March 21, 2025 – Blue Spaces and the wonderful opportunities being grasped by my Kids and Grandkids.

In the upper left corner is an image of an “in process”  piece of abstract art that Gloria allowed me to use as a base for the following image I made depicting some of my life’s Blue Spaces – THANK YOU Gloria!

I added 10 images from my life’s Blue Space scenes & activities.

A STORY FROM MY LIFE OF  BLUE SPACES:

My Kids and Grandkids are brightening my dreams.  The Kids, looking to retirement, are moving to new homes. The Grandkids, becoming independent, are selecting new  apartments and college dorms. All their moves are in exciting new environments. 

That prompted me to think about the first move I made when I was 19 years old. I left the isolation of the Brethren homestead farm on the ridge which had open views of 30 miles across the next valley. But, I also wanted water views and the creek on the homestead did not offer that. It was only 2 feet wide and 3 inches deep as it started its journey to the ocean.

For the next 70 years, living near open spaces and water, was programmed into my brain.  I lived on two islands, had an offices overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, had an office overlooking the harbor in Copenhagen, had an office and home overlooking the Texas Hill Country, raised a family high on a hill in a suburb of New York City, and returned to live on the Brethren homestead in Pennsylvania for two years. In addition to that I spent 70 years vacationing on Caribbean Islands, Newfoundland Island, Alpine and Rocky Mountain ski resorts, and worked in many more cities with lots of water, like Amsterdam. 

A little research will show you that living near water and open space is referred to as “Blue Spaces” The research results are filled with words like calming, physical activity, sleep quality, sun light and vitamin D, and space for creative thoughts.  I hope you can find time to research Blue Spaces and hope you are influenced by your findings.

Most people think about oceans, lakes, and rivers when they think about Blue Spaces. But you might be surprised to learn that just about any place with access to water and breathing room, can be counted as a Blue Space, including streams, ponds, fountains, and mountains.  

As you have just read, I had 89 years of Blue Spaces. I enjoyed each and every year.  That is why I wish for my Kids and for my Grandkids, as they start out on their new journeys, the same success that I had in finding and enjoying blue spaces.

As you swing through life, Think about your use of, and enjoyment of,   Blue Spaces.

March 16, 2025 – My Very Own Ghost Riders In The Sky

This is a tribute to my great friend Allen Hoey, who passed away several years ago.  Allen showed me how to truly enjoy animals.  Our domestic ones and the wild ones, that chose to live near us, were all one big family. Allen and I watched them, fed them, rode them, drove them, trained them, cared for them, and talked to them. They boosted our well-being by providing exercise and companionship.  Using Allen’s attitude toward animals,  we had none of the stress so often available by sitting in front of a television or gossiping on-line.  I thank you,  Allen!

For the joy of animals.

As you swing through life – Enjoy it all and seek out animals to be part of your life.

March 4, 2025 – The beautiful snow and bird feeder at Dave’s and My coluds today and my snow 85 years ago.

Dave wrote:  Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. We are still in the midst of  real winter  here in Rome, NY.  Lots of snow and no sign of spring yet. Here are some pictures of Cardinals at our feeders. They are the only sign of any color in our area. Dave

03 04 2025 Dave Cesari

03 04 20225 Dave Cesari

03 04 20225 Dave Cesari

03 04 20225 Dave Cesari

03 04 20225 Dave Cesari

03 04 20225 Dave Cesari

Sister Doris, Me, and our Mother – with my pony, in the snow, in the early 1940’s

Mom ran out of the house just to be in this photo!

Clouds over Florida in the winter – Clouds get hungy too!

As you swing through life – all I can say to you is “Smile each and every season”

Feb 12, 2025 – Dave, being a birder and sharing his photographs, always adds a bright spot for us – we did not ask him to share his birds – they is just a part of us.

Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. An immature Cooper’s Hawk hanging around our yard and bird feeders. I did not see it make a kill. I sent you some shots of an adult a few days ago. The immatures have a completely different plumage.  Dave

02 12 2025 Dave Cesari

02 12 2025 Dave Cesari

02 12 2025 Dave Cesari

02 12 2025 Dave Cesari

02 12 2025 Dave Cesari

02 12 2025 Dave Cesari

I WROTE: On a small farm in the 1940’s, most work was done by hand and the farm was the primary source of food for the extended family of Brubake’rs.

My dad ran the farm, so we were either out in the field, in the barns, or in the chicken yard.  Every hour we had interaction with birds. Swallows had their mud nest in the barn, birds ate spilled grain from the barn floor, pheasants and doves gathered to glean grain and bugs  from the fields, crows were always stealing planted corn, flocks of geese landed in the cow pond to rest overnight, and owls kept the mice population under control.  Chickens kept the Brubaker compound in eggs and meat.

Birds were just part of us.  We did not go out to watch them, photograph them, or study them – we just enjoyed that farm with so many birds..

