Please ring doorbell, August 2025
Nate’s Bagels, Pastry Case, August 2025
From the parking lot on Sheppard Street, a view of the delivery entrance. And from Nate’s Bagels, a pastry case well on its way to empty. Sometimes there are no reasons for what I notice. At least none that I can discern. But I follow my intuition and take the pictures just the same.
I have a dear friend who is like a sister to me. Her parents treat me like a daughter and remind me what abundant love feels like. They surprised me with a gift today, a pocket money pouch, with some “fun” money and a few handmade items from the Ma (a woven potholder) and the Pa (an oven stick to pull or push hot items from the oven).
I remind myself that it is okay to accept these gifts. That I am worthy of this loving kindness. And that my strength lies not only in giving but also receiving.
Old Grain Silos on Totuskey Creek, Richmond County, Virginia, August 2025
We pulled over because the old rusting silos on the creek caught my eye. Any pull-over requires that I put a voice to what I notice. That I overcome my reluctance to impose on my husband/driver to make a U-turn and navigate us to a safe parking spot so that I might explore the area. I wonder out loud to Dave just how many times he has patiently maneuvered the van to set me and my camera to where we want or need to be positioned. I am fully convinced that my best trait as a photographer is my willingness to get out of the car. I have plenty of shortcomings, but among my strengths is a great spirit of determination.
I take a few photos of the silos over the creek from the bridge along Route 3. I am safe as there is a wide border for pedestrians on either side of the highway. The pictures are okay, but there are electric wires running parallel to the bridge and they interfere with the cleanest composition. I can see a boat landing below, just beneath and to the side of the bridge. I make my way back to the van and ask Dave to please figure out how to get me to that landing. We make two more U-turns and he works out the directions to the boat landing. My husband has an excellent sense of direction, and I do not. From the landing, the view is gorgeous. The sky is gray and overcast but not totally washed out. I carefully underexpose my image so I can maintain some of the detail from the sky. I try hard to set the camera straight. I always have difficulty when there are multiple and diverging lines in the frame. Where the heck is straight? I make sure to include those lovely ripples in the water and the reflections. I am satisfied that I have done my best.
I make note of the name of the creek. Thankfully Virginia has signs that clearly label its creeks. Back at home, I research Totuskey Creek and I am fascinated by the history of this tributary of the Rappahannock River. Happy with myself and grateful for my husband—for making the effort to pull-over. Once again.
I can buy myself flowers.
