Taking Good Pictures

I'm starting to write a series with a photographer. It's also summer, when many of us take more pictures. So, today I thought I'd share some photo tips.

In the evening on the beach, we often see people taking family photos. The sun is gentle, and there is less squinting.

If you take pictures on your iPhone and want to balance your shot go to settings. Choose Camera and switch the Grid on. Then when you take your next picture, you can line it up with the grid before snapping.

This turns into this.

My kids taught me the next tip. But be sure you tap the screen of your smartphone before taking the picture. It'll help focus on your subject and improve lighting.



The last tip also comes from my kids. DON'T zoom in. It's better to get closer to your subject. Zooming can make your picture look blurry or grainy.

Whether you travel or stay home this summer, I hope you have a great time!

Caring for Military Families, Part Two

Rosalyn Carter once said, "There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers."

Caregivers need to allow themselves to take a break, or to accept help from others. Caregivers can get so absorbed in the person they are helping, they can lose their sense of self.

The days of summer are here, and the days are getting longer. Is there a caregiver you can offer to step in for and allow the person to enjoy a afternoon outside or an evening stroll?

Here are a few other tips we might try to help caregivers...

Listen. That's it. Spend time and listen to them.

Don't exclude the caregiver because they often decline your invitation.

Offer to run errands for the caregiver. Shop for groceries, take the pet to the vet, wash their car, or if they have children offer to take them to sports events or music lessons. Or just take their kids for a fun experience.

I'd love to hear other suggestions on how we can help military caregivers. Thanks for sharing!

Tom Hanks Tribute- Elizabeth Dole Foundation

This video pretty much says it all. Take a minute and watch. Thanks!

Caring for Military Families, Part One

When Bob Dole was in Walter Reed Medical Center for treatment and released in 2012, Senator Elizabeth Dole founded the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

During the hours and days Senator Dole spent at the medical center with her husband, she came to know many of our wounded warriors and their families. This led her to start the foundation to lift up the caregivers and family members of the wounded warriors. Part of her mission is to raise awareness.

Today's post is dedicated to raising awareness for the caregivers and their families.

I discovered just because a veteran looks like he or she is coping with life, there may be pain they are hiding. It's not always obvious the internal and external pain our veterans and their caretakers deal with every day.

In the U.S. there are more than 5.5 million caregivers. In a recent interview on TV, some were asked what they needed most. I heard over and over they needed time off. They love their spouse (or whatever family member they are caring for), but they need some time away.
Is this something we can do? Can we offer to stay with the veteran while the caregiver goes to a movie? Takes a weekend away?

Maybe we can cook a meal for these families, buy a tank of gas, or take them for ice cream.

Some of the caregivers feel isolated. That's one good thing about the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. They connect caregivers with others. They provide support on many different levels.

In South Carolina, there are only 49 caregivers signed up with the foundation. There are five Hidden Hero Cities:

Charleston, South Carolina

Columbia, South Carolina

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

North Charleston, South Carolina

Sumter, South Carolina

These statistics tell me we need to help spread the word to caregivers. You are not alone. We are here to help, and many of us are ready to stand by you and offer support.

Check back for part two of Caring for Military Families.

A New Path

People are flocking to the beaches in South Carolina. It's getting to be a challenge to find parking places, but we found an out-of-the-way parking area the other night. It didn't look like other beach access points, so I even went to read the signs to verify it was legit.

Once we were satisfied, we found a path to the beach. It was a sandy path. No boardwalks or anything. Just sand.

We were making our way to the ocean, when I spotted a flag.




The more I explore beaches, the more aware I am of beach erosion. We could see walkways covered with sand by new sand dunes. Once you have a dune, you're not supposed to walk on it.

In this picture you can see the walkway from a home that is covered with sand.











These pictures are of the walkway on the other side of the new sand dune.

I haven't lived here long enough to know if the entire dune will one day shift and the covered walkway will be usable again.



Here is a close-up picture of the flag once we got closer to it.





I hope you all have an amazing week!

Flag of the Week

If you've ever seen an episode of Fixer Upper, you've probably seen this flag. I remember the first time I saw the Alico building.

Artemas R. Roberts helped finance the building of the Alico building, and construction began in 1910. It's located on the corner of Austin Avenue and Fifth Street and was the first skyscraper built in Texas. It remained the tallest building until 1922, but it's still the tallest in Waco. In my research I read that for entertainment, people in Waco would watch the construction of the building. I'm sure it was an amazing adventure.

Flag of the Week is Back

We survived our move, and I'm back to writing. I decided with summer upon us, it's time to return to Flag of the Week. I'm starting with Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

Pawleys Island is a barrier island. One side greets the Atlantic Ocean, and Pawleys Creek is on the other side. On the other side of the marsh is still Pawleys Island, but it's not an actual island. Many of the homes on the actual island date back to the 18th century when families visited to get relief from the heat.

We've taken many walks on the island and plan to take many more in the years to come. On a recent stroll, I spotted this flag.