I wanna Hit and Throw Like a Girl!!
February 7, 2016
For those that are scratching and hitting your head right now at the title, let me explain, so go get the coffee, ice tea, beer or fill a glass with Crown cause I’m gonna explain it!
Yesterday I got to go to the “Field of Dreams” but this “Field” is different cause “Dreams Become Reality on this Field”! For many years I have been taking photos of the action on this field and the action is awesome. Every February the season starts for Division I, II and III NCAA Softball All across this great land teams get up early in the morning to go practice on a cold field or in a gym or field house somewhere in hopes of getting their team to the Women’s College World Series! They work very hard on catching, hitting and throwing, their journey stated at 6 or 7 years old and even though they are anywhere from 18 to 20 years old when they enter college they have banged around the fields for ten years or more. They throw, bat and catch with such ease that sometimes the only way I know I’m watching a softball game is because of the yellow ball, pony tails and ribbons!!
Yesterday I got to take the field and step in the batter’s box and face a great pitcher, a 2 time Olympian, All-American, strike out wizard , coach, mentor, role model, teacher but most of all fine young lady Miss Catherine “Cat” Osterman. The duel was short lived, only took 4 pitches, the first was low, the next three had me swinging the bat like an old rusty gate, but then again I am old (er) now and most joints are in need of a squirt of WD-40 for better movement! I went down swinging, but that’s the way you suppose to go swinging, if the bat don’t make contact with the ball let them know you where trying and was not about to give up. There’s a Life’s Lesson there too!!
As I stepped away from the batter’s box a young man appeared in my minds eye on a ball field on 96th Street and Second Ave in NYC and he had just faced, Whitey Ford or Tom Seaver or Nolan Ryan. But the man walking away had just faced a great women, an awesome pitcher and tried to take just one pitch out of the yard! If I go to meet God today, I can stand before Him and say Father I batted against Cat! He will come back at me and say I know, son she can throw!!!!
So the reason for this entry, when you think about telling someone they, throw, catch or hit like a girl, take a second before uttering them words cause a big yellow ball may be getting bigger as it nears the target (you)! I wish I could hit and throw like a girl!! I also wish I had enough hair to put in a pony tail too!!!
I know I will be heading to the “Field of Dreams” so I can capture “Dreams Becoming Reality” So if you get a chance, go out to a college ball field and watch them hard work women catch, hit and throw like a girl!!
Thank you Texas State Athletics, Texas State Softball and Cat Osterman for providing the chance to hit like a girl! Thank you to every single one of the fine young ladies I have had the honor of capturing with my lens give their all on “The Field”!!!
Throw Like A Girl
Catch Like a Girl!!
Run Like a Girl!
Hit Like a Girl
A Dream Becomes Real!
Cat, “A Life’s Treasure!”
Friday Night (The weekend ahead)
August 28, 2009
Hello all,
I hope that this past week has been good to you and your’s. It has been a fair week for me, work and the heat are the same here in South Texas, but we got a break last night with some rain and a wonderful light show. Sadly I was at work and was unable to get any good shots of the lighting, but I hope to at another time. The week has had it’s ups and downs but we all have them. Mine are not special. I hope to get out some this weekend and do some shooting with the camera, as always I shall share them here and hope that you enjoy them.
I am sometimes saddened by the way people treat each other these days, how they (and I) gripe about everything. I have gotten better at it but it still comes to the surface from time to time but I am better than I used to be. People are always saying no one treats them with respect but they dont treat others with respect and then they wonder. Maybe because of what I do for a living I run into more of these types then most folks, doing customer service or public service I should know better. But on the other hand I do see and hear some really great people out there, they give and give without asking for anything and always keep a smile on their face and especially in their heart. I try to do the same but fail at times. I still find moments that make me smile way down deep in my heart and I cherish them more and more each day.
Sometimes I go looking for those moments and then remind myself to just let them happen for at that moment they are the best! Well I have gone on and on and should stop for the time being. As always I share a few photos with you tongiht, nothing special just something to look at and hopefully make you smile.
May the coming weekend be good to you and that you have a little fun and a lot of love or both!! Until the next time take care and keep a smile in your heart.
Love Pete
The morning look
Don't think to park here!
Getting the sign
Sunday Night
August 23, 2009
Hello all,
It has been a week since my last entry and I have no excuse, just did not feel up to adding anything. The past week was another hot one as far as the weather goes. Not very much else to speak of that is important. The work week was OK, but no more and no less!
I took a trip to the zoo this morning before it got to hot and will share some of those images at the end of the entry. I enjoy going to the zoo, I always have since I was a kid. Going to the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan and the Bronx Zoo, it was always a treat and still is. There are times now when I go to the zoo to take photos I smile at the kids and their expressions at seeing the animals. I know that I have mentioned this in a previous entry but it still makes me smile to watch them and how they see the animals and to hear their comments. There are times that the parents warn their children not to get in my way and I always tell the parents let them have fun, that’s what it is all about. That’s where I saw all my wild animals, so why take the fun away. I can wait and get the shot later! I enjoy it very much and have not gone half as much as I should, the zoo and watching/photographing softball is my escape, I like the feeling it gives me. There are other good feelings I get from life, but those make me smile the best! I hope that the week went well for you all and that your troubles were few?
