geese a flyin'

while the temperatures have warmed up... and the snow has been melting now... the geese have felt more comfortable taking to the skies once again.  it is always amazing and glorious to hear their honking echoing off the mountain range - as they give guidance and direction to each other - a great cacophony of sound - coming in for landing on the water or dry land...

yet... as these all were successful in their flying pursuits - one struggled...

i couldn't quite tell if he just had a lame webbed foot - if it was broken - or what exactly the problem was... all the other geese seemed to be avoiding him and although i wanted to help desperately, every time i tried to get close - he hopped away from me.  he did eventually make it back to the shoreline... which i saw as a good sign.

and so it is with the cycle of life... be it animal or human - nature... plants... whatever - we all have our ups and downs - good and not so great.  but as demonstrated by this little goose - it's important to carry on... to have tenacity and endurance - to persevere when the going gets tough... there is a payoff in those efforts even if we don't at first see it...

happy day.....

hear the news...

...and there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. and, lo, the angel of the lord came upon them, and the glory of the lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

and the angel said unto them, "fear not: for, behold, i bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. for unto you is born this day in the city of david a saviour, which is christ the lord. and this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising god, and saying, "glory to god in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

luke 2: 8-14 kjv

happy birthday, jesus...

merry christmas - one and all... for truly it's

a

happy day.....

a warm christmas story...

my mom is infamous for sending around emails -  you know the ones i'm talking about: jokes, tidbits, helpful hints and stories.  sometimes i read them and laugh - sometimes i simply sigh wondering why she passes them on at all.  other times i think to myself, "this is really good and i should pass it forward, too..."  so it was with this very story.  you may have heard it already... that's okay - it's worth reading through again - taking the time to pause at this really busy time of year, the christmas season, and be mindful we should be doing for others and helping to take care of our fellow man, too.  it's a reminder that not only are there angels in heaven and those assigned to protect us; watch over us and guard us... but there are also angels in every day human beings.  take a look...

Santa Claus and Grandma…

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid.

I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.

For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.

I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.

I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."

The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it.Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.

Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were -- ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care...

And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!


isn't that the best story ever?  the good news is that it doesn't have to remain a story... we can all put it into action so it comes alive in some way ourselves today - to make someones christmas very special and blessed... so they will believe in something bigger and have their faith restored.  step out... do it today will you?  help someone to have...

a

happy day.....

the crow

an interesting illusion of a crow... on a cold, blustery day by the lake... which is all but frozen now - due to the freezing temperatures we've been experiencing lately...

happy day.....

playing with collages

playing around with editing of pictures... i found that i can make collages.  this is probably a feature that's been available for quite some time in the particular software i use... you know how it goes though - until you have some free extra minutes to tool around, you really don't know exactly what all is there... for you to take advantage of.  once you do find it then - look out - all of a sudden... time stands still - you play and the next time you glance up thinking perhaps half an hour has floated past... it's been a couple of hours... jeesh... how does that happen?

fun, though... to know it exists - is fairly easy and user friendly to walk through, too.  especially since i'm no computer genius and high tech lingo would not be appreciated.  so here's the results of my efforts... taken at a couple of the lakes around the city that i frequent to visit my fair flighted friends...



geese and ducks enjoying a sunny day



variations of a christmas cactus



duck coming in to land not anticipating ice

 i admit i'm pleased with the overall finished pictures... and will play in this editing venue again.

happy day.....

being thankful...

on a day when gulls and geese were making their rounds through the sky...

the winds were calm... and temperatures were as mild as a spring day...

we are reminded to give thanks... to be grateful... for it is our thanksgiving day.

the merriam-webster dictionary defines thanksgiving as, "1) the act of giving thanks, 2) a prayer expressing gratitude, and 3) a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness."

in my estimation... thanksgiving needs to be an every day celebration - not just once a year.  we need to have an attitude of giving thanks for what we have - great and small - all the time... for when we ponder it, the list would become rather long wouldn't it?  family, friends, god, jobs or even no job, pets, food, money, hugs, plants, flowers, air, transportation, love, opportunities, freedom, chai tea... on it goes.  all we need to do is look around every day and say out loud one thing we're grateful for and positivity would begin to flow - there would no longer be room for negativity to fill our lives... how wonderful that would be!

