Photography Unedited/Loving Life

The Swan

2012-04-14T19:39:00.003-07:00

Autumn Scenery

2011-10-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

Even the cat is enjoying Autumn.

WV Skies

2011-10-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

Pear Thief

2011-10-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

"We're coming, we're coming! We want some too!"

Dreaming of Fishing

2011-10-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

Canned Peaches And Zucchini

2011-08-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

Lettuce Anyone?

2011-07-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

In The Backyard

2011-07-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

Bike Riding Grandpa

2011-07-18T20:03:00.000-07:00

Historical Sites - Future Photographer?

2011-07-14T23:29:00.000-07:00

My 10 year old daughter went with a friend to visit some historical sites. I sent the camera with her and here are some of the pictures she came back with.

It's hard to pick just one favorite but this would be one of mine.

Swimming... Or Just Wearing Safety Gear?

2011-07-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

Almost to our destination.

I don't think she'll be sinking anytime soon! Especially considering the fact that she won't get off the steps. :D

Brother and sister warming up.

My 10 year old photographer took some pictures on the way home after our fun, exhausting day with friends.

Today

2011-07-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

We took a ride up on the mountain to try out my new camera but it was so hazy I really didn't get a good opportunity to see what it could do.

Humpback Rock

My 22 month old saw this and said "It mommy!"

Fireworks in our neighborhood.

Happy Fathers Day-We Are Blessed

2011-06-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

First I want to thank you for raising me in a christian home where we were taught the plan of salvation and the tremendous, over-powering love God has for us. We were taught not to judge others but instead try to put ourselves in others shoes and understand that we all have faults and struggles. These are the absolute best gifts any dad could ever give his children!

I also want to thank you for the following...

Thanksgiving Day brunch

On Thanksgiving your always with the family.

On Christmas you love to share the joy and excitement with the children and grandchildren.

On New Years your always with the family, bringing in the New Year with lots of fun and laughter.

You never miss your childrens and grandchildrens birthday parties. And when we can't get the candles lit you awe the children with your cool shotgun lighter. :)

When it snows who opens the driveway? You of course.

The daycare children love you and call you grandpa.

When we needed more storage you built a storage building.

We go on many family outings with you.

4-wheeler rides with you are fun. I quote your grandson "It's more fun to go with grandpa (versus me). He goes faster!"

You like your modern technology. :)

You help your children and grandchildren build forts.

Gardening and working with plants is one (of many) of the hobbies your so good at.

Every spring you plant a huge garden so we can all enjoy the fresh produce.

When your children and grandchildren caught 8 turtles you built them a turtle pen.

Another hobbie is raising ducks and chickens. We enjoy the fresh eggs and the grandchildren spend hours feeding and watching the animals.

When the wind damaged the church roof you promptly repaired it.

These are just a few of the special things you do.

So Daddy, I just want to say, for all you've done, for all you do, and for all you will do, thank you!!!
I love you and so do your grandchildren!

Of Flowers And Insects

2011-06-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

I Love Snow!!

2011-01-28T22:16:00.000-08:00

An Unexpected Hailstorm

2010-04-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day!We spent most of the day outside with friends. The children were playing tag,catching caterpillers and riding bike and us adults were enjoying the front porch. The sun was shining and we had no idea we were about to get a hailstorm to add to the children excitment. We don't usually get hailstorms in our area and this one wasn't doing any damage so it was a lot of fun to watch the looks of awe on the childrens faces.

I don't know how th hail got piled up on this step like this.

Fall Beauty

2009-10-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

My Confession by Ben Stein

2009-09-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay..

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not, then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein

Treasures Money Can't Buy and Only God Can Give

2009-06-16T21:52:00.001-07:00

2009-04-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a pretty neat little thing from Paul Harvey. See if you can guess the riddle at the end. Paul Harvey Writes:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better. I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.
I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated. I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.
I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.
When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her. I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.
If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.
When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.
I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with them.
May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.
Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.

Send this to all of your friends. We secure our friends, not by accepting favors, but by doing them.
Paul Harvey RIDDLE:

When asked this riddle, 80% of kindergarten kids got the answer, compared to 17% of Stanford University seniors.

What is greater than God, More evil than the devil, The poor have it, The rich need it, And if you eat it, you'll die?

NOTHING!

2009-04-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

LORD PROP US UP...

Every time I am asked to pray I think of an old deacon who always prayed, "Lord prop us up on our leanin' side"After hearing him pray that prayer many times someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.

He answered, "Well sir, you see, its like this... I got an old barn out back; it's been there a long time; it's withstood a lot of weather; it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years.It's still standing but one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit.

So I went out and got some pine poles and propped it up on it's leanin' side so it wouldn't fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn.I've been around a long time. I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standin too.

But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.

Someitmes we get to leaning toward anger,leaning toward bitterness,leaning toward hatred, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't.

So we need to pray 'Lord prop us up on our leaning side so we will stand straight and tall again to glorify the Lord"

If you stare at this barn for a second you will see who will help us stand straight and tall again.

This is the day that the Lord has made!

2009-04-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 6:3 ...Holy,holy,holy is the Lord of host:the whole earth is full of His glory.

What a beautiful day!

My daughter was so cute outside, taking in the beauty all around her. She has this need to smell every flower she passes and I couldn't resist getting some pictures! Watching her teaches me to slow down and take in the world around me. It reminds me of this song I really like;

For The Beauty Of The Earth

For the beauty of the earth,

For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies,

Lord of all, to thee we raise