I miss you Sam!!

I miss you Sam!!
I miss you Sam!!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Shadow Shot Sunday #33

It took me an hour to finally find this photo taken in my apartment in Portland. I always loved the way the sunlight filtered through the lace curtains. And after seeing Mary's photos on http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com, this morning I simply had to find this one to share for Shadow Shot Sunday. Click on the Shadow Shot icon in my sidebar to join us!

More Tricks With Photos for Saturday Morning



Beware of those manikins!


My, my that is a lot of smoke or a hot horn!


There may be more reality here than they realize!

Friday, January 2, 2009

That Seagull in the Snow Sing Along

About ten days ago I posted pictures of seagulls in the snow down near the harbor. The one below in particular looked really pissed off. My friend at www.rinklyrimes.blogspot.com saw it and decided to give him his hour of fame by writing lyrics to the tune of Winter Wonderland and it's priceless! But that was about the time my computer problems started and I didn't ever get it over to my blog from hers. So I'm doing it now. You gotta sing along with this one!
 
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Seagull in the Snow
I've been out in all weathers,
And it's ruffled my feathers,
But this is a first:
I hope it's the worst.
Who would be a Seagull in the Snow?

I can feel my beak freezing
And it isn't too pleasing,
And as for the feet
They long for some heat.
Who would be a Seagull in the Snow?

I can tell you life is getting dicey;
All the worms are deep beneath the ground!
Look at my expression! It is icy!
You are by the fire I'll be bound!

See, my eye! It's so beady!
It's a sign that I'm needy.
Though I'm on the beach
I can't raise a screech!
Who would be a Seagull in the Snow!

Have a good weekend!

The Party of Whiners

From Alberto Gonzales to Rush Limbaugh and everyone in between, the Republican Party is whining as Obama prepares to move into the White House. So, Bush just had bad luck with bad things happening on his watch? Or maybe the GOP’s bad luck just happened to send Bush to the White House in the first place???

But according to Paul Krugman, click here to read his entire column; and I agree, the fault lies with the Republican party itself. Forty years ago the GOP decided, in effect, to make itself the party of racial backlash. And everything that has happened in recent years, from the choice of Mr. Bush as their champion, to the pervasive incompetence of his administration, to the party’s shrinking base, is a consequence of that decision. The conservative think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation specifically urged the new 2000 team to make appointments based on loyalty first and expertise second.

There was contempt for expertise and it in turn rested on contempt for government in general. Ronald Reagan declared that “Government is not the solution to our problem, Government IS the problem. So why worry about governing well?

The Republicans back in the 80s began to take advantage of the situation in the south which originally focused on opposition to the Voting Rights Act but eventually took a more coded form: “You’re getting so abstract now you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is blacks get hurt worse than whites.” Or, government is the problem because it takes your money and gives it to Those People.

Krugman says the racial element isn’t all that abstract, even now: Chip Saltsman, currently a candidate for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, sent committee members a CD including a song titled “Barack the Magic Negro” and according to some reports, the controversy over his action has actually helped his chances! Is that outrageous or what!

Still there are some commentators warning President-elect Obama against bold action and have held up Clinton’s political failures in his first two years as a cautionary tale.

But America today is very different country from what it was in 1993 – not just a country that had yet to see what happens when conservatives control all three branches of government, but also a country in which Democratic control of Congress depended on the votes of Southern conservatives. Today, Republicans have taken away almost all those Southern votes – and lost the rest of the country. It was, indeed, a grand ride for a while, but in the end the Southern strategy led the GOP into a cul-de-sac.

Krugman believes that Obama has room to be bold. If Republicans try a 1992-style strategy of attacking him for promoting big government, they’ll learn two things: not only has the financial crisis discredited their economic theories, the racial subtext of anti-government rhetoric doesn’t play the way it used to.

Of course Republicans will make a comeback, that’s a given. But barring some huge missteps by Obama, that's not likely to happen until they stop whining and look at what really went wrong. When and if they do that they will discover that they need to get in touch with the real “real America,” a country that is more diverse, more tolerant, and more demanding of effective government than is dreamt of in their political philosophy.

Obama has an enormous task ahead of him and while I surely wouldn’t want to be in his shoes, I do have total confidence that he has the wisdom, the courage, the foresight and the determination to lead this country out of the incredible mess we find ourselves in today due to the contempt that the Republicans have had for government in general.

The New Day Is Here

And the new day for our world is in our hands, it can be as bright as we choose to make it. It won't be a bright new day however unless we all participate, unless we all take part in bringing about change, in spreading joy and love and beauty wherever and whenever we can -- big things, litttle things, it's not the size that matters. And not just waiting for an opportunity to present itself, open your eyes and look around you, open your heart to all you see --the opportunities are there, everywhere waiting for us. Have a bright and beautiful weekend.

No, I'm not really just a goody-two shoes, I just believe we can all make a difference, the choice is ours.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Great Goodbye to 2008!

I found this YouTube and it is so funny and just had to share it. Enjoy!

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Sky Watch #22

Share your skies with us! Visit the Sky Watch site and join us!



December in Seattle has been a strange one this year, but the skies never disappoint me!








Bambi and Thumper Do Exist!







May you always have
Love to Share,
Health to Spare,
and Friends that Care.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

I'm Back -- With a Lovely Poem

It's been a frustrating, expensive day getting my computer repaired, but I'm back online so beware!

I found this beautiful winter poem and thought it might be a comfort to you. It was to me, and it's very well written.

