Sunday, December 27, 2015

View From The Rear-

View Mirror

C Shasta 2.jpg
Boxing Day Mount Shasta

Yesterday was a great day to take photos of snow covered volcanoes. Marg Miller and I took advantage of the clear St. Stephens Day weather, toting cameras to the Dam road and capturing the beautiful sights. (If you missed the Feast Of Saint Stephen, it also happens on January 6)

Parking.jpg
Centamundi boat ramp parking

People were out on the lake, testing their new Christmas trucks, boats and fishing gear.


1.5MB PhotoStitcher Lassen Panorama.jpg
Lassen Volcanic Park panorama picture

I used an App called PhotoStitcher to make that panorama from 4 individual images.

Christmas Day;

Tree 4x6.jpgNan's Tree.jpgS Tree LR 2.jpg
We Three Trees, left one is mine. Nan’s, then the Taylor’s. Oh, how they shine.

To give a sense of scale, the lights on my little tree are the same size as the ones on the other trees. It was nice to visit with friends on Christmas.

A-1?.jpg
“A-1 sauce?”, Stu Taylor laughingly muses

Yes, it was the traditional prime rib Christmas dinner at the Taylor’s. Stuart provided a perfectly cooked roast while family and friends provided mouths to eat it.

Long Cold Moon.jpg
Long Night Full Cold Christmas Moon

I hope everybody found at least one reason to love each other this season of winter celebrations. (Backyard barbeques on the Atlantic coast in December and all.)

Here is another picture from yesterday, the 26th;

Smooth Shasta.jpg
Snow frosting on Mount Shasta

Today’s Video; Oscars Oasis


See The Light

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Happy Rainy Day

It’s Nice To Have You Back Again

Hello Robin 4.jpg
Yesterday’s Sun Brings Out Birds

In Case You Missed The Republican Debate...

SNL provided an accurate synopsis;



Hello Flicker.jpg
Flicker Enjoys Saturday Sunshine

Among the things I have been saving up for a rainy day are fix-it projects. So far, I have managed to repair a nose hair trimmer that didn’t work when I got it 5 years ago. Now I have 2 fully functional nose hair trimmers.

I feel a mild sense of accomplishment, and I can keep from having a “nosestach”.

Day Moon 3.jpg
Saturday ‘day’ moon

Another fixit project was the trackpad on the MacBook. I really like that older laptop because it is still running Apple magic programs on the Mountain Lion operating system. It is way more fun than this bothersome El Capitan and associated poorly considered improvements to the basic Mac program sets.

Welcome To Redding.jpg
Saturday afternoon Redding view

The trackpad had become stiff and difficult to click, so I set about finding the trouble and fixing it.

The problem wasn’t the trackpad, but a swollen battery pack. It is a chance I take when purchasing third party replacement parts because the high cost of genuine Apple parts are usually more than I want to budget for.

Lassen Park.jpg
Lassen Park obscured

I have the original battery pack for my late 2008 MacBook that I could put in it until I get a new replacement, but it most likely won’t hold a charge. I would have to always plug in the MacBook to a power source.

P&P 12 14 15.jpg
Dean took pictures of P&P last Monday

Just for fun, I plugged in the MacBook without a battery, (With no battery it weighs practically nothing). By golly it works and feels like a MacBook Air on my lap. Problem solved.

Today’s Video;


Rainy Day Diversions

Friday, December 18, 2015

This Weeks Pictures

Between The Rains

Lassen HDR 2.jpg
Lassen between storms



Touchable Red.jpg
Only one red rose, and it is beautiful



Not A Robin.jpg
An elusive red finch



Enchanted Lassen.jpg
Enchanted Lassen



Robins.jpg
Robins



Today’s Video;


Hair Like Lambswool (Revelation 1:14)

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Retrieving My Thoughts

From Where I Lost My Train

Wet Pink Rose.jpg
Wet rose - Panasonic Lumix FZ8

We had some rain yesterday and a pretty good storm last night. I used my FZ8 to take pictures in the rain because the FZ70 (my favorite) is not a camera that I want to get wet.

