What a whirlwind week it has been, one filled with many big and small things!
The biggest and most important thing was undergoing my 15th procedure since the wreck and to finally have my smile restored! I’ve not devoted much blog space to the events of the past 9 months, and the only reason I’m doing so today is because this important event kept me from fulfilling an obligation that I committed myself to.
I’d been asked by 3 different bloggers to participate in a Blog Tour. I appreciated the invitations but knowing that I was a bit over extended and had a big case pending, I initially declined. Eventually I did agree to participate because it seemed fun, and a nice way to meet other bloggers.
The rules are simple. The invited participant composes a one-time post. 4 questions are answered and then 4 other bloggers are invited to create a post, answering those same questions.
I dutifully made a calendar note to create a post, but then … I forgot to invite others to participate!
I must apologize to Emilio for only partially fulfilling my role as participant. Please check out his post about the Virtual Blog Tour.
And since we’re talking Tours, why don’t you visit a Displaced Beachbum. She’s traveled the world and is currently touring Scotland.
Jo the Tart Queen is another blogger whose posts share delicious sounding recipes and beautiful photos from her travels.
So … the Answers to the 4 Questions in brief:
What am I currently working on? I’m continuing my growth as an amateur photographer and am so happy to have been included as one of the photographers in a new B&W Photography Blog called Monochromia. Please visit the blog and check out the great work of the participating photographers.
How does my work differ from others of its genre? I have no specific goal other than to improve and no specific subject other than what draws and attracts my eye. I do like to travel as much as I can and many of my posts are about the things I see from the road … short, local trips and longer, more adventurous ones.
Why do I write/create what I do? Simply put: It’s all about the joy, the fun, and the opportunity to be creative in a life filled with work and structure.
How does your writing/creating process work? Oh gosh … let’s see. Something draws my attention. I pull over, crawl around on the ground, climb a ladder, fence, or bed of the truck, or slide down a riverbank, and shoot and shoot and shoot. Once I get home, I just pray that something worked! I do edit but not extensively.
Thanks Emilio for inviting me to be a part of this tour!
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 
Lovely post LB and congrats on restoring your smile 🙂 I’m sure you’ll be forgiven for your omission.
I hope so, Tina! It does feel so good to smile with confidence. Thank you!
No failure involved here that I can see – at the very least this meets ‘partial success’ standards!!
And with a fully restored smile after so long and so much pain, angst, waiting, frustration and all the other things that go along with rebuilding a healthy life after a bad accident – WHOO-HOO – FULL CELEBRATIONS FOR COMPLETE SUCCESS!!
I just love your blog, your positivity, the way you care for and are involved in your community and your wonderful photos – most of all I adore the person you are and am so glad you can now smile fully and completely again xoxo
You are so right, Pauline! I should have used the Partial Success. and thank you for your oh so kind comments. I am smiling as I read / write and smiling is a good thing these days 🙂
What a nice post…I love the way you write its so clear and open. Congratulations on the restoration of your smile, and on your growing photography skills. How nice to be invited to contribute 🙂
It was so nice to be asked to participate! Given my lack of confidence, I was hesitant, but I’m learning and my photos have been well received. So much to learn, and it’s fun learning!
Thanks for the congrats on the smile … It feels great to smile without hesitation!
There really is no failure here Laurie, I had the same issue with my commitment to Boomdee with the “Blog Hop Around The World”. I think your post is awesome 🙂 Here is a link to my post – http://joeinfocus.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/blog-hop-around-the-world/
I’m so glad you shared the link to your post. (I’m having a bit of trouble keeping up with my favorite bloggers who post daily). I love that you use the little plastic mounts to look at a potential image. and reading about your life since retirement was interesting, too. So glad your wife urged you to start a blog and so glad you chose WP!
Laurie, you’ve surpassed even my expectations what with everything that seems to be going on with you! I enjoyed the little glimpses I got of you from this and will be reading some older stuff of yours just to better acquaint myself with what you’ve been going through! Keep smiling! 🙂
I’m smiling as I read and am glad that you are okay with this effort. Thanks so much for inviting me to be a part 🙂
Don’t be so hard on yourself…all in due time. Your work improves every week here. Unfortunately we are all only given 24 hrs in a day…I wish sometimes it was more.
Yes, what we could do with more than 24 hours!
Then again, the fact that we only have 24 makes us choose and prioritize, right?
Thanks for your positive comments, Laurie. It is a process, thankfully a fun one!
Yes! I really want to emphasize Laurie’s point, Laurie (ha ha). I am a complete novice and even I can see your growth in photography. It’s ok to be excited about your own talents. Embrace your inner rock star!
Your enthusiasm is contagious, LB. Love the picture of the tree and its reflection.
So glad you like that one, Jim. I dug into a file of photos from an evening Kayaking trip and found the tree / reflection and forgot how much i loved it!
I think you did just fine…sometimes we have to do for ourselves…others will understand! your photos are inspiring to me…you have a great eye for detail, which not all of us have!
Heather, thanks so much for your comments … both about my photos, and about doing for ourselves. I talk to my patients all the time about that, but don;t always take my own advice!
🙂 I hear you…it is often difficult to take our own advice! Even if we know it is true…
Thanks for the mention, Laurie!
Love reading about your creative process. Will definitely check out Monochromia.
Of course! You know I love your photos and your blog! And thanks for checking out the new blog.
honest thoughts .. it shines through your photos. you’ve done well 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind comment! Much appreciated!
Can’t fault trying ya best..
Thanks for saying so … we are too hard on ourselves sometimes!
I reserve judgement on my own work of course 🙂
Congratulations and phewww…such a relief to be done with that dental work.
Your last answer sounds like me in the garden, crawling around to get the right picture. It’s a wonder I’m not covered in insect bites, though I do have my share of thorny pokes and scrapes.
It is a relief!! There are a couple of minor adjustments to be made but they should be easy!
In terms of crawling around: I wonder if you all worry about ticks like we do? That’s the big fear in my neck of the woods
Ticks are definitely present here, but not so much in the suburbs. My friend Karen’s dog picked up a few earlier this year when we were on the trail, then got an infection at one of the bite sites. We don’t have Lyme disease the way you do, but it is spreading. Nasty stuff.
I agree with the last comment on what you said about crawling around for a photo. If I’m ever dangling precariously off the side of a ledge, holding onto a tree branch with one hand to keep from plummeting, you’ll know the other hand has a camera. Or on my hands and knees trying not to collect thorns or bugs. Or trespassing on private property because staying on the public side puts the fence in the photo, or the power lines. Laurie, the camera makes us adventurers!
You are so right!! And I chuckled reading your comment. Here’s to adventure!!
Your enthusiasm and positive attitude is admirable Laurie! You’ve got lots of smiles to share! 🙂 A really great post!
Thank you, Elina. Smiling as I read your comment!
🙂
So happy to hear your smile is restored! You’re so positive and enthusiastic on your blog that I can only imagine you with a big smile. This post is great (and thanks for linking Displaced Beachbums) ~ I especially love when bloggers I admire and follow link me to other interesting blogs. Thanks!
You are so welcome for the blog link and thank you for your comments! I’m hoping I can travel overseas again someday and go to some of the places you’ve introduced me to.