The new week is ahead and with it hopefully new adventures and people. With a little bit of luck and me getting off my rear end I will get back into the swing of writing reguraly again. The photography is a little slow right now, after spending the week on the hot sidewalks of downtown I don’t want to venture out into the heat on the days off, as the weather cools (hopefully soon) I will get back out and you will see more and more of my photos. Most of all I thank you for stopping by and viewing what I have.
Well I must get to bed early as I have a appointment at the Army Hospital in morning (tests) and want to be somewhat rest for it. A long day ahead.
I hope that your Monday and the rest of the week is good, with few problems and nothing that you can not deal with. Have a good week and I’ll be back soon. Peter
Lemurs, San Antonio Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
San Antonio Zoo (Buddies)
San Antonio Zoo
Sunday Photo Trip
August 16, 2009
Howdy All,
It’s the close of the weekend and I got a chance to take off and get some photos with a friend today. A very nice way to close out the weekend I think. We took a trip to Palmetto State Park east of the house about 45 minutes away. I have never heard of this state park, but was told by my friend that it is known for having palmetto trees, I always thought they were only in the southeastern US, but I was wrong. A very nice place with a lake and the San Marcos river running thru it.
I found this place to be a blast, even though it was hot (another 100 + day) it was nice scenic place, good for my camera and me.
If there was a down side to it, it was the lack of rain in this part of the state that hurt the place, it is known for swamps, but all are dried up at the moment. I bet when it is lush the views and sounds are stunning! I thought to myself that this would be a great place to do some outdoor portraits, one day I will have to return when it is lush and do that just that.
It was a great afternoon of taking photos and speaking with a friend. I have found that I do miss that in my off duty life, I love my fur people (cats), but it is nice to hang out with another person who shares some of my interest (photography), actually I got them started in photography and have shared and continue to share my knowledge with them.
I share some of the photos with you today, as always I hope that you enjoy them and they make you smile. May the coming week be good to you and may work not seem like work for a change. Keep the cool breeze to your back and untill next time take care!
Pete
Palmetto State Park, San Marcos River
Palmetto State Park, built by the CCC in the 1930's by hand.
San Marcos River, Palmetto State Park
Flora at the park
Tubing the river, Palmetto State Park
It's me at the scenic overlook, this is on the way to the park.
A wonderful view!
Friday Night
August 14, 2009
Hello All,
Hope that this past week has been good to you and with few troubles? I have been somewhat busy and mostly lazy upon returning home from work this week. As always it has been hot here temps are still over 100 with no break in sight for now. Enough of the weather forecast for this entry. As for the title, it’s the only thing I can think of as it is Friday night, I am not out clubbing or something like that. I am getting a little older and a little wiser, most of all just don’t have the money for that stuff anymore! But again this is about life and photography so I attempt to share both with you. I have not been out shooting much, only images I have taken a work related and I will share on or two with you today. My friend who has taken to photography has taken some wonderful photos recently and if I can get them to add an entry here and share their photos with you, you can see the nice images they come up with. I’ll keep pestering her!
As for todays photos they are just a mish-mash of images taken by yours truely, a little bit of everything. As always I hope that you enjoy them. If all goes the way I hope I will take a rode trip tommorrow thru the back roads around here and try to come up with some good photos for you. Most of all enjoy these and have a safe and wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping by and sharing “Life & Photogrpahy” with me.
Take care and love, Pete
The Barn Door
The Umpire
The View From the Front of The Bus!
Wednsday maybe Weird!
July 29, 2009
Hi everyone, hope you are doing well this week so far? As is the norm around here it has been hot, at some point or another it will break. The first couple of days this week have been alright, no big happenings in town to speak of and nothing too big around the house. The fur people seem to find new ways to make me smile, it’s like they want to see if they can top the last feat with something better. I am grateful for this because without them doing crazy stuff I would be way to serious and blow a main seal in the head or heart. Well enough of that dribble, time to share a couple of images from the hard drive. As always hope that you are doing well and keeping cool. Until we meet again on this road take care. Pete
Just looking up and came up with this.
Waiting to work.
Monday Morning
July 27, 2009
Hi There, it’s Monday morning and it’s time to get my act together and start another week on the streets of downtown. The weekend went by decent, although I did not take a chance and go out very far from the house, I should have and visited with some friends at the lake. Maybe the next time (hope there is), just plain old lazy on my part for most of the weekend. Other than taking part in paying respects to Lance Cpl Lara (see previous entry) I did very little. I am pleased about something, over the past few weeks life has brought back family to my life. The loss of my Aunt Lucy has found many long silent family members, uncles, cousins, aunts out of the silence. I am not without blame and may be the most to blame for long silence. Hence one of the reasons for this blog, to keep a voice going and to share photography with all. I am happy to know that we can still communicate in our family and I will try my best to keep it alive. Well on to a photo or two, as this was reason for this blog. Nothing special, just sharing from my hard drive, hope you like them, but most of all I hope that you week ahead is good, with a cool breeze at your back and a friend to back you up. Pete
God's Flashlight
South Texas Shooters (Photography That Is!) 