Student of Life

A Thanksgiving Story - Tommy Turkey

2011-11-21T19:31:00.003-06:00

I happened across these gummy lumps today and thought I'd share. These are by my daughter, Alissa. I'm not sure the picture and story were done at the same time, but probably so. Hope you enjoy as much as I did!

One cool, foggy, breezy morning just as the sun was coming up Tommy arose in a cheerful mood. Tommy stood sleepily and opened his eyes. He saw all of the Thanksgiving decorations. Then he started to shout, "It's here! It's here! Thanksgiving is here! Oh my gosh what am I going to wear? Maybe I'll finally meet Uncle Herman. I'm forgetting the best part, the food. This year I'll have mashed potatoes and corn and..."

Josh the lamb interrupted, "You're not going to eat the food, you're going to be too busy being the food." Tommy had such a thundershock all of his feathers fell off right as he said that. At first he didn't believe him but when he looked through the window and saw where each food as going to go mashed potatoes, corn and turkey, Tommy knew it was true. Josh was right. He was going to have to get a plan and get out of there ASAP.

He knew he wouldn't escape with all of the watch dogs guarding the fence. Tommy decided he should use a disguise.

He took his blanket and thought what could he shape out of this. Tommy could be the Whites' daughter! Tommy knew they couldn't consume their own daughter. He pressed the buttons on the sewing machine and it started to make it CH-CH-CH! When it was done he put it on. First he slipped on the blue dress with white lace. Then he put on a blond haired wig with two blue ribbons. After that he struggled on his black shoes. They were so tight it felt like a crab pinching his feet! "If I must," he thought. He just hoped it worked.

First he was scheming in the mirror to make sure the Whites would really believe that he was their daughter. Tommy decided he better drill on what he was going to say to the Whites. Wait a minute! He didn't know what to say! He started scampering around and around until he felt something on his foot. It was the piece of paper that he had wrote of what he was going to say. He walked up to the door. Tommy was so nervous. He barged right in the house just like it was his. He could hear Mr. White's grouchy voice from the kitchen. Tommy told Mr. White that Jan her friend had invited her over and said she would like to attend. Mr. White said she didn't look so good but he finally said it was okay. "How long are you going to be gone?" "Till six," Tommy replied. But he knew he wasn't going to come back ever.

Tommy was so happy. He started to march proudly toward the forest to seek his turkey family. He decided to be wild and free just like his pa. As he was taking his journey he thought he should be more careful of who he trusted and didn't trust. On most of the trip he was daydreaming about how wonderful it was going to be spending time with his family again. Once he got there he could hear Mr. White yelling and screaming miles away. Tommy started to run around rejoicing that he wasn't going to be eaten! The other turkeys heard him and started to hide.

Alissa Harkins, 11-12-02 (Age 9)

And Then It Dawned On Me

2011-09-24T13:41:00.002-05:00

I decided to take some time today to catch up on a few things around the house. While picking up the kitchen, I noticed an empty bottle of Dawn dishwashing liquid and decided to take it to the recycle bin.

But wait. First, I'd better start a grocery list and include the Dawn on the list, lest I forget to buy more.

I went to the drawer in the kitchen where I keep pens and paper. While searching for paper, I noticed an old phone directory. Good grief, I haven't used this thing in years! All my addresses and phone numbers are either on my computer or in my cell phone now. Trash it.

Once again I began rummaging through the drawer in search of paper. Would you look at all this crap in here! I decided the drawer could use a good cleaning out, so I began taking everything out of the drawer and sorting. This goes to the garage. I need to take this to the office. Trash. This needs to go back in the drawer. More trash.

This was one of four "catch all" drawers in my kitchen. Do you have a catch all drawer? Some place where you just put things to get them out of the way when you're quickly straighening up and don't have the time to take them to the right place?

Anyway, after I straightened drawer number one, I made the mistake of opening drawer number two. Oh dear! Then drawer number three. Then four. Sorting. Fixing. Throwing away. Putting things in their rightful place. Next thing I knew, a couple of hours had passed. The drawers look a lot better, though. They're no longer "catch all." They only contain the things that really belong there. Good!

I turned around and noticed an empty bottle of Dawn dishwashing liquid. That needs to go to the recycle bin. But wait. I don't want to forget to buy more, so first I'd better start a grocery list. I'll need a pen and paper.

And then it dawned on me.

Taking That First Step

2011-08-17T19:49:00.004-05:00

It's hard to get started back blogging after letting it go for so long. It's very much like trying to get started back on an exercise routine after you've let yourself get all flabby and out of shape. When that happens, the best you can do is just make yourself take that first step. May, June and July went by without a blog post and I'm determined to not let August get by me as well. So here goes nothing!

I'm very sorry you haven't heard from me, but life has overwhelmed me lately. I wish I could say it's slowed down but... not so much. It continues at break neck speed.

One of the problems is figuring out where to start. So much has happened that I couldn't possibly do it justice. By the time I could find the time to tell you about all that, more stuff will have happened. So here's the abreviated synopsis. Maybe I'll find time to come back and fill in the details. But, if I don't, at least you'll get the overview. In no particular order.

Our Turn

I purchased a ten acre property in Poetry, Texas. This is the place where Mindy and I are building our future together. For now, we call it "Our Turn." Someday, we'll just call it "home." It's kept us very busy. It had a three-piece manufactured home on it that had to be moved. Then there was tree clearing, digging a pond, leveling a pad site for our future home and building a fence and a pier. And more tree clearing. And more cleaning. And... you get the idea. This place will keep us busy for years!

Up In Smoke

You may know there were a lot of wild fires in Texas earlier in the year. Well, my deer lease was among the casualties. It is located just south of Possum Kingdom Lake, an area that was hit very hard by the fires. My travel trailer and all the contents were completely burned up. Also, one of my blinds, a trail camera and some other items. My travel trailer wasn't covered by insurance, but the contents were. (Although only after a large deductible.) Recovery took quite a lot of my time. First I shopped for a new travel trailer. When I found one, it needed quite a bit of work. And, of course, there was shopping for contents and dealing with the insurance adjuster. Then taking the trailer to the lease, setting it up, etc. All this was very, very time consuming, but I'm almost back to square one with the exception of one blind.

Punta Cana

Mindy and I took a vacation to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic with my mom and my daughter. We stayed at the Iberostar Grand Bavaro resort. It was fabulous! The food was wonderful, the people were friendly and the service was fantastic! I highly recommend it!

Roadkill Chili Cookoff

Mindy hosted the 6th Annual Roadkill Chili cookoff. I won second place (behind Mindy's mom, Phyllis) with my wild hog chili recipe. A good time was had by all!

Grandma

I lost my 89 year old grandma last week. The funeral was yesterday. I feel kind of bad "glossing this over" because she was a wonderful, sweet lady and deserves all the honor I can bestow upon her. She had been in a nursing home and was suffering from dementia brought on simply by old age. Bless her heart, she just wore out.

I guess I'll share just this one thing... One of the things I remember about grandma from my childhood is long goodbyes. We would go to her house and, when it was time to go, she just wouldn't let us! To tell you the truth, it was a little annoying at the time, but we all knew it was because she loved us. It was during those long goodbyes that she would tell me, "David, I pray for you every day, every day, every day!" I later learned that when something is repeated in scripture, it's to add emphasis. I don't know if that's where grandma got the "every day, every day, every day" thing, but I do know she read her bible a lot, so it's a good theory.

Anyway, the point is, she really meant that she prayed for me every single day. And I have no doubt that she did. I really don't have any way of knowing what my life would have been like without all of grandma's prayers, but I'm grateful. Years later as an adult, I heard the song "Somebody's Prayin'" by Ricky Skaggs. I couldn't help but think Ricky was singin' about my grandma. And I still think of her everytime I hear that song. When he sings the part, "Lord, I thank you for those people prayin' all this time for me," well... I do feel a little emotional. Thanks, Grandma!

Everything Else

The above is just a part of everything that's happened over the last few months. I turned 50 years old. We lost a very special chicken. My mom broke her leg. And more. So much has happened! But I'll stop there. Remember, I was going to be brief!

More Pics of Warrenton

2011-04-08T08:01:00.002-05:00

I have more pictures from Warrenton and realized my time is running out to share them. So without further explanation, look see!

Glimpses of Warrenton

2011-03-30T21:12:00.003-05:00

Well, I'm home from Warrenton to work for a few days before heading back. Thought I would go ahead and give you a glimpse of what's going on there. Believe it or not, I really didn't take that many pictures. It seemed like we stayed very busy.

Time Is Running Out

2011-03-21T21:42:00.005-05:00

I'm sure you know that the big antique show in Warrenton is fast approaching. Mindy and I were there last weekend doing a little last minute preparation.

Well, while we were there, we found a Killdeer sitting on a couple of eggs.

Here's the mama Killdeer...

And here are her "babies"...

Mama Killdeer tried to lure us away from her eggs by feigning injury...

Unfortunately, the nest is right in a main driving area for the many trucks and travel trailers that will be rolling into this field in a few days. Eeeek!

Come on, babies, hurry up and hatch! Time is running out!

Goal Met!

2011-03-09T21:55:00.002-06:00

On January 9th, I told you of my goal to run an elliptical half-marathon to celebrate turning 50 years old this year. Well, I am happy to report that goal has been met as of last night. Here is a log of my progress.

I didn't start out last night with the idea of necessarily doing the whole 13.1 miles. I mean, that thought was in the back of my mind, but not really my plan. As you can see, my previous longest distance was 9.1 miles and I had sort of set 11.1 miles as my next target. I figured if I reached 11.1 and felt really good, I could go for it all. But that, most likely, I would save that for another day.

The first 6 miles or so went very smoothly. Around the 8 mile mark my right knee started hurting and for a little while there, I entertained the thought of stopping at 10.1 miles. After all, that would be a respectable improvement over my previous longest distance and I didn't want to risk further knee injury.

