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Brave Girl

I have to admit, I kind of expect January to be one of the coldest months of the winter. And, mostly because I don’t actually have to go outside every day, I kind of look forward to the snuggling in at home on the really, really cold days.

This winter, though, has been a bear. December was cold and snowy, yet not enough snow to really enjoy, just enough to keep the roads slick. January has been ridiculously cold, windy, and the roads are still not too great. And, there still is not enough snow for snowmobiling.

Just the other day, we had a blizzard warning. More of a ground blizzard than actual snow, but it did snow for awhile. Right about chore time.

The deal Alan made with us was that we could have a horse as long as we did chores. He has been great about hauling water to Buddy when it’s been really cold, but the other day, he wasn’t home.

Ally insisted on doing it herself. I let her do all the chores, but I went out with her because the it was actually dangerously cold with the whipping winds. I love the look on Buddy’s face…”really, you’re going to stand outside?” Then he rolled his eyes at me and told me to get out of the wind.

Fresh water, a little grain, a pile of hay, and a good brushing, and Buddy was good for the night.

January 17, 2014 | Categories: Country Life, Horses, Kids, Learning, Out and About, Photography | Leave a comment

Sun Flare and Sunsets

I had been wanting to learn how to rock sunset pictures…and sun flare.’

While out shooting with the camera club, I asked some questions, and then came home and studied a bit more about aperture as related to the sun.

Then, I went out shooting. Sawyer was with me, working on a 4H photography project.

We practiced what I had learned, at the railroad crossing a couple miles away, on a quiet gravel road.

Here’s the deal. The aperture is like a pupil. When there is a bright light, like the sun, making the aperture (fstop) smaller lets in less light. This was shot at f22. (the bigger the number, the smaller the “pupil”)

Sawyer’s shot is below. Very similar, but a bit lighter.

And, from a slightly different angle.

So there, you go…aperture.

July 24, 2013 | Categories: Country Life, Details, Learning, Out and About, Photography | 1 Comment

India~The School

As part of our trip, we were able to visit a school. This school is, in part, sponsored by Mercy Ministries, and the Rhino Project. More info on that in a bit.

The school was about a 40 minute drive, in heavy traffic, from the hospital. The area it is in is considered to be about one step above the true Calcutta slums.

These kids are beautiful, smart, and fun.

They were busy learning body parts, in english.

The school is one large classroom, with students sitting on the floor in little pods with their teacher.

There were seven classes in session while we were there, with students ranging in age from 3.5 to 14 years old, 70 students in all.

The kids were very attentive to their teachers despite a group of 5 americans watching them. I was tossed a smile and a look every now and then.

The walls of the building were decorated with the children’s artwork.

I loved the time at the school, though it was brief, I left with very mixed emotions. We were told to tie our hair back as some of the children likely had head lice. When asked if the girls had their heads shaved to prevent head lice, the answer was “sometimes, yes” but for some of the students, they live in very unsafe areas. Some of the girls are picked on outside of school, and by shaving their hair, and dressing them like boys, they are safer.

Sad, so so sad.

And yet, at the same time, amazing that the teachers have thought of a plan to try to keep them safe. The little girls know that someone is looking out for them. Amazing.

I also determined that our american children/schools with their ipads and smart boards are a tad bit spoiled.

These teachers were fortunate to have a marker that worked for their white board.

Sweet faces. The school day starts at 10, they have lunch at 1:30, then head home at 2:30.

For many of these kids, the lunch they eat at school is the only meal that they have for the day.

Most of them come from broken homes.

The couple that runs the schools acts as foster parents to 20 of the children who do not have any parents. They live at the school.

Beautiful children…

This little guy was the only one that was running around instead of sitting with his class. We asked if he was one of the foster children, but was told that he was the son of one of the teachers. He was not old enough to be in her class, but came to school with her every day.

Before we left, we were given a quick tour of the rest of the school. Actually, that would be the top of the school building. They had a small chapel where they hold a service for those that live in the neighborhood on Sundays.

They have a little garden space,

and their restrooms.

This is their bus. It travels in a 3 kilometer area, and picks up 12-14 students at a time. It has the requisite horn, but check out the seat…

Over 5 thousand students have made their way through this school over the years. Most of them have gone on to have successful lives, out of the slums.

Mixed emotions.

And just before we left, another sweet photo op…