02-09-2010

We almost decided to head north on my two days off today and yesterday but things are kind of busy right now so it didn't happen. The Satilla is out of the banks and not the way I like it to take pictures so that is not working for me. Stayed at my daughters all day yesterday digging holes for a new fence they are putting across the front of their property and didn't come home 'til almost dark. There are a couple of big ponds or small lakes on the Raybon rock road and they are full and running over the spillways. I stopped and did a long time exposure to catch the foam of the overflowing water. Being I couldn't go take waterfall pictures in the mountains and the Zirkle dam is not even shootable with my longest lens sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.

I've got two big shows coming up soon. The bottom floor of the Brunswick Hospital will be the month of March and I'll be doing a show at the Okefenokee Heritage Center in Waycross in May. Hope everyone can come check them out.

wayne

www.waynemorganphotography.com

Refections of '09

January 05, 2010

The year of 2009 was an event full and busy time for me as I reflect back on some of the things that happened.

My first year with my new job at CSX.

Pa-in-law Ralph passed away.

Uncle Jerry passed away.

Uncle Charlie passed away.

Brother-in-law Stanley passed away.

My friend John that gave me my Nikon cameras passed away.

Mom almost did the same.

Me and Bonnie celebrated our 25 year wedding anniversary.

My 10 year pace-maker check up found me running on a tread mill until almost passing out. (They said I passed the test.)

Won 1st place at the Okefenokee Heritage Center photography show.

Did a month long show at the AW Jones Heritage Center on St. Simons.

Daughter celebrated her one year anniversary at her Sisters & Company cosmetology shop in Hoboken.

Son graduated from BCHS high.

Bonnie had a major operation to remove a cyst off of her esophagus.

Finally got around to cranking the engine in my dads truck that I rebuilt right after he passed away in 2001.

1st issue of the BRANTLEY MAGAZINE came out with one of my photos on the cover.

Met country music star Tracy Lawrence.

Received a thank you note from former president Jimmy Carter for the river photos he got earlier in the year.

Cleaned up around pa-in-laws house where junk yard once was. (Still not finished.)

Helped clean up about 3 more tons of trash out of the Satilla River.

Hobbled around with a heel spur part of the year until finally getting a painful shot to relieve the pain.

Worked about 1/2 the year part time at Lowes while working full-time on trains.

Shot photos for one of my best friends daughters wedding along with pictures for the Brantley Express and in my spare time taking some for myself around Brantley County and the Satilla River.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something but this is most of the highs and lows of my year gone by and who knows what 2010 is going to be like.

Speaking of reflections. Here are two I've taken lately of the Satilla River.

wayne

http://www.waynemorganphotography.com/

R.I.P. JHS

12-11-2009

"He said I'll love you 'til I die..... Went half crazy now and then. He still loved her through it all. Hoping she'd come back again. They placed a wreath upon his door and soon they'll carry him away. He stopped loving her today." George Jones

A friend suggested a couple of years ago that I start sending pictures and stories about my photo taking trips to a man in Iraq. John replied back that he appreciated getting them and always talked about a long lost girlfriend that he hoped to marry soon when he was home from the war. The first time I met him he slid a black box over to me to look at. Inside was a black and silver case full of Nikon camera equipment. He said "it's yours. Just keep sending me photos when I go back to war. I bought two of these kits - one for you and one for my girlfriend."

The next time I saw him he was a mess. Anxiety, depression and vodka. The marriage didn't happen, he was heart broken and getting ready to go back to Iraq.

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from the ex-girlfriend. John was dead and she didn't know any details. Last week I got an email from her wanting me to come over to Brunswick and pick up the camera. I walked in her office and saw a black and silver box sitting near her bookcase. She pointed at it and said "John wanted you to have it. Just remember him when you use it."

I opened it up and it was still in the plastic , never been used and just like the one he had given me.

The last post card I received from John was from Iraq with a picture of a temple on the front with a hand written note on the back. "I shall be one of the few Americans who lived & worked on the sacred grounds of Babylon. Peace to your Family."
JHS

John struggled with a lot of issues and told me his life was a mess but he was good at saving other peoples lives as a medic.

I didn't know you long my friend. May you now rest in peace JHS.

wayne

Her name is Cheryl

11-02-2009

I sat at the hospital yesterday with ma who is on a ventilator. She has always been a tough little fighter and now her fighting weight is about 75 pounds and just came through surgery to repair another stomach ulcer caused by years of Goody, BC and Stanback powders. Her lungs are also in pretty bad shape.

I've done the math and I was born a month after she turned 16 with my sister coming a year later. She's had lots of medical problems in the past few years and the next days are critical to see if she can pull through.

