Happy Easter Xanga

Some New Easter / Spring Desktops I made

for you from my photos

Click the links, 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768

Click the links, 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768

Click the links, 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768

Click the links, 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768

Click the links, 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768

A flash enactment of the Crucifixion

The story of the Crucifixion as told in King James

A beautiful reminder of Easter I had never heard before.  Pine Tree Crosses

 

I hope your Easter is filled with
the Spirit
of the Risen Christ.

God bless us all and Happy Easter,

Becca

 

 

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day Xanga

Wherever you go, whatever you do

May your luck

Be the luck of the Irish

Wishing you fishing weather St. Pat will be envious of

Haircuts that renew you

Blazing Sunsets which cause your heart to sing

And unforgettable Irish fun with your little guys.

We watched our favorite Irish Movie last night, “The Quiet Man” and it was as good or better than ever.  Another of our favorites I’ll watch this evening, “Waking Ned“.  It’s a hoot.

 Irish blessings to everyone

Have the best of weeks,
Becca

 

We had some snow on Friday and Saturday, the first real snowfall for our Winter.  It’s a record setter! for here.  I had to be out early on Friday so took some photos as we drove getting back home a little after noon time. 

A few of my pics.

 

My appointment was for 10:00 am and we were home by about 12:20.  What you see is just how it looked.

The snow came pretty fast with some whiteout conditions.  No big flakes, just hard driving rain type snow.

The flag, not to be obliterated by the snow, caught my eye. 

Twenty one minutes past noon and about a mile from home.

This curve is a slippery one running past a small sitting park.

A bit more of the same little park.  I was clicking away hoping for the best.

Looks like later in the evening but all my photos are taken about Lunch Time …

 John took this photo the next morning, our Sienna sitting in our drive, after an overnight rest in the snow.  We got about 14 inches.  Loverly.  We don’t get good snows often so for me, it’s a treat.  If I could, I’d be out playing in it.

Another photo John took.  The only two young people we saw out in the snow today.  When I was their age, you couldn’t keep us inside.  The computerized world is a different place where reality seems to disappear.

Here’s a GREAT LINK, see one young person not caught up in the digital world.  It’s worth the view.

Have a great week people.

Becca

 

 

 A Xanga Valentine

 I haven’t been off somewhere sleeping

 And I really didn’t mean to walk away without a word  

 But I’ve been distracted

 Not quite all here

So, with apologies and a smile,
I wish all of you a BELATED, from the heart 
“Happy Valentines Day Xanga”

 

Have a great week, month, year,
Becca

 

 

An update on my brother inlaw, Dan Nordheim.  Things seem to be turning around.  Prayers help, I am confident of it.  Dan is eating more normally and in fact going to work with less trouble.   Bunny is sounding more herself.  I am greatly relieved.  As Dan’s eating habit turned off like a faucet after his fall and has now turned back on like a faucet, my prayer is there will be no backsliding.  Thanks to everyone who is remembering Dan.  All of your prayers and continued prayers are much appreciated. 

Saturday outing for photo playing. 

From the bike trail, a different location and actually on the road before the entrance.  The quality of this shot was purely accidental.  I was tickled with it.  CLICK HERE to see a sized down version of the image the above was pulled from.

This photo wasn’t accidental but set up and didn’t turn out too bad.  Lots of nice color and I can see some spokes in the rear wheel so nearly stopped all motion in it.  I’m not unhappy with the image but will get the shots even better over time and practice.  I may even understand what I did with enough of both (time and practice).

I really want to take some nice night time photos.  We are out in the dark a lot and it’s a good thing for practice as I don’t do it well.  I have decided I don’t have the quality lens for exactly what I want so will add an inexpensive one I have discovered on Amazon.  If I ever get really good at this, I’ll buy an expensive lens.  Anyway, this McDonalds is very colorful plus lots of lights around from incandescent to neon so it’s a good practice spot.  Again not the best photo but I’m getting better at figuring settings.

On Sunday, Lake Isabella, a favorite close and nice park.  The only real drawback, for me, is how unconcerned fishermen are about the grounds and animals.  They leave yards and yards of line and dangerous hooks to tangle and injure the ducks.  I’m not sure what it takes to have someone appreciate their surrounding ecological situations personally, if they don’t, and it’s obvious too many don’t.  Is it really so hard to trash the crap line into a bin instead of throwing it into the lake or on the ground?

