A post on this blog usually includes a picture every few sentences, perhaps because I feel I can tell a story better with graphic, rather than verbal imagery.  But it seems that my camera has up and left me, taking a much deserved vacation (along with Retta, of course).

 If I had my camera you would probably see a photo narrative about the most recent fire that threatened the area for three days.  Eventually, the Arkansas Department of Forestry extinguished the blaze, in the same efficient manner that they always do, but not before the fire caused some concern for myself and a good neighbor of ours. Thanks, ADF.

If I had my camera you would probably see what it looks like when a front suspension A-arm assembly on a utility vehicle snaps in two, and what it takes to remove the part in order to transport it to the local welding shop.  Perhaps you would also see the blue streak that emanated from my lips when I discovered that disassembling the suspension required a specialty tool that my tool chest lacked.  A sixty mile round trip into town solved that problem, which allowed me to extract the recalcitrant part.  Another sixty mile round trip back into town, and the broken part was now in the hands of a competent welder.  Tomorrow, another sixty mile round trip into town to pick up the part from the welding shop, and I can then put the utility vehicle back together.

If I had my camera you would probably see pictures of what a heat pump looks like when it malfunctions, causing the equipment to freeze up into a solid block of ice.  And what the basement utility room floor looks like when said block of ice melts!

If I had my camera you would probably see pictures of the lawn surrounding the house, which now looks more like a jungle than a lawn, due to the fact that a spindle assembly on my trusty lawn mower chose to commit hare kari the other day.  This will entail another sixty mile round trip into town.

But best of all, if I had my camera you probably would have seen pictures of the beautiful way in which early spring is expressing itself here in the heart of the Ozarks.  It is truly a joy to behold, but you will just have to take my word for it, as my camera has gone on vacation.

I guess it’s finally time for Retta and I to become a two camera family, so I had better start doing some serious research to find just the right camera to buy.  Easy to use, pocket sized, quick focusing, 6 mega pixel (or greater) resolution, and superior macro capabilities are called for - any suggestions out there?