Tag Archives: Photography

365 Day Photo Challenge 148/365 “Feeling Old”

30 Saturday May 2015

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I did another shoot with the Achievers League today.  It was hot but the occasional breeze gave us some relief. We had somewhat of a different crowd this week.  Some showed up that had other plans last week while others stayed home because of other plans that came up at the last minute.  Regardless, everyone had a wonderful time.

The gentleman pictured here is with his daughter.  I’m not sure what her disability is but it was obvious that she needed help and her dad was more than happy to oblige.  He showed her how to hold the bat as I’m sure he did a hundred other times she went up to bat. She took a couple of swings as the ball went past her before she finally nailed it and the ball flew over the third base line.  “Fair Ball” the announcer said as she and her dad took off running the plates.  I wished everyone felt as good as she did as she made it to home plate.  The look on her face was priceless.

As she made her way to home plate from third, I had a flashback when I could remember watching her dad run the plates in high school.  He and I went to the same school from the 7th to the 12th.  I would never have guessed that he would have had kids especially one with disabilities.  Same with me.  I would have never guessed that I would be married for 23 years and have one kid in college and two that will be seniors next year in high school.  Made me feel real old.

My wife and I took my girls to a nearby state park after the ball game and I took some senior pictures of my girls.  It was an emotional day seeing them wear my son’s cap and gown for the pictures.  Where has the time gone?  It doesn’t feel like they should be this old.  Again, I feel old.

365 Day Photo Challenge 146/365 “Flooding in the Ham”

28 Thursday May 2015

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Another rainy day in Birmingham today. Had several areas in town had a little problem with flooding.  Nothing like out in Texas though. With all this rain today that meant that I didn’t get to ride any.  Oh well, there’s always tomorrow.

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My twin daughters will be going into the 12th grade next year and they had their pictures done yesterday.  My wife was able to take them to their session.  There were several other seniors there at the same time along with their mom’s.  The wife told me last night that most of the other mom’s couldn’t handle the thought of their kids graduating and broke down and sobbed like babies.  My girls were glad that their mom held it together.  I for one am not looking forward to them being seniors but I’ve accepted the fact that there is nothing I can do about it.  They’re growing up on me.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 145/365 “Weather Day”

27 Wednesday May 2015

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On a normal afternoon during this time I would be on my bike getting some mileage in.  Unfortunately this is what is happening as I write.  I’ve ridden twice in the rain and both times it didn’t end well.  The first time I wrecked, popped my front tire and scraped the skin off my left arm and my right knee.  The second time was a little worse when I bent the rear rim, busted both tubes and spent several in the ER checking doing some xrays.  As you may have guessed I”m a little concerned when it comes to me riding in the rain.  My problem was going too fast in a turn and I got too close to the edge of the road while going down hill and over corrected.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll be able to get some saddle time in.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 142/365 “A Different Sort of Memorial Day”

24 Sunday May 2015

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I woke up to the sound of the bathroom door closing and my daughters inside getting ready for work.  Normally I try to sleep in on the weekends but the last two mornings I’ve gotten up to the sound of my girls taking showers and doing their hair.  This has been so tough on me because my baby girls are growing up on me.  What made is so bad today is that my wife had found some pictures of them yesterday when they were about four or five playing with our then kittens.

I have never been diagnosed with depression but I know I have it at times.  Today was one of those days.  I didn’t ride my bike, too windy was my excuse.  I spent the day on my computer looking at pictures of my kids when they were little.  Not really feeling sorry for myself but then again maybe.  When my girls are at home we don’t spend much time with each other because our interests are so different.  They stay in their room watching tv and I stay in the den either on my laptop or watching tv or both.

The girls are seventeen and are both working at a local water park.  I am not ready for them to be working but I’m proud of them that they want to work and earn money to spend as they wish.  My girls are smart and make great grades in school and have never given us any cause to worry.  Neither one date which is fine by me because some of the boys they hang around with would not be my first pick for a boyfriend.

As a parent I worry about each of my kids.  My son is going back to school tomorrow and I won’t see him for several months.  But I worry about them each time they get behind the wheel.  My girls are not that experienced behind the wheel and I just worry that each time they leave the house it may be the last time I see them alive.

I’m reminded of yesterday while at the ballpark all those kids that are dependant on their parents to do everything for them.  My kids are independant and I’m proud for that but I’m also reminded that it wasn’t that long ago when they did depend on us to everything for them.  I sometimes miss that.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 141/365 “Achievers League”

23 Saturday May 2015

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_1TH4748I stood between home plate and 1st base.  I watched kids step up to the plate, most of which needed help of some sort.  Some were in wheelchairs, some had walkers while others needed no help at all.  Regardless of their abilities, all made a home run and you should have seen their faces once they hit that ball.  It was funny watching these kids
“run the bases”.  Nearly all kids ran to first but second and third would always seem to be missed but they always found their way to home plate and managed to “jump” to score.

