Finding Direction: The Wind Vane Chronicles

With the closing of the Finding Direction Summer 2010 Photo Contest on August 15th, the Summer Olympics of all contests has ended, four years having been about the last time this contest was held due to circumstances beyond the control of the judges, and much apathy, besides.  All that remains is the announcement of the winners.  Oh yeah – and copies of the winning photos for you to ooh and aah over below.

The Finding Direction Judges have been busy pouring through the excellent entries and have made their decision.  As usual, the ersatz publisher, editor, reporter, photographer, accountant, financier and general flunkie of Finding Direction will accept high praise for their (sic) finely honed judging skills, but accept no flak from disappointed would be winners.  (There are never any losers here at Finding Direction, as you know, except in the minds of some of the disgruntled entrants, who must be placated at all costs by fellow would be complainees.)

And, as usual, all decisions are final, although an appeal process might be considered in the event of an extraordinary oversight by the FD Judges, which is highly unlikely but let fairness abound.

Finally, as usual, the intro into the announcements of the winners is taking entirely too long (the Judges like to read their own words way too much, obviously) so let the announcements begin.

If you remember, and most probably don’t it’s been so long ago, the theme for the contest this time was “Summertime & The Livin’ is Easy.”  All winners have been chosen based on their adherence to the theme.  The first few winners were close, but not quite there.  However, do NOT let that detract from the impact of their photos and their eye for photography.  These are all works of fine art and are to be respected as such, say the Judges.  (Amen, says the reader.)

The winner in the first category, “Reminds Me Most of Home (Texas) In The Summertime Award,” goes to amateur photographer and new to the blogging scene blogger, Heather Welch with her windmill scene, shot in Texas, appropriately.  It must be said by the FD Judges that living in Texas gave Heather some advantage, but not so much as to interfere with the other entrants, as numerous awards have yet to be named.

The next award goes to reader Marilyn Hughes of Poteau, Oklahoma.  It is the “Best Summertime Nostalgic Field Scene Award,” which reflects the rural life that most Americans used to enjoy and live.  Most now have to rely now on photographs such as these to recall the simpler, gentler times in this vast country of ours, now given over in the most part to urban sprawl, spoil and squander of the land in the worst of ways.  How sad I feel for those who have never lived on a farm and been close to the land.  Having grown up on a cotton farm in West Texas, I have great respect for those who still strive in this day and age to provide food crops and needed goods for us all to enjoy.  Here’s Marilyn’s winning photo:

The next award is the “Most Patriotic (4th of July) Summertime Photo” and it was entered by our fair Janice Evans-Lauder, a/k/a JEL-My Place, a long time blogger and magnificent photographer in her own right.  She lives in her grandmother’s little house in Missouri, which is heated in winter only with a wood burning stove and cooled in the summer by nature.  You can only imagine, then, how well this photograph might help fill her summertime livin’ easy plan.

The “Summertime Photo From Farthest Away Award” goes to reader Darlene Morris, who lives in Lubbock, Texas, who entered a photo of two of her grandchildren, Kellen & Sam, taken on a mission trip with their parents in Tegucigapa, Honduras, in central America earlier this summer.  It’s a neat photo and one I think you’ll enjoy – seeing how summer looks on a rainy day in the tropics.

The next award is the “Most Makes Us Think of Taking A Summer Afternoon Nap Award,” which goes to reader and somtimes commenter, Marilyn Hughes, taken across their fields out from Poteau, Oklahoma.  In fact, looking at this photo is making me sleepy right now, since the weather outside the judges’ window is nearly identical to the photo.  (Except for the kinds of trees, of course.  And the fields.  And, uh, the, uh . . . Oh, never mind.  Nothing much is the same except for the feeling of needing a nap.  Would you like to join the judges for an hour or two?!)  (Just kidding!  Read on!)

The next award is arbitrarily given during each Finding Direction Photo Contest so as to keep the FD judges in good standing with their spouse – the esteemed Tom Andrews.  Thus it is that the “Special Tom Andrews Best Summertime & The Livin’ Is Easy Award,” goes to . . . duh . . . Tom Andrews.  This is one of his daughter, Kristine, and his two granddaughters, Veronica & Hayley, taken on his sailboat.  Don’t they look like they are having a whole lot of fun.  It is a great photo, you have to admit!

Moving on . . ..  The winner of the “Best Depiction of Violation of Child Labor Laws in the Summertime Award” goes to none other than grandchildren abuser, Greg England, of “Why Soitenly,” the blog that ranks right up with the “bestest blogs” around.  If you haven’t been partaking of his puns, humor and outright wonderfully presented posts, you must indulge.  In the meantime, check out this classic “Grindaddy with the 18 month old twins, Logan & Lilly and older brother Jackson” photo.  It’s priceless.

Not to be undone by Greg’s classic “Grindaddy” photo above, Patrick Mead (see also: Tentpegs) had to enter one of his grandson, Lucas, which wins the “Most Blatant Attempt to Addict A Young Minor Child to Doughnuts in The Summertime Award,” which was caught in that wonderland called Krispy Kreme, with the effects of the child’s very first sugary doughnut showing on this poor, unknowing child.  What hope is there for the future of thin American children.

