Upclose and Personal!! Stopping by for Lunch!!

On the Road Again - Arkansas Here I come!!

Up Up and Away! Bill's Perspectives

There is a lot of catching up to do with the words on the blog!  Life has been FULL to say the least and well, it's fun to be 'retired' - to have no responsibility but to self and those close to me - to live life to the fullest - to have dreams - to pay attention to the synchronicities - and to be FREE to FLY!!  On that note, it's so totally cool that Bill and I share views of the world.  Some days we just take off to see what we can see.  The interesting factoid is that we often see the world from different perspectives - and for that I am grateful - it's an eyeopener.  It makes me humble to realize that each of us is a unique individual and that it is all OK!!

Remember Life is a DANCE OF RELATIONSHIPS!!!

Babysitter - 36 years ago...Reconnectioins

Months ago, I got a friend request and a message from someone on Facebook who said she was our son, Jon's babysitter - oh 36 years ago!?!  There is so much spam and phony messages that I was hesitant to accept the request.  She wrote back with some more details and said that she even had a picture of the little guy with the almost white hair from those days.  When she could find it again, she would share it.  So we became Facebook friends and then she moved from Arizona back to Pitman.  A week ago, she came to the Uptown Pitman Farm Market -and...well, meet Margie Nelson and welcome back to Pitman!!

By the way - those are my Photography Greeting cards for sale at the Market!!  I have prints too!!

Wendy Wails!!

Photoschmoozer - me - loves to talk to anyone - pay attention to the synchronicities of life - and make new friends!  Meet Wendy Betz - here she is dressed to perform at the Bus Stop Music Cafe in Pitman with her band - Wendy Betz and the Riseing.  Yes, like you, I questioned the spelling of the word - why the 'e'??  She made me notice that it got my attention as it does many others.  People remember them in a different way.  We casually met before this event as we listened to music on open mic nights, gradually got to talk more and now have become members in our ever evolving "Pitman family".  It's focued around music, the Uptown Pitman Farm Market and now acupuncture, nutrition and alternative healing.  Just one more lesson of paying attention to the synchronicities and living life!  One never knows what lessons and adventure are just around the bend!!!

And folks - we can't forget Brother Doug@!@  J

ust a totally wonderful and supportive bro!!

Sunset Across the River - the City Lights Up!!

There is a story to everything.  My friends say I am a storyteller and that is the truth!  Every experience is a wonderful story in the book of life!  Now on lovely evening, Bill and I like to go out and find settings to watch and photograph the sunset.  Tonight, we decided on Wigging Park in Camden, NJ, just across the river fro Philadelphia - see the skyline??  Little did we know that there would be a baseball game at Campbell field AND a concert right in the same area.  Parking?!?  Well, I stopped to ask a policeman what we could do.  He directed us to talk to the guys at the parking lot and say we were just there for the sunset/photo ops.  We did...no luck.  I had turned around and as I was driving, the lights were flashing in my rear view mirror.  The policeman was taking care of us.  He told the security guy to let us park right there on the street and that he was to watch our car!  Two hours later, after the sun had set in it often beautiful way, we headed back to the car - and it patiently waited for us!

This sailboat - on first glance looking like a big Chinese junk, was coming up the river.  We kept taking pictures of it on its journey and this is the one I have chosen to share.  Just a group of people out for a sail on a lovely late summer's evening.  Not bad huh to see the beautiful buildings of the city behind them!!

Community Spirit and Positive Energy!! Uptown Pitman Farm Market

Here is our Number one produce vendor, Richie Green with his number one son and fantastic helper, Aaron.  Every week Richie brings us local produce from area farms so that we can truly eat locally!!  

Wendy Betz can belt out a song with her group Wendy Betz and the Riseing BUT she also makes amazing jewelry with lots of precious stones set in pretty perfect silver settings!!  She's definitely an asset to the Uptown Pitman Farm market with her energy, enthusiasm and fine craft!