I felt it really captured my own feelings about winter.

'WINTER'

A poem by
Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre



SHIT, It's Cold !

The End

My Wish for You -- for Us in 2009



May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your
debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.
May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault
your lips! May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires and
may happiness slap you across the face. And may your tears be that of
joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple
words ............

May 2009 be the best year of your life!!! May it be so, not only for each of us individually, but for our country as well. May anger and hatred and bitterness get buried by a snowy avalanche of beauty, of joy, of love, generosity and kindness.

My thanks to all of you who have welcomed me into the blogging community with your good wishes, your comments, your encouragement, your understanding. You have helped me move past a very difficult period in my life and enabled me to find a new joy and excitement in each and every day. You've accepted the fact that I have a big mouth and don't hesitate to express the things that I feel. That in itself is no small gift! I thank you for being a part of my life and allowing me in some small way to be a part of yours, to offer me a chance to see and understand your world - both near and far. There is no greater gift than that. That is what makes it possible for us, to at least initiate change, one friend at a time, one place after another, one change at a time.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

An Attitude Adjustment

After being such a wuss earlier this afternoon with my "tired of winter already" attitude, I ran across this, I had seen it before, but today it gave me a whole new look at the day. You've probably seen these before, I had, but it is beautiful!

In a zoo in California, a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth.

The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.

After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother.

The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment.

Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger. Would they become cubs or pork chops?








Now, please tell me one more time...

Why can't the rest of the world get along?


'Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass,

it's about learning to dance in the rain.'

I'm practicing now!

Prevention First!

I haven't checked 'snopes.com' to see if this actually works or not; but they say, if you ever get the sudden urge to run around naked, you should drink some Windex first.

It'll keep you from streaking.



What can I say? It's been a long, cold, damp, gray, generally yucky day and I've gotten desperate enough to do most anything! And by the way, the Windex tastes terrible!!

When is a Photo Not Just a Photo?



I didn't take this, but thought it was intriguing! A friend sent me several that she had stumbled across. Some were kind of dumb, but others truly beautiful!

Happy Tuesday!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Ruby Tuesday


Happy Ruby Tuesday! Click on the picture to join us and share the fun!!

 
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Now this is not what you usually think of as material for Ruby Tuesday, but as I looked across the street the other morning, the first thing I saw in all the snow was the red door of our neighbors mail box! Cheery looking, sure the postman will have no trouble seeing it -- if he can get up the street at all. We've had a couple of days with no mail delivery! What was that they use to say about the postman????
Scroll down for photos of My World!

My World



We had lots of snow last week. We had snow and sun, snow and fog, snow and gray skies. This much snow -- the kind that hangs around for days, is rare in Seattle. I've been told that this hasn't happened in thirty years! Click on the icon to join us every week to share your world with us!

 

 

This grove of trees is down by the harbor where I frequently take photos.

 

This is what that same grove of trees looked like six weeks ago! Not much time, a whole lot of difference!

 
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Monochrome Monday

My son, David, in Dallas was experimenting with a new type lens for his camera and sent me these pictures of leaves from his yard, so I'm using them as my contribution for today.




Sunday, December 28, 2008

This Says It All




Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.

Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT.........
Sisters are there,
no matter how much time and how
many miles are between you.
A girl friend is never farther away
than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on
your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the
valley's end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you...Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,

daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,
Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended
family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
neither would I. When we began this adventure called
womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we
would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still.


Let all the women who help make your life meaningful know.
I just did.
Short and very sweet:
There are more than twenty angels in this world.
Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds.
Nine are playing.
And one is reading this post at this moment.


Laughter Keeps Me Warm



1. Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggert have written an impressive new book. It's called .........

'Ministers Do More Than Lay People'

2. Transvestite: A guy who likes to eat, drink
And be Mary.

3. The difference between the Pope and your boss,the Pope only expects you to kiss his ring.

4. My mind works like lightning, one brilliant flash and it is gone.

5. The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in the bathroom.

6. I hate sex in the movies. Tried it once. The seat folded up, the drink spilled and
that ice, well, it really chilled the mood.

7. It used to be only death and taxes. Now, of course, there's shipping and handling, too.

8. A husband is someone who, after taking the trash out, gives the impression that
he just cleaned the whole house.

9. My next house will have no kitchen - just vending machines and a large trash can.

10. Definition of a teenager? God's punishment...for enjoying sex.

11. As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.

Why Women Shouldn't Take Their Husbands Shopping

This is why women should not take men shopping against their will.

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Wal-Mart . Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunately, my wife is like most women - she loved to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Wal-Mart:

Dear Mrs. Samsel,

Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against Mr. Samsel are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they weren't looking.

2 . July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women's restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away.'

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&M's on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?'

9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the ' Mission Impossible' theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look' by using different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18 : Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'

14. October 21 : When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!' And last, but not least ..

15. October 23 : Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here!'

You do get the picture, huh?

What Can I Say?

What Can I Say?
I'm interested in almost everything. Use to like to travel, but it's too expensive now. I take Tai Chi classes, swim, volunteer in a Jump-start program for pre-schoolers. I'm an avid reader and like nearly everyone these days I follow politics avidly. I'm a former teacher and Special Projects Coordinator for a Telecommunications company, Assistant to the President of a Japanese silicon wafer manufacturing company. Am now enjoying retirement -- most of the time. I have two daughters, one son-in-law and two sons scattered all over the country. No grandchildren.

Portland Time