take the request as I get to them and when I'm done.... I'll be done and I think today I'll have everything finished and I'm going to take tomorrow off.

Well that's about it for me today. I really need to work on the baby pictures I did last week so I can get them to the parents , but in order to work on pictutes I have to be in the picture mood. Here the last week I really haven't wanted to work on pictures... now shooting pictures is another thing. I will do that at any time... it's the post production I don't like.

Cold Morning

It's cold out this morning and the temp is dropping, so again I went back to in my archives to find a warm picture.

Melissa called me yesterday morning telling me that she had to bring Gage out to the E/R Sunday night. She told me that he woke up crying with his ear hurting. Even after she put drops in it the child was still hurting bad so they came down. Melissa said that it had been over 3 years since Gage has had this happen. When I talked to her late yesterday afternoon he and Noah were running around the house. I asked her who was chasing whom... Noah thinks he can do anything Gage can...

Just as I have figured, yesterday at work was something, but I did what I said I was going to do... I took one thing at a time and didn't let it stress me out. Over the next day or so I'll get everything back to running normal.. (what's normal??) I don't know what the users are going to do when I do retire. I'm kinda like the one stop shop for all their reporting needs. Oh, I know things want stop... I've seen it many times... things may slow down for a bit, but it never stops.

Here's another one of those stories from YAHOO news that just makes no sense to me what so ever.. what has the world come to?

NYPD: Passenger kills bus driver in fare dispute By MARCUS FRANKLIN, Associated Press Writer Marcus Franklin, Associated Press Writer – Tue Dec 2, 1:08 am ET
NEW YORK – A man stabbed a city bus driver to death over being denied a free ride, then escaped on foot Monday in the first killing of an on-duty New York City bus driver in more than a quarter-century, authorities said.
The man got on the bus in Brooklyn shortly after noon, swiped an invalid fare card, sat down and asked for a free card to change routes.
The driver, 46-year-old Edwin Thomas, told him he couldn't get a transfer because he hadn't paid; the attacker then punched him and stabbed him in the torso in front of other passengers, police said.

When will people learn that there is no FREE... someone has to pay for it and this driver had to pay with his life..

Well it's off to work for me... I am one of the ones that understand the NO FREE RIDE rule.

Back to Work.... OH NO

Today is the day I've been dreading for over a week now... time to go back to work.... For the most part I really enjoyed my week off for Thanksgiving, although I didn't do anything. It's kinda hard to enjoy yourself when all you do is worry about the work that's going to be waiting on you when you get back. To make things wrost today is Dec 1... end of the month reports will have to ge done today also, but you know what I'm going to take my time and not let it stess me out today.


For the life of me I do believe the world, or I should say the people in the world, has gone completely MAD. This article in the YAHOO news just shows what we as people had come to.

AP - Sat Nov 29, 11:48 AM ETSent 34 times
NEW YORK - Police were reviewing video from surveillance cameras in an attempt to identify who trampled to death a Wal-Mart worker after a crowd of post-Thanksgiving shoppers burst through the doors at a suburban store and knocked him down.


This young man lost his life because people wanted to save a dollar... and what really hurt me that the article went on to say NO ONE STOPPED TO HELP THE YOUNG MAN. Is this is what Christmas has come to? Here we are talking about the birth of Jesus and in the process we stomp a young man to death without any remorse.


I fixed lunch for the kids yesterday and after lunch I was showing Melissa a book I ordered for Gage to go with his camera. The title of the book was something like Fun Things To Do With A Camera--- for kids... or something like that. Anyway Melissa told me that Gage would like it, but that Gage didn't like to just take any kind of picture. She said he would look for shadows coming from objects. I couldn't believe it... the child is looking for things that most people never think about. He may be the artist I always wished I could be. As I said before, Meslissa tells me that all Gage talks about is going with PawPaw to take pictures... Melissa said he wants to get up early and get sunrise pictures. I can think of nothing better in my life than having is little boy wanting to be with me and doing what I love doing.


In the dark times I feel all I need to do is think about this... and the darkness in my heart turns to a bright and warm light. I can't forget my little Noah... only 16 months, but yet he has his way of getting to me also. Friday I went to get him out of his set and he reached up and gave me a big hug.

I hope all goes well at work and in a couple of years I can retire so I can spend time with them. Maybe it want be long and I can and will have that business partner to help me have a business and one that I would love to leave to.


Well as bad as I hate to... I've got to get up and get ready to go to work... I've just got to remember... do one job at a time... do one job at a time... hahahah

The picture today was shoot Friday.... I'm trying something new...