But by the time I got to 10 miles, my knee wasn't really hurting any worse than it had been for the previous couple of miles, so I decided to press on. At mile 11 my quads were burning so badly that I hardly noticed the knee pain anymore. Around that time, the thought of the pain that would be required to get me back to that same point on another day seemed greater than the pain that would be required to just go ahead and wrench it out for 2 more miles right then and there. So that's what I did.

So how hard could 2 more measly miles be? Let me tell you, those last 2 miles seemed to last forever! Every tenth of a mile was like a little milestone. Gruelling is what it was! But around 12.9, I started smiling.

After reaching 13.1 and getting off the machine, all I could say was "Holy cow!" Over and over. "Holy cow!" Because I was hurting! To say my quads were on fire is an understatement. They were in serious pain. I took three ibuprofen and within an hour, the pain had subsided. But the smile remains.

Goal met!

Sazon Tangy Baked Fish

2011-01-14T17:16:00.004-06:00

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. That may be true, but not wanting to go to the grocery store is a pretty good motivator as well! Maybe a second cousin of invention or something.

Anyway, I invented this tangy baked fish recipe today just because I had thawed out some striped bass and I didn't want to go to the grocery store.

It turned out pretty darn good! I would make it again. I mixed in a bowl 1/4 cup Miracle Whip, 1/4 cup Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing (from a bottle) and 1/2 cup Wish Bone Italian Dressing. I tasted that and decided it needed a bit more kick. A friend recently turned me on to this stuff...

I whipped one packet of Sazon Goya con Azafran into the mixture and it gave it a nice flavor and turned it a pretty orange color to boot. Then I lined a cake pan with foil, layed my fish in the bottom of it and spooned my mixture on top. Then sprinkled liberally with California Style Lemon Pepper.

I baked it at 325 for 30 minutes. It has a sort of tangy southwest flavor. I ate a lot of it. Sorry about the anemic looking asparagus! It was frozen and I zapped it in the microwave a little too long. Oh well.

I guess I'll call it Sazon Tangy Baked fish. That is, unless you can suggest a better name. What say you?

Fire in the Sky

2011-01-10T19:56:00.003-06:00

Fire in the Sky, originally uploaded by Snakelover61.

Friday's sunset made me gasp! I ran for my camera and took this photo. This was taken from my backyard looking west toward Lake Ray Hubbard. Wasn't it beautiful? Honestly, my photo doesn't do it justice.

The best part...

I know the artist personally.

Running in the House

2011-01-09T17:39:00.012-06:00

I know I haven't blogged in a long time. Between deer season and the holidays, I guess something had to give. And it seems that blogging is the thing I’ve most neglected.

If you remember who I am at all, you may also recall that last summer I set a goal to run a half-marathon to celebrate my 50th birthday. During training, I promptly injured my knee. Namely, a proximal medial tibial stress fracture. Ouch! This, combined with cartilage damage in both knees that I have dealt with for a long time, brought my running to a screeching halt.

After I was finally able to walk pain free, the doctor released me to exercise and recommended I use my elliptical trainer to strengthen my knees. I’ve been doing that, but have never really gotten back to the point I was before the injury. I am very concerned about these jacked up knees of mine!

One of my friends recently had double knee replacement surgery. I talked to him in depth about how his knees were originally injured, how they slowly degenerated, the lifestyle changes that were necessary as the result of his bad knees and his experiences with the knee replacement surgery and rehabilitation. While I’m very happy for him that he is able to walk normally again, I definitely do not want to follow that long and grueling path.

All this to say that I’ve come to the decision that high impact running is just not worth the risk of further injuring my already not-quite-right knees. I plan to take my original knees with me to the grave.

So I am officially refining my goal:

I will still run a half-marathon.
But I will do it on an ELLIPTICAL.

Don't tell mom, but I'm running in the house! I will certainly not be the first to do this. Lots of people run 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and even marathons on ellipticals. And it makes great sense! It has ALL the cardiovascular benefits of running but with MUCH less risk of injury. And I'm sure my knees will love me for it!

The first step was finding out what resistance setting on the elliptical is the cardiovascular equivalent of real running. This was relatively easy to do because I had been wearing a heart monitor when I ran and had collected the data for time, distance, calories burned, etc. So all I had to do is wear my heart monitor on the elliptical and find out (by trial and error) which resistance level would cause me to burn the same number of calories while running the same distance in the same amount of time as I did when I was actually running. It takes a resistance setting of 12 (out of 15) on my particular machine to equal the same amount of calorie burn as running.

I have already begun training for my elliptical half-marathon. So far, I have worked up to 4.0 miles. That's a long way from the 13.1 miles of a half-marathon. But it's a start!

"Someone"

2010-12-08T22:35:00.006-06:00

First of all, the picture has nothing to do with this post; I just hate posting a blog without including a picture. I got to talking to someone online tonight about paranormal experiences. I told them the following true story. Having already typed it all up, I decided to share it with you as well.

I will warn you that what I'm about to tell you might seem strange to some. Heck, it's strange to me too! You may draw different conclusions than I do and that's ok. You may just say to yourself, "Then David got weird for a while." I promise to return to normal.

About 23 years ago, I experienced something that I can't fully understand, but was very real to me. It was at a time when my first marriage was on the rocks. I was very distraught. One night I lied awake for a long time thinking about all this before I finally started to fall asleep.

As I entered that semi-sleep state, I became aware that "someone" had sat down on the edge of the bed right next to me. I wanted to open my eyes, but I couldn't. Nor could I move. But I could feel the mattress slowly sink in on that side and I was very much aware that someone had begun sitting there. So close that I could feel them against me. I'm not sure, but I think they placed a hand on my arm. But they did not touch my skin directly, as there was a sheet and blanket over me.

I was simultaneously aware that my wife was still lying on the other side of me and I knew that we had been alone in the house with the doors locked. I was very aware of time and place and that I was in a semi-sleep state. The strange thing is I was not at all frightened. In fact, I instinctively knew that this "someone" was there to comfort me. No words were spoken. I did not see them; my eyes were closed the whole time.

Try as I might, I could not fully awaken myself. But I remained in this semi-sleep state and aware of the presence for what seemed like a long time. A peace gradually came over me and I eventually fell into full sleep.

When I woke up in the morning, I could remember it distinctly as happening several hours prior. Which is very unlike dreams for me. I usually have a very hard time piecing together dreams once I awaken, even when I was having them immediately before awakening. This was very different than any dream I've ever had.

I can't explain why, but I knew it was someone of the male gender. I feel that this was either a relative that had died, an angel or Jesus himself. In any event, I'm grateful to this "someone." They helped me through a very difficult time.

OK, that's the story. I'll get right back to normal now.

Photo Published

2010-11-03T14:36:00.006-05:00

I had one of my photos published in the October/November 2010 issue of K-9 COP Magazine. It's included in the article "Rattlesnake Vaccination," by Jo-Anne Brenner, Tim Crowe and Steven Mensack. Click here to see the photo that they used. They sent me five copies of the magazine in appreciation. And, of course, it includes a photo credit... "Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Photo courtesy of David Harkins." Imagine that!

This is not the first time I've had my "work" published. (It seems silly to call it "work," thus the quotation marks.) But this is the first time it's been used in something that I could actually hold it in my hands, which makes it feel more real.

Anyway, it feels good and I wanted to share. High five! Don't leave me hangin' now!

f-stop Friday - Buck Fawn

2010-10-29T09:36:00.005-05:00

I took this picture three weekends ago while sitting in my bowhunting blind in Stephens County, Texas. I didn't see any deer that I wanted to shoot with my bow, but I did manage to shoot quite a few with my camera. This one's my favorite.

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Call Me Senator

2010-10-25T13:53:00.006-05:00

This is funny spoof on California Senator Barbara Boxer's "Call me Senator" moment!

Early voting is cool. Happy Monday!

Pent-up Fun!

2010-10-06T11:51:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Malisa, Lurch and Rhonda!

Mindy and I enjoyed our Pent-up Photo session!

The Camel Tree

2010-10-05T11:15:00.006-05:00

What is the camel tree you ask?

It's a tree that Mindy and I always see on our way to Warrenton. From a distance, it looks to us like a camel in silhouette. So we started calling it "the camel tree."

It's gotten to the point where it's become a sort of landmark for us. We actually look forward to seeing it each trip.

Do you see the "camel?" It's laying down in the shade of the big oak.

Of course, as you get closer, it starts to look a little more like a tree and a little less like a camel.

After seeing it so many times, we finally decided to pull over and take a few pictures.

And that, my friends, is the camel tree!

Faces of Warrenton

2010-09-27T10:43:00.013-05:00

I thought I would take a quick breather from all the excitment at the big show in Warrenton to share a few of the "people pictures" I've taken so far. You might just recognize a few of these faces...

Edit: I believe the slide show requires a flashplayer that may not necessarily be installed on everyone's computer. In case the slide show is giving you fits, here is a link to view the set the old fashioned way...

Faces of Warrenton 2010

Wild West

2010-09-20T21:30:00.005-05:00

Stephens County, Texas

Where Is It?

2010-09-08T19:22:00.014-05:00

Life has been extra busy lately. And that has made it hard to find time to comment on your blogs, much less post on my own blog. I'm sure you know how that goes.

Anyway, it's all GOOD stuff and I'm certainly not complaining. And I'll try to fill you in on the latest as I have time. In the meantime, I blew the dust off my camera last weekend and took a few pics.

All the pictures on this blog post were taken at the same place. Anyone recognize the scene?

It's just for fun. There's no prize if you get it right. We're low budget here.

9/12/10 UPDATE!

Thanks for playing along! In case you haven't figured it out yet, these pictures were taken at Tipsy Tango in downtown Quinlan!

Mindy and I stopped in for her big Labor Day weekend customer appreciation sale! Great stuff at great prices! FUN! Thanks, Patty!

Click here to see more pictures!

First Amendment, The Original Version

2010-08-27T10:19:00.006-05:00

Do you know what The First Amendment really means? If you've formed your opinion from what you've heard from the media, you most likely think The First Amendment has something to do with keeping God and all things spiritual out of the government and all public institutions. But that's simply not true.

