It was a very busy weekend, with our granddaughter being so involved with sports. She's on a flag football team, a signature soccer team, and a starting player on her school soccer team. I'm a full-time driving service and on the sidelines cheering her on. Getting her to all her games and practices is a full time job! On the one hand, youth sports is awesome. It keeps 'em busy and out of trouble. It helps kids understand how to work as a team and the importance of practice and commitment. And it keeps them in excellent physical conditon. On the other hand, as the parent/gardian, it swallows up my desert adventure time. But that's OK. I love seeing her so involved and doing so well.
Friday night was flag football under the lights. She's brand new to flag football, but in our area at least, it has gotten extremely popular very quickly. I've even heard flag football teams will be competing in the next olympics! It's been a tough season so far because she's on a newly formed team with quite a few of the players having never played before. It turns out that most of the teams have girls that have played together, and had the same coach, for multiple seasons. They are excellent, experienced players, and Lilly's team is 0-3 with lopsided scores. She's competitive by nature and doesn't like to lose. Oh well, if you're going to play sports, you have to learn how to lose graciously and how to improve as a team by learning from you losses. They get better every week.
Flag football under Friday night lights, and a gorgeous full moon. This phone camera shot doesn't do it justice at all.
Lilly had soccer games Saturday and Sunday. During Sunday's game, she was sharing the field with Canadian Geese!
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| It appears the geese are helping our goalie make sure the other team doesn't score!! |
Lilly is #23. At this age, these girls kick the ball HARD, and I was worried a goose might get injured. Fortunately they eventually wandered off the field and no geese were hurt, although there were a couple close calls!
Parents in the foreground. Geese in the background and finally off the field. The sky was exceptionally pretty during Sunday's game! |
| Sunset from my front porch on Sunday. One of the prettiest I've seen in a while! |
My wife spotted and photographed what I think is called a "sun dog". Google tells me that a sun dogs is a bright, colorful patch of light. For whatever reason, it's always seen about 22 degrees to the left or right of the sun. Ice in the atmosphere acts as a prism to produce the colors, but only during certain precise conditions. Sun dogs are rare and don't last long. And I have no idea where the name comes from. Have you ever seen a sun dog? By the time I started looking, it was gone. Glad my wife got the photo!
Thanks for stopping by!!
I admire your granddaughter for getting into sports and being a literal team player. I've not heard of a "sun dog" before but I do love the surreal rainbow smug it created.
ReplyDeleteI played flag football in 7th and 8th grade. It was a lot of fun. I'm glad girls are getting into it also. It might be the trend of the future given all the info we are finding out about the brain damage football players get. Kudos to you for helping your granddaughter participate.
ReplyDeleteGeese are all over the place here in Oklahoma as well. I haven't seen them so much on sports fields but when I golfed, they were quite the nuisance. They like to get in the roadways and sometimes when I'm biking they can block the trail.
Great skies in general you have there. I really love the colorful skies from your yard.
I've never seen a sundog. I've heard about them.
What a reflection on the joys (and the frantic driving schedule) of supporting such a dedicated young athlete. Capturing everything from the high-energy field action under those beautiful skies to your wife's capture of that rare sun dog makes for a truly memorable weekend recap.
ReplyDeleteNot only the milky way, but a meteor, too. Nice! The photos are stunning all around in your last post. And the geese got game in this one. :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful skies in all the locations
ReplyDeleteI once caught a sun dog that was shaped a bit like an angel. I wonder where that photo is. It was at an outlook between Sedona and Flagstaff.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of a sun dog, but it makes sense that they'd be a certain angle from the sun. Refraction and all that. Flag football just kind of appeared one season a couple years back. The schools I'm at have teams. (In fact, they left class early today as they have a game.)
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to travel far to get great photos.
ReplyDeleteThe sunset picture is great. Loved all the pictures.
ReplyDeleteThe sun dog is a nice capture. I've only seen about two, through the years. I am surprised that those geese stayed on the field.!
ReplyDeleteYou are a definite Renaissance man ~ chauffeuring your grand daughter ~ watching out for geese ~ and taking ominous sky shots ~ Sun Dogs are fascinating as well ~
ReplyDeleteHugs ^_^
I have seen, what I call, a cloud bow,, several times here in Florida. They do appear quicky and then are gone.
ReplyDeleteYour granddaughter has her hands full, but that is so awesome that she's into all these sports. And well done grandpa, she keeps you busy too.
