52Photos :: shadow

my 52Photos capture

I've been somewhat of a wimp this Winter season and haven't wanted to venture outside much as I just can't seem to stay warm. If I exercised a bit, this might help my circulation and the feeling of always being cold, but I don't and that's my own fault.

The cold hasn't stopped the girls from wanting to go outside and on this particular day, I conned Zach into heading out with his sisters. It wasn't too hard to convince him, as they started off with Zachi helping Isabella with her basketball skills. By this time, Victoria had moved on to bike helmets and bikes and tricycles and such which led Isabella to her bike helmet and bicycle.

During all thi,s Cocoa, the cutest little Puppy that Santa's "helper" asked us to bring home for him a few days before Christmas, was terrorizing all attempts at basketball, walking in general and certainly bike-riding. 

I looked out the kitchen window and saw this scenario and felt that this unposed, technically imperfect, poorly composed photograph of the uncutest part of our whole property {see that telephone pole, power line? hate it...but Gordon reminds me that underground utilities were not an option when Mamaw and Papaw built our house and that I should be lucky to even have electricity. hmph.} And it happens to be about the most perfect description of shadow I could ever have hoped for. It's our life.

Duke, the border collie, is the herder of his family. Caring for {and snuggling with} the four cats that look to him for protection from Cocoa, the two girls who once tried to ride him, the boy that was once a boy but is now a man and still loves throwing the ball for him. He follows each and every one of them around, making sure they are okay...he is their shadow.

Cocoa, the chocolate lab, is the chewingest rascal of the bunch. She does not stay in one place too long, but  certainly has her little nose into everything as she checks out all the new things she has yet to discover...she is their shadow.

Zach, the tallest rascal of the bunch. He'll always be a boy to me, because that's the way I want to remember him. He is not a shadow as much as he is shadowed...by his loyal dog, Duke, and by his loving, adoring sisters.

Isabella, the oldest daughter and middle child, is the most leader-like rascal of the bunch. She likes to be in charge and take charge, easily telling the dogs, her brother and her sister just how it needs to be done. She shadows her brother somewhat, but prefers to be shadowed, just to show who's boss.

Victoria, the youngest daughter and last baby, is the most rascaliest rascal of the bunch. She loves running around after the dogs, the cats, the brother and the sister, thinking that it's the best thing in the whole wide world. She brings sunshine to all those around her and doesn't stay still long enough to cast a shadow!

A long story for you to have to mull through, but a great story for me to have journaled. Oh, and by the way, we have a cat named Rascal, so for me, I was chuckling each time I wrote rascal. Sorry, a girl's gotta have a little fun.

next week's theme

letter

the wrap-up

We're up to 102 52Photos Flickr group members! You may have noticed the new procedure for uploading photos...they are being reviewed by Lisa so that we assure all photos in our group are applicable to the week's theme. It seems that we had quite a few contributors that were part of other Flickr 52 photos groups and just added their photos to our group whether it fit our theme or not. So, more work for Lisa, but a better control over what gets posted to the group.

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