Sunrise Sunset

Isn’t there something so magical about seeing the sun as it begins its descent down in to the horizon?  Or waking up to see a brightly colorful sky shortly before the sun begins its crescendo up in to the heavens above?  Some days it almost seems as if the sun is quite literally sinking directly in to the ground, while other days it does not even look remotely similar to what we’ve seen previously.

Growing up, my Dad was always riveted with capturing various sunrise and sunset photos (I used to rarely be awake in time to see the actual sun rise, so I always had to rely upon his photographs for visual confirmation!)  But as a youngster sitting there staring through countless sunrise or sunset photos, I thought to myself that it was the same exact thing over and over.  But in reality, it is not. 

Just as a day is never the same in Grand Canyon because of how the sun makes the colors appear or change colors, so goes the same with any sunrise or sunset, as they are never identical.  The overall location of where you see the sun rise or sun set can be cause a drastically different and unique perspective.  Naturally, the weather can even play an impact.  Some days the sky may be a multitude of colors and other days, it may just be a solid color.  Each and every sunrise or sunset is quite different and how each person sees it is entirely different, as well.

But no matter what, it is a magical experience that we are blessed to see on a daily (or typically daily) basis.  Take time out of your busy schedule to enjoy a sunrise or a sunset.  Here are a few of my favorite photos that I have been blessed to capture, even though I still think my Dad’s photos are much better than my own!

Sunset along the Bogue Sound in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina (April 2017)

Sunset while on approach to land in Austin, Texas (January 2012)

Sunset along The Mall in Washington, D.C. (July 2009)

Sunset at (appropriately named) Sunset Beach, North Carolina (August 2009)

Sunrise in Wake County, North Carolina (February 2017)

Sunset in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee (August 2008)

Sunset along Barefoot Marina in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (August 2010)

Sunset along the Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut (August 2008)

 Sunrise in Wake County, North Carolina (September 2016)

Sunrise in the sky shortly after take-off from Raleigh Durham International Airport (April 2016)

Reba

Throughout my life, I have always loved music. Whether listening to it, singing it or playing it, I have always found that music can totally affect me in many, many ways.  Ever since I was a wee little one, one of my all-time favorite artists has always been Reba McEntire.  Her music can not only be uplifting, but it can also be inspiring and emotional, as so many of her songs cover many varying topics.  To try to get me to list my favorite Reba song would be nearly impossible, though I might list a few near the close of this blog.

My entire life I have always wanted to see her in concert, but varying things often arose that kept me from making it to one of her local shows.  I remember as a young girl that she was performing at one of our local amphitheaters, and because I was too young to attend, my parents drove me around the surrounding roads to see if we could hear some of her music from the distance.  Unfortunately, while I heard the drum introduction to one of her songs, I wasn’t able to actually hear her sing.  But, come December, Lord willing, I will be able to achieve a life-long dream by seeing Reba in concert.

My friend Sarah and I are both celebrating milestone birthdays later this year (October and November), so we decided to plan us a brief cross-country trip to Las Vegas (via Los Angeles) to celebrate hitting a new milestone.  Initially, when perusing the various shows in Vegas, we saw that Reba and Brooks & Dunn had a show at Caesar’s Palace. But as our luck would have it, their last performance was the evening before we arrived.  I was a little bummed, but brushed it aside as I knew there was plenty else to see and do in Vegas, which is a remarkably exciting place to visit (I just returned from there in early August!).

As I was sitting in my office late one afternoon, Sarah messaged me and said for me to come upstairs to her office, as magically, Reba and Brooks & Dunn had added one more performance to their Vegas show and it happened to be the day we arrived.  I don’t think I’ve ever made it across our building and up the flight of stairs so quickly!  Our luck had turned, and quickly and shockingly!  So, come December 10^th, provided all goes well, I will finally be able to see Reba perform live!

Now, if you are curious as to some of my favorite songs that I think you should all go listen to once you finish reading this blog, here they are in NO particular order:

The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia

One Honest Heart

The Heart Won’t Lie (Duet with Vince Gill)

Fancy

Myself Without You

Take it Back

Somebody