There were no outs and no scoring involved.  Although I did hear the announcer say that the blue team scored 732 points during their time at bat. “Could the green team have a come back and win the game?”  All team members had a chance to hit the ball then it was the other teams turn at bat.

Each player had a specific song that was played as the child’s name was announced.  It made the kids feel important.  Some gave high fives and waved to the crowd as they stepped up to the plate.  A couple even danced a jig when they made it back to home plate after their home run.

Only two innings were played but in the faces of all these kids it might as well been twelve innings.  These kids didn’t care, they got to play baseball, they got to hit the ball, they got to run the bases and they got their names called out over the intercom system along with their favorite song. There were no parents fighting with the umpires or among themselves.  Both sides cheered for all the kids not just for their own.  For about an hour we lived in a perfect world, at least in these kids eyes.

For now this is the only picture I’ll post.  I’ll have to get permission to post the link to where the rest are located.

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 140/365 “Here Today Gone Tomorrow”

22 Friday May 2015

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My cycling route takes me through mostly subdivisions just so that I will stay off the busy streets in our city.  My route does take me on two of the most busiest streets that we have but I’m only on there for maybe a mile or two.  Just enough to get some motorists mad for having to wait until I get up the hill.

As I’ve stated before, our city was hit by a massive EF4 tornado back in 2011.  Only one quarter of our city’s homes were rebuilt.  Most packed up what ever was left and walked away and never looked back. There are some houses that still remain that were severely damaged that for whatever the reason were never torn down nor rebuilt, just boarded up and left to rot.  The above picture was just one of those houses.  I past there yesterday evening and noticed that this house was all boarded up and no one had lived there for a least a couple of years.  Today, well, you can tell what happen to it. I don’t want to lay blame here but I have a feeling that this was a case of arson.  With no power to the house an electrical fire would seem to be out of the question.  We had no storms last night so we can rule out a lightning strike.  We’ve had a few cases where the homeowners had issues with their insurance companies and a accidental fire would be the only way out.

Have a good weekend everyone!!

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 138/365 “Ride of Silence”

20 Wednesday May 2015

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I had the opportunity to ride in the Ride of Silence ride tonight.  This was the third year that I’ve ridden in this ride and to me it’s quite an honor.  We ride in silence in remembrance of those that have been seriously injured or have been killed while riding within the past year.  The ride is less than ten miles and is a fairly easy ride.  Tonight was estimated in having over 100 cyclist riding in the ride.

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Don’t for get to donate if you can to help me raise $1000 by the end of June.  Follow the link to donate.  Thank you.

https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/TimHughes

365 Day Photo Challenge 137/365 “Please Help Find a Cure for Kids’ Cancer”

19 Tuesday May 2015

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I’ve signed up to ride in the 2015 Great Cycle Challenge this June. My goals are to ride 500 miles in the month of June to help raise money to fight Kids Cancer. I also have a goal to raise $1000.00 between now and the end of June. Both goals will be a challenge but I honestly think that they are achievable. If you would like to donate please follow the link.

I am fortunate to have kids who were born healthy and cancer free. I can’t imagine what a parent goes through hearing the words that their son or daughter has cancer. Great advances have been made in the medical field to help those with cancer, I know, I’m one of those patients. However, there are some types of cancer that they are still still learning about. I’m hoping and praying that with these funds a cure will be found.

365 Day Photo Challenge 136/365 “Good Friends”

18 Monday May 2015

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Meet Tom Johnson, he’s the one waving at me.  He’s an avid cyclist who has put many miles on his bike.  Last year he went to Puerto Rico: 339 miles in 23:10 over 3 days.  I can only hope to do what he’s doing.  He did 65 miles during the ride this Sunday.  My next big ride will be the Tri States ride in Dothan, Alabama.  I’ll be riding the 41 mile loop.  This ride will be in June so it might be a little warm.

Thanks for following me

“Life Goes On!”

365 Day Photo Challenge 135/365 “Cheaha Challenge”

17 Sunday May 2015

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I had the opportunity to work the Cheaha Challenge today.  It started off wet but as the afternoon approached the rain soon went away.  But with the roads being wet and a new layer of asphalt it made for a very dangerous morning.  1000 bikes were anticipated but only about 700 showed up due to the rain.  Only one accident was reported and they young lady took a spill and dislocated her shoulder and had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital.  No word on her condition.

We were fortunate to have with us at our rest stop a young journalist from The Anniston Star, a small but widely known newspaper/newsite. Five interns tweeted their coverage for most of the day.  My partner and I were interviewed about our part of the ride and had our picture taken for the article that is to be written for later on this week.

It was a long day being that I had to get up at 4am this morning to be at my station by 7am.  I have one more week to work then I have a three day weekend coming up.  I’m so ready for an extra day off from work.

BTW, the Cheaha Challenge was broken down into several rides including a 24, 44. 64, 103 and a 129 mile ride and is thought to be the toughest organized ride in the state of Alabama.  For all you cyclist that follow me, you should seriously consider coming down here and riding it.  We has someone come as far away as Miami Florida to ride this ride today.  Are you up for the challenge.  I’m not.