Prayer

Church members pray in a period of quiet inside the Fayetteville Prayer Room while taking part in the 40 days of prayer during the lent season.

To say that the light inside the Fayetteville Prayer Room is cozy is a nice way, at least in my business, to say that it's dark. Adding to the difficulty of this assignment is being asked to photograph people doing something so personal and private as prayer. They were alerted to my being there well before I arrived, and everyone was really nice, but it was still difficult. The intensity with which some of these kids were praying was staggering, and I wanted to avoid offending anyone, but it was fascinating to watch.

I don't feel particularly spiritual and I am not moved to pray because I don't believe in god, an afterlife or anything of that nature. There was a time when I did, and there are times when I wish that I still did. I envy the comfort many find in their faith and in prayer, especially in times of difficulty. Yet, to photograph someone without first being able to speak to them to see if it's OK for me to do so is daunting.

Kiddo

Juvenal Kanani of Fayetteville, left, smiles as he points out a piece of art work created by his 5-year-old son, Brice, while checking out the third-annual art show for Tamara Ridout's pre-kindergarten students at Owl Creek School.

Brice is a hand full, let me tell you. He made me laugh.

Classic

 

Fayetteville's Brittany Hoskins, center, is mobbed at the plate after hitting a 2-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie and win the game against Bentonville at Lady Dawg Yard in Fayetteville.

A first-inning home run by Bentonville made this come-from-behind affair a real blast to watch. If only it hadn't been at the same time as my beloved Wildcats' NCAA tournament game with Western Kentucky, it would have been perfect.

Up close

Thomas Winkler, a firefighter with the Fayetteville Fire Department, right, uses a fire axe while breaking through a wall in an apartment building on Lafayette Street as Capt. Paul Knapp, left, and firefighter Brian Phillips watch. The fire department spent Tuesday, Wednesday and will also spend today training on various firefighting techniques ahead of the building's demolition in the coming days.

It's so seldom that we are able to get as close as this while firefighters are working. Normally, we stay out of the way across the street as they do their jobs so we don't get in the way. But since this was training, we were invited to watch alongside them and it was fascinating. I've gotten to know the firefighters well over the years and have always admired how hard they work, train and play. Theirs is a close-knit group that is a pleasure to be a part of when I can be.

Riddle

Heritage senior Hunter Wood (44) delivers a pitch in the third inning of the War Eagles' 3-1 win over Fayetteville at Veterans Park in Rogers.

Wood and his battery mate Blake Baxendale make the War Eagles the favorite to win the 7A West this year. I really was glad to be able to see them play in Rogers and hope to see them in Fayetteville, too. FHS had its chances, but after a rocky first, Wood settled into a groove and was pretty tough on the Dogs.

Eyes without a face

 

Laura Jackson, a physician assistant who works at the Wellness Center at Jones Elementary, examines a patient and student at the school at the facility inside Harvey Jones Elementary School in Springdale.

The little girl that Jackson was working with, who was having trouble with a earache, was being picked up at school by her baby-sitter instead of her parent, so I was unable to make sure it was OK to photograph her being checked out in the clinic. To be safe, I shot in a way that one could not identify her and focused instead on Jackson. This comes up quite a bit in what I do, but it seemed as if it was a daily hurdle for me.

Baseball!

 

Fayetteville's Will Ginger delivers a pitch during the third inning of the Dogs' game with Little Rock Central at Fayetteville High.

My editor, in a very kind move, sent two tickets to me to attend a University of Arkansas baseball game today in appreciation for some extra work that I took on this past week. I thought nothing of the added responsibility and really appreciated his thoughtfulness. Sadly, heavy rain is anticipated for the day and the UA decided to play the game the day before as a part of a doubleheader instead, taking advantage of a very beautiful day. Ain't that the way it always goes?