I had to doctor these ducks for display.  I didn’t get a good focus on them.  The lighting wasn’t particularly good and of course they move.  I sized the image down to display and had plenty of size to work with.  Anyway, this is a duck couple we have been viewing for several years.  They are very devoted and very sexy when the time is right.

These sunsets are Sunday evening at Lake Isabella.  It came on suddenly and really magnificent going from this to

this which we drove around the lake to get.

The sky turned pink and the lake reflected it all.

And driving out of the park we took this. 

The day had to end, we were really getting hungry, needed a potty break plus we wanted to see the football game.  I fixed a nice super bowl supper, shrimp in a light white sauce over a bed of rice and a salad that was really yummy.  Dessert, nothing really special, applesauce with walnut halves and a bit of extra brown sugar on top.  Later we watched House, ate again, Salami and cheese on Rye with some mayo.  What a great day and a good game I am glad I didn’t place a bet on. 

 

Have a great week,
Becca

 

 

A report on my brother inlaw.

Dan is improving but slowly.  He has had a second catscan and the doctor said the blood from the concussion is being absorbed into his system but his recovery may take 6 months or more.  He is still not eating much and in fact doesn’t eat some days.  He insists he is drinking a lot of water.  He ate only a bit of something yesterday and his weight is going steadily down.  Bunny says he is skinny though he can stand to lose some of his belly.  He isn’t as motivated as the old Dan but I think it would be very hard to be motivated without taking in the calories you need.  I forgot to ask if he is still on meds but am supposing he is.  He sleeps a lot and sleeps through times he is supposed to get up.  He has tried to go into work a couple of times but totally wears down in short order.  His work is paying the hospital bills.  Bunny tells me they are being very good about all of this (as they should be, he fell in their lot going into work on ice which should have been salted down by them).  I am praying they continue being concerned and responsible.  Bunny has had Dan out testing his driving skills and he drives well and he knows exactly where he is going.  I think all information of that kind is intact.  The real concern is the eating problem which effects his energy problem.  I am hoping the sleeping is extra healing time.  I know Bunny is still worried about him but the situation is better than it was.  We know your prayers and good thoughts help and continued prayers for Dan will be much appreciated as well.  Thank you, everyone, from all of us. 

Goldfish:  All gone, and there will be no more.  I am not fond of little creatures under my care dying.  My aquariums are scheduled to be planters which works for me.  I hope I can manage to keep plants alive.

Sudoku:  It’s on the back burner.  I play once in a while but for now, I needed to get away from it.  It’s easy to lose interest in something you can’t grow with.  I find getting away helps your mind to zero in on information so going back you may see improvement.  I hope it works for the Sudoku.

Movies:  Lots of new ones for Christmas.

Camera:  The best toy I have ever had, a digital camera.  My little kodak DC4800 is still working but has graduated into the hands of my husband.  John understands how camera’s work much better than I do but he hasn’t played much with my new one.  He says he bought it for me and the little Kodak makes him happy.  I have a lot to learn with my new one but am improving in my understanding of the intricacies.  It’s heavy…  I need a new camera bag.  I have since the last post added another lens, adding to the weight and will need to be carrying a tripod.  Some camera adjustments are so precise to get certain types of shots (night or motion), my physical shakes will ruin them if they could be good.  The tripod will take care of a lot and I hope to add an exterior hook up to activate the shutter. 

Some practice shots for you.  All taken near or on the Loveland Bicycle trail in Loveland, Ohio USA.  These are all taken with my 28 x 135 mm lens.  My new lens is to 300 mm and I hope to get some practice shots to display, soon. 

The Little Miami Scenic bicycle trail is 70 plus miles following the older rail lines and the Little Miami river.

It draws a lot of bicycle and walking enthusiasts as it runs through historic districts of older towns and has little shops and eating places along the way.

The Canoe rentals are along the trail also and there are places you can find to sit for some good images of the bicycles or canoes in motion.

Not just for bikers, there is plenty of walkway for stretching your legs.  Lots of parking and play areas for children are in the parks and the summer festivals are near or on the bike trails. 

 

At this time of year, though its cold, there are shops and food available.  When it warms up, I’ll find a comfortable spot outside of the car.

Be well everyone,
Becca

 

It’s hard to believe it’s the 10th of January.  So much happens in so little time and it all passes into yesterdays.  Christmas? it continues for those of us who can’t let it go.