Today I took some new pix with the Lumix FZ70, but before I show you those, I thought you might enjoy Will Ferrell as George Bush from Saturday Night Live, last night. I saw this clip on Crooks and Liars today and thought you might enjoy a little comic relief;


Fresh Snow.jpg
Fresh snow - FZ70

The hills and mountains got snow from the latest storms. I went out early this morning, 10 ish, and took a few pictures as the western skies cleared enough to see Shasta Bally.

Perfect Red.jpg
Perfect red rose

We still have a few roses and assorted flowers that are blooming. A good thing.

Purp 5.jpg
Love the purple

The Treehouse lake even made an appearance…

Treehouse Lake.jpg
Reflections at the Treehouse

The weather forecast indicates a couple days of clear skies. I may head a few miles east, west, or north to photograph some snowy scenes while opportunity shines.

I hope you are enjoying this December so far, wherever, you may be. Here is…

Today’s Video;


Peace

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Comic Relief

We Really Need It Now

I hope you enjoy this Darth Trump character study, I know I did.

Well, that’s all the setup I’m going to do.

Today’s Video;


Happy Kwanzaa

Friday, December 4, 2015

Interesting Tid Bits

And Somethings I Read This Morning


66480988.gif
Hedy Lamarr (Google Images)

The sex goddess of the silver screen and her partner songwriter, George Antheil discovered a method to prevent jamming of radio signals used to guide torpedos from nearby airplanes in 1940. Their work was patented in 1942 and given to the U.S. Navy for free, but the military did nothing with it until the 1960s.

We All Need This Prescription






Today’s Video;


Get Your Life Back - Turn Off The News

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Melt Down Your Guns

Before You Kill Somebody!

So far this year, Americans with guns have killed over 12,000 of their American neighbors, friends, family, and even themselves. We sure kept them foreigners from killing those 12,000 Americans, didn’t we?

Jet Pic 2.jpg

What ever plan our country has been following for the security and general welfare of its people isn’t the one in the constitution. Helping the NRA to make sure everybody buys guns so we are safe is like using gasoline to put out a fire.

Babe In Roseland.jpg

And the “war on terror”? Everyone who supports our pubescent 8th grader solutions to complex problems needs to turn off the talk radio and 24 hour TV news. The Foxholes who promote violence and hatred should be in jail awaiting trial for aiding and abetting murderers, arsonists, and traitors.

Now, I will tell you why;

None of the people who advocate war and bombing and boots on the ground, or any of those things that have accelerated the fires of war, consider what happens after that. They just listen to others tell them what to think and do.

Hole Look.jpg

To come up with realistic and effective solutions to ISIS, I recommend that everyone, including the president and our generals (if they are literate), read The Playbook that ISIL is following  so we can stop reacting in ways that cause us to defeat ourselves.

The Management of Savagery, (in the playbook) is the method by which they have provoked us to become more savage in our responses until we have become the evil aggressors who are terrorizing the world.

Colorful Combo Rose and Berries.jpg

Here is one solution: Stop what we are doing for ‘security’ at home and around the world and start learning all we can about “The Enemy”. Then we can begin to understand their problems instead of raining more death and destruction on them. (We stupidly expect this strategy will produce good results)

Today’s Video;


Read More Learn More

Friday, November 27, 2015

Day After Thanksgiving

And I am Still...Thankful

Frosty 2.jpg
Frosty Full Moon on the 25th

On the night before Thanksgiving, the full moon was bright in the chilly air

Dinner Saturday 3.jpg
Saturday dinner Nov 21

The week was filled with songs and spectacular images

Oak Tree Robin.jpg
High in an oak tree

Sunday the 22nd was a nice day to take pictures in the afternoon from the cul de sac while conversing with friend and photographer, Margaret.

Wowee Zowee Leaves.jpg
Colorful leaves came to life in the sunlight

Monday was the Treehouse musica-stravaganza-jamboree with Peggy and Phil performing in the dining room. That’s an event I love to attend.

New Favorite.jpg
A light dusting of snow on the hills to the east

It was chilly on Wednesday morning when I went to play and sing at Golden Umbrella. The people there provided a warm welcome and there were smiles all around while I sang and played. A nice way to start the day.

