Well, it’s official, on Sunday I journeyed even farther “Over the Hill”.   It was fine, turning 40 did not bother me in the least.  It feels no different, I’m still me, making my way through this journey called life. The day was overcast and rainy, forcing a reschedule of my birthday ride, but the outpouring of birthday wishes and surprises made it pretty awesome.

I called my Dad, as I normally do on Sundays, and one of the first things he said (after Happy Birthday) was, “Life begins at 40″.  Kind of odd coming from my Dad, it just wasn’t the kind of thing I expected to hear from him, but pretty cool, nonetheless.  I was glad to hear a positive outlook on growing older, especially since it typically comes with not so great benefits.  We had a great conversation, and he mentioned it again before we hung up.

Life begins at 40.

What an awesome statement.  But, it also occurred to me, that, life really begins whenever you decide it does.  Get out and live it.   We’re here for a good time, not a long time, as they say.

Another friend posted on my Facebook wall, “The best is yet to come”. Indeed it is.

.

]]> http://www.kathleenhowell.com/general/life-begins-at-40/feed/ 2 http://www.kathleenhowell.com/photography/a-wildflower-timelapse-the-beginning/ http://www.kathleenhowell.com/photography/a-wildflower-timelapse-the-beginning/#comments Tue, 26 Mar 2013 01:20:54 +0000 Kathleen http://www.kathleenhowell.com/?p=1630 Continue reading →]]> Several years ago I had the brilliant idea of filling a section of my backyard from the patio to the garage with pond pebbles.  The area had already been defined when I bought the house, bare except for some sparse red mulch and sad looking stepping stones.

So, countless bags of pebbles later, I had a rather large rock garden with a winding red brick path connecting the patio and garage.  Then the “helicopters” fell from the very large silver maples in my backyard, littering my beloved new space.  I discovered how impossible it was to keep it clear – not even a leaf blower worked well – and soon I was constantly “weeding” my rock garden, pulling maple saplings as the “helicopters” took root.

Last fall the rocks were scooped up and grass seed planted.  I was done.   My husband suggested a wildflower garden in its place, and I loved the idea, but I’d tried wildflowers before, and every attempt, at best, looked like an abandoned field.

So, shopping at Lowe’s, we found a wildflower seed mix that will supposedly attract butterflies and hummingbirds.  Walking to the checkout, it occurred to me that this would be a very cool time lapse photo project.  I started to mention it, and Bill finished my sentence.  Heheh. How exciting it will be to capture photos each week and watch it grow, not to mention, hopefully being able to hide out in the grass on a summer day and zoom in on butterflies and hummingbirds.  If I wasn’t excited for Spring before, I totally am now.

So.  Here is the beginning.  I’ll continue to share as it evolves.  It should be successful as my black thumb and I had nothing to do with the planting.  :-)

Twice today I was reminded that on this day, last year, our temps were in the 80s.  Yet the forecast shows no real warm up in sight. I long for warmer days to get out and shoot, and I’m seeing the need for having “rainy day” work to do – plenty of things to keep busy with inside while the snow flies and the arctic wind causes my house to creak on its foundation.

Tomorrow I’ll shift gears and focus on my microstock portfolio, rather than bundle up, fingers numb within minutes.  Yes.  Warm studio with a cup of coffee and my camera gear.

And my space heater by my side.

Ridden to Sturgis, South Dakota?  Planning on going?   I wanted to share this story for several reasons, one because it’s February 2013 and our Sturgis countdown is underway. Not a day will pass for the next six months that we won’t dream about our annual road trip. Secondly, because so many people talk about riding to Sturgis like it’s a faraway dream, a near impossible bucket list item that maybe, hopefully, they will have the chance to do someday.  Some are amazed at the distance we cover in two days, 675 miles the first and 650 the next. The 2013 Sturgis Rally will be my eighth visit, and the fifth year that I’ve ridden my own bike.  Pick a year and just go.  The experience is one you’ll never forget and you’ll likely go back every chance you get.  We’ve been fortunate to be able to take two weeks in recent years past, rather than one, and it’s the epitome of our year. There is so much to see, you won’t do it all in one trip. Another reason you’ll return.