Christmas Kept
© RSBlain January 2008

Christmas comes
And Christmas goes
But anyone who loves it knows
It’s best
Kept close to your heart

Nurtured daily
With good thoughts
And deeds you choose to do
Your Christmas Spirit will remain
Uplifted … vibrant … new …

Christmas lovers know if kept
In your heart,
“The Spirit”
All the loved ones you hold dear
Will gather round you, near it

As from the greatest distance
Your Christmas Joy is felt
Radiating Christmas light
From where the Wisemen Knelt

Only God’s whisper away

*

Eden, Halie, Mitch and John shared in the long planned secret and purchase of a new Canon Digital Rebel XTi camera I am now learning to use.  I am overwhelmed by just how good Santa was to me. 

A few photos from our trip. 

Anything is game for my camera.  Halie has been doing a lot of decorating in her home since we were there last.  I loved this beautifully healthy plant potted in these bright colors in a bath.  The eggs in the bowl are very heavy. This image was taken with my kodak.  It has been and still is a good camera even after a spell of intermittent poor behavior where I thought I would have to send it to Kodak.  For some reason it pulled out of its little hissy fit and has continued to work fine after the fact.

From here on down, the Canon Camera kicks in …

I really enjoy playing with “from the window shots”.  This is a scene of her deck as seen from an off the kitchen window.  It was rainy and misty and I loved the color of the day and the scene.

Not all of our days in Virginia were rainy.  This sunny “out the window shot” looks toward the front of her home decorated with Poinsettia and Holly growing at the step.  We cut a lot of the Holly to use in the house for decoration and cut it in the dark of night.  When we looked at the plant the next day we couldn’t see where we had cut from, it was so full.  I guess my being careful to move around while taking the berry filled branches was a good thing.

This is a view of the living area.  Under Halie’s instruction, John, Eden, Mitch and I all had a hand in decorating the garland running across the top of the room.  It turned out beautifully and was high enough John didn’t have to duck.  The Pyracantha at the far left of the photo is the Christmas tree.  It was purchased live to be planted shortly after the season.  It made a beautiful Christmas tree with tiny white lights and all the natural red berries.  All of the plants Halie is using in her yard are purchased specific as native to Virginia.

John and India, along with the rest of us on the ocean boardwalk walking dogs and taking photos.  It’s a beautiful view and a great place for photos and walking.

This nicely kept up red barn and outbuildings were off the side of the road driving to North Carolina and the Dunes.  It caught my eye with its bright color and I managed to get a decent shot from the car window which is a trick with my new camera not being used to it.

This dune had a lot of people on it flying kites.  There is always wind here.  It’s not far from Kittyhawk where the Wright Brothers flew their plane.  No sand was blowing which I was glad of as it can be pretty nasty whipping your face when windy and not good for a camera.

This view of the docked red fleet was taken on our way out of Virginia Beach on the way home.  It always catches my eye but I haven’t had a lot of luck getting a photo.  This one didn’t turn out too badly.  As you can see on the far right, you can read the writing on the side of the boat.  If I can read text in a photo I feel pretty good about the sharpness of the photo.

The Presidents park near Williamsburg.  We didn’t go in even though its free.  I thought this shot would be more interesting than closeups of huge white busts.

Halie has some lovely pets, all rescued.  We really enjoy them when there and miss them when we come home.  You can barely ever get a shot of them all together so I used portions of photos I took to make this collage.

More than enough in the way of photos.  Others will show up here and there. See more on PhotoGraphics. 

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Ring, ring
Fire department, what’s the nature of your call?
My house is on fire, come quick
Okay lady, how do we get there.
Duh, big red truck!!

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Links:

Don’t ever drink from Hotel glasses  for those of us hygienically disposed, YOU NEED TO READ THIS

 

Remember our Military, the Military Gratitude Campaign 

 

For inspiration in your life, you really should see this Self limiting beliefs  

 

YOU WILL BE ENTERTAINED with this group, sort of a Barbershop Extraordinaire  I guarantee even though the music is for Christmas, you will love it.

 

My sister’s husband needs prayers.  His name is Dan Nordheim and he slipped and fell on the ice while going into work.  The fall whiplashed his brain bruising it on the front and back and caused bleeding and a concussion.  He seems fine to talk to but has not eaten a meal since it happened on Friday following Christmas.  I know he can’t last a lot longer unless his brain kicks in telling him he has to eat.  He was in the hospital for a day or so where he ate a bit of oatmeal.  They said he was eating and they sent him home.  Well, he isn’t eating.  Pray he gives in to getting himself some really good follow up help.  My sis is very upset.