Thanksgiving Shasta 1.jpg
Shasta on Thanksgiving

On my way to Thanksgiving dinner with the Stuart and Sandi Taylor family, I stopped at the top of Hilltop and Lake to take a picture of Mount Shasta from the lot next to the car wash.

Dinner was nice, Amber and the grandkids were there. Austin brought a friend. Her name was Dakota. Of course I asked, “North or south?” (crickets)

Thanksgiving Moon 5.jpg
Thanksgiving moon

Somehow I managed to stay home today even though millions of dollars were spent enticing me to shop the bargains on Black Friday.

Sunshiny Day.jpg
A bright sunny Friday

Today was sunny and bright and I did get over to the shop to play some tunes with John.

I have much to be thankful for. Too many joyful appreciations to fit into one day each year, but it is good to share an annual day of gratitude with all of North America, eh?

Today’s Video;


That’s About The Size Of It

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Eureka Way

Where I Found It

It was a day to seek answers or wander to enlightening moments or places.

I was thinking about Whiskeytown Lake and photo opportunities. That would focus my attention on the workings and movements of seasonal changes, and perhaps I would return with images to share.

Obviously what I sought, I would find on Eureka Way. The word play was tantalizing and the answers awaited my participation.

There were many sights to photograph. Too many to post individual images, so I made a slide show. I used the unedited, unprocessed RW2 images because they looked better that the ones I edited, enhanced, and layered to unreproducible complexity.

Watch these 5 minutes of images and be transported to the magical, majestic and mysterious world right here in Redding, somewhere along Eureka Way.

Today’s Video;


Wonders Still Await

Friday, November 20, 2015

Chicken Little Contest

Which Politician Will Win?

Isn't She Lovely.jpg
Lovely Treehouse rose

Self righteous, self proclaimed Christian politicians in America are showing their true cowardly lack of faith by adamantly turning against people desperately fleeing from the insanity and horror of rampaging fanatical killer cultists in Syria. Why would our leaders close the door on men, women and children fleeing for their lives? Because these rich influential men are afraid of terrorists.

Sorry, they’re a bit late. Those bootlickers must have skipped history classes and haven’t read the news. We’ve had Christian Terrorists killing school kids, doctors, families, blowing up women’s health clinics, burning churches, and spewing hate on TV, radio and the internet for years.

Thanks to the NRA, and the politicians they own, every wanna be terrorist has the right to buy all the guns they need to carry out whatever crazy murderous notions they might have.

Our own American terrorists have murdered scores more people in America than “foreigners”. Heck, our own police forces shoot 800 or more Americans every year.

And children? 10,000 American children are killed or wounded by guns in America annually. It’s mostly their friends and relatives doing the shooting.

New Home.jpg
Doing some home improvement

“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you”. That is the basic creed of Christianity. I am guessing that doesn’t apply to the pretend Christians that wear American flag lapel pins on their $5,000 suits and denigrate those who aren’t millionaires like them.

Where I Live.jpg
Treehouse ambience

I live here at the Treehouse, along with 60 or so other Seniors who for one reason or another depend on a small, but reliable income from Social Security. We live in well maintained, comfortable, safe housing thanks to HUD rental subsidies.

We have healthcare thanks to Medicare and Medi-Cal, (Medicaid in other states). We don’t live like kings and queens, but if we are frugal, we can eat nutritious food, wear clean clothes, and respect ourselves and our neighbors.

Republicans have stated many times that they want to put an end to HUD, Social Security and Medicare. I guess they think we are senile or crazy because they still expect us to vote for them.

I don’t care how much TV and radio airtime they spend slinging mud at the democrats, at least the democrats aren’t planning to pull the rug out from under us.

Yellow AS IS.jpg
Rambling Treehouse rose

Some of my neighbors and a few people who work here have let TV and radio personalities convince them to vote themselves out of their home, job, income and health care. If they don’t wise up and start supporting democrats, we will all be homeless, jobless, sickly, and penniless.

The lost souls have nearly a year in which to come to their senses, but the sooner we can get them to turn off the the relentless doses of hate, fear and divisiveness the sooner they will regain control of their own hearts and minds.

Today’s Video;


Still Much More To Know