Thoughts on a Tuesday Morning

Here's a little splash of color for those of you out there who prefer it to black and white. It's the reflection of a summer sky on the surface of my uncle's pond. While it wasn't my intention when taking the shot, it almost reminds of an impressionist piece.

Well known photographer William Neil has made a name for himself with his "Impressions of Light". It's a body of work containing "blurs" of landscapes and other images that, while blurred, still give you the overall impression of what he's shooting. I've yet to even come close to an image I'd want to pass along trying this technique, but I'd suggest you look him up at www.williamneill.com. He makes some excellent images.

I had to handle the cooking last night and I will for the better part of the month now that my wife has been switched back to the late afternoon shift. I love cooking and, while she does most of it when she's on her normal shift, I'm just as happy to pick up the task now. Is there anything better than garlic? Three cloves went into last night's dinner and I love the smell of it when it's peeled and freshly chopped. Within forty minutes I had a kitched filled with the aromatic scent of garlic and oregano chicken simmering in white wine.

Cooking is another hobby of mine. It's just like writing and photography, anything goes. Anything you can create, whip up or throw together works as long as it tastes good. There's no wrong thing to do (except burning the meal). I'd use fresh cracked black pepper and garlic in everything if I could get away with it.

Labor Day is coming up next Monday and we're having a cookout. I think I may attempt some jambalaya and barbecue chicken, among another dish or two. It's really starting to feel like fall here and fall makes me think of things in the slow cooker, simmering away all day while someone's playing football in the backyard or on the television. And as the weather turns colder it becomes time to turn to soups and hot chocolate and other culinary creations to fortify you against the cold wind outside the door.

I'll be keeping an eye out on the leaves as we get farther into the season and the first chance I get to make a fall image and post it here, I'll do it. This is my favorite time of year, between now and January. There's so many holidays, so many exciting things to experience and so many new books to read that it's really the time when I'm at my most inspired.

Not to mention excited about being four days away from the first College Football Saturday of the new season...