The room across the hall had lots of activity and I saw the doctor meeting with part of the family and the news appeared to be bad. Doc L left his meeting and picked up ma's chart and headed our way asking for the nurse of patient in room 53. He asked several times before she came out of another room and came up to him and filled him in on the latest with her. I remember him from 10 years ago as he was the one that recommended me wearing a heart monitor that discovered I needed a pacemaker. A busy man with not much of a bedside manner and I told him ma's name was Cheryl.

He said her oxygen level is better and told the nurse to turn it down a little and give her something for pain and was said her was going to look at her chart and come back later.

Ma has been taking her brother Charlie back and forth twice a week to get chemo and radiation for the lung cancer that he was diagnosed with a few months ago. She kept trying to say something and me and several others could not figure out what is was. She would point at the P on the alphabet chart my daughter made up but that was all we could get. After everyone else left she pointed at my pocket and the P on the chart. I pulled out my phone and she nodded her head yes and I could make out " Charlie."

"Call Charlie?" Nodded yes and how he's doing was what I deciphered next.

In the shape she is in and wanted me to call her brother and see how he was doing.

I also had a doctor appointment yesterday to get another shot in the foot that maybe will help me with this heel spur that has returned. Bonnie says I look like a 100 year old man walking first thing in the morning trying to walk. Foot doc located the spot and reminded me it was going to hurt (I remembered it well) as he pulled the syringe and needled out of his pocket and buried it straight through the side of my foot and found the spot. Yes I remembered the pain and the burn as he injected it into the spot. This morning I can walk like a 45 year old again. Hope it lasts this time.

wayne

http://www.waynemorganphotography.com/

(912)288-0810

Zur-clay

10-15-2009

My pictures are on display for the month of October at the AW J0nes Heritage Center on St. Simons Island which is at the base of the Lighthouse. A reception was held for me on the 13th and had a great turn out with lots of people that I didn't even know showing up to check out my work. I think I spoke with everyone and one of the first ladies I met said she was an artist that painted and had sort of a French accent. As she was looking at the names underneath the pictures she stopped at one of my Zirkle shots and asked if it was pronounced "Zur-clay."

Never even thought about it being seen this way as I told her "no, like circle with a Z."

I just bought a new lens a couple of weeks ago and was out trying it in the fog when I took this shot of the trees and the other is at "Zur-clay!"

My work will be on display until the 27th of October so if you are on the island swing in and check it out.

wayne

http://www.waynemorganphotography.com/

Getting Lucky

10-01-2009

A friend of mine called the other day while I was being picked for the grand jury. I had left my phone in the car and saw the message on my phone when I got back to it. I returned his call and I could tell he was under stress when he said "I need your help."

"Sure Kevin, what do you need?"

"I'm in California at Yosemite Park on vacation and my camera will not work! Man its beautiful out here, what can I do to fix it?"

Good thing there was no pressure. I told him the first thing that popped into my head about what it could be and he said hold on let me try it. The next thing I heard was "it's working! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Man it's beautiful out here. I'll bring some pictures home and let you see them." I had just got lucky on that one.

I've taken close to 30 framed photos over to the AW Jones Heritage Center on St. Simons for a month long show. The reception will be Oct. 13 from 6-8pm. If you are in the area look for the lighthouse ( the Heritage Center is at the base of it) and check it out.

I finally got lucky again yesterday and caught a fox, something that I do not have very many photos of.

Will find out tonight how my pictures do in the Okefenokee Heritage Center contest.

wayne

http://www.waynemorganphotography.com/

Busy Times

09-09-09

The past month has been a blur and I've not done much in the writing department. Bonnie had a duplicate esophageal cyst removed from her esophagus and the doctors went in through the side, ribcage and deflated lung to get it. She is healing well and a couple of weeks ago her dad passed away in his sleep at 70 years of age. He was in the recycling business for the past 25 years and there is lots that has not been recycled yet! I am helping mom-in-law with the cleaning up process and it has been quite a job so far.

I had been planning for a while to do the Brunswick Hospital bottom floor for a show for the month of October but a mistake was made by double booking and that has changed. I have been moved back to March of 2010 and the lady was able to arrange me to do the Heritage Center on St. Simons for the month of October. I'm doing the Taste of Brantley this coming weekend at Schlatterville and the month of October is the photo contest at the Okefenokee Heritage Center. I've got to pick two for that show and have them ready by next week and I'm also doing a show at the OHC for the month of May 2010. With working at least 40 hours a week and usually more I stay pretty busy most of the time.

These are some of the ones I'm thinking about entering for the photo contest and I can only use two of them. Now to decide which two.

wayne

http://www.waynemorganphotography.com/

(912)288-0810