for me - i have faced several adverse situations throughout the year... but i have also been blessed by god's amazing grace and provision - watching him at work in my life in a very real and tangible way - which has enabled me to "give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. his love endures forever." psalm 136:1-3  in the face of difficult times - he has given me strength to remain joyful and hopeful that everything will work out... and in turn it has allowed me to continue being thankful...  an attitude i will continue to strive towards  and uphold daily - in praise of his name.

happy day.....

variations on a cactus

the signs are here now...

the time has changed on our clocks - "fall back..."  we've gained that extra hour - nice though it is, it plunges us into darkness earlier in the afternoon...

the weather is changing, too... the heat of summer has finally given way to the cooler temperatures of autumn - and even chilly days of winter-like days... with some snowy storms already having hit making the reality of the cold depth of winter not far off.

the most telling sign of all - store displays - they no longer wait until after thanksgiving...  for some reason, there is now a rush as soon as halloween is over - out comes the tinsel, the fake snow, the ornaments, the christmas trees, the christmas music...  all set up on display in proud array on the floors.  i'll never understand the hoopla to get it out there so quickly... but there it is - and of course, on its heels - the tv commercials have hit as well... encouraging one and all to buy now for their loved ones before it's too late.  i don't know about you - but for me, it's too early - a bit much too soon - and i could do without it. 

i prefer a simpler approach...

which is why i enjoy this other sign...  the one of nature - in the form of a christmas cactus.  that remarkably... has the ability to bloom right around the time of the holiday season... without being told it's that time - it amazes me.  the buds begin coming out as these tiny little nubs - a bit of a thing that you're not sure is really a bud at all.  until it grows and stretches out into wondrous blossom shapes... fun to watch and admire - glorious to see in action - a miracle to observe the final product...

see what i mean?

happy day.....

exodus

they flew off in a great number: honking wildly - wings flapping - webbed feet moving rapidly across the ground... to get away... from...

the dog! yes, a dog... that interrupted their peaceful interlude of sunbathing. they were minding their own business - not bothering anyone - nibbling at the grasses... when suddenly - a man decided it would be fun to unleash his dog - so it could go running madly into the midst of the geese... barking and raising a ruckus.

i didn't think it was funny. it was unnecessary to scare them in such a fashion - but i was too far away from him to say anything...

fortunately, the water provided an escape route for them... and they proved to move much more quickly than the dog - yay!

in the process... i got some great action shots of the flock of them - in various stages of their exodus.  safety for them - pictures for me...

happy day.....

early winter days

what a difference a few days can make...  warm and sunny quickly transforms into cold and blustery - with the threat of snow no longer a threat but reality... turning the landscape into a premature winter wonderland.  white, pristine; clean and pure... 

taking the wonderful autumnal colors with it - leaving beautifully colored leaves on the ground... blowing in the wind.  a touch of seasons to come and an errant gull flying through a darkened, mist-filled sky...

happy day.....

autumn colors...

the colors of autumn are astounding...  the myriad shades - the tones and variations... as though god, himself, has taken his fingertips and simply swirled through the color palette.  no matter where you live, it's a treat to see how the trees and bushes change their hues to striking oranges, reds, yellows, coppers... all blended together into magnificence and glory. 

and somehow... this year, late into the season flowers have continued to blossom - as though confused about any necessity to stop or cycle into dormancy.  bring it on, i say.  i'll enjoy it as long as it's there...

and then... once all the end-of-year pruning and hedge trimming had been done, guess what happened?  i was outside bemoaning the fact of how bare everything looked... you know how that is, right?  after the fullness of summer - with all the leaves, flowers - even weeds... you get so used to it all.  then when the inevitable happens... you know it must, yet it makes the bushes and trees appear so naked.  anyway, a little somethin' somethin' caught my eye.  "surely not," i thought... moving closer.  lo and behold - the bridal wreath, in sudden defiance, decided to sprout one tiny bud to blossom into a most perfect bouquet.  mind you... this bouquet is no larger the size than the tip of my little finger.

it's cascading in a most beautiful way... and coupled with the other autumn colors, well - it makes for a

happy day.....

first snow

it's always a surprise when the first snowfall arrives... although it shouldn't be.  in the mountains, it can happen anytime from september on... so i guess we were a bit overdue.  once it began - it came fast and furious...