Be well everyone,

 

 

Merry Christmas Xanga

Some Merry Christmas Links
ONE FOR EACH OF THE TWELVE DAYS 
December 26 – Twelfth Night, January 6, 2008

1- My favorite online Christmas toy, shake, watch and listen.  It’s fun.

2- Holiday home lighting decoration synchronized to music. 

3- Trapped in a Snow Globe a Pixar short film

4- Beautifully done, Women in Film Turn on your sound

5- Have a Merry Tossmas  Turn on your sound

6- Radio online, fix your own playlists, FREE and quite nice

7- A Charles Dickens page

8- Read the Story of the Christmas Rose
9-  I lost this one then found it on a friends site.  Great flash fun for you and the kiddies:  I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas
10-  The best in Christmas midi files.  I have been visiting this site since the internet began, Brother Charlies.  Don’t miss it.
11-  Remember our servicemen and women:  Home for Christmas
12-  A favorite, Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause 
13-  A beautifully done Nativity story with voice narrative  “The First Christmas Gift“

 

 

 

 Christmas
Desktops 2007

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Christmas Movies from my list of DVD: 

Those in RED are my favorites and with a *, we never miss watching it.  Visit the Internet Movie Data Base and search for information on each movie.  MANY can be downloaded to watch from Amazon.com or purchase.

 

Toys
Elf

The Snowman (suggested to me by a fellow Xangan and its beautifully done)
Surviving Christmas
Red Skelton’s Christmas Jollies
*”Best Christmas Pageant Ever”, a wonderful Nativity story.
Beyond Christmas (1940)
“Charlie Brown Christmas” a classic animation which includes the Nativity story.
Edward Scissorhands
*It’s A Wonderful Life
*Family Man  (I love this one, it leans towards story type of “It’s A Wonderful Life”)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Polar Express (a beautifully done animation with Tom Hanks)
*A Garfield Christmas
*The Santa Clause 1 (Tim Allen and we love this one.)
The Santa Clause 2
Home Alone 1 (1990)  Funny but some over the top violence for a Christmas movie.

Home Alone 2_Lost In New York (1992)
Christmas With The Kranks … very funny and has a great ending.
Ernest Saves Christmas
A Christmas Carol, all versions
Christmas Carol:  Scrooged
“An American Christmas Carol”  with Henry Winkler.  I really like this one.

*Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Love it, love it.
“Rich Little’s Christmas Carol”, he plays all parts
Christmas Gift, The
“Prancer”, if you are a mush like me, you will love this movie.
*Twilight Zone, The Night of the Meek with *Art Carney as Santa Claus, great ending.
*”Jingle All The Way”, I love this one.
*”Miracle In The Wilderness” wonderful Nativity story.
101 Dalmatians
*”The Grinch”, with Jim Carrey
Holiday Inn
*A White Christmas  Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye
Christmas Story …. “You’re going to shoot your eye out”
Red Skelton Christmas Show
Call Me Claus
Sonny and Cher Christmas Collection
I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Mr. Krueger’s Christmas
A Lionel Christmas  (wonderful old Mattel train sets)
Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special
The Nutcracker
One Magic Christmas
March of The Wooden Soldiers
The Night They Saved Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street_All issues

A Christmas Wish – Great Rupert with Jimmy Durante
*Christmas Vacation (1989) very funny with a really wonderful ending.

 

A Poem

 Santa’s Flight
© RSBlain December 2007

Snow and cold are foretold for the coming days
But Santa packs and bundles as bad weather doesn’t faze
He knows the Snow and Sleet forecast makes sleighs fly higher still
And when a sleigh is loaded up approaching yonder hill
Head winds are highly frowned upon but tail winds push him high
Exactly what is wished for when Santa’s Reindeer fly

Up they go like streaks of light with many stops to make
The faster they go flying, the shorter it will take
To deliver presents packed in Santa’s ample sack
Which Slung from Sleigh then Shouldered upon his willing back
Is carried down to every hearth or door stoop on his list
With a bit of slight of hand and magical assist

Nothing is too far away, No wish, ignored request
Every precious letter’s read so Santa can bequest
Creative dreams, sports gear and games and super action toys
And dolls and cuddle animals for all the girls and boys

Santa’s work now finished he feels the quiet hush
Endowed to joyful givers as a glowing, warming blush. 

