a couple of hams

Backyard

Sinking into the soft, freshly turned pile of earth,
My father and I take a break from digging.
The apple slides up and down my father's sweatshirt
Shiny red, reflecting the sunny day, blue sky.
The fresh dirt mixes with the hot lilacs
And sweat creating a nosegay fitting the day.

The apple is inspected, its shine approved,
A hand slides into a worn pocket
Returning to the sunshine with a small knife.
The blade clicks open, inspected and also approved,
Assumes the well known position in the hand.
The small blade cleaves the redness exposing white clean flesh.
The crimson curl grows.

A child knows no more of god.

competing moving company balloons

sunset

Sunset waiting for the Airshow to start

flying the plane alone feels like this

"Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken."
      -from "On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer"
              by     John Keats

These pictures were taken with long handheld exposures,
since I did not pack a tripod.

What they are is airplanes, gliders or helicopters doing a night time airshow.

The one below is my favorite.

air show pictures

This picture happened by accident, but I thought it was funny.

A turbo without the sheetmetal

chalet suzanne

We ran into a friend who told us about a get together that happens at a wonderful place that is just outside of Winter Haven. You can find out a lot more about it by following the link.

The place is a secluded little inn and restaurant, with it's own airstrip and lake.
We were there for a get together that they have during the SunNFun week.

While we were there, somebody was giving rides in a Waco. I was standing just to the edge of the apron on the grass strip. The approach is made over a lake that is 30 feet below the end of the runway. These pictures were taken in succession.
http://www.chaletsuzanne.com/

I'm not sure how busy this is most days, but it was a wonderful golden twilight evening, and the food was excellent.

other

http://spaces.msn.com/timportal2005/

pileated close-up

We were talking at the big round table when Julie said, there is a pileated out there.
They have excellent eyesight, so we moved slowly. It saw us anyway and flew down to the lower deck. We got a picture.