Fire Music

Play lists. You folks with IPods probably got about a million playlists, one to suit every mood and celebrate every happening. I don't own an IPod since I am not really an appreciator of music. I am the girl who shouts, "Oh! I like this song" when she stumbles upon a recognizable tune while setting the stereo to scan.

About once a year, I put together a compilation of tunes that speak to me. I've done Halloween themed CD's for our Halloween Hooplas of yesteryear. The last couple of years, I've done music compilations that serve as creative stimulus packages for myself and hopefully for my friends I share them with.

This year, I discovered Pandora, an online music streaming site. You pick a seed song, and it plays music based on that and later your preferences. Being the pitiful excuse for a fan that I am, I all of sudden started discovering who performs all these songs that I have always liked. Thus, the genesis of this year's compilation. They are all a re-discovering of music I've always liked but didn't know anything about it.

As a fun aside, I decided to hand-doodle all the CD labels. It is a relatively short creative project which I can do while the kids are eating lunch or pretending to nap.

Here's a list of what is on this year's CD. Watch out! It's feisty music! I find I split my creative time between listening to musical angst and classic country. This year's hits are all grit and grime.

• Bring Me to Life / Evanescence
• Harder to Breathe / Maroon 5
• It's Been Awhile / Staind
• Hanging by a Moment / Lifehouse
• Unwell / Matchbox Twenty
• You Know My Name / Chris Cornell
• Right Here / Staind
• Heavy / Collective Soul
• Cumbersome / Seven Mary Three
• How You Remind Me / Nickelback
• Push / Matchbox Twenty
• When I'm Gone / 3 Doors Down
• Extreme Ways / Moby
• Inside Out / Eve 6
• Wonderwall / Oasis
• Save Tonight / Eagle-Eye Cherry

Heebee Jeebees

It's a been a long while since I got the heebee jeebees. You know that panicky-get-off-of-me sort of feeling? Well, Friday I had a refresher course in what it feels like to be totally wigged out.

Joseph and I went to the old cemetery by the Hattiesburg Library. I don't really know anything about the cemetery, but I knew it has some really old grave markers in it and was anxious to get some pictures for my photo scavenger hunt.

I am neither sentimental or spooked about graves. Of course, I think they deserve care and respect, but I consider graves vacantly occupied. Nothing I am doing up here is going to bother anyone down there. As far as safe places on this earth, I think the cemetery ranks pretty high. After all, there all the bad guys are dead.

We went about the markers, snapping pictures. There were markers from the 1800's.

The cement slab over one grave was broken through. I walked over to look in. The grave was filled with water.

Joseph was behind me and said: "Is that a snake?" There was something inside the grave moving around very slowly. I took a step back. I squinted really hard.

Joseph: "That is a snake. Look!"

Me: "No. It's a glove. " I squinted harder...got closer...peered in.

Joseph: "That is no glove. It's moving."

Me: (Clarity) "It's a Blue Bell ice cream wrapper."

Joseph: "Moving?!"

Then he realized that there was water in the grave and the wrapper was floating. At first glance, it did look like a snake coiling around.

I decided to perch on the grave next door to get a picture of the hole into the grave. Maybe it would prove to be good fodder for a future story.

As I sat clicking away, Joseph said: "You know. The grave you are sitting on is the same age as the one that fell in. You might want to get off of there."

Joseph had struck a primal nerve. In a split second, I had imagined myself splashing down through shattered concrete into a water filled grave. I was up instantly....hopping and wriggling around. Whenever the heebee jeebees hit, they go straight into your spine. Nothing short of a few full-body convulsions will shake them out.

After this incident, Joseph and I both had our own regrets. Mine: I had not gotten more pictures of the hole in the grave. Joseph: He had not gotten any video of me hopping around the graveyard.

Photo Scavenger Hunt: Conclusion

After a Photographic Festivus on Friday, I feel like I have now completed the photo scavenger hunt. I got to take lots of fun pictures in Downtown Laurel and Downtown Hattiesburg.

I learned a few things from this experience:

• I have yet to learn the limits of my camera phone
• Lighting is extremely important
• I love doors, door knobs, and windows
• I could take pictures all day long and just be ok with that
• My thumb is my photographic nemesis
• Black and white photos make me feel happy
• Most creatures don't understand English phrases like "Stand still" or "Look this way"

In usual Kay style, I overdid and now have too many pictures to post on my blog. So, I invite you to see them at my Scavenger Hunt Album at Picasa.

Hope you've been inspired to play! I would love to see what you discovered through your lens.

Conversations

Emma: "Evy, why do you like to wear dresses all the time? Are you wanting to be attractive?"

Evy: "I think dresses are so pretty."

Emma: "If it is about being attractive, being attractive is more about what's in your heart."

Emma: "Can I ride in the wagon on the way to the sewing machine shop?"

Me: "No, Emma. You won't be in your car seat."

Emma: "But, Momma, I've never done this before. Just hook the wagon to the back of the van. It would be so exciting."

Me: "It would be exciting, but your momma would probably be arrested."

Emma: "I will be very safe. I will hold on so tight."

Me: "No."

Emma: *pout*

Photo Scavenger Hunt, Cont.

Somehow, my favorite picture from yesterday's hunt didn't make it to my blog. This one is of my Uncle Robert's and my dad's old truck when they were styling around in their youth.

This picture makes me want to write a story.

Things Learned while Picnicking at the Lake

• You can feed a family of five on a single chicken biscuit from Vic's.
• Swinging an oversized plastic bat? I've still got it.
• Water hyacinths may be the scariest plant on the planet.
• Kids prefer the deep end.
• Grandpas make picnics better.
• Nothing moves slower than a kid who doesn't want to leave the lake.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

I am on a photo scavenger hunt! My journaling group is doing this for an inspiration gathering project. Maybe you want to give it a try, too! I would love to see what you find.

On the list of things to photograph: wood, plants, hand-made, creatures, pattern texture, man-made, metal, and letters. The goal is to photograph 3 or more of each of these items and share the pics on your blog or photo sharing site.

Here are some of my pictures I took today on our woodland walk.