Yet another craft of a totally different type!!  Conni~Joi Waters is a talented young woman who comes to the Market to share her skills with massage therapy and reflexology - see how she is dancing with life as she totally imerses herself in what she loves - what has a passion and purpose to her!  I can report that JoAnne totally enjoyed this session!!

Watching the River Go By

My buddy - my husband of almost 40 years - and a wonderfully patient and persistent guy.  Bill has a great quality of just sitting and watching and noticing.  That is the perfect 'being still' way of being as we head out on our sunset adventures. 

Sunset at the River -

Some of our favorite times...and activities - heading to the Delaware River to watch the sun go down!  When we get to Riverwinds in West Deptford, NJ, we are never alone.  They have made a beautiful park, and close to sunset the benches are filled with people - often couples - and people with their dogs - waiting to catch glimpses of the beauty that Mother Nature offers us!  Tonight was no exception  This couple sat and sat and sat for the longest time. They never talked - they just watched - and I respected their privacy by not going and chatting them up!!  Fancy that!!

There were so many opportunities tonight to catch the sun in each of its moments of setting - this one was awesome as it was just about at the horizon.  Maybe it's not technically the 'perfect' picture, but it is perfect in so many ways - and totally awesome in the colors shared!!

A favorite site to share is not only the sun as it is setting, but the light it shines on the water!  This couldn't be more perfect in my eyes.

The Lull Before the Storm

In my formative years, I grew up at the NJ seashore - Wildwood to be exact - and never have I seen the furor that has arisen over Hurricane Irene.  We had Hazel in '59 and another in March of '63 that had us getting around town in rowboats.  Never did I remember a state of emergency and mandatory evacuations.  In our area, the local Shop Rite stores closed at 8 on Friday night and will be closed all weekend.  I have seen many other cancellations because of what might be.  Today I read that the NY City subways will be closed at noon.  Wonder where she will head, what her strength will be and how everyone will fare.  We can only wait and be prepared!!  Peace to all.

The Energizer Bunny and Friends!!

 

This is a very special person- I call him the Energizer Bunny because he is often up before 6 am, goes to synagogue to pray, goes to the gym to work out and can prepare a decent meal!!  This is my Uncle Irv - he is soon to be 89 and is just 'cool'.  He has stories to tell, is interested in lots of things, and knows the importance of maintaining connections to his family.   Just the other night he came from Philadelphia to see Jim, Jon and Greg playing at the Coffee Works in Voorhees - stopping for a bit of shopping at Cherry Hill Wegman's first.  He forgot his cane, so "no problem" - he closed up the umbrella and used that to help him walk with ease.  He stayed til the bitter end too - cousin Bob drives,but Irv is a good spirit.  He wanted to visit family and so he did!!

Here's a picture to be treasured - me/PhotoSchmoozer, Uncle Irv and sister Lisa hanging out together at Coffee Works - just enjoying one another's company.  Isn't that what family is all about.

Marcus, Tony and the Brit

Son Jon has come back to the United States after living close to 12 years abroad - Australia and Tokyo.  Interesting is that he is going to live in Chicago, the last place he lived in the US before moving across the ocean.  Why do I need to explain that? Well, he is here in Pitman for a few day's visit before heading off in his new charcoal gray Toyota Camry.  Having him home often means music events and last night was no exception!   We went to CoffeeWorks in Voorhees,NJ, to listen to Jon playing with buddies Jim Six and Greg Potter- all singer/songwriter music.  When I walked in, I looked around to see interesting individuals and saw the three guys sitting at the chess table.  Although they were all fascinating to watch as they intensely concentrated, Marcus was most interesting to me.  I, PhotoSchmoozer shared that he would be an interesting photographic subject - and he said sure.  As the evening progressed, we talked about our shared interest in photography, how to make some money with it as well as being of service and of course, types of cameras and equipment.  The coolest piece - the portable printer he had. He went to the car and brought it in so he could make immediate prints of what I had taken -and he was to send one to his mom in Florida.  Again, I share the lesson of not learning all there is to life unless you are still, look around you and open up to life - including people!!

See the serious intensity of Marcus' concentration!!