105/366 - "In The Clouds"

(F/11, 17mm, 1/160 sec, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mk II)

On the trip to and from Arizona I took several photos out of the airplane.  This is from our return trip to Pittsburgh and I believe it is somewhere over New Mexico.

74/366 - "High In The Sky"

(F/4, 105mm, 1/2000 sec, ISO 200, Canon 5D Mk II)

Today the sky was clear as can be.  So much so that airplanes and their trails littered the sky.

21/366 - "Poppy"

(F/8, 100mm, 1/250 sec, ISO 100, Canon 7D)

I  received a call last night from mom letting me know that grandpa 'Poppy' passed away, he was 94.  Besides the legacy of his family that he leaves behind (too many to name) and his incredibly long list of accomplishments, he leaves me with an enormous amount of memories.  This morning I have been looking around the house for common place things that remind me of him or a memory we shared.  I could only find a few.  His life was much more impressive than the items I found.  He is an inspiration to me on a personal and professional level.

Grandpa was an author and publisher, and his book that he published is the base of this picture.  I remember playing in his home office in Houston.  He was always impressed by the latest technology of the day.  During that time it was his new computer that was replacing the electric typewriter, I think it was a Commodore.  The airplane represents his travels for work and liesure.  He was a world traveler and I always enjoyed hearing about the trips to Australia, Saudi Arabia, and the Far East.  Grandpa loved his wine and always had a glass with dinner.  I am sure we will be drinking some wine as we gather together over the next several days.  The last item that I found was the golf ball which is especially dear to me.  He decided to learn how to golf later in life, and in true grandpa fashion he did it by reading a book.  Yes, a book.  We started playing golf together when I was about 13 years old on vacations or when we visited Houston.  Even as my game improved I could never beat him.

These are just a handful common everyday objects that represent many extraordinary memories.