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
Beautiful pictures and lovely distraction. Hope you enjoyed the event
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful that many children entertain sport. Never heard of Flag Football, looked it up and now I'm more enlightened. Soccer, rather like it and another non contact sport. Eldest son coaches a few junior teams and has been doing it for several years now.
ReplyDeleteBravo. I admire your granddaughter too. Flag Football 🏈 is new for me and I must read about.
ReplyDeleteGlad your granddaughter in flag football. Greetings.
ReplyDeleteAmazing skies. Awesome clicks.
It’s wonderful that your granddaughter loves sports so much and that you happily dedicate some of your time to it.
ReplyDeleteGeese are a problem on sports fields here, too. Sometimes the droppings have to be cleared away before play can begin. It’s not exactly pleasant or hygienic, but there’s no way around it.
What wonderful photos! Looks like a really special and fun weekend under great weather.
ReplyDeleteLa prácitca de cualquier deporte deporta ungran beneficio para el cuerpo.
ReplyDeleteMuy buenas imágenes.
WOW, what wonderful skies!!!
ReplyDeleteI had to google 'flag football'.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know soccer was played in your country, it is very very very popular here, most kids play it when they are growing up, hope she enjoys it, have a nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous skies, Peter!!! Beautiful photos! So funny to see the Canada geese get involved in the sport. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a sun dog but what an amazing sight that must have been. I love the photo. All those Canadian geese on the playing field is also fun to see. Only one or two of our golf course geese have returned so far but by December I bet I'll see groups like this showing up by the water on that course. Best wishes to your granddaughter. She obviously has some sporting talent. Good for her.
ReplyDeleteGood name for a movie sidekick: Sundog! The Canada Geese, although beautiful, and fun to see, are not conducive to leaving the grass free of goose-bombs. The soccer fields here will often have that issue. The time you spend with Lilly will be remembered and loved. Her grandchildren will hear about it!
ReplyDeleteA few of my friends fly all over the place to help out with their grandkids. You grandparents are amazing! I’m not a fan of Canadian geese, though—they can be so territorial and messy. This was my first time hearing about flag football and sundogs. Great pictures!
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful photos of the sky from your own home! Wonderful that you have healthy, active young people in the family. That's wonderful Aloha!
ReplyDeleteBusy but fun weekend! Lilly is really into sports, and that’s great to see. The geese wandering onto the field made me smile, and the sky shots are gorgeous. I’ve never spotted a sun dog myself, so I enjoyed seeing your photo.
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of a sun dog before---beautiful, unusual. I've heard parents bemoan the ride service they've become with their kids youth sports.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful skies captured!
ReplyDeleteThankfully the silly geese escaped unhurt!
I´ve seen few sundogs in my life, usually in winter time. They´re very rare.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I love your variation of sky impressions!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great job you have - time´ll run by so fast... enjoy every moment - to fun!
ReplyDeleteYes I've seen quite a few sun dogs but our climate is much different than yours being in the Midwest. That first shot of the Friday night lights under the full moon sure is a keeper. I love how girls sports has blossomed. I recall when I couldn't be on a team or when schools didn't have sports at all.
ReplyDeleteWhat a busy weekend! The photos are lovely, especially the geese wandering onto the football pitch. And that sunset is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI understand that the NFL is heavily involved in encouraging both boys and girls flag football. It makes me wonder if eventually there might be a pro NFFL (National Flag Football League) and, if so, I hope women's pro flag gets the same support as the men's would. Having said that, it's great that your granddaughter is active in flag football.- and yes, it's a heavy investment of time (and perhaps money) for parents/grands/guardians. And it's an opportunity to watch and photograph the sky. I've seen several sun dogs in my life, but have never been able to photograph one adequately.
ReplyDeleteCool effect in the sky.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you can support your granddaughter in her sporting events. You're creating a lifetime of wonderful memories with and for her. You've also managed to capture some spectacular skies.
ReplyDeleteAnother set of great photo's and learned about a new sport call flag football. Never to old to learn.
ReplyDeleteYOu always catch some good ones. Love your skies of course, but seeing this reminds me of the fun seeing our Grands play sports. Thanks, as always. Love the geese too, we are seeing them here on the first coast too, as they head further South...
ReplyDeleteI love that the geese have put together a team.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Those clouds are so beautiful and had never heard of a sun dog, so cool.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have seen and photographed sundogs several times. After marveling at the first one, I started watching for them
ReplyDeleteI posted a picture like that here in Oregon one year and someone commented that it was called a sunbow and caused by the same conditions you said. Our three younger great-grands are very active in soccer, even the 6 year old. They really seem to love it . I'm happy to be a generation removed from the transportation aspect however!
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