Excitement punctuates the air this time of year as optimistic young adults go separate ways to pursue their ambitions in life. One thing this particular group will always have in common is the ability to reflect upon their past together as students and members of this small rural community in northeastern South Dakota. Each has experienced their own kind of history which will affect how they react to the world ahead of them. Good, bad or indifferent… to each their own. Always know that your time spent together has been time well spent.
Best wishes to the Grant-Deuel class of 2015 and may your lives be blessed.
Dandelions, like all things in nature are beautiful when you take the time to pay attention to them.
― June Stoyer
Image by Joyce Meyer
Dandelions… What? You call this beautiful aromatic flowering beauty a weed?
Children say it best as they run up to you with a fistful of freshly picked dandelions and say, “For you, Teacher!” Meanwhile the rest of the afternoon may be spent itching the eyes and wiping a runny nose, but how can you refuse a gift.
Image by Joyce Meyer
While many people think of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as a pesky weed, it’s chock full of vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc. Dandelion leaves are used to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, and teas. The roots are used in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make wines.
In the past, dandelion roots and leaves were used to treat liver problems. Native Americans also boiled dandelion in water and took it to treat kidney disease, swelling, skin problems, heartburn, and upset stomach. In traditional Chinese medicine, dandelion has been used to treat stomach problems, appendicitis, and breast problems, such as inflammation or lack of milk flow. In Europe, it was used in remedies for fever, boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea.
Dandelion wine, believed to be of Celtic origin, is regarded as one of the fine country wines of Europe. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was not proper for ladies to drink alcohol; however, dandelion flower wine was considered so therapeutic to the kidneys and digestive system that it was deemed medicinal even for the ladies. Source and wine recipe: Commonsensehome.com
Image by Joyce Meyer
Even the fluffy seed heads have a majestic, symmetrical pattern as they sway in the breeze, waiting to let loose the next generation. The result? A never ending supply of dandelion wine…
Our family get-togethers tend to NOT involve sitting around and visiting. Let’s run a marathon!
Ready and waiting for Randy to complete the first four miles as runners sprint by…
…and waiting. We notice the crowd has diminished.
Hooray!! He made it with his knees intact.
Bryon takes off and appears eager to attack his five miles.
What a perfect day for a run in Brookings, SD.
This hand slap appears to be choreographed as Julia begins her three mile section.
…hand slap and Angela begins her five mile challenge as the temps are climbing.
I. Am. Ready!!!!
I hear the theme from Rocky playing through my mind… Go, Joyce!
I complete my three mile challenge and the temps continue to rise. I did it!!!
Liz is ready to rock on with the last six miles as the temps hit 80’s. Go, Liz!!
As we wait for Liz, the seniors with their daycare walking/training buddies walk the last bit of the path to the finish line.
What a super idea to pair young kids with elderly seniors to include them in the training and this event. Family members walk with parents/grandparents and the smiles are priceless.
Here she comes! Here she comes!!
The anchor of our relay team has made good time and we complete well before noon which was our goal. We all join in to run across the finish line together. I was hoping they’d play “We are the Champions” by Queen for us, but I just play it through my mind.
Kudos to the Brookings community for a well run event. Brookings, SD has been hosting the marathon since 1970 and I notice finishers from all over the country. What a fun morning and we’ll be back…
Now to celebrate our 48th out of 52 team finish and rehydrate…
Mom sent me this childhood photo: Cute, but his eyes are closed.
Another cute pic with his eyes open: Hmmm, missing the chubby little hands on the swing rope.
Photoshop to the rescue. Took his right eye and put it on the closed eye photo. Copied that eye, flipped it, put it on his left eye and adjusted to look natural. Toned down some of the skin glare, adjusted color balance and here we go. A cute little guy with his eyes ready to see what the world has to offer.
Eighteen years later and here he is again… Open eyes, ready to see what the world has to offer…
The history and legacy of the Mayan people also appear to be fleeting as tourism and beaches are the key to survival. It is well worth the time to tour the historic sites of Tulum and Chichen Itza with a knowledgeable guide to learn more about their interesting past. The history of the Mayan people is kept alive through archeological sites such as these.
A frugal nature has come to fruition with the annual appearance of “The Easter Shark.” No bunny costume? No problem. Just dig out an old Halloween costume purchased for $1 on clearance at least 15 years ago and you are set. Apparently, we don’t believe in sheltering our grandchildren from the scary elements of the world, either. Things usually are not as scary as they seem… lesson learned.
Perfect time to try out a Hero 2 GoPro camera purchased used on Ebay. My first idea was to attach it to our one-year-old grandson’s head as he crawls towards his prize eggs, but we did not come up with a good method of attachment. Duct tape was one suggestion, but I don’t think removal would be pleasant. Plan B involved the hubby holding it on the stick attachment and using various angles.
Always plenty of “selfies” with the GoPro as you access the menu and settings with the lens facing you. Oops!
With no playback or viewfinder, you never know what you have until you download the images.
I had a little too much fun with the HDR process on Photoshop CC 2014. It’s always fun to play and experiment.
Took the GoPro inside to see what it would do. Some were blurred and this one is a little soft. I think I’ll reserve this little toy exclusively for outdoor images.
Upon viewing these results my husbands assessment of the experience with the GoPro Hero 2 was… “Well, it takes pictures.” Yep, it does.
Goal for 2015 includes duct taping this GoPro Hero 2 camera to a turtle participating in the Gary, SD July 3rd turtle races.
Security objects are used by toddlers to relieve stress and anxiety. As adults we also look for security items in our own lives. It may be the comfort of a certain easy chair, pillow, or comfort foods that make us feel full and content.
What provides security and comfort in my life? I ponder a moment and material things just don’t seem to answer this question. I need more.
During this Lenten season I am reminded of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us with his death on the cross so that we may experience the comfort and security of heaven. It doesn’t get better that that.
Psalm 46:1 ~ God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
We each walk our own paths in life with a mixture of purpose, pleasure and pain. It seems as though we all “float” along in our journey with each step a temporary moment in time. Both images were captured on the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. The two hikers are passing through while the floating image is farm woman in Galicia. As I write this, I’m thinking I should reverse these images. Hmmm…?
The run-down streets portray struggle, while the earth can feel the pulse of a proud ancestry.
Blended image by Joyce Meyer
HDR image of a neighborhood street in Playa del Carmen, Mexico blended with an image of a costumed Mayan gentleman taken at the Chichen Itza archeological site. Blended image layer transformed to appear to be part of the earth. Click on image for a larger viewing window.
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