Time Well Spent

An Old Barn we shot yesterday

I spent the day with the boys yesterday. Melissa had to work so Jonanthan came by and got me and we went. I told Jonathan about this old barn I wanted to get a picture of, but because of where it was and the amount of traffic I never could stop to take a picture. So, yesterday Jonathan just drove slow and I was able to get a half way shot.

We went to the pet store in Mobile so the boys could look at the animals and that was a mistake... hahaha .... Noah was putting his hands in the fish tank. I couldn't help but to laugh so we got them up and went over the Bass Pro Shop. There were so many people there we really couldn't enjoy looking, but Gage had a good time walking up and down the stairs behind the waterfalls. I must say Noah and Gage were both very good.

I hate to think about it but my vaction is almost over. I sure hate having to go back to work Monday. I know my desk is going to be a mess and on top of trying to get everything done from last week Monday is going to be the first of the month. Why did I even take off??? hahaha ... I sure enjoyed being off and I'm looking forward to my week off at Christmas also.

Thankful

Thanksgiving Afternoon 2008


Thanksgiving 2008 is a fleeing memory now. Like so many things in our lifes we plan and look forward to it and then in a second it's come and gone.

I can't and want complain because I saw first hand today when I had to make a special run to the store. There I saw and older man buying one of those meals you just heat up. He looked as thro he was all alone in the world. He was unshaven and just had that look. Right then I realized just how luckly I was. Our family, by most standards may be a little strange, but we maintain it as a family unit.

I can think of nothing wrose than not to have my children are even wrose my children not wanting to spend time with me. I think this would be the wrost hurt in the world.

The girls all put their order in for me to cook... cornbread dressing, peach cobbler, and banana pudding ( and it was NOT the banana pudding out of a box eather). hahaha

It's my hope that something we did today, they will remember years from now... maybe it will be the walk we took after lunch or Gage will remember that he and I took a walk thur the cemetery.

I would say all and all today has been a very THANKFUL day... I got to see and be with my kids and there's nothing that makes me happier.

Passing of Time

"Everything beautiful has its moment and then passes away." --- Cernuda y Bidon Cernuda

Here it is Thanksgiving 2008. WOW... where has the year gone?

As I sit here this morning I can't help but think back to the Thanksgivings of my childhood. I remember the families getting together at Granny Roberts. When I close my eyes I can still hear the sounds and smells of the day. It was truly a day of fun for us kids and as we got older it was a full morning of hunting. Oh it would be so cold outside, but Jeff and Iwould put on layer after layer on to keep warm then Dad and Uncle Leroy would take to the woods. It's hard for me to believe that was over 40 years ago. I surly miss Jeff and Uncle Leroy.

It was on Thanksgiving morning 22 years ago and about this time of the morning that we got a call from Mom telling us that Carla and Gene had a little boy... Thomas Jasper Lee. We were getting ready to go see Granny Carrin that morning. Things you remember...

Today I am thankful for my family the ones with me here and those who make their home elsewhere. They are all so special and I wish we could all be together today like we were 40 some years ago.

Today I am also thankful that I've got a little money to spend on Christmas.. after what I read yesterday... well all I can say is if you're a able body.. working 40-50 hours a week... get ready... hold on to your a$$.... 'the man has spoken' --- Obama says he'll have economic plan on his 1st day -- AP - Wed Nov 26, 3:43 PM ET CHICAGO - President-elect Barack Obama pledged on Wednesday to have an economic plan ready for action on the nation's financial crisis on his first day in office. "Help is on the way," he declared. ---- LET THE GREAT GIVE AWAY BEGIN. --- and while we're at it let's also do this--- let's blame everything on President Bush---Bush's Last Days: The Lamest Duck Wed Nov 26, 10:05 AM ET -- Bush's disappearing act during the economic crisis is a fitting coda to a failed presidency. I am so sick and tired of everything being blamed on this one man. I feel like President Bush has done the best he could... Who remembers oh no BA!!S Jimmy Carter... talk about a failure or Clinton... that was 8 years of nothing but women chasing at our expense...

Ok, I'm getting down off my soap box and going to start cooking. I just hope I'm wrong about the next 4 years, but never while a Rep was in office did we have a cut in pay at my job. NOT so with so with the Dem.... just think about that... May God watch over us...

Baby Kylee

This was my real first BABY shoot last night. I'm not as pleased as I would have liked for a number of reason. My biggest problem is CONTROL or maybe I should say the lack of. I tend to lose control and then I have a hard time telling people what to do. This is something that I've got to over come. I've got to understand I'm NOT TELLING someone what to do, but more of directing and this is something they really want. I understand this, but understanding and being able to do it is two entirely different things. I am working on this and I'm getting a little bit better.

