Teasas World

I didn't think squirrels got so tired of running around that they took naps in the middle of the day. Here is a squirrel just outside my bedroom window in my backyard, resting in a tree, and obviously trying to take a nap.

Squirrels have really acute hearing, even though I shot this through my bedroom window, he heard, or saw me raise the blinds, and thats when he looked straight at the camera. Because I wanted to get a shot of him sleeping, I kept the blinds up, and patiently waited.

The squirrel would not have been noticed by me or you if we were walking around the backyard, because their color is camoflauged with the tree branch. Another way nature protects animals from harm.

These pictures were shot with a Canon Digital Rebel Picture #1 was shot at F5.6 1/125 second; #2 was shot at F5.6 1/250 second and picture #3 was shot at F5.6 at 1/160 second.

I didn't photoshop anything, they were all shot in RAW format.

My Photo Published In St Louis Travel Guide

Rare Family Photos Of Michael Jackson

While listening to some old J-5 (yall know what I'm talking about, the Jackson 5 was the J-5), a friend emailed me these rare photos of Michael and his brothers. Hope you enjoy....(thanks Ginger!)

Michael Jackson Memorial To Be Media Circus, Bet On It

You know I was just thinking about the media feeding frenzy surrounding Michael Jackson's death, and couldn't help but feel sorry for his mother, Katherine Jackson. I think we have forgotten that she lost a child, and rightly so, no mother should have to bury her child.

When Joseph Jackson decided to turn his boys into entertainers, he and Katherine loaned Michael Jackson to the world. No one knew back then, 40 some years ago, that little Michael Joseph Jackson from Gary, Indiana would become the musical icon he grew up to be. No one knew his music would unite a world, and give tabloid publications reasons to exist.

Michael died June 25, 2009, six days ago, and it is as if this whole episode has been surreal to me. Surreal because I was one of the millions of little girls who dreamed of someday meeting Michael Jackson. Growing up in Detroit, the Jackson 5 were the finest black boys on the planet. They were all so cute, I couldn't decide which one I wanted to marry. I know I wasn't alone, I'm just admitting it.

I grew up watching those five boys from Gary, Indiana. Watching them each get married, have children, and even break up as a group. Even though they didn't perform together anymore, we all knew they still loved one another as siblings. The only difference between this family and mine, was that their lives were being lived out in the press.

No matter what happened, Michael lying in a hyperbaric chamber; Michael allegedly buying the elephant man's bones; we followed and hung unto every word--good, bad or indifferent.

Now, even though Michael Jackson was our musical icon, our musical legend, Michael Jackson was a father, a brother, and a son. This distinction is enough to make us all step back and give the Jackson family some peace, some private time to mourn.
Michael Jackson doesn't belong to us right now. He doesn't belong to the media, he belongs to his family, we must respect that. Well, at least the media needs to respect it.

It's almost a guarantee that Michael Jackson's funeral will be a media feeding frenzy. CNN has announced that there will be a public viewing at Jackson's Neverland Ranch on Friday. Isn't this the same Neverland Ranch that the tabloids reported that Michael Jackson had sold or lost in foreclosure?

I believe the public viewing will be broadcast on television just as Princess Diana's was. I know the residents there are not looking forward to the hundreds of thousands of people who will undoubtedly show up. Probably as I write this, people may be lining up at Neverland Ranch just to be the first in line to view Michael Jackson's body.

Well, as always, I pray for the strength of the family to endure these coming days. It will be hard, and there will be dark days, but know that you are in the hands of the master, and these days will pass. May you rest in peace Michael Jackson.

Through The Storm

One day a young lady was driving along with her father. They came upon a storm. The young lady asked her father what should she do, he said "keep driving". Cars began to pull over to the side, the storm was
getting worse. What should I do the young lady asked, "keep driving" her father replied. On up a few feet she noticed eighteen wheelers was pulling over also. She told her dad, I must pull over I can barely see
ahead. It is terrible out here everyone is pulling over. Her father told her not to give up just keep driving. Now the storm was terrible but she never stopped driving and soon she could see a little clearer.
After a couple of miles she was on dry land and the sun was out. Her father said now pull over and get out. She said "but why now?" He said
"get out look back, at all the people that gave up and is still in the storm". You never gave up and now your storm is over.

This is a testimony for anyone that is going through something. Just
because everyone else, even the ones that appear to be the largest and
strongest gives up. You don't have to, because if you keep going, on up
ahead your storm will soon be over and the sun will shine upon your face
again.

I hope this touched someone because it did me. Pass it on to someone who
you know is going through or all of your on-line friends. Tell them to
never give up, because GOD will never give up on them.

Michael Jackson R.I.P.

There are very few words I can speak to this. So, I'll let the music do it for me. To the Jackson Family, my prayers are with you. To Katherine Jackson, let God hold you and keep you during this time of loss. The world loved your son.

Farrah Fawcett Charlies Angel Dies At 62

Actress Farrah Fawcett died this morning after a long battle with anal cancer. Her death touched primarily because I care about people, but more so because I grew up wanting to be a ‘Charlies Angel.’

Fawcett was the blonde part of the trio Charlies Angels. The ladies (Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith) solved weekly crimes that the police couldn’t using their beauty and wit. They drove cool cars, wore hip clothing and always seemed to have it together.

From week to week, I would switch up, not being able to decide which Charlies Angel I wanted to be. To me, they were the epitome of cool. It also helped me to gain confidence as an intelligent black girl, that it was okay to be cute and smart all in one.

Today one of those Angels went to heaven.

I remember last month watching the documentary that was produced by her boyfriend Ryan O’Neal about her battle with cancer. I kept thinking, wow, Farrah is so brave to show the world her good days and her bad days. Most people I have known, have been ashamed to share their battle with cancer publicly. But, not Farrah. Farrah Fawcett bravely talked about how ill the chemo made her from time to time.

Farrah shared her disappointment with her medical treatment, and how tired she was having to travel to Germany to get cancer treatments that were not yet available in the United States. She even showed her shaved head to the public. That moment was the ultimate in transparency for me.

Farrah Fawcett was always known for her full mane of hair. Many teenage boys had a poster of her on their walls, showing that famous pose she will forever be known for. So, for Farrah Fawcett to show herself bald, it proved to me that she was approaching cancer with all her might and that the battle was on. Farrah, as we now know, was fighting a losing battle.

Today, as we talk about Farrah Fawcett’s death on the internet and at work, try to think of her as not a celebrity, but as a mother, a woman, a human being who fought cancer to its bitter end. I believe she wanted to show her personal struggle when she decided to allow Ryan O’Neal to film that documentary. I believe she wanted to lift the veil of celebrity and show Farrah Fawcett the woman, the person.

If you’ve ever lost a loved one, then you know mourning is a very private thing. And if you’ve ever lost a child, then it becomes even more painful.

Let’s respect Farrah Fawcett’s family, her father, her son and of course Ryan O’Neal. They are hurting beyond hurt right now. They’ve lost an Angel. Farrah Fawcett, dead at 62.

Missouri Botanical Gardens

The Missouri Botanical Gardens is celebrating its 150th year in St Louis. So, I took my trusty camera down there and allowed my eyes to marvel at the majesty of nature's beauty. Hope you enjoy!