A Beautiful Drive Through the Countryside

A Right To Own Animals Should Be Considered Law

A Right To Own Animals Should Be Considered Law, originally uploaded by Rauber Photo Works.

To those of you who have followed my photostream, you have seen my horses from time to time. I’m posting this because I’ve decided to really tell you what I think of people who buy a horse and then neglect them.

I’ve have seen time after time, parents fall prey to their child’s begging. Give them what they want either to shut them up or be their friend. If you ever talked with my three kids, they will quickly answer that threatening suicide got them into deep doo-doo. Larger than the pile I shovel out of the barn. Parents buy a horse and then when the child is done with it, they can’t sell it. It’s too expensive to keep at a barn and so people will quit paying rent and the barn owner eventually sells it and keeps the money and never at a profit.

This recent outburst of mine is due to six horses that got out of a field and started running loose through the woods. The two owners put these horses in a pasture not owned by them. Maybe they leased it, maybe they cut some deal with the property owner, who knows. The point is this is the second time they got out. One owner lives in Florida, a days drive and the other an hour away.

There is a reason horses break through a fence. They’re hungry and they have foraged all they can from the pasture they’ve been fenced inside of. Horses never leave where there is an abundance of food.

People who read this will disagree vehemently and say, I exaggerate. I think people who throw a horse into a pasture and leave them to fend for themselves are idiots. Wild horses forage the land out west but they were bred like that for hundreds of years. Horses bred inside a fenced pasture and barn don’t know how to survive. Wild horses in the wide open rugged terrain develop differently. A horse in the wild doesn’t have to have their hooves shod. The natural terrain keeps them manicured. Horses in pastures have to have the hooves trimmed regularly. They’re like toe nails, they grow.

Take a good look at a wild horse and compare them to the horse in this photo. First and foremost, the sheen on this horse is the result of proper nutrients. I keep fly masks on them because I don’t want to accidentally get fly spray in their eyes. I spray their bodies every couple of days. I shod them every six weeks, I have a vet visit twice a year for inoculations. In addition to a carefully managed pasture, I give them hay and give them feed once a day, with hoof and joint supplements.

Fortunately, a neighbor had enough and decided to call the agriculture department. This same neighbor came across a horse a couple of weeks ago on the side of the road and never found out who the owner was. She drove back to our barn because it was nearby and grabbed a bridle and rope and secured the horse until she could get a vet there to take the horse in. My barn mate wanted to take the horse in but quickly realized how dangerous that was. The horse could carry all kinds of diseases.

The agriculture department did locate the owner of the six horses that got out. Don’t know that anything was done, maybe the horses weren’t in too bad of shape to take them away and charge the owners. There is so much neglect of animals these days maybe there are guidelines before action is taken.

So my gripe is…legislation should be passed prohibiting ownership of any animals unless one has the income. If neglect in ownership occurs, a heavy fine with public awareness like mug shots posted on the internet. I realize this separates the rich from the poor yet again. There are some things the poor have no business owning. Dogs and cats are neglected due to lack of funds to pay for medical attention. A thousand pound horse is neglected due in large part by people who can’t sell them. If you think I’m exaggerating, watch the Animal Planet Channel.

“Cheerful Giving”

Day 184, originally uploaded by Rauber Photo Works.

Author, Alex Haley frequently said, “find the good and praise it.” With that I’m praising a book I just finished and the people who were the main characters.

By now many have seen or at least heard of the movie starring Sandra Bullock, “The Blindside”. She won an Oscar for her portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy. If you haven’t read the book, I recommend it. The follow up to “Blindside” is written by the Tuohy’s with Sally Jenkins titled “In a Heartbeat” which explains the first book, “The Blindside”. If you don’t want to read “The Blindside”, I hope you will read “In a Heartbeat”.

Here is the reason for reading it. There was obviously some controversy when the movie was released. The public along with columnists questioned the reality of the Tuohy’s. Setting aside the fact that Movie Directors change things a little for dramatic purposes, for the most part, the movie stayed pretty much accurate. While I applaud and commend what the Tuohy’s did for Michael Oher among other youth’s, in this book “In a Heartbeat”, the Tuohy’s reflect on their past when they were growing up and tell where and how this “cheerful giving” came about.