 

A story:

GOD is sitting in Heaven when a  scientist approaches Him saying, “Lord, we don’t need you anymore. Science has finally created life from nothing.  In other words, we can do now,  what you did ‘in the beginning’.

“An interesting turn of events!” GOD replies, “Tell me”.

“Well”, says the scientist, “we can take dirt and form it into the likeness of you and breathe life into it, thus  creating man.”

“Even more interesting” the Lord says.  ”I have a need to see this so please show me.”

So the scientist bends down, digs a clump of earth and begins his molding of the soil.

GOD watching patiently interrupts ,  “Oh no, no, no, my dear boy… You must get your own dirt.”

**NOTE** I have edited previous entries, sizing images smaller so my page will load more quickly for people on dial up. 

Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year

Becca

COMMENTS:  CLICK HERE

 

My camera, I never leave home without it.

Some photos from our Thanksgiving getaway.

Many of our drives to Rockford are in the rain but this type of weather is perfect for Thanksgiving.  Our day is usually begun late as he works till the wee hours of the morning.  We just go with the flow of the wet weather.  Here, it looks the proper part for the Thanksgiving holiday.  I have no problem enjoying the moment and clicking away attempting to catch the seasonal atmosphere.  The FedX truck appeared at the proper moment, a reminder holiday shipping is happening.

This is Thanksgiving day on our way to a beautiful White Pines Deer Park lodge for dinner.  As you can see in the photo, the rain changed to snow.  It was cold outside but we were cozy in the car on the drive.

This is the lodge and Christmas welcomed us to the Thanksgiving feast.

The park and the lodge are beautiful.  Our table seated about 24 people who were in our party and the photos from it weren’t much so I took some after our meal to show the dining area.  It was nice, the food was good and the people were pleasant and filled with the holiday spirit.

After dinner we shopped the gift shop at the park leaving with our goodies in the dark of night.  On our drive back to Bunny’s house, we drove through this little town and the main square was surrounded with life size greeting cards made by every business and organization in the town.  It was quite nice to see the display of cards realizing the whole town had taken part in the effort. 

On Friday, I think it was, we drove to Dekalb, Ill.  This is Portillos and they make a really fine sandwich.  They also have some fun display and we hid our eyes from the view of the nekid guy in the tub.  We did a lot of things in our short time in Rockford.  We visited some shops I loved and can’t tell you who or what as they didn’t have Internet sites.  What they did have were some items I wish I could have come home with but I learned a long time ago, you can’t have everything you want.  Maybe the next time.

This is the windfarm we see on our trip home each time we travel to Rockford.  I have taken photos before and they are always lousy.  We stopped in the area for another try and though the light is lousy “again” I took some of my best photos of it to date.

We left the highway trying for better photos than I usually came home with.  I am really pleased with some of the scenes as the windfarm is of interest and I love pastoral farming scenes.  I loved this farm and the farmer is obviously forward looking as his acreage is filled with the windmills (he probably does get a fee for rental of the land space and may in fact, own all of the installations). 

Another shot with the windmills peeking from behind the buildings.

You have to study this photo to get the big picture of the size of these windmills.  Notice the full size crane at the base and at the base of the crane is a full sized tractor trailer.  Huge isn’t a big enough word.

Hedgeapples are some of the original natural fencing used in the early frontier, for livestock.  I learned this from reading on the Internet.  I grew up with a Hedgeapple tree just a few doors from our house.  They were a curiosity I have never forgotten and to find them to photograph is fun.  The tree I knew is still in the same spot at home.  I need to take photos of it.

So many of my shots are taken through the car window as we travel.  This one turned out pretty well as we were moving expressway speeds when he said, private planes in the field coming up.

Not a very colorful photo but filled with nostalgia.  These old farms are always a grabber for my eyes and I hope to find a lot of them to take photos of.  Most of the landscapes now have cellphone towers sitting on them.

Our arrival back home in Cincinnati was timed the same as it had been to Rockford, just nearing midnight.  We had such a good time with my sis and my photos always make the adventures worth more.

I hope all of you had a great few days building your store of good memories.  We did and I’ll share more of ours with photos when the time is right.

Halie has birthing photos up.  The birthing was an invaluable and moving experience.  Visit Halie’s site, CLICK HERE.

Becca