June 2009

Yesterday I went to my granddaughter Krista’s grade school graduation.

When reviewing my photographs this morning I felt a bit overwhelmed with emotion.

The beauty of working with these photos is that, each time I bring one up on my computer screen, there is the face of someone, or more than one, person who I love.

After a couple of hours of this I am proud, grateful ….

and I am filled.

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I liked this photo of Iesha Ellwood – it scans over a series of three mirrors, giving vertical breaks and uneven placement of wall art.

Celine LaBrecque

What a delight to observe these happy athletes at work/play.

Iesha Ellwood

Concentration was the order of the day.

Determination and poise.

This looks like so much fun.

Sweetness shared by Iesha is sweetness doubled.

Sydney Hansen

Paige Padbury

Sometimes there are happy accidents in photography.  Through the sheer luck of it, the line on Celine’s tunic aligned with the line of the wall mounted bar.

Sydney looks like such a happy person.  As I followed her with my lens I often smiled to myself in response to her bright smile.

Sometimes there is a time out for adjusting equipment.

Some postures look like statues.

While other poses are action oriented.

As I was leaving the dance studio I commented to one of the waiting moms, telling her that I could tell the athletes really worked hard at developing their skills.  She nodded an affirmation as I added “they have a lot to memorize”.

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My viewing point for the Red Bull Air Races was in the cheap seats.Really big mistake.  My sister Brenda and I had a terrible time with grass allergies.

Len and Ralph looked more like bird watchers hiding in the long grass. My son Todd liked this ‘on safari’ shot.

This was the most exciting and interesting version of O Canada that I have ever seen.

As far away from the action as we were, the visuals were still thrilling.

Up, up and away.

Despite the sneezing and the frustration with tearing eyes and having a very runny nose, it was well worth the trip to our Windsor riverfront for this event.

Next year, no cheap seats for us.  We’ll pay the ticket price to experience this in a better way.

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This, the final of three art installations, is located on the westerly wall of Riviera Pizza at the corner of Wyandotte Street East and St. Louis in old Riverside.  It borders a Tim Horton coffee shop so will get lots of attention.

Since I took my photos a nice black finishing border has been added.

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There were three of us shooting at soccer tonight – Darren, John and I.   Shooting was a challenge.  Half of the time we were in a small gymnasium.  It felt like a confined space as there were a lot of members at this practise. The action was close, constant and the ball was continually moving.

Man, these athletes are really in condition.  They never stopped moving.  I got tired just watching them.

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This is a photograph taken by my daughter-in-law, Jhoan Baluyot-Lucier, at my family retirement party last June.  Me in the centre, surrounded by my five sons.   Tom is wearing the blue CBC t-shirt, counter-clockwise to Rodd in the yellow hat, followed by uncapped Todd and Mark, and Cary wearing the black cap with his ever-so-cool sun glasses resting on the brim. I am such a lucky mom.

No doubt when the boys were growing up, like me when I was a little girl, I was seeking approval, a pat on the head, from parents, relatives, teachers, etc.  I am becoming increasingly aware that in a lot of what I do now, be it my photography, volunteer work or whatever, the roles have been reversed.  When one of them voices an ‘atta girl’  or a compliment, I know, to quote an old friend “I done good”.  They don’t always compliment easily, but when they do it feels like I have won a prize, and I know I have earned it.

Because of one of them I have this blog.  On my last birthday Todd called me to wish me the best of the day/year, and to encourage me to stretch. He does this every so often. Each of these fine young men is brilliant in his own unique way, with some of their interests and skills overlapping.  Perhaps it is their competitive personalities that help each of them always strive for higher ground. They are good resources for each other.

I think I continually feel pushed, nudged to be a better person, to raise the bar in what I do, because I want to be better for myself, and also for them.  I want them to be proud of me.

I know I am proud of them.

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I got up yesterday morning intending to go to Art in the Park in Willistead Park and take in a few yard sales.  The sales were so plentiful and full of good deals that it didn’t take long for my friend Bonnie and me to fill up the back seat and rear storage space in my Ford Escape.  Many side streets in areas neighbouring Willistead Park take advantage of this weekend to bring their goods to the curb and put up a Yard Sale sign, taking advantage of the thousands of drive-bys who make Art in the Park an annual must.

One of the yard sales was on Wyandotte Street, a highly travelled thoroughfare.  Street parking was limited but with Bonnie detouring me to an offstreet city parking lot we were fine.  The real bonus was that due to a labour dispute the city workers who monitor these lots were not around to ensure that consumers/city taxpayers pay their due.  I chose not to go to the parking machine which ordered “PAY HERE”.

While walking back to the car I became aware that I  felt I had been given a hug.  Not paying for parking I mean.  It reminded me of how I feel when I visit one of the small towns in our County of Essex where I just find a spot, drive up to the curb and park my car – without having to dig into my change purse for change. And change to pay parking rates isn’t just a few cents any more.  More often than not the parking requires we dig deep for at least a two dollar coin, or in the alternative, two loonies.  To clarify for those not Canadian a loonie is a Canadian one dollar coin.

If I feel this way I am sure others might share this experience.  Some days it seems everyone has their hand out.

There are so many little ways to make our city better, more welcoming.

I know that our city has earmarked those parking meter/metered lot dollars for specific project AND it would sure be nice if they wanted to give us a hug once in a while with city wide free parking – just for the pleasure of  knowing how well it would be received. Tourists might also appreciate a welcoming feeling from this kind of hug.

We spent all our cash on street sales and went home with car and hearts full and wallets empty. We never did make it to Art in the Park.

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Warm ups with Jim at track and field practice on May 25, 2009

Start-ups with Jim.  Get set…

Finding your mark.

Encouragement.  A positive coach helps the athletes to believe in themselves.

Some things need explaining.  Patience is a requirement for coaching.

A good coach shares information, encourages and supports and believes in what is possible.

At the end of the day, a great coach believes in never giving up.

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This post is a part of a collection of the faces of the LaSalle Spirits, local Special Olympic athletes.

Perhaps at some point I may be able to attach faces to names.  I hope so!

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