The book may sound a little self-promoting but the reason behind it was to clear up and confirm the facts of “The Blindside”. In other words to prove this was not phony but in fact their way of life as only they knew the way to make a contribution to society.

Their story touched home for me. Each of my siblings has a difference of opinion about our lives growing up. Obviously, each of us did grow up with a different story because we ourselves were different and perceived things differently. The Tuohy’s story itself brought back memories of people I personally knew or heard about through Mama and Daddy.

My own personal story of “cheerful giving” were the many Christmas’s I went with Daddy to St. Mary’s Orphanage to hand out presents. I don’t know how I became involved in the process but I remember going with Mama first to buy the gifts and next we went to someone’s home to join others who were on the committee and eat dinner and wrap the presents.

After I handed out these presents to the kids as Santa’s helper, Daddy would then take me with him to “The Home of the Aged”. Daddy would stop at the reception desk and they would give him a list of people who did not have family and we would go to visit with these people who otherwise would have gone neglected on Christmas Day.

It was never explained to me why I was the one chosen out of everyone in our family to do this. I didn’t mind it, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I never complained. It wasn’t until a couple of years before Mama died that I brought it up and she didn’t have an explanation either or perhaps she couldn’t remember.

I came to my own conclusions from what may have stemmed from an incident that took place when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. The school I attended was having a fund raiser and I clearly, vividly remember the teacher really pressuring us to donate money. She obviously played on children’s small ego’s of wanting to be praised in front of other’s. After a week of this teacher questioning when I was going to donate, I stole $10 from Mama’s wallet to give to this charity and boy was I praised. Funny, it was the most anyone had donated and that teacher never questioned where or how I got that much money.

I don’t recall how I got caught or too much more of the incident because Mama and Daddy didn’t yell at me and if I was punished, it wasn’t horrible.

Shortly after this, a neighbor child two doors up, I recognized was very poor. Here we didn’t have money in our family of eight but I surmised they had even less though she was an only child. I gave her my Barbie and Ken doll’s that I had just received for my birthday shortly before. Another incident was with the a girl named Janice who I palled around with. I went to her home one day and it was a 1920′s two story house. The rooms were large with high ceilings but they had no furniture, only a table with chairs and mattresses on the floor for sleeping. These people were dirtier poorer than I had ever seen poor. I gave her some of my clothes.

I could go on with more families I knew who had so much less or at least I felt they did and I was impacted by some whom had tragedy befall them. I don’t know why but so many of these kids I was friends with seem to lose a parent or a sibling to a tragic death.

I guess I thought my charitable gifts could make them overcome their grief or being poor. I admit I have a terrible compulsiveness to always try to “fix” things. Maybe, all this came from the fact that deep inside, I really knew our family of eight was better off maybe not financially but definitely from a security standpoint and I felt slightly guilty for our great fortune. In reality, we didn’t have money, Daddy worked three jobs and Mama just knew how to stretch every dollar.

The recent wedding my daughter Anna and I shot was at Assumption Church in North Nashville. This brought back memories of spending summers down there with my youth group from church playing with under privileged children. I remember worrying about these poor children not getting enough to eat and Mama said “just be sure to make them plenty of Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches. That will be enough nourishment.”

Now, I’m not trying to paint a rosy, saintly picture of me growing up. I also had a very mean, bossy side, as my siblings will be quick to point out. Why? …my bad behavior always outweighs the good behavior. Believe it or not I am haunted by my incidents of meanness and often wish I could return to those days and rectify them. That is never to be, so I go forward and try not to dwell for too long on my past.

Perhaps …my “cheerful giving” is my way to make up for the badness. Not for the sake of hoping to earn points with God either because I’m hardly religious …but for the sake of righting the wrongs.

It wasn’t until I began reading the Tuohy’s story that I came to understand that when Daddy was taking me to St. Mary’s Orphanage to hand out presents and afterwards visiting the elderly, that he was actually channeling me down a path of this “cheerful giving”.

He was showing me a way I could give back without picking wallets.

I don’t mean to be boring here but the point of my story and encouragement to read this book is this …one can give a big fat check and feel they did something and to some degree that works, i.e. The Red Cross. A lot, however, can be done in small ways as the Tuohy’s do.

Their philosphy is the same as mine has always been. If you reach out to children today, you give them a reason not to join gangs or get into drugs and we know the path that leads to.