Looking back over last night I see so many things I should have done differently. I'll take last night as a learning experience. Deep done I feel like I can do it.. I did it here at the house all day.

I think being comfortable with your location has a lot to do with the shoot. Well, to tell the truth I don't feel comfortable doing loctation shoots like last night. I have to run in set everything up and work in a space that's somethings way to small or maybe cramped is a better word. I'm just going to have to get my house fixed up so I can have people over here for the shoots. That way I can have the lights set up and have all the exposures set without feeling rushed.

The little couple I was working with... I just think they are the best and I want them to have the best possible pictures. I think there were some good shots, but I feel like I could have done better... I can do better... I will do better.

Like I said, I'll take last night as a learning experience and move forward.

I CAN DO THIS....

Falling Leaves

Have you ever watched leaves falling and then try to single one out for a picture? It's not easy.... I guess the neighbors thought I had lost my mind if they were watching me trying to take this picture. This was taken a week or so ago while I was just sitting here watching the birds at the feeder. I got to watching the leaves turning and tossing about as they fell to the ground. If one would just sit and watch, there's all kinds of things to be seen, but most days we are so busy and tied up in our own little world that we can't see the big picture. This is such a shame.

This past weekend I got to vist with two of my cousins. It was so funny the things we remembered as children and spending time with Granny and Grandpaw Roberts. Everything we remembered and talked about was very simple little things that made such an impression on us. We were talking about an old store that Grandpaw would take us to, Jean said she remembered the old drink box and how cold the drinks were. Me, I remembered the smell of the place. I really can't describe the smell, but it was one of those that just made me feel good.

Of course the old place is now gone. Like so many of the childhood places that I remember. They, like the leaves I was watching, have fallen to the ground and are no more. Yet sitting and talking with Jean and Angie Sunday brought the old places back to life once again. What fun it would have been to be to take my children and grandchildren to these old places. Let them see first hand the little stores ...the little Mom and Pop stores that was that was America... where the store was up front and the living quarters were in back. The old wood floors at creaked as one walked about the old screen doors that were there to keep the flies out and nothing more. When you walked in it wasn't the 'Welcome to Wal-Mart' kind of greeting... it was "Hi Eugene how's Alberta and Ida doing today???" .... What a time.. If I had just known how special that time was then maybe I would have appreciated more then.

Falling leaves... Look at the trees as they are full of leaves and enjoy them... for it want be long until the leaves fall and the tree will be bear.

Up Early

I just knew there were so many people out there that wanted to see a shot of the moon from Pascagoula, MS at 4:30am ... so I got up and got a picture for ya. hahaha.. yes this is really the moon at 4:30am today.

For some reason 3am is the magic time for me. I wake up and can't get back to sleep so I just get up about 4 and get online to read the news and to read the Canon Forum to see what new pictures and comments others have made.

I went up to see Mom and Dad Saturday. As always they were so happy to see me. Mom had ask me to print some pictures for the Columbia-Marion County Library and we took them down there. So now I've got 6 prints hanging in 2 libraries. I've got 3 haning in the Prenitss Library. Five of the pitures depict life here on the Pascagoula Coast. If nothing more ever comes of it, it made Mom so happy to see some of my work hanging were others could see it. I could never ask for nothing more.

I' m going to be off all this week... my God what was I thinking... hahaha... I'm afraid I may go CRAZY. Today I've got to get online and look at pitures others has done for babies. I'm doing my first big baby shoot tomorrow and I want everything right. I'm thinking about buying another light maybe 2 before long and a couple more softboxes. Maybe someday my grandkids will want to get into the business and this would be a big step forward for them. Right now Gage likes to draw and color, and some of the pictures he shot in Disney World had a lot of thought put into them. It wasn't just a point and shoot .... he saw something in a way that others had not seem and he captured it... just like he told his Mom.. 'I'm just like PawPaw'.. who knows what he may do with photography.. and again it may only be a hobby... eather way I want matter to me.

I wanted to get out and shoot some pictures while I was at home, but the weather yesterday was just so ugly out I didn't even try. There's some old building up there I really need to shoot before something happens to them and the image is lost forever. I've just got to stop putting things off and start doing and not just talking.. Easier said than done for me...

Well I'm going to see if I can find any baby shots on the web I like.... I just need some good fresh ideas... I want something that really stands out... I'll be sure to post some pictures of the shoot...