This video makes it very clear that our founding fathers intended for The First Amendment to mean something very different from the self-serving, twisted interpretation most commonly presented by the media and our current government leaders.

Please pray that our leaders will return to God and the freedoms and beliefs that made this country great in the first place.

My Running Injury (MRI)

2010-08-12T20:34:00.006-05:00

I've been meaning to bring you up to date on my knee. As I mentioned in my last blog post, I had an appointment with the orthopedic specialist on Thursday, August 5th. It didn't take him long to figure out that my jacked up knee was caused by a stress fracture. He put me on crutches and scheduled me for an MRI on Monday, August 9th and a follow-up appointment with him today.

I got to see the MRI images today. Here is one of them...

You are looking straight at the front of my knee, but beyond the knee cap. The red arrow is pointing to the problem. You see that dark area inside the bone? Well, it's supposed to be the same gray color as the rest of the inside of the bone.

If you could see the other "slices" of the MRI, you could see that it's at least as deep as it is wide or tall. It's just below the growth plate of the tibia and is called a proximal medial tibial stress fracture. And it will heal... over the course of 6-8 weeks.

There is also cartilage damage inside the knee joint, but I already knew that. It's an old injury but now I know a little more about it, thanks to the MRI. The good news is the cartilage damage isn't in a place that is likely to be be aggravated by running. It's in the groove that the knee cap slides over. It mainly hurts when I'm on my knees.

I have another appointment in three weeks. At that time, he will take a regular x-ray and assess my progress. He will then decide whether I can start working on the eliptical or bike riding to strengthen the surrounding muscles and tendons. It will be weeks later before I can do any high impact exercising like running. And even then I will have to ease into it very gradually.

But over the next three weeks, he just wants me to get to the point where I can walk normally without pain. Baby steps.

Up to my knees in RICET.

2010-08-02T19:55:00.007-05:00

Those of you who read my last blog know I set a goal to run a half-marathon.

The first day of training, I ran and walked 2.2 miles. Lordy, it was harder than I thought! It was a pain in the shins, but I figured that was to be expected.

I gave it a day or two of rest and then ran and walked 3.3 miles. It was again difficult and somewhat painful, but I felt like I did pretty well that day.

I gave it a few more days rest and then ran and walked another 3 miles. I felt good after the run, other than a little pain under my right knee. Then I drove home.

When I got out of my truck... OH MY GOD! Yeah, I apparently hurt myself royally! I have had knee problems for almost thirty years and hadn't considered how the high impact nature of running would affect that old injury. Yikes! In layman's terms, my right knee is JACKED UP!

That was last Wednesday. Since that time, I have been on RICET therapy...

Perhaps you have heard of RICE therapy? The "R" stands for Rest, the "I" stands for Ice, the "C" stands for Compression and the "E" stands for Elevation.

Well RICET therapy is just a slight modification of RICE therapy. It incorporates all the elements of RICE therapy, but with one additional element. The "T" stands for TEQUILA! Preferably, mixed in a margarita! Mindy's friend, Cindy, who is a runner, came up with RICET therapy and I have adopted it for my own use.

If you read my last blog, you know that I signed up for the Hottest 10K on August 15th. Well, guess what? That's NOT going to happen! I have an appointment with an orthopedic specialist on Thursday morning to get a diagnosis beyond "it's jacked up." Hopefully, I will find out what needs to be done for my knee and whether running is even a possibility. Stay tuned.

Running My Race

2010-07-21T08:14:00.025-05:00

I am 49 years old. On May 3rd, 2011, I plan to turn 50. I say “plan to” because I could be run over by a bus or Jesus could come back. But barring any unforeseen or unusual circumstances, I will be a half-century old in less than a year. Five-0. That, my friends, is a milestone birthday if there ever was one! And cause for celebration!

How should I commemorate such an event? Well, I may mark it in many ways and I reserve the right to add to the list as I go along. But I have been giving this some thought and have decided on at least one fitting element of the celebration... good physical health.

After all, I have much to live for and a lot of great living ahead! Have you met my girlfriend, Mindy? Yep, she will keep me busy enough! And then there are my kids! And perhaps… one day… grandkids! So, going forward, I see my life filled with a lot of fun, youthful activity. There’s just no way around it.

To put it simply, I’ve got things to do. I am quite certain there are many tall mountains left to climb and all that mountain climbing could make me tired and out of breath if I don’t take good care of my body. I will. It's important.

And so I have decided that, among other things, I would like to celebrate my 50th year with a physical challenge. Something that makes a statement about the life that still lies before me and what it will require of me in order to enjoy it to its fullest potential. I want to do something that quite literally propels me into the next season of my life.

My Goal: Run a half-marathon. 21 kilometers. 13.1 miles. Uh huh.

Being that I have never been a runner in my life, I do not feel qualified to even consider a full marathon. Of course, the word “marathon” has that romantic ring to it. I can almost hear the soundtrack from “Chariots of Fire,” can't you? But as someone who has not yet run his first race, I must learn what it is I am even asking of myself. I feel a half-marathon is a realistic goal. I can envision it. It “feels” attainable. A half-marathon. Goal set. Check.

But one does not just get up off the couch one day, walk outside and run 13.1 miles. You have to work toward it. At least that’s what I have been told. Remember, I am not a runner... yet. On the other hand, I am not a couch potato either. I work out. I lead a relatively active lifestyle. And I believe I am in reasonably good physical condition. So how do I start the process? I jump in with both feet. (Pun intended.) I commit. That’s all I know to do at this point. So here goes nothin’...

I am now registered to run the “Hottest 10K” on August 15th at White Rock Lake in Dallas. A 10K run is 6.2 miles. I might have been inclined to start with a 5K, but one doesn’t happen to be offered at this event. So 10K it is.

I’d better get to runnin’!

If that's what you're looking for, that's what he's got.

2010-07-07T21:00:00.004-05:00

Dress Up in Poetry

2010-06-23T14:15:00.007-05:00

It was a fun time at the Primitiques Dress Up Day! Thought I would share a few pics of my sweetheart,Mindy, and our good friend,Robelyn, in their outfits!

Beautiful, huh? Yes sir, that's my baby! I always think she looks great in hats!

FUN!

And here's another of my love in a one-shoulder dress...

I even got to take home a free kitten! OK, not kitten... cat. But she's very sweet! Here's Robelyn with Ms. Kitty...

And did I mention there were fresh baked sugar cookies?

Want to know who else showed up? Guess you'll have to head over here and find out!

New Playground in Stephens County

2010-06-15T16:04:00.005-05:00

It's been a whirlwind lately! Sometimes I forget what I've told you guys and what I haven't. I have a new deer lease in Stephens County, Texas. Is this news to you?

It's just a little south of Possum Kingdom State Park , which of course is on Possum Kingdom Lake. Mindy and I were there over Memorial Day weekend to take my new travel trailer and set it up. Oh yeah, I bought a new travel trailer too! Have I told you that yet? Yes, I have a new travel trailer for the deer lease. That way I can leave my old one in Warrenton for the big shows. Anyway...

On the way back, I got the above shot of my sweetheart with a wooden Indian. Here's another one of just the Indian...

Isn't he great?! The crack in his feathers just adds character! I've got my feeders running at the new lease and the trail cams going. Hopefully, I'll be showing you pictures from the new place soon!

Black and White

2010-05-26T21:18:00.005-05:00

Sometimes I forget how much fun it is.

Roll your mouse over a picture to see the original color version.

f-stop Friday - Thistle

2010-05-21T18:35:00.003-05:00

Hoping this'll brighten your day. Have a wonderful weekend!

f-stop Friday - Prairie Nymphs

2010-05-14T08:58:00.004-05:00

I couldn't seem to pick just one photo today.

I took these macro pictures in New Ulm, Texas. They're Prairie Nymphs, a wild flower member of the Iris family that are native to that area. You probably can't tell it from the photos, but they are only about one inch across. I guess that's why they're called nymphs, huh?

Wishing you a very enjoyable weekend!

f-stop Friday - The Eyes Have It

2010-05-07T18:54:00.003-05:00

A little macro fun today. A tiny flower fly perches on the tip of a blade of St. Augustine grass.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Strange Shadows

2010-05-04T22:26:00.005-05:00

Hey, what's going on here?! My sweetheart's shadow doesn't look quite right!

Ohhhhhh! Now I see!

Shadows can be fun!

The Bridge

2010-04-30T17:39:00.005-05:00

Winter In The Yukon

2010-04-29T20:36:00.003-05:00

My geocaching travel bug, "Would I Lie To You?", spent the whole winter in the Yukon Territory. Brrrrr! In short pants, no less!

That boy really gets around! Since I dropped him off in March of 2008, he's been in Texas, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Alaska and the Yukon. Here's a Google Earth map of his travels so far...

I received an email from the person he's currently staying with and was assured that he will be hitting the road again soon. If you would like to follow his adventure, visit his page here.

Mindy and I will be doing a little geocaching this weekend. Who knows, maybe we'll run into him!

f-stop Friday - Snake in the Grass

2010-04-23T11:59:00.004-05:00

I hope Robelyn enjoyed her snake-free time! It's over!

What I like most about this photo is the narrow depth of field (DOF). The snake is in sharp focus, but the grass in front of and behind the snake is a soft blur, putting all the more emphasis on the snake, especially its face. There's a nice buttery bokeh above and behind the snake's head and I really like the green and tan colors for a backdrop. If there is such a thing as a portrait shot of a snake, I think this is it!

For the photographers among you who may be interested in the particulars, I shot this at 100 ISO, 70mm focal length, 1/1000 shutter speed and f/2.8 aperture.

Hope you have a super weekend!

Love Gifts

2010-04-21T10:48:00.006-05:00

First of all, I'm not done boring you with the snake pictures! I have at least one more, OK maybe two, that I'd like to share. But you deserve a break, so let's talk about something else today.

The photo. Pretty cool, huh? That's a heart made out of driftwood. It may be hard to tell the size from the picture, but it's over a foot. It was a "just because" gift from my sweetheart, Mindy. So sweet! It goes great in my house and I do think it's beautiful. But I love it mostly because everytime I look at it, it is a happy reminder of how much she loves me!