A large part of the population believes we should legalize drugs using the excuse it would help the economy. Forget our tax dollars would eat up that income generated from legalizing drugs to then having to pay for rehab for abusers. So, what better way to hurt the drug industry than to have generations of children not engage in the use of drugs, thereby becoming productive citizens making their own contribution to society.

While I’ve lost contact with the homeless children I was mentoring, I can only hope the cameras and Mac computer I gave them for downloading their photographs will provide an outlet and give them good reason to stay away from drugs and crime. I witnessed enough interaction with their mother to believe that will not happen.

The Tuohy’s also point out all the characters in the movie to whom actually played a huge part in teens lives and made a difference. It actually made me feel good to hear all what these people have done to improve the schools in these neglected areas of Memphis but also paid tribute to the tutor who helped young college students (otherwise labeled by the school system as “incapable” souls) make the grades to stay on the teams of Ole’ Miss only to go on and graduate with degrees and become rookies in the NFL. All teachers should be like Miss Sue.

The Tuohy’s tribute Sandra Bullock for the enormous contribution she made in adopting a school in New Orleans after Katrina and put it back better than it was before the hurricane.

So if you decide to read “In a Heartbeat”, I’m certain you will be moved as I was by their story. Who knows maybe memories from your childhood will surface.

Marsala Sauce and Shrimp

Marsala Sauce and Shrimp/D174, originally uploaded by Rauber Photo Works.

The recipe…
Sear chopped onions and clove of garlic adding salt and red pepper flakes, (just a few).
Add cherry tomatoes and simmer. Season with more salt and a few more red pepper flakes.
Pour only half a can of Puree and then add Marsala, continue to simmer. Taste for adding more seasonings and Marsala.
For this photograph I did not place the linguine in the sauce pan, it’s a matter of choice.
Sautee’ the shrimp in butter. For photography purposes, I left the tails attached.
Compliment the dinner with a nice Italian Wine. In this case, a Chianti from Tiziano Winery in the Tuscan region.
For dessert… my famous Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Buon Appetito!

Smoked Salmon

Smoked Salmon, originally uploaded by Rauber Photo Works.

Using a water logged cedar board the salmon, seasoned with salt, pepper, dill and balsamic vinegar, was placed on the board and smoked on the Big Green Egg for around 20 minutes. The green beans along with julienned sliced red bell pepper with pecans were also smoked on a separate board.

Why You Should Always Carry Your Camera

There are two stories from this photograph. 1) I stepped out of my comfort zone and asked to photograph two complete strangers not only to me but to each other. 2) These two gentlemen had common interests. They were pilots. Rudy, the younger man was a commercial pilot and Archie was a pilot during WWII.

While sitting at the car dealership waiting for my truck to have maintenance work done, these two gentlemen happened in separately. Archie with his Veterans hat, immediately drew the attention of Rudy. Of course, Archie had stories to tell and some were a bit emotional for him and he would pause to regain his composure and Rudy waited patiently for Archie to resume.

Rudy then spoke of his role models, one being the famous Col. Benjamin O. Davis who was a great inspiration for Rudy to become a pilot himself.

I will admit here that this country has flaws and I will also admit that I’m not the most worldly educated in racial barriers but I’ll bet whoever reads this can confirm that this country has done more to improve racial barriers than any other. We did after all elect the first Black President in a landslide victory and I don’t recall European countries making these great achievements. I told Rudy it is people like himself, Col. Benjamin Davis, Colin Powell, Chief Justice Clarence Thomas and Barack Obama just to name a few who perservered, despite the obstacles, and have become great role models for youth of today.

I became so engrossed eavesdropping on their stories that when my car was ready, I was saddened by having to leave, then suddenly, I leapt up and asked if I could take their photographs. They were excited to have this impromtu photo op and it pays to carry your camera everywhere. We all quickly swapped e-mails and as soon as I returned home, I forwarded the photograph to both.

A big thank you to both, Archie for his duty to service as one from the "greatest generation" and Rudy for following in his role model’s footpath so that he could be a role model to his children and grandchildren.

Day 112, Read from flash manual. Viewed images from Melissa Jill

Breaking the Rules of Composition

I know the rules of composition here are not accurate i.e. reading left to right not right to left but I’m not anal retentive and I purposely broke the rule. 