beginning as rain - then making that quick transition to little flakes and suddenly huge wet flakes coming down... in swirls - straight - sideways - backwards... not really backwards, i made that up.  it was a sight to behold.  and then the after effects were that the mountains and foothills get covered in white - pure and glorious... with clouds hanging in misty threads.

i've not done landscapes... really don't know much about them - but saw this and had to give it a try - because it spoke to the newness of the freshly fallen whiteness...  and in processing - noticed i'd captured the plane, which i hadn't seen - a cool treasure...

an extra bonus is that we continue to experience the blossoming of flowers... in spite of the snow.  how long that will carry on, who knows - for now, here are a couple that caught my eye for their sheer beauty...

happy day.....

birds... birds... birds...

i've been fortunate to get some shots lately of birds... yes, that's right - birds...  it may sound easy - but for me, they prove to be a challenge.  i approach, they fly away.  i stalk quietly thinking they don't hear me... they dance around flapping their wings wildly. 

i see pictures that others have taken that are clear, sharp - in perfect focus and i find myself on the verge of jealousy wondering why i'm not capable of producing just a few decent images myself... feeling like a failure... with birds of all things.

they are such awesome creatures - wings outspread in flight or perched elegantly on a utility wire or in a tree... they display grace and freedom - i want to be able to capture that... someday...

in the meantime - i've managed to get a handful that aren't too bad and want to post for the fun of it.  because they show an attempt - a stalwart effort...

happy day.....

variations on a flower

a flower goes through many stages...  additionally, there are a variety of different angles afforded you from one mere blossom when it comes to photography... 

i have been fascinated with this particular bloom this season.  and as with anything you become aware of - when you see it one time... all of a sudden, it starts showing up everywhere... on every street corner - in everyone's garden - in wild patches on the side of the road - it's been amazing.  so i shot some pictures to try and find out what it was called, and since then i've heard it referred to as a coneflower as well as echinacea - apparently, it's the same thing.  bees are really attracted to it... the colors are fabulous - the shape is very different from the ordinary flower - it stands tall and proud like a beacon of stunning power.  from what i can tell, it does well in both shade and direct sunlight. 

of course... it could just be a simple little matter that it's pink - and well... pink is one of my most favorite colors ever... so therefore, it would make sense i'd like this gem...

my variations on a flower...

happy day.....

words...

words are good... i love words... they speak of many things - are of import and assist us in communicating.  

i received an email the other day that contained an excerpt from an enemy called average by john mason i'd like to share...

"What we say is important. Our vocabulary should be filled with words of hope and dreams. Be known as someone who speaks positively.

Recently I saw a sign under a mounted large mouth bass. It read, "If I had kept my mouth shut I wouldn't be here." How true! Don't jump into trouble mouth first.

Let me pose this question for you: Starting today what would happen if you changed what you said about your biggest problem, your biggest opportunity?

I don't know if you've had this conversation or not, but last month I turned to my wife Linda while we were sitting together in our family room and said, "Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state dependent on some machine. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."

She immediately got up, walked over and unplugged the TV.

"Our words create our worlds," says Dean Sikes. Your words have the power to start fires or quench passion.

Don't be like the man who joined a monastery in which the monks were allowed to speak only two words every seven years. After the first seven years had passed, the new initiate met with the abbot, who asked him, "Well, what are your two words?"

"Food's bad," replied the man, who then went back to his silence.

Seven years later the clergyman asked, "What are your two words now?"

"Bed's hard," the man responded.

Seven years later - twenty-one years after his initial entry into the monastery - the man met with the abbot for the third and final time. "And what are your two words this time?" the abbot asked.

"I quit."

"Well, I'm not surprised," the cleric answered disgustedly. "All you've done since you got here is complain!"

Don't be like that man; don't be known as a person whose only words are negative. If you're a member of the "negative grapevine," resign.

Contrary to what you may have heard, talk is not cheap. Talk is powerful!"


be careful with your words...  they can lift up... or tear down... encourage - destroy... be sensitive regarding what you say to others - to each other - even to yourself...

our words can lead to a

happy day.....

sweet peas

sweet peas...  i didn't plant them...  they just got to growing - wild - intertwined in the rose bushes...  it's the strangest thing.  however, they are the prettiest little blossoms... light pink - deep pink - white - and they are very photogenic.

happy day.....