I got another love reminder today. She is planning a birthday weekend trip for us. It was a surprise, but logisitically speaking, she had to let me in on it now. She did say "Surprise!" I love this woman!

Speaking of love gifts, you can help me extend one to my daughter, Alissa. She just started blogging and could use some encouragement. You see, her blog is about weight loss, dieting and exercise. She's gone so far as to post her weight, BMI and percentage body fat on her blog. Yes, she's very courageous to put this out there! It gives her accountability.

If you could drop by her blog and give her an encouraging word, I would appreciate it. I know it would mean a lot to her to know that she's not alone and that your kind words of encouragement and support would really help her. Especially if you've ever struggled with weight, yourself. And if you'd like to be her follower, so much the better. I'm so very proud of her for doing this! A lot of people desire to make positive changes in their lives, but she's doing something about it! She rocks! Here's her blog link.

THANK YOU!

Reflections of a Snake Lover

2010-04-18T22:04:00.004-05:00

While photographing a Red-striped Ribbon Snake in my yard, I inadvertently captured a self-portrait! Check the reflection in the eye pupil. I was laying flat on my stomach to get eye level with the snake. If you look closely, you can see me and my camera, the sky and trees behind me and even a fence row.

Click here to get a closer look!

I thought it was kind of cool. Especially if you consider that the snake's head is only about 3/4" long and the eye is about the size of a BB! I took this picture with my 100mm macro lens.

Then she slipped me the tongue!

2010-04-17T15:33:00.006-05:00

While working outside today, I noticed a Red-Striped Ribbon Snake. Drop everything, it's time for a photo shoot! Timing the shot to capture the tongue at full extension is harder than you might think!

A Booger of a Problem

2010-04-12T11:45:00.005-05:00

I didn't take this picture, but it seems fitting...

After reading FringeGirl's blog post this morning, I wanted to share this YouTube video with her. And YOU!

And if you think THAT was funny, you really must read FringeGirl's humorous post "In Honor of Snot." We can all use a good laugh on a Monday!

Turbo Incapulator

2010-04-09T08:57:00.008-05:00

Pants on the Ground!

2010-04-08T11:23:00.006-05:00

I saw this sign on top of a Yellow Cab this morning at a stop light. It's a good thing that I keep my point-and-shoot camera in my brief case for just such an opportunity.

I don't know who pays for these signs, but I thought it was funny!

Boys, listen to your grandma!

Warrenton Day Nine

2010-04-05T21:50:00.002-05:00

Yes, Day Nine. You see, I had to come back home and work during the week, so I missed days 5-8. To see those days, you'll want to go to Mindy's pictures. The pictures in this blog post were taken on the last day of the show, Saturday, April 3rd. I didn't take a whole lot of pictures on the last day, so I'll just kind of throw them out there.

Here's a picture of Mindy just minding her own business. Get it? Minding her own business. OK, that one always seems funnier in my head!

A few odds and ends from Mindy's space. Electron tubes...

You can see my reflection in these...

I really like this next picture. Do I have to have a reason?

I aimed my 200mm at Heidi from 60 yards away and she became aware I was taking her picture. I prefer candids, but I figured I might as well go ahead and press the shutter button like a good paparazzi.

I like the glasses and limes.

Joy in the mornin'. Joy in the evenin'. Joy all day long!

Lilly was enjoying a little rest in the shade.

G gave me a wave as he carried a table.

Shortly after this, it was time to put away the camera and get to loading! We were still loading the trailer until well after dark and the interior trailer lights came in handy. It made for a long day and we slept well that night.

Easter morning we headed back home. And that concluded my Warrenton Spring 2010 experience. Can't wait for the Fall show!

Warrenton Day Four

2010-04-02T20:48:00.004-05:00

I'm headed back to Warrenton in the morning. Which is the 9th and last day of the Zapp show. Sunday we'll be pulling the bulldog trailer back home with those two or three items that didn't sell. :-)

I'll take some more pictures tomorrow. But, since I'll be gone for a while, I thought I'd go ahead and post up Day Four, Monday, March 29th. These are the last of the pictures from when I was there, so here goes!

Where to begin. Last Monday was a somewhat uneventful day as Warrenton goes. I stayed at the travel trailer that morning to work on a leaking water pump while Mindy and Robelyn got the tent ready for a day of selling. When I arrived at Zapp, I passed by Carol's tent and saw this...

Hello? Is that... a stuffed kangaroo... in bunny ears? I don't even know what to say about that! But I like it!

Debbie of Talking Trash was all smiles when I arrived. Hi, Debbie!

Mindy and Robelyn had been hard at work with new sets. I like this look...

I decided to take a look around Debbie and Danny's tent. OK, this swan is fabulous!

As is this microscope! Love it!

OK, back to Mindy's tent. Have I mentioned the kick booty Primitiques Meets Red.Neck handbags by Robelyn?

Yeah, I guess I did, but they're worth another look! I decided to wander over to Maggie and Lilly's tent...

Yep, cool stuff everywhere you look. But check the reflection in the mirror...

Blink or something, ladies! Ha! Great stuff, though. I give them my stamp of approval!

I wandered back outside looking for more stuff to photograph. How about these wine bottles in Mindy's wine rack? I like the way the sun's shining on them. That should make an interesting photo.

I meandered over to another neighbor's tent. This is Meg Harper. As you can see, Meg is an artist.

She was working on something. That's fun!

I did mention the cool handbags, right?

I decided to set the camera down for a little while and do a reset. Robelyn joined in and the next thing you know we had created this...

I think the red.neck's rubbing off on me. But I had to tie the deer antlers to the taxidermy form with twine cause Robelyn left her duct tape in the car. Oh well. Whimsical, don't you think?

It was kind of a slow day. Another neighbor, Rebekah, makes custom pottery jewelry. Hmmm, not much going on here at the moment. Just watchin' the baby.

Maybe I'll go see how Meg's coming on that painting.

Mad skills, I tell ya! Way to go, Meg!

OK, I'd dilly dallied long enough. *sigh* Much as I hated to, I needed to get on the road. Had to be at work on Tuesday morning. So long, Mindy! So long, Warrenton!

Until tomorrow, that is! Yee haw!

Warrenton Day Three

2010-04-02T09:50:00.011-05:00

On to Day Three! And that rhymes with Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Yep, you better put your seatbelt on, I kid you not! Cause, kiddo, you are now headed for a very pixel-rich blog post! Might want to give that browser a few extra minutes to load'em up before you start scrolling!

Can't wait? I understand. But proceed with caution. And I hope you have high-speed internet, cause, with over fifty pictures, this post is NOT dial-up friendly!

The day started with new sets...

OK. I know who this next lady is. Really, I do. But I'm not going to be naming names for Day Three. Why? Because Day Three includes Theresa's blog party and I am not going to even pretend I know all those people!

So since I can't name them all, I'm not going to name any. You, on the other hand, are welcome to shout out names in your comments. In fact, we can make a game of it if you want. So we can practice with this one. Hint: Her name sounds like a fast sports car...

The red.neck with the red hair helped my sweetheart with this way-cool name tag. See? No names! Isn't this fun?

Ah oh, there's a name on the tag. But I didn't say it, so it doesn't count!

And let's not forget those way-cool Primitiques meets Red.Neck Chic handbags!

A touch of green goes a long way.

OK, just past those great looking rusty bicycles is Theresa's blog party. Oh, darn, I said a name! OK, so Theresa will be the exception. But there will be no other names from here on out, just numbers.

You will see lots of pictures of people having a fabulous time! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to ID them. Above each picture is a number. If you choose to play, type that number in your comment, followed by name(s) of the folks in the picture. Yes, you can ID yourself. In fact, that would be fabulous, as I would love to hear from some new people!

Party on!

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Was that fun or what?! A big thank you to Theresa Garden Antqs Vintage for hosting such an awesome party!

Coming soon... Day Four!

Warrenton Day Two

2010-04-01T20:35:00.008-05:00

I know what you must be thinking. What?! Two posts in one day?! Yes, this could be a record! This post is all about Day Two of the Zapp show, which was Saturday, March 27th. It's a new day and you know what that means... a new hat for Mindy!

And new customers!

And new sets. The bone yard...

And new bloggers! Robelyn of Red.Neck Chic arrived to help Mindy for several days. Angelique of Six in One Hand dropped by for a visit and brought me a surprise gift that I won in her blog giveaway. Yee haw!

I'm not good with names and Mindy isn't around to help me. But I imagine some of you junkin' ladies will recognize more of these faces along the way. This is Heidi. I don't know her husband's name or whether she has a blog.

And this is Carol. I don't know whether she blogs, but she makes great cookies!

And this is Maggie of The Veranda. She doesn't much like to have her picture taken, so I usually have to sneak up on her! Or bribe her with a milk shake and onion rings!

Is that all of Day Two?! Holy cow, I must've been too busy to take pictures! I made up for it the next day, though. Because Sunday was the big blog party thrown by Theresa of Garden Antqs Vintage! So stay tuned!

Warrenton Day One

2010-04-01T10:55:00.005-05:00

I have 194 pictures from Warrenton. So far. I know you don't want to see all of them, so I'm trying to pick out a "sampling" of each day. This post is all about Day One, which was Friday, March 26th, the first day of the Zapp show. Here we go!

First, my lovely and talented girlfriend, Mindy of Primitiques 'n Poetry. Standing in front of the Primitiques inspired bags created by Robelyn of Red.neck Chic.

We had some great help from Mindy's lifelong friend, Staci.

These pics are from our first set. Many of these cool items have found new homes...

More cool purses. You know you want one!

Nikon? Seriously.

Adrienne of The Flying Bee and Anne of Fiona and Twig were among the many blogging celebrities that stopped by for a visit.

Adrienne was the very first purchaser of one of the Primitiques line of Red.Neck Chic handbags. And it's so you, Adrienne!

Speaking of celebrities, Mindy's tent is right next door to Debbie of Talking Trash!

