Let me start by thanking all of you that have posted, emailed., and sent messages on Facebook about my surgery.  It would have been a lot tougher than it has been without your prayerful support and expressions of good wishes!  Unfortunately I come from a family with bad genes in terms of dental health.  Over my 68 years I’ve had numerous root canals, and teeth rebuild on posts.  In spite of all the efforts I increasingly have had less good teeth to chew with, so Tuesday I had all the rest extracted and today have a beautiful bright smile of straight teeth!  I also have a black eye and swollen jaws, but that will all get better, and I pray chewing is in my near future. I’m living on soup and Slim Fast!!!  No problem needed to drop a few pounds, maybe a few dozen!

 

Funny story; my father, William Pelle Fortney had dentures in his very early years, I’m guessing in his 30’s or 40’s.  He was one of the rare people that never had a minutes trouble or frustration with his dentures.  I used really envy him that he could drop off his dental problems at the dentists office and pick them up when they were fixed!!!

 

I don’t deal well with pain and my least favorite times have been in dental chair.  Sherelene once said of my pain management, if I had been Eve, there would be no human race!  Now no one knows if I will get used to this mouth full of marbles, but a man’s got to eat and chewing is part of the process.  I’m telling all of you this because those of you that I will see over the next months and years, I want you to know why I’ve learned how to smile.  Most of my life I’ve learned to smile without showing my teeth, except when I was wearing my hillbilly teeth!  Sherelene got braces some years back and has a beautiful smile and every time I looked at her glowing smile I wanted to give my best to the world I see every day.  I believe that a smile can say so much to someone, and I want to give everyone I meet the same acceptance and love, God has given me, and commanded me to share!  Nice teeth will make that easier.

 

So that is the mystery behind the surgery.  This morning I had my first check up since the surgery Tuesday morning and got a good report, things are progressing well, thanks for your prayers.  While I was out t his morning a took my X-E1 and a couple of lenses and tried to capture the overnight snow fall.  I hope you enjoy them.

 

Thanks again for being such a great group of friends!

 

 

 

So once again thanks fro covering me in your prayers like the snow graced the earth overnight. The affects of your prayers will last long after the snow has melted!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

When I was flying ultralights to do the America From 500 Feet books, I often would take off pre-sunrise in hopes of catching morning fog.  On this morning at the Boundary Canoe Waters, I was rewarded with a good thick fog, off the water, and a wonderful amber sunrise!  One morning in Wisconsin the fog moved over to the air field I had taken off from, and I could’t find it when I flew back by GPS to land!!!!  I was lucky that the fog was not everywhere and I found a good straight stretch of local highway where I could safely land!  It’s pretty scary when you are up in the air and not sure where you are going to land safely!  It’s comforting to know God has your back!

 

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the Photo Pro Expo in Covin- gton, Kentucky, just across the river from Cincinnati.  My group that drug out of bed for an early morning  {7:30 a.m.} program was great.  I really enjoyed sharing with them.  A few friends and associates knew I was having oral surgery tomorrow and everyone, knew it was my birthday, I’ve never had 180 people sing happy birthday to me before, but it was really cool!!!

 

I‘ve gotten a ton of emails, and face book posts reminding me that friends would be in prayer for me tomorrow.  I want to thank all those very kind people that have let me know they would be lifting me up.  I know that where two are more are gathered together before God, the results can be fantastic!  I’m still a little apprehensive about the procedure, but I feel confident God will be right there, thanks to your prayers!

 

I will likely be off the grid for a couple of days, but I hope to be telling all of you that it went well in a few days.  Thanks for standing with me, and giving me a safe place to land!  I’ll have your back next time!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Photo Pro Expo in Covington is off to a great start.  My trip up from Corbin with my brother Homer was great morning, and we seldom get much time to visit, it was a great way to start the trip!  Sadly Sherelene is stuck back in Corbin with the Flu, occupational hazard of being a Nurse Practitioner! I miss her!  I’ve had a great time seeing Matt Kloskowski and hanging with my good friends, Jim Haverstock and Kendall Reeves!  Later tonight, hopefully, Nick Coury will join us for dinner!

 

Last year Nick got s great shot of the skyline and I’m pretty sure his was still better than mine, but I sure had fun making an attempt at it, (above).  It is in the single digits out there tonight so my efforts didn’t last that long!  I will try to update you tomorrow.  Thanks for the notes of encouragement about Sunday and Tuesday, you guys are the best!

 

Blessings from frozen Northern Kentucky,

 

the pilgrim

 

Photo Note:  Fuji X-E2 and 18-55 lens.  ISO 100 – 10 seconds at F11

Sometimes I’m too clever for my own good!  I will be traveling tomorrow and may or may not get a final weeks blog in.  I might over the weekend.  I will blog Monday, but Im having extensive oral surgery Tuesday and may be off the grid for a couple of days.  Please come back and visit me Thursday!!!

 

I’m speaking Sunday a.m. at the Photo Pro Expo and my subject is Composition  “Learning to see differently”  I’m very excited to show this all new program that I’ve worked on for some time.  The key point is that we are the product of our experiences, and that is true of our photogprahy too!  I hope to share some of the thoughts from the program in future blog entries.

 

I would appreciate your prayers for Sunday and Tuesday, it’s good to know I have friends, brothers, and sisters standing in the gap for me!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Photo Note:  Fuji X100s