'S' Hook and Moss

I saw this when I went to fill the bird feeder.

Festival of Trees

We went to the Festival of Trees today.

There were hidden surprises on many of the trees.

Scott provided the fountain for this one.

And now for some zoom effect pictures.

Come on, with this many lights, I had to try.

This one is most like the DPS tutorial.

It has a sense of motion.

And its not bad for hand-held.

And this one is my favorite - mostly for the colors.

USN Ring Pendant

My brother gave this to my mom when he was serving in the Navy.

Moss on Tree Branches

Giving Thanks

This is my Thanksgiving table. I spent hours in the morning ironing the tablecloth and the fancy linen napkins, washing and drying the plates.

And this is what I'm really thankful for - Family.
Jeff, Nicole, Scott, Connor, Stephanie, Kaydee and Koda -
thank you for spending your Thanksgiving with me.

30 days...

...until Christmas.

This is the Christmas Tree in Council Chambers at City Hall.

You'd think being surrounded by Christmas Trees and Christmas lights

I would be overcome with Christmas spirit.

You would be wrong.

Experiments with Zoom Effect

Yesterday, the Digital Photography School blog featured an article about using zoom effect. The idea intrigued me, so I decided to give it a shot. Both photos above were hand-held - the result would be better with a tripod, and I plan to use one the next time. The first is of the lights in the trees outside City Hall - white lights on bare trees. The larger white and red lights are headlights and taillights from passing cars. The second photo was taken inside City Hall. This time I aimed my camera at the decorated Christmas Tree in the foyer.

I can see why they said it was a fun effect for scenes of light.

Backlit Plants

Please overlook the dirty window behind the plant and the fact

that some of the leaves have been used as dental floss by Stinkus.

We're just glad the plants are still alive.

First Snow

This is Scott's antenna ball from the

Inland Northwest Blood Center Vein Drain of 2008.

And this is Sideshow Bob.

And even Little Miss Sunshine. She's not looking too happy right now...

Our Vast Empire

Daybreak

Morning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,

Praise for them springing fresh from the Word

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlight from heaven

Like the first dew fall, on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,

Sprung in completeness where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Born of the one light Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise every morning

God's recreation of the new day

Morning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,

Praise for them springing fresh from the Word

Acorn Squash

St. Mark's Lutheran Church

This one is from the parking lot. I like the sky.

Dashboard Frog

The Jethro Tull post was number 300. It boggles my mind.

This frog has sat in the dashboard of my car since I started driving to Idaho to see Scott in 2004.

Self-Portrait + One

From our room at the Davenport Hotel. Thanks, Walt.

Jethro Tull

We went to see Ian Anderson play the Acoustic Jethro Tull on Sunday in Spokane. What a concert! It was nice to get away and have my mind occupied with something pleasant for a couple of hours. We really enjoyed ourselves.

Ice on Branches

Going Home

On our way home from Salt Lake.

This was taken with my cell phone through the windshield of the car. The snow held off until we were about 15 miles from home. I was thankful for that.

November 12

I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with family and friends while in Salt Lake.

I will treasure those memories.

November 11

We buried my mom on Wednesday, November 11, 2009.

My brother, Clint, died on November 11, 1997.

It seemed fitting to have her service that day. The weather held up - no rain and temps in the 60's.

It was a nice service, even if it was the hardest thing I've ever done.

She took a piece of my heart with her when she left. I will never be the same.

November 10

Tuesday was busy with preparations, but we took the afternoon and evening and spent it with my grandson and his mom.

He is the smartest almost-3 year old EVER. He read me Green Eggs & Ham. He played soccer with his Grandpa Scott. There is NOTHING I would have rather done than spend the day with him. What a precious child.

November 9

My mom died at 7:15 a.m. on Monday, November 9, 2009.

I didn't take a single photo all day.

November 8

Sunday, another day at the home. This shot is of the Bountiful LDS Temple from the nursing home parking lot. I took this shot, adjusted the focus and attempted a second. That's when my camera battery died.

November 7

We spent all day Saturday at the nursing home. I took this shot as we left Saturday night. It's blurry and out of focus - pretty much how I felt at the time.

November 6

Thursday, November 5, I got the call that you never want to get. My mom was dying. I needed to get there. We had already planned a trip for the weekend, so we left a day early, on Friday, and drove to Salt Lake. I was distracted. This is the only photo I took, at Wallace, less than an hour after we left.

I will be forever grateful to the friends who encouraged me to go a day early. Friday night, my mom knew me. She smiled when I said hello, said she loved me too, and wanted a kiss. Those are memories I will have forever.

My Mom

In 1945...

And in 2004, with me.

I love you, Mom.

Fairgrounds

Foggy Morning

Beaver Moon

Driving home from work tonight, I noticed the moon. It was still fairly low in the sky and very bright. I knew it was the full moon tonight and I wondered if this was the Harvest Moon. No, it seemed like that was October. So I Googled it, and it turns out October is the Harvest Moon. And November's moon? Well, it's the Beaver Moon. Of course it is.

Check the source at

http://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-names.

Pretty interesting, for a moon fanatic like me.

More moons to come.

Dia de los Muertos

We went to the local Catholic cemetery today, in honor of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), All Saints Day (today), and All Souls Day (tomorrow). It was a beautiful day and we saw some very old headstones.

There was this cross,

marking the grave of an Irish immigrant who died in 1890.

There was this double headstone - mother and child - fashioned out of rocks.

Lots of Mary statues - some with rosaries...

And some without.

And even one of Scott's French Angels,

marking the grave of a woman who died earlier this year.

What a peaceful and holy place.