January 2020 – Sonya Lira Photography

During the floods, many trees are uprooted from the floodwaters the roots can not withstand the rush of all the water and they just give way.

While we were out at Brazos Bend State Park this week we saw numerous trees uprooted. Here is a picture of one of those trees the upper and lower sections. I figure this one was from Hurricane Harvey and those floodwaters.

Our youngest grandson Adrian who is three years old was thinking about crawling in the cave looking tree trunk lol. It certainly had his curiosity going.

It is good for children to explore the great outdoors, climb trees and feel nature all around them.

Sometimes pictures just look better in Black and White.

This tree at Brazos Bend State Park stood there so proud even if it did not have any limbs or leaves.

I had my transesophageal Tee Echo last week it is the one test that can give the best look at the heart and valves.

They do lots of measurements on the regurgitation, valve diameters, heartbeats, and other stuff.

Both my surgeon and my cardiologist have come to the conclusion that I can put off my valve surgery for now. This is a good thing because I was honestly dreading having my chest cracked open and that was the only surgery option I had.

How long it can be put off who knows but we are aiming for a year or so.

Some might ask why to put off something that is inevitable. Well, there are complications anytime you put a mechanical item into your body. There are complications for some people with the blood thinners and it requires monthly monitoring for some people it is weekly for others. This depends on how your body handles the drugs well I have A LOT of issues with medications so my luck I would be one that would have complications.

Right now my symptoms ( extreme shortness of breath, dizziness) are being managed by adding new medications, changing old medications to better medications or reducing the dosage of an existing medication.

I feel very blessed and I am thankful I get to wait a while on this surgery. Thank you for all the prayers and good thoughts I appreciate your support.

If you take two pictures on two different layers and lower the opacity of the top one you can create even more artwork.

The cypress tree leaves become the feathers and texture of the robin and the tree branch.

I actually like this one quite a bit. Of course the better the texture is the more realistic it becomes.

Lately, I have been playing a lot in the sketch options on my photo editing program.

This picture is in our pasture but across the street and I like the way this one turned out.

Some pictures work out better than others when trying this out.

Everyone here knows I love wildlife and when I get a chance to capture some animals with my camera it’s all the better.

This squirrel was hiding he made himself flat as he could to become pressed against the tree trunk.

I love squirrels! When we were kids our Dad brought home a baby squirrel he found and we had him for a pet for along time. We will call this one Fuzzy # 2.

This morning I had my transesophageal tee echo done at the hospital.

No eating and drinking after midnight and no taking your pills that day.

They spray this stuff in your throat to deaden it smells like bubble gum tastes like antifreeze smells. IVs, BP, etc all hooked up and drugs are given to knock you out.

A long tube with a camera is inserted down your throat and esophagus to see the heart. I think it takes 3D and 4D pics. In my case its to get a better look at the mitral valve.

General anesthesia and out I went it does not take me long for me to pass out. Next thing I know they are waking me up.

My throat hurts like a bad case of strep but I will just do lots of drinking cold things and ice today.

No results yet probably later today.

Some mornings I look outside and see something that I need to take a picture of.

This morning as the sun was rising it was foggy and I could not help but notice the cow silhouettes in the fog. You can even see the baby.

What a way to start a day!

Month: January 2020

Trees and their roots

Black and White

Mitral Valve Surgery Update

Textures and Pictures

Foggy morning sketch

Hiding Squirrel

Transesophageal Tee

Sunrise, fog and cow silhouettes