Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Photographs - and Feelings
Every single person on this earth is betrayed by someone, at some point in time, in some little (or, sometimes big) way. It is the consequence of being a human being, of trying to be nice and pleasant and respectful to everyone (if you were raised that way, like me); or it's the consequence of always telling the literal truth, no matter how hurtful. Each of us is an individual, and we all have individual beliefs of right and wrong, of fairness and unfairness, of following the rules, or breaking them. I try to follow most rules - but I occasionally break them through ignorance, I openly admit that.
I admit that I love to look at photographs - whether I took them or not. I used to have boxes upon boxes of photos from Chincoteague and Assateague Islands - photos of ponies, all things to do with Pony Penning, friends, family, homes and familiar sights and places. I lost all of those, including childhood book and old family photos fourteen years ago.
Family members have shared a few old photos with me, but I have taken a lot of photos straight from the images pages of both Yoohoo and Google search engines, and, in the last five years from Facebook shares. I also purchase photos from dealers on line. I have personally taken over 7,000 photos in the last fourteen years, and I have them on memory cards and memory sticks and in my personal computer. I also have a lot of photos that other folks have taken over the past 100 years or so - photos that caught my fancy, or showed something I'd seen and remembered - or were just great, artistic photos.
For the past three to five years, I have tried to identify the source of every photo I post on my blog - I do not cut off views of copyright indicators, such as names of the photographers, or studio names. People are apparently stealing photos to use for personal gains, and cutting off copyright information from the photographic views. I have never done so - and I will not do so. I have never sold any photos from my blog or my Facebook postings. During the past year, I have tried to post who took various photos that I use, or, if they are just on an image page, I leave everything blank, other than a description.
I have been particularly happy to share photos taken by Deb Iddings Noll; by Beached Paws Photography; by Patty Ann (Vamvas) McMahon; by Allan Sklar; by Gina Aguilera, author of the book (and app) Identifying Chincoteague Ponies; by a lot of other people, whom I try to give credit to; and by DSC Photography. I have tried to emphasize that the photos by these people are for sale, and I try to list how to contact them, when I utilize their photos - via their websites, or via Facebook.
I know that I have sent at least 100 paying customers to DSC Photography's site, and to the shop that sells their photos on Chincoteague. So, now, I'm going to complain about my own "hurt feelings." I belonged to multiple Facebook pages that shared photos of Chincoteague ponies - but no more. I posted, on Facebook, that I had completed the blog page about the Chincoteague Pony Auction, showing photos of the foals on Assateague, and at the Auction, and listing the names of sires, dams, and the amount the foal was sold for.
I did this on very little sleep, and I thanked DSC Photography for using the photos that they had taken at the end of the blog. I started getting nasty comments immediately because I didn't recognize all of the people who had taken the photos. I asked folks to identify their photos, and I thanked them and identified them before the photo section began.
The next day, I was removed from access to six Facebook sites that have one of the two owners of DSC Photography as page administrators. I have been essentially black-balled from all but four Chincoteague Facebook sites. - But - and I had to laugh - DSC Photography kept my 5-Star review of their business and website on the top of their page. (I deleted it myself 6 weeks after the black-balling began.)
I apologize, again, profusely, to any and all photographers whom I have harmed in any way, or have "ruffled their feathers." Watermarks and copyright marks are easily available and easy to apply to your photos before they are posted anywhere. I tried to point viewers to purchase legitimate copies of the photos that are/were copyrighted.
If I post and share one of your photos, it's because I believe it is beautiful and should be shared with those other people who will appreciate it.
I admit that I love to look at photographs - whether I took them or not. I used to have boxes upon boxes of photos from Chincoteague and Assateague Islands - photos of ponies, all things to do with Pony Penning, friends, family, homes and familiar sights and places. I lost all of those, including childhood book and old family photos fourteen years ago.
Family members have shared a few old photos with me, but I have taken a lot of photos straight from the images pages of both Yoohoo and Google search engines, and, in the last five years from Facebook shares. I also purchase photos from dealers on line. I have personally taken over 7,000 photos in the last fourteen years, and I have them on memory cards and memory sticks and in my personal computer. I also have a lot of photos that other folks have taken over the past 100 years or so - photos that caught my fancy, or showed something I'd seen and remembered - or were just great, artistic photos.
For the past three to five years, I have tried to identify the source of every photo I post on my blog - I do not cut off views of copyright indicators, such as names of the photographers, or studio names. People are apparently stealing photos to use for personal gains, and cutting off copyright information from the photographic views. I have never done so - and I will not do so. I have never sold any photos from my blog or my Facebook postings. During the past year, I have tried to post who took various photos that I use, or, if they are just on an image page, I leave everything blank, other than a description.