In our case, the trip is about 1300 miles each way.  It sounds far, but keep in mind that your ride will be sectioned into stretches as far as your gas tank will get you, in our case, approximately 200 miles.  It goes quick, and next thing you know, you’re stopping again to gas up, eat, use the facilities, all opportunities to stretch your legs. The ride out is nice because as you move from Eastern to Central, to eventually the Mountain time zone, you gain time.  From I-94 east out of Metro Detroit, we pick up 80/90 outside Chicago, and eventually I-80 across Iowa. Our halfway mark is Walnut, Iowa, at the far west end of the state.  We stay at the same hotel, and last year I was lucky enough to scoop up the last copy of Thunder Roads Iowa from a local bar next door!  Hehehe.  Tired, sore, sunburned, and beyond excited, our trip continues to 29 north into South Dakota and eventually I-90, a long, windy last leg of our trip.  Crossing the Missouri River in Chamberlain is when we really feel like we’re getting close, the landscape changes from flat fields and prairie to vast, sculpted hills and buttes.  The wind can be fierce, with nothing out there to block it, and there are also few overpasses to find shelter from the rain.   We stay in Spearfish, South Dakota, Exit 14 off I-90, and our excitement builds as we click down the miles.

The trip is affordable because we camp, and carry everything on our bikes.  If you can’t carry much, UPS will be your best friend.  Many accommodations during rally week will receive and possibly ship back your boxes of gear.  (Keep the important stuff with you though!)  Everything we need fits fine on our two tour bikes; tent, tarps, air mattress, clothes.  We take enough clothes for one week and do laundry at the campground halfway through, (minus a few shirts, to make room for Rally wear!).  We’re okay with camping, we’ve got all we need with the amenities offered by the campground (showers, beer, ice, laundry) in addition to all the restaurants and gas stations right outside the park.  Two weeks of rustic camping is about the price of one night in a hotel during rally week.  Another reason I’m perfectly fine with my tent.

Unlike probably most riders, we really don’t go to Sturgis for the party.  Not that we don’t enjoy a good biker event, but the riding country out here is INCREDIBLE.  We come here to spend every minute we can exploring the gorgeous scenery of the Black Hills, Wyoming and Montana, and being in that indescribable Zen moment that every real rider knows, as the wind blows back your hair and the sun bakes your skin. (You’re smiling, aren’t you?)  Yes, it’s pretty cool to ride down Main St. in Sturgis in the sunshine surrounded by thousands of bikes. It’s exhilarating to be in the middle of the mother of all biker parties with girls in bikinis and the burnout pits, enjoying a cold one.  But our souls are led elsewhere.  The Badlands, Spearfish Canyon, Custer State Park, even just the open highway where the Black Hills line the horizon for miles and the landscape is so massive that you feel like a flea on an elephant’s ass.  This is why we come.

If you can swing it, go.  Months turn into years and we’re not getting younger. Who knows what next year holds.   Hope to see you in August!

And it paid off!  Bill found a set of exhaust tips for about 10% of what they cost new.  And I found a new pair of riding sunglasses from Ridin’ Shades, a new client!  The crowds grew as people buying tickets filtered into the room, and within the hour, we were done and on our way back out into the sunshine.  We spent the afternoon in the garage, installing his exhaust tips and also my new luggage rack.  With both bikes fired up and the exhaust fan running, our thoughts turned to the upcoming riding season and it’s all we’ve thought about.

Speaking of early birds, we are ready this season.  Bill had some much needed work done on his bike and it’s running like a dream.  He installed my new gas tank and now my luggage rack, an early birthday present.  We’ll be ready to go on that first warm spring day!

Today I followed the advice of a friend after several days of turmoil and soul searching, and did what I knew I needed, what always cures what’s bothering me: I took off with my camera and spent some time outside, on a sunny Saturday in early February.

