Time for Hummingbirds

Yesterday, a hummingbird hovered outside my patio door for a moment. I stopped what I was doing to watch him, wishing that I had put up the feeder so he would stay long enough for me to take pictures, and then he was gone. It made me think about all the opportunities that we miss because we are too busy doing other things.

I've been struggling with my schedule lately. Flitting here and there like the hummingbird - trying to keep up with work, home, school and Scouting commitments, and still find time for me. Of course, the “me” time is what tends to slide. I really enjoy the weekly MCP Project 52 photography challenge, but the last few weeks were hard. I didn't have any really good ideas for the theme, so I waited until the last minute to take pictures... never a good idea.

Week 14's theme was Fusion. I wasn’t sure where to go with this, but a creative co-worker gave me an idea. An active imagination led Bo to attach a Chevrolet grill to the front of his desk – in a way, combining work and play. Is this fusion? Absolutely! And it was a lot better than my alternative picture of bugs on the front of a car. I was happy with the final result, but I wish I hadn’t waited until the end of the week.

The theme for week 15 was What People Think About You. Rather than showcasing one of my activities, I decided to put myself in front of the camera for a change. First, I had to learn how to use the self timer because I have not yet bought a remote. Then I had to pick a location. I tried a few pictures at work, but I wasn’t able to get a good angle without my tripod. I tried again at home, with the tripod this time. Better, but evidently I still have a lot to learn about using my camera, because I wasn’t able to get a clear shot. Every single one was blurry. Since I was running out of time I picked the least blurry shot to submit. My husband claims that I am constantly on the move, so maybe this could be his representation of me. I’m not happy with this picture. If I had started sooner I think I could have done a much better job.

I think it’s time to evaluate the activities that take most of my time. Aside from work, which is a necessity, which activities could I eliminate? Am I doing these things because I enjoy them or because I feel obligated? What would happen if I stopped? What else could I do with my free time?

It’s a lot to think about. And I will while I watch my newly hung hummingbird feeder for visitors… with my camera at the ready.