They were my Friends

Sherwood (Moon) Mullen

Moon posed for this portrait March 5, 2011.  At that  time his cancer was in remission, he had lost more than 100 pounds, but he said he was feeling better than ever.  He liked to talk and was very proud of his service as a police officer and his career with the railroad.  

He told me the most interesting things he had done were jumping out of airplanes and working narcotics with the Detroit Police Department.  The one thing he would most like to do again was take one more jump with the C-47 club.

Moon died January 14, 2012

Gary Larson

Gary posed for me the same afternoon Moon did.

He was suffering with chronic back pain and thought it  was a spinal alignment problem.  In January, this winter, he was informed that the problem was cancer. 

Gary served with the U.S. Army's occupational forces in China and Korea.  He told me the most dangerous thing he ever did was serving with the U.S. Army in Korea where he was a weapons and supply specialist.

The most exciting thing he ever did was to take flying lessons, although he never completed the training.  The thing he would most like to have accomplished was shooting par golf.

Gary and his wife Joanne served as King and Queen at the Sleepy Valley RV Resort for the 2009 season.

Gary died February 12, 2012

This magnificent horse was dancing at the staging ground for the Citrus Parade in Mission, TX this afternoon, January 28, 2012.  It seems a shame that such fierce, proud, beautiful animal is enslaved in a bridle and forced to perform unnatural acts, such as dancing to a marching band.  On the other hand, I am too far removed from horsemanship to truly know the nature of the beasts.

Christmas in Mexico.  A bartender at the Old Town Restaurant in Nuevo Progreso, coming to terms with the concept of a Martini that has no Vermouth and no ice.  He learned to make a very dirty Absolute martini with 5 huge olives.  It was delicioso.

Boned out Virago wasting away down in Old Mexico.

Johnny Comes Marching Home

Autumn's End

A Maple leaf on a rain covered asphalt parking lot in northern Illinois.  A gray, dreary day near the end of October when nearly all the colorful leaves have fallen; the ground is wet and muddy.  It's cold outside - what am I doing here?

Once upon a time it was very modern.  Everybody had to have one - or four.

Water Lily

Would Monet approve?

Summer Meadow

Daisies

Daisies in an overgrown field, overcast day, where you might not think to look for a beautiful photo op.