Tommy and Adrienne. Are they a cute couple or what?

And last but never least, the infamous Cat Daddy!

On to Day Two!

A Little Birdie Told Me

2010-03-30T11:05:00.004-05:00

A little birdie told me there are pictures from Warrenton on the way. It might have been this Black-Capped Chickadee...

Not sure if you can tell, but he has a goodie (sunflower?) from LucyJane's feeder between his feet. I took this picture on our brief snow day, March 21st. Wow, that seems so long ago! A lot has happened since then!

I'm back from Warrenton for the time being. All I can say is "WHEW!" It's been a whirlwind, but in a GOOD way! Mindy is still there working her magic. I'll be catching up on work for a few days and then heading back to Warrenton to join her again this weekend. But before I go back, I hope to have at least a few pictures ready to show you. So I'll be working by day and processing pictures by night.

Oh... and you're gonna like'em!

Windy

2010-03-21T22:19:00.005-05:00

Windy, originally uploaded by Snakelover61.

I kid you not. It was windy today. And pretty cold for March. Folks in my neck of the woods woke up to a winter wonderland of about 8" of snow. Between the wind and the temperature warming up, the snow didn't last long. I broke out the camera for a little bird photography. Hold onto your perch!

Discovering Beauty

2010-03-15T11:59:00.004-05:00

Don't you love discovering beauty? I do too! And the best kind is the God-given beauty that resides in the hearts of those we love. I made such a discovery this weekend.

I knew that Mindy had once been a music therapist and that she had worked with special needs children. But I don't think I fully got my heart around it until I saw this.

Sebastian has Down Syndrome and requires more attention than most babies. Among other things, he has to be fed every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, even through the night. Mindy knew his parents could use a break. So she volunteered to hold him for a while. She sang him to sleep. Mindy would be the first to tell you it's a God thing. Yep! I think it's just beautiful! And so does little Sebastian!

Is it any wonder I love this woman? She's so beautiful to me... inside and out! I'm so proud and I just had to brag on her! Have you discovered beauty in someone you love lately? If so, I'd love to hear about it!

Announcement

2010-03-09T08:40:00.005-06:00

Dear Readers:

About one week from now, I will post a blog.
When you see the blog, please read it and comment on it promptly.

Your response is important. It lets me know what you think and strokes my ego.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Sincerely,

Snakelover
Blogger, Student of Life

The Bulldog Trailer Renovation

2010-03-01T21:24:00.009-06:00

The new and improved bulldog trailer is ready for the Zapp Spring show! This is what it looks like today...

But I thought I would give you a few "before" pictures too, so you can see how far it's come! You may recall that before the Zapp Fall 2009 show, I purchased a 24' cargo trailer that Mindy and I took to Warrenton. I have been working on remodeling the trailer almost since the day I bought it. This is the way Mindy and I found it last September...

As you can see, it was previously owned by the Quitman H.S. Bulldog Proud Blue Band. We immediately dubbed it "The Bulldog."

It was full from front to back with these wooden shelving units. Perfect for hauling marching band instruments! We hoped they would also be good for hauling small antiques. Here is the view from the back.

And here is the view from the front.

With the Zapp Fall show fast approaching, the first order of business was waterproofing the roof. I fixed a few minor leaks and put a coat of elastomeric coating only on the seams. I put on new tires. I also got the stickers scraped off, although you could still see where they had been...

That's really all I had time to accomplish before it was off to Mindy's to load for the Zapp Fall Show. But we quickly found out we didn't have enough room for her larger antiques. We decided to remove two of the shelving units from the back of the trailer and one from the front. They were installed back to front and there was no way to get the back ones out in one piece without removing them all in the reverse order that they were installed. We certainly didn't have time for all that so....

Yes, I took a chainsaw to them and removed them in pieces! See? More room for big stuff!

And that's the way we took it for the Zapp Fall Show. I know many of you saw it at that time. Well, since that show, I've had a lot more time to work on it in the warehouse. The outside has been completely repainted with tan epoxy and the top coated with white elastomeric...

The black steel was also repainted.

I ordered these stickers. It's still "The Bulldog!"

I decided to install an electrical system. When parked at Warrenton, the power comes in from the bottom. The box on the left is a 3-wire outdoor male recepticle that receives a standard extension cord. Two outgoing extension cords can be plugged in on the right to supply power to Mindy's tent.

Inside the trailer, the electricity goes to a power converter box. The box serves three purposes; it contains breakers for the various AC circuits, it converts AC to DC power to run the lights and it recharges the deep cycle battery so that the lights can be used even when the trailer is not plugged in. Since it's only running lights, I didn't need a large capacity RV or Marine size battery. This one made for wheel chairs works just fine. How do you like may fancy cake pan battery tray?

Here is the front side of the power converter box. There is a main breaker, one 20 amp breaker and two 15 amp breakers. There are also fuses for the DC circuits. I went ahead and installed a 12v "cigarette lighter" type receptacle in case we need it for a phone charger or something.

One of the 15 amp circuits is dedicated to the microwave. The other is dedicated to the refrigerator. No more ice chests to deal with! And we can easily reheat our leftovers. This will make life at Warrenton so much more convenient!

I installed new rope retainers for the larger cubbies. There's a snap swivel on each end that attaches to eye bolts. This was an original feature from when it was a band trailer, but they needed to be replaced.

The old carpet was in pretty bad shape. So I tore it all out and replaced it. This carpet is not new either; it was salvaged from an office building remodel. But it's in a lot better shape than the original carpet. It really looks ALMOST new. I also installed all new metal transition strips. I repainted most of the interior.

There are a total of 16 interior electrical outlets, all on the 20 amp circuit. This should make it easy to always find a place to plug in a fan, a laptop, a calculator, a power tool, etc.

Now it's time to load the trailer and get ready to roll!

See you in Warrenton!

What up?

2010-02-27T08:06:00.006-06:00

Squirrel Watch, originally uploaded by Snakelover61.

What's blogging? Oh, yes, I remember blogging.

Between driving all over Texas looking for a deer lease and working on the trailer to get it ready for Zapp, I haven't had much time for keeping up with y'all. It's been nuts around here!

Please forgive my lack of blog activity. Especially my failure to keep up with your blogs and leave comments. But, honestly, I don't see things slowing down for me anytime soon. I'll try to check in when I can.

Guess I'd better scamper off. Just wanted to say hi!

Temporarily Stairs

2010-02-17T16:08:00.010-06:00

Do you ever get the feeling that some of the people in our country have become a little too dependent?

"I like an escalator because an escalator can never break, it can only become stairs. There would never be an escalator temporarily out of order sign, only an escalator temporarily stairs. Sorry for the convenience."
- Mitch Hedberg

Despite what we have been told, our government can't do everything for us. We're in a recession. Some of the escalators will have to become temporarily stairs.

Vote responsibly.

f-stop Friday - Snow Day

2010-02-12T14:56:00.009-06:00

What else could I blog about today? We received more than a foot of snow in north Texas. Now, I realize that twelve inches of snow may not be all that uncommon for some of you. But in my neck of the woods, believe me, that's a big fat hairy deal! It's a north Texas record for a 24 hour period. And I even stayed home from work today!

Have a wonderful weekend, y'all!

f-stop Friday - Cool Drink of Water

2010-02-05T18:32:00.002-06:00

Sometimes it takes more than one picture to tell a story. Ever wonder how a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker gets a drink of water from a frozen bird bath? Well, first she stands on the ice and pecks a little hole. Rat-a-tat-tat!

Then she sticks the tip of her beak into the hole, turns her head a little sideways and sucks the water up like through a straw...

Ahhhhh! Thirst quenched!

Hope you have a fantabulous weekend!

2009 Porker of the Year

2010-02-04T16:49:00.005-06:00

Citizens Against Government Waste, the self-proclaimed "America's #1 Taxpayer Watchdog" has announced their Porker of the Year Award for 2009.

A "pork" project is a line-item in an appropriations bill that designates tax dollars for a specific purpose in circumvention of established budgetary procedures. Our government spent $19.6 Billion in 2009 on "pork" projects. To win the award for Porker of the Year, you had to have voted for more taxpayer dollars in pork projects than any of your competitors.

Drum roll please.

The 2009 Porker of the Year Award goes to, not surprisingly, Elmer Fudd.... errrr I mean Barney Frank, the Democratic Representative from Massachusetts.

But what may surprise you is that the runner-up is our own Texas Senator and Governor wannabe, Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Draw your own conclusions.

Taking a Break

2010-02-01T21:45:00.004-06:00

I love photography, but processing photos can feel like such a whoopin' sometimes! I took 118 bird photos at Mindy's house on Saturday morning. I've been processing for about two hours. Whew!

I'm not finished, but I thought it might lift my spirits to at least share one photo with you...

Your encouragement is appreciated! OK, back to work!

Random Images from Winnie & Tulula's

2010-01-31T23:02:00.006-06:00

Mindy and I were at Winnie & Tulula's on Saturday. She kept me pretty busy! We set a window and reset her space. But I did manage to snap a few pictures.

Ever have a song stuck in your head?

Sooie!

She had the face of an angel.

Who dat?

Vintage portrait.

If you want to see more, head on over to Athens!

Bird Watching in Poetry

2010-01-23T19:38:00.005-06:00

It was a cloudy morning in Poetry, Texas. But the birds didn't seem to mind. Thought I'd share a few quick pictures of some of the birds around Mindy's feeder this morning.

There were lots of Black-capped Chickadees...

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker...

An American Goldfinch in winter plumage...

This is a Myrtle's Warbler. It's also known as a Yellow-rumped Warbler...

A Chipping Sparrow...

And a male Cardinal...

Mindy has some prime bird watching real estate! It's always fun to see what shows up!

The Light of a Clear Blue Morning

2010-01-20T09:54:00.007-06:00

It's been a long dark night,
And I've been a waitin' for the morning.
It's been a long hard fight,
But I see a brand new day a dawning.
I've been looking for the sunshine,
Cause I aint seen it in so long.
But everything's gonna work out just fine.
Everything's gonna be all right,
That's been all wrong.