I have been particularly happy to share photos taken by Deb Iddings Noll; by Beached Paws Photography; by Patty Ann (Vamvas) McMahon; by Allan Sklar; by Gina Aguilera, author of the book (and app) Identifying Chincoteague Ponies; by a lot of other people, whom I try to give credit to; and by DSC Photography. I have tried to emphasize that the photos by these people are for sale, and I try to list how to contact them, when I utilize their photos - via their websites, or via Facebook.
I know that I have sent at least 100 paying customers to DSC Photography's site, and to the shop that sells their photos on Chincoteague. So, now, I'm going to complain about my own "hurt feelings." I belonged to multiple Facebook pages that shared photos of Chincoteague ponies - but no more. I posted, on Facebook, that I had completed the blog page about the Chincoteague Pony Auction, showing photos of the foals on Assateague, and at the Auction, and listing the names of sires, dams, and the amount the foal was sold for.
I did this on very little sleep, and I thanked DSC Photography for using the photos that they had taken at the end of the blog. I started getting nasty comments immediately because I didn't recognize all of the people who had taken the photos. I asked folks to identify their photos, and I thanked them and identified them before the photo section began.
The next day, I was removed from access to six Facebook sites that have one of the two owners of DSC Photography as page administrators. I have been essentially black-balled from all but four Chincoteague Facebook sites. - But - and I had to laugh - DSC Photography kept my 5-Star review of their business and website on the top of their page. (I deleted it myself 6 weeks after the black-balling began.)
I apologize, again, profusely, to any and all photographers whom I have harmed in any way, or have "ruffled their feathers." Watermarks and copyright marks are easily available and easy to apply to your photos before they are posted anywhere. I tried to point viewers to purchase legitimate copies of the photos that are/were copyrighted.
If I post and share one of your photos, it's because I believe it is beautiful and should be shared with those other people who will appreciate it.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Assorted Photos
1898 Mardi Gras Court, St. Martinville, Louisiana
Black Prince, riverboat, on Bayou Teche, 1900
The Castille House, built in 1866, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
Spanish galleon Andalucia at Ocean City, Maryland
Killdeer nest, Assateague Island
Jester, stallion on Maryland end of Assateague
Assateague Island cottontail rabbit
Bits And Pieces
The orange-painted dyed-blond idiot residing in the White House is keeping me upset... I'm afraid that recently my most coherent thoughts are about how he is such a bizarre individual and how much damage he is doing to our country. ... But I'm trying to stay away from that.
Luckily, all of my friends and family have ridden through all of the hurricanes, so far, with very minor water damage to their yards, and little, if any, damage to their homes. All people and critters are safe and sound. - And that is a huge load off my mind. Chincoteague may get swiped Wednesday, but I really hope it doesn't happen. Fall and winter nor'easters are bad enough, without a tropical storm lashing the beaches, too.
Beatrice and I visited a friend's Meet and Greet City Council candidates party Thursday evening. Five candidates for the Boulder seats were there; they each gave a 3-minute talk and then we had two hours to mingle and chat with them. I've signed up to help and support two of the women candidates - Mary Young and Cindy Carlisle. I liked the other three people, but I didn't really feel totally supportive regarding their stands on a few issues.
I've been in contact with a few of Beatrice's cousins, whom have never met, and I'm getting her family tree woven together a bit more. The problem is trying to find the pasts of people who were enslaved. I've looked at the Freedman's Bureau - and I have some Census records. I also have plantation records, but very few slaves were listed by name. I would really love to be able to find more information regarding Bea's great-great-grandfather, a slave named Priest Tickles, who was born in South Carolina in 1820, along with his wife, Charlotte (also listed as Sharlot), who was born in 1835 in Louisiana.
And, of course, I'd love to have more information regarding her great-great-grandfather, Luc DeClouette, and his management of his half-sister's plantation at Breaux Bridge. It is so very difficult for me to image (especially since I'm white) belonging, as a slave, to another person - especially when that person is your white half-sister (with a shared father). To run her plantation after the death of her husband, and to protect her from US Federal troops during the Civil War's intrusion into the Teche Valley... I wish photos existed of Luc and his family - both sides. I'm just a nosy old lady, I guess. There are so many fascinating things to discover in the past...
We had a dachshund staying with us for a few days; she's 8 years old, named Emma, has one brown and one blue eye, and has always been a purse-puppy and/or lap dog. She hasn't been socialized with other dogs, and didn't know what to do the first time I removed her leash in a fenced-in yard. Finally she started running in huge circles - her happiness was rather contagious. In the past few weeks, I've been getting her to meet other dogs, and explore new places. She climbed a tree with low-lying branches while chasing a squirrel; she was so intent upon the scent of a cottontail rabbit that it ran behind her, within 12 inches of her tail, and she didn't see or hear it; and she found a bird's nest hidden in a wood pile, and came out with feathers stuck to her eye lashes. She's never caught anything, but she's having a good time looking and scenting.... She will chase a squirrel on sight, but is unsure about cats - which is a good thing, because Lovey would have eaten her alive, otherwise.
