SPF: Auschwitz

It is time again for Random and Odd's Stuff Portrait Friday.

Kristine said "Remind me the next time I get a touch of the depression to watch Shindler’s List or Kramer vs. Kramer. Something that gets me fired up. This weeks SPF is sort of based on Auschwitz. It’s only as hard as you make it."

So, here is the assignment:
1. Your suitcase/s or travel bag.
2. Your ground.
3. Something you are powerless to.

I have lots of various bags that we use, but I picked just one to shoot for this. My mom used this bag for who knows how many years before it became mine when I went to basketball camp in Lindsay, Okla., in the 8th grade. Since then, it has gone with me on pretty much every trip I've ever made. I call it my "overnight bag."

It still has the tag from our cruise in 2000 and a luggage tag from a defunct hotel line, which was one of my favorites.

My ground. This was hard. I couldn't quite decide what to do. So, I picked two things. The first shot is a big piece of brown packing paper that came in a box containing one of Hot Rod's birthday gifts from Target.com. It was great paper, so I unrolled it and gave Stinkerbelle a bowl full of crayons and voila, the child was entertained for an hour or so. I took the picture from the bottom stair, but I thought the paper and the toys in the background really show where I stand. (or what I step on in the middle of the night)

The second shot is where I like to stand -amidst my gardens. I get such joy from working in the yard. I get that from my parents. They always have the most beautiful yard. Notice the tilted angle again (ala my mom's photography style). It was shot from the driveway, which has an incline. The garden is flat. I got some pentas this week to attract butterfuies and put some color in this garden. I also got a bell pepper, behind my dad's bluebird.

And, when you look closely over the back wing of the bluebird, you can see the hanging basket Army of Dad gave me for mother's day. It is gorgeous.

Lastly, something I am powerless to. I can't capture fear. I don't' want to capture fear, but I can capture love. I am powerless to the fear of losing someone I love. *knocking on wood* I haven't lost anyone really close to me. I lost my grandparents several years ago, but they were declining in health and they were old. I dread the day I lose someone I'm really close to. My parents are getting older and I worry about losing them. As an overprotective mother, I always worry about something happening to my children. I'm powerless to love and fear.


I seldom acknowledge how blessed I am. Did you count your joys today? How about playing SPF? It is fun and free and anyone can do it.