Cause I can see the light of a clear blue morning.
I can see the light of a brand new day.
I can see the light of a clear blue morning.
And everything's gonna be all right,
It's gonna be okay.

It's been a long, long time,
Since Ive known the taste of freedom.
And those clinging vines,
That had me bound, well I don't need'em.

Cause I am strong and I can prove it,
And I got my dreams to see me through.
It's just a mountain, I can move it,
And with faith enough there's nothing I can't do.

And I can see the light of a clear blue morning.
And I can see the light of brand new day.
I can see the light of a clear blue morning.
And everything's gonna be all right,
It's gonna be okay.

-- lyrics by Dolly Parton, "Light of a Clear Blue Morning"

Folks, I'm actually beginning to believe everything's going to be all right, it's going to be okay. Yes, it's been a long dark night. But, if you look closely, you can just begin to see the light of a clear blue morning. It dawned yesterday in (of all places) Massachusetts. And on November 2nd, I believe it will shine brightly across our nation. A change is coming. And this time it's for the better. Finally, there is genuine hope.

Congratulations, Senator Scott Brown.
Congratulations, Massachusetts.
Congratulations, America!

There's a brand new day a dawning!

Redneck Noggin'

2010-01-14T22:21:00.003-06:00

You might be a redneck if you have a Hanes brand koozie for your mason jar.

Mindy doesn't like cold hands. Go Cowboys!

David's Pool Hall - Welcome Friends

2010-01-09T18:22:00.007-06:00

Thought I would give you a pictorial tour of one of my favorite rooms in the house, my game room.

It's a converted two-car garage. I did almost all of the construction myself, as well as the decorating. I started it immediately after my divorce. It was good therapy.

The walls and ceiling are covered in acoustic wall carpet. Green on the walls and black on the ceiling. It helps keep the sound where it should be, gives the room that "bar room feel" I was going for, and the hook side of velcro sticks to it, so hanging posters is a snap.

Of course, the most important item in the room is the pool table. I chose a Brunswick table with green Simonis cloth. It plays like a dream!

And Brunswick Centennial billiard balls. Just like the pros use.

My beverage dispenser is loaded with ice cold Bud Light longnecks. Push any button; they're all the same. My house, my beer! But the Onkyo surround sound system and a flat screen TV is ready for your choice of CDs or music videos. Turn it up!

One of the most recent additions to my game room. Do you think my game room could quality as redneck chic?

The Duke! Mindy gave me this and I love it! Pick it up, Pilgrim! And some of you will remember Mustang Sally. She's a little more modest these days! The door behind John Wayne goes to a closet I built to enclose the electrical breaker box. (Remember, this used to be a garage.) It also provides a small amount of storage.

This .38 revolver was owned by my great grandfather.

As was this .32 revolver. I put them in the shadow boxes for display.

A couple of turkey beards and spurs. What were they going to do with spurs, anyway? They don't even ride! And they looked like they needed a shave. Nine and three quarters for those who care.

I painted this freak horned deer skull silver metallic.

Mindy gave me this '60's era paper mache taxidermy form. I sprayed it with clear glaze until it got a little glossy in places. I like the patina, don't you?

Raise your right hand and repeat after me, "We the He-Man Woman Haters Club promise not to fall for this Valentine's business because girls are the bunk!" Just kidding, ladies. You know I could never be a hater!

My needs are simple; a place to put my cue when I'm not using it, a license plate from every state, a bucket of beer with fake ice and a guitar I don't know how to play.

Winning isn't everything, but...

I do enjoy a cold beer and some great sax.

Well, it looks like we've reached the end...

... so no whining!

Reflections

2010-01-04T16:32:00.007-06:00

No, it's not f-stop friday. But I wanted to share this picture that I took last weekend.

This was our view from the veranda of Le Shiloh Shabby Chateau!

After a few days there, the rest of the world seems upside down!

Click here for more pictures of our romantic weekend getaway.

It's About Love

2009-12-22T21:32:00.003-06:00

It's about family.

It's about Jesus.

Living In Rockwall, Texas

2009-12-18T09:40:00.004-06:00

I really do enjoy living here in Rockwall. It's a great community!

Guess I'd better get my truck on over there before they run out.

CAUTION: Conservative Crossing

2009-12-14T16:22:00.006-06:00

The above photo is meant to serve as a fair warning. Political propaganda ahead!

If you're not a conservative, I still love you. But proceed at your own risk. Just thought the video was worth sharing.

Primitiques Christmas Open House Slideshow

2009-12-08T09:34:00.007-06:00

I'll let Mindy do most of the talking! She has that way with words whereas I words not have way with. I sure had fun! Thanks to everyone who came out! Just click the play button below...

Merry Christmas!

It came to me live from a single wide!

2009-12-04T22:33:00.004-06:00

Even her paper sacks are suitable for framing.

This paper sack from red.neck Chic is just too unique to throw away. In fact, I decided it needed to be in my game room. So I bought a vintage frame from Liz of Monochromatic Home and added a little duct tape to it. Then I framed the paper sack! I like it!

Thanks, Robelyn!

Consider this a sneak preview. I hope to post more pictures of my game room soon. And you will see that this redneck masterpiece fits right in!

Timeless Treasures This Thursday

2009-11-30T22:38:00.003-06:00

Just a quick plug for one of my favorite target-rich environments.

It's almost time.

Click on the stone...

Winnie and Tulula's Christmas Open House 2009

2009-11-29T08:23:00.007-06:00

Trying something new. An embedded slideshow...

Feel free to use any photos you'd like for your own blogging. All I ask is that you please give me credit as the photographer. Also, a link back to my blog is appreciated.

If you'd rather see the photos the old fashioned way...
click here to view the set.

I kind of wish I had systematically gone through and taken pictures in EVERY booth. But I didn't do that. I just wandered around and took pictures willy nilly at whatever grabbed my eye. Please forgive me if I didn't happen to take any pictures in your space.

My time is short this morning as I am headed to Primitiques to help Mindy set up for her Christmas Open House next Saturday. Mark your calendar and I'll see you there!

I haven't yet had time to name or describe the photos and they still mostly have numbers instead of names. Eventually, I would like to name them and even link them back to their respective blogs and websites so that when people view my Flickr photos, they are pointed to your business. (I have a bigger Flickr following than I do a blog following.) Unfortunately, I can't remember in which booths some of the photos were taken and I'm not very good with names. That's where you come in. Note the last three digits of the photo numbers taken in your booth and comment with those digits so I can give you recognition for your good work.

Merry Christmas!

Winnie and Tulula's Christmas Pictures

2009-11-28T23:57:00.008-06:00

Deb, originally uploaded by Snakelover61.

Not yet. But I'm workin' on it, Deb! In the meantime, here's that "money shot."

On a side note, I just realized this is my 100th post! Yea, me! ;-)

Coming Home for Homecoming

2009-11-17T21:10:00.002-06:00

You may recall that the girl-child went to live with her mom in Denton. On Halloween night, she came back to Rockwall for the Homecoming dance. She got all gussied up. Seemed like a photo op. This shot is my favorite...

Isn't she pretty?!

Call To Prayer

2009-11-12T11:17:00.007-06:00

Please join me in praying for President Obama according to Psalm 109:8.

(Click here to read the verse.)

If you would like to encourage others to do the same, feel free to use this button.

God bless America!

f-stop Friday - Swallowtail

2009-11-06T11:38:00.012-06:00

Although it's still 77 degrees today, Fall is beginning to arrive in Texas and we won't be seeing these much longer. I took this photo in Round Top on October 25th when Mindy and I were down there for a combination trailer maintenance and geocaching trip. Goodbye, Summer!

Saying Goodbye to Jazz

2009-10-28T12:16:00.009-05:00

On Monday night, I had to have Jazz put to sleep. As I prepared to take him to the emergency pet hospital, I was pretty sure he wouldn't be coming back home. I laid him on my bed while I got dressed and he fell asleep. I decided to take this one last picture of him. Mostly because my daughter, Alissa, couldn't be there. I wanted her to have something to mark his passing. She was the one who wanted a kitty all those years ago and the reason that Jazz came into our lives.

At the hospital, the x-rays confirmed what we suspected, congestive heart failure. The prognosis was grim and I made the decision not to let him suffer. He passed away quietly and peacefully as I rubbed his face and chin. He always liked that.

He was a great cat. He'll be greatly missed.

Other posts starring Jazz:
How to Give a Cat a Haircut
How to Give a Cat a Haircut - The Sequel

I also want to share with you a sweet card that Mindy's mom made for me. I don't know whether she wrote the poem herself or found it somewhere, but it was...
PUR-fect!

He will not go quietly,
the cat who shared your life.
In subtle ways he lets you know
his spirit still survives.
Your feet still go around the place
the food dish used to be,
And sometimes coming home at night,
you miss him terribly.
And although time may bring new friends
and a new food dish to fill,
That one place in your heart
belongs to him...
and always will.

Boo!

2009-10-23T15:01:00.004-05:00

Photo by Donna Harkins (mom).

No, I wasn't scared either. Have a great weekend!

f-stop Friday - Forehand

2009-10-09T07:40:00.005-05:00

I don't do much sports photography. For one thing, it's HARD! Last night, my daughter played in a high school tennis match and I wanted to capture some of the action. Sound easy? She was on one of the center courts of four and I wasn't allowed inside the chain link fence. So the best I could do was to shoot through an open gate when a coach wasn't standing in it. I took a lot of shots, hoping for at least one good one. Sometimes you just take what you can get.

On a side note, this is a sad day for me. Alissa has decided to go live with her mom. There's nothing wrong between us; she says she just misses her mom. She will transfer today to the high school in the city where her mom lives. I do understand that a 16 year old girl needs the emotional support that only a mom can give. But I'm still a sad dad today.

Zapp Through My Lens

2009-10-07T10:33:00.013-05:00

Just grab her leg and hold on tight!

Clicking the photo above will start a slide show of 80 photos. It's the best way to view my Zapp photos in large size, but may not be dial-up friendly. Alternatively, you can view the set here. Either way be sure to enlarge the window to full size.