The sun was bright and cast interesting shadows on the grounds of Newburgh Pointe, where I ended up. There were several ice shanties on Newburgh Lake, a father and son fishing from one of them.  I was on the other side of the peninsula where I was shooting cattails, from across the way, I heard him say: “You did it!  You got your first bluegill, buddy!”

I smiled.  I didn’t know them and wasn’t anywhere near them, but it was cool to witness a child’s first caught fish.  My mind went back to the summer I was about 8, fishing with my Dad on Lake Erie.  After sitting for a while in the hot sun, I felt a distinct tug on my line, and began reeling in as he had shown me.  Reeling, pulling, reeling, pulling, reeling, pulling, SMACK!  My last pull resulted in slamming my poor fish against the side of our aluminum boat.  (Only me!) I still remember my Dad’s response: “Well, he’ll have a headache for a while..”   My first fish.  I can’t remember what kind, but I remember he was about four inches long, and we threw him back.

I got out into the sunshine today, captured a collection of photos to work with, and got to overhear the joy in a father/son moment.  The little things, special moments, even if they are not yours. It was just what I needed.

]]> http://www.kathleenhowell.com/photography/his-first-bluegill/feed/ 0 http://www.kathleenhowell.com/general/will-you-regret-it/ http://www.kathleenhowell.com/general/will-you-regret-it/#comments Sun, 27 Jan 2013 23:11:17 +0000 Kathleen http://www.kathleenhowell.com/?p=1586 Continue reading →]]> Several months ago, after a day of shooting, I stopped at Kohl’s on my way home to look for a new camera bag.  Yes, Kohl’s. I had just ordered a rectangular shaped padded foam case to hold my camera and lenses, which allowed me more flexibility in the type of bag I carried my equipment in.

Checking out their large selection of bags, armed with $20 in Kohl’s cash and a 30% off coupon, I overheard a lady shopping with her elderly mom.  Her mom was looking at a particular bag, but couldn’t decide. Her daughter then said, “If you don’t buy it, will you regret it?”

We make choices every day.  We consider the pros and cons, we debate whether to wait to see if a particular item goes on sale, just how much use will we get out of a certain item versus the cost, etc., etc.  But I couldn’t remember ever asking myself if I’d regret not buying something. Something in the way she worded that statement made me think. The words she chose made the question sound more serious than the purchase of a bag.

Regret is on my list of things to avoid, right up there at the top next to jury duty.  It’s a scary, sad sounding word, something no one wants to experience. We do our best to make the right choices, but we still find that hindsight is always 20/20.  I’ve realized through the years, though, that regret itself is also a choice.  We can choose to blame ourselves for bad choices and regret the outcome, or chalk it up to experience and move on.

What will you choose?

Not that we’ve had much of a winter. Mild temps and rain melted what snow we had, revealing dead grass and leaves that I failed to clean up from last fall.   Cabin fever is setting in but luckily I have a never ending list of indoor projects to keep me busy.  As if photography and social media were not enough, along with my full time job, I’ve just signed up for a Technical Writing class. Being a documentation freak and a grammar nazi, I thought it made sense to further explore this area.  I love to write, and I enjoy the challenge of making something interesting out of the mundane (or at least trying to!) and also creating a story in which the reader feels they are right there with me.  I start next Thursday and I’m excited to get going!

I got out this past week to the MSU Tollgate Farm, not far from my work.  It’s a nice little escape back to nature, especially in the summer.  Since I’ve filled my head with everything but photography lately, it felt great to get out and spend some time with my camera.  The draft horses were out in the pasture and it was snowing.  I was able to zoom in on the guy further out in the pasture and catch some snowflakes against his dark hair.

The one closer to me, however, didn’t want his photo taken and kept moving as I made my way along the fence.   I zoomed in on him, and focused just in time to see him lift his tail and, well, you know.   I still think he did it on purpose.

The wind had picked up and I was already freezing but it was nice to get out for a while.  I’m working on a few other images I’d taken earlier in the week that I’ll have available soon in my store.  With the weather forecast taking a dive next week, I look forward to spending some time in my studio.