This photograph has significance to me. I read a recent article by Scott Bourne on what the definition of Professional is and what constitutes the term.  Obviously, the first being monetary exchange.  What jumped out at me was a true professional knows "how a shot is taken".  At first I thought, that didn’t make sense because people take a shot surely they have to know.  Not necessarily.  On thinking back my shots have turned out by sheer luck. Today however, I followed through with a plan I made yesterday.

 I mowed the field but left a small area of wildness because I knew the possibilty was good we’d have rain and if not at least dew drops would be present on this area. There is a lot to photograph in wild areas and I spent an hour slowly stalking every flower, every webbing and every weed.

 Before I took this shot I thought exactly how  I wanted to take it and what I wanted it to look like.  So I defiantely broke the rules of composition. I was not missing this for the sake of "rules". 

 I had to return to the house to sit and rest my neck and ice down my knee from straining it last week because I squatted to get this macro shot.  I’m rested now and I guess it wasn’t all that physically difficult.  Who am I kidding…I may know HOW I took this shot but shooting macro is physically laboring.

I won’t consider myself professional as defined by Bourne until I do this procedure with every shot I take but… it’s the first accomplishment in the right direction to qualifying myself as professional.

Day 88 of Three in 365 Challenge

Read from camera manual pg 299

Viewed images from New York Photographer, Parris Whittingham.

A Daisy A Day

Day 84, originally uploaded by Rauber Photo Works.

Today was particularly tough to get a photograph. It was windy and I got dizzy trying to follow this flower through the view finder. How dumb was that? I also wasn’t in the mood to shoot but didn’t want to break my 365 project. Despite a strained knee I knew walking would help so I trekked out and found a couple a things to shoot.

This daisy is dedicated to an elderly woman I have befriended who is back in the hospital today only after I reluctantly checked her out yesterday. Doctors…if they would spend longer than five minutes with a patient, they would clearly see some are incapable of functioning on there own. The conversation went like this…”Doctor, after a month of undergoing twelve ECT’s and heavy doses of sedatives, she’s asking me for aluminum foil to wrap herself in so ‘THEY’ can’t find her. You are confident she can go home and you really believe she’s going to remember to take her meds without the assistance she’s had all month?” He certainly had a surprise when he showed up for rounds today. The apartment manager had to call 911 after she ran up and down the halls at 6:30am in her nightgown knocking on people’s doors asking who was ringing her doorbell. She was confused with the bells. I was calling her to get her up for an appointment and she didn’t recognize it was a telephone. She had forgotten her doorbell is the sound of Big Ben to remind her of her native country.

I print photos of flowers to give her when I have visited because she thinks the real flowers I’ve taken her in the past have fragrant sedatives in them. It may be true…after all, Dorothy, Toto, Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion all fell to fragrance in the poppy field….I joke but it is pitifully sad. I remember growing up hearing…”Laughter is the hand of God on the shoulder of a troubled world. Without laughter where would we be.”?

Read pg 339 from camera manual

Viewed images and blog of Kyle Mullaney

Lambchop

Lambchop, originally uploaded by Rauber Photo Works.

When I looked at this, Lambchop came to mind. People my age will remember the talented ventriloquist, Shari Lewis, with her famous puppet Lambchop. Shari may be deceased but her legacy continues by her daughter Mally Lewis.

This is the inside of a peony.

Day 78
Read up on Commander Mode
Viewed images of fellow flickrites

Listening to a Dead Soldier

National Military Cemetery, Marietta GA, originally uploaded by Rauber Photo Works.

This is just a portion of this 23 acre cemetery. Mapped out by Daniel Webster Cole, an engineer, who designed this in a concentric pattern. Some think similar to the way soldiers fell to their death.

Out of 10,312 soldiers, 3,032 are unknown. I found this to be a very peaceful setting. When I’m out for the day shooting, I always carry a lunch and took the time to sit in the shade next to a grave stone with the name, Joshua engraved in it. He assured me that no matter which side one fought for, that man fought bravely and honorably for what they belived. They were not right nor were they wrong. Joshua also told me, don’t judge. Wars, while bad, in some cases prove necessary. I’m inclined to agree with him. Joshua made me feel slightly better about our history’s past. If one does sit and think about where this country was and where it is today. We’ve come along way. Even the European Countries haven’t allowed a black man to be their leader.