Eastern Sunrise.

Alone you stand on the high places of the land of Persia.
Facing to the East the sun rises through the clouds in the early morn.

Can you look into the eyes of God and live child of man?

Is your heart unsettle or have you found the peace again?

Do you see or are you blind?

Early in the land of Persia, I looked to the East in the morning.
From the high places of Baghdad I saw the sun rising through the clouds.
I envisioned the face of God smiling down upon me, and felt his touch in my soul.

AAE

Looking back to January

Dodge City North, Rainy Season.
Yes it does rain in Iraq.
It gets cold in Iraq also. Dodge
city North is one of the living areas.
What you see in this photo is
on a good day during the rainy
season.


Below are a couple of sunsets taken during January,
from different locations on the same lake.


The Mosque near the palace from the opposite
side of the lake.


Below the Mosque and other
structures are viewed from
the opposite side of yet
another body of water.


I discovered I had a few photographs had never posted, and thought it would be interesting to do so.

The Flora

It was my original intent to put some birds on here to, and call this Flora and Fauna but I'm doing it in two posts.


Below are a nice set of photos of some of the
flowers that grow near the lake on Slayer.
I saw these on my last walkabout.

The Palace Revisited

I was actually going to post some other things
I have taken recently but decided to put these
here instead. More of Al Faws Rotundra.





The two Photos below are inhanced some
I hope they come out closer to my intent.




There really are some beautiful things here to
see. You just got to stop and look for it.
AAE

Out on Walkabout.

Note: I thought these two top were going to come
through better.
I may touch them up a bit later and re-post them.
AAE

The above Photos were taken at the palace,
I tried to get the full moon to show in focus
but the camera does not have a manuel
focus. Still kinda cool though.



These are photos of a really great mosque I discovered on another camp.

Hope you enjoy.
AAE

Just More Images

These top two Photographs are very recent
from a trip I took outside the wire.


One more beautiful sunset near my work place.
I have to enjoy what beauty I can find, stop and
smell the roses tomorrow may not come.


More Architecture at the Palace.


Sunrise near a distant Mosque.

All these were taken with the Fuji Finepix A210 3.2 Megapixel.

AAEtm

The U.S. Constitution

You know I see a disturbing trend in America these days. People concerned about the right to say this or that. Freedoms laid out in the constitution. I cannot say that any one group of persons is wrong, but their desires sometimes outrange their reason. All of the Constitution is for all of the people in the U.S. not just some. If you do not agree with something and you think it is against your constitutional rights then work to get it changed, but not at the expense of someone else's rights to the same thing. The following links are to two sites for the constitution. Read understand and know it is for everyone not just some.


http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/index.html

http://www.usconstitution.net/

AAE

Photography in the Modern Age

Is it original or is it Photoshop? Look at photos in galleries online, or the photos that are a part of contests. It seems like most of what is say chosen for a "Photo of the day" has been changed in some way. Now I'm not talking cropping or dodging because us "dinosaur traditionalists" use to do that in the darkroom. But I am talking totally changing out the backgound, eliminating the power lines and power poles in the image and just plain coming out with a total different photograph in the end. Don't get me wrong I like being able to change some things in photographs from time to time. But if a person has a really great photograph taken with standard film or digital that they composed and shot with no modifications except maybe cropping, it is seemingly rare that they get the same acknowledgment as someone who changed the whole image. It is all good and a creative expression using the tools available but where is the satisfaction of actually being a good photographer without the hype. I'm not complaining but it is something to think about.



The above two Photographs were taken using a Fujifinepix A210 3.2 digital camera, neither are enhanced. Not bad for not having been photoshopped.
AAEtm

Take it Personal

I find that when people say things against our country, against the actions of our government, against what we are doing here in Iraq, that I take it real personal. I know we are not perfect and I have never said we were, but I think what we are trying to do is right and needs to be done. So sorry If I take offence when someone badmouths us, we are the US. America be proud of who you are, and stand for what is right. Don't be suckered into believing we can leave a job left undone. Freedom has a price and we are paying it to remain free.

AAE

Psalm 91 The Soldiers Psalm

How many of you knew that solders had a Psalm? Psalm 91 is the soldiers Psalm. If you take the time to read it in the context of what we do, you will see that it applies well. David was a soldier as well as a king. David of course had a much closer connection with God than some of us do. Those who have been in a war zone or near the heat of battle can relate to what this Psalm says. "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. Psalm 91:7. We always hope that part is true though often it is not. Check out the soldiers Psalm sometime, especially since it applies to everyone in this day and age. We all stand in the shadow of an unseen pestilence, that of terrorism.

Be at peace when possible, be vigilant always, and love one another while you live.

The following Photograph has nothing to do with the Psalms, But I felt like adding it.
AAE tm 5 JUNE 06

Roads and Continuations

I have seen many people, places, and things go by. Everyone has regrets about things in their lives, and skeletons to. The more your life passes on toward its eventual finality one realizes that what directions where taken were probably taken for a reason. One could drive themselves crazy with the hind sight is 20/20 thing, analyzing, chastising, and just plane making themselves feel bad or go on learn from the mistakes and make better decisions. Some just wallow in it and never recover. I've made dumb decisions and good ones as everyone has. One of my better decisions was Dee my wife. I would never trade her for anyone or anything. People in this day and age do not understand commitment. Some say "It is too hard to work at a marriage", they will never be happy or satisfied, because they will give up and never try. Granted some people should never marry in the first place. Too self-centered or arrogant, or cannot love them selves enough to even begin to love someone else. Dee and I got married young, we made our relationship work but it took lots of work. We love each other more than then now. I always tell young people I meet who are going into relationships, don't marry too young, be sure you are right for each other, and don't go by the feeling. Commitment often does not hinge on how you feel about each other day by day. Little things he or she does will drive you crazy sometimes. Commitment is overlooking the weaknesses of a person excepting them and loving them without always trying to change them to fit your mold of what you thought you were getting. Young couples be sure you want to commit to that person for the rest of your life or don't do it.

The roads of life are long often dusty, muddy or rough. You will always find a fork or intersection and have to make decisions about which way to go. Usually there is no turning back once you go there and that is the way things are. Be sure and make the best of it, and stop to smell the roses along the way.

One quick picture just for fun and I will close for now.

Across many waters to lands far away.
Far from the arms of my true love.
Look to the stars of Orion my love, or the moon and sun.
We look on them together from different times and locations, but we are as one.

AAE tm JUNE 4 2006