I feel like hibernating, worse this year than ever, but I’m fighting it. What do you do to stay active during the winter, and pass the time until spring?

Monday, July 29^th, 2013
Custer Park / Horseback Riding
Custer State Park, where Dances with Wolves was filmed. There is a horseback riding stable in Custer Park near the Blue Bell Lodge where we were married in 2010.

Tuesday, July 30^th, 2013
Buffalo / Stonehouse Saloon
Buffalo, home to our beloved 80 parcel of prairie.  We visit it ever year just to walk the grasses and scoop up a handful of earth and rocks.  Our rocks.  Stonehouse Saloon is a favorite stop of ours on the way.

Wednesday, July 31^st, 2013
Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
We didn’t make it last year and it’s for sure on the agenda this year.

Thursday, August 1^st, 2013
Whatever – Left a day open to explore or just stretch out on a picnic table on a breezy South Dakota summer afternoon.

Friday, August 2^nd, 2013 – Saturday, August 3^rd, 2013
Reva – Overnight trip
Gorgeous roadside park we found.  Rustic campsites.  Can’t wait to shoot star trails.  I hope we get a chance to see the northern lights again.

Sunday, August 4^th, 2013
Full Throttle Saloon / Bear Butte / Sturgis
Have to go see Emmett.  And explore Bear Butte Park and it’s history.  Bear Butte can be seen for miles and is another sight that tugs at my heart.  And though we may not spend a ton of time in the heart of the rally, a ride down Main St. is always fun.

Monday, August 5^th, 2013
Badlands / Wall / Wounded Knee / Pine Ridge / Red Cloud School
Gotta visit the Badlands every year, and a stop in Wall is a tradition.  Wounded Knee Memorial was on our list last year and will definitely go see this trip.

Tuesday, August 6^th, 2013 – Wednesday, August 7^th, 2013
Evel Knievel’s Grave – Butte, MT
Overnight trip out to Butte, Montana to visit Evel’s grave.

Thursday, August 8^th, 2013
Oahe Dam – Pierre, SD
Another site we found intriguing that is also shown in the DVD, Soaring South Dakota.

Friday, August 9^th, 2013
Leave for Michigan.  

Not just road trips, although I’d love to hear about those too!   What I mean is where will 2013 take you, or better yet, where will you take IT?   Years ago, I worked for a direct selling company, and every year there was a National Conference annual meeting that was held, filled with fun, surprises, training, and the new product line. The location was always kept a surprise until the beginning of the year.  At one of our regional meetings, the esteemed leader of our group, our Sr. Regional VP, who was insanely successful and made an even more insane amount of money, asked the audience, “Can anyone tell me how to get to National Conference?”  Because the location had not yet been announced, the answer throughout the crowd was, “We don’t know where it is..”

“Exactly”, she replied.  “How do you know how to get there if you don’t know where you’re going?”

She proceeded to talk about setting goals, defining where we wanted our business to take us. Perhaps by now you’ve heard this phrase many times over, but on that day, almost 20 years and half my life ago, it hit me like a ton of bricks.  Of course.  It made so much sense.  Unfortunately, years would pass and I floated through life not only not knowing where I was going and how to get there, but not even knowing where I wanted to go.  Luckily, I found my way, and have also since then found many other passions that I can’t wait to focus my time and energy on.

Driving home from work on New Year’s Eve (yep, had to work but we were released early) it came to me, and this year, I started a new tradition.  New Year’s Day will from now on be spent deciding, clarifying and illustrating where I will take the upcoming year.  The whole day, if it takes that long. There is a great book called The 5 Book, recommended to me by a dear, longtime friend, Liysa Callsen.  It’s a great tool, and there are also many other resources online.  So I spent today outlining each area of life, family, relationships, career, education, health, etc., and wrote goals for one, five and ten years out.   This will be a work in process, obviously, as life happens, and new situations and options arise.  But it will be fun to watch how it all unfolds and progresses.

How about you?  Do you set goals every year?    What are your year end or new year traditions?