Photos from Gettysburg, PA taken in the Autumn of 2005

Is It Real?

Sarasota

There is a certain characteristic that's inherent in most individuals to find a better place than where they presently are. A better place of employment, a better home, better car, better life, better..., better..., better. And when the autumn of one's life is at hand, perhaps to retire and enjoy the remaining years in a place better than where he spent his previous years. It may be that more people have decided that a place in the Sunshine State offers this better life. Though I'm not at that point of my life yet, I have often fallen victim to this trap of incontentment. I suppose it's true about what the bible says: "Now godliness with contentment is great gain." But how many can really say they can identify with this? Certainly not most people I know.

And so life goes on in search of betterment of one's existance. Echoes of a great king are heard in the distance..."Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

There's a place in Florida that has caught the attention of artists and photagraphers alike. Though much of this area is overdeveloped in my opinion, one can still find picturesque spots. A few of my own photos are included here for your observation and viewing pleasure.

• There is a small estuary located at the south end of Lido Key that has been a favorite place of mine whenever I travel to this part of the Sunshine State. The first few shots were taken there.

Is It Real?

Ocean City

• It's been an interesting summer. Family spent a week in Ocean City, Maryland in July, and a week in Sarasota, Florida in August. You may think that we have some fondness for the seashore. Well, you're right. I recently purchased a new digital camera and have tested it out there. I'm including some shots that were taken in the Maryland resort.
• 

• This shot is of my daughter posing with her sweet smile. The vignette was added to enhance the subject - an old photographic trick made possible with one of my most used program: Corel Photo-paint.

• Included at right is a shot of the bay at O.C. This was shot at sunset
  
• at the fishing docks. Interesting how the light on the left

  illuminated the flag --- Nah! It was actually manipulated slightly. So with all the digital programs available, who can tell what's real and what's not?

• The next shot was also taken at

  

  Fagers Island Restaurant on the bay at O.C. They offered good 'cheap' food every Monday. The view was great and yea,

  the photo is not a straight shot. And the palm trees are not native to this area - they were shipped in from Florida, but then who can tell?

• The next shot was taken at the same place, and this also was manipulated to give a ethereal effect to what I thought was a rather unexciting photo. Remember the old addage "Red skies in the morning, sailors take warning..."? Well thats what I was trying to convey. Did it work?

  

  Perhaps.

My view on Life

Much ado about nothing,
Let's hope not.

Cautiously treading into areas not likely tread on by the unspiritual.

And one of my greatest hopes for this life is to see a nearly universally accepted belief be totally stamp out. This I conside the lie of the 20th Century; the result of which has caused millions of deaths, scores of misdirected lives, and moved tyrants to do immoral and unethical things in it's name.

This thing is not war, though wars have come about when leaders took this lie to it's logical conclusion. It is not famine, but because of this lie this condition have prevailed to a greater degree. It is something accepted by nearly every culture. It has caused a worldview of self-centerdness and selfishness.

What can it be?