Welcome FB Friends.   I decided to place tonight's pictures here for several reasons.  Primarily I feel conflicted regarding my communications with friends on face book, which I enjoy and my lack of attention to my blog.  Guilt ~ useless as a emotion by itself , but if you understand it comes from a place deeper than your current impulses ...  it has value if you listen quietly enough.   Try swimming an hour each morning in the sea ~ not a pool or a health club, but the ocean as the sun rises and your thoughts clarify pretty easily ~  I am never certain where or why these thoughts and feelings come from as they float thru my otherwise calm mind ~ so I simply listen and feel..

     This brings me to point #1 of the reason you are here.  If you find yourself on the receiving end of my e mails and FB postings, I know who you are. I think about and care about you.  Some of us have shared some wonderful memories, we have laughed together and in some cases have memories of the difficult times, shared as well.  If you are a new friend from a far away place, something special about you appealed to me.  The point is, you are not superfluous to me.  I have a relationship with you.  I have a history with you and hopefully a lifelong connection. 

     Never having been  accused of being brief....  (My attorney once told me; "If I ask you what time it is Rip, you tell me how to build a watch!)  I will move to the second reason I have brought you here ~   Reason #2.   I used to be a photographer, but found the expectations and comparisons of paying customers absolutely paralyzing, so I quit... (I want what you did for  Judy, Mary, Bill's wife)    Now I take pictures to share with people.  People that may want to visit some day, pictures for folks that want to see what's out there...  I just take and share pictures.  Sometimes I answer questions some have.  This makes me exceedingly happy.  

     Reason #3 You are here. This is a two parter, so pay attention!  In April, I began the Dukan Diet, which meant no alcohol, period.  I thought this would would be the hardest part of "My Life, according to Dr, Dukan." It was actually, really surprisingly easy, considering my goal. (part #2 for speed readers) Picture takers know that a great shot only comes along once in a while and lasts, perhaps, seconds.  Dead battery, slow camera, someone walks thru your shot ~  You get the idea..

Today/tonight was a picture takers wet dream.  (prob shouldn't have used that analogy, but as you will learn later, I am not a non drinker tonight)  My biggest obstacle was to stop looking in amazement and actually shoot the picture.   

    I left a Fiorintine (next best to Argentine)  T Bone steak, hot off the BBQ on my plate to just take a quick look.  Well, that was 5 hours ago and somewhere during the process, I decided a Margarita was in order!  An hour later, a Tequila Sunrise sounded spectacular....   I was Correct.   Anything you do "all the time" becomes boring.  Things you treasure or save for some special occasion, somehow become, :so much more."  

Lastly ~  When I travel and take pictures, I am never alone, you are with me ~  With that, I submit, a picture takers best day ~  Ciao

Double Rainbow!

 

 

First Blue Moon since 1999

 

The next morning ~

Every one of these photos were taken in a 12 hour period ~  so much incredible beauty in such a brief time.  The best part ~  I was standing in the right place at the right time.  So grateful for that.  My photography is little more than timing and geography.