And if you were at Zapp, you'd better look at all the photos because YOU could be in there!

Hope you enjoy!

Party in Pink!

2009-10-06T21:31:00.000-05:00

To mark the 25th anniversary of National Breast Cancer Awareness month as well as her own "bloggaversary," my friend, FringeGirl is throwing a Party in Pink. As you can see, I've put on one of my "I dare to wear pink" shirts to join in the fun!

You too can participate! Here are the simple rules...

1. Link your specific ‘Party in Pink’ post to Mr. Linky located on FringeGirl's Party in Pink blog.

2. Take a picture of yourself wearing pink. If I can do it, you can too!

3. Honor a woman or many women who have or have had breast cancer. If you don't know anyone who fits these qualifications, honor women in general with this disease.

4. Be an encouragement to others with your post!

5. Somewhere in your post, link back to The Domestic Fringe. This will allow your readers to come and read other tributes.

I'm dedicating my Party in Pink post to another blog friend, Cher. And in honor of her decidedly Texas flavor, I have also put on my best 6x beaver Resistol. Yee haw!

Warrenton... WHEW!

2009-10-05T23:32:00.004-05:00

Mindy and I are back from twelve glorious days in Warrenton! And I'm exhausted! I'll have more pictures to share later. Still processing. In the meantime, just to prove I'm still alive, here's a picture that I took in Debbie and Danny's tent...

Please forgive my lack of comments. I'll try to get back to perusing your blogs soon!

No Rest for Snakelover

2009-09-21T15:22:00.006-05:00

This post might be better for an f-stop friday. But I expect to be away from the computer for the next couple of Fridays, so I decided to post it today.

On a website I frequent, there's a bi-weekly photography contest that I usually try to enter when I can. This time, the subject is "Reptiles" and entry ends tonight at midnight. Now, you would think this contest would be right up my alley! I mean, think about it... photography and snakes. What's not to love?

But despite almost two weeks of keeping an eye out for reptiles, up until Saturday, I didn't have anything to enter. Then I happened to look out Mindy's back door and... would you believe it?... a copperhead was laying on her back porch! What luck!

It took me a bit to catch it, being that I was armed only with a fish net. But Mindy brought me a rubbermaid tub to put it in and then I headed to the woods in search of a natural setting for what turned out to be a nice photo shoot. This is the photo I entered in the contest...

The winner will be announced tomorrow. Wish me luck! Here is the one I almost entered...

Out of lots of pictures, these were my two favorites. I thought I liked the second one better. Mindy liked the first one better. After looking at them side by side, I had to agree with her.

When not taking reptile pictures, Mindy and I were working our tails off getting ready for the Zapp show! Whew! I'm still exhausted! But I feel very good about what we got done. As this is likely my last post until we get back, wish us luck there too!

f-stop Friday - Periwinkles

2009-09-18T14:08:00.008-05:00

On the day Mindy and I worked on the window display at Winnie & Tulula's, I captured this photo of potted periwinkles in front of the store. Click on the photo to view a slide show of the window display.

Hope you have a great weekend!

f-stop Friday - Old Glory Alaska Style

2009-09-11T08:27:00.004-05:00

We will never forget.

This Hallowed Ground

2009-09-08T12:03:00.007-05:00

No, not the civil war book by Bruce Catton. And maybe "hallowed" is a slight exageration. But I did get the feeling that there's something very special about this piece of real estate!

On Labor Day weekend, Mindy took me to the place where she will be set up near Zapp Hall in Warrenton. I got to see the lay of the land. Up close. Personal.

I liked the colors, textures, highlights and shadows of this nearby rustic outbuilding. It seemed very photo-worthy!

I hope I am not treading on her toes to blog about our visit, but it was exciting to finally see this place in person! I'm pretty sure she will do a thorough blog later, so consider this only a sampling!

Talk about chippy white paint! It's quiet now, but not for long! I look forward to meeting new and old friends there very soon!

f-stop Friday - Eskimo Smile

2009-08-28T11:20:00.004-05:00

This young Athabascan Indian is a college student. She is wearing the traditional sealskin clothing of her ancestory. Traditional, that is, except for one modern convenience... a zipper!

I took this photo in Alaska in 2007. Today I decided to try it with a square crop, sepia tone and vignette. It makes me smile. Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Bittersweet Daddy Moments

2009-08-24T09:46:00.012-05:00

Mindy and I attended a wedding on Saturday. Here is a picture of the beautiful bride dancing with her daddy...

They played "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman. As a dad, this kind of hits me on a visceral level. I don't know that there is any way to fully prepare your heart for the rollercoaster of emotions that must come on a day like this.

Watching his little girl ride away with the man of her dreams...

I guess it's kind of unusual that I didn't include a picture of the groom. They do look so happy together! It was an absolutely beautiful, joyous and wonderful wedding and reception! For more pictures, go HERE.

But this post is for the member of the wedding party that I identify most with...

the daddy.

Here's to you, Tim. Well done, my friend!

Life and Death Under a Plastic Table

2009-08-15T15:26:00.005-05:00

This may not appeal to everyone.

But there's bound to be a few of you out there. You know how you are.

If your favorite TV is the Discovery Channel or Animal Planet, this post is for you!

I took these pictures almost a year ago at my deer lease in Kent County.

I had a plastic table that I kept scooted up under my travel trailer when I wasn't using it. When I pulled it out, I found this going on underneath.

Behold, the life and death struggle between a rather large black widow spider and a rhinoceros beetle!

The spider was in constant motion on an ever-bouncing web, making macro photography a challenge.

The spider frantically spun its web.

The beetle kicked and struggled against its bondage.

The rhino beetle was beautiful iridescent green, blue and purple.

Beware the red hour glass of the black widow!

And just when it seemed that fate was sealed.

And all hope for the beetle was gone.

I circumvented nature by freeing the beetle.

I know I shouldn't have. But sometimes it's hard to be impartial. Poor hungry black widow!

A Whale of a Tale

2009-08-06T17:47:00.011-05:00

Got a whale of a tale to tell ya, lads
A whale of a tale or two
'Bout the flappin' fish and the girl I love
On a night like this with the moon above
A whale of a tale and it's all true
I swear by my tattoo

Do you know that song? As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, when Mindy and I were in Boston, we went whale watching. I had been whale watching once before on a vacation with my kids in Alaska. So I had some idea what to expect and was prepared with my 200mm lens and my 2x teleconverter.

Coming out of the harbor, we saw this lighthouse. Kinda pretty, huh?

Thar she blows! Come on, I know you've always wanted to say that! Go ahead, I'll wait! THAR SHE BLOWS! Good job!

Here's a Humpback's humped back. All the whales we saw were Humpbacks. Bless their hearts.

I'm assuming this whale is from Texas. Cause she's so friendly. See, she's waving at you. Hi, y'all!

Humpback cows sometimes slap the surface of the water with their flippers to call their calves closer to them. At least that's the theory. But I still say they're just waving hello!

Now here's where our whale of a tale turns to a tail of a whale. I took the following picture of the bottom of the fluke of one of the whales. The captain of the boat was interested in the photo because they identify individual whales by the pattern on the bottom of the fluke. She was not able to identify the whale from the book of photographs she had. Of course, it was hard for her to see details in the pattern because she was viewing it on my camera’s LCD screen, not on a computer.

Fast forward to six days ago. Some of you know I use Flickr to share my photos. I received a comment on the above photo on my Flickr photostream from an administrator of a Flickr group called “Humpback Whale Flukes” inviting me to add my picture to the group and telling me that this particular whale is an eleven year old female named Etch-A-Sketch and she is HWC#8484 on the North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalog.

It seems there are over 6,000 whales that have been cataloged by photos of their flukes. And because whale calves stay with their mother for a period of time, they actually have the maternal side of the family trees mapped out on many of the whales. It was interesting to me to find out that this whale, Etch-A-Sketch, is the daughter of Thalassa and the granddaughter of Salt. Salt is the most photographed and famous of humpback whales, having been seen each of the last 32 years in a row! She is even the star of a video called “Salt and Friends.”

Having had success at identifying Etch-a-Sketch, I then submitted the following photo to the same Flickr group.

A couple days later one of the members identified her as a twenty-one year old female named Tornado, HWC#0741. How cool is that? So I"m two for two on tails of a whale. And with that I end my whale of a tale.

Oh, BummerCare!

2009-08-03T10:43:00.005-05:00

Tobacco Smoke Enemas (1750s – 1810s)

The tobacco enema was used to infuse tobacco smoke into a patient’s rectum for various medical purposes, primarily the resuscitation of drowning victims. A rectal tube inserted into the anus was connected to a fumigator and bellows that forced the smoke towards the rectum. The warmth of the smoke was thought to promote respiration, but doubts about the credibility of tobacco enemas led to the popular phrase “blow smoke up one’s ass.”

And there you have it. The President's Healthcare Reform Plan in a nutshell.

f-stop Friday - Fishing Boat in Silhouette

2009-07-31T14:30:00.006-05:00

Fishing Boat in Silhouette, originally uploaded by Snakelover61.

While Mindy and I were in Boston, we went on a whale watching trip. I hope to blog more about that later, but for now I want to share with you one of the pictures from that little excursion.

Creating a silhouette like this is pretty easy. All you really need is a good amount of difference in lighting between the subject and the background. In other words, high contrast. Of course, it's better if the subject is readily recognizable just by its outline. Then you simply underexpose the subject. In this case, I literally only had to point and shoot because almost everything the light meter was reading was brighter than the fishing boat.

This was already a silhouette straight off the camera, but more hazy and "bland" than what you see here. So I did a little post-shot processing, tweaking the brightness, contrast and saturation levels to arrive at this. I also cropped for a more pleasing (to me) composition.

Peaceful, isn't it? Can you hear the sea gulls? Smell the ocean? Feel the breeze on your face?

Enjoy your weekend!

I Dare to Wear Pink for Baby Bella!

