Pics: the good, the bad and the ugly

 I love taking pictures with my cell phone.  I don't think I did much of that when I had a Tracfone - maybe because I couldn't?  Can't remember.

Well, life opened up in a big way when I moved up to an iphone.  Thanks, Lisa.  

I recently upgraded from a #7 to a #14 and I feel like the picture quality is much better.  I'm sure there are a lot of super cool things I can do with it but I'm happy at this point with the results.

I love saving memories.  I love getting screen grabs from my nieces' FB or IG accounts. I love sending pictures of my bruised knuckle to my sisters.

Probably the biggest benefit for me right now is that I can record (video) myself playing my ukulele and singing songs to send to a group of friends living with serious health conditions.

The other plus showed its self today while we were decorating the house for Christmas.  I'd forgotten that I'd taken pictures of where everything went.  Whew.  Saved some time there.

The ugly happened when Peter thought we elevated the tree a bit last year - using a stool.  I was like "no, didn't happen."  Then I started to doubt myself so I went back to the pics from last year.

Dang it!  There it was.  The stool we used to make the tree more visible so all our neighbors could take joy in our elaborate show of the holiday! 

Did I mention it's a Charlie Brown tree?  

Now for the ugly.  Last week in downtown Holland there was a contest.  The deal was to take a picture of yourself at one of the local stores or restaurants and submit it to the city.  The prize was a gift certificate to one of the shops or eateries.

Dining at our favorite - Hops at 84 East - I grabbed the menu, held it up to my face and took a pic.  I didn't look at it until after the menus had been taken away which was a huge mistake.

Why you ask?  Because with my white hair and having the light behind me the result was freakish!  Not to mention way, way too close.  EEEEEEEEEEK!

I was too embarrassed to ask for a menu again and was pretty sure the result was going to be the same so I just shot the wreath above the door and submitted that.

I didn't win.

The pictures are still a gift.  I love going back, often with tears, and look at the people I miss and taking joy in seeing new and old friends and of course, family that are still hangin' around.

I'll be happy if your "take away" is to photograph your decorations if nothing else.