JEB 02 12 2025

As you swing through life, take time to enjoy some of those things that are just there for you.

January 29, 2025 – Dave with lots of info and photos of the Cooper’s Hawk which is a member of the accipiter family – Plus Another photo story of my bygone years.

Dave wrote:   Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. An adult Cooper’s Hawk. This bird was hanging around the bird feeders in our back yard this morning. I’m sure this is the same bird I sent you pictures of a week or so ago. Cooper’s Hawks are bird hunters. I’m sure she was looking to grab a bird for a meal. I have found feathers of Morning Doves around the yard that were probably her kills. Female raptors are larger than  males. She is quite large so I believe she is a female. We love to see  raptors around our yard and to photograph them.  Dave

Dave 1/29/2025

Dave 1/29/2025

Dave 1/29/2025

Dave 1/29/2025

I wrote:  Read the photograph and look at the images within the photograph – I put them there to tell my story:

01 29 2025

As you swing through life,take time to reflect on the importance of the homelife you provide.

January 26, 2025 – A story about the evolution of the camera and my Mom’s teachings.

In my life time many things have changed. Certainly the camera is one of those things:

JEB 1 26 2025

As you swing through life, enjoy the changes God has given us.

January 21, 2025 – A story about one of my evolutions.

I hope this photo-art piece prompts you to think about some of the many evolutions you got to enjoy in your lifetime.

01 21 2025 – My luxurious culinary life.

As you swing through life, enjoy the changes God gives us.

January 16, 2025 – Great shots from Dave Cesari of birds surviving in cold weather – and one of my “Photo-Art Stories.”

DAVE WROTE – Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. We  are having a real winter here in upstate NY. We have 3 feet of snow on the ground. A Cooper’s Hawk on a rabbit kill and a Raven on the same kill the hawk left. Ravens have moved down to our area in the last several years. They used to be up north of us.  Dave

01 16 2025 Dave Cesari

01 16 2025 Dave Cesari

01 16 2025 Dave Cesari

01 16 2025 Dave Cesari

01 16 2025 Dave Cesari

I WROTE:  The story I tried to tell with this photo-art is: Two people could have such different growing up background’s in the 1950’s.  Compare the environment of a  country boy on the left and on the right, a person growing up in the sub-burb’s of a steel mill town near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

Compare the growin-up environments of country vs city sub-burb.

As we swing through life – realize that your friend, partner, or aquaintant may have an entirely different back-ground than you have.

January 9, 2024 – I have from Dave Cesari some great photos – Check them out.

I wrote:  I appologize for being late with these photos – I will blame it on my computer – Even now, I am not sure if these are all of Dave’s latest but, I bet you will enjoy them – I did!

Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Snowed here all day. We got about a foot of snow. Bare ground yesterday now we are well covered. Heree are some shots of our house and me using the snow blower to clear the  driveway.  Dave

January 2025 Dave Cesari

January 2025 Dave Cesari

January 2025 Dave Cesari

January 2025 Dave Cesari

January 2025 Dave Cesari

January 2025 Dave Cesari

January 2025 Dave Cesari

January 2025 Dave Cesari

January 2025 Dave Cesari

January 2025 Dave Cesari

As I swing through life – I want to tell you, I sure enjoy looking at the snow from Florida!

January 5, 2025 – Featuring Dave Cesari, his new camera outfit, and a fun photo I made showing some 2024.

Dave wrote – Jim, Here are some pictures I shot with my new outfit. A Red-tailed Hawk, Cardinals, a Chickadee and a Downy Woodpecker.  Dave

I wrote – We have much to learn from David.  I talked with Dave on  the phone today about his new camera outfit. He sent me details on the outfit.  His enthusiasm for birds, photography, and the outdoors inspires me. I hope you catch some of it. 

01 01 2025 Dave Cesari

01 01 2025 Dave Cesari

01 01 2025 Dave Cesari

01 01 2025 Dave Cesari

01 01 2025 Dave Cesari

This memory photo I made from over 40 photographs. It  recaps some of my family happenings – mostly in 2024.  They were all fun!

01 01 2025 Jim Brubaker – You can see all sorts of happenings – Wood whittle, biking, boating, sunsets, riding a horse, birthday cake, real dogs, painted memorial on a Pudding Stone Rock  to my corgi, our antique ford tractor, laughing in New York City, riding air boats, wildlife of TGO,  owning a special horse, winning a first place in an art show, catching a bird that flew through the open window, riding a new tractor that is ready for blowing deep snow in New Hampisire, pointing to a favorite motorcycle, me trying to capture it all on my camera.  Hope you enjoy the tour – I enjoyed doing it and enjoyed making the photo.

As you swing through life – spend just a little time looking back – smile and tell us of the fun you had!

 

© 2025 James Brubaker

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