2009-07-28T10:18:00.004-05:00

Listen up, ladies! I have already been crowned a Spud Stud by the Sweet Potato Queen Tammys! So for me, pink is just another color that I look great in! ;-)

Hold the phone! That's me in the picture. And, yes, I dare to wear pink for Baby Bella's fabulous shower party! If you are not privileged to know Bella, let me just say that she is a precious little miracle and a blessing to all! Go here to see what all the fuss is about!

Thank you for letting me join in the fun! We love you, Bella!

Boston Statues - Dead or Alive

2009-07-25T17:09:00.010-05:00

I am working in my warehouse today. It's over 100 degrees in there and I'm working alone. Of course, I'm concerned about heat stroke and such because there would be no one to revive me or drag my butt back into the air conditioning! I am cognizant of the inherent dangers. So I'm drinking lots of water and taking frequent cool down breaks just to be on the safe side. Figured posting a blog from my air conditioned office would be a nice thing to do while I'm cooling off, so here I am!

I love a good statue! And Mindy and I got to see lots of interesting statues in Boston on our recent vacation. I thought maybe you'd like to see some of them. This first one is a memorial dedicated to Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the all-black 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry that he led. The movie "Glory" is based on the story.

Colonel Shaw was killed in battle and was buried by the Confederates in a mass grave along with many of the black soldiers who served under him. This was intended as an insult to the white officer.

Said the Confederate General, Johnson Hagood, "Had he been in command of white troops, I should have given him an honorable burial; as it is, I shall bury him in the common trench with the negroes that fell with him."

Colonel Shaw's father had a different take on it, stating, "We would not have his body removed from where it lies surrounded by his brave and devoted soldiers....We can imagine no holier place than that in which he lies, among his brave and devoted followers, nor wish for him better company – what a body-guard he has."

Good stuff! Mindy and I really enjoyed this next one, the Hungarian Revolution Memorial.

Mindy and I were both fascinated by the faces on the memorial base. They are among the rubble of war, depicting the lives lost in the revolution. The centerpiece of the memorial is a woman standing atop the rubble lifting a baby toward the sky. I think this represents a new beginning. Hope. Freedom.

It's really hard to capture the full impact of this memorial. I knew nothing of the Hungarian Revolution, but this made me want to learn about it. Here's what John F. Kennedy said on the first anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution.

"October 23rd, 1956 is a day that will live forever in the annals of free men and nations. It was a day of courage, conscience and triumph. No other day since history began has shown more clearly the eternal unquenchability of man's desire to be free, whatever the odds against success, whatever the sacrifice required."

I think President Obama should think about that.

This next statue is dedicated to General Joseph Hooker. Known as "Fighting Joe," he had a long and distinguished military career. But he is best known as the man who defeated General Robert E. Lee.

Behind the statue of General Hooker is the State Building with it's gold lief gilded dome.

But not ALL of the statues we saw in Boston were dead! No, some were very much alive!

These two young ladies are called "Living Statues." They remain as still as a statue until you put some money in their tip container. Then they move for a few seconds, freezing in a new position.

Pretty cool, huh? The boys can do it too!

Doesn't he look stoic?

Well, I'd probably better get back to work! Thanks for the break!

Ahoy Mate!

2009-07-20T22:15:00.003-05:00

Ahoy Mate!, originally uploaded by Snakelover61.

FYI, no photography is allowed in the naval museum in Boston. Sure... I know that NOW! But I took this picture of my lovely mate before I saw the sign. Honest. Ooops! Pixel pirates we are! Arrrrr!

In spite of the illegal nature of this photo, I just thought it was too cute not to share! So I smuggled it back to Texas for your enjoyment. And now you've seen it. Which makes you an accomplice after-the-fact! Harboring dangerous fugitives from justice!

OK, that's just silly!

Our First Night in Boston

2009-07-14T15:58:00.007-05:00

I wanted to share some pictures of our Boston vacation with you. I plan to spread it out over a few posts in hopes of not boring you to death!

On the first day, we arrived in time to get settled into our hotel and then go on a dinner cruise aboard the Spirit of Boston. This was the only time I wore slacks on our vacation. My mom took this photo of Mindy and I...

We had a short wait, so it seemed like a good time to take a few photos. The picture below is of the rest of our crew, from left to right: My daughter, Alissa. My mom, Donna. My aunt (mom's sister), Connie. My cousin's daughter (Connie's granddaughter), Angel.

A few more pictures before boarding...

Once we boarded the ship, the real fun started. They had a great buffet style meal, drinks, music, dancing... just a real fun time. I took a few portrait style shots. My cousin's daughter, Angel...

My mom...

My love...

My mom often took charge of my camera to make sure I was included. Aren't we a cute couple?...

There was audience participation...

And lots of smiles...

And virgin drinks...

I really like this one of Angel and Connie...

And this one of my daughter...

And, of course, we had a beautiful view of the Boston city lights from the harbor...

A couple points of interest about the city lights photo above. The bright half-circle toward the lower left is the entrance to the Boston Harbor Hotel. They had a huge American flag hanging in it for the 4th of July holiday and you can make it out in this photo.

The illuminated skyscraper on the right hand side is the Custom House Tower, the first skyscraper built in Boston in 1915. It is also known as "the four-faced liar" because each side of the tower has a clock face, none of which tell the correct time. The motor they installed is not sufficient to operate the clocks correctly. The building is now a Marriott luxury condo hotel.

Hope that wasn't too boring for you! More Boston vacation photos coming soon!!

f-stop Friday - It's the Light

2009-07-10T14:52:00.007-05:00

It's the Light, originally uploaded by Snakelover61.

We're back from Boston! Actually, we got back on Tuesday night. I have been busy playing "catch up." I have also been busy downloading, processing and uploading photos from the trip. I have much to catch up on in the blog world as well.

Most of my photos are not yet ready for public consumption. But since it is Friday, I thought I'd at least throw up a quick f-stop friday post. And, yes, this photo is from our trip. We were sitting in Riccardo's Ristorante in Boston's North End. Very suddenly the light changed and I reached for my camera. Never waste interesting light.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

New Look at Winnie and Tulula's

2009-06-29T21:28:00.006-05:00

Yes, I know. It's ALL a new look at Winnie and Tulula's. As they say, "NOT your mother's antique mall."

But this is extra, EXTRA new! As in since the Grand Opening new. Mindy and I went to Winnie and Tulula's on Saturday to bring in some new goodies and do a reset. While we were there, we got a peek at Daphne Nicole's little slice of heaven...

Pretty nice, huh? She apparently just moved in last week. Does she have a blog? I don't know. I would link to her if I could. But I know nothing about her other than what you see. A great look for sure! If you know more, you can fill us in with your comments. Oh, by the way, click on any image to see it bigger.

That is all. Just had to share! Exciting, huh? Winnie and Tulula's is a happening place! If you haven't been, you don't know what you're missing!

f-stop Friday - entangled

2009-06-26T11:56:00.006-05:00

I often discover compositions during photo processing that I didn't notice or fully appreciate during shooting. This was photographed as a candid portrait. I later cropped it to become something very different.

Whether it happens before the shutter button is pressed or during processing, part of the joy of photography is making the viewer see what you see.

Remembering Dad

2009-06-21T13:38:00.005-05:00

The words below the picture are from the last Father's Day card I ever gave my dad. He passed away less than a month later. This is my fifth Father's Day without him. Yet he is always with me. Because these words describe not only his character, but the man I strive to be. I am blessed by his example. Thanks, Dad.

I WANT TO FOLLOW
IN THE FOOTSTEPS
OF MY DAD

I want to treat people
with kindness, to be giving
and to put others first...

I want to be strong in the face
of difficult circumstances,
to allow my trust in God to
keep my heart at peace...

I want to be loving and gentle,
to make the world a better place
by letting Jesus shine through
the things I do.

Thank you, Dad,
for showing me how to live
out my faith day to day,
and for giving me a
wonderful path to follow -
it's a gift I'll appreciate
all of my life.

With Love
On Father's Day

You're a wonderful dad.
I love you.
David

f-stop Friday - Say "Ahhhh"

2009-06-19T16:03:00.008-05:00

Say "Ahhhh", originally uploaded by Snakelover61.

Well, it's Friday again, but I don't have any new pictures that you haven't already seen. So I decided I'd dig back into the past a bit. Almost exactly one year ago, in fact. Flickr has a thing they call "interestingness" whereby all the uploaded pictures are ranked by some top secret scoring system that takes into consideration such things as number of views, number of people who list the photo as their favorite, most searched for, etc.

Anyway, you've already seen my most interesting photo according to Flickr.

Today's featured photo is my second "most interesting," a close up of a Texas Horned Lizard. I shot this with my 100mm macro lens at f/5.6. As you can see, it has a shallow depth of field that really makes his facial features "pop."

This makes me so happy, I could almost squirt blood out of my eyes.

Hope you enjoy it too. Have a terrific weekend!

It Was GRAND!

2009-06-14T22:11:00.009-05:00

The grand opening at Winnie and Tulula's was... well... grand!

You know, I think I'll just leave the reporting of this wonderful event to Mindy.

She has a way with words. She tells me I have a way with pictures. If that's so, I'll just let my girlfriend and my lens do the talking.

The above photos are just a small sampling of the many pictures I took. And they are actually somewhat atypical. Because most of the pictures that I took at the grand opening were not of the stuff, but of the PEOPLE. You know... the shopping, the talking, the laughing.

If you would like to view a chronological slide show of the pictures from my camera, click here. Or if you're not big on slide shows, you can visit my Flickr set. Either way, I think you'll agree... it really was GRAND!

f-stop Friday - Bag of Apples

2009-06-12T16:45:00.009-05:00

Bag of Apples, originally uploaded by Snakelover61.

I'm calling this "f-stop friday." What is f-stop friday? It's where I get to throw a photograph at you for no apparent reason. By Friday, I can't always use my words anyway. This way, I don't take up a lot of your valuable time. Just come by, take a quick look at my picture, then go have a fabulous weekend.

This is a bag of apples courtesy of Judy Hill's home show yesterday.

Go ahead... take a bite!