One of the most cherished awards in the Finding Direction Photo Contests is the “Special Judges’ Award for the Most Creative Entry That Always Stretches the Limits of the Theme Chosen.”  This contest’s winner is Janice Garrison for the following photo of a big garden spider outside her window.  You decide whether this is stretching the theme of “Summertime & The Livin’ Is Easy.”  Maybe from the spider’s perspective it is, ya think?

There was a tie in the next category.  The “Best Use of Color in Composition For Summertime & The Livin’ is Easy Award” goes to our own Janice Evans-Lauder for this beautiful photo . . .

. . . and to Patrick Mead for “Passing It On,” below:

Janice Evans-Lauder also wins the “Most Beautiful Summertime Sunrise Award,” for which she had to arise much earlier than the Finding Direction judges ever would.  Thus, it is a special treat for them to acknowledge this award. 

The winner of the “By Far The Most Realistic View of Summertime & The Livin’ Is Easy Award,” is our own beloved blogger, Greg England for the following photo entry.  It shows a 6:09 p.m. temperature of 106.7 hot summer degrees Farenheit. (Cain’t nobody say tweren’t hot this summer, ya know?!)

And, that photo was taken earlier in the summer before the 117 degree temps hit out in the desert of southern California, t00.

The winner of the “Most Dramatic Summertime Clouds Award” goes to reader, Pat Baker, who is the sister of reader, Marilyn Hughes.  You have to admit it gives one chills in thinking about the magnificence God displays in our heavens each day.

If you will note from the picture, she shot it right in the middle of this summer, too!

Finally . . . the moment you’ve all been waiting for.  The top award winners.  Although, all of the awards are tops in the minds of the Finding Direction judges!  Never forget that, because each of you is very special to the FD judges!!

Third place winner(s) – there was a tie – in the Finding Direction Summer 2010 Photo Contest, with the theme “Summertime & The Livin’ is Easy,” goes to (1) reader Darlene Morris, of Lubbock, Texas, for the following entry of two of her grandchildren, Kellen & Sam:

That photo is poetry in motion with little kids enjoying the cool pool in the heat of summer.  Congrats, Darlene Morris, on your winning entries in the FD contest!!

Winner (2) in Third Place is Patrick Mead for the following photo of his little grandson, Lucas, in a photo titled “Whoa!”  You can see why the photo is called that and also why it is a big winner in the FD contest, based on the theme “Summertime & The Livin’ Is Easy.”

Congratulations to Patrick, one of the top and most prolific Christian bloggers in the blogosphere.  He & Greg are the judges’ bestest two buddies, but that connection in no way interfered with the unbiased judging in this contest.  The judges attest to that and it is true.  May we all be so unbiased in dealing with each and every person who crosses our path daily.

Second Place in the Finding Direction Summer 2010 Photo Contest goes to brand new reader and not “too old a” blogger, either, Joe Tudor (his blog is titled Parapet Safety, which you’ll have to check out!) for his fantastic photo entry which brings out the strongest yearnings of the FD judges in thinking of past summer vacations in such places (Orange Beach, Alabama, Pensacola, Florida) where it’s “Summertime & The Livin’ Is Easy.”  The ambiance and laid back feelings evoked in the photo are marvelous.  The smells of the scrubby brush next to the gulf among the sand dunes and the days spent out in the water and along the water’s edge collecting shells come rushing back to the judges’ inner hearts and minds.  Congratulations to Joe!  Terrific entry for the theme!!  The photo is appropriately titled “Sea Oats.”

Isn’t that just a marvelous photo, y’all?!

The FIRST PLACE winner in the Finding Direction Summer 2010 Photo Contest is Heather Welch, fairly new to blogging and to photography, but very talented in both, with her entry on the theme “Summertime & The Livin’ Is Easy,” that is untitled.  The judges absolutely loved the delight evidenced in the children in the photo using their hands, mouths and all other means by which to down some ice cold watermelon in the middle of a hot, hot summer.  It evokes, without words, the theme “Summertime & The Livin’ Is Easy!”  What do y’all think?  Don’t you love it?!  I mean, watermelon everywhere, but do they care?  Geez, no!  They’re washable, right?!

The FD judges are awarding a $25 gift certificate to the First Place winner this time, so will be in touch with Heather to convey that gift to her.  All of her work sent in was good, as were all of the rest of the entries, and she is entitled to be the First Place winner!

In conclusion . . . thanks to each and every one of you who participated in this contest and to all who stop by to read on a regular basis.  Without your support and constant encouragement, not only would this be a rather dull place to hang around, but also the less for not having all of you as friends.  In the past, Finding Direction has held summer and winter photo contests, so we’ll see this coming winter if perhaps we can revive that schedule.  It all depends on the Lord, on whom all our lives depend.

May God richly bless each and every one of you who stops by here!  Dee