June | 2020 | one_local

What images do you ‘see’ in your mind when you hear the word fire?

It is a love/scary word for me. A controlled fire is intriguing and beautiful. Of course, the out-of-control one is frightening and destructive. The smell of smoke took on a whole new meaning for me when years ago our farm house caught fire due to an electrical issue. It was a horribly frightful thing.

A destructive fire puts us in our place as we realize how little control we really have in this world we live in. Respect. That is what a fire always demands. Handle it with great care.

This particular evening fire we had outside in the designated fire pit was of the beautiful kind. Sitting beside it quietly watching the sparks fly to Heaven, I often wonder what everyone is thinking about while gazing into it. What do you think about?

This evening fire was a lovely end to a fine day, by God’s good grace.

Shirley has a lot to thank her darlin’ Dot for.

Dot is the professional photographer in the family at large. Shirley wrote about her earlier this year: https://bluerockhorses.com/2020/01/03/dot/ Shirley and Snoot are real proud of this talented, first Daughter-in-love of theirs.

Once again she has opened the window of photography a good bit wider for Shirley, an amateur photographer. While taking in the outdoor view on a recent visit to the farm, Dot mentioned the wonderful photos that could be captured. Then she asked Shirley the killer question—“Where is your camera?” She answered her own question, “I know, it is put away neat and tidy in your case.” How did she know that, Shirley wondered?

Opening the pantry door, Dot pointed to an empty spot on the shelf. “This is where I would keep it all the time. A camera in it’s case is seldom used.”

Before being too hard on Shirley, dear reader, it is helpful to know she is ‘a-place-for-everything-and-everything-in-its-place’ sort of gal. Neat and tidy. Sometimes to a fault.

Well, later that very day, Shirley proudly showed Dot the ‘new home’ for her camera. The exact spot Dot had pointed out to her. One more little tip our amateur photographer learned from her professional Dot—-keep the lens cap off!

Shirley says it reminds her of a verse from Scripture: Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox. Proverbs 14:4

Shirley would like to share some of the wonderful moments in time caught because of having her camera closer to hand: