New Beginnings

I am a photographer, a mother, a grandmother, a seeker of wisdom.. enlightenment even. I spend too much time on the internet lately. My husband says I should write more but I really don't do much.

[mywharton]

Remember who you are

My Dad..... all my life, over and over again, he told me this.

[mywharton]

A musician and sound man ... an artist.  I love this portrait so much.  My life is filled with these kinds of shots done when I was at some place and I saw some person and just show without posing them... just caught them.  I have skills.

[mywharton]

Photographing an old barn with very out of date polaroid film left me with this amazing image.  My Aunt, who owned the barn and whose father built it, had just died and I credited her with the darkness in the middle... a sort of sadness.

[mywharton]

In case you read that people were being told to lie in their job as Census takers.. let me say that my experience was completely opposite.  We were encouraged to NOT ever do that but to go back again and again to a door that did not answer and were also told to go to a neighbor or neighbors to get info. It is one of the most ethical agencies I have worked for.  It is true that there could have been people who did that but it certainly was NOT condoned by the Census Bureau.  I loved the job, loved talking to people, loved listening, loved that even though training was minimal due to Covid restrictions and that I had to wear a mask, sanitize all the time and such.   Just thought I would fill you in on my take in case you were wondering if maybe the news is ‘false’ again.

[mywharton]

falling

[mywharton]

[mywharton]

New job

I just got a new job writing.  I never really studied writing but thought I’d practice up here for a bit of it.  My job is reporting and making articles on events in our county and beyond.  It’s a small paper but they loved my photographs and the sample of writing I sent with my application.  They didn’t seem to requite a genuine BIO... thankfully.

This job is for a small print paper with a web too.  Perfect size for me to start working in the way I want to work, ,meaning part time and pretty much on my own.  

You will be hearing more from me soon.  For now, there is this:

He came  towards us, looking pretty much like a California surfer, scruffy sun bleached hair, tanned face and a friendly relaxed walk that implied a body at rest before intense work. It was a look one sees in certain athletes.  

He didn’t look like I’d imagined a wine maker to look.  His blue knit shirt and worn jeans had both seen better days.  He had no attention on himself, how he looked and not a sign of self importance,  but remarkable confidence flowed out of him

He sat at the outdoor table where we had just been served a dark red pinot blend that he had designed and brought to fruition.  How do you like it, he said as he smiled at none of us in particular.

He went on to tell us the location of the vineyard, the source of the grapes.  He talked about how long it had taken to create it .   He was magnetic.  For me, it had to do with his ease and seeming honesty and maybe the ease of his body.

We admired the winery building,  Clearly he was proud of it but waved that away and then we got a full story of his background, telling it in between questions about us and our lives.  Yes, he learned to make wine, locally and in France.  Yes, he worked in the vineyards for years.  

Motorcycles, yes.  Fly a plane?  Yes.  Married, yes, with four children.  And now a winery?  Yes.  

I laughed and said ‘you are a risk-taker!’  He looked at me, zeroing in in me… piercing me. Yes, he said.  His big beautiful grin showed approval of my observation.  He was proud to be a risk taker.

[mywharton]

And then there is this guy who happens fo be a fabulous visual artist as well as a fine fine blues singer and player.  He is opening for Willy Nelson soon at some place I didn’t quite catch.  He resides in Chicago most of the time and is a great guy to hang out with.  That guitar was paintd by him too.  Yeah.. that photo is mine too.

[mywharton]

What I do a lot of now... for about 4 years or so.. is shoot musicians.  Mostly they are Michigan musicians and play all over this state and tour.  I love doing it because I get to do a couple of my favorite things, listen to music and make photos.  This guy plays in Ben Band.... 

[mywharton]

No, that is not me but I did take the photo.  That is my granddaughter last summer.  Right now, up here by the lake, the weather is supposed to be, in short, a blizzard with up to 12 inches of snow falling right now in April.   So I wait for this and other views of Torch Lake... Michigan.

[mywharton]

I had a cat named Miles.  He was something between human and a dog... with a bit of lion mixed in.  We took road trips and he slept on the dash  most of the time.  

I’ve not been here to Tumblr for a good long while but this is a start.  :)

[amindyproject-blog]

[sketchbook-wizard]

My heart breaks for Paris

[mywharton]

Interesting

A few nights ago I went to a jam session with my husband.  Lots of people I know were there, all friendly and hugging, etc.  A woman I know pretty well came up to me and sat down beside me and told me her husband had been talking about me and said that I was a ‘hottie’ when I was young.. and had she seen the photos on fb of then.. and so on.  First of all, I cannot imagine my husband ever doing that even if he did find a woman attractive.... he just wouldn’t.  So that was strange.  But I laughed and said tell him thanks.. and then proceeded to tell her how insecure I’d been as a young woman.  (I knew her and knew that would be something she could relate to.. and it was true because I was terribly introverted and had no idea I was attractive.)

Then about an hour later a man walked in, came up to me, hugged me and said “wow... you were amazing as a young woman.  If I’d known you then, we’d be married!”.... Once again I laughed it off and said thank you.  

Then later in the evening, yet another man said “I think I want to take you home with me, but I think my wife wouldn’t like that”....  I smiled and said ‘no she wouldn’t’ and wished him good evening.

I decided I was in some kind of weird dream... or something.  Never had that happen before. When I told my husband about it.  He said the first two men  were doing what a man would do.. they’d not say you are hot now.... because that would be unacceptable and all.. and the last guy ...well, it was a wish and possibly a pick up line to see how I’d respond.    Crazy night... but sort of fun in a weird kind of way.

[mywharton]

I said Goodbye to my sweet Cali-dog yesterday.  She had been with us for fourteen years, ever loyal, gentle, enthusiastic when we needed to just get up and go, understanding and subdued when we were sad or stressed... what a great dog!  I still feel her presence.  Besides my Mother, this is the greatest loss of my life.  I loved that dog.

[mywharton]

Blurred Lines

I know the song.. and this isn’t really about the song at all but about ... ‘blurred lines’, the ones we create by have views or ideas that don’t quite mesh, or are not quite black or white ....or blue or cyan.

I have a great husband.  He’s great in all respects... everything about him is seriously over the top good.  

But I know someone that I love getting attention from, a hug, a small kiss on the cheek or close to the mouth but not on it . . . a smile from across the room, a gentle and dare I say “loving” comment about me to me.  It seems like a blurred line because I crave that attention and some sort of ‘love’... but am not interested in having an affair or even taking it anywhere close to one.  

Blurry . . . I guess it ‘grey’.... means nothing but means something.  

In the past when I’ve heard someone (mostly men) say “It didn’t mean anything.” about some affair or sex or flirtation with another besides his partner, I’ve never understood.  I don’t condone it but I understand it.  It’s a blurred line ... a choice wasn’t made except to blur the line.  

That is all.. just some Saturday thoughts.

[mywharton]

I always used to wonder about and think that only men operated this way... the idea of being attracted to more than one person at a time. When i was younger, I felt and actually was completely monogamous.  If I fell temporarily in lust with someone, it was ‘love’ and had to last forever.  I saw that the men I knew were not like that.  Lust was lust, not to be confused with love or even long term relationships.  Now I see how that works.  I don’t want to be a man next lifetime, but if that were to happen I’d get it.  But since I won’t choose a male body, I’ll certainly be better educated on this whole scene.