Day 23 – Dune Girl

Dune Girl

I am not going repeat what I already wrote here. A quick synopsis, starting August 1st, 2010 I will publish a picture I take that day everyday for a year (well to be exact I will do this everyday until July 31st, 2011). This is the 23rd of those photographs. Also, there is a Flickr collection called “The Awesome Leftovers” where I put the daily shots that didn’t make the cut.

My third day on Topsail Beach…that’s all. Here are the rest, Day 23 – Family Vacation.

Good times.

-Cara

My Papa – Lester Ray Barnhill 1912-2009

I have not written in awhile. It has been awhile since I have written.

My Papa died at 1AM something this morning (September 28th, 2009), the exact time I already can not remember. He was the last of my grandparents. Well, the last of the grandparents I have known in my life. The last of my true grandparents. I need to write a memorial to him by tomorrow morning.

Here is what I think it will say,

I remember growing up with my Papa. He grew tropical fruits in his backyard, played golf, sewed upholstery for chairs he built, baked, read books, wrote, grew orchids, fixed and built anything and everything. These were among a million of his talents.

He would take me with him once he was retired, to fix up mostly older widows’ homes who needed some help with this or that. He was a good person that way. I myself have always had a keen interest in fixing things and I was lucky enough to have a Papa who knew how to fix everything. I mean what were the chances? He taught me so much.

He could do everything and was fun to be around. He was also kind, intelligent, strong, dashing and an honorable gentleman. He loved me and really believed in me. This gave me strength and confidence. Growing up around someone so extraordinary made me much less ordinary. This is something I have been blessed with in regards to the people I have been closest with, starting with my family. He is a large part of what has made me who I am today.

I miss him so much already. It is hard when people you share so many of your memories with pass. I just try to remember that I was blessed to have had the time I did with him, then think about the good times.

The End.

-Cara

Who’s the Original Maverick?

The Original Mavericks are mad…

Understandably.

-Cara

Help Save America’s Wolves

I am not what you would call a wolf person or even a dog person for that matter, but my Aunt Cheri always loved wolves and what they stood for. She was also a respectable and talented Shiloh dog breeder, with the greatest heart.

My Aunt Cheri painted awesome pictures of wolves (and other things). I have one in my office, it is so fresh, they are in the woods, their eyes are intense. My Grandmother, Aunt Cheri and her daughter, my cousin Renee (who was my age) died in the last few years all around the same time. The eyes of these wolves each remind me of one of these people. It is unfinished, but my parents had it framed for me as a gift. It is a way I hold onto my grandmother, aunt and cousin.

To honor my Aunt I want to give a shout out to the wolves and include some links for you all to click on and take a positive action.

Tell Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to end aerial hunting of wolves!
Send a message to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin urging her to end the state’s unfounded aerial hunting program immediately. There is a video on this petition I don’t really recommend watching as it is people aerial hunting these beautiful wolves and them suffering. It is horrible. I made it through two seconds and can’t get the image out of my head…SIgn it…really…. I wonder if Governor Sarah Palin watched it.

Outrageous: Gov. Palin’s $400,000 Propaganda Plan
Alaska Residents Only – Tell Governor Palin that you oppose the Alaska state-funded campaign to support aerial gunning.

Tell your Representative to sign on as a cosponsor to the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act!
Tell your Representative to sign on as a cosponsor to the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act to put an end to Alaska’s brutal aerial hunting program — and prevent programs like it from spreading.

Support a National Wolf Recovery Plan
Help ensure a lasting future for wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies and provide a needed boost for wolf recovery and management efforts in the Southwest, Northeast and Pacific Northwest.

Sign the petition to support sensible, science-based management of struggling Southwest wolves!
Southwest wolves are struggling to survive: the latest population count confirms only 4 breeding pairs, and 52 wolves total, in the wild! Sign the petition to support sensible, science-based management of struggling Southwest wolves.

Bark at the moon.

-Cara

No TV Update

This is just an update of what is going on in my life as far as the television is concerned. I still have no satellite or cable TV. I have gone on a few trips where there was a TV in the hotel, house, etc., and I was drawn to it like a bad habit. With no restraint, I would put on the E! network…there must be some trashy TV show on right now full of stars and their drama..Talk Soup perhaps…

After the first few times I wasn’t as excited, and that made me sad. Then last month I went on a family trip which included a million people and 2,000 kids and a TV in the main room that was on…a lot… I don’t miss TV anymore, in fact it is super annoying.

Here’s what I do sometimes, in the background I play really bad, “you-may-have-thought-it-good-at-one-point” shows like Charles in Charge, and Knight Rider and bad stand-up comedy on Netflix “Watch Instantly”. I play stuff to have sound around. I need to slow down.

Turn it off, see what happens.

-Cara