I will try to get back into the rhythm of writing again - I need to express myself - and I need to stay away from the stupid man in Washington, DC.... I think I'm back among the living again.
Luckily, all of my friends and family have ridden through all of the hurricanes, so far, with very minor water damage to their yards, and little, if any, damage to their homes. All people and critters are safe and sound. - And that is a huge load off my mind. Chincoteague may get swiped Wednesday, but I really hope it doesn't happen. Fall and winter nor'easters are bad enough, without a tropical storm lashing the beaches, too.
Beatrice and I visited a friend's Meet and Greet City Council candidates party Thursday evening. Five candidates for the Boulder seats were there; they each gave a 3-minute talk and then we had two hours to mingle and chat with them. I've signed up to help and support two of the women candidates - Mary Young and Cindy Carlisle. I liked the other three people, but I didn't really feel totally supportive regarding their stands on a few issues.
I've been in contact with a few of Beatrice's cousins, whom have never met, and I'm getting her family tree woven together a bit more. The problem is trying to find the pasts of people who were enslaved. I've looked at the Freedman's Bureau - and I have some Census records. I also have plantation records, but very few slaves were listed by name. I would really love to be able to find more information regarding Bea's great-great-grandfather, a slave named Priest Tickles, who was born in South Carolina in 1820, along with his wife, Charlotte (also listed as Sharlot), who was born in 1835 in Louisiana.
And, of course, I'd love to have more information regarding her great-great-grandfather, Luc DeClouette, and his management of his half-sister's plantation at Breaux Bridge. It is so very difficult for me to image (especially since I'm white) belonging, as a slave, to another person - especially when that person is your white half-sister (with a shared father). To run her plantation after the death of her husband, and to protect her from US Federal troops during the Civil War's intrusion into the Teche Valley... I wish photos existed of Luc and his family - both sides. I'm just a nosy old lady, I guess. There are so many fascinating things to discover in the past...
We had a dachshund staying with us for a few days; she's 8 years old, named Emma, has one brown and one blue eye, and has always been a purse-puppy and/or lap dog. She hasn't been socialized with other dogs, and didn't know what to do the first time I removed her leash in a fenced-in yard. Finally she started running in huge circles - her happiness was rather contagious. In the past few weeks, I've been getting her to meet other dogs, and explore new places. She climbed a tree with low-lying branches while chasing a squirrel; she was so intent upon the scent of a cottontail rabbit that it ran behind her, within 12 inches of her tail, and she didn't see or hear it; and she found a bird's nest hidden in a wood pile, and came out with feathers stuck to her eye lashes. She's never caught anything, but she's having a good time looking and scenting.... She will chase a squirrel on sight, but is unsure about cats - which is a good thing, because Lovey would have eaten her alive, otherwise.
I will try to get back into the rhythm of writing again - I need to express myself - and I need to stay away from the stupid man in Washington, DC.... I think I'm back among the living again.
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Disasters & Volunteers - Photos
Hurricane Harvey volunteers
Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey evacuees
St Maarten after Hurricane Irma
Canadian aid workers heading for St Maarten
My best friend's back yard in Fort Pierce, FL this morning
Key Largo after Irma
Key Largo after Irma
Jacksonville, FL before Irma
Jacksonville, FL during Irma
University of Florida in Gainesville
Fort Lauderdale hotel parking lot
Thank You To All Disaster Relief Workers And Volunteers!
I've been quiet because all of the news recently has been about disasters - hurricanes, fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides, tornadoes... There is so much misery and loss all around the world. It's terribly depressing.
The brightest stars, however, are those people who have been helping others affected by these disasters. Some people are salaried, but most are freely giving their time, experience, expertise, and money to help find people, to reunite families, to look at properties, to help with damages, to help people who have nothing to very little left.
My heart-felt thanks to each and every person around the world who is assisting, in any way, with these natural disasters!!!!
The brightest stars, however, are those people who have been helping others affected by these disasters. Some people are salaried, but most are freely giving their time, experience, expertise, and money to help find people, to reunite families, to look at properties, to help with damages, to help people who have nothing to very little left.
My heart-felt thanks to each and every person around the world who is assisting, in any way, with these natural disasters!!!!
Monday, September 4, 2017
Riding Crosier Mountain
Mounted on King
Looking down upon northeast Estes Park
The faint white lines at the bottom of the valley is the Big Thompson River
Hat tree - a blasted pine
Beyond the hat tree
Mountain meadow with snow-pocked Rocky Mountains in background
Near the top of Crosier - smoke from wildfires in distance
Looking up at Crosier Mountain
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